UnrealAdmin.org Interview

[Azazel]

Recently we asked members of this site to come up with some UT2003 Server
only questions in the event of getting someone to answer them questions.

Well we got someone

Big big big thanks go to Joe Wilcox (aka DrSin) for giving us some of his time
to answer questions from the admin community
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To read the interview please click "Read More" below
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The Interview

Shaggy: Can we have an in game graphical interface to set admin/game options
fitted as standard - I find the command line stuff too slow and
easily screwed up so it would be nice if I didn't have to wait around
for ages until some nice person wrote a mod for it.?

DrSin: Yes, but probably not until the first patch. Michel Comeau (DarkByte) is doing
it once all the default in-game menus are done. He also wrote the new web admin
system so I would expect it to follow the functionality fairly closely.

Shaggy: What resources are going to be available from the day 1 to help
admins understand what they're doing with all the sparkly new
features that I'm sure there will be in UT2K3?

DrSin: Running a UT2K3 server isn't at all different from running a UT server. There
are several good web sites out there covering the topic. Additionally, Epic
maintains the Server admin mailing list. Any admin running a full time server
should be on that list.

Shaggy: Well the web based admin be more reliable this time?

DrSin: Yes, it's been given a complete overhaul. The connect bugs have been fixed and
it's got nice new features like individual user levels and accounts for
sub-admins, etc.

Bry: Will a UT2003 server also require its own unique cd key like a normal
client? Hopefully it won't and will operate like UT, otherwise there
will be not very many public servers due to the hsots of requiring a
unique key per server.

Slack: With a single legit copy of UT2003, I expect to be able to run a
dedicated server, and a full client. One CD key, two (1.5 really)
instances of UT2k3 running. Please confirm that this will be the
case.

FWIW: I'd really rather not have to have the CD in the dedicated server
machine upone every launch!

Dr Sin: Yes, UT servers require a CDKey, but I think single CDKey can run multiple
servers as well as a single client. There will also be a free server download
(for both Linux and Win32). When you sign up for it, you will receive a
"server-only" CD key.

Slack: Command line stuff is ok. But a GUI with a tree and/or folder type of
drop down menu system thingy, with radio buttons, and sliders etc..
for every little tweak would be better. The more anal the admin, the
farther down he drills. In a nutshell, what's the dedicated server
admin front-end gonna be like?

DrSin: There will be a graphical menu, but it probably won't satisfy the more anal
admin. But it should make most of the normal admin tasks a snap.

Slack: Your upstream bandwidth is x you can expect to host y players

Your memory is x mb, you can run y simultaneous levels (multiple
servers on one box, i.e. at a lan party where bandwidth isn't an
issue).

Same as memory but CPU

DrSin: UT2K3 uses about 20% or so less bandwidth for the same # of players, however,
CPU is a little higher. For 16 players, you will probably want at least a 500mhz
machine.

Slack: What are the new geee-whizzz features?

DrSin: Can you elaborate more on this one? Features of the game, the admin, what?

Slack: Can admins set mutators on a per map basis? Most importantly, low
grav?

DrSin: Sorry, no.

Slack: Will there be an ability to stream (well not stream, but as a server package) mp3's or
ogg music to clients regardless of 'defualt' level music?

DrSin: Not going to happen, sorry.

Slack: Will we have a welcome/splash screen with more than 4 MOTD lines?

DrSin: It's an interesting idea. When we did the little CSHP splasher, we got a large #
of requests from admins on how to do it. So, maybe in a patch/bonus pack.

THeGAME: I'd like to know what kind of hardware they designed UT2003 on, If
they are going to use a ngStats type of score tally, If they are
still going to use a mirc type of game server/ lobby.

DrSin: UT2K3 was designed on a little bit of everything so it would be hard to list it
all. UT2K3 will come complete with our own UT 2003 Stats instead of using an
after market thing. Personally, I do all of my development on a dual AMD 1.2
with a GF4.. while my LD work was done on a AMD 1.4 with a GF3.

We are planning on an internal IRC client, but not until at least the first
patch.

Gaussian: Once Epic/DE has officially announced that the release of the DEMO
will be in 5 to 7 days...would it also be possible to release some
projected server guidelines so that us "dedicated server" admins can
get any last minute upgrades for the servers, if necessary. I feel
this would give just enough time, in most cases, to order any parts
and upgrade the memory, processor, etc..., before the DEMO's release.

DrSin: I'd say specs and information will be posted to the UT Server admins list as
well as the typical forums.

Gaussian: Will there be variable number of bots available for IA support on a
"per map" basis that can be set by the server admin?

DrSin: IA? Admins and normal players can setup bot teams to play against in the game,
but not on a map by map basis.

50BMG: Will UT-2003 be built to use multi-threading and thus make use of
dual cpu systems in the server or client modes?

DrSin: No. UT2K3 is a single threaded process. Multiple CPU's however work great
running multiple servers.

50BMG: Now that ngWorldStats "is on the fritz", what will UT-2003 use to fan
the flames of competition?

DrSin: See above

Azazel: DrSin mentions UT2003 having its own stats system built in.

50BMG: The biggest weakness of UT "as marketed", is lack of a help system,
tech reference, or resource-kit that's worth a damn. It's taken
countless hours of effort on the part of thousands (at least) of
individuals to build up the present set of internet resources devoted
to users and admins. Will UT-2003 continue this tradition?

DrSin: Well, I kind of agree with you here. I wrote a bunch of LD tutorials when Unreal
and UT came out. We are doing our best to make sure there is plenty of
instructional content out there. There will be a book on UnrealED and we will be
opening up most of the UDN site which is full of tutorials. There are also the 3
mailing lists for mod makers.

And of course, since UT2K3 isn't much different in terms of running servers, or
coding there is a ton of community content already available.

50BMG: Can you tell us about the future of enhancements like "Tactical Ops"
in the light of UT-2003? Will they have a place in the "new order"?

DrSin: I really don't know what the Tac Op's team is doing. But in terms of mods, UT2K3
is going to be the place to be.

50BMG: We've seen some of the new editor, will it be a part of the standard
offering?

DrSin: Yep. UnrealED will be there, as will the new uscript debugger. The Unreal
Development Environment is hopefully going to make it or come out right after.
On top of that, the just announced Maya plug-in that works with the learning
edition is really sweet.

50BMG: Again with the editor... The new editor does not seem to have much in
the way of migration tools to assist in bringing maps from UT-GOTY to
UT-2003... Can this be or is it just a "clean slate" situation?

DrSin: You can port up a map, but you really don't want to. However, it's as simple as
exporting the map as a T3D and re-importing it and all of it's textures. Of
course, some clean up would be needed.

50BMG: What, if anything, will UT-2003 do to support or replace add-ons like

CSHP or UT-Pure?

DrSin: I won't talk about the actual cheat protection, but I will say there are several
internal layers as well as a nice security system that allows mod authors to
verify just about any portion of UT, from packages to individual uscript
functions.

50BMG: UT-GOTY was obviously designed with "bottom end" internet
connectivity as the minimum threshold for play. Will UT-2003 keep
this as the minimum or raise the bar to exclude the 28.8-56k crowd?

DrSin: Nope, in fact the netcode has only gotten better so the game should be playable
for everyone.

50BMG: Likewise on the high end... Will UT-2003 do anything to improve the
network performance, or make better use of internet connections like
OC3's and DS3's?

DrSin: None that I know of.

50BMG: Will UT-2003 "build in" some of the High Reliability Server-Side
tools like GameHost to help us maintain remote Servers and keep them
up?

DrSin: I do not know what GameHost is, but probably not. With of course the exception
of the web admin which is really advance this time around.

50BMG: UT-GOTY was originally happiest running on Win98. It took some time
before it was really happy being served and run on Win2000. What is

the preferred platform for UT-2003? (Please, Please not XP!)

DrSin: UT2K3 runs best on Win2K/WinXP. But Win98/WinME work fine for clients. Of
course, Linux is great for servers.

Aimak: What about Linux (and other Unices) and Mac?
Who is gonna take care of them?
Do we have to purchase each separately or will there be a free dedicated
server like there is for UT?

DrSin: Ryan Gordon is working on both the Unix and Mac ports, but other than that I
have no information.

Bry: UT had a limit of 50 bans per server, will this still exist in UT2003,
or can server admins ban more people. As, to be honest, 50 just is not
enough when you need to keep all cheaters/lamers off a server.

DrSin: There isn't a limit now, and you can ban by player id so it's much more
accurate.

Bry: Is redirect still to be included if not then will the server be able
to send files at full speed?

DrSin: I'm pretty sure UT2K3 will support redirect.

Bry: Will normal players be able to easily in-game see each players unique
cd key ID (not their actual key but their id based upon it) This would
help to stop people who "fake nick" so people know who they are
playing against

DrSin: Hmm.. an interesting idea that I'll pass along to Jack, but this is not planned
at this time. Though I might have to hack my CDkey in so I can finally play as
DrSiN.

Bry: As well as banning per cd key will their be an option to only let
people into a server via their ID. Basically tournaments and leagues
could then set their server up to only let in these players to easily
check the clan is fielding their own players and not 'borrowed'
players

DrSin: Hmm.. a very interesting idea that's not planned. Right now we do plan on
addressing many of the issues facing the "competitive gamer" in the first patch
and this would be a cool something to add. But no promises.

Bry: We have been told epic/de will permanetly ban peoples key off the
master server. Will their be a method for a server admin to forward a
player ID to ban off the permanent server for things like
cheating/laming/abuse etc.

DrSin: Server admins will be able to ban only for their server. There is just too much
room for abuse. However, we have a few hidden tricks ready for anyone who cheats
and more importantly, anyone writing a cheat. I am after all famous for
hard-lock the PC's of people cheating.

Once again thanks to everyone for posting questions and a big big thanks to
DrSin.

Registered members can follow up this interview by going to

this thread

Everyone is welcome to leave comments by clicking the "Post Comment" button
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