Lobby/Chat Server [Suggestion]

[Muttley]

I'm hoping this is in the right section.

I am sure most of us here have at some point tried OpenRPG. The
feature I like most about that is that there are host servers which
you can log into and run your game from there. You can also use
the lobby to chat with other RPGers. What I would like to suggest,
if it is a viable option, is that FG2 implements their own inbuilt
lobby/chat server system. This way players log directly to the server
and host their games from there. This would also help with port
forwarding issues. I myself am unable to forward ports on my router,
as it does not belong to me and I don't have the login for it. The
main issue I can see is the cost of having such a server in place.
I have included a poll to see how many of us would like to see
such a system in place.

[Spyke]

I suspect you're talking about a fundamental rewrite of the software, but I'll let the developers confirm that.

I voted 'no' on the assumption that FG2 would have to work one way or the other, and I prefer it working as client/server the way it does now. It's fast and I don't have to worry about an external server being available. I can also test things locally, or use FG in a face-to-face game, without having an internet connection.

There are other VTs which implement the central server model, and I could use one of those in situations where I wanted it, e.g. if I was behind a hotel firewall and couldn't configure port forwarding (happens to me regularly!), and my group didn't have a VPN set up.

If it was possible for FG to offer both modes of play, then my vote would be 'yes'.

I'll also note that lobby/chat areas always seem to be very empty in the VTs I've used that have them, but that may be a result of not living in a US timezone, and it's just as easy to meet up in a different IM system such as Skype.

Spyke

[drahkar]

I'm hoping this is in the right section.

I am sure most of us here have at some point tried OpenRPG. The
feature I like most about that is that there are host servers which
you can log into and run your game from there. You can also use
the lobby to chat with other RPGers. What I would like to suggest,
if it is a viable option, is that FG2 implements their own inbuilt
lobby/chat server system. This way players log directly to the server
and host their games from there. This would also help with port
forwarding issues. I myself am unable to forward ports on my router,
as it does not belong to me and I don't have the login for it. The
main issue I can see is the cost of having such a server in place.
I have included a poll to see how many of us would like to see
such a system in place.

This has been thought of, and a lot of people are hesitant in their feelings regarding it. The design you are talking about puts the control of logging into the host environment on an external party. There is a significant amount of effort that goes into not only creating the infrastructure to maintain that setup, but in the upkeep of that same infrastructure. (I know this first hand, as I work in such a high bandwidth environment.) And if that interface goes down, you could be left with a lump of software you can't use. a prime example of that was WebRPG. Anyone who is familiar with that package can tell you that there were extended periods of time that you simply couldn't use it because their back end servers were down.

Do I think its a bad idea? No i don't. Perhaps a hosting service of some sort might be offered, but I think it would be best if left as it currently is by default. This is also mirrored by some publishers who would prefer to see it left as a client/server basis instead of a hosted service model. (This comes from current negotiations I'm involved in to bring a new game publisher onto this platform)

So its a interesting idea, and I completely understand the frustration of not being able to setup port forwarding so that you can host the game on your systems. Maybe we can all discuss the idea here on how we might implement things to address that problem. There are possibilities ranging from a proxy platform that integrates into the alias system to a full blown hosted service. I actually have some ideas how that could be implemented that could really work, though it would require significant customization to the front end to get it working correctly.

What does everyone else think?

[Spyke]

It may be worth the community settling on one particular VPN setup (Hamachi seems popular) and publishing a help document on it on the download or library pages of this website. If all FG users also had a VPN configured, so that the GM could simply announce that VPN would be used, that would be helpful.

Is it possible for FG to have an inbuilt VPN option?

Spyke

[Muttley]

Having both options would be the best idea.
I am pretty sure you can use a direct IP connection with ORPG
as well as log into the lobby/server and search for games. This
thread is intended to see if people would like some sort of
system in place, it can be optional as to whether you log into
the lobby or directly host the game yourself. We could use this
thread to dicuss different options of making this possible.

[Spyke]

I'm sure that if it was possible to have both options then everyone would vote 'yes', precisely because they would only have to use it if they wanted to. Your poll would simply return 100% yes.

So if we treat the poll as assuming FG2 would have to work one way or the other we'll get an interesting view of the split between those who'd prefer a hosted model to those who'd prefer a client/server model.

It may be worth starting a separate poll with the question "If FG2 also offered a hosted model, where GM and players log onto a central server, would you use it ?"

This would indicate the numbers wanting such a system which would help the developers decide if it's worth implementing.

Spyke

[Muttley]

I'll open a new thread with better options.

[Spyke]

OK. This one's still valid though, to guage the views on whether a hosted or client/server model is preferable.

Spyke

[CampbellR66]

I would like a lobby facility to allow my players to log in and get outy of game info ... like game starts in 30 mins.

options to start pre-cache of content i have tagged

[drahkar]

The problem is that this kind of implementation requires a shift from the current Client/Server completely controlled in your own environment to a single login server and chat system that is hosted externally. It is a drastic divergence from the focus where the software currently points and is not looked on with favor by most of the community.

Frankly I have yet to see any software that uses the externally hosted single sign-on setup last or even become overly successful. Most have long since gone.

[Sorontar]

Frankly I have yet to see any software that uses the externally hosted single sign-on setup last or even become overly successful. Most have long since gone.

Poor old Ghostorb :(

[Muttley]

How does the server/lobby/chat system work in Neverwinter Nights?

I know you can be logged into the lobby system there but still be able to direct connect to any server on there via IP.

[drahkar]

At that point they are better off setting up an IRC server and having people log into it. They don't waste time redeveloping the wheel by doing that.