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Blast
rank 43
Posted:
Thu Feb 09, 2006 1:57 am
quote : #1
profile : pm
Posts: 1285
Type: Pal
According to Tino at Pauth.com this is now the case Smile Here is a copy and paste of some banter between Segadreamcaster and Tino on the subject. Remember Tino is the person who alterd the DC save file to play online so if anyone posts at pauth be polite and remember to say thankyou.


segadreamcaster
Wannabe


Joined: 14 Jun 2005
Posts: 17

Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 8:30 pm Post subject:

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Hi Tino.

Me again Thanks again for sorting the problem for us Dreamcast users, as I am sure you are already aware it is much appreciated.

Anyway, onto my reason for posting

Just to clarify, you are now able to host your own room for maximum pool? but it does not automatically appear in the room list on max pool, the IP must be added to the list manually?

Last I knew it wasnt possible to host your own server was it? think I remeber you saying that you had made a lot of progress but were still unable to go any further without information about how the game interacts with the server?

Ok, anyway, asuming you can now host a server, I assume it would be possible to add an IP address to the Dremacast's game save and log into a private server using that method, if this is possible, would you be willing to share your server software with the onlineconsoles community?

Sorry for asking so many questions but if we (at onlineconsoles) could secure this game as online forever by being able to make our own servers, that would secure all the games left online for the DC at this time, so any help would be appreciated

Cheers, Craig

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Tino
Site Admin


Joined: 29 May 2004
Posts: 377
Location: Philadelphia USA
Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 9:25 pm Post subject:

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segadreamcaster wrote:
Hi Tino.
you are now able to host your own room for maximum pool?


hi
yes

Quote:

but it does not automatically appear in the room list on max pool, the IP must be added to the list manually?


it does appear automatically in the list.

Quote:

Last I knew it wasnt possible to host your own server was it?


now it is

Quote:

I remeber you saying that you had made a lot of progress but were still unable to go any further without information about how the game interacts with the server?


i have that info now

Quote:

Ok, anyway, asuming you can now host a server, I assume it would be possible to add an IP address to the Dremacast's game save and log into a private server using that method


correct

Quote:

would you be willing to share your server software with the onlineconsoles community?


I can't do that because the server soft is not mine. When i make my own, i will though. Thats not a priority though at all.



On a side note to make u better understand how this works:
There is A MASTER server and then there are ROOM servers.

About Master server:
The master server is the server that the game contacts first, in order to retrieve the list of room servers.

From what i remember the DC game doesnt use the master server.
The pc game does use the master server.

Without a master server, you wouldnt know the ip:port of room servers, unless someone or something told u (or your game) they exist.

The address of the master server is hardcoded in the game executable.
What this means is that if they ever take the master server offline - we'll have to feed the list to the pc game. This is (part of) how my program, CP Ignore works. It modifies the game executable, changing the master server to your own IP, where CP Ignore then acts as a master server running on your own pc, to feed the list of rooms to the game.

Now for the dc version of the game, since it doesnt use the master server, you have to mod a save file and enter all rooms ip:port in there. If you need a list of current rooms let me know.

I have the same ROOM server soft that runs on their servers now. I'm not allowed to share it. When i make my own i will though.

This game will NEVER be offline for people who know about this site, because there is a solution for whatever they decide to do in regard to their servers.

TC

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segadreamcaster
Wannabe


Joined: 14 Jun 2005
Posts: 17

Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 11:13 pm Post subject:

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Hi,

Ok, thank you very much for your detailed response. It is good to know that someone in the public domain now has the ability to host a server, thats the important thing and of course when you are able to create your own server software, sharing would obviously be very much appreciated.

As for a list of current rooms, I don't think thats necessary unless there are more now than there were a few months ago when you originalt changed the save file? but in any case I think the rooms we have are fine at present

Just knowing that you have the ability to create game servers now is excellent news...thanks

Cheers, Craig

END OF POSTS

Laters
  _________________
Now have a working PC DC server courtesy of Segadreamcaster. Bring on the DC on line games yeeee haaa.
segadreamcaster
rank 37
Posted:
Thu Feb 09, 2006 11:18 am
quote : #2
profile : pm
Posts: 811
Type: NTSC-U/C
Hi m8,

decided to make it public then Cool

Sorry I didn't report on this myslef guys, I wasn't holding back the info or anything, I had sent a PM to lordnikon about it and was awaiting a response.

Anyway, yes it does seem as though the official server software for maximum pool has made it into the hands of Tino, who assures me that the game is online forever to anybody who knows pauth.com, he laso hopes to create his own server software eventually so he is able to distribute it, which he cannot do at present because he might not be too popular with sierra if he did Sad

But yeah, looks pretty good for the future...not an absolute gaurantee, but the best we are gonna get until the DC community gets the software for themselves Smile

Cheers, Craig
  _________________
Game Names:

PSO = Ryo or SEGADCER
Q3A, Starlancer
Max Pool = Segadcer
4x4 Evo = Segadreamcaster

Visit the NEW Saturn netlink league www.saturnleague.com
lordnikon
rank 87
Posted:
Thu Feb 09, 2006 2:00 pm
quote : #3
profile : pm
Posts: 5902
Type: NTSC-U/C
Maximum Pool is not currently Online Forever. The game has not been tested, in an isolated LAN environment, with developed software. Right now there is merely a prediction that software could be created, and even then there is no intention to release it to the public by its authors.

The information above is all speculation. Until someone actually codes the sofware, has it working in an isolated LAN environment, and has plans to release the software. Then Maximum Pool's future will remain as "future undetermined".

The chances of software being developed looks promissing, however until the final test is found to work, this is all wishfull thinking.
  _________________
I'm already numero uno on Dark Helmet's hit list...
Blast
rank 43
Posted:
Thu Feb 09, 2006 3:08 pm
quote : #4
profile : pm
Posts: 1285
Type: Pal
As long as Tino hosts a server though its safe, I guess thats what I should have put.

Laters
  _________________
Now have a working PC DC server courtesy of Segadreamcaster. Bring on the DC on line games yeeee haaa.
segadreamcaster
rank 37
Posted:
Thu Feb 09, 2006 4:14 pm
quote : #5
profile : pm
Posts: 811
Type: NTSC-U/C
Well Tino does have the official software for hosting a server and is indeed able to, however it is true that he has not yet coded his own version of the server software, but when he does he is more than willing to share it. The reason he is not able to share the software he has is because it was made by sierra and so they own the rights to it it, so of course Tino wouldnt want to risk legal action on himself or the person he got the software from.

As it stands though Tino is able to host a server should the official one go down, so as long as Tino is willing to host a server and pauth remains active, I consider maximum pool to be safe

Cheers, Craig
  _________________
Game Names:

PSO = Ryo or SEGADCER
Q3A, Starlancer
Max Pool = Segadcer
4x4 Evo = Segadreamcaster

Visit the NEW Saturn netlink league www.saturnleague.com
lordnikon
rank 87
Posted:
Thu Feb 09, 2006 6:14 pm
quote : #6
profile : pm
Posts: 5902
Type: NTSC-U/C
This is very similar to games like Fire Warrior and Medal of Honor Rising Sun on the Playstation 2. Both of the games have the ability to host LAN games, but AFTER the DNAS authentication screen. So if gamespy or EA kills the services for these games, then alteast they can be tunneled. (Fire Warrior actually has direct IP, so don't even need to tunnel.)

However the DNAS is still managed by Sony. So the games are safe in some respects but not online forever.

I know Tino has the communities best interests at heart. If he released the software prematurely and would get in trouble, this would most definatly be bad, and I can understand the position he is in. However it doesn't change the fact that this is exactly the same as Sega or any other company having control over the software. It is basically a transfer of control from one entity to the next.

I'm sure because of the tools available that one day Maximum Pool would be online forever, but at the moment the game cannot be classified as such.

The only thing that can be said is that the future of the game looks bright enough not to worry, so one could sleep better at night.

Plus the Dreamcast version of Maximum Pool has not actually be tested on an isolated LAN connected to the server.

I'm sorry if my comments seem harsh, but I am trying to "keep it real". Remember, I could easily have come forth and made some big bash announcement that Next Tetris and PBA Bowling were back online, and online forever, just because I got Starlancer working in an isolated LAN. God knows I wanted to. Guess what? I can't get the games to work, and found out Tetris doesn't even use gamespy as a master list. Imagine if I did make some news post? Everyone would want to kill me for getting their hopes up, and want to chop my head off.

So until a final test is made, Maximum Pool's future is still in the Undetermined phase. Lets not forget that Tino could easily move on in life and do other things. This is the main reason why the VOOT tunneling software will never see the light of day, since the developer has stated he can't deal with it anymore, and has "real life" stuff to handle. The same thing could very well happen to Maximum Pool.

Once again I am just looking at the situation realistically.

P.S. - Other developers out there also may not be immediatly sympathetic to our cause. For us, server software is so important. For others it can often be a crutch for social attention or admiration. Also, a lot of work goes into such software and developers often have a hard time giving up the reigns because of the time they put into it. Other people just don't immediatly understand where us Dreamcast Online gamers are coming from when we say things should be publically released. I am planning on developing a credo...or...motto?....not sure what you would call it. Basically a single page describing why it is so important to the Dreamcast Online community for software to be developed and made publically available. Plus, I will include how much we stress recording the names and contributions of those who work to restore Dreamcast Online gaming as a whole. Blah blah blah....going to cut myself off here from rambling. Just one of the many things I have on my agenda.
  _________________
I'm already numero uno on Dark Helmet's hit list...
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