Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2006 4:47 pm Post subject: New to GameCreate
Ok this question will most likely get hammered, cause I'm sure there is documentation somewhere. However I was looking to see if there would be anyone, who would be willing to walk me through. I have GameCreate fully functional on one of my servers, and so far it seems like quite a sophisticated panel. But before i put all my servers on this software, which would begin to get very pricey, I would like to see if I could figure out how to get this panel working to my needs.
My primary goal, is to have a very easy to use panel, that would allow me to easily teach my techs how to setup servers. Also I would like to know how to setup custom servers, for example to have my motd automatically install on all servers I create, and be able to have several options of servers to create, such for counter-strike, be able to have amxx mod on one server with super hero mod, and then have another server with no mods. Also is there any way to incorporate modernbill for auto setups. Lastly is it possible to allow my clients to manage their servers, via the control panel.
I guess my main goal of this post is too simply try and gain as much knowledge on Game Create as i can, and eventually be able to switch all my servers over. I have read 95% of the documentation, but keep getting stuck, and have always found direct communication to be more benneficial. So any words of wisdom, hints, tricks, future plans, or anything else you guys could let me know, I would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks in Advanced
-Brad
P.S. I apologize for type-o's I wrote this quite late
Yeah, GameCreate is pretty loaded with stuff it can do so its quite a bit "in your face" when you first start to play around with it. I'll try and answer your questions as best I can.
Walking you through; your welcome to post your questions here or possibly over an instant messenger - however I'd need to get one of those setup.
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Also I would like to know how to setup custom servers, for example to have my motd automatically install on all servers I create
GameCreate features some very useful concepts in file deployment.
You have 'Game' files, and 'Server' files.
Game Files are globally used by all of your servers (Permanent, Temporary, neither, or both). An example where global files are useful is every file defined is made as a Game File.
The server's main configuration file, for example, is defined as a game file in our standard BF2, Counter-Strike etc setups that you will be able to see if you create one of these servers.
That means, if you make a change to the game file, this file will also be updated on every one of your servers - no need to go around to each one and manually update the file there, too.
Server files however allow you to explicitly override or include files to be used for that individual server. This can be useful for example when you have a custom server and want to use a very different configuration, or easily replace a default map rotation.
Additionally, each file may serve as a template, allowing per-server configurations to take place without directly editing the file and "hard coding" values into the file itself.
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for example to have my motd automatically install on all servers I create
A good example here is with Counter-Strike.
If you create a server for Counter-Strike under your domain, you will notice one of the files named 'MOTD'. This is the message of the day for this game, defined in a file.
The contents is very basic, but here's what you start off with:
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Welcome to %server:name%!
This is defined as a game file - its used on every counter-strike server you create (unless overriden by a server file).
%server:name% is a variable which will be replaced by the server's name (what you define on the Configuration tab).
This means when you start this server, and it has the server name of "Brad's Server", you will see the MOTD file turned into:
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Welcome to Brad's Server!
So each of your server's MOTDs are customized without needing to manually edit each one! If you change the game file template to also include say the friendly fire setting (which is a Game Property defined):
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Welcome to %server:name%!
<b>Server Settings</b>
Friendly Fire: %ff%
The end result for this server if it has FF enabled would turn out to be:
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Welcome to Brad's Server!
<b>Server Settings</b>
Friendly Fire: 1
As you can see, it is pretty easy to provide a lot of (automated!) customization to files, without having to do it by hand (traditionally, to setup a MOTD like this, you would have had to edit the motd.txt file yourself).
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and be able to have several options of servers to create, such for counter-strike, be able to have amxx mod on one server with super hero mod, and then have another server with no mods.
You can do this too. With GameCreate, you can do conditional testing in configuration files (or the command line) to check whether, for example, you have ticked 'Enable AMX Mod' on the server's Configuration tab.
Going back to the Counter-Strike game, if you look at the 'Metamod Plugins file' file definition, you will see the contents contains:
%metamod_load_amx% is a Game Property (check the Properties tab). If this evaluates to 'true' (that is, it will have a value of '1' if the checkbox is ticked, or '0' if it is unticked on the Server Configuration tab), then this line will be written out, and in turn, AMX would be loaded by MetaMod.
Similar can be done to integrate your other mods you want to have easy control over.
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Also is there any way to incorporate modernbill for auto setups.
At this time, GameCreate does not offer any real integration with rental / payment gateways. However, you can interact with GameCreate via Web Services (remote procedure calls to setup a server, install a game, stop a server, etc) without the need for user intevention.
Lastly is it possible to allow my clients to manage their servers, via the control panel.
Absolutely.
You can assign permission's to servers based on a user's login. For example, you can assign 'Joe' the ability to edit and control (restart/stop etc) his server, but not do anything else such as install new games.
Visit an entity's Permissions tab (a Host, Game, Server, or Domain) to assign permission's to that entity.
I hope this has given you some helpful information, let me know if you need clarification on any points.
Additionally, we personally use GameCreate daily to manage over two hundred dedicated game servers (and many more are automated via temporary server's of user bookings, those in themselves in the hundreds).
Interesting because I was always under the impression that gamecreate was built around the rental envoirnment for a GSP (game server provider) The product even portrays itself in that aspect 100%
But if you say it isnt yet at that point well that only means a more improved and even better enriched gamecreate control panel!
Interesting because I was always under the impression that gamecreate was built around the rental envoirnment for a GSP (game server provider) The product even portrays itself in that aspect 100%
But if you say it isnt yet at that point well that only means a more improved and even better enriched gamecreate control panel!
Lots of good info in this post.
GameCreate *is* aimed towards GSP (Game Server Providers) - That is, those who *manage large amounts of gameservers*.
This is not the same as a game server rental company - GSP's are commonly just running large game server farm's for ISPs for example.
Paying for a server in a rental environment is not the same as managing large public servers.
So, as per the product's description, GameCreate is aimed to GSPs.
Wow I'm shocked at such a great post! Thank you very much Andrew! It's so much nicer when things are explained out. This will help me dramatically, and will hopefully help many others who have read the post. Thanks once again!
I'm gonna give it a go, and I have a feeling I will be switching all my servers over to you guys in time
Ok I hope this isn't too much to ask, but I'm having alot of difficulty with setting up a custom server. I will just ask the questions in list form, and if anyone can advise me on specific ations to take on any of the questions, I would greatly appreciate it. If not, I understand that this is a demanding question. And I know you already answered my questions andrew, but I'm still having troubles. Well here it goes:
1) How would I specifically add my message of the day to every server I create. Specifically Counter Strike?
2) How would I edit the files of just one game server, and not affect any other game server? (Example: In Counter Strike edit the users.ini file for amxx, or edit their server.cfg)
3)What would be the typical permissions settinngs for my clients?(Example: They can only edit their server info, can not touch anyone elses servers, or see anyone elses servers, can not install games, or install a new server)
4) How would I make seperate server installations? (Example have one install that installs the default counterstrike, another install that installs counter strike with amxx, and another that installs with amxx with super hero mod)
5) Can I add ftp accounts for my users to access their files?
**Right now this is all I can think of, and I know it is quite demanding, so I understand if they can't be answered, I don't want to be any trouble to anyone, I'm just confused
Well anyway, thanks in advanced to anyone who is willing to help me, and once again, thanks for the help that has already been given, I'm just having troubles, so was looking for some more specific advice.
1) How would I specifically add my message of the day to every server I create. Specifically Counter Strike?
When you say specifically, you mean each server has its own unique message of the day? See the File list for any server, 'MOTD' - one of them is called that. Edit that file.
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2) How would I edit the files of just one game server, and not affect any other game server? (Example: In Counter Strike edit the users.ini file for amxx, or edit their server.cfg)
Again, edit the files on the specific server's file tab. You should use properties to modify configuration values though, as this means you can make use of editing a server via the Configuration tab instead of messing around with files all the time.
Eg, instead of editing a few server files to change the time limit, make sure there is a game property that substitutes the value for time limit - that way, you can change the time limit on a per server basis without defining a time limit in the file itself, rather, you modify it on the server's Configuration tab.
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3)What would be the typical permissions settinngs for my clients?(Example: They can only edit their server info, can not touch anyone elses servers, or see anyone elses servers, can not install games, or install a new server)
Whatever your comfortable with. For our rental service, we allow clients Write, Read, Control access to a server (so they can edit the settings and restart it). They dont have access to install new games or delete/create servers.
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4) How would I make seperate server installations? (Example have one install that installs the default counterstrike, another install that installs counter strike with amxx, and another that installs with amxx with super hero mod)
Many games support the ability to launch a dedicated server and specify a configuration file with what to read settings from (which in turn, allows you to enable/disable settings on a per server basis) without making an entirely new game install.
The main domain (and all subdomains) when installing a game via those domains, will all create a new installation of the game - This is good for a rental environment if you make a new subdomain for each user, as they get access to their own game directory and wont interfere with anyone elses. Most games though (eg counter-strike) allow you to specify configuration files to use instead of needing to create a new install to use a specific configuration.
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5) Can I add ftp accounts for my users to access their files?
If you have FTP enabled on your domain (See Domain tab), user's with access to a specific server, servers of a game, or a host, will be able to FTP into that host and login with their GameCreate account automatically. If you remove their permission on the entity, they also lose their FTP permissions.
Ok the only thing I'm not understanding is the ftp. If I wanted to make a new server, and also set up ftp for that client, how would I do that. This would make it so my clients can ftp to their own personal server files. And yes I do have an ftp server on all my boxes.
Once again Andrew, I really do appreciate the time you put in, on posting back to me. Everything else seemed to go very well.
O yes and also, for my question about the motd, what I meant to say, is how would I make the motd the same for every server I setup
Also I forgot to ask this question before, but is there a way to add my own custom paramaters when starting the server. For instance when I start my servers, I use the commands sys_ticrate 333 and -pingboost 1, can I incorporate this?
I forgot to ask this before, but is their a way to add aditional ip's to my server, on most my servers, I run up to 20 differnt ip's, this way I could create servers with differnt ip's
Ok the only thing I'm not understanding is the ftp. If I wanted to make a new server, and also set up ftp for that client, how would I do that. This would make it so my clients can ftp to their own personal server files. And yes I do have an ftp server on all my boxes.
GameCreate includes an FTP server built into the client - this lets users log in using the same details they use to access GameCreate, and allows you to enforce access permissions using the GameCreate web interface.
Clients automatically get access (if you turn FTP on), based on their internal GameCreate permissions. For example, if the user has the Write permission, they will be able to FTP in the host and upload files.
FTP information is displayed to users when they visit a server's files area - it simply says you can use FTP by connecting to host-ip-address on port 2121.
To enable the FTP server, go to the domain tab, and choose the FTP settings you want. If you wish, you can override FTP settings on a host-by-host basis using each host's configuration page.
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forgot to ask this before, but is their a way to add aditional ip's to my server, on most my servers, I run up to 20 differnt ip's, this way I could create servers with differnt ip's
It's possible (by adding each separate IP as a host), but we don't recommend it.
Out of interest - is this truly a desirable feature, or a holdover from the 'old ways' of doing things? We used to organise our own game servers by IP, but with the advent of programs like GameSpy and ASE, plus in-game browsers, have personally found that the port you choose to use is pretty irrelevant.
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Also I forgot to ask this question before, but is there a way to add my own custom paramaters when starting the server. For instance when I start my servers, I use the commands sys_ticrate 333 and -pingboost 1, can I incorporate this?
You can do this either by:
-on a server-by-server basis , you can go to the server's configuration area and modify the command line.
-on a game-by-game basis, you can go to the game's configuration and modify the default command line.
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O yes and also, for my question about the motd, what I meant to say, is how would I make the motd the same for every server I setup
Go to the game's files area. You can then modify the default definition of the MOTD file for all server's for the game.
Ok, I don't mean to keep bothering you guys, I already feel bad for the questions I have already asked, but I'm having some troubles.
Firstly, I'm going into the server, then game, then files, and want to add two files this will automatically go on every server. The first file is lo3.cfg, the second is cal.cfg. However when I go add file, and put the file in, it wont work while in the game server, if I try to exec cal.cfg. Am I adding files correctly
Also the ftp dosen't seem to be working, I click the ftp link, and try to connect to it with my game create username and password, but it fails.
Lastly I want to add a bunch of files, so I can have an install that will install superhero mod for my counter strike servers. How would I do this?
Thanks again for your help, I wish I could just catch on, but It's just not making sense. Also maybe someone could explain how servers are setup, with only one set of files?? Let me know
I dont think asking many questions is bad at all, infact gamecreate is under beta stage so this is actually what they wanted - for users to ask questions.
I know, but I just feel bad I own a server company, and sometimes this many questions can get overwhelming, hopefully I can become a pro at this, and implement it into all my servers, my company is growing fast, and leaving me in the dust, so I'm hoping this will help.
Thanks again for everyones help, let me know if you can help me with those other issues.
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Well here it goes:
I own a server company, and sometimes this many questions can get overwhelming, hopefully I can become a pro at this, and implement it into all my servers, my company is growing fast, and leaving me in the dust, so I'm hoping this will help.