Okay, I'll get my master server warmed up.
For everybody who did not catch this part yet:
In simple words, I made my own master server. I watched how the GameSpy master server looked and wrote a script/program that does the exact same thing.
How it works:
UT server sends "uplink" or "beacon" to the master server.
Master server keeps a list of servers who do this uplink.
Master server sends this list to every client that asks for it.
What to do:
There are two things needed after GameSpy shuts down:
- The UT server needs to send the uplink to 333networks.
- The UT client (player) needs to change the GameSpy address to 333networks.
Both procedures are described at
http://333networks.com/masterserver and will be more elaborated at
http://git.333networks.com/MasterServer ... on/doc.pdf
333networks goes a step further and also keeps the list of UT servers on the website. This website holds the list and details of all online servers
and keeps this list after GameSpy shuts down. I advice that a lot of people also make backups of the ip list with custom programs and/or scripts that are available -- I'm sure somebody will suggest those here.
Drawbacks:
The master server at 333networks was/ is an experiment. It is not a funded project or backed by Epic or any other company. Even better, it's hosted at the attic of a relative's place. When there is a blackout in the region, the lights go out and the server goes off. When a construction worker hits the cable at the end of the street, the internet goes down. I am looking for cheap alternatives, because there are no profits from it. I don't like paypal, so there's no donate button.
There can be bugs. I am always trying to improve the master server with my newest knowledge and ideas. Sometimes that backfires, so the server could be offline for several minutes to hours (depending on how badly I screwed up). I always keep backups and do not overwrite existing, working versions. I also keep a version history at
http://git.333networks.com/MasterServerDocs/diff/ so you can see what I changed since the last version.
Advantages:
There are not really many alternatives. We literally do not have another choice. I heard that some other people are now trying to create a master server on their own. The undoubtedly face the same problems as I, even with better resources. It would be nice if we could somehow all work together by keeping each other's master server updated.
The 333networks master server works. It works for 1 person and 1 server, it works for 1 person and 100 servers, and it works (so far) for 100 persons and 800 servers. This IS the solution we all have been searching for. The master server updates the website automatically. The website updates the server information automatically. Everything is in there.
Everybody is free on his/her own to decide whether they would work together with 333networks to keep UT going. Also, as administrator, make sure that you know about safe secure/validating (such as explained
HERE.
My terms are the simple: everybody is free/allowed to use the 333networks master server for their own reasons, with the understanding that this is a recreational project that is realized in one person's spare time. There are no guarantees, no liabilities. There is only my attempt at contributing to UT's community. The same goes for the source code. For (re)using the source code, please read
http://git.333networks.com/MasterServer ... ee/COPYING and you're good to go.