Wishlist: Server Wishlist (command line options)

[Gandalf Parker]

This is a wishlist for command-line switches. Mostly involving players setting their defaults, or for Server games.

--nonationinfo
edit: in next patch. ....Does not work. It seems to crash the game.

--masterstart
this would allow that if there is a master password, then have the start button ask for the master password before starting. This would help avoid false starts without forcing the host to manually start all games using the --nostartclient switch (in text mode)

--pre and --post
do not seem to occur with the initial game creation hosting. This forces the actions usually in those files to be manually done for the initial hosting.

--cheatquit
An option so that when the game detects a "cheat" event, it stops the game. This is because many of those are not cheats but are player errors which many would prefer to fix and try again.

--verify
if Verify could do a mod check it would be great. This would avoid many of the problems caused by players uploading pretenders with the wrong mods and forcing a full rollback of the game-start.

-dd
if the dd switch could comment on cheater gods to the logs then scripting could also solve some of the false start problems

--uploadminp X
Now that we have a maximum players switch (thank you Johan) I see a real need for a minimum players switch. Id like to offer mid-sized map games for 10 players but I dont want one of the few slots wasted by having it started with a few players. Id like to create the game with max players set to 10 and minimum at something like 5 or 6. So along with --uploadmaxp X Id like to ask for a --uploadminp X. (edited: can be simulated in script)

--startkill
various uses of this. But basically, I want the game to die when someone hits the start button. This would allow me to make changes, do some actions, then restart the game with new settings. Or it would allow a check to make sure that certain conditions have been met (enough players, no multiple players from the same IP, demo only or other version checks) before restarting the game to host normally. (edited: can be simulated in script by using a bad mapname)

--headstart X
which will host the game for X number of turns before letting the players do a turn.

--backup
create a saved game directory named the same as the game but with a - added to the name. Update that save directory each time the game hosts.

--host
Yes I know its already there but Id like it changed slightly so that if there is no fatherland file but it does have everything else it needs, then do an initial game hosting in order to facilitate PbEM or FTP games (edited: can be simulated in script using --uploadtime 0)

--fillAI X
this would fill the game with AIs. At the moment, if an AI is added to a server game then the game will allow a player to select it, but ignore the uploaded file putting an AI in there at start. Id like to start a game for era 1 with fillAI switch which allows players to join the game, and then when the game is first hosted it fills in any unchosen nations as AI players at the X level.

--killhost
this is very off the wall and kinda technical. The kill command on servers can send a signal to a running program from outside of that program. If I could use the kill with a signal number to tell Dom to host, then I could leave the game up and running for file transfers but control abit more when I want it to host without having to stop and restart it. Such as during lag times on the system or when I'm there to watch it. It would also allow for very strict times on process such as 1am without having to run pbem mode. (edited: mostly available by scripts)

--readmap
probably unlikely but if a command switch could force the reading of the map prior to the game going online for joining then maybe the game could recognize many of the map commands which are ignored making the creation of Scenario's not work

-------------------------
Not server things but more on the player side. But they are command line switches so should maybe go here anyway..
the --backup thing already mentioned of course can help non-server games also

Not sure if it goes here but the
Quit without saving
Quit and save
do not seem to work as stated. In direct connect server games they both still send .2h files which can kick off the hosting.


--minimize
for hosting should always minimize. Id like this for my solo games. Whenever I hit host I have to hit minimize so I can check all my work windows and seem as though Im paying attention to things. A --minhost on my dom3 icon would tell it to always minimize on host.

--eoff
a common user request involves the E key ending a turn. Many would prefer to have that hotkey off as an option.
Or maybe add a warning message.

On the START button
maybe pop up a warning "You are about to close the game for further joins and start it. Are you sure? "

--filter X
a toggle from the defaults. Such as, people have asked to have a switch to add to their dom3 icon so that everytime they play it turns on the neighbors arrows (--filter 8). Ive told them how to set other preferences on their icon but thats one option in the game that isnt in the commandline switches.

[Sheap]

Some of these seem useful, others not so much.
minplayers: I have no use for this, but it doesn't seem hard, so, why not.
startkill: I see no use for this. Why enable client start at all if you need to change settings manually? Just wait for everyone to upload, then do it yourself. If you really need this, if you kill the host after a client has "started" the game, all the pretenders and things will still be there and you can revive the game (with all pretenders intact) by just re-hosting. However, I would definitely support automatically disabling client start if manual attention would be required on the server. Nothing beats having a game up for pretender upload, then have it sitting there for hours at the map select screen while I'm at work because I forgot to pass --noclientstart and someone clicked "start game." --noclientstart should be the default as only advanced server operators can get any use at all out of client start, for everyone else, it is nothing but a booby trap.
headstart: Seems counterproductive. Who would want this in a game? Also, can be simulated by running force host (either manually, or with command line option) several times.
backup: Better simulated with a preexec script.
host: I'm not sure what you want here. The server cannot do anything without the fatherland file, and should always have the fatherland file anyway.
fillai: Yes, this is a good idea, I like this. But I don't think era should matter.
killhost: This is another really good idea but I don't see why there needs to be a commandline option. Just have the server automatically host whenever it receives an appropriate signal.
minhost: Well, I don't need this, but if you are hosting on a slow system I can see it might be useful. This actually could be a useful server option too, if you are hosting with a graphical game instead of in text only mode.
filter: Yes, I could really use this, I don't know how anyone can play the game with province neighbors off. Neighbors off is useful only for screenshots

[Gandalf Parker]

Thanks for the comments. Sometimes I feel like nobody ever looks at the commandline stuff.

I can script nearly all of these. And some of them are being asked for because I am scripting rather than just starting one game and watching it. If I start dozens of games, then Id like to not have to do much after that.

A note on preexec, it doesnt kick in before the initial hosting. So for some of these it would have to be --noclientstart with an outside script watching the upload directory for certain consitions and then killing the game from the outside. 2 scripts which could be one if there was a switch.

On the start button thing I have also recommended to the devs that button should pop up an "You are about to close the game for further joins and start it. Are you sure? "

On the backup thing, I felt obligated to put that. The players seem to want it for their own solo games and such. And they dont seem to like to idea of scripting or bat filing it.

[Strages Sanctus]

Thar message would help tremendously.

[DrPraetorious]

I'd like some command line switches to make it easier to play games on the same machine that is hosting them.

--playonhost
# Skip the dialogue offering you the option of deleting the game and assume you are playing on the host computer.

--nation <nbr>
# Skip the dialogue asking you what nation you want to select. <nbr> is optional, if not given it assumes you want to play as whatever .trn files you have.

--pwd <passwd>
# Automatically send this password, whatever nation you decide to play.

Peace,
TNDP

[Gandalf Parker]

a true text mode host
One that doesnt have to have the graphic libraries installed if it never uses them.

a client side sound for "turn complete"
I guess its kindof a server thing. I was reminded of a need for the client side to let people know when the turn is available for longer games when the player stays connected. I can use --postexec but the player cant.

[chrispedersen]

the ability to mark a nation out; and auto host without them.

[Gandalf Parker]

chrispedersen said:
the ability to mark a nation out; and auto host without them.

Not sure what you mean exactly. But I think its covered.
There is a switch to force hosting even if all the files arent turned in. And another option can be handled by having a master password set when the game is started (which I HIGLY recommend on all multiplayer Dom3 games)

[Gandalf Parker]

Ive noticed something that is coming up more and more as people get their own home networks linking their router, computer, printer, laptop, xbox, webcams, etc etc. Some with proxies.

When you start a Network Server on your machine, it might tell you something like you have started a network game on 192.168.2.101 port 8888. Any IP address where the first group of numbers is 192, 172, or 10.

An address like that is the internal IP for the LAN (local area network). It is not the IP players need to connect. Telling them that IP is like shouting "Im in the bedroom" when they need the house address. One way to get the address that your system uses out on the net is to use a program such as ifconfig (which comes with windows and linux).

Or to check a site such as http://whatismyip.org/ with your browser. That site will tell you the IP it sees you coming from. That should be the IP that your friends use to connect to your game.

The reason I mention this here is I want to annotate that the game might want to give a more involved response to aid in setting up a server game.

[Ballbarian]

Gandalf,
Possible typo: ifconfig = ipconfig?

(I have noticed the same confusion over internal network addresses and even fell victim to it when I was starting out. Good post! )