Wishlist: Server Wishlist (command line options)

[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.

[Gandalf Parker]

fast arrows option
apparently the animated drawing of an exceptionally long arrow can be irritating, and even possibly crashing. Altho this might be best as a .map command so that individual maps can turn it on when its appropriate.

[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! )