Playing SWBFII online after GameSpy

[AnthonyBF2]

After the ending of GameSpy, you'll need to install a new patch to access multiplayer. There are several options available.

1) SWBFspy
Primary Page: http://www.swbfgamers.com/index.php?board=134.0
SWBFspy is the main and simplest replacement. You can access this service by hex editing your game's main executable file which is BattlefrontII.exe for regular version or testapp.exe for Steam version. You need to replace all gamespy.com text strings with swbfspy.com then save changes to the file and you're good to go. If you want to host a Black Bag Ops server manager on SWBFspy, repeat the process I just explained for the server's BattlefrontII.exe file.
Everything I just mention above also applies for SWBF1 - game and server manager.

SWBFspy is also the only option that supports SWBF1 and SWBF2 for the PS2 console. To access multiplayer on SWBF1 or SWBF2 for PS2, you need to edit your console's network configuration and change the DNS to manual and set it to 74.91.125.138. Secondary DNS should remain 0.0.0.0. You may or may not experience DNAS issues since Sony has been shutting things down in recent months. Again, if you want to host a dedicated server for either of those PS2 games, apply the same edits to the server's main Battlefront file.

2) GameRanger
Primary Page: http://www.gameranger.com
This is a PC only platform. It supports hundreds of games including SWBF2 which has more players than the above SWBFspy, but as a downside is more prone to issues such as lag, advertisements, lack of dedicated servers and other minor inconveniences that are too much to list. You need to make an account for GameRanger and install the GameRanger software which is all free. Payment is required to remove ads, upgrade buddy lists and other unimportant gimmicks. If you play on GameRanger, you need to be sure you're using an unmodified game executable. This means if you have an game exe that's been edited for SWBF2spy, you can't play on GR. The solution is to just have two game exe files and have one edited for SWBFspy. The other one needs to be named BattlefrontII.exe so GR can detect it, and as I said, not contain the SWBFspy mod. If you want to host a dedicated server on GR, you need to make GR look for swbf2sm.exe.

3) Tunngle
Primary Page: https://www.tunngle.net/en/
I don't have much experience using this but it does work. It supports as many games as GR. It supports SWBF1, SWBF2, and dedicated servers for both. Account creation and software installation are free but there is payment options for upgrades that I personally don't remember. To play just be in the Tunngle room for either game, then start your game or server. Ensure that your game or server isn't modded for SWBFspy as it will again cause a conflict and not work.

[jojo3450]

is Gameranger free and safe to use I want to play battlefront 2 online?

[Marth8880]

^Yes.

[kitfisto15678]

Right now I'm using game master for SWBFII to play online. I've heard Gameranger has more players though so I was wondering if it's possible to access the gameranger servers for SWBFII without actually having the Gameranger app. (I play on a Mac, the Mac version is incompatible with the the new OS and Wine refuses to run the Windows launcher so I can't install the Windows version)
Is there any way to edit files within the game so it accesses those servers that are more active?

[AnthonyBF2]

Nah, the GR has it's own thing going on. When a person hosts it's essentially hidden from the real internet, only other GR users can join.

[kitfisto15678]

Nah, the GR has it's own thing going on. When a person hosts it's essentially hidden from the real internet, only other GR users can join.

Ah darn it. I guess I'm stuck with gamemaster. I miss those full servers but occasionally gamemaster fills up with some people...
Thanks!

[DylanRocket]

Gamemaster is shutting down.

"GameShare
ITS TIME TO SAY GOODBYE
Sorry. I don't have the time to keep the old services up and running. GameMaster will shutdown on 01.06.2016. Best wishes for the future of our lovely old games... I'll be back some time with something great again..."

[Kingpin]

Whelp, GameRanger it is.

[AnthonyBF2]

Whelp, GameRanger it is.

Single player only it is then. GR is trash.

EDIT: Some users at SWBFgamers.com are discussing current possibilities to save the GM service.

[MrMew]

Does anyone know if there is or will be a patch for the dedicated server manager?

[Commander4726]

Update on Multiplayer: GoG are in the final testing phase for a patch regarding multiplayer stability. The community team will be helping them test this patch, and we may possible have to pull more community members into a server at some point just to test it properly. Additionally they are also working on dedicated server support for their SDK server, which will enable dedi support for SWBF2, AND we should be getting the source code for the exe at some point soon which is excellent.

[Teancum]

That sounds awesome! Actually it sounds a little bit too good to be true. Is there a link but we can look at regarding this?

[Marth8880]

AND we should be getting the source code for the exe at some point soon which is excellent.

What's your source for this? (puns aside)

[AnthonyBF2]

AND we should be getting the source code for the exe at some point soon

Hidden/Spoiler:

[commanderawesome]

If this is true then

Hidden/Spoiler:

[MrMew]

Does anyone know if its possible to change your in-game nickname without changing your steam nickname? I miss being able to select profile to change name.

[giftheck]

Update on Multiplayer: GoG are in the final testing phase for a patch regarding multiplayer stability. The community team will be helping them test this patch, and we may possible have to pull more community members into a server at some point just to test it properly. Additionally they are also working on dedicated server support for their SDK server, which will enable dedi support for SWBF2, AND we should be getting the source code for the exe at some point soon which is excellent.

If this last bit is true, then that's going to be awesome! I would also love the code for the first game too - but that's not only because of my usage of the first game but because some code in the original game might be useful to implement into SWBF2. I know you guys might like to have disguise kits, for instance.

Then again, GoG could be saying "we're getting the source code" not "we're going to be releasing it to you".

[Teancum]

Then again, GoG could be saying "we're getting the source code" not "we're going to be releasing it to you".

This. Why would they open it up to us after a major update? They would just have released it prior to the update.

[MrMew]

We won't be getting an update for the cd version will we?

[Chadaface]

Heres hoping for the source code thing. Its not too far fetched-The JKA community got their source code after directly asking Raven for it