Dark and Light Control Panel Feature Requests

[Ryan Pennington 359]

If you have any suggestions or things we should add to our DNL control panel, post them here.

[Azkarath 1]

I would love it, if we could get all the multiplayer settings in there, like how much exp, taming time, hunger and thirst loss.

[DeezGames 28]

So yeah, I have a few...

 

Custom Panels

 

Custom panels for BOTH GameUserSettings.ini AND Game.ini additions in the Server Settings window, similar to how there is a GameUserSettings.ini already in place for ARK.

 

This would obviously be for advanced users and should be noted as such, but we Really need it to eliminate all of the hassle of having to FTP so much if it could be done. Perhaps have it greyed out, and only "Unlock" while the server is currently offline.

This would additionally help bridge the gap for those that aren't familiar with using things like WinSCP or the such and would really set the already high reputation SS has for it's custom Control Panel that much higher for taking the FTP out of the equation. (Would really like it on the ARK servers too btw)

 

The question is though, can it even be done?

 

Message of the Day / Broadcast

 

We Really need a separate MotD box, right at the top, front and center for servers.

The MotD is an Admins 2 way window to their player-base and ensures the players (If used properly) that the admins are active, even if they don't see them in game often. Adding the MotD window to the front end of the SS Admin panel would be even better than having it tucked away in the Server Settings, especially as there are (kinda broken) in game commands to change the MotD. Which leads me to believe that it may well be possible to create functionality that allows it to be changed here without having to restart the server to do so.

 

Additionally, having a function that performs a system broadcast message from this same location would be of tremendous help in the event an Admin needs to take the server down for unexpected maintenance. Such prime examples are if there has been a server update, and the admin's own client has been updated and thus can not log into game to advise players of the impending downtime for the update for those still online from before the patch was released.

 

This could even be done with say a button that begins a broadcast cycle similar to your ARK daily restart notification, where it gives a 10, 5 and 2 minute warning before the restart, but manually triggered by an Admin needing to do an update so that players stuck waiting for the server to update can log in sooner rather than waiting for the daily restart to update the server to current.

 

One note for this one, to prevent it from being accidentally used by multiple admins / sub users, lock it after it's been used initially, so that it can't be used again until after it's cycle has completed.

 

Performance Warning

 

This is something we've noticed with our ARK server, and perhaps I should just post a ticket for it as well, but to ensure it doesn't affect D&L, I figured I'd put it here too.

 

When changing engram costs in the ARK panel to custom settings, it causes the Engram page on ARK to lag HORRIBLY in game, so I just wanted to make sure such things are thoroughly tested for such if you do add in the ability to modify skill rates or change level requirements for the D&L skills.

 

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Scheduled Broadcasts via Control Panel Tool (New)

 

The ability to add + one or more entry boxes that generate a repeating Broadcast message within game, with time ranges similar to how an ARKON scripted admincheat broadcast can be set up, so that those of us with multiple servers do not need multiple installs of ARKON in order to broadcast daily or even hourly announcements.

This is a feature request that was previously made for ARK, and with 4 servers between ARK and D&L, it would take 4 separate installs of ARKON in order to have all running the broadcast script at once. As the RCON implementation is there, this "should" be doable, and could help those with issues with Cluster servers on ARK, or that otherwise can't have that many instances of ARKON running at once with keeping people informed of things like automated restarts 20 minutes before that restart, specialized PvP / PvE rulesets for servers or Discord links every hour, or the such.

 

Save World (New)

 

A Control Panel button that runs the World Save script would be immensely helpful for admins that for whatever reasons can not get into game to do so. Once a client has been updated, if the server has not yet been updated, that admin would no longer be able to log into game to inform people of an impending server update, or otherwise use the console without access to an RCON tool, whereas they can log in to the SS Control Panel even via many mobile devices.

 

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I'm sure I'll think of more when the coffee kicks in, so I'll edit them in if I do. =)

[Sara101 2]

So yeah, I have a few...

 

Custom Panels

 

Custom panels for BOTH GameUserSettings.ini AND Game.ini additions in the Server Settings window, similar to how there is a GameUserSettings.ini already in place for ARK.

 

This would obviously be for advanced users and should be noted as such, but we Really need it to eliminate all of the hassle of having to FTP so much if it could be done. Perhaps have it greyed out, and only "Unlock" while the server is currently offline.

This would additionally help bridge the gap for those that aren't familiar with using things like WinSCP or the such and would really set the already high reputation SS has for it's custom Control Panel that much higher for taking the FTP out of the equation. (Would really like it on the ARK servers too btw)

 

The question is though, can it even be done?

 

I agree here fully, even on ark, I have to edit the game.ini and have to add it over again when i change something in the modify settings because it is rewritten, it would be nice if it was on both the game.ini and gameusersettings.ini so we didn't have to re-edit with the FTP every time we noticed something needed to be changed on the servers modify...

 

and my add, i'd love to have the day and night changing settings -DAL has some evil nights!- and the custom spawns for the creatures, so we can get rid of that blasted dark element and wraith or lower their numbers GREATLY... one more, but i think someone already said it

 

the multiplier to edit how much we get per level-per stat, like say we put one point in health, normal i think 10 points, but add a few points on the server, goes to 30 or 40... Can't think of the name since i just woke up lol

 

and the crafting multiplier would be good, though as you cant edit crafting right now at all i wonder if its even a option right now...

 

maybe have it to where we can add levels in to both player and creature

[DWilson57 0]

An option to rollback to a previous server version would be nice.

 For those pesky updates that get worse instead of better.

[DeezGames 28]

Technically, I think you can already do this by saving a copy of the server state via FTP before upgrading with a new patch.

But you'd have to talk to someone a little more familiar with this process on this topic than I am.

[Pat 11]

An option to rollback to a previous server version would be nice.

 For those pesky updates that get worse instead of better.

 

Tough bit on this, we pull directly from Steam for updates. So whatever version that is there is what will download. 

[Cirric 1]

Scheduled reboot

 

Have an option to set a time for a reboot. Have a warning broadcasted at 10, 5, 2 minutes before the reboot. Run a saveworld command before the reboot. Bonus - send an email to account email that reboot was done.

 

Chat Window

 

Able to see ingame chat as well as be able to send messages to the ingame chat.

 

Saves for various ini configs

 

Able to save several different ini configs for ease of changing settings on the server.

 

Performance Monitoring

 

Live reports of Memory / CPU / Disk / Network as well as a history of performance. Maybe even break it down to include what mods are using (once we get mods).

[DeezGames 28]

The scheduled reboot is a trait of the ARK servers, and while the reboot is already present in D&L, the notifications will likely be added in the not so distant future, as the scripting already exists to some extent.

 

The ability to set your own time for those reboots is something the staff here has been working on for some time for both ARK and now D&L, so that one is also already in the cards it seems.

 

The chat window portion of your request is one of the very useful features of the "ARKON" RCON client, which thankfully does support D&L... More or less... We're still waiting for a D&L specific one, (DARKON?) but ARKON does work for the most part.

 

Additionally, if you are running ARKON, you can use it's scripted commands to create a broadcast that repeats every set number of minutes. For instance, a welcome message that broadcasts every 2 hours listing the PvP or building rules, your discord server, and your scheduled restart time.

This particular feature is actually quite easy to set up as well.

 

A save preset for the .ini configs is a hell of a suggestion, and I for one am also quite intrigued with the idea.

 

As for performance monitoring, as a PC guy that's spent a lot of time digging in parts more than code, I have no idea the complete complexities of setting up something that extensive for each and every server they have.

That's the type of feature that would have to effectively be rolled out as it's own process though rather than run through the game's engine or the steam.cmd, and as such there may would even have to be a separate process for each server instance on each machine in order to provide information on a server by server basis as you describe, and would likely require ground up programming to create it. (And that doesn't even touch the performance impact it could very well have with so many instances running on all the virtual boxes btw!)

So, with that in mind, while an amazing idea, and very forward thinking, I personally wouldn't want to touch that project with a 10 foot polearm.

 

But, I love the way you think!

[Valmora 1]

would be nice to have a panel like a few other game hosting servers i have used, like other said already, edit the ini file on the fly, as for me, a one click button that turns the server off, checks steam for an update and installs the update and restarts the server when the update has finished... other server hosts als have a file area, such that you can download IE "GAME.INI" edit it an reupload it, with out having to use an outside sourse such as filezilla...

Would be nice to have an integrated panel to view players on the server, not sure if that posible, maybe with the ability to ban from server ?

[DeezGames 28]

as for me, a one click button that turns the server off, checks steam for an update and installs the update and restarts the server when the update has finished...

 

 

Click Server Update, Select, Yes, Run Update, then click the Big Green button at the bottom.

 

As for downloading and reuploading edited .ini files, SS prefers to take even that hassle out by adding all of the most requested features (As Able) to their Modify Server Config tool. And have already begun adding to that with their brand spankin new "Custom Restart" menu, that has just gone live!

 

You can now set daily restarts, or even restarts that are done weekly at a specific time on a per day basis, and is the most complete custom restart setup that I personally have seen among hosts.

 

Custom restarts were a Very heavily requested feature for both ARK and for D&L (I moderate the D&L Forum, but I do read the ARK forum a bit as well for feature request ideas, as I also like to suggest features as a player, and have 2 servers for Each game!), so I am Super excited for this feature!

 

Here's a sneak peek!

 

 

Let us know what you think of this Awesome new restart feature, I know that I for one am Super stoked about it as I've also been pushing pretty hard for it! =)

[DeezGames 28]

For your other requests, many of those features can be done in the ARKon tool found here:

 

https://steamcommunity.com/app/346110/discussions/0/530646715639420791/

 

which does allow you to view online players, and even interact with them in chat or via a number of the admincheat commands such as renaming players or tribes, granting xp, or other such "Non-Target-Based" admincheat commands.

 

This tool will also allow you to perform a world save and broadcast before you then use the aforementioned methods to update and restart the server, so it is very useful for the event where your own client has already updated, preventing you from getting in game due to the server not yet being updated.

[Alumii 1]

I would like the option to "shut down" the server as opposed to stopping it, and allow a specified timer and message go out to player indicating the server is shutting down in 5 mins or whatever the admin selects. This would be useful for when you need to bring the server down for updates or changes and gives players time to get somewhere safe. 

I would also like the ability to set up custom levels and difficulty

 

Whitelist and Ban List - It would be great to have this so I can avoid using a password. If I could just whitelist a player based on their steam id number. 

[DeezGames 28]

Players can be added to your whitelist or blacklists using their steam ID from in game or remotely with ARKON using the "ShowMyAdminManager" function in game, then selecting the proper menu item, or with the "admincheat AllowPlayerToJoinNoCheck <steam ID>" (no brackets) for whitelist, or "admincheat BanPlayer <steam ID>" (no brackets) for the blacklist / ban function via ARKON or console.

 

Also using ARKON, you can send a broadcast or chat message to tell players before a shutdown of the server, even without the game installed.

 

The ARKON tool is very versatile, and can alleviate many of the frustrations that admins have when needing to communicate or administrate the game without the ability to log into the game itself.