Hi there!

I've been playing WWP and W:A for quite some time (with inactive periods in between) and one thing still bugs me and I think a LOT of other ppl also. The hosting troubles for firewalled kids and grownups who don't have a clue on why nobody joins their game... Since I'm relatively new to W:A and having done some internet surfing I discovered there are serveral utilities to login to wormnet without having the game started, things to setup your own wormnet and other weird stuff.

[Q] I'm wondering if its possible to build a serverbot that once logged in onto wormnet is able to host games. When you login on a particular gametype on this bot, all scheme settings will be set for it and a random map from a pool could be loaded by the bot. Once everybody is in (it would be nice to have a limiter for 3 of 4 ppl max in a game) and puts the light up the bot confirms and starts the game, hosted on a big server somewhere i dunno - team17 hq? - berlin? - japan? - Planet Worm? Obviously the bot should be able to be configured by the admin so a UI for the scheme settings etc would be nice... but a command line program can do the job also probably ;) If only a couple of these bots would be running on the lobby... some for every gametype like wxw shoppa roper bng ...

So the question is, is this doable by a 3rd party tool (like it was possible to setup a dedicated quake server in your home and have the house login to it playing games), and if so, what would be the bandwidth consumption / cpu usage for such a serverbot if like 10 instances are running on a single server hosting for up to 40 ppl different games?

And last but not least, does anybody feel attracted to write such a bot in his/her spare time in order to serve the community?
And if it's not possible, well... bummer :) I know that wormnet2 is encrypted so it will not work for wwp probably, but hey, W:A is better so why bother, lolz.
Thank u for the time. Feedback appreceated.

Gnork

.....Already in the works, actually.....

Although the exact thing you're talking about is already being worked on, I have to say I'm against promoting laziness. Setting up a firewall and a router is something everyone should be able to master. People with connection problems on a grander scale would benefit from this, though, yes.

I'll let people with more knowledge answer you in more detail.

Why don't we post a link to the hosting bot project? I don't think it ought to be a secret. Do you? I mean, it's open-source, even.

Indeed.

HostingBuddy is written in the D programming language (http://www.digitalmars.com/d/).
It's hosted on SourceForge, at http://sourceforge.net/projects/wahostbot/.
Anyone is welcome to get the latest source from SVN (http://sourceforge.net/svn/?group_id=177947); if you would like to participate in development, ask G-Lite (http://forum.team17.co.uk/member.php?u=52432) to add you to the project group.

HostingBuddy is meant to be as user-friendly as an IRC bot can be. It would listen to phrases like "someone host a shopper" or "wxw pls" etc. on the channel, and offer the users to host for them. In the game lobby, the person requesting the host would be able to fine-tune some scheme options, change the map or retreive a specific map from the WMDB (http://wmdb.org/) with trigger commands.

Among other things, we decided to also make it work as a web-based snooper. Instead of downloading a program to your computer and running it there, you just open an address in your browser, and immediately see what's going on in #AG. You would be able to talk from HostingBuddy's name (in-game users would see "HostingBuddy> [WEB:YourName> Your message"), etc. Private messaging might be more complicated.

Currently, the project is about 30% done. The IRC (chat) and HTTP (enumerating/hosting games) parts are more or less complete, and I was finishing the snooper (the backend of which is mostly done, and the AJAX part of the HTML is left to do). I will have less time to work on this in the near future, so all the more reason to give a hand if you can! :)

Really awesome work ! :)

And btw, I didn't know the D programming language, looks much better than C++ :eek:

...wow... astonished.. :D

I'm glad this gets implemented, cause the waiting for an hour in the lobby can suck major :)

About the 'everybody should be able to configure their firewall/router' part:
I'm a freelance computer expert dealing with problems ppl may have with their home pc/network. You dont want to know how little ppl have actually the knowledge to setup their newly bought router or piece of firewall software in order to have things working properly. I can tell you from experience there are many many parents and thus kids around who can't host simply because this lack of knowledge thing. This has absolutely nothing to do with lazyness. You being an experienced user look different to this and think its very easy to do (and in fact it is, if you just know HOW) but its an arrogant suggestion that if _you_ know then everybody knows or should know also (a typical pc expert mind bug going around in many po brains).:rolleyes: I sometimes catch myself on that same bug also, assuming some things are so basic that everybody knows them or how to work with it. But neverless I also do meet people who never heard of Windows Explorer nor dragging folders, a right mouseclick or even installing anything by themselves... Yes, they do exist out there in big numbers - scary... ;)

Well, I'm hardly an expert when it comes to computers. But so far the people on this forum have helped everyone with a firewall/router issue, so a new user's inexperience would have to be severe enough for them to be unable to use internet forums. Which in the year 2007 really is borderline laziness in most cases, geek elitism or not!

Don't forget, we're talking about people who have managed to install the game and attempted to play a WormNet game in it. Or had someone help them with it, in which case that same person should be the one asking for help here.

Hey, there are LOADS of people that go to play Worms online and can't understand why they can't host games. Sometimes, when I'm really bored, or waiting around for a normal game, I sit in AG and link everyone who has a problem to www.nanacide.com/wahelp
I'd like to think that I've helped many people host games, so it's kind of ironic when I can't host myself, due to reasons beyond my control.

So I, for one, can't wait for an auto hosting bot. Finally I won't have to sit in AG and wait for a normal match. I can host one myself, and escape from all the shoppas!

We can have a discussion for hours about noobism on pc's, but that's not what the topic is about. Let's concentrate on the bot thingy since I'm convinced this is or should be considered a high priority add-on. All those small glitches others are wining about like sheeps that dont turn back is far less important. The game already runs and does so for almost a decade, it just really really lacks a good way of playing online.

Just login to AG and see the list of players who are waiting compared to the list of actually hosted games. Watch the list and get annoyed when nobody hosts a game of your style for ages... I know I'm not the only one, I see them all there on the right top side :P So in short, playing worms online is not a game that one can do in a lunchbreak (unless he/she is able to host), simply because lack of hosters. And then when you finally see your fav hosted up, you'd better be clicking it within a few micro seconds after it comes up, otherwise it's loaded with players and your last (ending up in getting kicked most of the time) or worse the game is full already. I'm pretty sure your mind is screwed when you ever come to the idea of making a game in which worms kill eachother with sheep and nana's (lsd trip? who can tell who thought this game scenario up anyway), but those same freaked out Team17 programmer brains would never have wanted this annoyance to be a continuating side effect of the way the hosting works.

I'm not even starting the game nowadays if I'm not sure I don't have at least an hour or more time to spend (and most of it will go up in waiting in stead of playing - the moment a game starts you sometimes dont want to play anymore and have other things on my mind). This is rediculous for online gaming. I've seen many games through the years where you can play almost instantly with no problem cause many more people play the game. However if you are able to setup your system to host and have done so from the beginning, you might probably never have experienced this and wonder what I'm talking about. So then you might also think this is not something worth a higher piority. If so, keep on worrying about your sheep not falling the way you like and not being able to turn it around.

What's a game worth if it takes too long for your patience to wait for it before you can actually play the game? Not being able to play the game online can be read as the game will end up on the shelf eating dust sooner as it should... The other way around: if hosting would not be a problem this game could experience a new sales boost, cause it's so awsome addictive, even after all those years. The fact that updates still come out for such an old game proves the quality of the gameplay. Everything should be done in order to suck maximum playability out of this wonderful game!

Another advantage of this bot: in theory all noobs will play more cause everybody can host, they don't have to wait and experience more ropetime than lobbytime per hour so they should be able to rope sooner :P

Maybe the frontend of W:A should, besides a Team17 logo and other logo's also have a short intromovie with recordings of various online gamestyles, since they are so totally different from the original game. New users will be astonished by all the possibilities and truely know how to value their just bought game.

Maybe the frontend of W:A should, besides a Team17 logo and other logo's also have a short intromovie with recordings of various online gamestyles, since they are so totally different from the original game. New users will be astonished by all the possibilities and truely know how to value their just bought game.

Now that's something I would approve of.

I agree about keeping this thread on topic, I know ths issue at hand isn't uncommon. Although I never personally experienced it, since I was always able to host my own games.

Out of curiosity, what schemes do you like? I'm guessing Ropers?

Although I never personally experienced it, since I was always able to host my own games.

This is exactly what I'm talking about. Never experienced a very annoying side of the game and thus you have a totally different feeling when you go and play online. Meantime, many players have been waiting in the last half hour (or even more) before you started the game in order to have some fun. If you'd just go online to wormnet and for one time don't start hosting immediately but wait for a descent game to popup, I'm sure your mousepointer will be moving to the upper right corner as soon as your done waiting, just teasing you to click and host yourself in the end.


Out of curiosity, what schemes do you like? I'm guessing Ropers?


Yes, I'm dedicated Shoppa player with now and then a game of Mineball if someone hosts it :)

Then you shouldn't have much trouble finding games ^^

id like to point out that fixing hosting problems... would put more strain on the server (due to more people playing) and then increasing the cost of having a central server.

rofl. Then maybe we should shut down WormNET altogether, because it costs Team17 to maintain it for nothing?

Unless you mean that we actually allow the WormNET server to host games, then the current WormNET server load is minimal - all it does is run an IRC server and manage a list of open games.

Then you shouldn't have much trouble finding games ^^

I don't. But Worms is just so addictive ;)


id like to point out that fixing hosting problems... would put more strain on the server (due to more people playing) and then increasing the cost of having a central server.

Duh :D

rofl. Then maybe we should shut down WormNET altogether, because it costs Team17 to maintain it for nothing?

Unless you mean that we actually allow the WormNET server to host games, then the current WormNET server load is minimal - all it does is run an IRC server and manage a list of open games.

Yeah, shut down the game completely - If I can't host - nobody should - lmFao

Maybe I'm just misinterpreting the tone of your post, Gnork, but franpa just made a ridiculous suggestion and then CyberShadow made a sarcastic remark followed by an informative comment http://www.nanacide.com/images/Emoticons/colbert.gif

(your reply seemed to agree with franpa and then mock CyberShadow http://www.nanacide.com/images/Emoticons/cop.gif )

hahahaha, :) i was joking to be not honest about it....... erm yea i was thinking properly and forgot its peer to peer mostly.

Maybe I'm just misinterpreting the tone of your post,

Yes you are :p LOL

I was finishing the snooper (the backend of which is mostly done, and the AJAX part of the HTML is left to do). I will have less time to work on this in the near future, so all the more reason to give a hand if you can! :)


SO it looks like you need somebody who knows a bit about AJAX. Well, unfortunately, I don't, so I can't help you out on it except for bugtesting which you have plenty of I guess... Anybody who feels his fingers itching and is dedicated to AJAX scripting? Please raise your voice. And not all at once please, one at a time :)

Oh, I finished that yesterday. Moving on with the in-game packet framework.

First of all, I don't want to put any pressure on this great project nor any others. It's really great something gets done about the hosting horror -> Following whining is just an expression of how I felt today with Worms and the psychological impact it had on the thoughts afterwards. I really do hope this HostingBuddy will solve the great dissapointment I (and for sure many others, they just don't seem to reply in mass on this topic) got with the game.

In order to enlighten everybody who reads this, here's a brief example of my everyday experience with Worms. Today again Wormnet totally screwed up my fun to play a nice game; this time including consequences... Waiting for more than twenty minutes before someone hosted - it felt like being in the flooded dentist waiting room (ppl sitting there, not talking to eachother, 1 go see the doctor hosting a normal game now and then). Finally a shopper popped up, but of course it was loaded completely already, though I clicked on it the moment it showed up... Not even room for a team anymore. Ten minutes later another one hosts up with same story... 2 full 2 play. So... I was waiting...and waiting... for another 20 minutes... 30 minutes... for nothing... until I finally gave up being really really REALLY both ****ed and disappointed not having played for even 1 second online for the whole hour it took.

You probably are familiar with that adrenaline filled feeling you have just before you decide to launch the game: 'Oh yeah, let's kick some ass, rock the world, play some cool worms and beat the hell out of them'... The feeling that has to be satisfied within a couple of minutes? Now, how am I gonna explain to that same feeling that it's not possible to saturate its needs due to technical circumstances? I'm left desperate after one hour, like a child with a tear in the eye standing behind a fence looking at other kids playing and not being allowed to cross the fence, or like another one of those NOVIB advertisement or like (*fill in tons of other imaginary scenarios here please) or even WORSE: like Homer Simpson without a Duff beer.

I so truely wanted to play a game but now I so truely don't want to play anymore at all due to this immense dissatisfaction which bugs me day in day out as soon as I want to play. No nice adrenalined feeling - instead, I'm now feeling sick of it as soon as I'm thinking of a quick worms match online. Probably I won't play today nor tomorrow nor the day after...

If the first feeling that pops up when wanting to play is a feeling of disgust in stead of pleasure, there is no means to play anymore; all points of interest have been devastated by a big heavy thundercloud puking rain, thunder and hosting horror. I hope this depressing feeling will not last for 2 long, since I'm quite hooked to the game. I WANT to play but I CANT (at least, that's the overwelming feeling though it's not true). Like Homer WANTS to drink but Moe's tavern burned down, get the point? ;) (*A big loud scream can be heard while the camera has zoomed out to Homer being an ants' size on the screen now with a nice village overview (see the nuke plant in the back?)

In short -> Timetable should look like this:

1. wanna play?
1a. fun feeling
2. go online (host if nothings there to cheer you up)
3. play
4. get your fun factor saturated (this looks like the Sims for Gods sake)


Timetable for 'the poor plebs who cant host' looks like this:


1. wanna play?
1a. prepare to wait for long time
1b. have confidence someone will host eventually, they can't all be dead
1c. just give yourself a bit more patience, a game will show up
1d. boost adrenaline, games could also be hosted sooner than you think
1e. just give yourself a LOT more patience, a game must show up
1f. convince yourself its really worth waiting cause the addiction is starting to kick in while you think some more minutes about playing and you need to satsfy now
2. go online (and start the waiting procedure)
2a. have some coffee
2b. have some more
2c. and something to eat while waiting (or a smoke, or two, whatever)
2d. maybe watch a movie during waiting
2e. how about some workouts
2f. yawn, is somebody hosting yet?
2g. you forgot to let the dog out
2h. ah finally a game! adrenaline!
3. join and play, stay in a rematch and another and get saturated, OR
4. ****, game full, back in AG and back to step 2a.
5. repeat steps 2a - 4 untill satisfied or totally stressed out about not being able to suit your needs if you keep on crashing at step 3.


Wow, quite some differences in those tables ;)
Blessed are those who can host and never ever have to cope with the 2nd timetable... And not to mention - this is the way it goes for a decade - and for the majority of players.

Last but not least, it's evident some ppl on this forum who can host will reply to this post with some kind of hilarious joke making fun out of it. I'd give that a 75% chance at least since morons do exist everywhere. In stead it would be nice if people who can't host and have similair feelings would raise their voice. Speak!

Haa-le-lu-jah! *BOOOM*

no one does host for tho's who cant simply because the majority who cant are a) computer illiterate to some noticable extent or b) just dont know the game the person who can host wants to play.

erm... if you add me to msn ill be happy to play you if you ask me at a time i feel good and if im on msn :) but im not into roper, warma, bungee races.......

I can't host and I always get the game I want to play in 5 minutes, providing I want to play a funner.

If I where a shopper player I'd have even less problems finding a game to join.

It has to be said not everyone unable to host experiences the problem as brutally as you apparently do. Most people went for one or more of these options:

1) Broaden your horizons. Start enjoying more than one scheme. There's a lot of 'em out there, more than one for each taste.

2) Join a league. And its forums. Meet people who actively play the game there. Be on a lookout for tournament announcements.

3) Find a group of friends who come online at the same times you do and tag along. Stay in touch with them via a messenger and organise games there. Failing that...

4) Start coming online at a different time. The busiest hours are from around 19:00 GMT on, I'd say.

5) Start at 1) again.

This was not the hilarious joke making fun of your post. I do think you should take it easy, though. Don't think I'm some kind of host-capable snob with no regard for lesser beings, believe me when I tell you this isn't something people normally get as upset about.

Granted the community isn't as active as it once was, but outside leagues, Shoppers are the most played scheme, period. You'd probably slit your wrists in under 12 hours if you only cared for one of the practically-never-played schemes like Fort, Pro, Warmer, BnG and a few other favourites of the past.

Well, being able to host a game on Wormnet is one of the game's features.
I don't like having paid money for a game I can not fully utilize.

Actually no, if they shut down the servers you'd still be getting what you paid for.

Actually no, if they shut down the servers you'd still be getting what you paid for.
Well, I could then play LAN games. And not being able to host would still suck.

Besides, with the beta update's introduction of the direct IP feature this doesn't matter at all.

Among other things, we decided to also make it work as a web-based snooper. Instead of downloading a program to your computer and running it there, you just open an address in your browser, and immediately see what's going on in #AG. You would be able to talk from HostingBuddy's name (in-game users would see "HostingBuddy> [WEB:YourName> Your message"), etc. Private messaging might be more complicated.

Uhm may be I'm thinking this as if it were php but... I dont think private message would be so complicated for the javascript code, may be opening a new window and another javascript function for writing the textarea on the popup page?. As HostingBuddy should be a process running on the server he could store in memory players using it and the messages they receive, so the navigator could ask whenever for them :-/ (using ajax)

Another thing I was thinking about... is really needed a process with the responsibility of running on the server and using its own bandwith? May be its better having that bot but only for identifying people who cant host... and then asking other servers for hosting the game. If the 'hoster code' is written in php it could run on almost every webserver, many ppl got hostings that they almost doesnt use... but there's are problems, it's there in WA any way to override the default port? all the games use the same :(. Well, may be I'm dreaming and PHP is not as powerfull as a servlet but I think it could work... unless most webservers were so evil that they forbid the use of the socket_listen() function :-/

why not have a bot where you can tell it what game you want. Only once per ip per hour. And if a certain command is written it will show requests by people who are still in the channel. I hate hosting BnG's and Forts and haven't no-one join, i'd rather not host shopper. The bot would allow me to see what the public wants before i host.

That is only if hosting buddy as not put into effect for a while.

CaVeFiSH: all this has been resolved already, actually. Either way, many shared hostings are either behind a NATed datacenter, or have filewalled most incoming ports (some even firewall some outgoing ports, to prevent clients running IRC bots/etc.).

[UFP]Ghost: "why not have a bot where you can tell it what game you want" - that's the point of HostingBuddy.
"And if a certain command is written it will show requests by people who are still in the channel." - that's mostly pointless, since anyone could be able to request a game directly from the bot.

It has to be said not everyone unable to host experiences the problem as brutally as you apparently do.

Well, it's comparable to traffic jam. If you're in there every day when u go to work, eventually SOME day it will psychodestruct you down and you'll get a little burstout like I had ;) I could have either said nothing at all (so nobody would know its possible to get stressed from this game in a nasty way) or for once tell the community how I felt after this. Since it's a small world afterall I can't believe I'm the only one who had this experience, and since I'm Dutch we like to talk about this in stead of ignoring it :D


Most people went for one or more of these options:

1) Broaden your horizons. Start enjoying more than one scheme. There's a lot of 'em out there, more than one for each taste.


I'm really done with the normal mode (find it boring), wxw is definately 2 fast for me (I think that's a game for speed freaks), bng is fun but not my style either, roperaces are fun but rare. How come I never see mineball again?

2) Join a league. And its forums. Meet people who actively play the game there. Be on a lookout for tournament announcements.

3) Find a group of friends who come online at the same times you do and tag along. Stay in touch with them via a messenger and organise games there. Failing that...

I did this half a decade ago, also when I was able to host WWP. Never had any of the experiences I have nowadays. But when being able to host, your gameplay radically improves, since almost every minute you're online you will play compared to the other situation. Nowadays I simply don't feel good enough to join a leage. I would be ashamed of my current roping skillz XD

4) Start coming online at a different time. The busiest hours are from around 19:00 GMT on, I'd say.

Oh man, I tried this a lot, going online different times (but sometimes you want to play NOW and not in 5 hours). Maybe somehow I've been very unlucky lately to play - was the whole world sleeping while me was awake? lolz. The times I mentioned really were NOT exaggerated! Those waiting times do exist!

I must state though some very important thing: not EVERY everyday it's that bad as I mentioned before. Sometimes it's a matter of minutes before a game pops up and it's a matter of minutes again after the game before a new one comes. Chance prediction statistics sometimes are in your advance, sometimes not.

5) Start at 1) again. uh oh, entering indefinate loooooooop again aargh :)


This was not the hilarious joke making fun of your post. I do think you should take it easy, though. Don't think I'm some kind of host-capable snob with no regard for lesser beings, believe me when I tell you this isn't something people normally get as upset about.

I know and I appreciate you didn't make fun of it. TYVM. In order to point out a problem, it's good to exaggerate a bit so it gets more attention. Everybody gets upset now and then for various reasons, and I just grabbed the moment to write about it in stead of watching tv so nobody would know. :p

Granted the community isn't as active as it once was, but outside leagues, Shoppers are the most played scheme, period. You'd probably slit your wrists in under 12 hours if you only cared for one of the practically-never-played schemes like Fort, Pro, Warmer, BnG and a few other favourites of the past.

Uhm, I tend to disagree on this statement besides the less active part of the community. Nowadays wxw is definately most played next to hard fly shoppas (both semi related to shopping so if you like it you're done and if not you're scr*wed). Followed up by normal/bng - then shoppa, roperaces/ropers and last but not least the forts, boomraces or sheepglitches. Server statistics would be needed though to see who's right about this :)


Well, being able to host a game on Wormnet is one of the game's features.
I don't like having paid money for a game I can not fully utilize.

Affirmitive - *edit* skipped some bs here, not related enough


Ghost;556382']why not have a bot where you can tell it what game you want. Only once per ip per hour.

omFg - and then the game crashes while loading and you'd have to wait another HOUR befor you're allowed to host again - ever thought of that, [UFP]Ghost?

Once again, you're making a big deal about a problem that many people in your position aren't experiencing.

So it goes without saying it annoys me you think its everyone's fault but yourself.

Affirmitive - even Dutch law also thinks about this kinda the same way.



have you read the license agreements of basically any game that has online play?

Ok please let me rephrase unfortunately looks like i did a bad job because no one understood.
ok so until hosting buddy is complete and released you have a bot where you type e.g.

!host Shopper
or !host BnG

then i come to the channel type !Game
and it tell me what people want so as a hoster i can give people what they want before hosting buddy comes along.

You know there's a chat in channel?

You can ask people what they want to play and whatnot...

You know there's a chat in channel?

You can ask people what they want to play and whatnot...

yes but it owuld be easier this way not to mention that people on wa, aren't always chatty, the most common word is shoppa, if this was implemented then people wouldn't have to worry about messaging a host first. So they can play what they want, i get messages all the time and it can get annoying, this if used by wormnet reduce spam which would be nice. remember i said it owuld be nice until hosting buddy, this is just a simple measure to help until hosting buddy comes along.

Once again, you're making a big deal about a problem that many people in your position aren't experiencing.

Uhm, this can be interpreted in different ways, I'm not sure which way u mean, so please elaborate. Anyway, lot's of people play the game without having been even once on this forum, so it's not strange that you never hear of them in here. They simply find themselves another great game or surrender to the facts :)

So it goes without saying it annoys me you think its everyone's fault but yourself.


?? Obviously here's a miscommunication. I'm not blaming ANYone for them not being online 24x7 and hosting up for the community who can't. Is that what you're trying to say? This would of course be rediculous and I'm not sure if you meant this, you can't (*left in confusion*). It seems you're reading something in between the lines I didn't intend to write down.

Anyway... today was a good day - lot's of games and lot's of fun, so it's not allways bad :D

Just thought I'd drop this here if anyone's interested. Seeing that there wasn't much reaction of helping out with the project from the community, and that the code has evolved to a point where it could be used against other users to do harm, it has been moved to a private SVN server. Development is still going, albeit at a slow pace.

I couldn't help but notice that HostingBuddy is now a regular inside AnythingGoes. I can only assume the alpha testers were having a go with the online snooping function, as there was HostingBuddy>Snoop: in front of their names.

Didn't see it host a game, but it appears to be coming along nicely. It's looking pretty hot!

HB should be the number 1 priority imo. It'd be a huge step forward and it will greatly improve the activity, spamming will also become close to none in channels.

Hosting Buddy seems to be Dutch.
Ik hou van dat!

I decided to keep it running for a while so our testers could test the web snooper functionality, and for some long-term stability testing.
At the moment, the beta is much closer to completion than HostingBuddy, and the web snooper relies on some new W:A features that will allow you to join WormNET games directly from the snooper.

Also, it uses a Dutch flag because G-Lite wrote the IRC code :) It will probably be changed to an UK flag since the finished version will run on a server in the UK.

Will Hosting Buddy marry the Wormnet Chanserv one day?

allow you to join WormNET games directly from the snooper.

Oh wow that's awesome! I take it you can click on a game being hosted, and your computer will check to see if you have WA on your computer, then load it up and jump straight into the hosted match.

If so, that's fantastic. I love the idea!

One question? Would it be possible to ask HB to host a game for you if you asked it through the snooper? I can imagine somebody sitting in the snooper and trying to spam it to host loads of games. Although I'm sure you'll probably work to avoid host flooding.

HostingBuddy is now running in a very limited test mode on my PC. It supports a bare minimum of commands, and doesn't support multiple rounds, but it's somewhat usable - assuming it doesn't crash in the middle of your game. If you still dare to try it, PM it and it will explain everything to you.

Where can I get this new snooper from? It's something like ProSnooper 3.

ProSnooper (http://worms2d.info/ProSnooper) is a snooper program developed by Simon Hughes and is unrelated to HostingBuddy.

0o, I just posted in another topic that the HostingBuddy beta is working cool, but when I just went to host again with it, Murphy came along... It loaded a map, then said Invalid Map File.... I hosted a Shopper. So either that map was a pathetic joke moleshopper, or there is a broken map in your pool of maps, since everybody who joined got the same. :) To bad it's not possible to change the map with a click on it.

edit: eek, next game I hosted after that, sum1 quit immediately, so I rehosted cuz we didnt want to play 1on1... Then next game everybody got desynced at startup and HostingBuddy was gone from AG, 0 o I hope someone just reboted the pc where the bot was running on (CS? ;)) and that I didn't shoot it through the head, honestly :p

Yeah, the bot sometimes "explodes" when a game is started, due to a memory corruption issue. I'm still trying to hunt it down. Your help in testing by playing with the bot is appreciated :)

I'm also aware of the "Invalid Map File" issue - I'll fix it sooner or later.

btw, that last game with the desync also ended up in me getting thrown back to the desktop with an errorlog.

There ya go, maybe it has something useful in it: http://rapidshare.com/files/44626124/HostingBuddy_Desync___WA_crash_to_desktop.rar.html

Anyway, I'm online a lot and be more than willing to test the bot. It's fine by me collecting the errors it spawns to have feedback logs which could be useful for the development. Keep that thing online and you will get an archive with all of them, even though you don't have to test it yourself all the time xD

Thought I'd post some progress here periodically.

I've been putting some more effort into HB lately, and it can be found in #AG when it's ready for more test-driving. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find the crasher yet, but I'm working on it.

The most recent addition was !wmdb, which allows you to play off any map from WMDB. Simply type !wmdb <map number> in the game lobby. For example, typing !wmdb 4410 will get you this map (http://wmdb.org/4410) :D

Stuff added a while before that: the ability to select team (ally) colours (!colour), and hosting of random-landscape schemes (Intermediate, Team17, etc.)

Wow, the wmdb feature is pretty cool. Nice work :)

How about a scheme database, perhaps located at worms2d.info, where people can upload custom schemes which allows them to use the schemes with HB, similar to the !wmdb command?

How about a scheme database, perhaps located at worms2d.info, where people can upload custom schemes which allows them to use the schemes with HB, similar to the !wmdb command?
That will be done via the web interface.

Sry i dont want to read the whole thread... when will the hosting buddy start working?
And what does it at the moment? it is online in anything goes and you can write at him but he will answer that he doesnt know this command..

and... why is he french?? (that says his flag)

Have you tried doing the obvious and messaging him with "help", as it tells you to do? :)

Have you tried doing the obvious and messaging him with "help", as it tells you to do? :)

Yes he gives this link:
http://worms2d.info/HostingBuddy

but there isnt any information

There is more than enough information given by the bot directly to allow you to operate it in its fullest extent of currently implemented features.

Support for /teststuff etc. via the !version command has now been added.

It is working!^^

i play at the moment with the hosting buddy

But on wmdb.org they should write on every map the map number. when you want to use the !wmdb action you have to right-click on the map you want to play and look the number in the map-url.

You can just look at the address bar (if you already opened the map) or the status bar when you move your mouse over the link (from the map list).

Hosting Buddy had a nice crash... I loaded a map via wmdb, then minimized to the desktop while it was loading, came back and worms crashed. After loading worms again, the game was still in ag. So I went in there and saw the default map again, which I saw the first time. I tried to load the same wmdb map, but Hosting Buddy told me 'error, previous map hasn't been loaded yet'. I left the game and AG, went back after the game was gone from the hosted lists and tried hostingbuddy again. But now he said there was already a game being hosted for me, and crashed out of AG...


btw... would it be very difficult to enable editing of the game settings and weapon options?

btw... would it be very difficult to enable editing of the game settings and weapon options?

It's trivial (but time consuming).
I have added game settings, all of them except the per-weapon options - that will require some thought.

HostingBuddyUK2 will restart after crashing. The cause of the crash is still unknown, but is unrelated to the current state or user input (although it likes to crash on !start).

Nice one - I loaded a map, it said invalid map file - So I tried another map but that didn't show up. I left the host, rejoined and saw the new map being loaded. But, starting the game ended up in

Error: ArrayBoundsError WASockets(1317)

:p

I love beta software, hehehhe :D

omFg... I had to load 4 maps from wmdb before one didn't say Invalid Map File...
but that's not what this reply is for.

Please consider a command like !kill to shut down a hosted game if something went wrong, or whatever reason there might occur. I've already had a couple of times when I would have used this feature if it were to be present. ;)

What about !close ?

omFg... I had to load 4 maps from wmdb before one didn't say Invalid Map File...
but that's not what this reply is for.

Please consider a command like !kill to shut down a hosted game if something went wrong, or whatever reason there might occur. I've already had a couple of times when I would have used this feature if it were to be present. ;)

Map 4957 doesn't have black at position 0 in the palette.

I think HostingBuddy doesn't like me. He is still insulting me.
When I apologized he pretended to not understand my "commands".
:(

It's rather slow in regards to human relations, so your apologies will take effect after some time has passed.

Also, that's what you get for insulting a bot when you think no one can see you :P

omFg.... I just took a look at all the new options, which made my questions completely obsolete :p sorry I didnt rtfm since a few days, hehe. Anyway, I'm wondering while so many maps of mine don't want to load and result in an invalid map file:

giger flysurfer 5226 y
giger flyshopper 5202 y
wallwar shopper 5126 n
pulp fiction 5024 n
reservoir dogs 5020 n
dusk till dawn 5012 y
doomsday 4991 n
burningpatrix 4957 n
d-day 4885 y
barbwire 4873 n
leela pod 4846 n
podsurfer proto 4825 y
linux flysurf 4822 n
king of the hill 4812 y
itchy n scratchy 4811 n
simpsons 4769 n
futurama 4764 n
cowmachine 4711 n

black is not in 1st position i hear someone saying? how can i change that? but why would it matter.... the maps work fine in both offline and online hosts?

black is not in 1st position i hear someone saying? how can i change that? but why would it matter.... the maps work fine in both offline and online hosts?

With a graphics editor that lets you swap colours in the palette... the best that could be done in HostingBuddy right now is to make whatever colour happened to be in position 0 black - but that's crazy. It now warns you and refuses to try and load the map.

WA does it for you, HostingBuddy can't do it yet...

These command lists are copy pasted from a nice chat with HostingBuddy. Why wouldn't he like you too? :p

In AG:

/msg HostingBuddyUK2 help
The list of available commands is: help, host, schemes
Type /msg HostingBuddyUK2 help <command> to get details on a command. You can also consult the full HostingBuddyUK2 documentation at http://worms2d.info/HostingBuddy

/msg HostingBuddyUK2 host <scheme> - hosts a public game with the specified scheme.

/msg HostingBuddyUK2 schemes - lists known schemes.
I can host games with the following schemes: Sudden Sinking, Tournament, Blast Zone, Full Wormage, Beginner, Intermediate, Pro, Artillery, Classic, Armageddon, Darkside, NetBlitz, Retro, Strategic, Holy War, WxW, Roper, Fly Shopper, Warmer, Team17, Capture the Flag, Rope Race, Bungee Race, Bow and Arrow, Walk for Weapons, Elite, BnG, Battle Race, Shopper, Big Bow and Arrow

In the chatwindow within a hosted game:

!help
Host commands: !help !start !close !kick !map !wmdb !wsdb !worms !colour !version !load !reset

Game options: !energy !rounds !wormselect !teleport !artillery !stockpiling !donorcards !falldamage

Time options: !turntime !roundtime !weaponretreat !roperetreat !turndelay !showtime

Crate options: !weaponcrates !utilitycrates !healthcrates !crateenergy
Object options: !objects !drums !mines !dud !fuse
Sudden death options: !suddendeath !waterrise
General options: !replay !blood !godmode !indland
Weapon options: !teamweapons !superweapons !aquasheep !sheepheaven !goldgrenade !goldshotgun !goldbanana !goldbow

Type !help <command> to get details on a command.
Parameters in <angular brackets> are required, those in [square brackets] are optional. | means "or" - A|B means "A or B".

You can also consult the full HostingBuddy documentation at http://worms2d.info/HostingBuddy


!start - starts the game when all players have lit up.
!close - closes the game - no more players will be able to join.
!kick <player name> - remove the specified player from the game.
!map - selects a random map from the map pool, or generates a random landscape.
!wmdb <map number> - downloads and sends a map from WMDB (http://wmdb.org/). You must specify the map number (from
the URL).
!wsdb <scheme number> - downloads and uses a scheme from WSDB (http://wsdb.org/). You must specify the scheme
number (from the URL).
!worms [team number] <worm count> - sets the number of worms. If a team number is not specified, the count is set to all teams.
!colour <team number> <colour> - sets a team's ally colour. Valid colours are: Red, Blue, Green, Yellow, Magenta, Cyan (you only need to specify the first letter).
!version <name> - sets the game version to use. Valid game versions are: normal, batty, fast, test.
!load <scheme name> - loads a different game scheme.
!reset - resets the game scheme.
!energy <number> - sets worms' initial energy level.
!rounds <number> - sets the number of victories required to win the match.
!wormselect [on|off] - sets or toggles worm select.
!teleport [on|off] - sets or toggles initial teleport.
!artillery [on|off] - sets or toggles artillery (anchored) mode.
!falldamage [on|off|<value>] - sets or toggles fall damage.
!turntime <seconds> - sets the turn time (0-127).
!stockpiling on - new ammo on each round.
!stockpiling off - restock ammo on each round.
!stockpiling anti - one set of ammo for whole game.
!donorcards [on|off] - sets or toggles donor cards.
!roundtime <minutes> - sets the round time in minutes.
!roundtime <seconds>s - sets the round time in seconds.
!weaponretreat <seconds> - sets the weapon retreat time in seconds.
!roperetreat <seconds> - sets the rope retreat time in seconds.
!turndelay <seconds> - sets the hotseat delay time in seconds.
!showtime [on|off] - sets or toggles round time display.
!weaponcrates <percentage> - sets chance of weapon crates.
!utilitycrates <percentage> - sets chance of utility crates.
!crateenergy <number> - sets health gained from health crates.
!objects <number> - sets number of mines/oil drums on terrain.
!drums <number> - sets number of oil drums on terrain.
!mines <number> - sets number of mines on terrain.
!dud [on|off] - sets or toggles dud mines.
!fuse <seconds> - sets mine fuse time.
!fuse ? - sets mine fuse time to random.
!suddendeath end - sets sudden death mode to end game.
!waterrise none|slow|medium|fast - sets sudden death water rise speed.
!replay [on|off] - sets or toggles automatic replays.
!blood [on|off] - sets or toggles blood mode.
!godmode [on|off] - sets or toggles god mode (invincible worms).
!indland [on|off] - sets or toggles indestructible land.
!teamweapons [on|off] - sets or toggles team special weapons.
!superweapons [on|off] - sets or toggles super weapons.
!aquasheep [on|off] - sets or toggles Aqua Sheep.
!sheepheaven [on|off] - sets or toggles Sheep Heaven.
!goldgrenade [on|off] - sets or toggles golden grenades.
!goldshotgun [on|off] - sets or toggles golden shotgun.
!goldbanana [on|off] - sets or toggles golden bananas.
!goldlongbow [on|off] - sets or toggles golden longbows.


btw, is there a typo at !roundtime?

Damn, uploading my FlySurfer scheme to wsdb ended up in

Worms Scheme Database
Add scheme “FlySurfer”

Invalid scheme file:

* Sudden death water rise speed 7 is invalid.

Why would a file uploader check for settings like that? accept and eat it, you silly script, it doesn't mess up the game :p

this things pretty amazing, you cqan edit the schemes without trigger commands now... and is very very easy to use, good job CyberShadow... is Byte working on this project as well?

the main problem is it is VERY crash prone when lots of people make individual games with HostingBuddy.

Many people have worked on HostingBuddy on and off, and recently Byte has been putting a lot of effort into it as well :)

Gnork: !roundtime allows you to specify time in seconds if you add an s after the number, so there's no typo.

can i set texture terrain? like fruits?
fruits owns in elite or t17 games

Personally, I think this program is the greatest improvement ever made to worms. I've played worms online for over 6 years now, never once being able to host a game. Now I final can. :)

Damn, uploading my FlySurfer scheme to wsdb ended up in

Worms Scheme Database
Add scheme “FlySurfer”

Invalid scheme file:

* Sudden death water rise speed 7 is invalid.

Why would a file uploader check for settings like that? accept and eat it, you silly script, it doesn't mess up the game :p

The scheme database will ensure all values are valid, hostingbuddy does not verify schemes itself. A lot of schemes have unofficial values that happen to work without crashing (what does a water rise speed of 255 do?), as soon as a correct maximum for water rise speed is determined it'll be implemented...

The scheme database will ensure all values are valid, hostingbuddy does not verify schemes itself. A lot of schemes have unofficial values that happen to work without crashing (what does a water rise speed of 255 do?), as soon as a correct maximum for water rise speed is determined it'll be implemented...

I've set the maximum to 7 now based on evidence that this is the sane maximum and anything else is an overflow.

!map parameters have been added. They let you specify the map texture in normal-ish schemes (e.g. !map fruits in a Team17), and filter out maps by their name in colour-map-using schemes (e.g. !map W4W in a Shopper to select a random map from those that have "W4W" in the filename).

Other things added earlier and not mentioned here include !reopen and !load.

I've set the maximum to 7 now based on evidence that this is the sane maximum and anything else is an overflow.
tyvm ;)

Could someone also add "Surf Shopper" or "FlySurfer" to hostingbuddy's schemes list? I already uploaded a flysurfer scheme for it, but the buddy don't allow me to name a game yet - so people now join and find out its a surf :p


edit: cool, it uploads indeed with water rise 7, but the list afterwards tells:

Sudden death options

Round end style
nuclear strike
Water rise
invalid

grinn ;)

Byte there are 44 different settings for the water rise rate. You can easily get the complete list from SchemeEddy2.

Also, I know you were wondering about the Fall Damage setting. I looked into it yesterday and it seems to closely follow the equation:

(n * 66.7965 + 0.2) Mod 342

...where "n" is the byte value. Decimal values are implicitly rounded down if below .5 and rounded up if greater or equal to .5. Standard fall damage has a maximum of 67 damage.

Too many options when you type !help imo. Maybe you could reduce the amount down and add sub-sections?

so far, every game via hostingbuddy has ended prematurly due to hostingbuddy leaving us... is it capable of hosting more then 1 game at a time?

tyvm ;)
edit: cool, it uploads indeed with water rise 7, but the list afterwards tells:
-- image -- "water rise: invalid" --
grinn ;)

Yeees... I forgot to update that and have done now.

Byte there are 44 different settings for the water rise rate. You can easily get the complete list from SchemeEddy2.


No no no no no; 0-7 sane, anything else is an overflow and shouldn't be used. Who needs 44 water rise options?

Also, I know you were wondering about the Fall Damage setting. I looked into it yesterday and it seems to closely follow the equation:

(n * 66.7965 + 0.2) Mod 342


It's a boolean, 0 or 1. EOD.

so far, every game via hostingbuddy has ended prematurly due to hostingbuddy leaving us... is it capable of hosting more then 1 game at a time?


Beta
Bugs requiring a restart to apply fixes
Beta
Yes
Beta
Glide didn't make accepted connections non-blocking so map sends to people on slow connections delayed EVERYTHING for MINUTE(S) AT A TIME.
Beta

yes, im aware of the status of the program, also did you test the fall damge setting? or are you assuming its a boolean?

Is there any progress on the invalid map file bug? I really don't want to update all maps on wmdb... :(

Anyway, I took a look in photoshop if I could change the color table manual, but it seems it just swaps the colors if I make the first color entry black (resulting in the background getting the swapped color)?

yes, im aware of the status of the program, also did you test the fall damge setting? or are you assuming its a boolean?
he obstinately is.

Is there any progress on the invalid map file bug? I really don't want to update all maps on wmdb... :(

Anyway, I took a look in photoshop if I could change the color table manual, but it seems it just swaps the colors if I make the first color entry black (resulting in the background getting the swapped color)?

Open it in WA and save it again.

There are more important things to be done first :-/

Update: The existing random maps are now all fixed... (but not the WMDB ones)

yes, im aware of the status of the program, also did you test the fall damge setting? or are you assuming its a boolean?

Any values that are not settable from the game's scheme editor should not be relied upon and should not be expected to be consistent. Fall damage is a boolean for as much the game design is concerned, and only because of the way the value is used in calculations it does not appear to be a boolean (and overflows, etc).

I've added all the commands to the wiki page (http://worms2d.info/HostingBuddy), including shorter aliases - which have existed all along but were too numerous to include in the in-game help.

Recent new commands: !handicap !remove

The response to invalid numbers has been improved to avoid confusion.

Update:

Added !wsdb (http://wsdb.org/) save
Added weapon configuration commands (http://worms2d.info/HostingBuddy#Weapon_configuration) !ammo, !power, !delay, !crate
Explained how to specify weapons when setting their parameters
The !start command now lights up HostingBuddy and starts the game once everyone is ready (with a !stop command to cancel)
People who quit during the game now actually disappear when back in the lobby, instead of confusing everyone

HostingBuddy now assumes the flag of the player who requested a game (at least it will at the next restart).

We're having problems with memory usage (it's leaking memory), and the garbage collector still corrupts data - so unfortunately the bot will still suddenly crash from time to time.

Update:

Fixed the timeout at game finish so it actually works.

I've found a new error for HostingBuddy: I just said to it: host wxw and it said the thing about it being in a Expremental stage so I said yes. Then I said host w4w and it hosted the wxw. However, I couldn't join the game. What's going on with it?

I've found a new error for HostingBuddy: I just said to it: host wxw and it said the thing about it being in a Expremental stage so I said yes. Then I said host w4w and it hosted the wxw. However, I couldn't join the game. What's going on with it?

It crashed right after the game was hosted. WA really needs to timeout immediately if it can't connect...

Is there any progress on the invalid map file bug? I really don't want to update all maps on wmdb... :(

The ability to fix maps with black not at palette position 0 has been added.

All cached WMDB maps have been fixed, with the exception of the following maps.

Unfixable palette size:

3206
3211
5243
5244
1002
2514
2519
4902
2511
1420
4119
5263
5130


Wrong colour depth:

4504
5264

Sorry, I don't host games for people with fake ranks. Try again using the Beginner, Unknown or Snooper rank.lol!! why?

Sorry, I don't host games for people with fake ranks. Try again using the Beginner, Unknown or Snooper rank.

Genius. Good job, Byte.

*evil grinn by reading this* lmao

The ability to fix maps with black not at palette position 0 has been added.

All cached WMDB maps have been fixed, with the exception of the following maps.

Unfixable palette size...


Fix intended... some time soon.


Wrong colour depth...

4504



Fixed.

hey, what is the snooper rank? was a special rank added just for snoopers?

hey, what is the snooper rank? was a special rank added just for snoopers?

WWP has a snooper rank image and it's trivial to copy that to WA, so the next release should have it. It's displayed in WA as "? ? ?" if the rank image isn't there (and "buddy" in ProSnooper - HAH).

WWP has a snooper rank image and it's trivial to copy that to WA, so the next release should have it. It's displayed in WA as "? ? ?" if the rank image isn't there (and "buddy" in ProSnooper - HAH).

now i stop wondering why i cant remove you from my buddy list

I have been working for several hours at a time coding in-the-background map fixing which is now used by hostingbuddy. It still can't fix everything WA can because some of your maps are just downright awful :p (load and save them from WA and use the saved version).

New commands:

!type (island, cavern, auto)
!border (yes, no, auto)
!water (drop, 0-100, auto)

These only have an effect for PNG maps and have to be set before you load the map. Don't ask me to add other options because I will go crazy - it will load the other settings from the map file's header (save it in WA).

for !Type can you add "Closed, Open, Random" ?

Can you add maps to the Bungee Race type?

I can't host them if it doesn't have maps

Can you add maps to the Bungee Race type?

I can't host them if it doesn't have maps

U can host any map u like with !wmdb and !wsdb commands. Upload yer own maps and schemes to wmdb or wsdb accordingly.

WWP has a snooper rank image and it's trivial to copy that to WA, so the next release should have it. It's displayed in WA as "? ? ?" if the rank image isn't there (and "buddy" in ProSnooper - HAH).

I thought WA had a snooper rank before WWP did, actually, WA did have the two eyes icon that showed people from the official/supported (?) snooper, don't know if that's what you're talking about, though.

U can host any map u like with !wmdb and !wsdb commands. Upload yer own maps and schemes to wmdb or wsdb accordingly.

Yah I know..

But when I type !host Bungee Race, it says there are no bungee maps in the data folder.

Yah I know..

But when I type !host Bungee Race, it says there are no bungee maps in the data folder.

I have deleted the Bungee Race directory, it should work now.

People with nation flags that weren't in WA's original list can now actually host games instead of everyone getting Invalid Data messages.

Ohh true, it works now!

Thanks.

Ok. HostingBuddy's going weird. Now it won't even host a simple Rope Race at all!

Ok. HostingBuddy's going weird. Now it won't even host a simple Rope Race at all!

good. thats what beta software is all about ;) be patience, the probs will get fixed. be glad, that u can host now while u couldnt b4. even with some little glitches once in a while :)

Ok. HostingBuddy's going weird. Now it won't even host a simple Rope Race at all!

[Tue Aug 28 11:19:33 GMT+0100 2007] Command from Shirdel: host RR
[Tue Aug 28 11:19:36 GMT+0100 2007] Command from Shirdel: yes
[Tue Aug 28 11:19:41 GMT+0100 2007] Command from Shirdel: host RR
[Tue Aug 28 11:19:43 GMT+0100 2007] Removing orphan game
[Tue Aug 28 11:20:09 GMT+0100 2007] Command from Shirdel: host rr
[Tue Aug 28 11:20:10 GMT+0100 2007] Removing orphan game
[Tue Aug 28 11:20:24 GMT+0100 2007] Command from Shirdel: host rope race
[Tue Aug 28 11:20:25 GMT+0100 2007] Removing orphan game
[Tue Aug 28 11:20:35 GMT+0100 2007] Command from Shirdel: host RR
[Tue Aug 28 11:20:37 GMT+0100 2007] Removing orphan game
[Tue Aug 28 11:21:43 GMT+0100 2007] Command from Shirdel: host RR
[Tue Aug 28 11:21:45 GMT+0100 2007] Removing orphan game
[Tue Aug 28 11:21:56 GMT+0100 2007] Command from Shirdel: host RR
[Tue Aug 28 11:21:57 GMT+0100 2007] Removing orphan game
[Tue Aug 28 11:22:03 GMT+0100 2007] Command from Hardy: host rr
[Tue Aug 28 11:22:10 GMT+0100 2007] Command from Shirdel: host RR
[Tue Aug 28 11:22:11 GMT+0100 2007] Removing orphan game
[Tue Aug 28 11:22:24 GMT+0100 2007] Command from Shirdel: host rope race
[Tue Aug 28 11:22:26 GMT+0100 2007] Removing orphan game
[Tue Aug 28 11:22:43 GMT+0100 2007] Command from Shirdel: host RR
[Tue Aug 28 11:22:45 GMT+0100 2007] Removing orphan game
[Tue Aug 28 11:22:51 GMT+0100 2007] Command from Hardy: yes
[Tue Aug 28 11:22:58 GMT+0100 2007] Command from Shirdel: host RR
[Tue Aug 28 11:23:00 GMT+0100 2007] Removing orphan game
[Tue Aug 28 11:23:23 GMT+0100 2007] Command from Shirdel: host rope race
[Tue Aug 28 11:23:24 GMT+0100 2007] Removing orphan game
[Tue Aug 28 11:27:22 GMT+0100 2007] Command from Shirdel: host RR
[Tue Aug 28 11:27:23 GMT+0100 2007] Removing orphan game
[Tue Aug 28 11:27:39 GMT+0100 2007] Command from Shirdel: host RR
[Tue Aug 28 11:27:41 GMT+0100 2007] Removing orphan game
[Tue Aug 28 11:28:24 GMT+0100 2007] Command from Shirdel: host RR
[Tue Aug 28 11:28:25 GMT+0100 2007] Removing orphan game
[Tue Aug 28 11:29:18 GMT+0100 2007] Command from Shirdel: host RR
[Tue Aug 28 11:29:20 GMT+0100 2007] Removing orphan game
[Tue Aug 28 11:29:32 GMT+0100 2007] Command from Shirdel: host rope race
[Tue Aug 28 11:29:33 GMT+0100 2007] Removing orphan game
[Tue Aug 28 11:31:20 GMT+0100 2007] Command from Shirdel: host RR
[Tue Aug 28 11:31:21 GMT+0100 2007] Removing orphan game
[Tue Aug 28 11:31:36 GMT+0100 2007] Command from Shirdel: host rope race
[Tue Aug 28 11:31:38 GMT+0100 2007] Removing orphan game
[Tue Aug 28 11:31:59 GMT+0100 2007] Command from Shirdel: host rope race
[Tue Aug 28 11:32:00 GMT+0100 2007] Removing orphan game
[Tue Aug 28 11:32:07 GMT+0100 2007] Command from Shirdel: host rope race
[Tue Aug 28 11:32:09 GMT+0100 2007] Removing orphan game
[Tue Aug 28 11:32:29 GMT+0100 2007] Command from Shirdel: host rope race NOW!!!!!!
[Tue Aug 28 11:32:41 GMT+0100 2007] Command from Shirdel: schemes
[Tue Aug 28 11:32:50 GMT+0100 2007] Command from Shirdel: host Rope Race
[Tue Aug 28 11:32:52 GMT+0100 2007] Removing orphan game
[Tue Aug 28 11:33:09 GMT+0100 2007] Command from Shirdel: host rope race
[Tue Aug 28 11:33:10 GMT+0100 2007] Removing orphan game
[Tue Aug 28 11:33:19 GMT+0100 2007] Command from Shirdel: host RR
[Tue Aug 28 11:33:21 GMT+0100 2007] Removing orphan game

This is a known bug. When I find out what causes it I will fix it.

Ok. HostingBuddy's going weird. Now it won't even host a simple Rope Race at all!

This bug has been identified and it shouldn't claim everything was ok anymore. The cause of it has yet to be fixed.

I thought WA had a snooper rank before WWP did, actually, WA did have the two eyes icon that showed people from the official/supported (?) snooper, don't know if that's what you're talking about, though.

It is, but that only ever showed up in Snooper.

Hello, i'm quite new to the WormNet thing.

Could you please run me through how to get/use hosting buddy?

I dont see it in the list of people in the #anythinggoes channel on Wormnet... do i need to download something first?

Help will be much appreciated,

James

LOL, why don't people get they have to send PRIVATE MESSAGES to HostingBuddy - I keep seing HB commands in AG, probably cz the ppl read the commands but forget to click on HB again... Some ppl keep trying and trying and really don't get the point untill someone explains them to PM the bot with those commands instead of spamming the chat. Isn't it possible to make the text "/msg HostingBuddy" automatically inserted in the chatline when talking to it? That way u don't have to click on the jumping name in the players window all the time, or it saves u some keypresses ;)

Those who read ReadMes are rewarded.

Pressing Page Up will insert /msg Nickname, where Nickname is the nickname of the last player you sent a private message to. You can iterate through the list with Page Up/Page Down.

Gnork, i've tried /msg HostingBuddy (etc) and nothing happens.

I'd have thought that this hostingbuddy would appear as a 'person' in the list of people-in-the-channel, on the right hand side. But i dont see it!!

Any ideas?

LOL, why don't people get they have to send PRIVATE MESSAGES to HostingBuddy

Because you don't. What is more disturbing is the number of people who PM me things like "host blah".

Gnork, i've tried /msg HostingBuddy (etc) and nothing happens.

I'd have thought that this hostingbuddy would appear as a 'person' in the list of people-in-the-channel, on the right hand side. But i dont see it!!

Any ideas?

You're not in AnythingGoes.

Those who read ReadMes are rewarded.

Pressing Page Up will insert /msg Nickname, where Nickname is the nickname of the last player you sent a private message to. You can iterate through the list with Page Up/Page Down.

0o - didnt even know that was a feature already even tho ive read that 45 pages readme a while ago :p sorry for that hehehe

Because you don't. What is more disturbing is the number of people who PM me things like "host blah".

is that cz of your buddy sign next to your nick? :p

LOL, why don't people get they have to send PRIVATE MESSAGES to HostingBuddy - I keep seing HB commands in AG, probably cz the ppl read the commands but forget to click on HB again... Some ppl keep trying and trying and really don't get the point untill someone explains them to PM the bot with those commands instead of spamming the chat. Isn't it possible to make the text "/msg HostingBuddy" automatically inserted in the chatline when talking to it? That way u don't have to click on the jumping name in the players window all the time, or it saves u some keypresses ;)

you can use ! to send messages to HB without the need for privately messaging him/it/her.

just type "!host" or "!yes" etc.

what about some maps in the bungee pool?

these maps are not that hard ;)

http://wmdb.org/4580
http://wmdb.org/3598
http://wmdb.org/3831
http://wmdb.org/1970
http://wmdb.org/4004

I'd much prefer it if people did use /msg HostingBuddy when utilising its services.

#AG gets spammy enough as it is with the hordes of people joining and leaving every minute.

I thought you could disable the join/leave messages (though until some sort of buddylist thing is worked out, this is less than desirable)

Or do you mean the random spam that #ag is perennially infested with?

you can use ! to send messages to HB without the need for privately messaging him/it/her.

just type "!host" or "!yes" etc.

I tried that as well, to no avail. It just sent "!host" as a normal message to everyone in the #anythinggoes channel.

What's going on? :(

wait for the service to appear as a player in the top right box before trying, if it isnt there then it means it is currently offline for god knows what reason.

ok, thankyou. I've never seen it online since I first started using WormNet, about a month ago!

hey, this bot desyncs weirdly. ill be forced to "surrender" yet the game continues oO then during the course of the game players drop one by one generally during someones go...

normally you just get kicked and all surrender at once... is the issue related to HB detecting when the moderator of the game leaves?

hey, this bot desyncs weirdly. ill be forced to "surrender" yet the game continues oO then during the course of the game players drop one by one generally during someones go...

normally you just get kicked and all surrender at once... is the issue related to HB detecting when the moderator of the game leaves?

The bot cannot desync because it is never in sync.

If you are still in a game which continues when you're supposedly disconnected, send me a replay so I can check what happened - that shouldn't happen anymore.

HB is still very poor at determining when the game is finished if someone leaves early...

heres the replay, it was a game of 4 people and everyone slowly had there socket closed gracefully lol.

i dont have a replay... oO... that game didnt generate a replay, i got replays of other games tho... but no game contains the name HostingBuddy in it.

mmm, how about an option !btp #mapnumber ;) would be very appreciated if possible to implement!

ok... do replays not get created if a desync occurs or something? i do have some replays with HB but sometimes replays just dont get generated.

Is possible to make private hosting bot forex. for your team if you want to make any team tournament with specific rules and you know that half of your mates cant host ?
Thanks for your answers ;)

is already possibvle to host passworded games?

Ye, it is, but I thought dedicate server

nechic, my question wasnt an answer to yours:)
what's the command to set the password?

Woah, HostingBuddy's errorlog must be flooded (if it has any) ;) When ppl want to host a game it just says [HostingBuddy] Sorry, there was an error while hosting your game: Unknown error.
but it won't leave the room to restart itself. Looks like this is going on for hours already :( Could someone please give it a kick and let it restart? 2 bad it couldn't do it by itself this time.

probably just a update got applied that didnt work as intended...

probably just a update got applied that didnt work as intended...
No.
Since the usage peaks at the weekends, HostingBuddy has to go boozing during the week.
He was simply too drunk.

weekends are diff for diff timezones...

weekends are diff for diff timezones...
Yeah, the difference being 24h maximum. :p

Woah, HostingBuddy's errorlog must be flooded (if it has any) ;) When ppl want to host a game it just says but it won't leave the room to restart itself. Looks like this is going on for hours already :( Could someone please give it a kick and let it restart? 2 bad it couldn't do it by itself this time.

"Unknown error." means it ran out of memory and an Exception with a null message was thrown. D is just stupid like that. :mad:

I don't like hostingbuddy because of the commandline. I'd rather see a new wormnet with server side rooms, like gunbound.

Will you be the one paying for the server and maintaining it, then? Just checking.

Maybe run both like in battle.net? There the closed realms which hosts games for ppl, and the open realms where ppl themlseves host.

Please can you tell me commands to 1. change game name ie not "shopper for deviance" but Mario Shopper Practice or similar different name. And 2. How can i set a password via command line, it gets annoying booting ppl and closing game each time when i want to just play another n00b without all the really good guys coming in.

A command to load maps from %DRIVE%\Team17\etc... would be nice, i always forget the wmdb numbers.

Besides that thanks for such a good game, i even have ditched vista and gone back to xp so i don't have to use a VM to play ;-)

Also just wondering if we will ever see hosting buddy in wwp or w2?? i can't join or host in w2, can join in wwp but not host (yes i tried all this ports thing already, don't work)???

None of those can be done I'm afraid, and whilst the naming and password ideas shouldn't be too hard to implement the command to load maps from your own computer to the bot would be very tricky and would use lots of brandwidth I assume.

would use lots of bandwidth I assume.

it would use the same amount as downloading the same map from WMDB which is what the bot does if requested.

It downloads the same map only once... I think it has a nearly full copy of WMDB by now :)

That's not where most of the bandwidth goes, anyway - it's for transferring maps to players.

Ok Byte/CyberShadow, here's the replay you 2 wanted about HostingBuddy crashing. It's also got a BnA match (map "made" by CyberShadow) where strangely, all the other players crashed except HB (Hosting Buddy) and I. I was still playing though because I had 2 teams different colours. To see the crash there, playback at 6:40. If you want to see some humour in-between though, watch the whole thing. (my teams are Teh Great Ropers & Team17) Now of coruse, the replays are named HB Breaks down (to see him break down instantly) and BnA match 2 (I have another funny recorded BnA match)

We know about its crashes... it's a complicated problem unrelated to in-game actions (and thus replays won't help).

Hi, thanks for your responce, could you not just do the name and password commands then, i can live with wmdb numbers but not loads of ppl entering games while im simply waiting for one person, i can't close the game until the person i wish to play is inside and end up having to kick like 5 ppl with strange and hard to spell names lol.

PS: could you not just do the same with png's uploaded from user pc... if file exists use, else upload... you would end up with a great collection of maps and the bandwidth use would soon die down after the bulk of maps were uploaded. I don't know, i run a few busy sites and a few png images wouldn't use that much surely.

We know about its crashes... it's a complicated problem unrelated to in-game actions (and thus replays won't help).

please, could you explain it us a little bit? :)

Due to some memory corruption we can't seem to crash HB tends to crash once in a while. It seems to be related to the point where people start a game. We've tried a lot of approaches to try to find the memory corruption, and can't find the cause. The only solution I can think of is writing a memory tracing/debugging framework, which I will probably do eventually. It's also what's holding HB from being officially released yet.

It's also what's holding HB from being officially released yet.will we have the sources?

No. The source code is not public because parts of it are based on the game source. And I don't think a random programmer would be able to find the problem, unless they're experts in garbage collectors and memory corruption problems.

No. The source code is not public because parts of it are based on the game source. And I don't think a random programmer would be able to find the problem, unless they're experts in garbage collectors and memory corruption problems.
I hoped the the sources were public - at the moment of the release of hb itself! - not for debugging it.

I hoped the the sources were public - at the moment of the release of hb itself! - not for debugging it.
CS just gave you the reason:
parts of it are based on the game source
And as we all already know, the W2/WA/WWP source won't ever be open source, as there are parts in it made by 3rd party programmers.

plus it would be a security risk.

other than HostingBuddy's continueus crashing, I found another slight problem with it. Welcome to ShirdelxPr-Snp's game, Shirdel. The host should arrive shortly. So we can't host with Snooper yet. What a world.

you can,! just forward your ports and bingo, you can host with most working snoopers.

I hope I don't get penalized for correcting people this time... (sorry for my insistence, you see, the above two posts are completely wrong and we don't want readers to be misinformed)
Shirdel, you can host with HB, however HB's way of identifying who hosted is via nickname, for logistic reasons (which is easy to realize from your quote), so change your snooper nickname to fit your WA nickname and problem solved.
Franpa, that's completely wrong and useless.

ProSnooper does that i believe and launches the game directly when you host..... oh, i see now ok sorry for not seeing the problem here. you have to be running W:A and be in #AG to setup a game with HB right? then your snooper must have the same name as what you had when you used HB because that is the name HB has stored as the host correct?

so anyone can join a HB game after it is made as the host so long as there name matches the person that made it? or does the game close if the person that made it leaves #AG and doesnt join the game they made?

You don't need to be in ag to host via HB, you can do this from snooper, if you then try to join the game hosted by HB through snooper (ProSnoop), you have note that your nickname will be the one you input in the online menu in W:A, used also for LAN games, just like in when you connect to games using the 'Start>Run' commands (which is just what ProSnoop does afaik.
As long as the name matches HB will recognize him as the owner, there is no measures to stop people from impersonating hosts because wormnet doesn't allow duplicate nicknames and you have to be in #AG (via WA/Snooper/Other IRC client) to input commands to HB anyway.

yep, ok. thank you for the clear information.

Too bad HostingBuddy can't reset itself after this one [HostingBuddy] Sorry, there was an error while hosting your game: std.outofmemory.OutOfMemoryException.


:(

Still it's a good tool and becoming more stable too - it's possible to play several matches nowadays instead of 3 minutes :p

Keep up the good work folks! ;)

We restart it every now and then while we're looking for a permanent solution :)

We restart it every now and then while we're looking for a permanent solution :)

Yeah, that's good and all that, but can you make sure that HB isn't hosting any games/HB is in a game as the host before you restart it? :rolleyes:

It still dies on its own time to time.

which is when they restart it =) you would still be booted from the game either way.

We restart it every now and then while we're looking for a permanent solution :)

It still dies on its own time to time.

which is when they restart it =) you would still be booted from the game either way.

Restarting hostingbuddy is a job for a batchfile running in a loop. Kill it every hour and restart it again, no matter if it crashed or not. I tried hosting with it today and found out it was still running since the last time I hosted, yesterday. And now it just gives an error while staying in ag until sombody notices and manually resets the bot. So what CS states has it's flaws. It won't restart by itself if it dies in certain ways. Last time this happened it stayed alive in ag for an even longer period. Bad thing. Why were computers invented? To take care of little automated things like this. That way people will know they can host again at the beginning of a new hour.

I'd rather invest the time into finding a permanent solution.

xD lol,of course this shouldn't be a permanent solution, just a temporary one - and writing a 5 lines batch is hardly a big time investment, nobody can deny that:

:load
start HB
sleep 3600
kill HB
goto load

Well, maybe there is a specific reason why you would want to restart HB manually... Hope those benefits outweigh the disappointment of ppl trying to use it while it's busted for a while. ;) From my personal programmers point of view I don't quite understand how a simple bandage as mentioned would hurt for the time being? Never mind me asking tho... xD

But wouldn't that mean if it hasn't crashed and someone's in a game, it will D/C?

But wouldn't that mean if it hasn't crashed and someone's in a game, it will D/C?

...and aren't (most) users of HB already used to that atm? And ok, various flames will shatter in ag for a sec, like every time when HB dies on it's own too... but after that short time people don't know how fast they can type !yes and flood the channel again for a new game :p and by HB getting more stable in time, this 3 secs patch would become obsolete sooner or later. It won't need to reset EVERY hour... once in a couple is fine too ;)

Problem... Give HB a reboot please, it's run out of memory: Sorry, there was an error while hosting your game: std.outofmemory.OutOfMemoryException.

yea ive been getting that error too when ever i try to host a game with HB

Downloading WMDB map 6351...

Error: WMDB site error (no data in response)

[xDMxGnork] ...

[xDMxGnork] !wmdb 6350

Downloading WMDB map 6350...

Error: WMDB site error (no data in response)



is this error related to wmdb being offline last weekend? Did something change on the site? Cached maps will load without a problem, but new maps won't.

My bad. Fixed.

yea ive been getting that error too when ever i try to host a game with HB

it seems to appear more often nowadays, so HB just stays there bleeding in ag without suicide. can somebody reset it again please?

omg... what is goin on... it will tell the std.outofmemory.OutOfMemoryException error when trying to host a shopper, but it still seems it CAN host a ctf... but with spitting the same errormessage? A ctf game appears now in the list but can't be joined of course :/

omFg... still not reset... erm.. guys - you need to know that HostingBuddy needs at least a couple of manual resets EVERY DAY to let people have some fun with it... :/ batch file? please? pretty please? this nonsense post is not needed if a 5 secs implementation is put in...

omFg... still not reset... erm.. guys - you need to know that HostingBuddy needs at least a couple of manual resets EVERY DAY to let people have some fun with it... :/ batch file? please? pretty please? this nonsense post is not needed if a 5 secs implementation is put in...

Remember, CyberShadow (and Deadcode if hes involved) are busy people, WA patching is done in their spare time, and I think HB is probably lower priority.

Good things come to those who wait as they say :P

Remember, CyberShadow (and Deadcode if hes involved) are busy people, WA patching is done in their spare time, and I think HB is probably lower priority.


exactly. that's why I don't get they don't want to put a quick healing bandage for the time being like suggested, so we can play while they are busy.

exactly. that's why I don't get they don't want to put a quick healing bandage for the time being like suggested, so we can play while they are busy.

It takes a lot more than that, needs security testing, bug testing, regression testing etc.

This stuff takes time. Oh and this has already been answered

I'd rather invest the time into finding a permanent solution.

Yes, well can't Byte do it? :p

Sorry if this is dumb, but have you tried running it through Valgrind, CyberShadow?

Short answer - yes.

According to http://worms2d.info/HostingBuddy there is no way to remove your game after is has been hosted by HB. Why is that?

I tried !close !end, !exit, !cancel, !remove and it wont get rid of it.


EDIT: i noticed wcheat by pisto (i think) shows a dialog box behind W:A that affects certain things like "weapons dont end turn" mode. could something similar be done for Hosting Buddy? somehow create a full fledged interface for it through wormkit?

First question: join your game, close it, leave.

Second question: yes, but it would be not worth the effort.

funny to see HB giving the error mentioned above again and only being able to display a ctf game up for hosting. when trying other game types it will give same message, but no game will appear. tried with shopper, roper, pro, rope race, ctf and holy war so far. of course the actual ctf game can't be joined :) the bug in there can't be far away...


edit; same applies for Walk For Weapons mode.. hmm, so not only ctf. :s anyway - could somebody reset the toy once again please?

Hey if anyone wants any programs testing...im great at recieving error reports, i know how to destroy programs...lol

Hey if anyone wants any programs testing...im great at recieving error reports, i know how to destroy programs...lol

So am I - stack corruption :D

Sadly being a developer I end up getting those unintentionally :(

Sadly being a developer I end up getting those unintentionally :(


this could be well undermined -.- :rolleyes:

this could be well undermined -.- :rolleyes:

Eh? What do you mean? (if your wondering, im an os dev).

Let's see... you're an OS developer.. and you encounter lots of "stack corruption" while writing code... I bet your OS will be extremely secure :D

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stack_buffer_overflow

Well, used to, ive learnt from my mistakes (though my superior normally does all the work now, i just do the admin)

hi guys
sorry for stupid question but where can I dl wahostbot in order to set it up on our local area server?

It is not available for download, neither source nor binary.

0o


[22:06:11] Join: HostingBuddy.
[22:06:12] [Favaland] uuuuuuuuuuuuuu
[22:06:12] No such nick/channel.
[22:06:12] [GD00XX0] !host shopper
[22:06:13] [Blad] Host Shoppa pls
[22:06:13] Quit: messala (Joined Game)
[22:06:14] [Phil] hai avuto culo
[22:06:16] Quit: Maciej (Joined Game)
[22:06:16] [zoky] !host normal
[22:06:16] No such nick/channel.
[22:06:16] Join: looool.
[22:06:17] [NoExcuses] !host shopper
[22:06:18] [GD00XX0] !yes
[22:06:21] [ooooooorcoooo] ci sei
[22:06:22] [emercury] !host normal
[22:06:24] -> [HostingBuddy] yes
[22:06:24] Quit: looool (Joined Game)
[22:06:24] Part: xSQDxBlaZe
[22:06:24] [zoky] !yes
[22:06:24] No such nick/channel.
[22:06:25] [xIQxZelakon] ! host big bow and arrow
[22:06:29] [NoExcuses] !yes
[22:06:31] Join: Zinux.
[22:06:31] [xIQxZelakon] !host big bow and arrow
[22:06:31] [ooooooorcoooo] è caduta la linea?
[22:06:32] Join: xSQDxBlaZe.
[22:06:32] [zoky] !host normal
[22:06:34] Join: xIQxArawn.
[22:06:37] [xIQxZelakon] lol
[22:06:37] Join: looool.
[22:06:37] [xSQDxBlaZe] !host shoppa
[22:06:38] [GD00XX0] !host
[22:06:38] Join: Endorphine.
[22:06:41] [zoky] !yes
[22:06:43] [Alison-Rocha] Host SHOOOPPAA!!
[22:06:44] Join: Eight.
[22:06:45] Join: Frenchkiller.
[22:06:45] [BdN] !host shoppa
[22:06:46] Quit: fabiluca (Hosting a game: ßshopper)
[22:06:46] [Favaland] si
[22:06:50] [zoky] !host normal
[22:06:50] [looool] !host ahoppa
[22:06:50] Join: scpeti.
[22:06:50] Quit: HostingBuddy (Excess Flood)


Never thought HostingBuddy could spam itself to death :P

That post is made of Winn!

Do not forget HostingBuddy impersonators exist.

You mean other bots that act like it? or some very lonely ******* doing it themselves for the sake of it.

Yes, I've seen HotingBudy, HostingBudy, HosttingBuddy and alike in ag... but this was the real one. It didn't say ** off I'm not hosting for you etc. It was hosting before, crashed as shown in the copy/paste from the snooper and came online again like usual, starting to do it's job like nothing happened. :P Just look at the small time in which many ppl tried to host with it.

Hey, I'd just like to say: Congrats on getting HB to work for a whole day! :rolleyes:
And, er, what the HELL is NetBlitz?

It's a hidden W:A scheme that was originally intended to be a standard scheme.

How do you play it? And how do you get it? :p And, er, HB's crashed again.

How do you play it? And how do you get it? :p And, er, HB's crashed again.

just type !yes in ag, then !help to find out how... and when you want to host something, type !host and see a nice out of memory error message instead of your hosted game. I can't remember when I played last time with HB, since it's always crashed and nobody takes the time to reset it a couple of times everyday or to make a simple batch file so it gets this needed resets.

mmmmmmmA HB offline for days I can't take anymore
*swallows a holy nade


edit: sometimes I whish HB would, instead of showing that out of memory error, call a different procedure and reset itself when it comes to that point...

Wohoo - we got ourselves a new error message :P

[12:48:08] <- [HostingBuddy] Sorry, there was an error while hosting your game: Unable to bind socket: Address already in use.

keep up the good work lads :)

When HB crashes does a dialog pop up? is there a way to suppress the dialog box? is it possible to write something for the pc that HB runs on that monitors your memory for HB and will restart HB if it is not present?

[00:07:37] [xDMxGnork] !host sfly
[00:07:37] <- [HostingBuddy] Your game has been hosted. Please press Refresh if it does not appear immediately.


*wonders what kinda scheme sfly is xD
oh, and ty for the automated reset for HB :P

fly shoppa maybe?

murgh @ picky timeout values HB seems to use? i mean... why do so many people break already at start all the time? :(

Hey guys,

I think we finally nailed the bug that was causing HostingBuddy to crash every few hours. It's been running all night and seems pretty stable. There are a few more unrelated bugs which we plan to fix in the next weeks, and then maybe it'll actually be out of testing after all these years :)

good to know, now you should use a bot or whatever to readvertise it in #AG :)

why did you put your efforts in fixing HB if WormNAT2 does the job much better, and it's stable as far as I know?

Because HB doesn't require you to download/install WormKit, wkWormNAT2.dll, maps and schemes, so many people still prefer to use it.

Hi, thanks for updating HB. Please create a HB scheme for mole (also known as mole shoppa). If you don't know about this scheme, the game speed should be about 1.5x to twice the speed.... 45-60 seconds turn... 5 to 10 minute sudden death (water rising only)... weapon crates every turn.. allow switching worms... thanks! hope you can update HB with this!!:cool:

p-p-p-p-p-p-p pingu pingu :V

mole shoppa shouldn't be played at 1.5x speed...

HostingBuddy received an update tonight. A lot more schemes (http://proxy.worms2d.info/schemes.xml) have been added - please let me know if I found good settings for the new ones. The !map command will now pick a random map from WMDB (of standard dimensions). The new !bigmap command will select a random big map in the same way.

Wow, thanks! I'll test it... right away. :D

*HostingBuddy* help schemes

[HostingBuddy] /msg HostingBuddy schemes - lists known schemes.

[HostingBuddy] I can host games with the following schemes: Battle Race, Boom
Race, Bungee Race, Jet Pack Race, Parachute Race, Rope Race, Super Sheep Race,
Tower Race, Wascar, Shopper, Bungee Shopper, Chamber Shopper, Fly Shopper, Mole
Shopper, Pod Shopper, Surf Shopper, WxW Shopper, Bow and Arrows, Big Bow and
Arrow, Capture the Flag, Fort, Golf, Plop War, Roper, Sheep Fort, Walk for Weapons,
Warmer, BnG, Elite, Team17, Hysteria, Beginner, Intermediat



The message cuts short

Hello, may I mark the schemes available for HostingBuddy in WKB (the Schemes (http://worms2d.info/Schemes) page)?

Please don't clutter the Schemes page.

The message cuts short
I've fixed that bug. I'll add a few more schemes tonight.

Please don't clutter the Schemes page.

I don't mean cluttering the page. I just wish to add some <ref> tags like this (http://worms2d.info/?title=Sandbox&oldid=12181).

I don't mean cluttering the page. I just wish to add some <ref> tags like this (http://worms2d.info/?title=Sandbox&oldid=12181).
That's exactly what I had in mind. Please don't do this, it's a lot of clutter for information of such little value.

Maybe a little hosting buddy icon?

Why are all you people so obsessed with providing the maximum amount of information regardless of the relative importance of the information and the aesthetics of the result?

um...sorry

how about a hosting buddy article that you could put a list of hb supported schemes?

Surprise (http://worms2d.info/HostingBuddy). I already posted a link to the scheme list in this thread.

but the xml is ugly and not noob-friendly. actualy i dont really care, i dont bother with hosting buddy.

So go write an XSLT I can slap on it to make it pretty. Go go!

HostingBuddy now has a !wmdbscheme command, which allows you to use schemes attached to WMDB maps. It will automatically suggest using !wmdbscheme when a WMDB map which has a scheme attached to it is loaded.

Excellent work!

I tried HostingBuddy today. Imported map and scheme from WMDB(my first ever shared map, whey!), all went seemingly well.
Except for one small thing that messed up the gameplay of the map: those "girder holes" showed up. You know, round holes in the terrain with a horizontal little girder in it. I didn't find any command to set girder amount or the like.

Any way of working around this?

The page for the automated hosting bot seems to be down, does anyone have a link or can send me the bot?

I want to host worms on my home server for lan and internet, so I can join from the lan and my mates can join from the net. Would this be possible?

Also.....when are T17 gonna bring out an updated version of worms for the current OS's? Couldn't they do a web version now, the technology must be there, I mean you can play quake 3 on a webpage now!

The page for the automated hosting bot seems to be down, does anyone have a link or can send me the bot? You mean you can't access this page (http://worms2d.info/HostingBuddy)?

The bot itself is not up for distribution, and is provided only as a service.I want to host worms on my home server for lan and internet, so I can join from the lan and my mates can join from the net. Would this be possible?Sure. Host on WormNET, then give LAN players the URL you get using the /url command, but substitute your external IP with your LAN IP.Also.....when are T17 gonna bring out an updated version of worms for the current OS's? Couldn't they do a web version now, the technology must be there, I mean you can play quake 3 on a webpage now!If you mean Quake Live, it just uses a browser plugin. You're still running the full game, but in a browser window, and technically there is no difference. W:A can't run in windowed mode at the moment because it uses a paletted display, but this is not a conceptual difference. The biggest difference is the commercial model.

After some intensive debugging, HostingBuddy should be a lot more stable now. For the curious I'll post the technical details later. We also fixed handling of disconnects (the problem with the instant disconnects on game start

HostingBuddy can now host games with custom names - use /msg HostingBuddy host scheme "game-name". scheme is optional and defaults to Intermediate. Game will appear as YourName's game-name.

HostingBuddy will now also host games for people using traditional snoopers, with some limitations.

HostingBuddy will now also host games for people using traditional snoopers, with some limitations.

What are those limitations?

Try hosting and you'll see.

HostingBuddy can now host games with custom names - use /msg HostingBuddy host scheme "game-name". scheme is optional and defaults to Intermediate. Game will appear as YourName's game-name.




Sweet:D you rock cybershadow =)

I cant turn off worm select when i host a normal game with HB. I have tried the command in hostingbuddy guide in all ways to turn the worm select option off but it never is disabled, can anyone help me with this, here are my commands that i enter,
fisrt to start a game- !host normal
then to turn off Worm select- !wormselect off

and then it says that the worm select option has been disabled but in game it is still available..

what do i do?

PS- i have enetered the command in all ways

!wormselect off
!wormselect [off]
!wormselect <off>

Do you mean the Worm Select utility? !wormselect is for the option to select a worm from the beginning of your turn, which is distinct to the utility (which you have to activate explicitly). Use the weapon settings (!ammo etc.) to control that one.

So go write an XSLT I can slap on it to make it pretty. Go go!Obviously I couldn't count on anyone actually doing this, so I did it myself. (http://proxy.worms2d.info/data/schemes/schemes.xml)