Macro ScanningStarting in Duelers 1.3 the server can be configured to direct each client connecting to scan the client key bindings for macros that are used to emulate key combinations for special moves. By default, this capability is enabled. However, there is much controversy over whether or not binding keys to special move is "bad" or "good". As a server administrator you will have to be the judge. Many users have macros to change skins or hilts or rotate through taunts or select admin commands. These macros are not targeted. However, there are other macros that use movement and attack commands in special sequences to perform difficult manoeuvres flawlessly and effortlessly. Two examples that are very common are: Kick Macro:
Blue Stance Lunge Macro:
These macros are targeted and disabled. Here is a description of how the scanning behaves to help you make your decision:
Enhanced VotingOne of the problems with a mod like duelers that provides so many options is that the folks currently playing on a server may have a different set of likes and dislikes from the administrator of the server. Or as often can be the case the folks playing in the afternoon want a different game from the folks who play in the evening. Generally speaking unless someone on the server has rcon access there is very little you can do about it! Until now that is. Starting in duelers 1.3 an enhanced vote system for controlling the behaviour of the mod (or the base game) is available. By default the new votes are:
These defaults are just examples. This voting system is completely configurable by the admin of the server. The votes are created by setting up any number of sixteen cvars on the server (m_v1, ... , m_v16). The format of the cvars is:
Here is how it works: The client user interface has been extended so that the "Call Vote" menu now includes a section called "Mod". When this section is selected, a Mod Control panel is shown which will contain all of the administratively configured votes. Only the descriptive strings show, so they should be, well, descriptive! When a vote is called, the descriptive string is shown to other players and they can elect to vote for or against the called vote. Just like normal! If the vote is passed, the string of commands in the second half of the vote cvar is executed on the server. These commands should "implement" the change described! For the default votes that come with duelers 1.3 the commands are all just setting cvars. I expect most votes will be this simple. For reference and example, here are the default cvar settings: set m_v1 "Enable All Stances:m_es 1;m_as 1" Message of the DayYou can set a 16 line MOTD, one line per cvar m_mdX (X=1,...16). This message will be sent to players when they first join battle or when a new map starts. This MOTD will not be displayed until they actually join battle so you don't have to worry about the time they might spend fiddling with their setup. The message disappears after a short time. Banning PlayersDuelers has new ban code to support banning players from your server. This code has none of the limitations of the basejk code and relies on a file to record the banned IP addresses rather than a cvar. This means you can have up to 1024 IP address filters! The file only gets read when the game starts written when a new player is banned so there are no "file" hits on the server as a result of this change. The ban code works pretty much the same as before, but this is not well documented so I will describe it here. When you want to ban a player, type the following on the game console: ban player_name (or client_number) The code will do some processing to help find the right playername (so you dont have to worry about colours, etc). None the less, it is probably better to find the client number (from the "status" command) because a player that is going to be annoying is probably going to choose a problematic name too! The game code will automatically read the player's IP address, add it to the banned IP address list, and then kick the player from the server. That is all you have to do! Unless they change their IP address they will not be able to return to the server. For some administrative support the following commands are also available: listip -- will list the current set of IP addresses being banned addip n.n.n.n -- will add the IP address given as an argument to the banned IP list removeip n.n.n.n -- will remove the IP address give as an argument from the banned IP list. Duelers Recommended Settings
The mod is compiled to run the recommended settings as the default. You don’t have to set any mod cvars (except perhaps the MOTD cvars) if you want the recommended settings. I strongly recommend sticking with the default settings. I have played JK2, Jedimod, and Jediplus a lot and spent a lot of that time working with other players to determine the most balanced settings for saber play. Note, I did not say the most fun settings, but the most balanced. That is, these settings provide for a number of different gameplay styles, each requiring skill, but none having a significant advantage over the other. If you use the defaults, you should not have to insist on battling players with exactly the same saber configuration that you want to use in order to have a fair fight. I wont give a detailed, blow-by-blow analysis of each of the settings, but let me illustrate with a few cases. Multiple Saber Blades.It is very much fun to play with dual sabers or dual bladed sabers. However, each saber blade does damage. A player with two double bladed sabers has a heck of an advantage over a player with a single blade. The default settings for Duelers mod provide a balance for this situation in the following way:
As a result of these restrictions, the most effective single blade saber style and the most effective multi-blade styles neatly divide into what I can the Obi-Wan style (traditional jedi) and the Darth Maul style (spinning, leaping attacks). Single bladed players using the Obi-Wan style and multi-bladed players using the Darth Maul style are quite well balanced and you can have a very interesting match testing the two styles against each other. On the other hand, if you allow all blade combinations to use all saber styles (and you can do this if you want with Duelers mod), then everyone will play with dual dual-bladed sabers (or be dead quickly) and madly cycle through all five styles. Saber BlockingSaber blocking occurs when you throw your saber at a player who's saber is defending (i.e. they are not attacking). When this happens, your saber will be blocked and knocked to the ground. The saber will remain on the ground for a random amount of time and then return to you. During the time the saber is knocked down: the saber remains off, you cannot use force, and you are defenceless save to run lick heck to avoid attack. Saber blocking is a counter to players who do nothing but stand away and throw their saber. With saber blocking, saber throwing should only be done when you know that your opponent is exposed to an attack. This makes saber throwing more balanced with other types of saber attack. JetpackThe jetpack is normally configured to consume 5 units of fuel for every second that it is thrusting and 2 units of fuel for every second that it is on but idle. This added "realism" is intended to limit the abuse of the jetpack. While the jetpack is on, you cannot ignite your saber nor use force powers (by default). |