Warzone 2100 Forums

Giel wrote: Yes, the game gets removed from the list as soon as it has been started. Apart from that I don't think a PHP script would be feasible since the list of games is only stored in memory in the master server, so that server would have to output statistics on its own.

Well, we can make the masterserver write all 5/10/15 minutes to write a small plain text file with a number of the opened games in this time period. Then read this file via PHP and put it on the website.

Giel wrote: Yes, the game gets removed from the list as soon as it has been started. Apart from that I don't think a PHP script would be feasible since the list of games is only stored in memory in the master server, so that server would have to output statistics on its own.

... What might be the better alternative.
Instead of a "currently open games" list, a page with stats. Eg. when the most games are opened (time and weekly/monthly), who opens them, which maps are played, how many players and so on. I guess you know the details from tools like AWStats.
Something like a logfile would work, I think. It could then be analysed by some external tool, maybe PHP.

I voted for none of the above 

I don't really have anyone to play multiplayer with, and whenever I do it is usually Warcraft 3 or Spring (because more people use them).  It is hard to get people to play indie games when they already have a game that they paid for and are familiar with.  It took me forever to get my friends to play Spring with me, and my success is mostly due to the fact that Spring doesn't have a campaign single-player mode (skirmish AI gets old fast).

krushia wrote:
It is hard to get people to play indie games when they already have a game that they paid for and are familiar with. 

history of warzone 2100 is a long and painfull saga... is not idie... was commercial before it went GPL....


1999 to present day...

Just a thought on the turtling/long game thing:

How about a game with a countdown ?
-to a psycho satellite that randomly blasts both sides
-to a time when all fortifications disappear

Or decaying fixed fortifications - All fixed fortifications weaken over time - roll back through research 'crete stages, then disappear. The long you play the faster the decay. While at the same time fighting units gain experience faster.

This might be fun for skirmishing against the computer too.

look... i for one enjoy long games... you want short games - go play the jump and grunts... >:(

countdown?  no... limits the game. >:(

psyco sattellite?  i for one - ( this is my opionion ) could do without the damn laser crap altogether... but thats just ... like i said ... my opinion... ;D

timed disappearing fortifications?  ummm...no!  if that would be the case just forget making maps altogether... they would be all _ flat team war maps with no reason to play them. >:(    one map... thats it.  >:( >:(

damn it to heck... i wish speedy were around... he could redo that nasty azzed total ai mod he made...  you would soon change your mind..... believe me.    just you and the ai  - 7 of them and 1 of you... he had the ai using matter transporters - imagine - 7 ai hitting you with 7 simultaneous laser sat hits.... followed almost immediately with 1 to 7 of them transporting units (10 ) into your base....  myself lasted exactly 1/2 of an hour... it totaly shocked the he..ck out of me... .  so you ask what is needed... ok... maybe get ahold of the stuff in his mod and see if you can maybe duplicate it.... i have all the old files ( not source...)  . ;D

I was just thinking along the lines to speed up one-on-one play and force/reward direct combat. Sometimes in 1-one-1, a player locks themselves in, then grinds you down slowly over hours, refusing to engage.  I didn't mean for the whole game always, just a style option in skirmish - like blitz chess or capture the flag. There if you want it.

If you find the old AI files I would certainly like to look at them, see what I can find out.

okeedokee - will find and email em to you... ummm... you have a large mailbox?? ???


am in irc - #warzone now... 11:36pm(23:36) my time which is -7 gmt. 

lav_coyote25 wrote: okeedokee - will find and email em to you... ummm... you have a large mailbox?? ???

yes. large files are fine.

UrbanVoyeur wrote:
-to a psycho satellite that randomly blasts both sides
-to a time when all fortifications disappear

Or decaying fixed fortifications - All fixed fortifications weaken over time - roll back through research 'crete stages, then disappear. The long you play the faster the decay.

Hm... I like this Idia & that This optionmust be choosen for liking(Ca be turned off). I think its can realy make MP more attractive (interesting). Can be assosiated with Campaing 3

Mat be if to add a laser..may be possible to add something with Trasport missions(when you dont have a Base but can submit a backup).For exemple: On a big map(spesial map) 2 players(without base) must to get an artifact, may be even with limit of units. & may be to hold fixed point on the map from another player(s) (other will strike others deffence) Its can add more strategic in game (you mus think about every transtort carfuly & dicide what you need).

lav_coyote25 wrote: damn it to heck... i wish speedy were around... he could redo that nasty azzed total ai mod he made...  you would soon change your mind..... believe me.    just you and the ai  - 7 of them and 1 of you... he had the ai using matter transporters - imagine - 7 ai hitting you with 7 simultaneous laser sat hits.... followed almost immediately with 1 to 7 of them transporting units (10 ) into your base....  myself lasted exactly 1/2 of an hour... it totaly shocked the he..ck out of me... .

Please don't forget that the AI had very advanced technology and did cheat alot...

Wasn't it Aivolution with simultaneous lassat strikes and simultaneous unit transports or did Speedy use cyborg transports?

PS:
If someone is annoyed by long research times, here's a MOD that will make research 5x cheaper and 5x faster.

Installation:
Unzip mp.wz and replace "research.txt" from "stats\research\multiplayer" directory with the file from the archive. Then zip up all the whole content again.

UrbanVoyeur wrote: I was just thinking along the lines to speed up one-on-one play and force/reward direct combat. Sometimes in 1-one-1, a player locks themselves in, then grinds you down slowly over hours, refusing to engage...

There kinda is a reward for leaving your base already... the powerups.  Maybe spawning random powerups in positions far from bases (with a configurable amount) would be a good idea.

I think the better way to control how long the game is would be to pay attention to what map you play.  If you want a long game, pick a map with lots of choke points and natural walls, with resources close to bases.  For a short game, pick a map that is a bit more open and harder to fortify, with resources in the middle of the map to encourage offense.

As far as the orbiting laser death rays, I agree with lav_coyote: get rid of them.  Same with the sat uplink whatchamacallit that shows the whole map...  As soon as someone researches these all strategy is out the window and the game just sucks.

Oh and another thing...

Stealth units are needed in the game.  Units that can sneak up on a base and attack it, without being detected by a sensor tower and blown to bits by base structures.