Descentforum.DE/SOD - how to launch your BOZ dedi server by a browser

[Do_Checkor]

A SOD (server on demand system) system to support the BOZ (multiplayer AI) is available (since 2013) for the public.

In short: You can go to a web site, fill a form, and launch your preferred mission (the list is quite limited due to compatibility, though) to run with the BOZ AI (developed by SuperSheep).

The system has got a limited functionality and features compared to the Descentforum.NET SOD, but you can just configure your own mission and tweak several settings to your likings.

If you already got a Descentforum.NET/SOD account: The same credentials will work for this BOZ system, too.

If you'd like an account, send me an email, forum PM, WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, Jabber or even a forum PM, containing your preferred user name and a valid email address where I can send your password to.

Thanks

[Do_Checkor]

A lot of improvements have been added after the initial successful testing.

A real multi language support for the help features is currently my primary target.

Get your test account now - or register with www.descentforum.de as the accounts might be used for the BOZ SOD system soon...

[CDN_Merlin]

back in the late 1990s Shiva did something like this and it was awesome. We could start our own server whenever we needed. Thanks

[Do_Checkor]

Yes that is right.

A service like Shiva hosted back in the days is available for ~9 years at Descentforum.NET but did not receive much attention as it was available for members / donors only until a while ago.

The SOD on DF.NET is still available and will receive some updates soon.

But this is a BOZ SOD at Descentforum.DE - so it is a different thing

[Do_Checkor]

The interface got some updates so it is now fully compatible with the recent versions of Firefox, Chrome, and Opera. It also been tested successful with the native Android browser.

Before the update the sliders only really worked well in Opera ...

Again: If you want to start your own BOZ dedi servers on Descentforum.NET by using a web interface with English help text / comments, please send me a PM or Email so I can create you an account.

Access is free of charge!

Cheers!





(not that I'd get mad about a donation to help refunding the $~1,000 the Descentforum.NET project cost a year - links are on the bottom of almost every page related...)

[Sergeant Thorne]

Thanks, Checkor! Did a Pyroglyphic game today, and I may have set one or two of the bots just a little high... It was nostalgic to lose a few rounds, though. Of course that was at 150 ping. I might have squeaked out a few more victories if they didn't have the lead on me. Had one [BOZ]Spiker that almost couldn't miss! Unfortunately I didn't get to play against [BOZ]Thorne, who probably would have been worse, because I didn't understand how the lineup worked (most kills/points, or just reverse order?).

Would be something to be able to do a BOZ vs Humans Team Anarchy! *nudge* *nudge*

[Do_Checkor]

Would be something to be able to do a BOZ vs Humans Team Anarchy! *nudge* *nudge*

I started that NOW. Unfortunately it won't stay like this for long. A server op would need to set the team of them BOZ.

And this would get reset by timelimit or killgoal settings as well as BOZ rejoins.

You could use "$remote admin" to do this yourself. "$remote $changeteam <PNum> [TeamName]" it would be.
Not sure how much fun it would be, if you attempt to play, and operate at the same time, but it _IS_ possible.

If you get it scheduled with a human team I could probably camp on the server console to manage that for you - but then again there is this friggen pond between us, appart from time zones

[Do_Checkor]

because I didn't understand how the lineup worked (most kills/points, or just reverse order?)

Oh yea: It is random order, which is why you struggled to understand.

A more complex page code could change this a bit but then again the BOZ SOD system has barely been used at all until today.

And there are just way too many open tasks for the BOZ and the SOD codes of higher priority...

Just checked again and saw that only Anarchy is allowed for the BOZ SOD (other than the normal SOD server) but if you fancy it I'd adjust the code to allow TeamAnarchy...

[Sergeant Thorne]

Would be something to be able to do a BOZ vs Humans Team Anarchy! *nudge* *nudge*

I started that NOW. Unfortunately it won't stay like this for long. A server op would need to set the team of them BOZ.

And this would get reset by timelimit or killgoal settings as well as BOZ rejoins.

You could use "$remote admin" to do this yourself. "$remote $changeteam <PNum> [TeamName]" it would be.
Not sure how much fun it would be, if you attempt to play, and operate at the same time, but it _IS_ possible.

If you get it scheduled with a human team I could probably camp on the server console to manage that for you - but then again there is this friggen pond between us, appart from time zones

Cool! I'll be sure to check it out. I wouldn't want to put you to the trouble of camping a server, but I think I could probably set up some server command macros to quickly send BOZ over to the appropriate team. If it's not too much trouble, and you decide to activate it on SOD, I will definitely give it a go!

There were a number of things I never got enough of in my former Descenting days, and team anarchy was one of them. There's such potential for complex strategy and teamwork that I was never able to fully explore...

[Sergeant Thorne]

Update: Checkor, that was loads of fun, but the BOZ aren't ready for team play yet. They fight each other! Makes them easy pickings half the time, since they can duel indefinitely while I pick them off from behind.

[Sergeant Thorne]

Update: Good news, the BOZ keep to the red team! Bad news, when 3 pilots get on blue, there is an empty slot on red--really needs to be a 7-player server.

EDIT: Also, a player by the name of "evolver" joined blue and was able to shoot and kill us... homing weapons didn't home us, but he was able to damage us with MD, etc. I thought for a while that perhaps team damage was on, but finally realized he was the only one doing it.

[Do_Checkor]

Cool! I'll be sure to check it out. I wouldn't want to put you to the trouble of camping a server, but I think I could probably set up some server command macros to quickly send BOZ over to the appropriate team. If it's not too much trouble, and you decide to activate it on SOD, I will definitely give it a go!

So there you go - TeamAnarchy enabled for BOZ SOD (BTW: the normal SOD can do "all" MODs - just the BOZ server was set to Anarchy-Only because the BOZ code is not very compatible with anything other than Anarchy.

Update: Checkor, that was loads of fun, but the BOZ aren't ready for team play yet. They fight each other! Makes them easy pickings half the time, since they can duel indefinitely while I pick them off from behind.

Dumbasses Well - I thought so. Hence the Anarchy-Only thing.

Update: Good news, the BOZ keep to the red team! Bad news, when 3 pilots get on blue, there is an empty slot on red--really needs to be a 7-player server.

EDIT: Also, a player by the name of "evolver" joined blue and was able to shoot and kill us... homing weapons didn't home us, but he was able to damage us with MD, etc. I thought for a while that perhaps team damage was on, but finally realized he was the only one doing it.

You can balance it out yourself now. Let me know if you need advise.

Tripple checked that the setting is being honored. As in: That the A/C TeamDamage setting is sent to the SOD. Not sure what happens there. By default it is set to be off. There was an issue with the logs tho - so I don't know if it was set to be on accientally. We'll keep an eye on that ...

Need spare time. Now.

[Tebo]

EDIT: Also, a player by the name of "evolver" joined blue and was able to shoot and kill us... homing weapons didn't home us, but he was able to damage us with MD, etc. I thought for a while that perhaps team damage was on, but finally realized he was the only one doing it.

Sounds to me like it's a bug we used to get often in CTF and Entropy, where some players would see others as being on a different team than they actually are on the server.
Weapon trajectories are calculated separately on client and server, so you don't see weapons home on you if fired by someone your computer thinks is on the same team. They still will home and do damage on the server though.

Usually the player showing the wrong team and/or the player seeing them with the wrong color leaving and rejoining the game fixes it.

[Do_Checkor]

Probably right, Tebo!

Well... As I said - checked the code and can't find an error. The logging was corrected now, too so if there was an issue in the future I could at least find out if it is my end, or just D3/Anticheat

Another thing, though: Last weekend I added some security stuff to the code after one nice Descenter sent me some hints about database injection vulnerabilities.

That topic is sorted for both SODs now... (and thanks to the guy who found and reported it )

Another one I'd like to repeat: Everybody can get a SOD / BOZ SOD account free of charge by sending me an Email (or PM with a valid Email address).

By the SOD you can launch your own D3 dedicated server on Descentforum.NET (normal SOD) or Descentforum.DE (BOZ SOD) by using a quite simple web interface.

Any questions? Gimme a shout!

[Do_Checkor]

I could not find a thread where I said that there was a first SOD system - with no BOZ - just a plain D3 DEDI server - prior to the BOZ system as stated above.

So this is supposed to be a quick general statement that there is a web interface where you can start a D3 server (if you want, it would not be listed in trackers) on Descentforum.NET . No BOZ ; Lots of MODs,

Send me a PM / Email / ICQ / Jabber / with email / username and I will send your account password in no time.

Cheers!

[Do_Checkor]

There was an issue where SOD games could not get started due to missing mission files in the BOZ directory.

Fixed.

[Do_Checkor]

been told the web interface was in German only....

I guess this has been like this for at least 8 years when I upgraded the page for multi language support.

Sorry about this! Set to "English" again.

PS: Updated title and first post for this thread.