Reference: http://www.classictw.com/viewtopic.php?f=52&t=30799

This was brought forward in the Beta section and both my wife and I recall asking about this before. Ideally, it would be nice to have an option to specify number of connections to a game.

Currently, there is a Node editor, but is disabled/not used with the current TWGS interface. We have done a similar idea using both the BBS and DOS version of TradeWars. We've configured just 5 nodes for TradeWars and the BBS contains 10+. So if there are 10 people on the BBS and 5 go to TradeWars, if user 6-10 try to access TradeWars, they get the message that the door is full/busy/in use and to try later.

For example, option in T-EDIT might look like:

< # > Number connections allowed, where 0 is unlimited

Or something along those lines. The idea is to control how many can access the game at a time. Nothing I would call a major need- it was an option we had in the DOS version. With this as an option, I can see a few possibilities on expansions to some game edits we've created.

**Edit** Changed the title of this thread to Connection/Player Account Control as I am discussing/exploring options to control account creation or player connections on a per game level.

I would agree but there needs to be method from keeping people idling at the score menu locking others from playing. I think this would a great enhancement for old school type / building games. But how would this be accomplished? I would say Honor System but we all know that would never work.
Edit - Or would it not look actually at the node but how many players are currently in game so for others that wanted to idle at the history/score menu would not be blocking others?

Whether you login via TWGS interface or use the BBS, you will still get the menu to look at the scores, settings, etc. I see your point on that, and the only solution I can think of is to ensure the idle time is adjusted accordingly in that game via TEDIT, General Editor #2, option #2. I assume that if they sit too long past the set timeout in the menu, they will get booted. However, they could just script it to refresh by pressing a key and remain there. The only way outside of that would be to make it so once you start the disconnect procedure, it takes them right out of that game, or you make the CLV available only in the game itself. Again, I am aware that we can script around it- it is just a thought.

Or perhaps there is another idea. Rather than doing that, let's look at the "Closed game" option. Currently when you go to into a closed game, the player is notified it is closed and they need to contact the administrator to request an account. What about creating a method where the player could register via the TWGS interface? For example, you come into our TWGS to play with Daala and myself in our closed game. You don't have an account so you are asked if you want to request an account. You put in your username and password and it is put in queue for the SysOp to review. Perhaps some sort of notification method can be created to notify us of a message/request. If it is accepted, the SysOp can just activate the account; if rejected, well the account is not created. Something along those lines, and is the same method as validation on a BBS.

If you add a game-level node limit, make sure
you also add a per-login timeout option too.

Otherwise people will be able to camp out and
block other people's access.

Something like 4 hour TL per day used in 1 hour per sessions?

True, if something was to be implemented, a way to keep people from camping out would be needed. Something like your time limit idea. For example, set a daily time limit of 4 hours but you can only be in-game for an hour max at a time (unless you make that option available to specify in-game time allowed). If you use your hour and come out of the game, you have to wait for at least 30 mins to re-enter that game (unless that too is an option- time to wait before re-entering). Or something to that effect.

Or, just have a standard time limit. You play your time and then you are done for the day.

This causes two problems:
1. You need a TL for node-limit game to work.
2. People will still camp out, so TLs must be short.

Most players do not like small timelimits. I've offered
TL games for quite a while and don't get a lot of play
there. So I suspect if we restrict node limits to only
games with small time limits, there won't be a lot of
play in those games.

Having a session-based TL would allow us to create
limited node games with a login every 30 or 60 mins.
There wouldn't need to be a game time limit, or it
could be set to something larger like 12 hours, which
would attract more players.

That is true. I'm good with that, if it can be done. If not, it is no big issue. We were more curious if it would be something to consider, and if so something that could be easily implemented.

Another thought came at me early in the morning regarding connections to games. Currently we have the "Limit one user per IP" option in the configuration of the TWGS. If checked, only one IP can connect. Is there a possibility to consider allowing this option on a game level, and allow the Sysop to specify the number in the game? For example, perhaps I only want to allow one IP in game A, but I'm running Dupe Chess and will allow up to 5 using the same IP in game B. Another example is we would allow max 2 users with the same IP connect to the rest of the games. If a third tries to connect, they can't. The idea here is to specify in-game the number of users allowed to use the same IP in a game.

It would be nice if we could have that, with an exception list.

For example, if you have confirmed that two players are husband and wife, brother and sister, etc, connecting via the same IP address, you can have them both connect at the same time, otherwise 1 IP per game at a time.

That was the idea. We have some friends that want to play and although they share an IP, if we toggle the "Limit one user per IP" on then only one of them can get in. I recognize that sometimes this setting is used to prevent multiple accounts, but we think it might be of better usage to us Sysops if it was moved to a game level and not global.

Plus with this option, we can reduce some of the load our ScoreKeeper script has by checking and purging all the dupe accounts.

This sounds like a useful feature. I'll see if I can get it in.