Testing a web server ?

[Redrobes]

Ravi and I were chatting the other day and we thought it would be fun to be able to play RPGs via the forums in the CWBP. It was suggested that we might be able to have many groups running amok spread all over the area and I suggested that it would be possible to keep track of the maps and maybe serve up the maps on the forums by request. Then I thought that what might be better is serving them us via your browser. So I have been implementing a web server into ViewingDale to you guys can get at the CWBP maps dynamically. Now I don't know how to do interiors and underground as well as you cant click through the jump points on the map but one thing at a time eh ?

It works just great on the desktop between two machines but thats always easy. I have used a proxy, tried it on some out of same building machines, and a few people here have had a play from my PMs. Mostly its been great and some people have had a few problems but I have made some changes to it since.

The URL is quite complex. It has an X, Y, Z and S. The X & Y are in meters from some arbitrary point bottom left. The Z is zoom or scale where a big number is zoomed out a long way. The optional S is the image size to serve up.

So... START HERE

which should be the cart in Fentor Cross, Thrubmorton, Ansium and manually change the Z and maybe X&Y if you feel like it.

There is no scripts or log in or anything its running right out of my desktop machine. It can note the IP address and User Agent (I.E / Firefox) etc and the map coords but does not track anything other than the normal web page stuff you dish out to every other web server.

If your able then it would be cool if you could reply in this thread with whether it worked or not and whether you think its a good idea to serve these maps and also whether you think it would be good to play RPG by chat/forum posts/other in the CWBP.

Also, if anyone has a windows based always on web server that they just happen to have running and might be able to host with a more 'always on' experience than I might be able to do then that would be appreciated. I'll be running this for at least a few hours from now but then its likely to be off. Hope it stays up for at least a few hours tho

Enjoy.

[Steel General]

Neat stuff RedRobes!

Maybe implement similar controls to Google Maps or something (I have no idea how difficult that would be).

[Notsonoble]

the first load worked (i think) I got an image of a cart, when I went to change x to what thought would be forward, it never loaded...

[torstan]

I tried but the connection timed out.

[ravells]

I got stuck with an endless load too

This is a really cool idea though!

[Redrobes]

Ok so basically some issues to resolve then. That's pretty usual and ill have a look through the list of connection list and see which bits it seemed to get stuck on. Bit of a shame that because I cant find a connection where its not solid - which is always the way aint it ! It was gathering stuck threads and it seems to be better in that department now so I must just serve the pages and ensure that the browser is told that I have done it and to stop requesting it again.

Did anyone have any opinions or ideas about whether this would be useful and whether this, as an idea, is good for playing in the CWBP ?

If I use a cookie then I think ill be able to keep track of where you last asked for and then if you press left or right then it could determine a new position based on the previous one. That would make the UI much more simple. Not sure how easy that is at this point but it sounds like it should be easy. Or I could keep a list of URL links to the groups playing so you can just click to go to their position. Use something like the members map I host but instead of a new person pin I could make it so that you enter a name and some password and a new position and it changes it. That position could come from the map server so it lines up accurately. So groups update their own position on the global map which would be an always on deal.

Anyways, to those that tried it, thanks guys. I'll have to work on it some more tho.

Edit -- its still running just fine for me. Time to find an Australian proxy I think...

[NeonKnight]

Tried, and here is where I moved the map too.

http://82.32.151.149:8080/?x=1444780....4&z=150&s=512

[Redrobes]

I am glad its working for some people. I have tried a few more proxies and its just fine. Heres one...

http://www.anonasurf.com/

This one is based in california so thats a 10K mi round trip at least and it seems fine. I'll try your link address Neon

It will be up for about 20 mins more then I have to get some kip

[torstan]

Okay, now it works (back at home rather than in the office - could it be a portforwarding or firewall issue?)

That's great! A right, left, up and down arrow to move the view by increments would be a handy first implementation of panning. Also, any chance of a larger image?

I like the idea of a CWB pbp campaign area. I'm not sure I'd have time to run anything but I like the concept of playing a laid back game.

[Redrobes]

Yeah I am thinking maybe the issue is that I am hosting it on 8080 cos I run an internet web server for myself too. Maybe I should host it on 80 like a normal web server so that I can drop the :8080 bit of the url and then maybe everyones firewalls and internet connections wont think its too bizarre.

Hmm odd isnt it. So its not a total loss and seems as though with certain set ups its just fine and with others not so fine. I will have to try and see how I can rough it up a bit and see if I can break it. Looking at the log it seems as though some connections make multiple rapid attempts to connect. I cant be sure what happens from that point. I don't know if I abort the new connections or serve the last one requested.

I reckon it would be great to play in a group but I dont have much time to map let alone GM. Struggling to map anything and do thumbnails at mo... sigh.