Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

A question: is it possible to change the hosting frequency after the game is started? For example, host every 24 hours for the first 15 turns and then 48 hours afterwards.

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Not easily, unfortunately. It can only be done with manual intervention. The only way to do this would be to kill the dominion server (dom2), then restart it with new options. This is not a problem (not even from a script), but handling anyone currently logged in is.

If I had designed the game, the hosting application (the turn generation part) would be distinct from the server (which handles uploads and such) and from the client (which would interface to the other; and start them locally if neccessary). But this is merely wishing... :-(

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Well, handling somebody currently logged in isn't really so difficult: The act of killing the Dominion server will take care of that for you: The aforementioned logged-in schmuck gets a nice, friendly, "Nagot Gick Fel" and is booted from the game the moment he tries to submit his turn.

Then when he reconnects, his turn data is uploaded just fine. No problems.

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Well, handling somebody currently logged in isn't really so difficult: The act of killing the Dominion server will take care of that for you: The aforementioned logged-in schmuck gets a nice, friendly, "Nagot Gick Fel" and is booted from the game the moment he tries to submit his turn.

Then when he reconnects, his turn data is uploaded just fine. No problems. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">And if is kicked while uploading the turn? Does the dominion server handle that, or is his turn just corrupted/lost?

I have actually thought about this, as this way I would be able to implement all the timing features I want without relying on the (somewhat shaky/lacking) timing features of the dominion host itself. The problem of being kicked while uploading (and the difficulty of actually testing this) has kept me from trying, though. Being able to change the pace after a set number of turn would be just the beginning...

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I'm pretty sure the Dominions server is equipped to handle this: It probably writes the turn into a temporary file before accepting it at all. If you enter an incorrect password while logging in, I still see the data transferring to suggest that it's uploading a file anyway: If the Dominions II server actually overwrote the good orders, you could thrash someone's turn by trying to be him, even if you don't have his password. This doesn't appear to happen, however, as when I tested this, the file that was originally there was unaltered.

In any case, it would be no different from if the user crashed or got disconnected in mid-upload: Dominions II is smart enough to probably write the incoming data somewhere temporary. This shouldn't pose a problem.

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

OK, I'll try and include this in my rewrite. In the first incarnation, this will simply be the possibility to stop, start and restart games that has been created by that user.

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

Umh, I'd like to join/start a game soon, but I wonder if there is a possibility to stop a 48h-host game on your server for a short period of time, for I will be away during easter, and propably without internet connection...

So I decided to wait until after easter before I participate, easy solution, but still I wonder if a game could be laid dormant if all players agree? There might be other holidays coming up - and I'd rather wait for a fellow player than ruining a good game...

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

Does your server host with renaming enabled? I've heard that it doesn't, which is increasingly eew. You should probably enable this option by default, if possible.

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I'd love to, but the option is not availble for servers. See (linux command below, adjust for whatever system you use)
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">
less `locate command_line_switches`
</pre><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">for availble switches.

You could probably bug illwinter for it... it should be simple for them to put the option on a command line switch...

Meanwhile, my next gen server pages are nearing release time. When they do, I'll announce it here and start a new thread. If anyone is interesting in running their own server in this manner, write and I'll GPL the code & post it somewhere (sourceforce.net comes to mind). You would need a Linux machine with a static IP to do this; a Mac could probably do as well with a bit more work.

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

4 questions:

1. What does it mean when there are no nations at all listed in the Participants column?

2. What happens if all players abandon a game? Will the game get deleted by the system somehow, or will it hang around consuming a slot?

3. I started a game in which I'm pretty dang sure I left the Quickhost box unchecked. But the game is being quickhosted anyway. Is this bugged?

4. Is there a way of applying a victory condition (e.g. provinces) that isn't based on VPs?

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

[quote]Originally posted by Esben Mose Hansen:

Quote:

See (linux command below, adjust for whatever system you use) </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;"> less `locate command_line_switches` </pre><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">for availble switches.

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Well thats a text document which is the Last place such a switch shows up. Doing a "dom2 -h" will get you the internal help file which is third to be updated.

if you want to hack abit in linux try
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">whereis dom2
strings /usr/local/bin/dom2 |less</pre><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">then use the / key to do a search for fullgrx which is the first switch on my list. Now you are looking at the list of switches in the game which is the second place updated.

The only other place a switch can exist is in the raw code. But it goes in-code switch subroutine, then in-code switch list, then in-code help file, then the comand_switch text file.

Viewing the list directly was interesting. I found 3 that arent listed in the help file or the command_switches file.

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

I've noticed that the server seems to have gone from a max of 15 games running to 10. Is it just a glitch that I'm seeing 12 of 10 available games running message? I was considering starting a second game sometime this weekend but don't want to put undue strain on the server if you're scaling it back.

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

Maiguel: No, it's not a glitch. The server was beginning to feel the strain, and I thought it prudent to limit it below it's maximum capacity.

Gandalf: sure; I assumed the command line list text file would be easiest to understand. The few switches not listed are, as I would expect, rather uninteresting. But I should've checked, I suppose. Not used to close-sourced software, I guess.

Zapmeister: 1. It means the game was started during the period where a programming error caused the scripts to not record the participating nations. In other words: It was a bug, and it has been fixed.

2. Yes, the game just hangs around. If I notice that no one are making moves in that game, I might post here and then kill it. But it's all manual.

3. Yes, actually. I discovered it yesterday, but havn't fixed it. Sorry.

4.Again, the scripts can only supply the command line switches to dom2. I do not believe that any other victory conditions are avialble, but perhaps it can be done with a scenario? I will be happy to add any map/scenario you want until the upload facility is in place.

Have fun!

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Right, I see. It might be worth taking a look at QuickSundering and BlitzDuel. If they're defunct (it certainly looks like it) then we only have to find one more to create a free slot!

[ April 05, 2004, 09:08: Message edited by: Zapmeister ]

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Right, I see. It might be worth taking a look at QuickSundering and BlitzDuel. If they're defunct (it certainly looks like it) then we only have to find one more to create a free slot! </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I still take a regular look at QuickSundering, though since it doesn't force-host, I'm afraid it's dead.

Also, wasn't the AllTheNations game supposed to have Quickhost on? If so, it doesn't right now; I'm wondering if the flag wasn't lost over a stop-and-relaunch (18 hours to go, with all players having taken their turn... too bad!)

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

As a sidenote, I'd just like to say thanks again for providing the server. In between notices about dead games, complaints about LINUX, and technical questions, I imagine it must be sort of nice to get those once and a while. The service is definitely appreciated.

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

apocalypse (2300) appears to have stalled or something - it's sitting with all turns complete but isn't quickhosting and doesn't display a time to next scheduled hosting.

And yes, the service is definitely appreciated http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

yah, toolsfools has been trying to host for over the past hour.

as well, there seems to have been some sort of quickhost reset Last night??

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

uh-oh. Now BigGame is trying to host...

looks like a real traffic jam.

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Actually, it was configured with quickhost off but, due to a recently-fixed bug, it was quick-hosting anyway.

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

now 4 games have stalled

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

Looks like I'll have to take a look at it when I get home. Maybe it's time to roll out the new pages... it can't get much worse, can it ;-)

Something will happen within 36 hours, I garantee.

It may even be for the better....

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

Esbenmosehansen, for the Destiny game on your server, is there any way to allow a substitute player for Mictlan, or alternatively, set the Mictlan to AI?

The Mictlan player has dropped, but is password protected. We are hoping that master password is enabled for this game...

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

Can't wait for the next server Version. Having quickhost turned off in the middle of our game somehow is really killing the pace...

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

is it that quickhost has been turned off? I just thought there was some absolutely glacial processing of the turns - hasn't "Apocalypse" been trying to host for the Last day and a half?

but, yeah, get home safe (and soon http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif ) Mose.

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

With the new rename switch enabled in 2.11, and the apparent demise of battle replay bugs, will rename be enableable, preferrably by default, on any future Mosehansen games? I'm looking forwards to some heavy-duty Mosehansen action.

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

There is also a new switch for --scoredump which creates an html file!

Also the --preexec command can now be used to post or email a view of the game dir which will tell who didnt turn in a turn file or who is always Last. Or it can be used to shut down the game if you wanted to switch the parameters that the game runs under.

[ April 07, 2004, 19:57: Message edited by: Gandalf Parker ]

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

2.11 is going to be great for Mosehansen! Any ETA on a new server Version?

Oh, and any idea where BiGGame went? It just disappeared today http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

Everything takes longer than it should. That seems to be an universal truth http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Thanks for all your comments --- I'm sorry I'm behind answering you all. The answer to it all are: It will be better shortly. For now, without further ado, here comes...

...some new server pages! :-) The page with game details sucks, and I'm not too certain of the stability of the thing yet, but that will come. Here is the link.

new dominion2 pages

Please remember that little s in https when entering passwords :-D

I've made room for 5 games on these new pages... so if you're feeling brave and itching to get a game underway, here is your chance :-D

The most important new features of the new scripts are:

Registers who starts games.

* Game creates can stop and restart games.

* Possible to change hosting options on running games

* More detailed information.

* I will update the server tomorrow. It is well past my bedtime http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

* I hope I havn't missed any important features in the old scripts. If I have, write here.

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

This is where biggame went, BTW:

[server log]
Dominions Version is too old
Get an update at www.illwinter.com
myVersion207 fileVersion209 nation6

so expect to see the games come crashing down in the coming days :-/ More excuses to migrate games to the new pages (where restarting is but a click away...)

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

hmm, that's a strange result for biggame, which was working fine before.

perhaps someone updated to 2.11 and it caused this fault??

edit: the toolsfools game has also disappeared.

as well, I don't seem to be able to connect to the new page? (usine IE 6. maybe i've got some setting messed up)

[ April 08, 2004, 02:08: Message edited by: archaeolept ]

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

Game Destiny has also gone bye-bye.

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

The link from the old moshansen page is "http://www.mosehansen.dk/dom2beta.pl" but the link you posted here (that works) is "https://www.mosehansen.dk/cgi-bin/dom2beta.pl". I just wanted to point that out.

I started a new game on the beta page to see how it works.

Edit- It seems the game is listed as "stopped" and not "Open". How can people join the game I just made?

[ April 08, 2004, 03:20: Message edited by: sergex ]

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

The link is fixed now. Thanks!

The "Big Game 2" had problems because the name contained spaces. I have fixed this; so now game names can contain spaces.

And regarding all the games dying right now: It is because someone connects using a newer client. I'm downloading the patch right now, so this should be fixed in an hour for newly (re)startet games.

For games under the old system: I really would like them to move them to the new system. I will do this in stages, starting with just one game: WarsOfGaia. You should see no difference, except that the game wil be listed at the new pages.

And now I'm going to make some coffee http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

OK, the server is updated now. Note that spaces-in-game amazingly broken in this new Version. So all spaces get converted to _ before dominion gets 'em!

And we got our scoreboard! That's very cool http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Oh, I forgot to write: To start the Big Game 2 game, go into e.g. My Games, select the game and click "restart game". Yes, I know, it should've been a HTTP POST rather than a HTTP GET, but it was late. So you will get error messsaages if you reload the page.

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

i'm a little confused. I login using the new link but I do not see any games. I seem to only have the options to logout, create new, and change player data.

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">That happened to me when I first created a profile... but when I went back later, I got all the options and could look at the available games and stuff.

[ April 08, 2004, 14:02: Message edited by: AhhhFresh ]

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Fixed. I also added more links after creating a new game.

WarsOfGaiai has been migrated succesfully. Considering that the most of the old games seems to have crashed in any case, I will migrate the rest, hopefully today.

Please note that I'll be gone from friday morning (GMT-!) to monday noon. Hopefully, the server will stay operational :-)

Keep the comments coming --- I'll try to implement as much as possible :-D

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

I'm in the Orania game as Pangaea. Perhaps it should get its own thread?

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">option for turning off graphs in new game creation?

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

ps. does this mean that all the old games will become functional again? If so, can your server also deal w/ the new games being created?

thanks for all your work, btw.

Edit: ok, I found the old games on the new pages. However, while BigGame has the nations listed, it is flagged as "stopped" and I can not connect. ToolsFools, on the other hand, is flagged as "in progress" yet has no nations listed, and so I can't connect there either.

has anyone managed to get an old game going?

[ April 08, 2004, 15:20: Message edited by: archaeolept ]

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">option for turning off graphs in new game creation?</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I havent looked but is the option for external scoreboard added yet? (Hey IW, GREAT job on that!)
That could be modified by a --postexec command to change the name to the name of the game and move it to the web directory.

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Restarting the game doesn't seem to be having any effect. I tried to edit the settings but it said "Big_Game_2 does not exist." You can just delete that game to clear the slot if you want. It's not a big deal.

Oh, and how do we restart the old games that were migrated over?

Also

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

First of al: All old games have been migrated, and are now running. 14 games, and look at top:

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">top - 16:30:55 up 3 days, 4:21, 5 Users, load average: 0.20, 0.22, 0.09
Tasks: 140 total, 1 running, 139 sleeping, 0 stopped, 0 zombie
Cpu(s): 0.6% user, 1.9% system, 0.0% nice, 97.4% idle
Mem: 255632k total, 247140k used, 8492k free, 54980k buffers
Swap: 1028120k total, 12292k used, 1015828k free, 51576k Cached</pre><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">97,4% idle.. not bad, eh? Good work, Illwinter!

Answers to your Posts since my Last post:

* option for turning off graphs in new game creation?
-->I can't find a way to do this from the command line. Show me how to do it, and I will do this.

*ps. does this mean that all the old games will become functional again? If so, can your server also deal w/ the new games being created?
---> Yes, except for toolsfools which had it's slot taken. The server seems to handle 14 games now with no sweat at all, kudos to Illwinter for this! (Also, my scripts are better now) I've just increased the limit to 20.

* has anyone managed to get an old game going?
---> WarsofGaia is fully going again; as should all the old games now, though I can only test this for games where I participate.

* I havent looked but is the option for external scoreboard added yet?
---> Yes, it was added, and I've enabled it, though the file just sits there for now. I may add the file to an IFRAME today as a "quick&dirty" pre-easter solution.

* Restarting the game doesn't seem to be having any effect. I tried to edit the settings but it said "Big_Game_2 does not exist." You can just delete that game to clear the slot if you want. It's not a big deal.
--> I messed around with that game quite a bit, trying to bring all the pieces together to handle spaces correctly. I think that's why it doesn't work. Anyway, I've deleted it.

* Oh, and how do we restart the old games that were migrated over?
--> Only games that you "own" can be restartet and stopped, for obvious reasons. But I have restartet them all now.

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">sweet.
<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">oh that's so sad, and just when I was being invaded by three other nations...
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

(well, actually i would have eventually nuked that huge Ermorian horde, and t'ien chi was just a serious irritiant. Caelum, however, was a real problem http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif )

great work mose

[ April 08, 2004, 16:22: Message edited by: archaeolept ]

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

For the experimental type, the scores.html for the games currently running are now availble as
Scores for TestGame001

substitute TestGame001 with the game name, of course. Have fun!

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

Esben: Even though I haven't yet participated in a game on your server, I'd like to thank you for the service you provide to the Dom2 community. Wonderful work!

[ April 08, 2004, 18:16: Message edited by: Truper ]

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

Does this work even if score graphs are disabled in-game? It seems like it's even better of an informational readout than even the basic scoregraph in-game, if it's available to everyone...

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I was thinking the same thing. I use it on my solo games now and keep a browser open to it on my hard drive.

Pros and Cons. I like the numbers but the line-chart gave me a progression which was good to see also. Particularly to notice two nations whose armies seem to go down at the same times (at war with each other maybe).

Maybe both could be offered. Some webby person could save the score.html files to numbered Versions, and show the Last few days on one view. Maybe a next/Last button, or in one table, or multiple days in frames?

There are plenty of free graphing softwares. I could capture the data from that file each turn, and recreate the scoreBoards... but sheesh that seems like more trouble than just doing a screen capture and uploading the jpgs. Maybe someone more at home in that area.... I think I will go add that to the 3rd party apps thread.

[ April 08, 2004, 19:16: Message edited by: Gandalf Parker ]

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

Now that there's a switch to enable renaming, has the server been updated to automatically enable renaming for any new games created? Games without renaming are awful now because it's really hard to keep your bazillion identically named mages straight.

Re: New & raw web based Dominion II game server
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I agree. In fact I dont know why it wasnt added to the game as being ON as a default. Or even not a selection, just on. (I cant believe I said that. Its so not-me)