GUIDE: Playing servers

  • Remember! Never use the same account usernames and password across different servers!

LeoCrasher

Former Administrator
VIP
Mar 23, 2003
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Mir2 Server Ad's Guide....
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Hopefully this guide will help users better their understanding when choosing a good server to play. Meanwhile if you have anything to add to this guide based on your own experiance, feel free to PM me or post.

Contents:
--Playing: Server connection speeds
--Playing: Diagnosing a failed connection
--Playing: Looking for early signs of corruption or bad management
--Playing: Server types and trends (exp, quicklvling etc)
--Server-Ownership: Things to keep in mind when advertising your server
--Server-Ownership: Services available to you

Server connection speeds
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Many servers wil boast about the size of their pipe... but bad news, this isn't the only thing that matters;

Upload speed: This determines how fast the server can send information to you. At the time of writing MOST ADSL connections within the UK upload at a max of 256kilobits per second, regardless of what their download speed is. In otherwords they may well have a 2mb/s connection, but its not going to matter as they still upload the same speed (256kb/s) as a 512kb/s user.

Number of players: Now every server has a certain number of players it can fit on it at any given time without lagging existing players. For a server with around 256kb/s upload its been guessed that this is around 30 (some hunting and some being pretty idle). In otherwords if you have know the connection speed and how many people are playing, you can make a guess if your going to lag or not. (30 people online, 256kb/sec upload = if theres lotsa ppl hunting, you stand to lag).

Physical location: Typically, if the server is located outside of the country your accessing it from, your going to have a pretty bad playing experiance (depending on how your ISP routes the connection). Its a simple matter of physics, the furthur away something is, the longer it will take for you to get there. This point is actually far more important than the upload speed of the server.

Diagnosing a failed Mir2 server connection....
Courtesy of LeoCrasher.myftp.org

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Due to the alaming number of posts asking 'is the server online', here is a very simple step by step guide you should use to avoid POSTING the question.

Tip1:
1. See if there is a new IP on the serverlist http://leocrasher.myftp.org/servers
2. Using the latest IP you have, click 'Check Usercount' and enter the IP, is it online?
3. Perhaps there is a problem with one of the ports, goto 'Check Ports' and enter the IP... if either 7000,7100,7200 are red, you won't be able to play.
4. Maybe theres a new IP? Goto 'Check Logs' and enter the servername, the latest known IP will be at the very top.
5. Repeat again with the new IP.

Tip2: Also remember to check the 'StatusCountSiggy Image' (the little piccy that tells you if its online, and how many are playing) on the first post in the thread.

Tip3: If any of Tip1's steps are telling you the server is online, but you can't connect yourself (yet other people can), there is a problem with YOUR connection to the server. Its possible you have been IP banned or are experiancing ISP-related issues. Try reconnecting to your ISP.

Feel free to share any other tips you've found...

Looking for early signs of corruption or bad management
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When starting a new server, the following is a pretty good idea if the team will be crap. However it is VERY important to consider that the following does not always apply!;

-Server's just started and you've never heard of any of the team members before (and they have not listed their experiance)
-Server's team is strangely large (many people consider 4 people being GM/Team-members as being excessive)
-GM's were picked randomely without recommendation from anyone else
-Server doesn't offer patch/client downloads at point of advertising
-Serverteam doesn't respond to help requests within 24 hours.
-Server shows port 6000 as being open on the Serverlist.
-Serverteam is largely made up of 'friends'.

Server types and trends (exp, quicklvling etc)
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Everyone has their own tastes for picking a server... and it can be nortoriously difficult to see if a server offers what you desire from its advertisment alone. However there are ways and means of determining early signs without playing.

Quick lvling & high stat: By far the most popular type of server. These servers will have sustained high usercounts throughout peak hours (5pm to 12am). Beware however they are usually short lived.

Slow lvling or low stat:: Not the most popular servers, but more often than not stay up quite awhile and have more experianced and dedicated server teams. However the poor usercount often makes them consider closing shop. Find these servers by advertisments that use strangely good English, and have a middle to poor usercount compared to other servers.

Other than that, feel free to post on server advertisment threads asking for what other people think of the server and if it suits your particular tastes.

Things to keep in mind when advertising your server
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Your advertisment is the very thing that will make players want to start your server. Here is a simple guide to making it as effective as possible.

Keep it short: This recommendation may seem strange but its true. Server players are by no shape or measure, intelligent or devoted. A 200line advert will bore them to death. Include basic attraction stunts but include LINKS to external sources if they want more information. For example you could write a few sentances about the new maps you have, but don't go into sqaure-by-square detail on the advert, include a link that does it instead.

Tell them whose involved: Nothings worse than going on a server and not knowing if it will flunk it in two days because a crap GM has been added. Decide the team at the start, and let people know all about them, and why they're onboard.

Include access and status details at the top: Not everyone wants to know about your server, they just want to play it. Stick the name, IP address and anything else like forums etc at the top of the advert. It also helps if you include a UserCountSiggy image near the IP address so people can determine if its online. See the following section for more information. Also remember however that failing to include the IP address will most likely mean your advert will not make it through the post-moderation process.

Keep people informed on LOMCN: Not everyone wants to visit your site or forum, post updates on the thread. This tells people the server is active. Also, let people know in advance if the server is going to go down for any reason. This will likely better help your relations with the users.

Services available to you
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There are two main developers who have services available to Mir servers. These are LeoCrasher and Kaori, and what they offer is listed below.

Leo: UserCountSiggy: This lets you display both how many players are on your server, and if its online or not. More details here: http://www.lomcn.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=25157
(previously named StatusCountSiggy)

Leo: PlayerStatSiggy: This lets your users display information about their characters within their signatures on the internet. It also enables your server to use the Top 10 player lists. More info here: http://www.lomcn.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=31593
(previously named PlayerCountSiggy)

Leo: ServerList: This is a simple list showing online servers, their names, IP's, open ports and number of players online. You can enter your server on the list by simply using one of the UserCountSiggy images mentioned above. More info here: http://leocrasher.myftp.org/servers -> Info

Leo: ServerChat: Downloadable program which lets you communicate with players on your server without using the MIR client. Download here: http://leocrasher.myftp.org/ServerChat.rar

Leo: LogView: Downloadable program which aids you in searching your logs. Download here: http://leocrasher.myftp.org/LogView.exe

Kao: Mir2Run: Downloadable tool for copying your Mir/Hum.db into SQL/Access databases. More info: http://www.kaorimir.com/Mir2Run/

Kao: Mir ID.DB to SQL Convertor: Downloadable tool to convert your ID.DB into a SQL database. More info here: http://www.kaorimir.com/IDDBtoSQL/

LOMCN: Forum-Space: LOMCN is happy to host a forum for you within the Server sections. Just ask a administrator (Miles, LeoCrasher, Milofoxburr)

Hope this helps ^^
/Leo
 

Senture

LOMCN VIP
VIP
Feb 8, 2004
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sorry to contradict you leo but F2S just launched their 8MB service which uploads at 768Kbits but is only avaible in limited areas not too far from the exchange (less that 1/2 a mile)
 

LeoCrasher

Former Administrator
VIP
Mar 23, 2003
2,001
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...I said ADSL Anon, not ADSL-LLU/ADSL2+/RADSL/SDSL/Cable/Sat or anything else. Thus, I stand by my claim.

EasyNet, F2S and Be are all ADSL2+ providers.
AFAIK the download cap of most ADSL exchanges is 2mbit/sec (unless they have had their loops unbundled), whereas ADSL2+ is 24mbit/sec.

/Leo