What is it?

The Single-Player version of the C++ server is a unique version of the game, wherein you are both server and player.  It simulates all functions of playing online, even packet traffic, with the exception of other players.

How does it work?
Basically, the client and server are both running on your computer simultaneously, thus causing your computer to "talk to itself."  When the client sends packets, these packets are routed right back to your own computer to be read by the server, and vice-versa.

E&B is an MMOG. Why allow a solo option?
Let's face it, running a publically accessible server is an expensive and often thankless prospect. The Devs do intend to do it, but not until they've got a stable release-candidate that's got most of the content of the live game. This will probably take a long time to accomplish. So, until then, to sate the appetites of the community, the Devs make single-player releases. These releases aren't complete, but they're stable enough to keep people interested, and at least let people experience a little of what E&B was like when it was live. In addition, since they're functionally identical to a real server, it allows the community to provide input on what's been accomplished so far.

Basically, there will be public multiplayer release, but until that's ready to go, you can always play the latest single-player release.

What's available or not for me to mess with?
Just what content is and isn't available is subject to change from release to release. However, as of the time of this writing, this thread on the forums contains a fairly comprehensive list of features and known issues, as well as a small list of reasonable expectations for the next release.

I found a problem with this release, what should I do?
First things first, check the above link to see if it's already known about. Second, check the Bug Submission and Help sections of the Net7 subforum, to see if your problem has already been posted. If you're confident it's a new issue, make a new thread in the Bug Submission section about it. If you find another post about it, add your post to that thread.

When posting about a bug , be as thorough as you can be. Just asking for help won't get anything done. Devs need to know when the bug occurred, how it occurred, why it might've occurred, and what was going on when it occurred. Answer as many of these questions as you possibly can.  Also, try to get a screenshot of your Net7 and SocketTest windows, or perhaps copy and paste the contents of them. Error messages in those output windows can often clue a Dev in on where to begin looking through the code.  This article here in the Knowledgebase has a lot of information on what information you should collect on a bug , and how to go about getting that information.

Be aware that bugs generally can't be fixed instantly. You'll most likely have to wait for a new Net7 Single-Player release to see a fix implemented. You can rest assured, however, that the Devs are working behind-the-scenes to find and fix the bug on the beta-server , so that it gets incorporated into the next release.