Changes to the Rental Server

[SC]-[WARTZ_{HoF}]

Sounds fun. I will have to visit the server soon.

[Nelsona]

Update:
NWUltraGore is now used in server. Have fun (blood...)!

[Nelsona]

Update:
Server has been updated with map DM-AMC-Modular in original format without any patch - just default replacements.

Note: Redirect is being updated too - which means not only all packages are there but I DELETED all useless stock packages loaded for no reason and taking space without any purpose. ALL player has stock files or else no one can start UT game so nobody will download any stock redirected file. I'm curious which one after 20 years still has no clue about doing servers and redirecting spaces...

[Nelsona]

Bump timer: Main Update - server switched to XC_Engine v24_beta2.
Removed for the moment UltraGore - I could see a nasty crash in client for some bDeleteMe or such deal capturing engine in a crash - chunks spawned and removed in a redeemer blast probably very quickly combined in a high number... I believe here is about a native sanity check missing in Engine.

Known issues:
- Default player is crashing at server-travel but can play maps once entered - in good conditions;
- Default player has default bugs toward collision crashes and other known (or less known - ignorant ones here).

Server is supporting and game is stable for players using XC_Engine v21 or v23 or v24_beta1, v24_beta2 - all tested.

[Nelsona]

MGS aka MonsterGamingServer having support XC_Engine v24 whatever with some settings disabled, has now loaded map MH-GiantBoss2, map it's loaded with patch plugins in testing stage, of course it was empty (speaking about paths), also poor setup here and there and less logic:
- We do have water zone but no Scuba from any kind ?
- We do have huge monsters but no ammo on battlefield ?
- etc ?
Nope, it was patched and loaded for checks...

[Nelsona]

Another abomination has been turned back to MonsterHunt and loaded here - MH-BackHomeReloaded_Rv19.
For those addicted to dumb maps play original version elsewhere...

[Nelsona]

Bumping forward:
It was asked a mutator for CTFGame where teams are changed at mid-game time, trying to balance those miss-balanced maps - many are like that...
Because I don't see any scoring login when Blue is turned in Red and reversal, I went to another solution, switching Flags and Starts and AlternatePaths.
I did not do a super duper HUD design for such mutator - HUD mutators might conflict each-other after all, but mainly it works having some less great side effects:
- defenders might go suddenly closer to enemy flag;
- due to colored bases from many maps, Reverting Flags might drive player to confusions if did not read the change message + cannon sound- Total Ignorant ?
The question is if worth testing it a bit in MGS as long as at ut99.org where such mutator was asked I can see a sudden ZERO interest in testing it for some feed-back. Perhaps it won't be a priority for me to help over there as long as interest is gone shortly.
Mutator probably would be a good thing to have a list containing recommended maps where switching should happen for not changing bases in those balanced well maps for no reason. Or... if this it's just another bad idea of a mapper which makes miss-balanced maps for mitigating that effect then I can delete all codes because... I can check future maps for being properly done and... I think I don't need it directly but part of stock maps like CTF-November CTF-Command, CTF-Gauntlet and such, injected by some NavAdder plugins as internal patching routines - Server-Side.

[Nelsona]

Bump for next move.
In the next few hours we will have updated some mutators that put warnings in the log files.
Because we were not using INT files correctly, SwarmSpawn any did not read the values correctly because INI files were not completed correctly, but even some supposedly configurable values were not declared configurable. These warnings I hated for several years. Now they are clarified, no warnings exist in the log file from the private server, and the MGS will be updated as soon as the tests are completed.
By properly using the configurable variables but also by letting the game create these INI files alone, everything will work perfectly without any log-warning.

Rest In Peace, LoathSome. I know what you said on Discord...

[Nelsona]

Bump - "Good" maps in a way...
Referring to the 300k mapping contest of the past years and looking at some CTF maps, I see that they are beautiful, suitable for On-Line games, but they are not balanced as they are having more navigation actors in a team than in other. I think it's time to get over these nonsense and use a newer tool meant to change Teams in the middle of the game, which is to switch the Home and Target locations, thus balancing the party. Even if the defenders of the flags turn into flags carriers, this brings some new action and challenge, the first time I thought it was not a good idea, but in fact it is really interesting as things evolve.

Example: If the Red team has 3 Starts and the Blue one has 5 Starts, in the middle of the game the bases are changed, the Red team will also have 5 Starts and the Blue one will have 3 Starts and the overall game will be balanced.

This balancing tool may become more mature and more advanced with the passing of time, so far it is simple, useful and I have tested it for some time in a private environment used for testing.
I think it would be time to put some CTF maps on the M.G.S. server even if they are not balanced because we can use the game balancing tool, thus giving things a normal go.
After the necessary updates, players will only download the map and the dependent files, the balance management tool is Server-Side, the player does not need anything involved, actors being natively replicated.
Below is an image that shows how things change in the middle of the game.

Switched_Bases.png (1.16 MiB) Viewed 15878 times

Stock maps such as CTF-November, CTF-Command, CTF-Gauntlet and others can now be played balanced.

[Nelsona]

Added map CTF-300k-Karthak. It's not a bit miss-balanced but it was using buttons/doors not lifts... and not really linked and missing some paths as well. Due to noticed issues I have added a little fixing plugin for NavAdder in order to perform small tweaks and completing lifts correctly.
I see it challenging so I think it will stay, if patching looks in a good state will be added in NavAdder's topic...
Also unpatched CTF-300K-ElectricDream_bsp which works properly.

Another one interesting is CTF-300k-BlitoMilk-UE. But this one is... I simply don't get what is so hard at this teaming task...
Take a look here:

Code: Select all

CTFReport: AlternatePath0 has selectionweight = 0.333000 and Team = 1
CTFReport: AlternatePath1 has selectionweight = 0.333000 and Team = 0
CTFReport: AlternatePath2 has selectionweight = 0.333000 and Team = 1
CTFReport: --- Reporting AlternatePaths setup: ---
CTFReport: For Team 0 = 1 pieces.
CTFReport: For Team 1 = 2 pieces.
VoidCheck: --- Void placement report ---
VoidCheck: Light44 looks placed into void.
VoidCheck: Light45 looks placed into void.
VoidCheck: Light46 looks placed into void.
VoidCheck: Light47 looks placed into void.
VoidCheck: 4 actors look placed into void, check those.
StartingChecks: Map has 10 PlayerStart Actors for team 0.
StartingChecks: Map has 2 PlayerStart Actors for team 1.
DefenseChecks: Map has 0 DefensePoint Actors for team 0. Check if this is wrong.
DefenseChecks: Map has 0 DefensePoint Actors for team 1. Check if this is wrong.

Red Team spawning often in Blue Base ? And Blue team spawning... when they can... It's just stupid. But it will suffer some love from NavAdder and then it's place for it too...