A solution for the GameSpy masterserver issue

[Alexander]

As you all know, GameSpy will take down the masterserver per end of May.

Fortunately a solution is available, an alternative masterserver:
master.deusexnetwork.com

For instructions on how to use this masterserver, click here.

To fasten/facilitate the migration of players to this new masterserver, we request all serverhosters to install the following modification:
http://deusexnetwork.com/files/DX1/mult ... /DXNMSv2.u

To install, add the following to your DeusEx.ini (under [DeusEx.DeusExGameEngine])

Code: Select all

ServerPackages=DXNMSv2
ServerActors=DXNMSv2.DXNMS

This modification will prompt players which are still using the GameSpy masterserver to change it to the new alternative masterserver, as shown here:


For more information, click here.

Any questions or suggestions? Feel free to post them here!

[Alexander]

Oh, quick addition:

This new masterserver queries the gamespy masterserver, so you will still get the full list after switching to the new masterserver. So you don't have to wait till GameSpy is actually offline, you can switch right away.

[TheWolf]

That is AWESOME. Good job.

Edit: Just installed it on my homehost. BTDM Canada. By the way if you need help paying for that stuff just give me a shout.

2nd Edit: Just installed on the deti my buddy is letting me use. That server will only be for the patch since it doesn't function properly

[[FGS]Chees]

I don't but ...do care the master server is down, yet I will still map even if my maps never get played and remain on my PC as just a file. I've never come across a game with people so dedicated and professional. Nodz, Unknown, Cozmo, Sonny, Chinny, Kalman, Shadow, DJ, Atery, to many people to name but glad I was part of this legend community called Deus Ex. I made many friends in the process and thank you all for your hospitality and respect... a BIG shout out to Unknown Cya soon mate!
No doubt the game is still alive but thought I would state what I feel.
See ya all in game hopefully biatchs

[chin.democ.]

Really well done Alex.

[~[FGS]SaSQuATcH~]

This looks really cool, well done! I'm assuming that everyone who'll want to play DXMP after GameSpy is gone would need to install this update before the 31st of May, right?

I'd love to post an announcement about this on the news page of [FGS], once it's been confirmed working 100% and reliable. It'd be another chance for people who missed the patch to find out what to do if at least they remember our portal. We should also spread the news on all DX related forums and websites that still work.

On a different note, would it make sense to include the CPU fix (and possibly other bug fixes) as extra options in this patch?

[Alexander]

Hopefully - when enough serverhosters install the mod - all active players between now and 31st of May will automatically be switched to the new masterserver.

As for reliability, there's also a status page: http://masterstatus.deusexnetwork.com/ (with uptime statistics per day).
We can't really implement other fixes, what this mod does is only change a single variable in your DeusEx.ini, nothing else.

[ShadowRunner]

Great news, great job, it's better for servers to do this sooner rather than later.

[atrey65789]

I can see this working, but I would still recommend deja's patch over this, only for the mer fact that his supports 8 master servers. If we just have one, and for some reason it dies, the community could be perminantly doomed. Let's make multiple master servers so that way no one particularly is in charge of the fate of this community. Think about it.

[Alexander]

It might have more redundancy, but it's a less accessible solution to be honest (due to having to install things). This fix only requires you to press a button, and you're set. The domainname master.deusexnetwork.com currently points to a specific masterserver, but can be redirected elsewhere as well of course.
Thus should the current masterserver somehow go offline permanently, an alternative masterserver can be set up pretty easily by just pointing it to a different server.

[atrey65789]

I understand having your MS redirecting to several other ones.... but that falls back again to relying on this one MS, If it goes down, we all go down. It's just the way we gotta do it. On the safe side.

[ShadowRunner]

Deus Ex Network has been hosting an archive consistently for years, I don't see why it would go down without warning. Also as far as I can see, there can be more than one masterserver.

[atrey65789]

But Alex's patch only is one master server... Not multiple.

[~][FGS][Nobody~]

The goal is to get things alright with as few changes as possible.
The crux is that you don't need to install custom stuff here.
Yes, the disadvantage is, that we now rely on another domain.
However, currently it's a bigger disadvantage to install a mod in order to get it running again.

Btw Alex.. is it possible that the notification window doesn't function on servers with mapvote installed?

[ShadowRunner]

We don't want a masterserver war, the ideal solution will allow anyone to add their masterserver and promote awareness. I saw Alfredo talking about hosting one too. There's plenty of people who want to do this. Any masterserver is better than none.