maps

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8bitrip
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maps

Post by 8bitrip »

I am basically new to hosting a server and I have played around with some settings. I am currently hosting a home server EIGHTBITRIP from a windows pc. I would like to try out a labyrinth map but I'm clueless on how to do it despite reading over all the info I could find about it.
I am almost 40 and I can't brain well sometimes so if anyone thinks they might be able to help me understand how to do this in the simplest step by step way I would be grateful.

What I know about maps so far is that the map I want to use has to be reachable on the internet so it gets loaded each time someone plays.

questions I have... are there map files already reachable in the internet that I can include and use just by adding
MAP_FILE and the location of the map on the web? I used to run a server years ago with someone else helping me and I think we used to run server 0.3.?.? or maybe that was the client version, idk.
Word
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Re: maps

Post by Word »

Hey, here are some links to start (until someone more experienced than me chimes in):

http://resource.armagetronad.net/resource/
http://wiki.armagetronad.org/index.php/Map_Making
https://crazy-tronners.com/maptools.php

(There are lots of other maps floating around on the forums though. To upload your own stuff to the archive above you can go here: http://resource.armagetronad.net/upload/)

There are also a few maps in the game directory (for me it's C:\Program Files (x86)\Armagetron Experimental\resource\included).
To make the server download maps from an internet source, you need the RINCLUDE MAP_FILE command (if I remember correctly). Not sure in which .txt-file you put that, but I'd recommend that you check out the wiki's articles about hosting and playing maps.

And welcome to the forums! :)
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ConVicT
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Re: maps

Post by ConVicT »

Here is everything you will need for creating maps, courtesy of Durf.
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sinewav
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Re: maps

Post by sinewav »

8bitrip wrote:questions I have... are there map files already reachable in the internet that I can include and use just by adding MAP_FILE and the location of the map on the web?
Yes and no. Armagetron's resource repository system is a bit broken and has been fractured into a few incomplete independent unmirrored repos. One of the better repos is on Lightron.org, but there is no search function, so finding maps is tedious (note: this is as close to an official repo as we have right now, armagetron).

However, the map doesn't need to be hosted on a separate site. Clients can get the file from the server. The map simply needs to be in the right place. I found a test labyrinth you can try on this forum:

http://forums3.armagetronad.net/downloa ... hp?id=2077

The XML header information says the map named "testmap" goes into the directory "Anonymous/mazes/generated". Create this directory in your resource folder on your server and place the map file in it. Then add the command MAP_FILE Anonymous/mazes/generated/testmap-0.2.8.aamap.xml to settings_custom.cfg (create this file if it does not exist). The naming of map files and directories is very specific and it is important to get them right. Years ago I made a helpful graphic to explain the structure.

Doing this correctly will allow you to play the test labyrinth (I have not tested it btw). But really, what you probably want is a server that generates random labyrinths, which is another topic entirely. I suggest you do the steps above to familiarize yourself with the map/server process, directories, and file locations. Once you are comfortable with that we can get you started with random maze generation.

:wink: As someone who is both older than you and slower with my brain I think you can handle this. It took me a long time to learn this stuff, but I stuck with it.
Last edited by sinewav on Sun Sep 27, 2015 11:39 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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ConVicT
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Re: maps

Post by ConVicT »

Can we just use anywhere as a repository_server?
I have an Rx server, so I've never even tried anything like this because Rx give us somewhere to upload; Could I just upload to a site like Mediafire and use that as a repository_server?
Word
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Re: maps

Post by Word »

Mediafire doesn't work like that as far as I know (don't they have captchas and create a new direct link every time?), but I've done it with public dropbox links already.
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sinewav
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Re: maps

Post by sinewav »

ConVicT wrote:Could I just upload to a site like Mediafire and use that as a repository_server?
Why not just make an account on Lightron and put it there? Maybe Durf can host map files for you? You are correct, the files can be hosted almost anywhere.
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ConVicT
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Re: maps

Post by ConVicT »

sinewav wrote: Why not just make an account on Lightron and put it there? Maybe Durf can host map files for you?
As I said:
ConVicT wrote: I have an Rx server - Rx give us somewhere to upload.
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Re: maps

Post by Monkey »

8bitrip wrote:I am almost 40 and I can't brain well sometimes
Ditto and welcome to the forums :)

One thing I will say about some of the links you've been given to read is that some of the information on them is incomplete and outdated. I'm not saying they aren't worth a read, I'm just giving you a heads up in case of any issues.
8bitrip wrote:I used to run a server years ago with someone else helping me and I think we used to run server 0.3.?.? or maybe that was the client version, idk.
0.2 - The current, stable branch for clients and servers. There are several sub-versions of this branch, the main one being 0.2.8.
0.3 - The previous, development/experimental branch for clients and servers. It is no longer in use and should be avoided.
0.4 - The current, development/experimental branch for clients and servers.

0.3 could have been your client's version or your server's version or both.

I've just looked at your server and it seems to be running "0.3_alpha_z1536 win dedicated". Unless I'm missing something, you should probably use another version of Armagetron Advanced (either one of the 0.2 subversions or 0.4).
Last edited by Monkey on Mon Sep 28, 2015 1:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
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sinewav
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Re: maps

Post by sinewav »

ConVicT wrote:I have an Rx server - Rx give us somewhere to upload.
Yeah, I saw that, but sometimes it's easier to load maps right to a website using FTP rather than Rx's tools. dukevein wrote a pretty comprehensive control panel, but it's a little buggy, clumsy, and ...ugly. Still one of the best control panels I've seen in the game though.
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ConVicT
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Re: maps

Post by ConVicT »

sinewav wrote:
ConVicT wrote:I have an Rx server - Rx give us somewhere to upload.
Yeah, I saw that, but sometimes it's easier to load maps right to a website using FTP rather than Rx's tools. dukevein wrote a pretty comprehensive control panel, but it's a little buggy, clumsy, and ...ugly. Still one of the best control panels I've seen in the game though.
Tools? I feel like I've missed out on something for a couple of years now because of that comment.
I've always just uploaded to "http://<IP>/maps/" and then made my RESOURCE_REPOSITORY_SERVER point to "http://<IP>/maps/", and the MAP_FILE WhateverIcalledTheMap-VersionNumber.xml

You really think it's ugly?
I've always thought it looked great... Preferences, I guess.
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sinewav
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Re: maps

Post by sinewav »

ConVicT wrote:You really think it's ugly?
I would like to change my comment to "was" ugly. When I first started using Rx hosting I used AdBlock to hide some of the hideous graphics. This was a couple years ago. I just looked at the new site design and it looks very nice, so I imagine the tools have also improved in look and functionality.

We might need a split here, getting off topic.
8bitrip
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Re: maps

Post by 8bitrip »

thank you all for this information. I will slowly absorb it and keep attempting a labyrinth server. it seems like it would be fun to me.
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