Description
Crystalball Cloud Chat gives more flexibility to CrystalBall Networking and is available to all registered users. The CrystalBall Cloud allows chatting and rolling to a central server on a standard port that is rarely blocked by firewalls.

The CrystalBall Network allows sending dice rolls, private chats, files, and other important game information to anyone connected. To do this, use the Connect menu and Connect... to create a CrystalBall Network as a Server or connect to an existing CrystalBall Network as a Client. One user connects as the CrystalBall Network Server and everyone else connects as Clients to that Server. Communications are sent between the computers that are connected.

This works very well as long as the computers can see each other. It fails when server and client are behind firewalls, don't have a usable external IP address, or are on different networks. If the computers can't see each other, then they are unable to connect and establish the network for sending data. The CrystalBall Cloud Chat solves this dilemma.

The CrystalBall Cloud is a server that records messages and allows other connected computers to get those messages. Since the CrystaBall Cloud has a static address all computers can see it and get and send messages no matter their firewall or connectivity as long as the CrystalBall Network Server they are connected to has access to the internet.

For example:
Two people are trying to run a solo adventure. One person is at home in Location-A. This individual has an IP given him by his Internet Service Provider wireless router but that IP is not external so only computers on that same wireless connection could use it. The other person is in Location-B and also behind a wireless router. So neither user has an external IP to use for acting the role of a CrystalBall Network Server for setting up a CrystalBall Network. This is the perfect opportunity for the CrystalBall Cloud.

Each user starts their own CrystalBall Network as a Server and then connects to the CrystalBall Cloud. Now whenever they send chats and rolls, that information gets put up to the CrystalBall Cloud. Their connections check the CrystalBall Cloud every few seconds for new information. When a chat or roll is found it is returned and shown to the connected user. Now any user can connect to the gaming group no matter their connectivity setup.

How To Connect

To connect to the CrystalBall Cloud:

• Go to the Connect menu : Connect... menu item
• Select the "Server" tab
• Click the "Listen" button
• Go to the Connect menu : Connect to Cloud... menu item
• Enter Username and Password (more on this in the Access section )
• Click the Verify button to connect to The Cloud
• Once verified, the rooms inputs will become active
• Choose a room or create a room. Also choose how many of the last messages (posted messages before you logged in) to fetch
• Click the OK button

Now all chat messages and rolls will be sent to the CrystalBall Cloud. Other connected users will receive those messages.

Note: When connected as a CrystalBall Network Server, all CrystalBall Network Clients connected to a Server will also have their messages sent to and from the CrystalBall Cloud as if they were connected directly to the CrystalBall Cloud.

For Example:
You and a couple of buddies are gathered for a game and only one of you has outside internet access. There is one other member of your group in different location. The person who has outside internet access sets up a CrystalBall Network Server and then connects to the CrystalBall Cloud. The other buddies in the same location connect to the CrystalBall Network as Clients. They can't get out to the outside internet, but they can all see each other

The buddy in the remote location then creates his own CrystalBall Network Server.  He then connects to the CrystalBall Cloud (making sure to select the same room as the other group of buddies). Now everyone can all share rolls and chats!

Access

All registered users have access to the CrystalBall Cloud though each user connecting to the CrystalBall Cloud needs a CrystalBall Cloud Username and Password.

Those connecting as a Client to a CrystalBall Network Server do not need a Username/Password to have their chats and rolls sent to the CrystalBall Cloud. Only the users connecting as a CrystalBall Network Server to the CrystalBall Cloud need a Username/Password.

How to Obtain a CrystalBall Cloud Account
As of the writing of this FAQ the only way to obtain a Username and Password is to send and email to and request an account. When requesting a CrystalBall Cloud account please include your Name and Serial Number to verify your registration status.

After you receive a Username/Password you can change your password and other setup information using the CrystalBall Cloud User Manager .