server down

[Juggernaut]

For giggles, I submitted a support ticket to http://www.glu.com/ mentioning many PC gamelistings are 'disabled' and that their requests on the PBGS Facebook page go unanswered. MOst people who are complaining seem to come from SWAT 4. See here: http://www.facebook.com/gamespytech?fref=ts

[Ded10c]

GLU's Twitter account
and Facebook page

[MrTwosheds]

Taking the long view, I think we can assume that gamespy type services are inherently prone to the whims of their commercial owners and technological evolution. It would be great if we could figure out a system that approximately emulates the current functionality, without requiring configuration or extra software by the user (for clients at least). Having users just install the game and find nothing in the multiplayer list is a death sentence for bz2.
A system with more resilience would be good.
Eg 3 independent matchmaking servers that reference each other, so that if 1 went down the others would still function, internet style.
A game options setting to change the GS server connection would also add resilience.

[Feared_1]

It would be great if we could figure out a system that approximately emulates the current functionality, without requiring configuration or extra software by the user (for clients at least). Having users just install the game and find nothing in the multiplayer list is a death sentence for bz2.

YES.

1.0 and 1.1 use qr1, and they still show the advertisements for 1.3.6.2, or whatever patch is released to show games again. As long as they can see that they need to update to see games, there should be few problems.

Also, someone brought up an interesting point on TeamSpeak. The pop-up message that appears when the games list can't load says, "Could not get server list. Possible causes: your internet connection may be down, or problems elsewhere on the net. How about a nice Instant Action game right now instead?" It would probably be more beneficial to provide a URL to this site or some other Battlezone II site that gives the status of the games list. A lot of people probably actually are playing Instant Action and waiting for the games list to come back up.

[jack775544]

A lot of people probably actually are playing Instant Action and waiting for the games list to come back up.

Nothing wrong with IA

[APCs r Evil]

True, but if everyone only played IA, this community would cease to exist. (Excepting perhaps a handful of lunatics arguing amongst themselves.)

[Dataanti]

This is sad news :/ Gamespy ran a lot of great games.

In the mean time I suggest http://www.gameranger.com/. I got this message while signing onto it today, http://i.imgur.com/Rz3h5.png. Luckily for Battlezone 2, It is already in the list http://i.imgur.com/qteKE.png. This is similar to hamachi, The matchmaking/browsing is done outside of the game, you pick a match and the host will start it. When the host starts the game your games will launch and wait until the host's computer has created the game, and then everyone goes to lan and it should show. I prefer this over hamachi cause it has friends list, private and group chats and the browsing system is pretty good to .

[SUB-0]

Hey guys
its a good point Dataanti
And Game ranger has a very nice feature all battlezone game are listed in lobby along with a nice bz2 icon
i have tested game ranger and was unable to host games because of the one flaw it had once again you need to set up router ports which not all players can do ...and since most are behind a router it will pose a problem
I myself have manged to set up ports on my router ....but since there are so many kinds of routers setting up ports will be diferent for all those routers.
Game ranger would be ideal since it has that nice feature of listing all the bz games up in lobby and keeps the comunity from being fragmented which is the hidden dangerwe are all in
not to shoot down game ranger dont get me wrong it still good idea if we can solve the router problem

also what feared_1 mentioned is a very good point why not use this to our advantage

"Could not get server list. Possible causes: your internet connection may be down, or problems elsewhere on the net. How about a nice Instant Action game right now instead?" It would probably be more beneficial to provide a URL to this site or some other Battlezone II site that gives the status of the games list. A lot of people probably actually are playing Instant Action and waiting for the games list to come back up.

and also tested hamachi and it is easy to D/L and set up ....and no setting up ports in router ...when you get in mutyplayer lobby click on lanonly button host game lag is equal to a normal bz2 game we tested this b4
again the danger of hamachi is fragmenting the comunity ....because it dosent have a list of all bz2 game in any lobby
unless we all have the same host name and password
MY Hostname is BZII and password is BZII for hamachi welcome to join
its not the solution but a fix for now
hope we can solve the problem mean while

regards SUB-0

we would need to post som

[Dataanti]

i have tested game ranger and was unable to host games because of the one flaw it had once again you need to set up router ports which not all players can do ...and since most are behind a router it will pose a problem
I myself have manged to set up ports on my router ....but since there are so many kinds of routers setting up ports will be diferent for all those routers.
Game ranger would be ideal since it has that nice feature of listing all the bz games up in lobby and keeps the comunity from being fragmented which is the hidden dangerwe are all in
not to shoot down game ranger dont get me wrong it still good idea if we can solve the router problem

That's odd.

GameRanger creates a network very similar to how Hamachi does by simulating a LAN connection. You shouldn't need to open any ports on the router to use it (I don't...) If anything you will have to allow it through ports on the firewall of your computer. But it doesn't really change anything if you have to open ports cause even using the normal Battlezone MP server, like most games, the host will have to open ports on the router.

If you have Hamachi or any other software that creates or uses a VPN network that is on, it could cause problems with GameRanger.

[SUB-0]

yes it is odd ...i thought so 2....but no i tryed game ranger first than installed hamachi latter ....game ranger had pop up saying router ports needed to be opened ...was really disapointed because like i said game ranger would be ideal since it shows all the bz2 games up and thats a plus ....
now its posible the router i have is the problem ...
i own a dlink router ,,,
i hope i'm the only one and that game ranger pans out to be the better choice
would be sweet ....!! keeps the comunity in one place like the lobby did in bz2 multy
but yes game ranger asked for ports to be opened to host games that is...

i hope you prove me wrong thow like game ranger its good alternative

[General BlackDragon]

GameRanger works. Was able to host, client join, leave game and rejoin after launch, etc.

Downside is you have to install it and make an account and blablabla.

[Feldheld]

Simplest thing would be to advertise your running game at a popular hub, like a forum or a teamspeak server or whatever.

Now Im not sure though what it takes to join a game by IP, both for the host and for the joiners. Do you need to open additional ports as a host? Does it suffice to enter the host IP or do you also have to attach a port number as joiner?

[Red Devil]

GS maint mon night

[Nielk1]

Gameranger is quite popular, it is used heavily to run WC3 games, granted, its mostly just ppl joining rooms, asking DOTA?, and then quitting then you either say no or don't reply.

[General BlackDragon]

What is DOTA? google gives me nonsense