Netbattle Guide

[Kuiper]

This is not a final draft and if you see any errors or things that need to be added please say so. Also, the images suck because I made them in MS paint, if anyone else thinks they can do better they're welcome to try.

Downloading

You can download the installation application from the Netbattle download page (http://tvsian.info/netbattle/download.htm). The Netbattle server has been reported to be prone to minor down time during the summer, so it's probably best just to download from one of the mirors. You need to save it to your hard disk, and make sure you put it in a place where you'll be able to find it once you're done downloading. Obviously your browser should be able to guide you through this process, unless you're doing this through DOS command prompt and running on a minimal set of drivers, although if that's the case I doubt you're the type who'd read a guide like this.



*NOTE* Netbattle is not a virus, but the software is coded to read information off your machine for the purpose of maintaining identities and IP banning and such. This is NOT malicious behavior, but certain virus "protection" programs identify it as such. If you are having trouble installing the program, you should turn off any firewalls you may have on.
**Update**As of version 9.5, Netbattle no longer triggers most commercial anti-virus software.


Installing

Once you've downloaded the Netbattle 9.6 installation application, you should run it from wherever you downloaded it from. This should open the Netbattle installation wizard. The wizard should explain each part of the download process and it is recommended that you just use the default settings.



You can open the program from the start menu or the desktop, depending on where you placed it (and whether you made a desktop icon for it).

From this point, you can access the "Help" menu from the menu bar, either by clicking "Help > Help..." or pressing Alt.

If you want to change your settings from the default, you can do so by clicking "Options > Set options..." The "Help" feature of Netbattle does a better job of explaining each section better than I can here, so you should probably open 'er up if you feel like twidling inside the config menu.


Team Builder

Before you can Start Battling, you have to construct a team. You should do so by opening Team Builder. This will open a window with several tabs. The first of these is your Trainer data, where you should list your name and any extra info and any tabs. In case you get confused, here (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y2...stillhateme.png) is an image describing the Trainer info window.


You have six Pokémon tabs, one for each Pokémon on your team. This (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/Clown_Master/56kershateme.png) image describes the window better than I can.


Connecting to the Netbattle server

Once you've completed your team, you can click the "Start Battling" button to see the server list. Select the server you want to connect to by double-clicking or clicking the "connect" button.

If this does not work (connecting manually)
In the event that the server registry is not loading properly or is down, you will have to select "Advanced..." in the server listing window to open the Advanced Connection window. (If the registry is down, it should open this automatically.) The Advanced Connection window looks like this (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v31/Fallen_Ronin/advancedconnect.png). From here, you can manually enter the name of the server you are trying to access. Smogon, the most popular server, is located at nb.smogon.com

Once you've connected, you should see the main server window displaying updates and the user list located on the left. You can open a user's challenge window by double clicking on their name on the user list or by selecting their name and selecting "Challenge." The challenge window should look something like this (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v31/Fallen_Ronin/kiku.jpg). Here's the ruling rundown:

Sleep Clause: Only one Pokémon on one player's team can be put to sleep at any given time, excluding the effects of rest
Freeze Clause: Only one Pokémon on one player's team can have freeze status
Self-KO Clause: If you use the moves Perish Song, Explosion, Selfdestruct, or Destiny Bond with your last Pokémon, you will lose. Same goes for death due to recoil damage. (This is to prevent ties.)
Apply PP ups: With this enabled, all moves will have max PP (Without it, they will have minimum PP)
Stadium mode: Different battle mode in which each player uses only three Pokémon
Challenge Cup: Both players play with random Pokémon
Level Balance: The system adjusts Pokémon's levels for a more "fair" playing field
Battle Timeout: With this enabled, if a player does not move for five minutes, they will lose
Unrated: The battle's results will affect neither player's record.
Show enemy HP: Enemy's exact HP will be shown, rather than a percent
Disallow spectators: With this enabled, other users on the server will not be able to watch your battle
Use stadium present (RBY and GSC only): Allow use of moves like Amnesia Psyduck and Earthquake Gligar


If someone challenges you, a window displaying the rules they wish to play by will pop up. You can either accept or refuse this.


Battling

When battling, you can either move by selecting an attack and clicking "Attack" or selecting a Pokémon from your team and selecting "Switch." Netbattle 9.5 has a new command which allows you to undo your move as long as your opponent has not already selected an attack. You can also Forfeit, Propose Draw, or Request Unrate matches from the Alt menu, as well as select whether you would like to save a log at the battle's end.



When on the server, you can always "Private Message" people or ask on the server for help if you are having a problem, though for their sake and your own you should try to be coherent about it.


7-21-06 edit: fixed download link, noted that NB is no longer recognized as "malware"
10-9-06 edit: explained how to connect manually when the server registry is down, fixed several typos

[SpringChocobo]

Not bad. I wish I would've had that when I downloaded NetBattle :(

[sixersballernum3]

Genious idea Fallen Ronin.

[Near]

hey can you help me?
each time i enter a server it write to me:

server Israel Server - NetBattle v.0.9.5
Currently 11 trainer(s) online, with a maximum of 100 trainers.
Flood count is set to 3
Your team's power is: 61%
You have been disconnected from the server.

what to do?

[clown master]

Have you downloaded the new version of NetBattle yet?

[clown master]

I'm stickying this. It'll eventually be added to the FRLG Help Thread and unsticked here.

Also, Ronin:

Here are some slightly better diagrams of the NB Team Builder Screens:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/Clown_Master/56kersstillhateme.png

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/Clown_Master/56kershateme.png

[_-*$carface*-_]

Good Job on the NetBattle Guide Fallen Ronin. It helps.

[shineyaltaria]

I'm stickying this. It'll eventually be added to the FRLG Help Thread and unsticked here.

Good job, Sir Fallen Ronin. I'm sure this will help a lot of posters, perhaps I'll give Netbattle a try also some time. Disregard my PM since the point of saving your post is now moot.

[_-*$carface*-_]

Not to start Spamming but, SA, you have never NetBattled? That's surprising, but I guess your specialty right now is Ingame eh? Since you know so much about the Game. But if you havn't NetBattled before, I suggest you Start, cuz it's awsome.

[c-106mc]

When using Netbattle, do firewalls interfere with battling?

[_-*$carface*-_]

Read the Guide if you aren't sure. It has all you need to know. But from my knowledge, no it does not interfere.

[RareHunterX]

I think this link should be added in incase you have problems:
http://www.smogon.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=16

Since it seems that most people go to smogon Netbattle help forum now for solutions to NB errors. MXGP goes there alot so just thought i'd post.

[InterFed_OV]

Excellent idea! That looks like it'll help a lot of people! But, you'd have to make an account on the Smogon forums to ask a question of your own. Could be a slight problem.

[XIN0N]

can I ask a question?
Why did Gardevoir ( my enemy's gardevoir ) have Water Absorb ability?

[wobmaster]

can I ask a question?
Why did Gardevoir ( my enemy's gardevoir ) have Water Absorb ability?
I beleive people can set their servers so that they can have abilities or moves that aren't in the game. Go go Aeroblast Farfetch'd.

[RareHunterX]

It could be that Gardevoir traced the ability of a Poke that had WA

[XIN0N]

none of my pokemon has Water Absorb ability. It was on the Smogon Netbattle server and the pokemon that was out was Aerodactyl

[MajinRokusho89]

Ok, I guess I've got a Q...

What does NetBattle consider an Uber? Is it like the Emerald Battle Frontier unallowed group (Kyogre, Mewtwo, Lugia, Doxys, Mew, etc.), or is it any legendary (Lati@s and trios included)?

[_-*$carface*-_]

Ubers are any Legendary Pokemon with a total of 610 Base Stats or Higher. Exluding Mew. Because Mew is 600 but has an unpredictable Movepool and can learn All the TM's. That's pretty much the Definition in the Help Thread. But to Clarify, these are Banned Pokemon.

Deoxys (All Forms)
Groudon
Kyogre
Rayquaza
Latios
Latias
Lugia
Ho-Oh
Mew
Mewtwo
Wobbuffet

I don't think Jirachi or Celebi are Banned. And these are Pokemon that you might have some Confusion about. They are Legendaries but are not Banned.

Articuno
Zapdos
Moltres
Raikou
Entei
Suicune
Regirock
Regice
Registeel

These are them, providing that I didn't miss any.

[blazkien2222]

does it matter which mirror you click on

[wobmaster]

does it matter which mirror you click on
No, they are all the same file.

[blazkien2222]

should i click on save or open after when i click on one of the mirrors

[_-*$carface*-_]

Uh, Save? I think I Saved it, cuz incase there an Update and your Auto Updator Doesn't work, and you have to Uninstall/Reinstall again, you will have it Saved. Meh, I don't think you will die if you Save it or Open it.

[Fallen_Ronin]

Here are some slightly better diagrams of the NB Team Builder Screens:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y2...stillhateme.png

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y2...6kershateme.png

[klducks]

Here are some slightly better diagrams of the NB Team Builder Screens:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y2...stillhateme.png

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y2...6kershateme.png
*The page you are requesting cannot be found
uhh... yeah...

[clown master]

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/Clown_Master/56kersstillhateme.png

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/Clown_Master/56kershateme.png

I'll edit them in.

[Kuiper]

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/Clown_Master/56kersstillhateme.png

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/Clown_Master/56kershateme.png

I'll edit them in.
Uh, thanks. I, uh, never got around to that, did I? BTW, nice pic tags, although really I never found png to be that bad. (Actually, IIRC NB only contains 256 colors? [I will look this up later.])


Does anyone see the need for an explanation of how to run your own server? I'm thinking no, because anyone with the resources to do that would probably be able to figure it out on their own, but whatever. Also maybe an explanation of how the MOD system works would be good, and something that I'd go out of my way to include if it ever picks up.

(I will re-read the entirety of my original post and clean it up later when I have time.)

[clown master]

I moved this here now that we have a NB Forum. =p

Bill>>>>>>>>>>>Life.

[Amadeus]

Ubers are any Legendary Pokemon with a total of 610 Base Stats or Higher. Exluding Mew. Because Mew is 600 but has an unpredictable Movepool and can learn All the TM's. That's pretty much the Definition in the Help Thread. But to Clarify, these are Banned Pokemon.

Deoxys (All Forms)
Groudon
Kyogre
Rayquaza
Latios
Latias
Lugia
Ho-Oh
Mew
Mewtwo
Wobbuffet

I don't think Jirachi or Celebi are Banned. And these are Pokemon that you might have some Confusion about. They are Legendaries but are not Banned.

Articuno
Zapdos
Moltres
Raikou
Entei
Suicune
Regirock
Regice
Registeel

These are them, providing that I didn't miss any.
The Pokemon that are banned all varies on the server you go onto. Some servers ban some, others ban others, and some of them ban none.

[gojira2]

I can't get in. Something about server disconected won't let me. Any help here.

[spell lord]

what is the site ???

[terradine]

uhh the site doesn't lead you to the netbattle thing.

[Pengwan]

The link doesn't work. It takes you to a "sexy singles" ad. Anyone know what's wrong with it?

[Rafael Lenz]

You can download NetBattle here (http://www.netbattleitalia.altervista.org/nbsetup096.exe). ;)

[Kuiper]

I fixed the link so that it now points to the correct download page (http://tvsian.info/netbattle/download.htm) which is located at the new tvsian.info domain.

[Secks]

So, the site you download it at, and the program itself is 100% sure not to give me a virus or any spyware or anything harmful?

[Kuiper]

So, the site you download it at, and the program itself is 100% sure not to give me a virus or any spyware or anything harmful?
Correct. I'm pretty sure that there were actually several Pojo users who participated in the coding and testing of the program.

[Secks]

Thanks. I just want to be sure, I hate getting viruses and such, I have no luck when it comes to getting rid of them, so I'm extra careful.


Is there like a server in it, or do you have to connect through an IP like Yugioh Virtual Desktop?

[Kuiper]

Is there like a server in it, or do you have to connect through an IP like Yugioh Virtual Desktop?
It has an easy-to-access link to the NB server listing, although when it's down you need to know the address of a server if you want to access it.

[DefaultDuelist]

the lind doesnt work it says page not found

[DarkRuler Ha DEs]

wait a sec, does NetBattling have anything to do with th PkMn Game Boy games? Or is this a completely dif. software/game?

[wobmaster]

It's a different game. In NB, you can create a new team any way you like it (as long as it's possible). It also isn't anything like your games, and the only thing you do is battle.

[Near]

Hmmm.. The download doesn't work..

[Kiru]

Yeah, that link is dead or whatever. Same with the one on some other sites. Right now you can use, http://www.pokerealm.net/

EDIT: Oh wait, am I allowed to post urls?

[lasagne98]

maybe this is a stupid question, but does it cost anything?

[clown master]

If you had even read the site itself, you would know that it is obviously free.

[Kuiper]

I added a section on how to connect manually in the event of server registry failure.

[Blunder]

I've just downloaded and saved it.

Everytime I try to run it, it says

"The setup files are corrupted. Please download a new version of the program."

What should I do?

And how do I set off the firewalls?

[Megadio26]

Excuse me can someone help me? It keeps saying that I am forcefully rejected.... When I go into the manual mode and type in the smogon thing it takes me to the place and it says that I am forcefully rejected....

[trigga101]

i need help. when i go to the advadnced menu and type nb.smogon.com. it still says im disconnected

[WildAce]

Above 2 people:

I had the same problem when I first started Netbattle. The problem lies in your Firewall. Either the settings are set to strict, or are not configured to connect to other computers. Just adjust the firewall settings and there you go.

BTW, if anyone wants to Netbattle, me, just send me a PM letting me know.

[siddhesh22]

how do i get an avatar?

Additional Comment:
Ok, I guess I've got a Q...

What does NetBattle consider an Uber? Is it like the Emerald Battle Frontier unallowed group (Kyogre, Mewtwo, Lugia, Doxys, Mew, etc.), or is it any legendary (Lati@s and trios included)?
mew and wobbufet arent considered ubers at smogon!

[WildAce]

how do i get an avatar?


Man oh man, wrong forum.

[Sephirtoh_Masamune]

Want a list of pokemon and their tiers? Go here...http://www.smogon.com/rs/tiers

So, as you can see, Mew AND Wobuffett are BOTH considered uber, and for good reason. No, not all legendaries are ubers. Legendary dogs, birds(uno/dos/tres) and a few others aren't. Regi's included.

Have fun...

P.S.
That's only the advanced description tiers. Go to the top and switch pages for the G/S/C gen and the R/B/Y gen.

[KiNG]

I downloaded version 9.6 and when I am installing, I've stopped at:

Error opening (the downloading website)

The server returned status code 404.


I keep on retrying but it always makes an error. What should I do?

[Mushroom Pie]

Any chance that this is mac compatible?

[pokemonking#1]

um were do u sign in cause i cant find anywere to sign up/battle

[WildAce]

um were do u sign in cause i cant find anywere to sign up/battle

You don't have to sign up in order to battle.
Do the following steps:

1) Download Netbattle
2) Install Netbattle
3) Make a team
4) Click Start Battling
5) Select a server and enter it
6) Have fun...you're done.

PM me if you have any questions.

[Anbu_Zim]

does this thingy use cards to battle or is it like the stadium games and is 3d?

[PikachutrainerZac]

when i try to download version 9.6 it says i need to be administrator- HELP?

[Jon763248]

hey sup guys.

trying out Netbattle for the first time. it looks like its dead. None of the servers work when i try. always get disconnected. I even turn off my firewall and still dont work.

anyone who may enlighten me on this problem, I greatly appreciate.

[Kensaki]

Wtf?, it said i needed netbattle to run the application. What do i do?

[flopolopagus bunny]

how do you make the moves cuz when i type them in at the little thing at bootom of it and witch to a different tab they just diassapier

[Kensaki]

You gotta hit the check box next to the move.

[beaverteeth92]

Is there something similar to this with 4th generation compatibility?

[Kensaki]

No, this is only 1st through 3rd gen.

[Doctor Unne]

I tried to download it, and I got a message box that said

something/something/something/something.exe is not a valid Win36 application.

Please help!!!!!!!!

Additional Comment:

Nevermind, I have successfully downloaded it.

[Doctor Unne]

I've noticed some strange things about NB's battle mechanics, and I was hoping someone could help me by providing some substantial answers. All of the following observations have been made while playing in RBY mode.

Why does Substitute protect status in some battles, and in some it doesn't?
Why doesn't poison damage occur during moves like Wrap?
Why does Counter work on all physical moves in some battles, and in some it just works on normal/fighting?
Why do Rest, Recover, and Softboiled fail sometimes?
Does Focus Energy work?

Are such strange occurrences due to hackers? Does it vary from server to server (modified database)? Are some of them just part of the code of NB itself and therefore irrevocable regardless of server? I would very much appreciate anyone who can help me to understand.

[Kuiper]

Why does Substitute protect status in some battles, and in some it doesn't?
It's conditional, based on whether the move's primary effect is status (Thunder Wave) or is a secondary effect (Body Slam, Thunderbolt).
Why doesn't poison damage occur during moves like Wrap?
In RBY and GSC, you take poison and burn damage after your attack. During moves like Wrap, you're not attacking, and therefore don't take damage.
Why does Counter work on all physical moves in some battles, and in some it just works on normal/fighting?
In RBY battles, Counter only works against normal and fighting moves. If you see it working against other physical moves, chances are that the battle mode is not RBY. (It's possible for RBY teams to play other game modes.)
Why do Rest, Recover, and Softboiled fail sometimes?
Because of the way that the game calculates how much HP to recover, if your Pokemon has 256 or 511 less than its maximum HP, recover moves will behave as if you had full health (they fail).
Does Focus Energy work?
Netbattle is designed to imitate the Gameboy game, not Pokemon Stadium. So no, Focus Energy does not work.
Are such strange occurrences due to hackers? Does it vary from server to server (modified database)? Are some of them just part of the code of NB itself and therefore irrevocable regardless of server? I would very much appreciate anyone who can help me to understand.
Database modifications are serverwide, implemented by the server admin. I don't think that any hacks exist for Netbattle, although the RNG is quite screwy and not a truly random number generator. As an example, I once participated in a battle where Psychic lowered Special twelve out of twelve times for both players. I think it's based on a server-side timer, which means that high ping may cause "random" events to be not so random.


By the by, could this thread get an unsticky? I don't think anyone has really been maintaining it, and Netbattle is pretty much obsolete at this point; Smogon no longer hosts a Netbattle server. If someone else could make a Shoddybattle thread to replace it, that would be super, but because I've never used Shoddy (I pretty much quit Pokemon half a year ago), I'll leave the task up to someone else.

[Doctor Unne]

I've had a virtually invincible Parasect (LL, SD, Sub, Spore) in RBY NB before with Sleep Clause off, which is impossible in linkbattle due to Sub's failure to prevent primary status effects. I know it was RBY mode because there was a whole lot of critting going on and Charizard was ice-weak. I've also successfully used Wrap + Toxic in linkbattle. Poison damage occurs not only after attacks, but switchins too.

Tis is probably a total noob question, but what exactly does a database mod do anyway? Could it be responsible for the variability of Sub vs. Status? And does that Recover thing happen in linkbattle?

[Kuiper]

I'm not sure about stuff relating to poison and Substitute mechanics, as I haven't been following the most recent updates. I'm pretty sure that the paralysis on Substitute thing has been worked out, but I don't know if sleep has ever been addressed. It may be like the Reflect/Light Screen thing in PBS which never got fixed due to lack of application.

Database mods can change Pokemon's movepools and special abilities (a GBA mechanic), but I don't think that they can actually change the game's mechanics.

[Doctor Unne]

Is shoddy kinda like NB? Better or worse in any ways? Where can I download it?

[wobmaster]

I don't battle DP at all, but I have downloaded shoddy just to check it out, and from what I can tell, it's a really annoying program. It's not user-friendly as far as building your team or battling goes. It seems to be a bit like NB, but misses the small points that you just pass off as ordinary (slide bars for EVs, double click on a move in battle to select it (in shoddy you have to select the move and then click a different button), auto complete moves so you can just type your moveset in and press enter, etc).

HOWEVER, it is the only 4th generation online battle simulator as far as I know, so if you want to battle DP, you're just going to have to suck it up and use it or suck it up and wait for smogon's Competitor.

www.shoddybattle.com

[fsunoles11]

Ok so here's how it goes
i downloaded the installer and then the netbattle
i made my team and its amazing
but when i click start battling it cant connect to the registry server
so i went online and looked for others like smogon's server
i did that on advanced and couldnt even connect to that
I NEED SOME HELP PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[iReincarnation]

This is outdated, the download link no longer works.

[Jolteon]

So is NetBattle like an earlier version of Shoddy? Does anyone still use it?

[Venom]

Yea it is basically the same thing
except you can steal someone team and upload it on the netbattle
and much more cursing than the regular shoddy -_-

[Jolteon]

Steal someone's team? Like a team someone made on Netbattle? Cool.

[Venom]

yea you can download there team
and just upload it on netbattle lol

[Kuiper]

Given that this guide is almost four years old, I'm sure an overhaul is long overdue. As much as I'd like to open up Netbattle right now and do it myself, I don't have the latest version and the download link appears to be down. My situation at the moment is somewhat turbulent (I'm on the road right now and won't be in a stable position until August 18) so I can't guarantee that I'll update this any time within the next few days, but I will get to it eventually.

[Jolteon]

Well, ShoddyBattle pretty much is an updated version of this from what I understand, so there's really no point in you doing it.

www.shoddybattle.com

[realboy]

This sounds really good but is this where you use real life cards in the game?

(Edited comment)
Now I know what netbattle is, just like the gba version, well I was just reading it on pojo.Havn't tried yet, one problem the link is not working for me and I tried google search aswell. Help?

[Jolteon]

I might work on re-writing this now that I have NetBattle and can better understand and guide people through the process, since Kuiper said he's too busy to do it.

I'll let you know on my progress later on.

Additional Comment:

NetBattle Guide v2
http://www.pojo.biz/board/showthread.php?p=16287516#post16287516

Updated, Cleaned up, etc.

Mod, please lock and unsticky this, and sticky the new one. Thanks.