Enemy Territory Dedicated Server Manager

(Sonic-NZ) #1

G’day from New Zealand,

Myself and two other programmers have been working on some cdkey tracking systems for Battlefield 2. It means we are able to apply bans (among other things) to players when the incident is reported after the player has left the server. We are considering setting up a similar system for ET:QWs and were wondering what sort of dedicated server management program (if any) will ship with ETQWs. We find BF2CC cumbersome for multiple servers, and this is what encouraged us to write our own for BF2.

Thanks :slight_smile:

(mortis) #2

AFAIK, no definitive information about dedicated servers has been released up to this point. (I might be wrong, of course.) Just as a starting point, I’d suggest that you examine the Doom3 server requirements and interface as ETQW is a new technology built upon the Doom3 engine.

I also am very interested in the interface, if any, that will ship with the game.

(=SC=Beef) #3

I hope the programmes or files whatever for dedicated server management are released the same time as the actual game…im sure it will but just have to wait

(kamikazee) #4

AFAIK there is no management program other than the in-game “Host server” screen. (The devs could prove me wrong.)

The common way to manage a server is by running the dedicated server exe, giving the port number it should run on as a parameter. All settings are saved in a config file or can be set by connecting to the server using the RCON protocol. (May have changed for Doom 3 though.)

However, it shouldn’t be too hard to make a GUI using .NET or something similar to manage those servers for you.

(RR2DO2) #5

What would you be looking for in a server manager program?

(Nail) #6

RconIt is a nice example

(RR2DO2) #7

Anything more specific about which features and how though. Slapping most console options on top of a single dialog isn’t really something I’d call a really usable server admin app :wink:

(Nail) #8

I reread OP, nah, RconIt isn’t what he’s asking for…sorry

(mortis) #9

Unreal Tournament had a variety of user (and noob admin!) friendly admin tools. I would alt-tab between the server control page and the game to change settings, boot idiots, etc.

I would like the following on a basic admin control page:

Player Name : Slot # : IP : GUID

Buttons for each player slot:
Ref: Unref : Whois: Warn : Kick : Ban : Ban + PB screenshot : POV demo

The point-of-view demo would create a demo from that player’s point of view and store it on the server, for admin review. All bans would automatically ban GUID and IP address.

Links/Boxes/Charts/whatever:
Current Map Name
Available Map Drop Down
Available Campaign Drop Down
Warned Player List (30 days)
Kicked Player List (30 days)
Banned Player List (forever)
Chat Logs (30 days)
Server Logs (30 days)
Server Config (opens to text editor)
Campaign Config (opens to text editor)

Server realtime functions:

Restart Server
Pause
Load Mod (dropdown with available mods)
Name lock (for name changing bots - or just a max names function)
Restart Map
Shuffle and Restart Map
Shuffle without Restart Map

global say

rcon box for advanced commands

Bandwidth In (realtime):
Bandwidth Out (realtime):

–

I’d like to be able to keep a window open where I could monitor the server without actually being in the game. Compact, simple, and always available through a web browser.

(kamikazee) #10

IPs have one fundamental problem: they are subject to change. (At least IPv4 ones are.)

Whilst banning on CD keys could offer a more fair solution, this would mean that server admins could collect CD keys by viewing who is playing on their server. (Unless the engine would hash CD keys when sending them to the server, of course.)

(mortis) #11

I’d like to see an IP ban option with an automatic decay (CD-key or GUID ban is forever until lifted, but IP ban lifts after 30 days). It just makes it one step harder to immediately alias, fire up another computer and rejoin. Lots of people have dynamic IPs. I’ve had to ban by subnet before, and that’s why I’d like to have an instant whois function built into the admin page. Very helpful to know the IP ranges at a glance!

(=SC=Beef) #12

Ugh, i like current ET - i just jump on my box, d/l ET, the patches, install it all, ajust the .cfgs and away we go (ok thats very simple)

But yeah, no fancy GUI, just a console will do fine.

I know HALO and prob many other games have a ‘dedicated server’ bundle which has all the files needed to run a dedi server remotely…ie not at your house. afaik, most just consist of maps and a few other needed files…

am i talking BS?

(Strogg) #13

RCON access to server and AFK time limit on users , ban times limits, no auto switching users to other team option for team balance, MOTD, custom maps listings all switches configurable.

(Nail) #14

as said before, it’s already there, please download and play/investigate Enemy Territory so you know what the rest of us do

(Diecast5) #15

RCON access to server and AFK time limit on users , ban times limits, no auto switching users to other team option for team balance, MOTD, custom maps listings all switches configurable.[/quote]

Dam I have to agree with Strogg , also I would like to say Trycon program would work great , that’s if ET-QW can run on it .

(ayatollah) #16

RCON access to server and AFK time limit on users , ban times limits, no auto switching users to other team option for team balance, MOTD, custom maps listings all switches configurable.[/quote]

Dam I have to agree with Strogg , also I would like to say Trycon program would work great , that’s if ET-QW can run on it .[/quote]

Are you an alt for Strogg?! Or vice-versa? Nail has already said this but, both are already in W:ET. Play it…

(picard17) #17

I would like to see something along the lines of the remote manager made by kevin at blagbag ops for BF1942, BF vietnam, and Battlefront 2.
These were very easy to use apps, did just about everything you could shake a stick at and support was very good.
In short this guys remote managers were used by 99.9% of those communitys.
If anyone could come up with something as good as that then i bet all the admins and gsps would be well chuffed.
Perhaps spash damage could even get hold of Kevin and ask for his input (hint)
This is his site see what you think of his R Managers. http://blackbagops.com/

(kamikazee) #18

So basicly make a GUI, slap all features on it and make it connect to the server?

How could we ever have done without? (Points to RTCW.co.uk’s server guide)
Now I would still like a remote console but the GUI is no requirement for me, and it can be easily made by someone from the community.

(The 4th Horseman) #19

No offense but the BF2 manager was a piece of crap.

Mani Admin mod (CS:S) is awesome but it had too many features. Configuring that thing was terrible but once it was set up it could do about anything you wanted to a server.

p00ka, our local coding genius that we keep chained to the wall giving water and bread to (sounds like SD employee doesn’t it?). Created a mod independent version that’s called SSM (Server Side Manager) for CoD2. You do not need root access to a server to run this for those of you who rent servers. It handles server operations such as auto server restart, ping monitoring, weapon restrictions, language filter, server advert feature (IE:Welcome to Allaroundgaming.org)etc. All the stuff you would expect.

Also, we have CSM (Client Side Manager) which you keep in the background. This is for your Admins to ban with or gather player information.

SSM updates via the internet so there is no hunting down newer versions of it either. He built it in modules so it won’t be too difficult for him to pull out the CoD2 part and get ET:QW in (Yeah, I can say that because I’m not coding it). I’ll post some pics of it so you all can see for yourself tomorrow.

(picard17) #20

The bf2 server manager was made by http://www.bf2cc.com which was a piece of crap indeed.
But the BF1942, BF vietnam, Battlfront server managers were made by kevin at http://www.blackbagops.com which had a huge user/fan base because it worked so well.
Was just woundering if SD could have gone down the road of contacting someone like kevin to do an official server manager so roll out/ deployment and setup is easyer for gsp’s and end users alike.