Dedicated CoOp Server

Post Newbie Joined: Sep 14, 2006 Posts: 5

Is there any way to get IL-2 CoOp games to stay in the game slot once the game has started?

I'm runnin' a dedicated coop server but once the game starts it disappears from the slot. If no one could join once the game started that would be reasonable but since joining is allowed up until the server locks it, it doesn't really fit the functionality.

I currently have it running in the Dogfight section b/c that's the only way I could figure out how to keep it on the list.

Anyways, for those interseted...

HL Server Name SturmiCom-Test
Server Hostname coop.sturmicom.net
Server IP 209.11.242.114

There is a teamspeak server running on the same server, no password req.

Mission start at the top of each hour and last for 50 minutes. Pilots can join during the ten minutes before the top of each hour.

There are only two missions running right now but more are on the way.

Icon settings are OFF for bandits and 300 yards for friendlies (to help forming up and comms).

Cockpit is always on and no padlock or other weenie settings (except the limited icons).

Overheat is turned off b/c the AI don't have it.

--BMSMA

Posted: Thu Oct 05, 2006 8:15 pm

CoOp games do not support joining in progress so there is no reason to list it in the games in progress window ...

Post Newbie Joined: Sep 14, 2006 Posts: 5

But just starting the game doesn't mean the mission has started, therefore people can still join. Also, between missions players can join. Currently, it looks to me like I would have to quit the game to start another coop.

As far as I know, there are two pieces of software that make it possible to run dedicated co-op servers on a rented server, just like the setups that dogfight servers run. It would be nice if we could have these listed under the coop section.

Better yet, any chance of a new sectioin for dedicated co-ops?

--BMSMA

Newbie Joined: Feb 16, 2006 Posts: 2

hi all, here is the operator for the second piece of software which can run dedicated COOP server Smile

the link of explanation on WiP on ILDSC (dedicated server controller) is on ubi forums

http://forums.ubi.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/23110283/m/8111000864/p/7

also as you can see its in beta 4 stage now, and we are fairly confident in server abbilities and stability...., also since this solution can, and do, support server join when mission is in progress we would be very interested in some kind of solution for recognizing COOP server`s in an ongoing DF "game in progress" room....

we feel that dedicated COOP server`s are fairly new and very welcome addition to il2 online experience and would like to introduce it to people as something different yet still accessible as DF fights.....

first - the same idea, COOP IN PROGRESS section - since we can accept players all the time and they only have to wait a few minutes before next mission start our server would benefit immensely because of this.....

second (this is a best case scenario for us Smile

), since our server has a user flagging system for new mission briefing start - at

http://web.t-online.hu/rnzoli/IL2DSC/status-cmirko.html

(the page will pop up a window when next mission starts to load, so that users don`t have to wait in game if they don`t want to)

we would like to ask is it possible to change server name colour in "mission in progress" list dynamically ? we could provide some kind of function call to the local HL client on our machine for this, or we can connect to an IP socket to indicate the current coop mission status (briefing, progress) signal to the HL server which (if it`s possible again Smile

) could change the server name colour when in briefing, when mission is in proggress and when its locked or unlocked Smile

since passworded servers now have red colour i think that solution is possible and we are eagerly awaitting you word Smile

thx in advance Jiri

p.s. also pls try the server if there is any misunderstanding, its online every working day from 15:00 CET to 07:00 CET and all weekend days, and you can find it on HL under name
102nd_COOP_ded or you can have a signal at upper link Smile

rnzoli & cmirko

Posted: Mon Oct 09, 2006 7:53 pm

HL cannot comunicate and retrieve game status because any games are not designed to support HL and HL is not designed to comunicate with a game internals, when game is started. Only way is designe that HL interface and third party tool that will use this interface and translate game state to HL interface. Any ideas ? Wink

DOGFIGHT IN PROGRESS slot are alrready renamed to GAMES IN PROGRESS in my current development version. Is posible to to show/hide/describe/change color of a server in this window.

MY IDEA: Every 5 or 10 seconds HL poling for game exit status. At this time i can made checking for game status, for example read a status file with predefined format. Third party app (or game, if game maintainers implement it) can modify that file and HL will follow the game status provided by that file ... Its clean way.

What do you think ?

Dude Joined: Oct 09, 2006 Posts: 17

Jiri, you know, it sounds too good to believe Smile

At least for my dedicated coop controller (you can consider it as a 3rd party software), this file-based interface to HL would be simple and safe.

If, besides the color, it will be possible to change the game description as well (which we nowadays give at start of hosting, and it is fixed afterwards), that's beyond our dreams Smile

I could add the name of the current mission for example, or indicated the remaining time from the current mission every 5 minutes etc.

Will you provide a description of the planned interface file later on?

If you plan to do some pre-release (closed) testing for this functioniality, I think cmirko and I are in the boat without hesitation! Very Happy

Post Newbie Joined: Sep 14, 2006 Posts: 5

Jiri,
Is your preferred method of getting information downloading a status file or making a TCP/IP connection and sending/receiving character data? Using standard protocols such as http, ftp, tfpt, etc. to download a file, is easy but requires the server operator to setup and run server software, which can be a serious security risk as, by nature, this setup must allow access to the file system.

If you like, I can make a COM object out of my existing console GUI (VB 6) that will connect to the game console directly. It's just a simple TCP/IP connection that sends/receives character data and I can wrap up the IL-2 details behind a few methods and properties. Just let me know what you would like to query(number of players currently in game, current mission, etc.) and I can set it up. Of course, if you connect directly to the game, you will not be able to query third pary controller settings (mission time left, target status, etc.)

There are a couple of issues with connecting to the game itself that I see. First, the IP numbers of allowed clients must be placed in the config file. It's not a super big deal as it does allow multiple entries and you can add the IP number where you will be connecting from before starting the game. Second, as far as I can tell (and I may very well be wrong), only one client can connect to the game at a time and there is usually some sort of script controller that must connect. My dedicated co-op application allows any number of console connections and if the demand is there, I can pull that out into a seperate Java application. It currently has two levels of authentication, "query only" and "full amdin". With "full admin" rights, it acts as a proxy server to the console and interaction with it is just like interacting with the game itself so third party applications will still work. With "query only", there are only a few commands you can issue.

If I were you, I would just use a TCP/IP connection to either the game console itself or the third party contoller software and leave it up to those developers to provide the functionality you need. That way the end users won't have to setup and configure another server application just to serve one status file.

--BMSMA
aka Outlaw on UBI

Dude Joined: Oct 09, 2006 Posts: 17

Just a clarification. In my understanding, it is the local HL client, which checks the game exit status periodically.

Therefore I think Jiri meant that the local HL client will check the local status file on the very same PC, i.e., the dedicated server (not from the HL server via the Internet).

If I understood the above correctly, then this requires no TCP/IP connection or an extra web server at all. The 3rd party controllers write into the status file locally on the hard disk of the server, while the local HL client reads that file from the hard disk periodically, and changes are transmitted back by the HL client to the HL server (through the proprietrary HL protocol, which is encripted I believe).

Post Newbie Joined: Sep 14, 2006 Posts: 5

You're right RZ. I'd never used HL before a few days ago and I've only restarted my server once since I installed it so I forgot it was even there. I'll shut the hell up.

Local file it is. I guess the only question is should it be name=value format or XML? XML is infinitely expandable for the future but most likely overkill for this situation.

One benefit unrelated to game type/status will be that with this feature, HL can show and count players that didn't join through HL.

--BMSMA

Dude Joined: Oct 09, 2006 Posts: 17

no problem, the best is to wait until Jiri can confirm

Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2006 11:17 pm

Are using or going to use Lowengrin's DCG in coop mode with this??

Thanx..
Cool

Post Newbie Joined: Sep 14, 2006 Posts: 5

I've done some testing with the DCG but my setup depends on one aircraft being designated as the player, which the DCG does not do. RZ's DSC does not have this limitation. I have thought of manually kicking off mission generation and then adding my server aircraft but I'm not even sure if the game will load the mission if I alter it.

Another issue is the mission time. I prefer scheduled start times and that's hard to define with the DCG missions. If I make the mission time too long, then there is lots of wasted time. If it's too short and there's not enough time to complete the mission. I have been thinking about using more flexible start times but haven't put any development time into it.

IIRC, RZ also had issues with the time that the dynamic missions were taking but that's really just preference on his part, not a coding issue.

I only have about 40 hours of development time total in SturmiCom so it's pretty immature. I plan to ask the DCG guys if they can setup an option for statically defining a "player" aircraft in some remote location for the server but between work, playing, and watching Shamrock get whipped again, it's not easy to find the time.

--Outlaw.

Dude Joined: Oct 09, 2006 Posts: 17

no DCG yet

for the sake of simplicity, the currently available ~40 coop missions are part of historic static mini-campaigns (7-10 missions each, on same map)

generating dynamic missions is no major obstacle, just a question of player interest, we may soon try to see how this would work with the Scorched Earth Online War for example

Dude Joined: May 28, 2003 Posts: 15 Location: Australia

It is quite easy to communicate with the server via the ip and game port using udp. Info can be received at any time by sending \status\ or \info\ and the server responds with a delimited list of variables and their values, including gamename, player info, difficulty settings, mission name, gametype.

All of this information could help update the HL info etc as well as give HL more info (eg. map running and team balance)

eg. connecting to 102nd_COOP_ded