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

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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.