Game Development Community

Master server Query - Filter Flags?

by Eric Hartman · in Torque Game Engine · 02/12/2005 (12:32 pm) · 11 replies

There are now over 200 servers running my game and it takes a loooong time to query the master server. I really need a way to filter out non-dedicated servers, passworded servers, and full servers. I need them to be filtered out at the master server, so there will be fewer servers for the clients to ping.

I see that there is a space for "filterFlags" in queryMasterServer() but i'm not exactly sure what to put in there. Anyone know how this works?
NextNext Thread
PrevPrevious Thread
More from Torque Game Engine


Torque Owner Harold "LabRat" Brown
#1
02/12/2005 (1:14 pm)
Filter Flags is a bitmask

%flags = $filterMask::Dedicated
     | ( $filterMask::NoPassword << 1 )
     | ( $filterMask::LinuxServer << 2 )
     | ( $filterMask::WindowsServer << 3 )
     | ( $filterMask::TeamDamageOn << 4 )
     | ( $filterMask::TeamDamageOff << 5 )
     | ( $filterMask::CurrentVersion << 7 );

Each value would be 0 for no filter and 1 for filtered.

$filterMask::Dedicated - Filter for Dedicated Servers?
$filterMask::NoPassword - Show only servers with no password
$filterMask::LinuxServer - Show Linux servers only
$filterMask::WindowsServer - Show Windows servers only
$filterMask::TeamDamageOn - Show only servers with Team Damage on
$filterMask::TeamDamageOff - Show only servers with Team Damage off
$filterMask::CurrentVersion - Show only server with the same version as client

I do have a resource that allows you to create filter sets.. it is rather old (a little over 2 years old) so I if others are interested I will update it to the 1.3 engine and post it as a resource.

Associate Kyle Carter
#2
02/12/2005 (7:55 pm)
I'd love to see it as a resource. It might be good to include in the next release.

Hey Eric - might be a dumb question (I've been in a hole lately regarding all external GG communications), but what game is this that has so many servers? :)

Torque Owner Eric Hartman
#3
02/12/2005 (8:31 pm)
Blockland

It was posted on SomethingAwful and spread from forum to forum, then yesterday it was featured on techTV and I've had something like 12,000 downloads in the last 5 days.

Associate Kyle Carter
#4
02/12/2005 (11:04 pm)
Ah, very cool. Congrats on the success. ;) It's a cool idea, I hope Lego doesn't sue you out of existence!

Torque Owner Jeremy Alessi
#5
02/12/2005 (11:07 pm)
Woah that is cool ... but man LEGO's everywhere lol.

Torque 3D Owner Tom Feni
#6
02/14/2005 (4:10 am)
Actually as long as it doesnt say LEGO anywhere he should be golden.. there are alot of lego clone toys out there and they are still kicking.. and I have to say that is the most servers I have ever seen for a torque game.. I think GG should get behind this guy now... Lego wont do anything.. This could be the sleeper hit of 2005.. :)

Awesome work.. my kid really enjoys it.. :)

only thing I think it needs is more maps.. can you plant trees?
I think it would be cool to have all the stuff usable..
i didnt try the trees tho...

I would also look into removing the cs files and the map editor...

you can by just using the dso files.. otherwise someone is going to use your scripts.. :)


massive lego clones then.. :)

Torque Owner David McGrath
#7
02/14/2005 (1:02 pm)
The only problem is that it does say "Lego" as the gametype.

Torque 3D Owner Tom Feni
#8
02/14/2005 (5:42 pm)
Easy fix
he could change it and it will never be any different..
there is megablocks, and a bunch of other generic lego company's out there.. they are all compatible, does lego sue.. nope..

Torque Owner Eric Hartman
#9
02/14/2005 (10:03 pm)
I've researched the intellectual property thing. I'm toast if lego decides they dont like me because I am using the likeness of their minifigure designs which are trademarked. Trademarks cover artistic designs that are associated with a particular company and they last for a long time. The interconnecting bricks however, are covered under a patent. Patents cover functional designs and expire after 20 years. Recently, Lego corp has filed and lost many lawsuits trying to claim that they also have trademark on the brick design.

The only factor that might save me is that Lego has let many free lego design programs go by without bothering them. In fact, if I was lego corp, i'd be more pissed off that official lego guys were playing with knock-off bricks than anything else.

Torque Owner Eric Hartman
#10
02/14/2005 (10:31 pm)
@Tom Feni: Hmm I never thought about someone making a clone. I originally left the scripts in there so people could make mods, but now I plan to remove them because people are making stupid mods that degrade the quality of the game. Luckily theres a bug in the brick-tree traversal script in the current thats was really hard to find :D

Torque 3D Owner Tom Feni
#11
02/16/2005 (10:59 pm)
Well I am making maps for it.. but no mods really..
maybe leave the editor in... :)

If your going to leave it freeware I would leave it as is..
have to take the good with the bad sometimes..

this way the game will take a life of its own.. :)

pic of one of the maps I whipped up..
home.comcast.net/~theberk/berksserver.jpg

I just made some buildings and added them to one of the existing maps..
cant change the terrain or I will have to make it downloadable..