ServMan Server Management Mod Public Beta Test - Need Your Help!!

[Acedy]

Hey everybody!

 

As you know, Black Shark currently offers only basic server administration tools (manual kicking and mission loading). Some of you are looking forward to a full-fledged dedicated server option, and have already suggested certain features they would like to see. However, it seems that only few people noticed that Eagle actually provided a quite powerful Lua based API, which you can use to implement more advanced administration features by yourself, given that you have some basic programming skills in Lua. I don't know when Eagle plan to release a dedicated server option, so in the meantime I thought I could write a small mod which uses that API, and gives both players and server hosts a few additional server management functions. ServMan is the result of these efforts. It is a purely serverside mod that enables a chat based interface, which server hosts and players can use to control the server. So far the mod offers the following main functions:

 

Features

- automatic kicking for teamkills (human and AI)

- automatic kicking for too low score

- automatic banning after too many kicks

- banning single IPs and whole IP ranges

- automatic mission restarting or rotating

- remote masterbanlist that can be downloaded via http

- appointing subadmins (accounts are password-protected)

- manual kicking, banning and mission loading

- penalty time after kick

- extended event logging including a chatlog

- message of the day and server rules

- (un-)locking the server

- votekicks

- missionvotes/-polls

 

I have attached the preliminary readme where you can find more information.

 

About this beta test

The first release candidate of the mod has been finished, I tested it thoroughly using two PCs via LAN, and everything works as expected. However I don't know yet if it runs correctly when more players are connected to the server, and if there are any long term stability issues. That's why I want to do a public beta test before actually releasing the mod. I just started a public server with the mod enabled, and I would like to invite everybody to help me test it! All you need to do is to join the server, play on it and use all of the functions the mod provides (see below).

 

Server details:

BETA TESTING HAS BEEN FINISHED. SERVER OFFLINE!

 

Other Servers

The following servers are also running the current RC of this mod:

- KA50.com (thanks to AlphaInfinity)

- SimHQ server password: redbird (thanks to guod)

- 104th Phoenix Monday and Tuesday (thanks to PoleCat)

- 159th GAR (thanks to Fudd)

 

Player Commands

As a regular player you can use the following commands. Each command starts with a slash "/", and you just type it into the chat console:

 

Misc. commands

/resume - Resumes the current mission if it is paused.

 

/help - Shows a list of all player commands that are enabled on the server.

 

/info - Shows a list of ServMan functionalities that are enabled on the

server.

 

/rules - Shows server rules.

 

/players - Shows the list of all players connected to the server and their corresponding player ID.

 

/missions - Shows the list of all missions that are available on the server and their corresponding mission ID.

 

/timeleft - Displays the remaining time until the next mission will be loaded.

 

NOTE that if the mission is paused, you can use the /resume command to resume it, you don't need to leave the server!!!

 

Votekicks:

/votekick:<playerID> (example: /votekick:5)

/kvote:yes

/kvote:no

 

You can use the '/votekick:<playerID>' command to initiate a votekick against the player with the specified playerID. After the votekick has been initiated, players can use the commands '/kvote:yes' to vote for or '/kvote:no' to vote against kicking the player. The votekick is successful only when the majority of players voted 'yes', but if the vote is a tie then the player can stay. However note that if the player to be kicked leaves the server during the missionvote, this will be interpreted as a confession of guilt and count as a kick.

 

Missionvotes:

/votemiz:<missionID> (example: /votemiz:3)

/mvote:yes

/mvote:no

 

You can use the '/votemiz:<missionID>' command to initiate a missionvote for the mission with the specified missionID. Players can use '/mvote:yes' to vote for or '/mvote:no' to vote against loading the specified mission. You can also use this command to restart the current mission.

 

Missionpolls:

/mizpoll

/pvote:<missionID> (example: '/pvote:6')

 

You can use the '/mizpoll' command to initiate a missionpoll that lets all players decide which mission to load next. Players can vote for their favorite mission by using the '/pvote:<missionID>' command, where <missionID> is the ID of the mission they would like to play next. Players can also vote '/pvote:0' if they want to continue the current mission. The mission with the most votes will be loaded immediately, if there is more than one winning mission then one of these will be picked randomly. However if there is a tie between one or more missions and the players who would like to continue the mission (or nobody voted), the current mission will be continued.

 

Additional notes

There are more commands, but those are restricted to server hosts and subadmins. However, if you are a server owner yourself, you can contact me via PM and I will set up a subadmin account for you, so that you can try these features.

 

If you see a player online called "Kick me!", that's a dummy that you can kick via votekick :)

 

Since this is a beta test, you may behave on server as you like, just remember that you have to face the consequences ;) Note though that I will reset the banlist from time to time.

 

I will be online at times, but I won't be able to fly with you, because for testing purposes I want to run the server itself as a "pseudo-dedicated" server that is not intended for playing, just as a host, and the other PC I can use to connect is quite old and runs Black Shark like a slideshow. However I may ask you to help me conduct some tests.

 

Please use this thread to provide feedback!

 

Thanks alot for your help!!

Acedy

Edited April 4, 2009 by Acedy

[Distiler]

O_O holy shit! awesome! I hope you make this mod downloadable soon!

 

BTW I think we still need a "critical mass" in DCS community for projects to start kicking. Not much people noticed you could do this using the api because there is not much people into multiplayer atm. I urge you to make a better multiplayer lobby or talk to Hyperlobby administrator to integrate it there.

Edited March 11, 2009 by Distiler

[Acedy]

I hope you make this mod downloadable soon!

 

Yeah, me too, but it depends on the outcome of the beta test. *crossing fingers* ;)

[korrea]

O_O !! Fantastic!!! This is the perfect tool for server management!!

 

Thank you!!!

[Distiler]

oh btw, I wonder if connection parameters can be controled, like:

 

- max ping allowed before kick player (150ms+ pings make everyone's warp)

 

- bandwidth (upload and download). Applying Lomac tricks, usually is better to have everyone set at the same rate (for lomac was 128/128 if I remember correctly).

 

Can this be done with the api?

[Acedy]

Ping can be accessed via the API, I thought about implementing an automatic kicking option if player ping is too high, but decided against it for the first version. Maybe later.

 

The server cannot control bandwidth settings.

[AlphaInfinity]

Is a high ping(above 150ms) really bad for this game? I have players on our server almost every morning that are in the 280-400ms range and they seem to be fine.

[Distiler]

Is a high ping(above 150ms) really bad for this game? I have players on our server almost every morning that are in the 280-400ms range and they seem to be fine.

 

From the point of view of the server things can play smooth, but players have more latency (server is in middle clients, so less latency) and they will see helicopters start to warp pretty soon (150+ pings imho). Although the most problematic is when at least one of the player has a very higher ping than the average, because it screws for everyone. Very hard to maintain formations for example.

 

BTW Acedy, I've been killing 5-6 friendly tanks and didn't get kicked. Also stationary (like "passive") units don't get reported.

Edited March 11, 2009 by Distiler

[Boberro]

Woow Acedy, seems uber cool :D

[USSR_Rik]

Good start, Acedy!

[Acedy]

Thanks guys!

 

BTW Acedy, I've been killing 5-6 friendly tanks and didn't get kicked. Also stationary (like "passive") units don't get reported.

 

Yeah I have to investigate that, it worked fine when I tried it with the two PCs I have at home. Your kills weren't logged in the logfile either. Maybe I misunderstood how the events.lua file works. Will check.

 

Thanks for the feedback! :thumbup:

[EagleEye]

Wow, Sounds interesting Acedy!

Unfortunately I currently have no I-Net-connection at home, so I can`t test it. Will speak to my friends to testing it.

[Geier]

Wow! Very interesting feature:thumbup: I see it has equal possibilities with Commander in Il2

Keep on!

[Acedy]

Okay, Distiler helped me alot with testing: THANK YOU MATE!!! :thumbup:

 

First results: the logging of teamkills does not always work correctly. When other guys killed friendly human or AI units, the script recognized that correctly, but when Distiler killed any it didn't. Very weird, I will investigate that. For the time being the server configuration has been changed so that you should be kicked for a score lower than -50.

Edited March 12, 2009 by Acedy

[AlphaInfinity]

EXCELLENT mod, can't wait for it to come out!

[Acedy]

Okay, the server is online again.

 

I found the bug that caused incorrect teamkill logging and hopefully fixed it. I also added a few minor convenience features. Most people connecting to the server didn't understand how to resume it (i.e. by entering /resume into chat), even though the message of the day explains it. Now the server should resume automatically 1 minute after a new mission has been loaded (unless the server is empty), and also when a new player connects to the empty server. Votekick/Missionvote starters do not have to vote anymore, starting the vote now counts as "yes".

 

I will post an updated readme later.

 

Check it out!

Edited March 13, 2009 by Acedy

[Distiler]

Sounds really good! the resume thing perhaps is because some non-english people may not know the word "resume". Probably "un-pause" or something like that would work better. Anyway, the automatic resume sounds really nice!

 

BTW, does the server pause again when people leaves it (or goes to spectator)?

Edited March 13, 2009 by Distiler

[Acedy]

BTW, does the server pause again when people leaves it (or goes to spectator)?

 

Yes, you can configure it so that it pauses or restarts the current mission when all players left. Pausing when all players join spectators isn't implemented, I didn't think of that but it is a great idea indeed. Will add it to my wishlist. Thanks! :thumbup:

[Chipwich]

Thank you, thank you, thank you Acedy. Very much appreciated. I will connect and test ASAP. This weekend will be good.

[Acedy]

I added another feature on Distilers suggestion: you can now specify how many players (in percent of all players on the server) need to vote so that the vote/poll is valid. Readme for RC3 attached to first post.

Edited March 13, 2009 by Acedy

[Acedy]

AlphaInfinity offered his KA50.com dedicated server to help with beta testing. I just dropped onto the server and saw that he installed the mod, so you can now also test it on a 1st class Black Shark server.

 

Thanks alot mate, great effort!!! :thumbup:

Edited March 14, 2009 by Acedy

[Quirkitized]

This is great, been waiting for something like this for along time. I hope you release it to public soon.

[hyperfighter]

super! ive been looking for this! great work.

i vote for a special place for this post, when the mod becomes downloadable!

Edited March 20, 2009 by hyperfighter

[AlphaInfinity]

I can confidently say that after running this mod the last week, the server admin community will be very pleased how well this works. I am very...very greatfull to Acedy for his work ont his mod. There are so many great features in the RC! Feel free to stop by the ka50.com server and check it out!

Edited March 21, 2009 by AlphaInfinity

[Peyoteros]

Great news! Where is the public beta? Every server would test it and give you feedback and suggestions... Release public beta! :) Great job mate!

Edited March 21, 2009 by Peyoteros