DvT Tools version 6 (for UT3) is in progress

{DvT}JonahHex · 12-05-2007, 03:32 PM

I started working on updating DvT Tools for use with UT3 last night. As of this morning, I have the hard part done: ServerQuery can request info from a UT3 server and get a reply back that provides the requested info.

Now comes the really hard part: figuring out how I want ServerQuery to format/display that info for you to read.

However, the hardest part is figuring out how to convice Epic to tell Gamespy to take their Query Protocol and shove it up their llama a$$es. Unlike the previous (proprietary) Epic protocol, the Gamespy protocol does not give any player information...who is on the server, what their scores are, what their pings are...none of this. If you've been wondering, this is why the player info is not shown in the in-game server browser.

Also, right now, it is not entirely clear what happens when custom maps are downloaded from a server or when you obtain a new map in a zip file. Thus, the new CacheManager and MapManager will come a little later. These should be relatively simple to port over though.

{DvT}dagger · 12-06-2007, 07:37 PM

Nice one Hex.

What language do you write the DvT Tools in?

I found a few decent sites with info on how to implement or get the most info from a UT3 server.

Check these out:

The first link is a site with info on the info you can get from a server.
UT3 query protocol - UnrealAdminWiki

The second link is a PHP script that can be added to a website or other program that can take the info from a server and display it. Depending on what language you are writing the DvT Tools in, you or someone else might be able to implement it into the program.
http://www.penetrate.nl/ut3serverquery.phps

Let me know if I can be of any help with it since starting after next Weds I have Christmas break for about a month.

{DvT}JonahHex · 12-07-2007, 12:48 AM

I use Borland C++ Builder 6 for the DvT Tools. If I weren't too lazy to rewrite the code, I'd switch it over to Borland Delphi, but I am, so I haven't.

The UnrealAdmin info on the Unreal server protocols is exactly the reference source I've used since I first wrote the ServerQuery program. The wiki link clearly shows the limitations of the new Gamespy protocol: a couple of bugs are listed and the absence of player info is glaring.

Converting the 2K4 version over to the UT3 version is pretty simple. As I indicated, I've already got the query code converted, now I just need to decide how I want to have the program format and display it. I don't plan to change the UI - it will still display in 2 window panes...server info on the left and (now) a nasty note on the right pointing out the failings of Gamespy to provide player info.

Part of what I'm doing now is trying to decide whether to assume that the servers will always return the info in the order listed on the wiki page (which they seem to do now) or whether to do it the safe way and make no assumptions and cycle thru the returned code to compare the returned params with the expected params before displaying the returned values. The latter is the best way but it makes the code longer - so the question is how lazy will I be?

. I've already got the params and the values in separate arrays, p[i] and v[i] so the info is all available to use. Like I said, the hard part is making up my mind on how to use (display) it.

I've always said the hardest part of programming is the UI: what do I want to display? where do I want to put it? what color should it be? should the button be labeled "next" or "continue"? etc etc etc ...All those personal preference, aesthetics, usability questions.