I'm currently with a server provider I am very happy with, they've been very accommodating, and helpful to me and our group over the years. We're trying to find a way now to implement rF2 on to our server, maybe into their business too. (But mainly because my mates and I want to run rF2 servers on a machine we rent!) Years ago with rF1, we rented a dedicated server that offered desktop access so we could handle rF server configuration easily. However, the dedicated server we rent now has no desktop access because our group runs BF3 ranked servers which is against the rules to have desktop access. Dilemma? The rFactor Server world requires that GUI. So on to my question. How do server providers that offer rFactor servers allow their clients to administer their rFactor servers with out desktop access to the GUI? Is there some sort of a web panel? Is it even possible? Or, are we basically screwed in the fact that the only way to setup a server is to have the provider do it for us and we only have the /admin commands from in-game? That would be a very cumbersome process to have to go through. The panel we use is TCADMIN which has no rFactor support.
The rf1 server I admin has a web start/stop button, the ini files are created locally and uploaded over ftp to the correct path when the server is stopped, starting it picks them up and all is fine. The problem is going to be mod-manager without a GUI. Probably.
These are things that ISI should be considered. But I fear we do take a long time if ever to be made. A panel for administrators is really simple and it is difficult to understand how not develop one. If the provider gives you FTP access and the possibility of a small program to run alongside the dedicated server, no more mystery. Creating a plugin that automatically launched the program in case of accidental closing all resolved. I am developing one, but slowly, and when I have finished it will communicate through the news pages. ISI also hope that improves the ability of the Dedicated Server in terms of being able to send commands unattended or at least, to be identified as super administrator and administrator of the game.
So, FTP access to the multiplayer.ini file to edit changes, but are any changes done in the player.PLR as well? I'm looking for a way to choose which mod could be selected on a restart.
There are three files that you need to be able to upload in rf1: multiplayer.ini, the plr and the dedicated server mod ini. A restart will honour the options specified in those files, so that's not a problem. Admins will also need to be able to DL the log/results files if they run any kind of league stats. My advice would be to allow full ftp access to the rf root dir and everything under it, but hide all executable and dll files.
So far so good, we've got a panel up, we've got access to the player.plr and multiplayer.ini file. The mod dedicated file for the mod is accessible too. I can more than likely figure out the player.plr and multiplayer.ini files by looking at the lines within. I'm a little unsure how to change the mod loaded when the server starts, in the player.PLR file is the below line the only section that needs changing? Game Description="1960WCR_10.RFM" // The current rFactor game file (*.RFM) to load What would need to be configured (if any) in a mod's dedicated server ini? Anyone have a link to a page, post, or PDF that lists what we need to edit and configure on these files in case I miss something? I assume its the same as rF1? I did plenty of that back in the day but thats years ago. Thanks for the help!
I'm sure they are a fine company, but it would not make sense for us in our situation to rent rfactor servers when we have a very capable dedicated server sitting in a data center. I use this server for other multiplayer games, and it has the horsepower. The problem here is rfactor servers are GUI based and that is complicating the matter with our web panel. Actual assistance is greatly appreciated when offered.
OK For NRT servers you only have in game admin and a TC admin control panel you do not get direct access to the Dedicated server tool but their Support team are in thier TS3 server 18hrs a day so *I can ask them to do any thing via the Dedicated server tool
You have FTP and control pannel i tell you now i have had remote desktop servers (were i get to see the dedi server), low ping servers, hostile contact server, but it only NRT that has ever been any good 99.9% uptime we had them in rFactor 1 also.
We actually made it even easier at Rcaetoday.com for rfactor server control. I see a few things have changed, so I need to get updated. Basically it's all point/click selection, passing the info along the way, with ftp access to upload new tracks and mods. As a provider, I found this was much better, because some people want a server, but have no clue how to run it...and giving direct access to such people will have the server messed up in less than a week. Don't read into this the wrong way, some people know a lot more than I do...so this is not the case for all. We just have to make it as simple for the novice, and still try to accomadate the knowledged as well.
We've got a basic panel set up to start/stop. We have FTP access to the files, however... We're missing something, the server stops after it starts when using the web panel. This could be something simple being over looked but with the lack of experience in what it might be or where to look in the rfactor server world it appears we've hit a bit of a wall. If anyone has gotten this working in the way we are trying to set up and would be willing to exchange a few emails with the person that is working with me on my dedicated server over at the data center it would be great. Send me a personal message on this website and we'll try to figure it out. Much appreciated in advance.
I think it would depend on how you are starting it from the web panel, George. Does the user running the dedi server from the web server have write access to the folders rf2 wants to write its stuff into? Like logs and CBash etc? If not, that would probably cause the server to bomb out soon after it had started.
I've confirmed that the user running the server has full read/write access to all directories/files in the rFactor2 server directory. I brought up the idea of running a virtual machine on our dedicated server to get around EA/DICE rule of no desktop access. We asked, they said it was not allowed. We can't really get the answers or official support we need to figure this out, a GUI limited dedicated server for rFactor is a challenge to work with
