ParaTracker

[NAB622]

Since Parabolic had an old PHP server tracker project that we never released, and apparently there is still some interest in this community in having a working tracker, I am taking a fresh look at the project and trying to get it up to snuff. It isn't very efficient, but it is in an operable state. At the moment, I cannot screenshot what I have, as it will reflect very poorly on the final product. Once I actually learn how to use HTML <div> tags correctly, I think I'll be home free. For now, here is what the background looks like, with no data on it:

 

 

 

The top left is the server name, below that is the player list, and the bottom left is for player count, and the RCON and parameter list buttons. The upper right is for the screenshots, and the lower right is for IP/port, map name, mod name, and gametype.

 

First and foremost, I want to know what you, as a community, want to see in a tracker.
 
Currently, the project contains:

• A config file for easy setup
• Multiple levelshots per map (Upwards of seven currently) that fade between each other
• A complete list of online players (No partial list crap from years back -- UGH)
• The possibility to be used on just about any Quake III based game (Untested thus far, but Jedi Outcast will be supported for sure!)
• RCON
• Flood protection, in case of high traffic
• And some very bad PHP code from years back

The current size of the tracker is 675 x 300. Again, I'll try and have an image soon, but I need it to not look like a haphazard mess first.
 
Anyhow; if anyone else has some suggestions, now is a great time. I'm all ears. If you think what I have planned now is sufficient, please chime in with that as well.
 
Oh, and this project is intended to be open sourced when it is complete.

[Circa]

Can you make it completely customizable? That's the issue with JediTracker for me. You can only change a few colors on it. I want to be able to design it completely for a certain site's theme, including fonts, colors, width (fixed and responsive). I'd prefer no image frame, but that could be removed as a customization as well.

[NAB622]

I am all for customizability. In all honesty, though, that may be beyond my capabilities. I am a very poor coder at best, IMHO. My CSS file is also a mess and needs cleaned up. At the very least, it will have wait until after I finish the base look and clean things up. I did already put some thought into more compact "Mini" tracker banner image, like for forum signatures, and I think it's a great idea if I can figure it out.

 

Editing fonts and colors should be easy with just some CSS changes, once I clean up the CSS file. Multiple different widths would be possible, although it would be a lot of editing. Responsive width, though.....I'm not sure that's even possible without eventually breaking the page. Then again I know nothing about <div>, so.....if I am wrong, feel free to enlighten me.

 

Regardless - I have added your suggestions to the to-do list!

[NAB622]

I still have a long ways to go, but I did finish a mockup of the current layout. I know the tracker is very large; I am starting with the largest size, and working down from there. After I get this skin working live, I will work on some smaller iterations, ideally with only the data people request on each one. Other skins are a remote possibility.....but we'll see about that when I finish this one.

 

Also, the black background is clear, so the background color can be anything, or even an image. I just chose black because it makes things easier to see and I like it.

 

 

 

Hit me with thoughts/criticisms. Currently, the only things not working on this skin are the RCON and PARAM rollover images and the fading levelshots. After that, I am moving it into the PHP code, and then I will start on ways to shrink it down.

[Smoo]

Pretty

[NAB622]

Oh, almost forgot - @@Circa, I will add a setting in the config file to remove the frame as well.

[NAB622]

Sorry for the slow updates - I've been very busy and there has been a lot of progress. The biggest problem is that much of the code is spaghetti, since I didn't know much about what I was doing all those years ago.

 

I have a prototype ready at this point.....unfortunately, when I put it on my web host, I found out that they block the outgoing connection to the game server. So, as much as I wanted to give you guys a working demo, all I can offer is more screenshots.

 

 

Standard layout:

 

 

 

Layout with frame removed:

 

 

 

CVar list:

 

 

 

 

 

Aaaaand RCon:

 

 

 

Everything is fully functional as far as I can tell. I have some more security code and floodprotect code to add, and the RCon log isn't working right, but it is 100% functional and usable in it's current state.

 

All colors and font details are in a CSS file separate from the sensitive stuff, so they can be changed at will. The background color can be changed, made translucent, made transparent, or even have an image on it.

 

The levelshots will optionally fade between as many as the tracker can find. By default I'm hoping for 3, but I set the maximum limit at 99. PNG, JPG and GIF are all acceptable. The time delay and frame rate of transitions can be changed, so you can make them as fast or as slow as you like.

 

I do plan on making 7 smaller layouts after this, but it will require restructuring a large portion of the code, so it will take a little while to finish them. They will range in size from the current size down to banner ad size, horizontal and vertical, if I can make it work.

 

Thoughts and opinions are welcome!

[NAB622]

Update! I have uploaded a release candidate to github for the first theme only. I still have some background work to do before the other, smaller themes are available - but if anyone could help bug test this one, it would be much appreciated!

 

This release still uses the old, low resolution levelshots I have from years back, so they are really bad. I'll update them later.

 

Also, if my documentation is not adequate, please tell me where and I will correct that as well.

 

https://github.com/ParabolicMinds/ParaTracker

[NAB622]

All right......Since my web host does not allow any outgoing network connections, I will have to switch providers. In the meantime, I uploaded a version of ParaTracker that loads an old server dump, and re-parses it as if it is new data. Everything you see here will be the same as the finished product, except that it will get REAL server info, not re-use old stuff. It will take the same amount of time to refresh (I did not disable the netcode, I just inserted a text file with the old info after it), and it will automatically refresh every so often (This can be changed in the config file, of course).

 

http://www.nab622.com/ParaTracker/ParaTrackerA.php

 

As far as I am concerned, this is what the 1.0 release will be, and with each of the additional skins I plan to make I will increment the version by .1, so when it's all done we should have ParaTracker 1.7.

 

If you have any thoughts/criticisms, now is the time, before I commit to a 1.0 release. Let me know what you think!

[Circa]

Nice. I look forward to tinkering with it.

[NAB622]

One more thing. I just threw this together as well. Same story as above, it is not functional, but it will allow the user to operate ParaTracker the same way JediTracker is:

 

http://www.nab622.com/ParaTracker/ParaTrackerDynamic.php

[NAB622]

All right, a friend helped me get the release candidate up and it's live! Please toy with it and let me know if you find any errors.

 

http://pt.dogi.us/ParaTrackerDynamic.php

[NAB622]

ParaTracker 1.1 is complete (Skipped 1.0 because it's launching with two skins), and a dynamic tracker is live, for those interested. I know the CSS files are a bit of a mess. I'll have to work on that with the next skins. I did try to comment everything to make it easier.

 

Download:

https://github.com/ParabolicMinds/ParaTracker

 

Dynamic Tracker:

http://pt.dogi.us/ParaTrackerDynamic.php

 

If the JKHub staff would like to host ParaTracker here, that is fine with me as well.

 

Also, if you guys play with the styles, please post back here, so I can see what you've done and learn from it for the future skins.

[Circa]

I'll mess with it soon!

[NAB622]

Updated to 1.2.1. In the unlikely event that anyone is running an older version, update right away or disable the dynamic mode, as I accidentally left it on by default instead of off.

[Circa]

@@NAB622 if I install and configure it and it still says it can't connect to the server, does that mean my host doesn't allow outgoing connections?

[NAB622]

@@NAB622 if I install and configure it and it still says it can't connect to the server, does that mean my host doesn't allow outgoing connections?

 

Unfortunately, it sounds like it, yes. If it was something on your end, you would get a custom error message. What provider are you using?

[Circa]

Unfortunately, it sounds like it, yes. If it was something on your end, you would get a custom error message. What provider are you using?

Name.com

 

I suppose I could use the dynamic one from your site, but then I have no customization abilities which is what i was really looking forward to.

[Circa]

@@NAB622 if I made a theme myself, would you make it an option from your site for me to use?

 

also, can you filter the € character for server names? Its a stupid practice that we all do, but would be nice to not include that in the tracker.

 

also also, special characters are shown as a question mark, so anyone with alt-codes in their name are shown with a bunch of >. Not sure how that would be fixed. It might just be a font issue? Not really sure.

[NAB622]

@@NAB622 if I made a theme myself, would you make it an option from your site for me to use?

 

also, can you filter the € character for server names? Its a stupid practice that we all do, but would be nice to not include that in the tracker.

 

also also, special characters are shown as a question mark, so anyone with alt-codes in their name are shown with a bunch of <?>. Not sure how that would be fixed. It might just be a font issue? Not really sure.

 

Actually I was going to suggest that you make a theme. Have at it. I'm interested in seeing what you do with it.

 

Filtering the € character.....I can make an option for it in the config file, and have it turned on by default. Honestly, though, the practice is the problem, and I never understood why people did it.

 

Special characters in player names are still showing up as question marks? Hmmmm.....it sounds like player names aren't being displayed as ANSI. I'll have to look into that. Do you happen to have the server info with the offending player name in it? It would go a long way towards fixing the issue. The file should be found in info/<serverIP>-<serverPort>/playerList.txt

[NAB622]

Okay, I just updated the Git repository, and it includes some bug fixes as well as removing the Euro symbol. Before making any changes, you should download and start over with the new files, since the config file has changed.

 

Also, if there are any other habitually-abused server name symbols, let me know and I will add those to the removal function.

[Circa]

Actually I was going to suggest that you make a theme. Have at it. I'm interested in seeing what you do with it.

 

Filtering the € character.....I can make an option for it in the config file, and have it turned on by default. Honestly, though, the practice is the problem, and I never understood why people did it.

 

Special characters in player names are still showing up as question marks? Hmmmm.....it sounds like player names aren't being displayed as ANSI. I'll have to look into that. Do you happen to have the server info with the offending player name in it? It would go a long way towards fixing the issue. The file should be found in info/-/playerList.txt

Using that symbol makes the server show up at the top of the server list. It shows as a . rather than the symbol so it's not in the way as much. That's why a bunch are at the top with ........ though I think it's silly to have so many that it hides the name completely.

 

I'll give you that info later when I'm at my computer.

[NAB622]

Oh, I know they're doing it to wind up at the top of the server list..... It's just dumb, though, in my opinion. If I'm looking for a server, I usually look for one that's running a map I like.

 

Also, if I find a server I like, I have no way to know which one to return to, since they all show up as ........................... on the list.

 

That's why I don't understand it.... But hey, whatever. To each their own.

[NAB622]

I have confirmed a bug where server responses are randomly not being recognized as ANSI encoding. I'm not quite sure how to handle this yet, but when I have a solution, I will implement it. It will fix both the Euro sign in the server name, and the unrecognized characters in player names.

[Circa]

JediTracker is officially dead as of today. Looks like GameTracker and this project are our only hopes, for now.