force_respawn = true on server but clients remain inactive when map changes

[Will445096]

Using following setting on my server configuration:
force_respawn = true

It works. But clients need to click / shoot before getting the first time active.

When the map changes, the clients which are active and respawning due to this setting "force_respawn" they need to click again.

Is there a further configuration, or can it be added, that they client are spawning as soon as map is loaded?
And also making sure, that the clients are also spawned, when the map is changing?

Need this setting urgently, Many thanks in advance,

Greetings

[GooberRF]

Such a setting does not currently exist, and I am not certain it is a good idea, especially because it effectively disables both idle checking and spectator modes entirely. Additionally, it would likely be quite confusing/jarring for players to be spawned and potentially already being shot at when their game loads the map, plus could easily and unintentionally result in players who left their game open constantly respawning even though they are not playing the game, which creates a really poor experience for anyone else playing in the server, and if done intentionally to artificially inflate a server's player count would run afoul of the tracker guidelines. At least Force Respawn as-is only ever does that until the end of the current level.

Can you describe the use case for this feature? It's definitely more complex than it sounds, but it's certainly not impossible, I'm just having trouble thinking of a practical use case where it would be desirable. The only use case I can think of is bots, but every bot out there already spawns itself anyway, so this isn't a requirement for that; and if someone was creating a new bot, making the bot spawn itself is among the easiest parts of that process.

Need this setting urgently

This I certainly cannot commit to. If this setting were to be implemented, to do it properly would almost certainly require both clientside and serverside components, and that means it wouldn't be ready to use until the next Alpine release.

Can you describe the use case?

[Will445096]

"disables both idle checking and spectator modes"

Adding the users to the playercount is also not in need. It can be switched off also.
Goal is having some targets for practising and exploring maps.
Not combat. Or maybe the parameter gives the ability to define a count of logons that are not added to the playcount.

I am not aware with botsoftware, or how to program bots. It seems to be easier to logon twice, but just for practising shooting, without adding the respawning logons to the playercount.

How are the bots identified?
Can I identify as bot using the original Alpine RedFaction-Software-Client?

[is-this-c]

Maybe just use AutoHotkey instead of adding functionality to Alpine for just this use case?

Can I identify as bot using the original Alpine RedFaction-Software-Client?

You can use bot_shared_secret.

[GooberRF]

@Will445096 is-this-c is right that auto hotkey is likely to be the best (and quickest) way to automatically spawn these clients - what you are essentially wanting to create are bots, though bots without any specific behaviour.

Using bot_shared_secret will ensure the bots are identified properly in your server.

I can add a server setting to make it so the server doesn't count bots for player count totals reported to the server list.

[Will445096]

yES; bot_shared_secret sounds good.
How does it work, is it a command-line-paramer for the AlpineFactionLauncher?
What do I need to add in the server-config for using bot_shared_secret (Sorry did not find up to now the documentation for bot_shared_secret)

A server parameter for not adding to the player-count is also good, makes it easier testing, when RF-Clients crash, btw.

Autohotkey is good, for just getting some bots spawn, I will check it out, but each client needs some ressources because of Video-Displaying, for sending the mouseclick, is it possible to switch off graphics-display also and just let the RedFaction-Client send the clicks?
For example, defining a model/character, select skin and name, also enter in this dialogue that it is a bot with bot-secret and define a switch for some simple action, like, send clicks each2 minutes,... in future... of course

[GooberRF]

A server parameter for not adding to the player-count is also good

This was added in 0dff65f

is it possible to switch off graphics-display

No, currently all bots are "real" clients that do graphical rendering.

[Will445096]

Thanks a lot, this will be usefull, at least for testing bots and not confusing other players.
But of course it hides, that the server has bots on it that can be used for practising and so on.

But as soon as some method is found, in future, that enables dozens of bots, this will be in need.

[Will445096]

I would like to try adding the server-config with

exclude_bots_from_player_count =false

I guess I wait until next Update of Alpine Faction before trying.
Or does it already work with Alpine Faction 1.2.2 ?

[GooberRF]

Or does it already work with Alpine Faction 1.2.2 ?

It does not, but I can send you a beta that has it so you can use it, just give me a few days.

[Will445096]

Cool, I downloaded Visual C++ Studio from Microsoft, can I compile it by myself?
Otherwise , glad to get the beta for testing

[GooberRF]

You could compile it yourself if you wish. Unless you're familiar with the process though, it'd be way easier to just download the beta I sent you.