Devs: Technical Questions, Protocol talk Options

[jhurliman]

People seem to use this forum more often than e-mail or more traditional means, so I'm following suit. I'll bump this thread whenever I have a question.

Here's my overview of what happens when you login:

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UDP -> 216.40.247.50 "TESTINGLOGIC"
UDP -> 216.40.247.50 "TESTINGLOGIC"
UDP -> 216.40.247.50 "TESTINGLOGIC"
UDP -> 216.40.247.50 "TESTINGLOGIC"

HTTP -> 216.40.247.50 GET http://www.yellowinternet.co.uk/xlink/sign...t.php?username=[]&password=[]rn

UDP <- "TestGame"
UDP <- "TestChat"
UDP <- "TestGame"
UDP <- "TestChat"

HTTP <- "Logged In;192.168.41.59;I'm hosting Halo;I'm looking for Halo;I'm hosting Tony Hawks 2;I'm looking for Tony Hawks 2;I'm hosting Tony Hawks 3;I'm looking for Tony Hawks 3;I'm hosting Tony Hawks 4;I'm looking for Tony Hawks 4;I'm hosting Unreal;I'm looking for Unreal;I'm hosting MotoGP;I'm looking for MotoGP;I'm hosting MotoGP2;I'm looking for MotoGP2;I'm hosting Clone Wars;I'm looking for Clone Wars;I'm hosting Serious Sam;I'm looking for Serious Sam;I'm hosting Mech Assault;I'm looking for Mech Assault;I'm hosting Time Splitters 2;I'm looking for Time Splitters 2;I'm hosting Ghost Recon;I'm looking for Ghost Recon;I'm hosting Wolfenstein;I'm looking for Wolfenstein;I'm hosting Brute Force;I'm looking for Brute Force;I'm hosting Midnight Club 2;I'm looking for Midnight Club 2;I'm hosting Midtown Madness 3;I'm looking for Midtown Madness 3;I'm hosting Soldier Of Fortune 2;I'm looking for Soldier Of Fortune 2;I'm hosting Ghost Recon Island Thunder;I'm looking for Ghost Recon Island Thunder;I'm hosting NASCAR Heat;I'm looking for NASCAR Heat;I'm hosting NFL Fever 2004;I'm looking for NFL Fever 2004;I'm hosting Inside Pitch 2003;I'm looking for Inside Pitch 2003;I'm hosting Whacked;I'm looking for Whacked;"

HTTP -> 216.40.247.50 GET http://www.yellowinternet.co.uk/xlink/epoc...5.php?username=[]

HTTP <- "DONE"

HTTP -> 216.40.247.50 GET http://www.yellowinternet.co.uk/xlink/getc...5.php?username=[]

HTTP -> 216.40.247.50 GET http://www.yellowinternet.co.uk/xlink/geti...5.php?username=[]

HTTP -> 216.40.247.50 GET http://www.yellowinternet.co.uk/xlink/epoc...5.php?username=[]&game=0

HTTP <- "DONE"

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I haven't implemented the UDP calls on startup yet; I wasn't sure if it's a permanent part of the protocol or something that's in testing?

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When your client calls the script to send an e-mail to another user, it doesn't return a success. It's either a 302 moved or 404, I don't recall of the top of my head but the client doesn't follow up on it so it appears to be broken right now. Is anyone sending e-mail through XLink successfully?

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There's two HTTP calls (getipadv25.php and epoch25.php) linked two a timer (actually two timers I think), one fires every 20 seconds and the other every 30 seconds. Can these both be combined in to one timer, and would you recommend a 20 second timer or 30 second? These seem to be the only way to maintain a session, and I don't want my client constantly losing a session or flooding the server.

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Are you planning on implementing a logout call in the server? It's not necessary, but it would remove dead entries from the server and make things in sync a little bit more. If there's a heavy load on the server and it takes a minute or so for someone to timeout and be dropped from the currently logged in table, a lot of stale connections could get left in there. It also makes switching users a bit nicer, which I'm going to implement.

[jz28]

sounds like you are on to something. I discovered a bug, which might be what you are saying about not logging a user out. Basically, the mac addresses of the previously connected xboxes stay there even when they have left a game.

[flat235]

Hi.. thanks for spending the time on this - Im very busy atm but Im always on here at night and i'll answer any Q's u have..

"I haven't implemented the UDP calls on startup yet; I wasn't sure if it's a permanent part of the protocol or something that's in testing?"

Thats a massively important one... the client sends UDP packets to the server address (opening a UDP hole on most routers - without the need for forwarding ) ... but more importantly, if the client receives the server responses (on the same port if u notice) - then the client is able to receive data from other clients... if they DONT land in 5 seconds, the "Port check failed" kicks in.. We do this because it would be horrible to have loads of people online, who cant actualyl receive game/chat data.. See, the TCP connections will ALWAYS work.. but you MUST verify the 2 UDP ports before allowing the user into the rest of the client.

"When your client calls the script to send an e-mail to another user....."

Bug.. fixing for server model 26..

"There's two HTTP calls (getipadv25.php and epoch25.php) linked two a timer (actually two timers I think), one fires every 20 seconds and the other every 30 seconds. Can these both be combined in to one timer, and would you recommend a 20 second timer or 30 second? These seem to be the only way to maintain a session, and I don't want my client constantly losing a session or flooding the server."

Correct, the calls could (and should) be made at the same time - expect this in model 26... epoch will be folded into getipadv26. 30 seconds will be the chosen interval.

"Are you planning on implementing a logout call in the server? It's not necessary, but it would remove dead entries from the server and make things in sync a little bit more. If there's a heavy load on the server and it takes a minute or so for someone to timeout and be dropped from the currently logged in table, a lot of stale connections could get left in there. It also makes switching users a bit nicer, which I'm going to implement."

It's a possibility.. the server doesnt get affected too much by it not logging out - but I suppose it would be cleaner.. I'll try to get it into model 26.

Thanks

TD