Gamespy Replacement Mastering Service : NWNCore Mezzanine - NWN1 and NWN2 Supported

[Legacy_Lazarus Magni]

               

Melkior_King wrote...

All I want is the same functionality as GameSpy had. Namely, compile a list of active servers and provide that list to game clients so the players can choose a server easily.

If it works as it did with GameSpy, I'll be satisfied. Anything else is just icing on the cake.

Exactly, people are talking about extras.. but let's just foccus on actually restoring the  original functionality first. Extras would be great. but restoring the core functionality is the only thing that really matters.

Actually Xfire already does this, no changes to program files, which newbs like me (well I shouldn't say newbs, but rather people who don't have an IT degree or equalivent from experience) who have no clue how to do this, just download and go. Although getting a server listed that isn't already seems to take some time (assuming it works at all, and isn't an exclusive boys club, which is yet to be seen... e.g. My server still isn't listed after a couple days of trying.)

But the point remains valid, if this service works, let's utalize it. If the community can come up with something better, that is seamless, globally implemented, and easily accesable and implemetable to new and old player of NWN 1 alike.... all the better. And if it helps out other players of games affected by this gamespy/developer snub all the better.

Right now we have multiple threads purposing they have, or are discussing the solutions. I have seen nothing to this point that actually gives one, except Xfire, assuming Servers can actually get listed in the Xfire server list with relative ease, which is yet to be seen....

We, the nwn 1 community need to come up with a basic solution first, and build on it. That's my take on it anyways... Do we have a nail and hammer here or a shovel, crowbar, and raise dead scroll?

Are we working on multiple un-unified fronts, or moving forward as a collective body of gamers? It's certainly not clear to me, but I can tell you only the latter would even come close to replicating the built in functionality supported gamespy service provided. And if said supported service is not provided, Xfire might be our best bet until the community can come up with an alternative that can be implemented on a mass scale (i.e. distributed to all players of NWN 1, via the game distributors, and clearly and explicitly pointed to by the developers (e.g. this site) for existing players...)

P.S. Don't let my recent past couple days of optimism lead anyone astray. This situation is still dire, and most certainly BS. If the community can come up with a real, globally implemented solution, that is awesome. But that is a big if, especially the global part.
               
               

               

                     Modifié par Lazarus Magni, 10 décembre 2012 - 05:48 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Melkior_King]

               On the subject of the difficulty of changing the program files, I already have a Windows-only patching solution written.  It automatically goes to the default game file folder and finds the game files which need to be changed, verifies that they are the correct file versions, then gives you the option to "patch" the files.

You can patch only the client, only the standalone server or both.  You can also reverse the patch just as easily.  You are automatically shown which server each file is set to use (GameSpy or NWNCore) so you know whether or not the patch is needed.

I'm still working on a way to change the folder the program looks in, for people who have chosen not to install to the default folder.  The only reason I haven't done that yet is that it's slightly more complicated than the other stuff and there's no rush since the alternative server isn't running correctly yet.  Once the alternative server is running, I should have a fully functional patching solution within a day.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_AlgernonsGhost]

               

Melkior_King wrote...

On the subject of the difficulty of changing the program files, I already have a Windows-only patching solution written.  It automatically goes to the default game file folder and finds the game files which need to be changed, verifies that they are the correct file versions, then gives you the option to "patch" the files.

You can patch only the client, only the standalone server or both.  You can also reverse the patch just as easily.  You are automatically shown which server each file is set to use (GameSpy or NWNCore) so you know whether or not the patch is needed.

Very, very nice.

Melkior_King wrote... I'm still working on a way to change the folder the program looks in, for people who have chosen not to install to the default folder.  The only reason I haven't done that yet is that it's slightly more complicated than the other stuff and there's no rush since the alternative server isn't running correctly yet.  Once the alternative server is running, I should have a fully functional patching solution within a day.

Why not have it look in the folder where it's run, and then we can just put it in the NWN folder (wherever that may be), and execute it?
               
               

               

                     Modifié par AlgernonsGhost, 10 décembre 2012 - 05:54 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Knight_Shield]

               I know this is a simple thing but what are you goung to call it?

Mutiplayer Client Patch
Mutiplayer Patch

Gamespy replacement <----Boo   
               
               

               

                     Modifié par Knight_Shield, 11 décembre 2012 - 02:28 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Visavant]

               Minor RL issue hiccuped progress, efforts are continuing on my end, update to the patcher includes some of the requests I read here.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Melkior_King]

               

AlgernonsGhost wrote...

Melkior_King wrote... I'm still working on a way to change the folder the program looks in, for people who have chosen not to install to the default folder.  The only reason I haven't done that yet is that it's slightly more complicated than the other stuff and there's no rush since the alternative server isn't running correctly yet.  Once the alternative server is running, I should have a fully functional patching solution within a day.

Why not have it look in the folder where it's run, and then we can just put it in the NWN folder (wherever that may be), and execute it?

A good idea.  I've already added the ability for the user to browse for a folder.  I can just change the default folder.

The only bad part about this solution is that it's a Liberty Basic program.  LB is easy to write in and with its built-in ability to open and call DLL's, it's very powerful.  The only problem is that a runtime engine is required, along with its own support files.  I'd rather have players able to install the program into a separate folder to keep the LB runtime files separate from the NWN files.

I'll have the program first check the default install path (C:\\NeverwinterNights\\NWN) for the files and then if it doesn't find them there, it will check the folder it's running in.

I'll also look into making a single-file executable for Windows.  There are a couple of options.  One is easy and fast but would make a huge file.  The other is harder and slower but would make a small file.

The "harder and slower" option would involve me learning to program in a fully compiled Windows programming language.  Not impossible since I've used a few different compiled languages in the past, but they were all for DOS, not Windows.

Is there a free Windows compiler based on Turbo Pascal?  Note I said free, not pirated.

Oh, and at the moment I'm calling the patch program "nwnservpatch".
               
               

               

                     Modifié par Melkior_King, 11 décembre 2012 - 04:41 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Lazarus Magni]

               

Lazarus Magni wrote...
Are we working on multiple un-unified fronts, or moving forward as a collective body of gamers? It's certainly not clear to me, but I can tell you only the latter would even come close to replicating the built in functionality supported gamespy service provided. 

I see multiple post from multiple individuals. Only at most 2 of which seem to be working together... We need a unified front to truly replicate this loss of service, or it's going to fail. Again Xfire already replicates this... if servers can actually get listed there easily this might be a solution (and this is an if, as it is yet to be seen from my experience) until the community can actually come together to put forth something as a unified community.

The only thing with the Xfire solution (if it is one) is distributors (like gog.com) would need to disseminate that information to the consumers of this product, and further more the developer (bioware) would need to get the word out to it's existing customers (e.g. make a sticky stating game spy has been disabled and to get the server list, use xfire, and also how servers can get listed there.) But that's the exact same issue faced with an community submitted alternative...
               
               

               

                     Modifié par Lazarus Magni, 11 décembre 2012 - 05:27 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_AlgernonsGhost]

               

Lazarus Magni wrote...
Actually Xfire already does this, no changes to program files, which newbs like me (well I shouldn't say newbs, but rather people who don't have an IT degree or equalivent from experience) who have no clue how to do this, just download and go. Although getting a server listed that isn't already seems to take some time (assuming it works at all, and isn't an exclusive boys club, which is yet to be seen... e.g. My server still isn't listed after a couple days of trying.)

Maybe slightly off-topic - sort of - but try this:

Browse to http://www.xfire.com...176.12.61:5121/ but replace the IP address with your own server's IP address instead. When I did that, it looked up the new IP info on mine after it had changed, and we do show in the xfire client. I can't say that's any official way to get listed on xfire or that it will work, but give it a shot.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Highv Priest]

               I can't network worth a damn so I won't attempt to put myself on equal ground with you guys working with HTML or API or what have you. The question I have in regards to this is whether this is -practical-. Since the GameSpy chat feature is still apparently operable wouldn't a bot in each game type that simply speaks each server's connective IP address serve as a better option? Any new person to nwn is going to go online and see -nothing-, get bored, and start clicking random things just to see what happens(my expertise lies in AI and robotics so perceiving human like reactions is what I do best and this is where my particular high horse comes in). They will click chat to see what it does and see a bot saying something like "GameSpy has discontinued hosting the list, but to access servers go to nwnwiki where a list of direct connect IP addresses are listed for you to visit the many worlds of nwn!". Now the hard part in this isn't actually DOING that as I already found a way in which to easily do it(virtual keyboard to type the same message every 3 seconds). The part that bothers me is I can't find a solution to do it for every section of nwn. I can put up a little bot called "AwesomeX" for say the action section which is where I primarily reside, but I do -not- want other sections of nwn to go into the dark ages. So if you're willing to help me with how I would go about "chatting" in all sections of nwn I will gladly put up one of my computers to bot the whole thing.(I have a lot of computers and my worst one could do it easily). By the way, Hi! '>
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_AlthorDeMalavir]

               I have a program here http://nwvault.ign.c....Detail&id=1448

Its a launcher for the game.

In that program you can have a list of servers, the builders can send a file with the description to a ftp and the launcher automaticaly load that information.

In version 2.0 we will add improves for the gamespy problem, but i think one unified server to store the server list is the better solution.

With a server list, a program can autoupdate the [History Page] section in nwnplayer.ini file, so the servers can be listed in game.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_AlgernonsGhost]

               nwmain.exe only launches the player client. Will the patching programs also affect whatever part of nwmain gets launched from nwn.exe when you choose the DM client so that it can view listings too?

Also, I think, as Melkior_King mentioned with his updater, that having the ability to revert and to query whether an .exe is already patched and what address it is using is a must for any patcher program.
               
               

               

                     Modifié par AlgernonsGhost, 11 décembre 2012 - 05:41 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Pearls]

               nwmain is still the dm client, shouldnt need any other changes
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Knight_Shield]

               nwn.exe launches a box where you decide nwmain.exe ,dmclient.exe, toolset.exe
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Lazarus Magni]

               

AlgernonsGhost wrote...

Lazarus Magni wrote...
Actually Xfire already does this, no changes to program files, which newbs like me (well I shouldn't say newbs, but rather people who don't have an IT degree or equalivent from experience) who have no clue how to do this, just download and go. Although getting a server listed that isn't already seems to take some time (assuming it works at all, and isn't an exclusive boys club, which is yet to be seen... e.g. My server still isn't listed after a couple days of trying.)

Maybe slightly off-topic - sort of - but try this:

Browse to http://www.xfire.com...176.12.61:5121/ but replace the IP address with your own server's IP address instead. When I did that, it looked up the new IP info on mine after it had changed, and we do show in the xfire client. I can't say that's any official way to get listed on xfire or that it will work, but give it a shot.

Off topic:

Thanks for the tip, tried it, unfortunately it didn't work for me. I get a:
"Sorry, but this server can't be reached. This could be because there is no server running at the address requested, or that the server is not responding to our query." 
message...
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Borrie BoBaka]

               

Knight_Shield wrote...

nwn.exe launches a box where you decide nwmain.exe ,dmclient.exe, toolset.exe

The DM Client is still the player Client, just launched with the Shortcut variable "-dm", which launches it in DM mode. It's the same EXE.