TOPIC:

hi all

Probably most of you already noticed, and now I think it's time to advertise the changes on servers. All the changes were made with the intention of making games fairer to all players and avoid some trolls, cheaters, or whatever is called to players not respecting our server rules ^^

Anyway, list of new settings is big, and are different among servers - maybe someday we'll make a a new Storybook page for it or any other way to provide info to players. Since the features added are used, or not, and can be different among servers, my first word is to; suggestions are always welcome!

So, this are the new features added (please note that all servers have them but not all servers have them enabled):

- Mandatory Password: Force a company password before able to build anything - Despite we always recommend the use of a strong company password, this feature is not being currently enforced;

- House Destruction Limit: Explains itself. This limit doesn't apply on own company claimed town, if it's a CB server - understandable ^^;

- Vehicle Sell Check: Limit the sell of vehicles only on depots they were built for X years of company age - vehicles can be refitted or renewed on any other depot BUT only can be sold on "Original" depot for setting X company age years;

- Max Owned Land: Limit to a company bought land. It's part of rule #5 that "No land reserving of any kind". This feature will set a limit of buying land, and admins will know that the use of any other method to reserve land (rails, roads, whatever) won't be allowed;

- Disable Canals: No explanation needed. A feature to keep on the roll but, for now, not enabled;

- Max Airports: Limits airports to a specific number;

- Private Secondary Funded Factories: Adds a tile radius around a funded "Factory" where competitors won't be able to build stations, making it "private" for the founder. The tiles of protection depends on stations available, mostly when Airports are enabled. Again, suggestions here are very welcome;

- Private Primary Funded Industries: Similar as above to secondary but now applies to primary funded industries too.

- Private Factories Area: Number of protected tiles around funded industries. This value is used, when enabled, for primary and secondary, since station coverage is the same ingame, and idea is to keep them "private", when funded;

- First Station Protection: Option to On/Off a protection area around the 1st station a company build: to expand later, protect initial profit resources... whatever!

- First Station Protection Area: Number of tiles protected around 1st station built;

- First Station Protection Months: The months 1st station will be protected;

- Disable Private Banks: Since towns only allows 1 bank, this option will be True: banks, even when funded aren't private;

- Build HQ First: Option to force a company to build HQ, before able to build anything else. Setting currently being used on our populated servers - helps players and admins to see what's the real game goal ^^;

- Private Town Area / Protection Tiles: Only applies to CB games. Settings are the same as were before this changes with the MUST that no one can mess inside a protected claimed town area; Personally, I love it <3;

- Population to Claim Town / HQ Distance from Town Center to Claim: Same as above;

- Town Distance: Number of tiles to keep between town creation, on map generation;

- Multiple Industries on NewGame: Option to enable the funding of similar industries per town, even when map creation was without similar industries per town;

- Buy Company: Option to have the option to buy a bankrupt company, or not ^^ ;

- Docks Distance: Name says it all ;

- Distance from Water-Borne Resources: Only docks can be built of X tiles of a Water-Borne industry. A feature that started with server K1 on mind (and currently only used there) and basically states this: Industries that only appear on Water (waterlevel), can only be taken by Ships, with docks (our current rule #9);

- !suspend Commands: Admin command, but it's like the call of the Kraken

- Crossings check: Server side options to Allow or Prohibit "Rails crossing Roads" and/or "Roads crossing Rails" with an option to add an exception in case if the crossing happens inside the Town claimed area (only applies on CB servers). The alternatives are obvious: bridge or tunnel ^^

Added spaces because list is long and, in my opinion, it's easier to get a track on reading them ^^

Some of this features were possible with the help of shared code on Novapolis , successor of Luukland , our SPECIAL thanks to them, in no particular order: TheDude, Muxy, xi, Luukland and both community teams.

This features were implemented and, as said, will probably cause some ruleset adjustments later, but we'll need some opinions, badmouths, suggestions, beers and cookies (shrimp goes as well ^^).

Thank you, good luck all and enjoy the games

Well done ST2. I know how much work went into making this possible and in the end I know for sure that it will add up to the fun on the servers again: KUDOS!

Great job, ST2! Lots of interesting features, making less space for cheaters! I hope it will make the game more interesting to the players and will also ease the work of admins

The only "drawback" so far is the fact that preparing perfect server config becomes more and more complicated these days...

Maybe not related to the first post but still server changes so, laziness attacked to create a new thread

What I want to say is:
- New server #32 - VIP Exclusive - Started as CV and with YETI but possibly to change later accordingly VIP's opinions - idea that still needs to be refined ^^
- Changed server #9 to have random climates on each restart - settings still need some tweakings to eliminate "hilly" discrepancies among climates;
- Added Iron Horse vehicle set on server #31 - main idea was to harmonize the vehicles available on the different climates;

Suggestions, as always, are welcome. Enjoy the games

Frank wrote: Well done ST2. I know how much work went into making this possible and in the end I know for sure that it will add up to the fun on the servers again: KUDOS!

Frank, if you want to congratulate someone, it's mainly xi and me. Except for last two features from the list, the authors are mainly xi and me. Rest is just well done copy pasting from luukland/novapolis code.

It's nice though, there's use for it.

TheDude, you're correct and, hopefully, you had read this line too, that includes the link:

Most of this features were possible with the help of shared code on Novapolis so, our SPECIAL thanks to them.

And again, Thank You.