The Pending MSC Admin System

[Thothie]

Discussion of upcoming feature.

Thanks to some new capabilities given to us by MiB, I’m fairly certain we can remove reliance on AMX as a workaround for most bugs, including map crashes, lack of retention of bans, vote system, etc. etc.

AMX has been both a crutch and a curse for a long time now, as in addition to the large number of additional edicts it generates (adding to our already vicious edict problem), it has been amongst the top generators of cheats. Mostly due to the latter issue, with some reluctance, I want to axe it from servers on the [FN] network. This will be accomplished by listlib.gam verification - which will also eliminate ent_mod and other metamod related cheats.

Only major potential downside I see to this is that many professional level hosts use Metamod’s/AMX’s SQL server system to manage their servers. However, I figure any potential host that’s picky about requirements for the game’s it hosts, will dump MSC out of the insane CPU usage, and in two years of seeing MSC servers, I’ve yet to see one professionally hosted anyways, save for Hellsdiner, which has no such qualms.

Now, before we take that step, I want to be absolutely sure that MSC’s internal admin system can handle all the critical functions of AMX/X, preferably better than AMX itself does. Hence, the discussion thread.

Here’s a list of the current functionality of the MSC admin system, and those features that I want to be sure are in by February:

• Crashed.cfg
- Map votes and transitions will be written to the crashed.cfg - replacing StevenLAFl’s crashed recovery plugin
• Admins
- Adminstrators can be defined for a server by adding their steam id’s to \admins.txt
- Administrative commands follow:
• admin_ban / admin_unban / admin_kick
- Permanent bans will be written to a special .cfg, or, optionally, direct to the server/listenserver.cfg
- Kicks/bans/unbans can be done by partial name, steam id, or status index
• admin_vote / admin_votemap / admin_say
- Admins can initiate generic votes, map votes (bypassing restrictions), and make global anouncements
• admin_help
- Lists admin commands to admins.
• chatlog
- We’ve a fully functional chatlog, that will create files based on month and year, and catalog certain server events, and administrative actions, in addition to chat. (Optional)
• MOTD (pending)
- This bit is pending, I’ve not decided whether or not to use the pop-up or the combat hud. (Duplicating the amx screen text method is problematic, in addition to ugly.)
• iMessages (also pending)
- I don’t personally use the amx_imessage system, as I find it obnoxious, but for those that do, I think best method would likely be to run them through the combat hud at the desired interval, maybe allowing a neigh infinite number of them through additional motd#.txt’s
• Chatbug bot
- MiB added a fix for the chat bug, so there’s no longer any need for a chatbug bot.
• Heartbeat for restarter
- MSC Admin system includes awareness of the HLDS restarter and is fully compatible with the AMX method it uses.
• Client votemap, votekick, voteban, votepvp
- All can be enabled/disabled and customized via cvars and initiated either via chat or console.
- (vote PVP is still pending, but if I’m lucky, I might be able to make it take effect immediately, rather than after map change.)

Proposed cvars (and their defaults):
• ms_reset_if_empty 0
- Run quit on server 60 seconds after last player leaves (helps keep server fresh)
• msvote_map_type "all"
- Options are: all, root, and nonfn
- all = allows voting for all maps (save hidden/gauntlet/maze)
- root = restrict voting to only root towns and maps not connected to the world
- nonfn = same as all, but also allows voting for maps not legit on FN (for non-FN servers)
• msvote_farm_all_day 0
- Allow voting for the map the players are on
• msvote_map_enable 1 - allow players to vote for maps from chat or console
• msvote_kick_enable 1 - allow players to vote kick from chat or console
• msvote_ban_enable 1 - allow players to vote ban from chat or console
• msvote_ban_time 60 - time to ban person voted banned by players (0 = permanent)
• msvote_pvp_enable 1 - allow vote for pvp (pvp mode will engage/end 60 seconds after vote)
• ms_chatlog 1 - log chat and various server events to monthly chat log
• ms_admin_contact "[none given]" - Place e-mail contact here, it will appear to kicked/banned players
• ms_ban_to_cfg 1
- Write permanent bans to server.cfg/listenserver.cfg so they stay permanent
- Either way permanent bans are also written to msc_bans.cfg, which you can exec from your server.cfg, if you’d rather keep it clean.

Basically what I want to know is if there are any major AMX functions hosts feel they need that aren’t covered here, so that I can deal with it before the end of the month.

 

[Sabre]

I suppose you're moving slap and slay...This is a good thing. I cannot think of anything...
Can you make some cvars to toggle on and off the "[Some fewl] has joined the party of [Some parteh]." ?
And speaking of...Mayhaps could you try out putting an MotD into that format (The black box in the top left)? Dunno if it can be bigger than it is, but it's worth a shot.

 

[The Man In Black]

• Client votemap, votekick, voteban, votepvp
- All can be enabled/disabled and customized via cvars and initiated either via chat or console.
- (vote PVP is still pending, but if I’m lucky, I might be able to make it take effect immediately, rather than after map change.)

I can do this, but we'd need a delay. I think there's a reason that it's set up to only change on map ;-)

The motd would burn your eyes if it were in those black boxes. It...may be possible to get a GUI with an 'ok' button and a big text box. I volunteer Shuri or P. >_>

 

[Sabre]

Actually, the GUI would be nice...Isn't that something you could rip outta HL or something?

 

[Shurik3n]

Hmm I could probably just make something like the inventory screen, only thinner, with the motd text and an Ok button... yeah... I'll look into it.

 

[replica]

I’ve yet to see one professionally hosted anyways, save for Hellsdiner, which has no such qualms.

actually recently someone set up another professionally owned server, it's got 26 slots, but no FN. i think cornholio is the man behind it.

IP: 74.86.143.72:27016

 

[Thothie]

I can do this, but we'd need a delay. I think there's a reason that it's set up to only change on map

Yeah, assumed there’d be a delay/count down on PvP votes. I figure all we need to do is change the global rule – the cvar doesn’t need to change. – although check the “game.pvp” function – I’m not sure if it returns the rule or the cvar.

The motd would burn your eyes if it were in those black boxes. It...may be possible to get a GUI with an 'ok' button and a big text box. I volunteer Shuri or P. >_>

Yeah, that is a sticky bit there – it might not be so bad in the HUD, but you’d be very limited – lest you wanted to depend on the player knowing how to scroll back in it. Even in those text pop-ups, I’m very limited. I’ll echo to console still, of course.

I suppose you're moving slap and slay...This is a good thing. I cannot think of anything...

Slap and slay are both potentially abusive… Although I must admit, slap is also useful for getting unstuck, but I can’t think of a way to implement it without the potential for abuse, nor for an alternative replacement atm.

Can you make some cvars to toggle on and off the "[Some fewl] has joined the party of [Some parteh]." ?

Yes, but that’s unrelated to this discussion.

I’ve yet to see one professionally hosted anyways, save for Hellsdiner, which has no such qualms.

actually recently someone set up another professionally owned server, it's got 26 slots, but no FN. i think cornholio is the man behind it.

IP: 74.86.143.72:27016

Not a problem, this won't affect non-FN servers. (edit: Save, maybe, conflicting with existing AMX commands, but that could be fixed by disabling the features or plugins, or by editing the AMX plugins)

 

[Sabre]

Can you make some cvars to toggle on and off the "[Some fewl] has joined the party of [Some parteh]." ?

Yes, but that’s unrelated to this discussion.

'Twas a "While you're at it" statement

 

[Shurik3n]

Maybe you should make a "stuck" client command usable every 10 or so seconds, basically just slaps and goes on cooldown. I don't see any obvious way to abuse that.

Most people just use an axe red charge to unstuck anyways, although noobs don't have that option, but then again they probably wouldn't know the command anyways.

 

[Thothie]

That's, kinda what I did to the amx_slap plugin. I shall consider.

 

[The Man In Black]

Or you could have a command that sends an event to all entites within the bounding box and tells them to go intangible. If the search-area is small enough, I don't think you'd see people backed in corners just walking away.

 

[Thothie]

People would use it to ghost into bosses and stuck them.

 

[The Man In Black]

If the search area was small enough, I don't think that would happen, but meh. It was just a thought ;-)

 

[Thothie]

BTW, I *think* I can add admin_rcon, or admin_cvar, and *maybe* specific admin levels, so you can give those abilities to some admins and not others without compromising your rcon (also useful if you are worried about rcon sniffers).

 

[The Man In Black]

You aren't doing normal power flags?

 

[Thothie]

You aren't doing normal power flags?

I don't think 26 levels of adminship the way AMX has it is particularly useful, and immunity just leads to stupid power plays... So the admin levels I r thinking are:

standard (default to if not defined):
admin_kick, admin_ban, admin_listbans, admin_unban, admin_say, admin_vote, admin_votemap, admin_help,
cvar:
all that plus: admin_cvar <var> <value>
rcon:
all that plus: admin_rcon "commands..."

Anyone with a "loopback" IP always has full admin powers.

One thing this system wont have that AMXmodX does, is the ability to define admins from the command line, as that's always been very exploitable. You'll actually have to edit the admins.txt to add admins.

 

[PBarnum]

Haha sorry kind of off topic but when I read the title of this thread, I thought you meant to have a "police" like group that moderates MSC. I would have voted... All of RiP.

 

[Sabre]

Wonder if we can get the Writers' Guild to support the Developers' Guild strike.

XD

 

[The Man In Black]

Why would that be exploitable

 

[Thothie]

There's a few known exploits with it, which is why the AMXmodX folk recommend disabling the feature themselves. Some of them involve admins with cvar access overflowing cvars to change their own admin powers (or admins with amx_rcon just flat out commanding it). Some also involve rcon sniffers adding themselves as admins. Not sure if either of those are a huge possibility with this system (save the obvious), but it's potentially problematic, and not a feature in standard AMX in anycase. (Power here, also potentially problematic atm... Wow wind...)

Wonder if we can get the Writers' Guild to support the Developers' Guild strike.

I think you have to be paid to go on "strike". >_> Otherwise it's called a "rebellion".

 

[Sabre]

There's a few known exploits with it, which is why the AMXmodX folk recommend disabling the feature themselves. Some of them involve admins with cvar access overflowing cvars to change their own admin powers (or admins with amx_rcon just flat out commanding it). Some also involve rcon sniffers adding themselves as admins. Not sure if either of those are a huge possibility with this system (save the obvious), but it's potentially problematic, and not a feature in standard AMX in anycase. (Power here, also potentially problematic atm... Wow wind...)

Wonder if we can get the Writers' Guild to support the Developers' Guild strike.

I think you have to be paid to go on "strike". >_> Otherwise it's called a "rebellion".

So, uh...$10 for the Ice Dagger rights...OR I GO ON STRIKE/REBEL!
xD

 

[Thothie]

What's he on about now? :roll:

I'll change the name back to Litch Tongue for ye, okay?

 

[The Man In Black]

You should change the name to its script name >_>

 

[Sabre]

You should change the name to its script name >_>

What, Flamelick?
EDIT:
The Guild puts forth these demands:
1. Put the S.H.I.T. crest ingame
2. Release gamma lighting and the Hall of Deralia.

...Please?

 

[Picadilly]

I'd like to see a MOTD window that supports HTML like CS and DOD have.