Q. What is GameTable Online?

GameTable Online is an Internet gaming site featuring electronic versions of popular real-world strategy board, card, and dice games that you play against other human players. In addition to offering games, it is also a resource center for the gaming community. Our Gaming Resource Center provides information and links to game publishers, clubs, and conventions.

Q. What types of games are available at GameTable Online?

This is not a home for public domain games, such as checkers and backgammon. Those are great games, but you can play them at hundreds of different places. GameTable Online focuses on strategy board, card and dice games. All of our games are based on real-world games and are fully licensed so they look and play like their real-world counterparts.

Currently we do not host miniatures, collectable card, war, or role playing games but we may do so in the future. The GameTable Online library of games will continue to grow as we will add more and more games without increasing the membership fee. Our aim is to provide a variety of games from a variety of publishers. If there is a particular game that you would like to see on GameTable Online , please let us know by posting your request in the Game Request forum board.

Q. Can GameTable Online games be played by Windows, Macintosh , and Unix operating systems?

Yes, yes, and yes.

Q. How can I participate at GameTable Online and why should I?

GameTable Online helps you play the games you love more often. On this site you will find a community of gamers who share your same interests and a number of resources that will enhance your hobby.

Your first step to becoming a part of the community is to register as a user which is completely free. Registering allows you to earn GTO Points, participate in any "Free Play" events and gets you a complimentary two week membership to play the games on the site.

Joining GameTable Online gives you unlimited access to all of our live and beta games for a monthly subscription fee of $4.99 a month . In addition to unlimited gaming members can take part in member only benefits, you not only get unlimited play of all of our games but also free membership Game Base 7, one of the largest game clubs in the U.S., ability to earn more spend GTO Points on real world games and gain more points through tournaments and special site activities.

Once you are a member, you can redeem your GTO Points in for real-world games from our Treasure Chest , a 66% discount on the subscription price to the electronic magazine, Game! , $1 off of the subscription price to the print magazine, Undefeated, and the inside scoop on exclusive specials from our game publishers.

If you simply want to read our forum and news boards, we welcome you to as these are free for everyone to enjoy.

Q. How do I register as a user at GameTable Online?

Registering is easy; just fill out our short registration form.

Q. I registered; why haven't I received my password?

If you do not receive a password to the email account you entered, it may be that you mistyped your email address on the registration form or if you have a spam blocker, it may be blocking our email with your password. You may have to adjust your spam blocker to allow email from “gametableonline.com.” After adjusting your spam blocker, use the Lost Password function located below the login field to get a new password sent to you. If you still do not receive an email with a password, contact support@gametableonline.com.

Q. How do I join and become a member of GameTable Online?

After you register as a user and receive your password, you can then join GameTable Online. Membership is only $4.99 per month. This gives you full access to every game on the site. You can play as often as you like and, as we add new games and enhancements to the site, you automatically get access to those without affecting your membership cost.

Q. What are GTO Points?

GTO Points are points that you earn for every dollar that you spend on your membership at GameTable Online . In addition to earning GTO Points through spending, you can also earn points through site raffles, contests, and for winning in a tournament. These points can be used to buy new real-world games from the GTO Treasure Chest . Your current GTO Points can be seen on the right side bar of the site. Note that everyone who is registered at the site can earn points but only members can redeem them.

Q. How can I personalize my profile?

As a GameTable Online , users have two profiles: user and forum. The forum profile is used by the forums, which are mantained separate from the site, and can be changed there. To modify your user profile, click on My Profile on the left of the page.

The user profile lets you change your password and e-mail adress, adjust what mailings you want to receive from us and set your personal information (which is optional). It is recommended that you change your password from the randomly generated initial password.

The forum profile is information you would like to share with the GameTable Online community about yourself: a short bio, ICQ/AIM/YIM ids, homepages, pictures, and email address. The forum profile also has some email settings relating to the forums and the setting to make you invisible to other users.

Q. How does GameTable Online help the game industry and game publishers?

GameTable Online helps the game industry in a number of ways. We use the Internet to enhance gaming by providing a place to play when you can't get together with friends. We also provide a place to try new games, offer incentives to buy real-world games, keep users informed of the latest industry news, and offer focused benefits.

GameTable Online has licensing agreements in place with a number of publishers. You can see our lineup of games by clicking here. We don't work with a single publisher, instead we offer a variety games from a variety of publishers. We believe this approach helps promote the strategy game hobby and industry more completely.

Is there a particular publisher or game that you would like to see us host? If so, please contact the publisher letting them know about GameTable Online and your request. Let us know to, by posting in the forums (we have an entire board for requests!).

Game publishers benefit when GameTable Online hosts their games:

• Publishers earn royalties from the GameTable Online membership fees for games they have already created.
• GameTable Online provides a website where gamers can become exposed to your games through actual play, prompting increased purchases of the physical games.
• Your games receive constant marketing by being part of the library of GameTable Online games.
• GameTable Online maintains the games as well as the website at it's own cost.

If you are a publisher and interested in having your game on GameTable Online, our initial requirements for games are:

• Your game needs to be a published real world game; this is not presently a site for launching new games.
• Your game needs to be popular; our initial goal is to host games that gamers are familiar with.

If you have a game that qualifies and are interested in seeing your game online, then please contact us.

Q. I am currently on the old billing system; How can I switch to PayPal and should I?

Switching to PayPal is something we hope to eventualy have all of our members do. In addition various features, such as checking when your next bill date is on the profile page, will become available. If you are willing to make the switch at this time, please send an email to support@gametableonline.com and we will walk you through the process.

back to top

Q. When does the server reset?

In order to ensure that the server continues to run smoothly we have it reset each day at 3:00 AM EST (UTC -5 hours, -4 hours in the summer). Unfortunately, any games that are in progress at that time will be ended abruptly. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Q. What are the system requirements to play games at GameTable Online?

All of our games use Sun Microsystems' Java so you will need a computer that has Java version 1.5, or later. As of this writing Java supported platforms include Windows, Macintosh, Linux, and Solaris. *Note: we do not provide technical support for Linux and Solaris platforms. To verify your installation of java, click here.

The minimum system requirements for GameTable Online games in the Windows environment are:

• Microsoft Windows 95, 98, 2000, Millennium or XP
• Pentium 166MHz processor
• 32 megabytes of RAM
• 20 megabytes of free hard drive space
• An 800x600 display
  
• Internet Explorer 5.0 or higher, or Netscape 4.7 or higher
• A 28.8Kbps Internet connection

As of January 2007, the minimum system requirements for Java 1.5 and GameTable Online games in the Macintosh environment are:

• OS X 10.4 "Tiger" or later, which requires a Power Mac G3, G4, G4 Cube; iMac; PowerBook G3, G4; iBook; or eMac computer – with 128 megabytes of RAM
• Netscape 7.0 or Safari 1.2
• 20 megabytes of free hard drive space
• An 800x600 display
• A 28.8Kbps Internet connection

If you are looking for Java, you can find it here.

Q. Can I play the games smoothly if I have a dial-up connection?

There is no problem with playing the games via a dial-up Internet connection. The one-time download of Java may take some time but the games load in a few minutes. In addition, the only time you should have to download a game is when a new version of a game is installed on the site or you are playing a game that you have not played before on that computer. Once you have the download it will be cached in memory and should only require a moment to launch.

Q. How do I play the games?

The games are accessed by clicking on the "Home" button on the left of our webpage. On the main page you will see a listing of games that are available for play. You can get more information by pressing the "info" button under a game, or press the "play" button to enter the lobby. Alternativly, you can simply enter the "Gathering Place" (there is a link on the left near the bottom and at the top of the main page) to chat with players and maybe decide on a game to play from there.

If the buttons are not taking you to the lobby it may be that you are not logged in, your computer is not accepting cookies from us, your trial membership has expired or there is some other problem with your membership. If it is the latter, you should contact support@gametableonline.com.

To learn about general game interface and navigation, read the help page.

Q. Do I have to accept cookies from GameTable Online?

Yes. Cookies are used to track your username, password, and user/membership status. Without them you will be unable to access the games or post on the forum boards. If you have higher security settings on your computer, you will need to allow for cookies from “www.gametableonline.com”. Internet Explorer cookie controls are under the View menu-Internet Options-Advanced tab-Security section-Cookies subsection. If you use Netscape go to GameTable Online and from the Tools menu, select Cookies Manager and then “Unblock cookies from this site.”

Q. Why are the GTO Games Signed Java Applications?

Anytime you run a program -- such as a browser or word processor, music player or CD burner -- you are giving the writer and distributer of that program control of your machine. The issue is always one of trust, based on reputation. Your virus checker can make sure the program is clean; your firewall can alert you when the program calls out to the internet; your security module can watch to make sure it doesn't write to the boot sector of your hard disk and change the structure of your operating system. But beyond that, any program you run can read or write files; you are depending on the reliability of the program supplier -- and that the program actually came from that supplier.

When you acquire code from the web, there is a way to be sure that you know where it is coming from. Signed code guarantees that the code actually came from the signer, that the signer is who you think they are and that the code has not been tampered with since it was signed. That is, no one "shortstopped" the code on its way to you in order to add malicious code, or redirected your link to a bogus web site to to give you a fake version of the program. So signed code is much safer than unsigned code -- that is why unsigned applets are so highly restricted: you can't be at all sure where they came from. In an ideal world, all code would be signed, including regular programs. (Installing signed code from the web is safer than installing unsigned code from a CD-ROM installer.)

Q. Why is my computer “unable to launch the specified application” when I try to play?

This message generally comes up when your computer is not able to utilize Java. Here are some common places to look:

• Check that your computer has Java 1.5, or later installed and 1.6 is recommend for Windows users and Macintosh users with OS X Leopard.  Earlier Mac OS' should stick with 1.5 You can use this link to check.
  
• Check that you don't have multiple versions of Java enabled on your computer. To do this on Windows open the program Java Web Start , click Edit Menu, then Preferences to open the Java Control Panel. Select the Java tab, and then the View button in the Java Application Runtime Settings and make sure only one version of Java is enabled and deselect other versions.
  
• On Macintosh systems find Java Preferences and not Java Web Start. On the General tab you should have a sections of the page listed as Java Applet Settings and Java Application Runtime Settings. On the Applet setting makes sure only one version is selected (usually the newest but older Mac users may have better results with 1.5). On the Runtime settings you should see J2SE 5.0, J2SE 1.4.2, and the like. Make sure that the J2SE version you want to use is at the top of the list as this is the preference order that your computer will use Java versions.
• If using Internet Explorer as an Internet browser, check that it is accessing Java: from the Tools menu, select Internet Options , select the Advanced tab , scroll down to the Java section and ensure the “ Use Java …” box is selected.
• If using Netscape or Mozilla as an Internet browser, check that it is accessing Java: from Edit menu select Preferences , click on the “ Helper Applications ” under the Navigator heading, make sure there is “application/x-jnlp-file” line listed in the File Types and that it is set to “Open using these files using default application.” If the “application…” is absent, enter a “New Type” with MIME type set to “application/x-jnlp-file”, Description set to “jnlp”, Extension set to “jnlp”, and Open with default… button selected. If the application line is present but not using default, edit the file type and make it so.

Q. Why does my computer say that it “Could not load file/URL specified: C:Documents and SettingsUserLocal SettingsTemporary Internet Files.....”?

This is typically a Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) problem where your computer is accessing a cached page when it should be loading a new one. A simple solution to this is to open IE, select from the Tools menu , Internet Options and on the middle of the first tab in the dialog under “Temporary Internet Files”, choose the Delete Files button.

Q. What do I do if I am having lag problems or game disconnects?

Lags are generally caused by a computer on the Internet getting overloaded. This can be your computer, a machine owned by your ISP, a machine owned by our ISP, our servers, or a machine that happens to be routing packets between the two of us. Routing paths are different for different people and thus lag will usually appear different for different folks.

To help rectify this, you should first look at your computer and the applications it is running. If you or someone else on your network is uploading large files or running multiple memory hungry applications, these may be the culprits. In addition, defragging, disk cleaning, and ad/spyware cleansing on your computer may also help. A free ad/spyware hunter, Spybot, can be found at http://www.safer-networking.org/. Another area to check is if your computer has higher than standard security software. Such software may view our data transmissions as unauthorized and you may need to disenable the security or identify GameTable Online as a trusted site.

If you find your computer still experiencing a lag or are disconnecting on a frequent basis, you should report it to us. If you are on a Windows machine and are currently encountering a lag, you can open a MS-DOS command window and type in “tracert www.gametableonline.com> tracert.txt.” This will track how your computer communicates with our server. Repeat the tracert command and send the output of this tracert test, either by sending us the tracert.txt file (found in by searching for “tracert.txt” in Windows Explorer or cutting and pasting, to support@gametableonline.com. The tracert test must be done promptly after you notice the lag.

We may or may not be able to offer a solution but this will help us locate the problem. If there is a problem on our side, we will try to fix it. If it is a problem with your ISP, we may be able to identify the problem so you can bring it to your ISP's attention. As the problem may reside in an arbitrary machine, we may only be able to identify the problem and hope the 3rd party resolves it.

Lag is a problem everywhere on the Internet. It may be more noticeable at GameTable Online because games are more interactive than simple web surfing. With this in mind we would like to work harder to minimize the effects of lag at our site.

Q. I just left a game room; why won't the lobby let me back in?

If you leave a game room abruptly, the server sometimes believe that you are still in the game room. This will usually bring a dialog window saying “You are still logged in a game room.” Sometimes members refer to this as a “ghost” image. Just give the server a minute to catch up with. Once it does you should be able to re-enter.

Q. The game windows are launching but I am having display problems; Why?

There are two known video cards, G400 Matrox and Rage ATI video cards that can present problems with our games. These issues are not really with GameTable Online but conflicts with the Java language. In time Sun Microsystems will hopefully remedy these problems.

The Matrox issue has only been reported with two monitors at different resolutions and the symptom is a large black rectangle in the middle of the screen. To work around this problem, set both monitors to the same resolution and set the GTO game screen to the windowed mode.

With Rage ATI cards, the game windows will have difficulty re-drawing images but can be easily remedied by lowering the graphic acceleration to medium or low. In Windows, right click on your desktop , select Properties , select the Settings tab , click on the Advanced button , select the Troubleshoot tab , and lower the slider bar for Hardware Acceleration.

back to top

Q. How do I learn how to play the games?

Rules for the games that are playable or nearing completion are available on the main page. GameTable Online staff members host daily tutorial sessions. To view scheduled game times visit the Game Calendar page.

Q. How can I find opponents?

When you are in the mood for a game, you can simply enter the lobby by going to the main page and pressing a "Play" button under the game of your choice. You will be able to see and talk to all players in all lobbies too, so you can talk and choose a game to play (simply exit your current lobby and enter the lobby for the game you are going to play once you've decided). In the near future, we will feature a more unified lobby which will allow you to launch any game from within.

Use the forums. Many members list their AOL Instant Messenger or Yahoo Instant Messenger handles for the purpose of being reachable for games. You can also use the private messaging system in the forums or post in the Opponent Finder section.

You can also check the Game Calendar that allows members to list when they will be available for gaming and to see when others plan on being on site for gaming. While there is an expectation for you to show at the said time, the calendar allows you to edit and delete your listed game sessions.

If the above methods do not work for you, just enter a game room and others will join. Minimize the lobby window by pressing “Window” and turn on your computers sound; you will hear a doorbell when an opponent enters the lobby. Doing this allows you to multitask while you're waiting.

If you need a gaming fix right away go to any of our games with "Solo Play" and create a game. You can then set the player count to how many you want (including yourself) and the computer will fill in the remaining seats. If you leave it on "We'll See" it will use the minimum for the game.

Q. How am I ranked?

The system is fairly simple where points are given for winning games and lost for losing and points translate to level titles. Experience point rewards/penalties are increased or decreased for more players and experience level differentials. In addition, there are a variety of bonuses for milestone numbers of games or particular game achievements.

Once you earn an experience level, you cannot drop in level or lose experience points below the minimum for your current level. For full details about the ranking system, visit Ranking System/Experience Points page for the full details. Also, computer players provide no expirience points.

Q. If a game is in “beta,” what does that mean?

GameTable Online has two levels of testing: alpha and beta. Alpha testing is strictly internal and done by staff. After getting to a playable but not perfect state, games are advanced to beta testing. GTO Members have access to play beta games but should know that beta games can encounter game halting “bugs.” Because of this, experience points and stats are often deleted when a beta game 'goes live'. Still, it's a chance to try the game out and help out by reporting bugs you find along the way.

Q. How do I report a “bug?”

A general term for a programming bug is an error in programming that can range from a particular game situation halting, incorrect enforcement of rules, to something as simple as a spelling error in game prompts. We appreciate your critical eyes and welcome your input.

If you encounter a bug during game play, you can file a bug report via the Game Options Menu which is reachable by clicking the GameTable Online icon at the bottom of an active game window. Fill in the appropriate fields and it will be sent to us along with copy of the game chat which can be helpful in describing the problems.

Enhancements or suggestions are encouraged on the forum board of the corresponding game. These boards are great places to read about existing bugs as well as play tips and tactics. If none of these avenues suit you, you are always welcome to describe your bug to support@gametableonline.com.

back to top