What do I need to know to run a server?

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Avenger
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What do I need to know to run a server?

Post by Avenger » Mon 16.12.2013, 23:48

So... I downloaded the latest version of PWMangband, only to find no servers running for it(there's a beta6 up, but I don't see a download for beta6 on the PWM site). I then proceeded to download the server, hoping to run my own and play it that way. I ran the executable, and it looks like it's running, but it's not appearing in the metaserver, and I have no idea where to find the name I'd use to manually enter it.

I also don't know important things like how to establish a DM character.

Any hints on running my own server, and finding out important information about it?

Edit: Managed to log in via the LocalHost default option on the manual entry screen. Still interested in more information ;)

Edit: Ok, major problem. Map remembers all torch-lit grids is not an option, as far as I can see. It's just always on. I hate, HATE, *HATE* that setting, and it absolutely needs to be an option. I couldn't find it in the latest Vanilla, and I assume it made it over to PWM when that was brought up to date with Vanilla. Any chance we can get that removed, or at least made an option again?

If not, I'll have to study some sources and fix it myself, if I can...
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PowerWyrm
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Re: What do I need to know to run a server?

Post by PowerWyrm » Tue 17.12.2013, 13:14

About running a server:

I have found the hard way that you need a *permanent* IP to be able to register your server to the meta (if not, the meta will reject your server). If you don't have a fixed IP, get one using a DNS service like DynDNS (that's what I do for my local server powerwyrm.dyndns.org). Once you have a fixed IP, you need to configure mangband.cfg:
- REPORT_TO_METASERVER = true (obvious heh)
- META_ADDRESS = "mangband.org" (the meta)
- TCP_PORT = 18346 (default -- be sure that is is opened)
- BIND_NAME = "yourdomain.dyndns.org" (your domain -- for example with DynDNS)

About managing the DM character:

This is again set up in mangband.cfg:
- CONSOLE_PASSWORD = your password
- CONSOLE_LOCAL_ONLY = false
- DUNGEON_MASTER_NAME = your character name

Once this is all set, run mangband.exe and check that your server appears on the metaserver. Use the name/password you provided for DUNGEON_MASTER_NAME/CONSOLE_PASSWORD to create a new character and you should have your DM (a level 50 ghost with access to DM menu).

PowerWyrm
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Re: What do I need to know to run a server?

Post by PowerWyrm » Tue 17.12.2013, 13:20

Avenger wrote:Edit: Ok, major problem. Map remembers all torch-lit grids is not an option, as far as I can see. It's just always on. I hate, HATE, *HATE* that setting, and it absolutely needs to be an option. I couldn't find it in the latest Vanilla, and I assume it made it over to PWM when that was brought up to date with Vanilla. Any chance we can get that removed, or at least made an option again?

If not, I'll have to study some sources and fix it myself, if I can...
Huh? This has gone away ages ago, and frankly I don't even remember what it does when you don't have it set.

Avenger
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Re: What do I need to know to run a server?

Post by Avenger » Tue 17.12.2013, 15:26

Thanks for the information on server startup.
Zaxx wrote:
Avenger wrote:Edit: Ok, major problem. Map remembers all torch-lit grids is not an option, as far as I can see. It's just always on. I hate, HATE, *HATE* that setting, and it absolutely needs to be an option. I couldn't find it in the latest Vanilla, and I assume it made it over to PWM when that was brought up to date with Vanilla. Any chance we can get that removed, or at least made an option again?

If not, I'll have to study some sources and fix it myself, if I can...
Huh? This has gone away ages ago, and frankly I don't even remember what it does when you don't have it set.
When this setting is on, the game treats your torch as if it were a light spell, and permanently lights up every single square of the map you've ever lit up with your lightsource. Unfortunately, this only works for display purposes - that is, the map will look lit, but in reality it will be dark, and monsters in these formerly torch-lit squares, that look as if they're lit up, behave as if they were in complete darkness. I suspect that, originally, this setting was designed as a way of tracking where the player had been on the map - which I suppose it does. Unfortunately, it's very confusing when I'm being attacked out of what appears to be a well-lit area, and I can see nothing.

The biggest problem I had with this was my Vanilla priest, who had to kill things by luring them into long hallways and orbing them as they approached. I'd often have things creep up on me through hallways or rooms that looked lit, where I should have had a long time to orb them, which was rather dangerous and unpleasant. I got to the point where I ended up creating a macro for my call light prayer, and using it almost everywhere, just so I'd know that important areas actually were lit.

There is, of course, a slight difference between a remembered lit square and a currently lit one, and presumably one would become accustomed to that difference if they played with that setting on long enough. However, as a player who's grown quite accustomed to actual voids indicating darkness, and dots for light, over the past 10 or 12 years of playing Moria, Angband, MAngband, and other variants, it's very unsettling to completely lose that option. Over the past few years I've been playing variants that defaulted to torch-lit remembered, and I'd have to adjust it every time I began a new character. Now, I can't even do that anymore =\
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PowerWyrm
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Re: What do I need to know to run a server?

Post by PowerWyrm » Wed 18.12.2013, 12:17

There's a workaround for that actually if you play with tiles: replace the "dark" tile for floor by the darkness tile in graf-(tile set).prf. Otherwise, the lighting is hardcoded in cave.c (grid_get_attr).

You should make a post on oook in the vanilla section. I'm sure the devs will hear you.

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Re: What do I need to know to run a server?

Post by Avenger » Wed 18.12.2013, 14:59

Thanks. Is there a tileset available for PWMangband which I could use to make that change, or would I have to go source diving, try to figure out what to change, and then hope I can successfully recompile?

Additionally, is there a client-side change that could be made to address that issue as well? A server-side fix will work so long as I run the server, but if the official PWMang server updates to the latest version, any fix on my compiled server won't affect it and I'll still have trouble with that setting if I want to play the official server.
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PowerWyrm
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Re: What do I need to know to run a server?

Post by PowerWyrm » Thu 19.12.2013, 12:17

Try to edit font-win.prf and replace the "F:1:all:1:7" line by:

F:1:torch:1:7
F:1:los:1:7
F:1:lit:1:7
F:1:dark:0x80:0x80

This should make dark tiles instead of shaded dots when out of LOS.

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Re: What do I need to know to run a server?

Post by Avenger » Thu 19.12.2013, 15:15

Trial and error shows me that that change has to be made client-side, not server-side.

Thanks.
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