Methods to modify Game Difficulty

[MjrNuT]

Hello,

I run a private KF server for my Clan and Community. It is managed using TCadmin and the built in WebAdmin. We all really like the game and are trying to implement some features for our taste.

I understand the changes in the KillingFloor.ini file as well as the WebAdmin for the most part.

I have found some previous threads that are a bit useful, and thought to start this thread as a more comprehensive one maybe.

http://forums.tripwireinteractive.com/showthread.php?t=38450&highlight=game+difficulty

http://forums.tripwireinteractive.com/showthread.php?t=40355&highlight=game+difficulty

http://forums.tripwireinteractive.com/showthread.php?t=30579&highlight=game+difficulty

Currently, changing game difficulty can be done 2 ways that I know of:

1. KillingFloor.ini file -- change here, then restart the server to take effect.

2. Webadmin -- change here, restart the server, and this supercedes the INI file by overwriting.

Available Difficulty Levels per the Wiki at the bottom:

http://www.kf-wiki.com/wiki/Console

ADMIN SET ENGINE.GAMEINFO GAMEDIFFICULTY x Changes difficulty of next map to x (1 = Beginner, 2 = Normal, 3 = Skilled, 4 = Hard, 5 = Suicidal)

Using the INI file you can set any of those numbers for Difficulty. However, the WebAdmin canNOT do Skilled Difficulty.

Can this be made available in the WebAdmin somehow?


Basis for this is to allow a more accessible method for Admins to change the Game Difficulty. It's a bit convoluted to edit the INI file...and you don't want alot of hands on it.


Anyone have some good tips on this would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[kingkong]

the wiki is wrong, difficulty levels are 1 = beginner, 2 = normal, 4 = hard, 7 = suicidal, there's no such setting for "skilled". this is also in the tutorial, not sure why at some point people were spreading some sort of linear mode setting. this was never the case afaik, probably just false assumptions from those who never actually did the configuration.

using web admin and set command through rcon does the same exact thing, and you don't have to restart the server, all you need to do is change/restart the current map. ini files get reloaded at every new map, there are very few changes that actually require a server restart. other than mutator and package configs, most variables can update instantly or on next map change.

 

[MjrNuT]

the wiki is wrong, difficulty levels are 1 = beginner, 2 = normal, 4 = hard, 7 = suicidal, there's no such setting for "skilled". this is also in the tutorial, not sure why at some point people were spreading some sort of linear mode setting. this was never the case afaik, probably just false assumptions from those who never actually did the configuration.

using web admin and set command through rcon does the same exact thing, and you don't have to restart the server, all you need to do is change/restart the current map. ini files get reloaded at every new map, there are very few changes that actually require a server restart. other than mutator and package configs, most variables can update instantly or on next map change.

Thanks for the reply kingkong. Quite interesting that the Wiki was wrong? I only came upon that Skilled setting from a friend of mine and the Wiki (no reason to not take as written) helped confirm it. lol

You have any authority in getting it corrected?

So basically, the best way is to use WebAdmin or rcon to change difficulty, followed by map change to take effect. Roger roger.


Something I have noticed recently with WebAdmin and its relation to Custom Maps.


If you RESTART the server via WebAdmin, then the RedirectURL gets wiped out. This due to overrighting the INI file. Was this intended?

 

[pyrojoe]

Speaking for myself, I've never had the redirect URL go away due to hitting restart in webadmin. something must be wrong with the way you're doing it

 

[StarpictuR]

You could also use marco's map voting handler to create different gamemodes with different difficulties that can be voted every changemap (in the options box add difficulty=xx):

http://forums.tripwireinteractive.com/showthread.php?t=42229

 

[kingkong]

If you RESTART the server via WebAdmin, then the RedirectURL gets wiped out. This due to overrighting the INI file. Was this intended?

that's what happens when you try to edit ini files directly while the server is still up, you can't do this without shutting down the server first. easiest way imo is through rcon:

set ipdrv.httpdownload redirecttourl [URL]http://my.redirect.com/somedir/[/URL]

this takes effect right away, no need to change maps or shutdown/restart anything, don't forget the trailing slash. works the same with any other configured variable in the ini, with 'set <class> <variable> value'