Real unattended multiplayer server mode?
Moderator: Oberlus
Real unattended multiplayer server mode?
Hello,
if I understood correctly, a multiplayer-server still requires a local player to make his turns.
I strongly recommend to implement a real server-mode where the server runs entirely unattended and all players use remote client computers.
Then, a server can be run on a rented server and slow-running games with daily turn calculations become possible.
But maybe I just misunderstood the documentation ...
Cheers,
UltraDMA.
if I understood correctly, a multiplayer-server still requires a local player to make his turns.
I strongly recommend to implement a real server-mode where the server runs entirely unattended and all players use remote client computers.
Then, a server can be run on a rented server and slow-running games with daily turn calculations become possible.
But maybe I just misunderstood the documentation ...
Cheers,
UltraDMA.
Re: Real unattended multiplayer server mode?
The online documentation was incomplete, and the info available via command line --help was also spotty. I've augmented the Multiplayer wiki page with instructions for running multiplayer with an external server. I've only done a bit of testing of those instructions, though, so please speak up if you run into trouble or if any of the instructions are not clear enough.UltraDMA wrote:if I understood correctly, a multiplayer-server still requires a local player to make his turns.... But maybe I just misunderstood the documentation ...
Geoff, Vezzra, it would probably be good if you could double check my Windows and OSX references (plus any additional checking of the instructions that you care to do).
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- Geoff the Medio
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Re: Real unattended multiplayer server mode?
(As stated elsewhere) you don't need the --force-external-server for a multiplayer game. It's only needed for starting a single player game with an already-running server.
You can also type the server address into the multiplayer connect dialog; command line switches aren't needed.
You can also type the server address into the multiplayer connect dialog; command line switches aren't needed.
Re: Real unattended multiplayer server mode?
Hmm, ok I guess I got misled by one of my initial tests. Without that switch, when going into the multiplayer setup screen my client launches an new freeoriond server process. I had thought I had tested if it was actually using that new server process, and that's why I had written it up as I did. But looking into it again now, I see that the new server process goes zombie immediately and is not used. At this point I'm not sure if I had botched my previous test, or if there is something more funky going on, but I've gone ahead and rewritten the multiplayer instructions to drop the --force-external-server.Geoff the Medio wrote:(As stated elsewhere) you don't need the --force-external-server for a multiplayer game. It's only needed for starting a single player game with an already-running server.
I can't type anything into that address box unless I choose 'join' rather than 'host', and in that case the screen simply goes black upon hitting 'ok', instead of progressing to the multiplayer setup screen. Does it work differently on Windows?Geoff the Medio wrote:You can also type the server address into the multiplayer connect dialog; command line switches aren't needed.
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- Geoff the Medio
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Re: Real unattended multiplayer server mode?
Hmm... odd... If I launch a freeoriond.exe before starting freeorion.exe and hosting a new game a localhost, I don't get any extra freeoriond.exe starting, even without the swtich...Dilvish wrote:Without that switch, when going into the multiplayer setup screen my client launches an new freeoriond server process.
Re: Real unattended multiplayer server mode?
That sounds interesting. I'll revisit the documentation soon and think of setting up a server.
Thanks!
Still one question:
Does the server have any user interface beside the console I/O? So, are there any requirements concerning the graphics system as for the clients?
Thanks!
Still one question:
Does the server have any user interface beside the console I/O? So, are there any requirements concerning the graphics system as for the clients?
- Geoff the Medio
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Re: Real unattended multiplayer server mode?
Not directly, although it can read config.xml and is sent instructions by the human client.UltraDMA wrote:Does the server have any user interface beside the console I/O?
- Geoff the Medio
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Re: Real unattended multiplayer server mode?
You might be right about needing to use --force-external-server in the case of hosting a remote multiplayer server... But in that case, if you can't type in a server address, how can you join a remote server as the host at all then?Dilvish wrote:I can't type anything into th[e server] address box unless I choose 'join' rather than 'host', and in that case the screen simply goes black upon hitting 'ok', instead of progressing to the multiplayer setup screen.
Re: Real unattended multiplayer server mode?
from freeorion --help:Geoff the Medio wrote:But in that case, if you can't type in a server address, how can you join a remote server as the host at all then?
Code: Select all
--external-server-address
Address to connect to in external server mode. If used, this client
becomes the manager of the game. | Default: localhost
If I provided any code, scripts or other content here, it's released under GPL 2.0 and CC-BY-SA 3.0
Re: Real unattended multiplayer server mode?
After being started the only input to the server is via networking with the clients. So, it will just sit waiting for a client to connect; I don't think there is currently any way to have it only allow host connections from certain IPs or somesuch, but if you wanted that and can do a modest bit of C++ putting some kind of gate in place shouldn't be too bad. It has a small bit of output to the console-- "FreeOrion server waiting for network events" upon startup, and error messages such as if the content files don't have the right structure, and probably if there is a networking error.UltraDMA wrote:Does the server have any user interface beside the console I/O? So, are there any requirements concerning the graphics system as for the clients?
If I provided any code, scripts or other content here, it's released under GPL 2.0 and CC-BY-SA 3.0