Hosting Possibilities

[Ginger_Ale]

I have opened this thread to discuss potential hosts or hosting situations. First off:

Is there anyone playing that would like to host (although this would probably force you to give up your team's status)?

If not, can people think of other individuals that can host? Someone mentioned DaveMcW a few weeks ago, but I got no PM back from him. Perhaps someone else here has hosted a game before?

Also, since I'm relatively new to PitBoss, can anyone explain if there are some particular challenges associated with this format (connections, downtime, etc?).

 

[oyzar]

I don't see any problems with hosting and being on a team at the same time...

Pitboss and civstats uploader are both rather unstable programs that can often cause crashes or just slow down the connection, as such frequent reboots are often necesarry. If people exit to desktop this causes their connection to hang for quite some time and can crash the program or just bog down the connection of the host.

I've seen some people host pitboss without much problems previously, but more often that not there are some problems...

I've yet to see a pitboss launch without the host setting up the game(i've seen some atempts to try to launch games without being able to host though), so someone who organize it should probably host or this is not going to get off the ground any time soon...

 

[Krill]

The host has to have the admin password to host the game. The admin password gives access to every single teams civ. So the host probably shouldn't be on a team...

 

[oyzar]

Well as long as the host doesn't abuse it is fine... Doubt anyone would give up their position to play the game just to host, so either you have a playing host, or no host at all...

 

[Sullla]

The host has to have the admin password to host the game. The admin password gives access to every single teams civ. So the host probably shouldn't be on a team...

Although I trust the individuals who signed up to play, this is simply too much authority to give to someone who is playing on one of the five teams. The server host/admin needs to be a neutral party.

 

[oyzar]

Although I trust the individuals who signed up to play, this is simply too much authority to give to someone who is playing on one of the five teams. The server host/admin needs to be a neutral party.

It isn't looking like we are getting a host even if we allowed the host to play though...

Also @ Sulla, you are not even going to play, why do you care?

 

[Sullla]

As the map creator, I'm one of the administrators of this game. My goal is to ensure a fair and (relatively) balanced start for each team that will make for a fun game. I have extensive experience running competitive tournament games of Civ4, and thus have a pretty good idea of what works and what doesn't. Obviously Gingle Ale, as the overall admin for this game, has the final say, but I certainly think that my input is germane to this discussion.

Are you seriously suggesting that one of the competitors in this game should be given admin rights, and the power to log into any of the other teams at any point in time? It's one thing to have trust, another thing to set up a situation where it's ridiculously easy to cheat. Put another way, I trust the students that I teach, but I don't leave copies of their final exams sitting around unattended either.

 

[oyzar]

I've never played in a pitboss game where there have been a problem that the host had amin rights. Nor have i played in a pitboss game where the host didn't play himself...

 

[General_W]

I got a PM back from DaveMcW:

Sorry, I am no longer interested in hosting or playing.

So, there goes that option.

My preference is to have a 3rd party host the game, but for what it's worth - there are a few players on CFC that I would trust to have access to the admin password AND be on a team.

I know a number of people on here even have spouses that could possibly step in to create the admin password and not tell their significant other. But I'm not sure that really helps for people concerned about cheating.

I'd say let's try to get a 3rd party to host.
If we can't - let's open it up for someone with a long reputation for trustworthiness and sportsmanship to both host and play.
If we can't even get someone to do that... at some point to we fall back on to PBEM?

We should probably have a deadline to find a host to prevent this game from dying in the germination phase. Say Nov 30th Deadline for a third party host, December 15th for an acceptable host+player.

If Dec 15th goes by without a host, we start the game in PBEM mode.

Thoughts?


EDIT: Moved over here from the "To Do" thread:

No chance we could actually get Thunderfall to host the server somewhere on the CFC family of machines (mtdg.civfanatics.net?)? Presumably he wouldn't actually administer it himself, rather GA (and Sullla?) would handle that part. Feasible?

Is this a potentially workable idea if we can't find an independent third party host?

 

[CommandoBob]

I Lack a Copy of the Game
What is required to host a pitboss game? A server and an IP?

A Playing Admin
I consider myself rather trustworthy but there is no way I would consider being a Playing Admin. Just no way.

If something good happens to my team, well, it's because I'm the Admin and I'm protecting my turf. And if something bad happens to another team, well, it's because I'm the Admin and I'm dissing the competetion.

No matter what happens in the game, an Admin playing on a Team will taint everything that the Team does.

(Personally, I'm fine with a PBEM game.)

 

[oyzar]

You need pretty much all of the game to be able to host. Don't need art and sound, but thats pretty much it. http://forums.civfanatics.com/showpost.php?p=6547872&postcount=536 You can even host it on linux if you want...

 

[Ginger_Ale]

I will post in the PitBoss forum tonight to see if anyone is kind enough to host it...I doubt the CFC server can host it, but there's no harm in asking.

 

[civplayah]

Still, I could do it if people aren't too concerned about cheating and trust me enough.

 

[General_W]

Thanks Civplayah.
For what it's worth - I'd personally trust you or CommandoBob to do the right thing.

But as CB pointed out - everyone may not be as trusting as me. Let's try to find a thirdparty first.

Once we get desperate and the choice is between PBEM and a Player/host - maybe we'll have the momentum to make that happen then.

 

[Ginger_Ale]

I trust you, sure. A playing host is better than no host. I'd say if we can't find a host reasonably soon (near to or before the time the map is done), our best option is to go with you, so thanks. I think we have a few weeks (start of December?) until everything is ready to go.

 

[civplayah]

I'm fine with being host, but I've never done PitBoss before. So I type in the passwords and then I just log in? Or do I give the passwords out as Admin?

 

[peter grimes]

If you're serious about hosting the game, CP, my advice is to set up a test game to see if all the teams can join successfully. Post the IP here and we'll let you know how it goes

 

[General_W]

Great idea.
A test game will be beneficial even if you don't end up as the ultimate host!

 

[civplayah]

Can do! I'll post the IP shortly.

EDIT: Never done this before, so I need some guidance. I created the game, loaded the save, and then the "network socket" disconnected before I even got to the save.


P.S. Sorry for my noobness

 

[CommandoBob]

Can do! I'll post the IP shortly.

EDIT: Never done this before, so I need some guidance. I created the game, loaded the save, and then the "network socket" disconnected before I even got to the save.


P.S. Sorry for my noobness

I have no problem with noobies (unless they insist on staying noobies!)

What was the error that you got? Can you recreate it and post it? We might have enough techies here in the MTDG to figure it out.