Multi-player games are played online, in the browser edition: open https://retro.theiguru.au/brokenseal/play/ and choose 7 Multi-Player game on the title screen. The game runs on the website's server, so you can come back to it from any computer. The desktop edition has no multi-player games.

Log in with your player name and password, or choose New player:

• a name of 2 to 20 letters, digits, spaces, - or _;
• a password of at least 8 characters;
• an email address, which is optional. Without one you get no emails.

Account (in the games window, or 4 in the campaign menu of an online game) changes the address, turns the emails on and off, and changes the password. If you forget your password, ask the sysop (see below).

New game asks for:

• a name for the game;
• the scenario;
• the level of the computer houses (1 Easy to 5 Hardest);
• how long each month lasts: 12, 24, 48 or 72 hours (24 if you don't change it);
• whether other people may join after the start. They then take over a house the computer leads.

The game gets an invite code of eight letters. Give it to the people you want to play with; they choose Join with a code.

In the lobby every player picks a house. The ruler's abilities are rolled for you on the server, within 8 points of the house's usual figure, and Roll the ruler again rolls all four again. When everyone has a house, the game's creator chooses Start the game. The computer leads the houses nobody picked.

The main screen works as in a game of your own, with the same windows and orders. Each order goes to the game server straight away and is checked there, so there is nothing to save.

• When your orders are done, choose 9 End month. You can take it back until the month resolves (campaign menu, 3 Players).
• The month resolves as soon as every player has ended their turn, or when the time runs out.
• Anyone who has not ended their turn by then keeps their house, but the computer gives their orders for that month, and their report says so. This happens every month they miss; they can come back at any time.
• The bottom of the main screen shows how long is left, or how many players you are waiting for.
• The page checks for news every 30 seconds. When the month has resolved it says so and shows your reports.
• Battles in online games are always fought by the commanders, because nobody is at the keyboard when the month resolves. The reports tell how they went.

You see your own reports and private messages, but not other players' reports or messages, nor the orders they are giving this month. The exception is your coalition partners' attacks, as in any game.

If you gave an email address and the emails are on, the game sends one:

• when a game you are in starts;
• after each month, with the first lines of your reports and the next deadline;
• two hours before the deadline, if you have not ended your turn (once a month);
• when a house claims the throne and the game is over.

The emails come from noreply@theiguru.au. If they land in your spam folder, mark one as not spam.

Settings, the guide, the controls and the title screen are there as usual. Save, Load and the quicksaves are not used online.

Leaving a running game hands your house to the computer for good. When a house claims the throne the game is over, but you can still look at the map and the reports.

Problems with an online game, or a forgotten password: email slaterm@theiguru.au, or leave a message for Heisenberg on the BBS (bbs.theiguru.au, telnet port 23).