Author Topic: Server options?  (Read 3057 times)

Bourbon

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Server options?
« on: October 17, 2013, 04:52:24 PM »
Howdy. I asked this over on SA, but I figured I'd switch over here since I'll probably have a bunch of related questions and I don't want to crap up the main thread.

Are there any server options that can be set? I honestly don't know how it all works having never played A&A multiplayer.

My thoughts in just messing around:

- set maximum number of players that can be connected? or is this already set to 4? can it be more?
- a way to display an MOTD would be nice
- team damage toggle? I realize this could require big changes to the engine, but if one were to have a public server it could cut back on griefing

It would also be nice if the server output was displayed on the console and also logged to a textfile. A date/time stamp on each line would be nice as well.

Bourbon

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Re: Server options?
« Reply #1 on: October 17, 2013, 06:49:27 PM »
OK, it looks like you can route the server output to a textfile (aaserver >> log.txt), but that leaves the console sitting there displaying nothing. Everything still works though. ;)

Some more detailed server event info would be nice, like which character the user loads (charactername@ipaddy?), when they start a new adventure (and with which other players), when they level, when they die, what killed them, etc. It would be handy for admins to know what users are doing, especially in the event of a crash. Personally I'd like to take that log, parse it, and generate a stats webpage or something.

Another idea is to have some kind of "global happenings" window where players can hit a button and see the last X number of things going on in the "world", maybe based on the above. That way if people are in different adventure groups there would still be some sense of connection. Maybe a global chat option that spans all adventures?

LysleShields

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Re: Server options?
« Reply #2 on: October 17, 2013, 09:23:30 PM »
You make good requests.  Part of the problem is the server is really not a server in the now common method of game servers.  It would be best labelled an 'echo server'.  It really knows nothing about the games or even the game system.  The current server merely bounces packets between players to allow them to connect to the same node without having to bring down all their firewalls.  The server only knows about connections and "pipes" of data, but doesn't even look at the data.

The reason this type of server is being used is because the ancient source code used a networking packet system called IPX where no server actually existed and players were required to be on the same physical local network.  Therefore, the A&A echo server serves only to mimic a local IPX network.

However, what you are saying is good.  It sounds like there is a need for some more feedback either in the game or outside.  Processing packets being echo could be used to help watch what is happening and give feedback of what is happening.

Bourbon

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Re: Server options?
« Reply #3 on: October 19, 2013, 10:08:35 AM »
Ahh, this really puts things in perspective and the current functionality and limitations make a lot more sense.