Problems running a networked server on LAN

[Numard]

Hi there,
I'm running wz on :

FreeBSD 6.2 : from the ports :  warzone2100-2.0.4
Win32 : XP Pro SP2 : From the wiki downloads page as at today.
MacOS : 10.4 :  From the wiki downloads page as at today.

I've tried different combinations to get each computer to play with the other (2 at a time first). All computers on same LAN segment. They can all resolve each other's FQDN and hostnames. This is what I do:

On the Would be Server : Multiplayer game -> host -> Internet (only option) -> select options, start hosting. Game comes up as normal. game listens on TCP/9999 , all interfaces. Firewall(s) opened on this port.
On the would be clients : Multiplayer game -> Join Game -> Internet (only option) -> enter hostname / FQDN / IP / with and without :port , it sends some traffic to the server, server replies, noop, "list of games hosted" comes up, nothing listed. Everytime I hit refresh there's tcp traffic going to the server but that's it.

when running it on my FBSD box, I get:
[betom@ayiin] [Mon Oct 30 16:33:44 2006]
/usr/home/betom
$ warzone2100
error:      Warning: Using colour depth of 16 instead of 32.
error:              You will experience graphics glitches!
fcntl: Device not configured
error:      NETfindGame: couldn't resolve hostname (mela-g4.mydomain.com.): SDL is not running on known window manager
last message repeated 2 times
last message repeated 2 times (total 4 repeats)
error:      NETregisterServer: Cannot connect to master server (warzone2100.kicks-ass.org): Couldn't connect to remote host

I am not sure when does the fcntl line come up.
The NETfindGame line comes up when trying to connect from my FBSD (ayiin) to the Mac (mela-g4). The FQDN is DEFINITELY resolvable.

The NETregisterServer line comes up when I attempt to host the server. This line also appears on the Mac when running as the server.

I suppose it's trying to talk to the 'game server at kick-ass.org' ... how can I setup my own server in my LAN ?

thanks for any help / pointers!!

Best regards,
Beto

[DevUrandom]

warzone2100.kick-ass.org is the ex-masterserver. (New one will come with 2.1.)
2.0.4 was buggy in a lot of places, but I can't remember any of those bugs was related to hostname resolution...
Does it work when you use the IP instead?
I didn't test this, but I think TCP9999 needs to be open on the clients as well. (Might be an old behaviour and no longer needed...)
On the server: You did press that arrow button in the game setup screen, so it changes into an OK button?

You might also want to talk to the creator of the BSD package, as no one in our team uses BSD or knows about Warzone on BSD.

Also network games with a Mac involved are known to be very unstable. (Even MacMac doesn't work.)

[Numard]

gotcha. The name resolution from client to the server was my mistake - i had jumped to another vpn and that had changed my resolv.conf - but the rest of the issues were replicated in all instances.

Behaviour was the same whether I used FQDN, host or IP addresses.

Both client and server had tcp/9999 open for all traffic. I can see a small exchange between client + server, but nothing 'interesting'.

Yes, on the server, I click OK, and I actually start the game. I also tried with alliances enabled, no change.

I really dont think it's a BSD issue, as it happens on the win32 box too.

I guess I'll try 0.5 and see what happens...



The other  question I had was : do we really depend on the external public server to register with? what if I dont want to register my lan game with it?

[C01eMaN]

it dosent register because the external server is down.
and it dosent depend on it either 

[DevUrandom]

Co1eMaN says it all. There currently is no masterserver and it is not needed either.

[Numard]

Cool, not worrying about external server anymore then

ok, so I have tried 05.rc1 on all 3 platforms (FreeBSD via ports, MacOSX and Win32).

They all :
- present the same issues as before when trying to play multiplayer
- a small amount of traffic is shown as before, but nothing on-going
- there is a VERY annoying 'feature' : the camera keeps spinning all the time when no unit / building is selected... what gives?

thanks!
Numard

[Numard]

I've just read http://wz2100.net/forum/http://localhos ... p=723#p723

i'm starting to think I may be doing something wrong...

On the machine HOSTING the game, do I have to KEEP the screen as shown on the post above (i.e., not press OK just yet) until the other players have joined?

[Troman]

Yes, if you click on 'OK' you will start the game and then no one will be able to join your game.

When you enter the lobby and finished with all the settings you press the "Start hosting game button" which will turn into "OK" after that. Now your buddies can join the game. When they have entered the game you press this "OK" button to start the game.