Multiplayer Scripts Ideas

[Bonk]

Is it possible to write a script that is persistent? Where the host is not a participant, but just a host that cannot be destroyed, where players come and go but the game stays up indefinitely? If so, could events be reported to a db? How many planets/systems can realistically fit on the largest map? See where I'm going here? With the max of six players (five + host) five hosts reporting to the same db could create a 25 player server with 5 players per venue - perhaps 4 per is better for balance... (20 players total). My interest in this is stirred because I have discovered the command line parameters to host or connect to a multiplayer game.

edit: ah forget it, I forgot that you cant join a game in progress... hmmm, how to automatically cycle the host...

[GDA-Kel]

Is it possible to write a script that is persistent? Where the host is not a participant, but just a host that cannot be destroyed, where players come and go but the game stays up indefinitely? If so, could events be reported to a db? How many planets/systems can realistically fit on the largest map? See where I'm going here? With the max of six players (five + host) five hosts reporting to the same db could create a 25 player server with 5 players per venue - perhaps 4 per is better for balance... (20 players total). My interest in this is stirred because I have discovered the command line parameters to host or connect to a multiplayer game.

edit: ah forget it, I forgot that you cant join a game in progress... hmmm, how to automatically cycle the host...

Bonk,

How did you figure out what the command line parameters are?  Can you fire up OP with a specific mission and list of players to connect to? 

 

[FireSoul]

no.. we can't.
As for how we figured it out, well..


.. the way *I* did it was I changed what file GSA would run for SFC to a batchfile.. and made the batchfile print out all the params sent to it.
Based on that, I used a tool called "strings" which looks for readable text within a binary file..
.. and there came the parameters:

-DontTerminate
-Client
-Host

.. and a possible -race?

[Bonk]

I found them in "\Services\sfc3\svc.cfg" in my Gamespy Arcade installation. (So I assume it will work for SFC3 as well...)

I also located -DontTerminate in the exe on a text search of the exe to confirm the params found in the gamespy config files.

(Originally posted here: http://www.bozobits.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=5514)

Gonna have to dig deeper to see how a D2 mission is setup, I don't imagine there are any command line parameters for it though as the D2 client is native to the starfleetop.exe. Probably take some sniffing and disassembly to get to that... (short of having the source).

[KBF-Crim]

A persistant battle in one hex on the map...hmmm

Couldnt you use a script set up like one of the battle fests ...and it go for one death....have it snapshot the players ships status when a player dies....and have the script start over , respawn everyone as they were.....with a new player joined?

"Join mission in progress" was something I've hoped for with every incarnation of SFC....but no ones ever figured out a way to do it....

[Merlinfmct87]

Bring your ideas over to the open source page! If there was ever a place for it...

As for your persistant server idea...that sounds cool. That would make it like an FPS server, am I understanding that right? Where you just 'connect' to the server and the scenario (and ship?) are already selected?

Let me know if I'm misunderstanding you,

Merlin