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How to: Public Server


RobertJohnson

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Hello everyone,

 

With the upcoming Build 27 you'll be able to set your server as Public, so every client could see it in the new Public Server list, just like this :

 

Spoiler

 

Please note : This doesn't meant PZ.com will host servers, this only mean you can share your server info with everyone, so either you have a public server, or even you want some coop-4 players max server and doesn't find friends to play with you :)

 

1) As a client, seek for server

 

With the build 27, when you click on "Join Server" in the main menu, you'll notice at the bottom of the server list screen a "Public Servers" button, click on it, all the public server will be refreshed (refresh allowed only 1 time per minute).

Then click on the server you want, select a username and click on "save", it'll add this server to your favorite, send you back to your saved servers list and select the new saved server, then you'll just have to join it like you do with any other servers.

 

The servers are sorted by players connected, you also have a name filter to search in the server list (it may change with tags and stuff, but for now you can search for [FR] or [COOP] etc.)

 

Servers are updated every 2hours or when a player connect/disconnect, and if a server is inactive for 3 hours, it'll disapear from the list, this mean some server can be in the list but not available (we'll balance it after some testing ;))

 

 

The following part is for server owner :

 

2) Setup the Server Options

 

After launching your server, you'll have some new Server Options (by default in users/YOU/Zomboid/server/servername.ini, default servername = servertest)

You'll have to modify 3 of this options to become public, this is what I've done for my server (which is only local, dev's trick :D) :

Public=truePublicName=[COOP][RP] RJ ServerPublicDescription=Have fun with RJ ! Yay !

Public = true // Enable the public list

PublicName = thing // MANDATORY TO BE IN PUBLIC LIST !

PublicDescription = server public desc // Optionnal

 

But also new :

MaxPlayers=64 // The number of players on your server

 

IMPORTANT : YOUR SERVER NEED TO BE OPEN (no registration needed) TO BE IN PUBLIC LISTING (we'll see how we can setup an in game registration later if needed)

 

3) Other infos shown

 

The public server also show the players connected, the mods used and the last update time.

 

4) Info sent to PZ.com

 

Everytime you start your server and every 2 hours, all the infos (name, desc, mods..) of your server will be sent to PZ.com, then every 5min a .xml file is generated with all the into on all servers

But also everytime a player connect/disconnect (max 1 time per 10min), it'll update your server (so the last update time will be 0minute) and the players connected.

This mean your server will stay up to date pretty easily ;)

If your server hasn't been updated for 3hours, it'll disapear from the list (it'll come back once your server will be up !)

 

5) Shutdown

 

This service can be shutdown VERY quickly and easily by us, if we see anyone who try to hack (like what, hacking the public server list ? what's the point anyway ?) or too much data sent, we'll shutdown it without any warning (a post will be open on the forum tho), so please don't be THAT asshole trying to hack (even if we put a lot of anti-hacking stuff) just to piss off everyone (ook, I may feel angry there, but I know someone will try, Internet is full of troll), cheers :)

 

 

 

If you have other idea for it (more infos..) or any question, please post them here, I'll do my best to answer ;)

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It does look brilliant. However I think this kills it for me. I really need to start finding something else to do with my spare time.

 

Edit: to clarify I just used weeks on making a server list and now that time is spent for nothing. That won't happen again.

Edited by Aricane
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amazebawls. I couldnt get hamachi to work properly so this will make things way easier for friends to play together.

 

It doesn't meant PZ.com will host your server, only the informations, so you'll have to setup Hamachi and make your server works, this is not really for server-of-friends thing, it's more for public server or guys who want coop but doesn't have friends connected :)

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amazebawls. I couldnt get hamachi to work properly so this will make things way easier for friends to play together.

 

It doesn't meant PZ.com will host your server, only the informations, so you'll have to setup Hamachi and make your server works, this is not really for server-of-friends thing, it's more for public server or guys who want coop but doesn't have friends connected :)

 

 

ah ok I misread. will hosting my own server on my pc and playing on that pc work properly? better a public server with friends and strangers than no server at all I'd say

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ah ok I misread. will hosting my own server on my pc and playing on that pc work properly? better a public server with friends and strangers than no server at all I'd say

Only way to tell is to try it yourself.

Others are doing it, so it's up to you.

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Might wanna put in some safeguards against obscene names and words within the public server list, can already see people abusing that for their own enjoyment.

 

Can't wait to see it in action though, gonna make playing MP alot less frustrating to be able to locate lively servers in-game. :)

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Might wanna put in some safeguards against obscene names and words within the public server list, can already see people abusing that for their own enjoyment.

 

Jeez really ? Well, what it surprise me, some people also mess with gnu licence.. Bah.

 

Do you have some example ? So I can add some filter (and maybe a warning, if obscene things -> ip banned to be a public server), some day we'll link it to Steam account to permanently ban them for creating server if this is so dumb...

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Might wanna put in some safeguards against obscene names and words within the public server list, can already see people abusing that for their own enjoyment.

 

Jeez really ? Well, what it surprise me, some people also mess with gnu licence.. Bah.

 

Do you have some example ? So I can add some filter (and maybe a warning, if obscene things -> ip banned to be a public server), some day we'll link it to Steam account to permanently ban them for creating server if this is so dumb...

Steam account linking without Steamworks could prove itself kinda hard, considering the game can be run without Steam.

We can work out a basic swearwordfilter, if need be (which I doubt). Maybe together with peeps who work out translations for other languages.

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Hmmm I reckon it would probably be better to allow for a server name to be reported for being offensive or obscene than to have the program checking for certain strings, because that could easily be bypassed by a clever human being.

 

DISCLAIMER SWEARING IN SPOILER:

 

Let's say I call my server "Fuck France" that could easily be checked for obscenity by looking at each string, saying "Fuck" is obscene but "France" is not, however If I say "France can suck a big one" it is still offensive but the strings are not obscene or if I say "F\_/CK France" again it is not going to recognise that as matching an obscene string.. So it would probably be easier to have a user-based reporting system for identifying what is offensive.

 

Also, no offense to France, merely an example. Love France <3

 

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Well, I'll first trust people (not really trust, I can't trust any person on the Internet anymore, but kinda.) and sometimes check the servers list, if some have innapropriate language I'll ban them from making a public server, and if too much people play this game, we'll shutdown while we find a better solution ;)

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Well, I'll first trust people (not really trust, I can't trust any person on the Internet anymore, but kinda.) and sometimes check the servers list, if some have innapropriate language I'll ban them from making a public server, and if too much people play this game, we'll shutdown while we find a better solution ;)

 

Really I think if they make something obscene it just hurts their chances of getting players in. Really, it should be a non problem.

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Well you can still trust people on the internet, you can just trust in masses of people to always have a few asshats among them also, no need for not being able to trust anyone, just always make preparations for the very worst civilization has to offer also lol

 

EDIT:

 

 

-snip-

 

Really I think if they make something obscene it just hurts their chances of getting players in. Really, it should be a non problem.

 

 

Well unless they merely intend to offend other people of course. Hopefully you are right and it is a non problem, knowing teenagers though... lol

Edited by Viceroy
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Well you can still trust people on the internet, you can just trust in masses of people to always have a few asshats among them also, no need for not being able to trust anyone, just always make preparations for the very worst civilization has to offer also lol

 

EDIT:

 

 

-snip-

 

Really I think if they make something obscene it just hurts their chances of getting players in. Really, it should be a non problem.

 

 

Well unless they merely intend to offend other people of course. Hopefully you are right and it is a non problem, knowing teenagers though... lol

 

I'm not saying there won't be some because there will be, but if server threads are anything to go by then the list will be flooded as it is. It will just be buried away.

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Just pre-emptively pointing it out so that it can be considered, you know, trying to help.

 

It does! Things like this is one of the reasons I insisted we have a kill-switch built into the server browser ;)

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Very useful, thanks. One question, have the indiestone considered hosting servers in the near future? I understand it cost a bit, but i would be willing to pay for a spot on an indiestone PZserver. Weather it be a one time payment or a monthly/weekly fee. 

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My thoughts on offensive and swearing filters -- I honestly believe they are counter productive and hinder the system in the end.

 

What I believe would likely occur:

  • 1) X, Y and Z swear word is filtered and not allowed.
  • 2) Players will use/create loopholes to get those words in.
  • 3) Filter list will grow larger making the server list and system slower, more lag, etc etc.
  • 4) Repeat this list ad infitum.

Solutions? I'm not sure, could make it so server names can be voted by the playerbase and/or the Server List Mods? I don't think you guys (the devs) really want to have to sit and regulate/babysit that all the time either though but I do feel a case by case basis works best here.

 

As far as the players themselves go, the individual server hosts/mods can handle those situations with their commands to Kick or Ban them, if they're jerks. =)

 

 

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