[Dogboy]

Thanks for the advice, and sorry to let off steam like that. It's just that I'd really love to host a multi-player game, but know how they can blow up when one player's carefully laid plans are thrown into disarray due to a bug. People sink so much time into planning, and to see it all come crashing down like that is typically a game ender. If I can't satisfy myself that the game is stable, I can't in good conscience start a multi player game.

I don't know what game settings could have changed across the two setups. I believe (but will confirm tonight) that the difference in options for starting research points is present the moment we start SE V, before we set any parameters.

I don't know what a GSU file is, but if that were the explanation, wouldn't we have to load it at game start on one of the machines in order for it to cause the difference?

Also, if it does turn out that we are inadvertently loading a GSU file without knowing it, would a solution be to create a GSU on one machine and then load it into the other? If so, do I need to send GSU files to all my players in any multi-player game to ensure we're all starting on the same page?

Also, do you think this incompatibility could explain the bugs I've been seeing (with fighters flying the wrong way and the game crashing when I run the combat simulator)?? If I could satisfy myself that the game can be set up to be non-buggy, I'd love to host a game for friends...!

Thanks!