This topic has been discussed before and I never really got anything out of it other than a lot of discussion amongst the listers. I really think the game makes it too easy to use this tactic.

I've been running a server for several years now and I think I catch the most flack about FedSpace blockades. I tell users they are a legitimate tactic and that there's no way I can regulate the use of them. Although, I did post a rule making them illegal for the first 7 days of a game. But that is as far as I will go. I probably would not make an issue of this, but I think it really discourages new players on the board and I'm getting tired of dealing with the email they send me whining about it.

To solve the problem for me, I feel the following sysop configurable options need to be added;

1) A switch that makes sectors 2-10 behave as Stardock and Terra by not allowing any Nav Hazards to accrue there. For example, "FedSpace Nav Hazards: Yes/No"

2) A switch that enables hourly Fed patrols instead of only once a day at extern. For example, "Hourly Fed Patrols: Yes/No"

Thanks.

quote:Originally posted by craig

This topic has been discussed before and I never really got anything out of it other than a lot of discussion amongst the listers. I really think the game makes it too easy to use this tactic.

I've been running a server for several years now and I think I catch the most flack about FedSpace blockades. I tell users they are a legitimate tactic and that there's no way I can regulate the use of them. Although, I did post a rule making them illegal for the first 7 days of a game. But that is as far as I will go. I probably would not make an issue of this, but I think it really discourages new players on the board and I'm getting tired of dealing with the email they send me whining about it.

To solve the problem for me, I feel the following sysop configurable options need to be added;

1) A switch that makes sectors 2-10 behave as Stardock and Terra by not allowing any Nav Hazards to accrue there. For example, "FedSpace Nav Hazards: Yes/No"

2) A switch that enables hourly Fed patrols instead of only once a day at extern. For example, "Hourly Fed Patrols: Yes/No"

Thanks.



One of JP's primary goals in taking over the development of Trade Wars was to minimize the changes to actual gameplay while providing a lot of new player/sysop options. I doubt that either of these options would be considered for v3 but as always I'll pass the request/suggestion on to JP.

In the meantime, I can probably provide you with a third party (TWX script) that will allow you to conduct regular "fedpatrols" and fedspace/msl clearing on a regular basis throughout the day.

That would be helpful. Could you set it up to clear nav hazards in FedSpace as well?

Thanks.

One possibile solution would be to put Stardock adjacent to one of the sectors in Fedspace 1-10. That way the route to SD from Terra couldn't be blocked, although a corp could block the other exits and the exits from Fedspace, I suppose. Or you can simply put a rule up that says no blockades in whatever areas you see fit. If you delete users who violate it after being warned, the rest of the players will probably get the hint and not do it anymore

quote:Originally posted by craig

That would be helpful. Could you set it up to clear nav hazards in FedSpace as well?

Thanks.


Certainly can! Give me a couple days to tie up the loose ends on it, including adding the 2-10 navhaz clearing. I'm assuming you have a copy of TWX that you'll be able to run this on. If not, you can download TWX from http://www.twxproxy.com/ It's a free proxy client and is what all of my scripts are written for.

Excellent idea, Rave... I know that you are turning out a lot of these scripts lately. Is there any library for them? I know when running TWX from home that I have it running between my telnet client and my helper.. my helper/telnet client actually "connects" to the local loopback, while TWXProxy does the actual connection to the outside game server.

How would this work on a server? or would I need to be logged in as a player to use them?

(hate to sound dumb, but I am still learning about TWX)

quote:Originally posted by Pyewacket

Excellent idea, Rave... I know that you are turning out a lot of these scripts lately. Is there any library for them? I know when running TWX from home that I have it running between my telnet client and my helper.. my helper/telnet client actually "connects" to the local loopback, while TWXProxy does the actual connection to the outside game server.

How would this work on a server? or would I need to be logged in as a player to use them?

(hate to sound dumb, but I am still learning about TWX)


None of these sysop scripts have been released yet. I'm -hoping- to get the fedpatrol script out tomorrow for Craig and whoever else wants it. I'm scrapping my idea for a central managing script for the time being so I can get some of these released in a semi-functional state.

Most of these in their first release will use TWX and the built in scheduler included with TWGS. TWGS launches TWX with the appropriate script, the script runs, disconnects and closes out TWX. The 24/7 fedpatrol script will have to stay running constantly though, unless you want to set it up with TWGS scheduler to run like every hour or every two hours.

They'll all need TEDIT access on the server they're running on. They'll log in through the admin port (the only way to get to TEDIT via telnet). Once they're connected to the admin port, they'll be able to enter/leave games (for sending mail to players, log announcements, etc.). They'll still need a player account, and I'd suggest the scripts' player accounts are set up for observer mode since their "ships" won't end up taking up parking spaces in fedspace.

I'll try to put together some better documentation when I release the fedpatrol script tomorrow.

Thanks Rave, I think that sounds awsome. I have never EVER used TWX so I'm glad to hear you are including some helpful documentation. I look forward to the scripts!

Still working on the FedPatrol script for y'all. Actually, I decided to rewrite what I alrady had. The original version was pretty much written with the theory that the person setting up the script would be experienced with TWX. It was fairly complicated, with config files that didn't really make any sense, and no error checking of the config file. In short, it didn't have any safeguards for sysops who might not be familiar with my extender scripts (which is no one, since I haven't released any yet).

So I went back and started rewriting the FedPatrol script from scratch. I'm about five minutes away from leaving for Branson, Missouri for the weekend on a family vacation so I don't expect to get too much done with the script over the next couple days, but my trusty laptop is going along for the ride so I might find time to get it finished on the way down or at least tinker around with it a bit.

(Gotta love power adapters and power inverters!)

Thanks for putting in all that effort!

I would want to run the script on the TWGS every hour from the scheduler. Sounds like that shouldn't be a problem based on what you said.

Don't go too far out of your way to get this thing done. I've lived with the problem this long, I can wait a little while for you to get it done at your leisure. It's going to take me a little while to get it set up as well.

Regarding the comment about putting Stardock adjacent to FedSpace; I already do this and have been doing it for quite some time in all of my games. Even so, people can easily put Nav Hazards in sectors 2-10 effectively blocking all warps when new players enter the game or players re-enter the game after getting destroyed.

The best solution for me would be the switches that I mentioned in the original post. But a script that cleans things up on the hour is better than nothing.

Rave,
Would it be possible to also get that script from you?

Elric

quote:Originally posted by Cokelvr

Rave,
Would it be possible to also get that script from you?

Elric


Certainly, but it looks like the first utility script that we'll be releasing will be a universe modification script that adjusts the warps of random sectors.

There's a couple issues with the FedPatrol script that I need to find a way to work around. Particularly, the fact that I can't eliminate the NavHaz in a sector through TEDIT. I can clear mines, figs, players, etc., from sectors, but not NavHav. At least not at the moment.

Twisted Universe is currently 1049 lines long and we've still got a ways to go before it gets finished. It's on it's third major rewrite already as we add more stuff to it. But it -is- close to a release. I'll work on some other simple utility scripts following that... wandering planets, wandering StarDock, etc. until I figure out a way to clear sector NavHaz for the FedPatrol script.

Sounds great! Let me know when it comes available.

Elric

Actually, one of the things I thought I suggested a while ago was the ability to flag a sector as "fedspace" or as a "stardock style" sector, where fighters can't be posted, etc.

Don't remember for sure if I ever actually posted this, though, or if it's just been a little burning thought deep in the recesses of my subconscious.

Ahh well, it looks like there won't be many more changes to v3 anyway, so I doubt this will get implemented. I just hope that JP has time to finish the last few v3 mods at this point.

Hey Rave,
Any new new news on the scripts yet? Looking forward to them. Thanks for all your effort in this matter. I think they definitly will be a help. Please be sure to post where they will be available at. [:)]

Thanks!