[Feature Request] Dedicated Server for netplay

[megatog615]

Netplay should offer the ability to be hosted by a headless server daemon. By default the game should be configurable by one of the clients, possibly the first to connect. In future, options in a server ini file should allow the host to configure what game modes are allowed, or if the host wants to set up a server that only runs specific settings.

A restrictive config file could have these example options, with blank values being the default values:

[Net.Server]
DisallowMaps=ravine,carpark
DisallowSimulants=meatsim,darksim
DisallowWeapons=farsight

etc

A server that only plays complex, four players, only pistols, no simulants, default limits(forcing a map disables customization, and with no option set for simulants, doesn't enable them per default):

[Net.Server]
Map=complex
WeaponGroup=pistols

[fgsfdsfgs]

While it's not too difficult to make a headless server by just disabling audio/video, making a usable dedicated would involve adding a voting system and figuring out what to do with the dedicated server's local player.

[megatog615]

i think maybe as a first step after figuring out how to eliminate the server's player would to just have fixed settings and skip the game setup entirely

[tunbridgep]

Also keep in mind that there's currently no form of lag compensation, which gives the host a massive advantage. Lag comp should be added someday, but for now, a dedicated server might help mitigate this a little bit (although it would still advantage those with lower pings).

As someone living in Australia, I was playing yesterday, and my ping made it nearly impossible to hit anything even if I managed to hit it from my perspective, and sometimes I got kills by shooting in front of people.