Need help setting up online server! :S

[Evansthemilk]

hi, i'm reasonably new to armagetron and i've been playing on LAN games and local games for a while but i want to start up my own server on internet game so i can play with some of my friends online.. i've simply attempted to host an internet game and then my friend has looked through the whole list but obviously i then came to the conclusion all this networking and server hosting is alot more complex than that..
i've heard something about 'talk to the master' thing but i dont have a clue what it's on about.. i've looked at alot of guide sites but there's no help which i can seem to understand

Basicly i just want my friends to find my server online and join my game i've set up and started hosting (they live a few hundred miles away from me if that makes any difference) but i don't know how you do this..

could anyone possibly tell me the easiest and quickest way to set up/host my own server game so that my friends can join and play with me online easily?

simple, well explained steps , for a beginner, would be greatly appreciated..

btw, i play on a mac OS X version of the game...

thanks alot.

[sinewav]

Read the following:
http://wiki.armagetronad.net/index.php? ... tion_Guide

Please don't use cap-lock when posting, it will not get you very good help. I would edit that to lower-case if I were you. Also, setting up a server is never a desperate matter. If it is, your life is too easy.

Welcome to the Armagetron forums. Now chill out please.

[Evansthemilk]

Ha HA, I knew it! i actually said to my friend before i started making the thread: i bet some admin/'expert' would start to post back something nasty or something critical to do with my post, is just aswell i got my thread in the right forum ^_^ you should be greatful for that..

this is obviously not a very layed-back forum i'll edit my post if it means i'm going to get a decent answer..
and the reason i said 'desperately' is because i have no idea how to do it... and have no knowledge of armagetron servers.. i wouldn't BE desperate if i actually had a little knowing of how to do it.. ( as in desperate help)

oh and btw, i checked that site before and none of it makes sense to me.. that's what i said in my post, if you hadn't of noticed... i need help from an actual live person answering my question helpfully rather than being lazy and just giving me a link

i am quite new to this so i need it simply explained out to me, if that's not too much to ask.. it can't be that hard, surely?

so thanks anyway, but i still claim this thread: OPEN.

anybody willing to help?

[epsy]

Start with the documentation. If you have trouble with it, ask about what's unclear.

[Z-Man]

Actually, you should start with the FAQ. It specifically covers TALK_TO_MASTER and port forwarding. Understand that we can't answer every 'halp I don't know where to begin' question in any other way; the documentation we pointed you to is the answer to that question, accumulated over time.

[Evansthemilk]

so it IS too hard give a personal step-by-step post on how to physically do it/what to click, what to do next, what i need etc etc.. ?

most of the stuff on that wiki site just tells me loads of words i dont understand.. for instance, apparently i have to type in something like talk_to_the_master or w/e in the configuration settings? where/ what are the configurations settings? i am only familiar with about %50 of the words in each sentence.. another example,
apparently i have to install something? to connect to other servers and networks? something to do with creating a port? IP addresses?? etc..??
every time i vaguely try to understand what to do and follow the steps there's just another load of steps it tells me to do which i have no idea what they're talking about..

i don't want to come across as difficult, im just very new and i want to play armagetron online with my friends..

[Evansthemilk]

my port is 4534.. i dont know my IP address ( can someone tell me what an IP address is?) umm.... i read something about client servers...? i think i want to do that one... so my friends can just join my server when im playing, or even when im not? or maybe a dedicated server but i dont want to leave my computer on all the time.. just maybe when i go off for 5 mins then come one, i dont want the whole server to go offline.. uhh apart from that i have no other knowledge

sorry

[Z-Man]

We'd be using the same words if we'd be giving you a step by step guide now. So no, it's not possible.

But if you just want to play a game and don't care how, use the "Internet Game/Host" feature. The only thing on top of that you need to to is port forwarding.

[Evansthemilk]

im not quite sure what port forwarding is? basicly, this is what i want:

i want to be able to HOST a server and name it, set it to my own settings (speed, game, size etc etc.. ) then i want my, also beginner, friends to be able to join my game and play with me while they're are a few hundreds of miles away.. but it would also be good, if possible, for me to, when i want to leave the game for a few minutes or hours, it keeps the server running while my friends still play on it..

now, i dont know whether that is a 'client server' or 'dedicated server'...
could someone please tell me?

[Evansthemilk]

once i actually know what type of server i want.. then i can get started on HOW to do it.. :S

[Z-Man]

im not quite sure what port forwarding is?

Port forwarding is a requirement if you want to host a server behind a NAT router, which is most likely the kind of device you use to connect to the internet. As the name suggests, it makes sure that packets directed from the internet to you are forwarded to the right destination, which would be your server.

but it would also be good, if possible, for me to, when i want to leave the game for a few minutes or hours, it keeps the server running while my friends still play on it..

That would only be possible with a dedicated server. But frankly, I think that is way too advanced for you. Stick to hosting with your client for now, and just keep your client running even while you're away yourself.

[Evansthemilk]

okay ty, how do i start a client server then? wats the first thing i should do?

[Z-Man]

You set up your router with port forwarding. Luckily, there's very precise and easy to follow step by step instructions for a lot of router models here:
http://www.portforward.com/english/appl ... 3index.htm
Yes, it's the wrong game. Doesn't matter, it works for us, too.

And then you just select "Game", then "Network Game", "Internet Game", "Host Game", there you can select your server name and initial game options (no worries, you can adapt them any time later in the game), finally "Host Network Game".

[Evansthemilk]

i cant find armagetron program so i should do default port forwarding?

[Z-Man]

I don't know what 'default' would mean here. No, you should follow the F22Lightning3 instructions.