24/7 test server

[piet]

http://www.eckhart.da.ru/jazz2/?pagina=server%20status

i am setting up a 24/7 jazz2 server with:

1. VNC (inputs ignored)
2. Weapon Generator
3. Project Cataclysm
4. Jazz2 1.24 or 1.21
5. A PHP script that shows
- server status
- vnc status
- 1.24 log
- 1.21 log
- banned ip's

this server is just a test for now, it doesnt run on my Windows 2000 server but on my laptop that stands in my room so it is not online 24/7 yet.
i allso have a problem with getting my server in the server list (couse i start my server with a batch file) maybe somone can make me a program so i can get my ip listed at the list server. ( must work like this: "list.exe -ip=62.131.198.36" this way it can be included in the batch i am using)

the batch:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@echo off
start jazz2-1.24.exe -windowed -noddraw -nodsound -nosound -server -nospy -log -log=124.log -battle brhotel.j2l
echo press enter if jazz2 is started
pause
cd tools
start respawn.exe
start AntiCheat.exe
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

just dont reply about the map i am hosting its only a test.

reply to tell me if its working

[Tubz]

Server is not running...besides this is a pretty precise, and will probably be a good server if it lasts.

[piet]

it was running all day but something went wrong but i will try again it will work beleve me i have done it way back

[White Rabbit]

Plz hurry up and write a l33t lvl list and host anything other than the br hotel. :p

[Monolith]

The best way I found to launch the Battle Server was to use a simple VB script that basically sent the correct sequence of keystrokes to the game for starting a server.

<small>(Launch Program), Esc, Esc, Enter, Enter, Down, Enter, Down, Enter, Up, Enter, Up, Enter, Enter, Enter.</small>

[The SlaYeR]

There should be 3 volunteers for a 24/7 server in the three different game types.
And then all we would need would be a few players.

[blurredd]

I would be nice if there were 3 dedicated servers, but there would probably be too many technical problems. I think JJ2 would be lucky to get one dedicated server anywhere close to the successfulness of Monolith's Battle Server, and so far most of everyone who tried gave up in under a week.

[Odin]

There are more people who have 1.23 than people who have 1.24. Therefore, in order to reach the most people, i'd suggest hosting a 1.23 server.

Also, in the regestry using any editor, you might want to do this:

Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Go to Software
Go to Epic Megagames
Go to Jazz Jackrabbit 2 (Jazz Jackrabbit 2 Secret files if you're hosting a 1.24 server)
Go to List Servers
Set string values for "000" and "001" to "jazz.nimrod-online.com" (Disregarding quote marks, of course.)

There. That works for me whenever I want to host a server, and I can join too, not like before, which is quite weird. Perhaps it contacts the server listed on "001" for hosting?

[piet]

if my router was forwardin the UDP ports correctly we can have a 24/7. i tried to start jazz2 and let it run all day, and it did with all the tools on.

if it will run with players in it its just a test for the CPU and stuff.

but if you ask me a 27/7 can easaly be made, i can host a game with parameters for jazz2.exe and Nimrods team can add 24/7 server to the server first (checking every 5 minutes if its online). this way the host itself does not have problems with getting in the server list (witch is imposable if you start from a batch).

the only thing is my router, but thats my problem. i think its UDP but its hard to check. (does somone knows a PHP script that scans UDP ports? i am making a script that will check if you can play/host jazz2 on the web by scanning your ports.)

[Odin]

but if you ask me a 27/7 can easaly be made

Your computer has the power to add three hours in a day just to host a 27/7 server? Wow.

[piet]

yea talking about good CPU :P but yesterday it ran for 12hr, i can edit the batch that if the game gives an error and stopt it will restart just a simple:

:loop
jazz2.exe (params)
goto loop

this way the server wil run forever (i hope)

[Odin]

yea talking about good CPU :P but yesterday it ran for 12hr, i can edit the batch that if the game gives an error and stopt it will restart just a simple:

:loop
jazz2.exe (params)
goto loop

this way the server wil run forever (i hope)

I don't really understand the code you're using, but wouldn't that cause an infinite spawning of Jazz Jackrabbit 2 instances?

Also, can't you keep an eye on the server so that if it crashes, you can just start it back up manually? That'd make the most sense, and would omit programming all this automation that would probably just crumble on you when you need it most.

[piet]

:loop
jazz2.exe
goto loop

this way "goto loop" will be if jazz2.exe is exited.

this way jazz2.exe will be started untill your lose your mind:

:loop
start jazz2.exe
goto loop

batch is like dos commands in a document
start jazz2.exe is like this
a little program called "start'" opens a new command window and runs jazz2.exe in it
(this cant be done in DOS becouse you cant multitask)

so if you would run the script it will start at :loop then it will open a new window that starts jazz2.exe and then it will go back to :loop, this is NOT what we want.

so we dont use the start command but just jazz2.exe so the script can only contunue if jazz2.exe ends, just like in good old dos.


this script is so simple it that if it works it will work for ever.
i will try it now :P

[piet]

hmm it is as i was tought :(
if you close the game the normal way the jazz2 window will close and jazz2 will be started again, but if you will get an error message you will need to close that first.

but i will keep on looking

[piet]

:loop
start Jazz2.exe
PING 1.1.1.1 -n 1 -w 60000 >NUL
goto loop

this way the batch would start jazz2.exe and then wait 1 minute and start jazz2.exe again, (if there is a jazz2.exe running it wont start it again, but it does not fixes the error messages)

i must find a way so i can close jazz2.exe and then start it (this way we can make a server restart every hour, so if the game crasches you can allways wait for restart).

[piet]

ok i have it all worked out now:

:loop
start Jazz2-1.24.exe
PING 1.1.1.1 -n 1 -w 60000 >NUL
process -k Jazz2-1.24.exe
goto loop

you need process.exe to use this script.
http://www.beyondlogic.org/solutions/processutil/processutil.htm

now jazz2 will restart every minute you can edit the 60000 to make it an hour ;)

[piet]

ok i think its done now:

you must make a shortut to jazz2.exe like this:

Target: J:\Jazz2.exe -windowed -nosound -server -nospy -log -log=121.log -battle brhotel.j2l

Run: Minimized

replace J:\ with your own path to jazz2.exe
name the shotcut "1.21" (1.21.lnk in batch file).
put the shortcut next to the batch file.
run the batch file.
while the server is running it makes a log file called log.txt
in here you will get something like this:


za 11-12-2004 (11:06:22,55) - starting server
za 11-12-2004 (11:06:22,85) - server started
za 11-12-2004 (11:06:22,89) - starting tools
za 11-12-2004 (11:06:29,06) - tools started
za 11-12-2004 (11:06:29,16) - server restarting in 60 minutes
za 11-12-2004 (11:07:31,07) - server restarted
-------------------------------------------------------------
za 11-12-2004 (11:07:31,31) - starting server
za 11-12-2004 (11:07:31,96) - server started
za 11-12-2004 (11:07:32,01) - starting tools


i wil release all the things you need to run your own server (except jazz2.exe etc)
this way you can help me :P


@echo off

:startserver
cls
echo %date% (%time%) - starting server>>log.txt
echo %date% (%time%) - starting server
start 1.21.lnk
echo %date% (%time%) - server started>>log.txt
echo %date% (%time%) - server started

:starttools
echo %date% (%time%) - starting tools>>log.txt
echo %date% (%time%) - starting tools
PING 1.1.1.1 -n 1 -w 5000 >NUL
cd tools
start respawn.exe
cd..
echo %date% (%time%) - tools started >>log.txt
echo %date% (%time%) - tools started

:wait
echo %date% (%time%) - server restarting in 60 minutes >>log.txt
echo %date% (%time%) - server restarting in 60 minutes
PING 1.1.1.1 -n 1 -w 360000 >NUL
process -k Jazz2-1.21.exe
process -k respawn.exe
echo %date% (%time%) - server restarted >>log.txt
echo %date% (%time%) - server restarted
echo ------------------------------------------------------------- >>log.txt
goto startserver

[White Rabbit]

Have you thought about the practicalites about a 24/7 server? Electricity bills? :p

[piet]

i have tons of computers running it will do

[¿Ðàrkér¿ TRC]

either you know something about computers or you just used the code used for css servers for the batch and changed a few things. Good job :P

[DoubleGJ]

It would look even more proffesional if it used the Jazz2 path key specified in registry.

[White Rabbit]

Tons of computers = even larger bill + bad for environment :p

[Monolith]

Wait, you run the game minimized? Doesn't that cause problems?

[Torkell]

br, shouldn't you use "process -q" instead? If JJ2 is writing to disk when you kill it, you can really screw things up. Looking at the page for process.exe, -q will tell the program to close, then kill it if it's still running after a minute.

[piet]

either you know something about computers or you just used the code used for css servers for the batch and changed a few things. Good job :P

wrote it myself with a little help from notepad :P

[piet]

Wait, you run the game minimized? Doesn't that cause problems?

nope it does not, it will make player 1 (the server) invisable (ingame and in the player list) this way you dont need a program that freezes the server player.
but maybe it will give errors that i dont know about, try it :P

[piet]

br, shouldn't you use "process -q" instead? If JJ2 is writing to disk when you kill it, you can really screw things up. Looking at the page for process.exe, -q will tell the program to close, then kill it if it's still running after a minute.

good point,

by the way: does somone know about a program that can sent a chat message to the players in the game
("server: hello all server is restarting in 1 minute")

[White Rabbit]

Minimizing will cause problems when someone wins and the next lvl comes along. Everyone will time out, or something like that.

[piet]

ok i will edit that, but then i need a tool that freezes the host, (even when jazz2.exe will shot down and restarted again) so it must nog give a message like jazz2 not running or just stop when jazz2.exe will close.