Mario
12th November 2009, 04:32 PM
Here is the official Section 8 (http://www.joinsection8.com/) readme file.
Section 8(TM)
English (North America) version 1.0
Readme File
August 20, 2009
Copyright (C) 2005-2009 TimeGate Studios, Inc.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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1. INTRODUCTION
2. INSTALLATION AND COPY PROTECTION
3. GENERAL ISSUES
4. VIDEO ISSUES
5. AUDIO ISSUES
6. HOSTING A DEDICATED SERVER
7. SECTION 8 ONLINE
8. REMOTE SERVER ADMINISTRATION
9. GAMEPLAY ISSUES
10. GENERAL SUPPORT AND CONTACT INFORMATION
11. WEB LINKS
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1. INTRODUCTION
---------------------------------------------------
Welcome to, and thank you for playing, Section 8. This document has been
written to provide you with up-to-date information on getting Section 8
running on your computer in the best possible fashion. You'll find tips on
solving issues, as well as some useful general information on the game.
For information on how to best play Section 8, consult your manual. For the
latest Section 8 information, gameplay tips, and community forums, visit the
official Section 8 website at:
http://www.joinsection8.com
---------------------------------------------------
2. INSTALLATION AND COPY PROTECTION
---------------------------------------------------
2.1 INSTALLATION:
---------------------------------------
Insert the Section 8 DVD-ROM into your DVD-ROM drive. When the Autorun
screen appears, click "Install Section 8" and follow the instructions on
the screen.
If the Autorun screen does not appear, double-click on the “My Computer” icon
on your Desktop or Start Menu, then double-click the DVD-ROM drive containing
the Section 8 DVD-ROM. Locate and double-click on Autorun.exe to launch the
Autorun screen. Click "Install Section 8" and follow the instructions on the
screen.
2.2 COPY PROTECTION:
---------------------------------------
The original game disc must be in the DVD drive in order to play the game. If
your computer has multiple drives, the disc must be located in the drive it
was installed from.
2.3 INSTALLER ISSUES:
---------------------------------------
Should your Installation of Section 8 become corrupted and you are unable to
reinstall/uninstall the game, you may uninstall the game manually. Before
doing so you should create a restore point for your computer in case
something goes wrong.
You can create a restore point by navigating to "Programs->Accessories->System
Tools->System Restore"
To begin the manual uninstall:
1. Locate the folder that you Installed the game to (Default is C:\Program
Files\TimeGate Studios\Section 8) Delete all the files located in that
directory
2. Clean your Registry
a. In Vista, Type "regedit" on the search bar and press the "Enter" key
b. In XP, Click "Run" in the Start Menu and type in the word "regedit"
click "OK"
c. In the Registry Editor that appears, Press "Ctrl+F" or select "Edit->
Find"
d. In the Find dialog box enter the text "E7D59759-9859-4D74-888A-
5CC3D888FB6C" Make sure only the checkbox "Keys" is selected. Click
"Find Next"
e. Delete Any Registry keys that are found
3. Delete your InstallShield Installation Information
a. Locate your Program Files directory (usually "C:\Program Files" or
"C:\Program Files (x86)" on 64-bit Operating Systems)
b. Navigate to the hidden folder "Program Files\InstallShield Installation
Information\"
c. Find the folder named "{E7D59759-9859-4D74-888A-5CC3D888FB6C}" and
delete it
4. Delete your User Configurations and Settings (optional)
a. The game saves your settings to a user directory. It is not required to
delete this directory in order to re-install the game.
b. Game files are located in the directory specified by the Windows OS
version:
Windows XP:
C:\Documents and Settings\%USERNAME%\My Documents\My Games\Section8
Windows Vista:
C:\Users\%USERNAME%\Documents\My Games\Section8
windows 7:
C:\Users\%USERNAME%\Documents\My Games\Section8
You should now be able to re-install the game. If you still experience
problems Installing the game after following the above steps, it is
recommended that you run the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility.
Instructions for downloading and using the Windows Installer Cleanup Utility
can be found here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301
2.4 CONFIGURATION FILES LOCATION
---------------------------------------
Configuration files are located in the directory specified by the Windows OS
version:
* Windows XP:
C:\Documents and Settings\%USERNAME%\My Documents\My Games\Section8\
S8Game\Config
* Windows Vista:
C:\Users\%USERNAME%\Documents\My Games\Section8\S8Game\Config
* Windows 7:
C:\Users\%USERNAME%\Documents\My Games\Section8\S8Game\Config
---------------------------------------------------
3. GENERAL ISSUES
---------------------------------------------------
* If you experience out of memory issues in 32bit versions of Windows Vista or
Windows 7, and have a video card with 512MB or more of video memory, then you
may have insufficient virtual address space to run section 8. Microsoft
provides some technical details on this problem in the word document
"WDDM_VA.doc" available at:
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/device/display/WDDM_VA.mspx.
Several possible solutions are listed below.
1. Make sure you have at least service pack 1 installed on Windows Vista
computers. This can help even with 512MB video cards.
2. One option is Enter the Section 8 SETTINGS screen, go to VIDEO settings,
and change TEXTURE DETAIL to 4 or lower.
3. To increase the amount of virtual address space 32 bit Windows Vista or
Windows 7 allocates to processes, click on the Start button, then All
Programs, then Accessories, then "Command Prompt," then "Run as
Administrator." On the command prompt enter:
bcdedit /set increaseuserva 3072
to increase your process address space to 3072MB. If you ever wish to
return windows back to the default 2048MB of address space then, at the
command prompt type:
bcdedit /deletevalue increaseuserva
You will need to reboot your computer for either change to take effect.
4. Windows XP is less likely to suffer from this problem, but if you should
encounter it, note that bcdedit and the procedure above won't work in
Windows XP.
Instead navigate to the root folder of your system drive (Usually C:\) and
look for a file named "boot.ini". Open this file in notepad and look for a
line that looks something like this:
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
The exact contents of that line may vary on your system, but just add /3GB
to the end so that it looks something like this:
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn /3GB
Then reboot your computer. This has the same effect as the bcdedit utility
does in Vista and Windows 7. Simply remove the /3GB and reboot your machine
to go back to the default behavior.
Note: 64 bit versions of Windows won't suffer from this problem.
* Certain types of joysticks can cause some control issues, such as having your
character continuously spin in circles. You can manually disable joystick
support by doing the following:
1. Locate and open S8Engine.ini (See Section 2.4 for location)
2. Locate the following string:
AllowJoystickInput=1
Change the "1" to a "0", as shown below:
AllowJoystickInput=0
3. Restart the game.
* Startup Issue: Detected negative delta time (AMD system?) Please see README.
AMD users running older multi core processors may experience a crash on
startup. It is recommended that you download the AMD Dual Core Optimizer
sofware via AMD's website:
http://support.amd.com/us/Processor_TechDownloads/DCO_1.1.4.zip.
Install the software, reboot your system, and the crash should no longer occur.
* If you are experiencing connection issues with Games for Windows - Live and
are behind a firewall or router, please refer to the following link:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/937424?sd=xbox
---------------------------------------------------
4. VIDEO ISSUES
---------------------------------------------------
* If you are having video or graphics problems while running Section 8, we
recommend updating your video card drivers to the latest version available
from your card manufacturer.
* ATI - http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/Pages/index.aspx
* NVIDIA - http://www.nvidia.com/content/drivers/drivers.asp
* Users with ATI video cards may experience an issue where their HUD status bars
(Jetpack, Overdrive, etc.) do not update. Installing the latest driver for
your card should resolve this problem.
* If you would like to change your ScreenPercentage setting, it can be changed
in S8Engine.ini (See Section 2.4 for location) under the SystemSettings
section. Note that ScreenPercentage is an unsupported feature with known
artifacting issues.
---------------------------------------------------
5. AUDIO ISSUES
---------------------------------------------------
* If you are having audio problems while running Section 8, we recommend
updating your audio drivers to the latest version available from your card
manufacturer.
* Creative - http://support.creative.com/
* Realtek - http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/
---------------------------------------------------
6. HOSTING A DEDICATED SERVER
---------------------------------------------------
6.1. SERVER TYPES:
---------------------------------------
Section 8 supports two types of servers depending on your needs.
A Listen Server supports up to 16 players and allows the host to play on the
machine that is acting as the server. Listen servers are best suited for
small-sized games that are not intended to run indefinitely.
A Dedicated Server supports up to 32+ players, and is intended to run for
long periods of time. Although it is not possible to play on the machine that
is hosting the server, dedicated servers allow for a greater number of
players and have more customization options available. They can be launched
either in-game, or from the command line.
Both listen and dedicated servers require broadband or faster internet
connections. Bear in mind that most residential internet services are not
fast enough to support the higher player counts offered by dedicated
servers.
If you experience performance degradation, consider decreasing the number
of players allowed on the server.
NOTE: This Readme specifically covers how to host a dedicated server.
6.2. GAMES FOR WINDOWS - LIVE:
---------------------------------------
All dedicated servers require their own unique Games for Windows - LIVE (GFWL)
accounts (called Gamertags). Gamertags can be created for free by using the
in-game GFWL client, or by visiting:
http://www.microsoft.com/games/en-US/index.aspx
Note that GFWL only allows one instance of a Gamertag to be logged in at a
time. If you are running multiple dedicated servers, or playing the game and
running a dedicated server at the same time, each will need their own
unique Gamertag.
Also, note that each Windows login only supports one GFWL login at a time. If
you want to run multiple dedicated servers on the same machine, each one must
be logged into a different Windows login.
To do this, you can use the following in the command prompt (Where USERNAME is
a unique Windows login):
runas /user:USERNAME "S8.exe server TER13_Base-SmallA?maxplayers=32
-login=apples123@test.com -password=apples"
Note that running multiple instances from the same install may cause problems.
6.3 HOSTING FROM IN-GAME:
---------------------------------------
Dedicated servers can be launched via the in-game Host Menu using the options
presented to the player on screen. For instructions on launching a dedicated
server with advanced options see HOSTING FROM COMMAND LINE.
To launch a dedicated server from in-game:
1. After launching the title and logging into GFWL, press any key when
prompted.
2. Select the MULTIPLAYER button on the Main Menu.
3. Select the HOST button on the Multiplayer Menu.
6.3.1 HOST MENU:
To launch a dedicated server from the HOST Menu:
1. Select all of the desired options.
2. Click the START DEDICATED button at the bottom of the screen.
3. Specify a Server Name or Clan Tag if desired and click OK.
4. Enter your Games for Windows - LIVE Gamertag and password then click OK.
6.3.2 TYPE:
The TYPE option controls the network connectivity restrictions for the
server. There are three options available to the player:
1. LAN - Restricts the server to a local network. Only players with a valid
connection to this network and a copy of Section 8 will be allowed to
connect to the dedicated server. LAN servers can be connected to
utilizing an offline GFWL profile.
2. INTERNET - Creates a match that users with an internet connection, a copy
of Section 8, and a valid Gamertag will be able to connect to.
3. PRIVATE - Creates an internet match that is restricted to only players
who are "invited" via GFWL by the host Gamertag. This is not possible
with a dedicated server, so this option is intended for listen servers.
6.3.3 PASSWORD:
Gives the server administrator the option to password protect the server.
Clients attempting to connect to a password protected server will need the
password in order to enter.
6.3.4 MAP ROTATION:
Specifies a desired map rotation for the server.
6.3.5 PLAYERS:
Sets the maximum player count for the server. Note that while, depending on
the Bot Mode, the server will be auto-filled with bots, this limit applies
to the number of Human players allowed. This has a direct impact on
bandwidth requirements for a consistent gameplay experience.
6.3.6 REGULATION TIME:
Specifies the amount of regulation time in minutes. Once regulation time
has been exceeded, the game will enter Overtime mode where all victory point
scoring events are multiplied.
6.3.7 VICTORY POINTS:
Controls how many points a team must score for the round to end.
6.3.8 FRIENDLY FIRE:
Specifies whether damage can be dealt to friendly players. Options include:
* ON - Allows players to damage teammates to the point of death.
* SHIELDS ONLY - Allow players to only damage their allies' shields.
* OFF - Restricts players from doing any damage to their allies.
6.3.9 AUTOBALANCE:
Controls whether the server will force teams to play on teams with equal
amounts of players. Players will automatically be moved if there are uneven
amounts of players on each team. Note this applies to human players (not
bots).
6.3.10 SPECTATOR MODE:
The server administrator has the option to prevent other users from
spectating the match being played. To prevent people from joining as a
spectator, set SPECTATOR MODE to off.
6.3.11 BOTS:
The bot options specify if and how the server handles bots in each game
session.
BOT MODE:
* None Removes bots from the game
* Balanced 25% Automatically adds bots to ensure the server is
at least 25% capacity.
* Balanced Automatically fills the server with bots.
* Coop Humans vs. same number of bots
* SuperCoop Humans vs. rest of server filled with bots
* Swarm Humans vs. bots with a 1:2 ratio
* SuperSwarm Humans vs. bots with a 1:4 ratio
6.3.12 DIFFICULTY:
Sets the difficulty of the bots on the server. Note that in unbalanced bot
modes, bots on the human team will have the opposite difficulty.
6.3.13 TEAM 1/TEAM 2:
Sets the playstyle of the bots on the server for the specified team.
6.4 HOSTING FROM COMMAND LINE:
---------------------------------------
Dedicated servers launched from the command line have additional options that
can be specified. To start a dedicated server from the command line:
1. Open the Command Line (Start Menu > Run > Cmd)
2. Navigate to the Section 8 folder in the directory the game was
installed to (default is C:\Program Files\TimeGate Studios\Section 8\).
3. Type "S8.exe server <URL> -login=<LOGIN> -password=<PASSWORD>"
* <URL> = Map and additional URL parameters (explained below)
* <LOGIN> = Your Gamertag
* <PASSWORD> = Your Gamertag password
Note: Before you can host a dedicated server, you will have to register your
unique Games for Windows - Live (GFWL) Token. If you have not already
registered your GFWL Token by running the game and signing into your
GFWL profile, you can register your GFWL Token from the command line.
To do this:
1. Open the Command Line (Start Menu > Run > Cmd)
2. Navigate to the Section 8 folder in the directory the game was
installed to (default is C:\Program Files\TimeGate Studios\Section 8\).
3. Type "s8.exe -login=<LOGIN> -password=<PASSWORD> -registertoken=<TOKEN>
* <LOGIN> = Your Gamertag
* <PASSWORD> = Your Gamertag password
* <TOKEN> = Your 5x5 unique token (e.g. XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX)
Note: The token registration will not print anything to the command
window if it is successful.
If you are using a machine with an older video card, you may receive
the following message:
"This game requires at least Shader Model 3.0"
To resolve this issue, add -sm3 to your registration command:
s8.exe -sm3 -login=<LOGIN> -password=<PASSWORD> -registertoken=<TOKEN>
* <LOGIN> = Your Gamertag
* <PASSWORD> = Your Gamertag password
* <TOKEN> = Your 5x5 unique token (e.g. XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX)
6.4.1 URL:
The URL is a string consisting of the map the server will launch with,
followed by the map rotation and any additional parameters. All URL
parameters are separated by a "?".
For example, to launch a server with the following options:
* Starting map: Stormfront
* Type: Internet game
* Max Players: 32
* Bots: Balanced 25%
* Friendly Fire: Shields Only
* Map Cycle: Stormfront, Nuclear Dawn
* GFWL Login: apples123@test.com
* GFWL Password: apples
You would type the following:
S8.exe server TER13_Base-SmallA?hosttype=1?maxplayers=32?BotMode=7?FF=part
?mapcycle=TER13_Base-SmallA+DES10_Base-SmallA -login=apples123@test.com
-password=apples
Note that the first map listed after "server" (Ex: TER13_Base_SmallA) is the
first map that the server will start with. After that map is complete, the
server will cycle to the *second* map specified in "mapcycle"
(Ex: DES10_Base-SmallA).
6.4.2 VALID MAP URLS:
The following are considered valid map URLs, and consist of two parts. The
map name (ex. DES07_Base), followed by a variant designation (ex.
DES07_Base-LargeA).
* DES07_Base-LargeA = Invasion Point
* DES07_Base-SmallA = Invasion Point: Radar
* DES07_Base-SmallB = Invasion Point: Cannon
* DES09_Base-LargeA = Utah Crash Site
* DES09_Base-SmallA = Utah Crash Site: Station
* DES09_Base-SmallB = Utah Crash Site: Relay
* DES10_Base-SmallA = Nuclear Dawn
* DES12_Base-SmallA = Edge of Oasis
* TER03_Base-LargeA = Orbital Relay
* TER03_Base-SmallA = Orbital Relay: West
* TER06_Base-LargeA = Land's End
* TER06_Base-SmallA = Land's End: Cross
* TER06_Base-SmallB = Land's End: Port
* TER06_Base-SmallC = Land's End: Skyhook
* TER07_Base-LargeA = Blackstone Marsh
* TER07_Base-SmallA = Blackstone Marsh: West
* TER07_Base-SmallB = Blackstone Marsh: East
* TER13_Base-SmallA = Stormfront
6.4.3 ADDITIONAL URL PARAMETERS:
The following additional parameters are also supported. Note that all URL
parameters must be preceded by a "?", and appended to the URL string.
* HostType 0 = LAN game
1 = Internet game
Ex: "?hostype=1"
* WarmUpMode on = warmup mode on (default)
off = warmup mode off
Ex: "warmupmode=off"
* AutoBalance on = autobalance is turned on (default)
off = autobalance is turned off
Ex: "?autobalance=off"
* MaxPlayers Sets the maximum number of player
Ex: "?maxplayers=32"
* BotMode 0 = Balanced: server maintains equal and full teams
1 = Co-op: X humans vs. X bots
2 = Extreme Co-op: X humans vs. (MaxPlayers - X) bots
3 = Swarm: 2 to 1 unbalanced towards bots only team
4 = None (Default)
6 = Super Swarm: 4 to 1 unbalanced towards bots only team
7 = Balanced 25%: server maintains minimum capacity
Ex: "?botmode=7"
* Difficulty Sets the difficulty of bots. Note that in unbalanced
bot modes, bots on the human team will have the opposite
difficulty. Valid values include:
0 = Trivial
1 = Easy
2 = Medium
3 = Hard
4 = Insane
Ex: "?Difficulty=4"
* GoalScore Sets the max amount of Victory Points
Ex: "?goalscore=1000"
* TimeLimit Sets the regulation time for the game in minutes
Ex: "?timelimit=15"
* FF On = Turns friendly fire on
Part = Turns friendly fire to partial/shields only
(default)
Off = Turns friendly fire off
Ex: "?FF=part"
* MaxSpectators Sets maximum number of spectators
Ex: "?MaxSpectators=0"
* MapCycle Specifies the map rotation for the server. Use "+" to
add additional maps
Ex: "?mapcycle=DES09_Base-LargeA+TER13_Base-SmallA"
* ServerClan Sets server clan tag that can be searched for by players
to find this server. Valid clan tags can only contain
alpha-numeric characters, can consist of no more than
three characters, and cannot be [TG].
Ex: "?ServerClan=ABC"
6.4.4 COMMAND LINE PARAMETERS:
Command line parameters are added after the URL string, begin with a "-",
and must be preceded by an empty space.
* -login GFWL Gamertag login. Must be unique to server, and
required for startup.
Ex: " -login=apples123@test.com"
* -password GFWL Gamertag password.
Ex: " -password=apples"
* -registertoken Registers the GFWL token (aka CD-Key). A valid token
is required to host, and must be registered before
a server can be launched.
Ex: " -registertoken=XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX"
* -ranked Flags server as "ranked". See Section 7 "SECTION 8
ONLINE" for additional information on this parameter
Ex: " -ranked"
* -savelogin Saves passed in login credentials so they are no longer
necessary. Must pass in both login and password.
Ex: " -savelogin -login=apples123@test.com
-password=apples"
* -deletelogin Deletes previously saved login credentials.
Ex: " -deletelogin"
* -unattended When running -unattended, a server will suppress all
prompts and will never block while waiting for user
input. An -unattended server window will also close
itself when it exits. This can be useful for running
multiple servers, running within an automated process,
or running on a machine which you do not have physical
access to.
Ex: " -unattended"
6.5 ADDITIONAL SERVER CONFIGURATION
---------------------------------------
To configure additional server variables such as Server Name and Message of the Day,
you will need to update S8Game.ini (See Section 2.4 for location) in the game's
data folder.
1. Navigate to the data folder
2. Open S8Game.ini in a text editor.
3. Under each indicated [Heading], set the variables to the desired values:
[Engine.GameInfo]
* bAdminCanPause=<Value> Set <Value> to true or false to enable or disable
the ability for the administrator to pause the game.
If enabled the game can be paused using the <Pause>
key or the "admin pause" command.
* MaxSpectators=<MaxSpect> Limits the maximum number of players that can spectate
in the game to <MaxSpect> players.
* MaxIdleTime=<Sec> Limits the maximum time a player can idle before being
kicked from the server to <Sec> seconds. This variable
has a minimum value limitation.
* InactivityWarningTime=<Sec> Sets the time at which a player will be warned they will
be kicked for being idle, to <Sec> seconds.
* bKickLiveIdlers=<Value> Set <Value> to true or false to enable or disable auto
kick for idle players.
[Engine.GameReplicationInfo]
* ServerName=<Server> Sets the server name to the text specified by <Server>.
Ex: ServerName=MyName's Server
* MessageOfTheDay=<Message> Sets the MOTD to the text specified by <Message>.
Ex: MessageOfTheDay=Welcome to MyName's Server!
[S8Game.S8GameInfoConquest]
* bOvertimeEnabled=<Value> Set to <Value> to true or false to enable or disable
Overtime mode. When Overtime is enabled, scoring will
increase after Regulation time ends.
* bWarmUpEnabled=<Value> Set <Value> to true or false to enable or disable Warmp
Up mode. When warmup is enabled there will be a short
period before game start at the beginning of each map.
[TGEngine.TGGameReplicationInfo]
* ServerClan=<Clan TLA> Sets the server clan to the 3 character <Clan TLA>
Ex: ServerClan=ABC
4. Save S8Game.ini.
5. Run the game and create your dedicated server as normal.
---------------------------------------------------
7. SECTION 8 ONLINE
---------------------------------------------------
Section 8 Online is a service used to track persistent statistics through
play on "Ranked" servers. These statistics include the following.
* Leaderboards
* Experience Levels and Ranks
* Badges - In a Round (IAR) accomplishments
* Records - In a Life (IAL) accomplishments
* Feats - In a Life (IAL) accomplishments. These are available in unranked
play but can only be unlocked in ranked play
7.1 RANKED SERVERS:
---------------------------------------
Section 8 supports both "Ranked" and "Unranked" servers. The former will
communicate all results to Section 8 Online. They can be identified by
the "ladder icon" visible on:
* the "Find Servers" screen outside of the game
* the "Scoreboard" inside the game
To prevent server-side exploits and to help safeguard the authenticity of
each player's profile, the game relies on a "white list" of trusted servers.
Only servers that are included on this list are considered Ranked.
TimeGate Studios and SouthPeak Games regulate the official list of white
listed servers, and work with official hosting partners to ensure maximum
quality on these ranked servers.
To launch a server on the white list in Ranked mode, append the following
to the end of the dedicated server's command line string (after the username
and password):
-ranked
Note that not all options are available for ranked servers. For example,
Autobalance must be enabled.
---------------------------------------------------
8. REMOTE SERVER ADMINISTRATION
---------------------------------------------------
As a remote administrator, you can change game options, kick/ban players, and
execute commands on your dedicated server while connected from another client.
8.1 DEDICATED SERVER SETUP:
---------------------------------------
1. Open S8Game.ini (See Section 2.4 for location) in a text editor.
2. Under the heading [Engine.AccessControl], set the AdminPassword field
to your desired password.
Ex: AdminPassword=MyServerPassword
3. Save S8Game.ini.
4. Run the game and create your dedicated server as normal.
8.2 LOGGING IN FROM ANOTHER CLIENT:
---------------------------------------
Once your dedicated server has an admin password, you can login as the
administrator while connected to it from another client.
To login as the administrator:
1. Join a game on your dedicated server.
2. Press the tilde key (~) or the equal sign key (=) to bring up a console
window.
3. Type “AdminLogin MyServerPassword” into the console window and press
enter where “MyServerPassword” is the password you entered into
S8Game.ini.
Once you’re finished updating the server, to log out as the administrator,
type "AdminLogout" into the console window.
8.3 EXECUTING ADMIN COMMANDS:
---------------------------------------
After you have logged in as the administrator, admin commands can be issued
using the console window.
To issue an admin console command:
1. Open the console window using tilde (~) or equals (=)
2. Type “Admin <AdminCommand>” in the console window where ”<AdminCommand>”
is the command you wish to execute.
* PlayerList Lists the name and ID number for all players
and bots on the server
* NetID <PlayerName> Lists the player ID number for all players
named <PlayerName> on the server
* Kick <PlayerName> Kicks the player named <PlayerName> from the
server
* Kick <PlayerID> Kicks the player with ID number <PlayerID> from
the server
* Ban <PlayerName> Kicks the player named <PlayerName> from the
server and prevents them from ever joining the
server again
* Ban <PlayerID> Kicks the player with ID number <PlayerID> from
the server and prevents them from ever joining
the server again
* Banned Lists the name and ID number of all players who
have been banned from the server
* UnBan <PlayerName> Remove <PlayerName> from the list of players who
are banned from the server
* MOTD <Message> Sets the server's message of the day to <Message>
* BroadcastMessage <Message> Sends <Message> to all players on the server
* ChangeMap <MapURL> Changes the current map to <MapURL>, refer to
Section 6.4.2 "VALID MAP URLS"
Ex: Changemap DES09_Base-SmallA
* SetTeam <Player> <TeamName> Moves the player named <Player> to the team
named <TeamName>
* SetTeam <PlayerID> <TeamID> Moves the player with ID number <PlayerID> to the
team with index <TeamID>; 0 is Section 8, 1 is Arm
* SetSpectator <PlayerName> Moves the player named <PlayerName> to the
spectator team
* SetSpectator <PlayerID> Moves the player with ID number <PlayerID> to the
spectator team
* AddBot <TeamName> Adds a bot to the team named <TeamName>
Ex: Addbot Section 8
Note: AddBot is only available when bot mode
is set to None
* AddBot <TeamID> Adds a bot to the team with index <TeamID>; 0 is
Section 8, 1 is Arm
Note: AddBot is only available when bot mode
is set to None
* RemoveBot <TeamName> Removes a bot from the team named <TeamName>
Ex: Removebot Arm
Note: RemoveBot is only available when bot
mode is set to None
* RemoveBot <TeamID> Removes a bot from the team with index <TeamID>;
0 is Section 8, 1 is ARM
Note: RemoveBot is only available when bot
mode is set to None
* Password <MyPassword> Sets the server’s game password to <MyPassword>
* AdminPassword <MyPassword> Sets the administrator password to <MyPassword>
* AutoBalance <ON/OFF> Turns team auto-balancing on or off
* FFMode <ON/OFF/PART> Changes the friendly fire mode to on, off, or
shields only
* ScoreLimit <Points> Sets the game’s score limit to <Points>
Ex: ScoreLimit 1000
* TimeLimit <Minutes> Sets the game’s time limit in minutes
* ServerName <MyServer> Changes the server’s name to <MyServer>
* NextBotMode <Mode> Sets the bot mode for future matches to <Mode>
Refer to 6.4.3 "ADDITIONAL URL PARAMETERS" for
the list of bot modes
* PlayerLimit <MaxPlayers> Sets the server’s player limit to <MaxPlayers>
Ex: PlayerLimit 16
* Difficulty <Level> Sets the server’s difficulty for bots to <Level>
Refer to 6.4.3 "ADDITIONAL URL PARAMETERS" for
the list of difficulty levels
* Spectator <ON/OFF> Enables or disables spectator mode
* Warmup <ON/OFF> Enables or disables the warmup time before matches
8.4 FIXED CPU LOAD SERVERS:
---------------------------------------
Some server hosts prefer that server player limits and bot counts remain
constant or fixed to a certain maximum limit. Doing so helps to maintain a
consistent CPU load, so server hosts can more accurately manage their
systems. When setting up your server, you can disable admin player-limit
commands to prevent remote administrators from changing player limit, bot
mode, and bot counts.
To disable player-limit commands:
1. Open S8Game.ini (See Section 2.4 for location)
2. Under the heading [TGEngine.TGAdminCommandManager] set
bDisableAdminPlayerLimit to true. It should read:
[TGEngine.TGAdminCommandManager]
bDisableAdminPlayerLimit=true
Note: If the [TGEngine.TGAdminCommandManager] heading does not exist, add it
to your S8Game.ini.
3. Save S8Game.ini
4. Create your dedicated server as normal.
Note: With this option set, administrators will not have access to the admin
commands PlayerLimit, NextBotMode, and AddBot.
---------------------------------------------------
9. GAMEPLAY ISSUES
---------------------------------------------------
* Spectator Mode includes additional controls that are not referenced in the
game manual.
1. Additional Controls
* JUMP: Move up (z axis)
* CROUCH: Move down (z axis)
* SPRINT: Move faster
* NEXT EQUIPMENT: Change POV
2. Spectator bindings are bound to actions and cannot be rebound in game
* UNSUPPORTED: Bindings may be changed in the controls config file and
may cause issues with gamepad controllers
---------------------------------------------------
10. GENERAL SUPPORT AND CONTACT INFORMATION
---------------------------------------------------
If you are experiencing technical difficulties with Section 8, you may email
SouthPeak Games at customersupport@southpeakgames.com, or call the Customer
Support hotline at (817) 898-1746.
You may also visit SouthPeak Game Support online at
http://www.southpeakgames.com/index.php?support=go.
For more information on general gameplay questions, visit the game website at:
http://www.joinsection8.com
---------------------------------------------------
11. WEB LINKS
---------------------------------------------------
For more information on Section 8, please visit the following web sites:
Official Section 8 Website
http://www.joinsection8.com
TimeGate Studios (Developer)
http://www.timegate.com
SouthPeak Games (Publisher)
http://www.southpeakgames.com
================================================== ==============================
Section 8(TM)
English (North America) version 1.0
Readme File
August 20, 2009
Copyright (C) 2005-2009 TimeGate Studios, Inc.
---------------------------------------------------
TABLE OF CONTENTS
---------------------------------------------------
1. INTRODUCTION
2. INSTALLATION AND COPY PROTECTION
3. GENERAL ISSUES
4. VIDEO ISSUES
5. AUDIO ISSUES
6. HOSTING A DEDICATED SERVER
7. SECTION 8 ONLINE
8. REMOTE SERVER ADMINISTRATION
9. GAMEPLAY ISSUES
10. GENERAL SUPPORT AND CONTACT INFORMATION
11. WEB LINKS
---------------------------------------------------
1. INTRODUCTION
---------------------------------------------------
Welcome to, and thank you for playing, Section 8. This document has been
written to provide you with up-to-date information on getting Section 8
running on your computer in the best possible fashion. You'll find tips on
solving issues, as well as some useful general information on the game.
For information on how to best play Section 8, consult your manual. For the
latest Section 8 information, gameplay tips, and community forums, visit the
official Section 8 website at:
http://www.joinsection8.com
---------------------------------------------------
2. INSTALLATION AND COPY PROTECTION
---------------------------------------------------
2.1 INSTALLATION:
---------------------------------------
Insert the Section 8 DVD-ROM into your DVD-ROM drive. When the Autorun
screen appears, click "Install Section 8" and follow the instructions on
the screen.
If the Autorun screen does not appear, double-click on the “My Computer” icon
on your Desktop or Start Menu, then double-click the DVD-ROM drive containing
the Section 8 DVD-ROM. Locate and double-click on Autorun.exe to launch the
Autorun screen. Click "Install Section 8" and follow the instructions on the
screen.
2.2 COPY PROTECTION:
---------------------------------------
The original game disc must be in the DVD drive in order to play the game. If
your computer has multiple drives, the disc must be located in the drive it
was installed from.
2.3 INSTALLER ISSUES:
---------------------------------------
Should your Installation of Section 8 become corrupted and you are unable to
reinstall/uninstall the game, you may uninstall the game manually. Before
doing so you should create a restore point for your computer in case
something goes wrong.
You can create a restore point by navigating to "Programs->Accessories->System
Tools->System Restore"
To begin the manual uninstall:
1. Locate the folder that you Installed the game to (Default is C:\Program
Files\TimeGate Studios\Section 8) Delete all the files located in that
directory
2. Clean your Registry
a. In Vista, Type "regedit" on the search bar and press the "Enter" key
b. In XP, Click "Run" in the Start Menu and type in the word "regedit"
click "OK"
c. In the Registry Editor that appears, Press "Ctrl+F" or select "Edit->
Find"
d. In the Find dialog box enter the text "E7D59759-9859-4D74-888A-
5CC3D888FB6C" Make sure only the checkbox "Keys" is selected. Click
"Find Next"
e. Delete Any Registry keys that are found
3. Delete your InstallShield Installation Information
a. Locate your Program Files directory (usually "C:\Program Files" or
"C:\Program Files (x86)" on 64-bit Operating Systems)
b. Navigate to the hidden folder "Program Files\InstallShield Installation
Information\"
c. Find the folder named "{E7D59759-9859-4D74-888A-5CC3D888FB6C}" and
delete it
4. Delete your User Configurations and Settings (optional)
a. The game saves your settings to a user directory. It is not required to
delete this directory in order to re-install the game.
b. Game files are located in the directory specified by the Windows OS
version:
Windows XP:
C:\Documents and Settings\%USERNAME%\My Documents\My Games\Section8
Windows Vista:
C:\Users\%USERNAME%\Documents\My Games\Section8
windows 7:
C:\Users\%USERNAME%\Documents\My Games\Section8
You should now be able to re-install the game. If you still experience
problems Installing the game after following the above steps, it is
recommended that you run the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility.
Instructions for downloading and using the Windows Installer Cleanup Utility
can be found here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301
2.4 CONFIGURATION FILES LOCATION
---------------------------------------
Configuration files are located in the directory specified by the Windows OS
version:
* Windows XP:
C:\Documents and Settings\%USERNAME%\My Documents\My Games\Section8\
S8Game\Config
* Windows Vista:
C:\Users\%USERNAME%\Documents\My Games\Section8\S8Game\Config
* Windows 7:
C:\Users\%USERNAME%\Documents\My Games\Section8\S8Game\Config
---------------------------------------------------
3. GENERAL ISSUES
---------------------------------------------------
* If you experience out of memory issues in 32bit versions of Windows Vista or
Windows 7, and have a video card with 512MB or more of video memory, then you
may have insufficient virtual address space to run section 8. Microsoft
provides some technical details on this problem in the word document
"WDDM_VA.doc" available at:
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/device/display/WDDM_VA.mspx.
Several possible solutions are listed below.
1. Make sure you have at least service pack 1 installed on Windows Vista
computers. This can help even with 512MB video cards.
2. One option is Enter the Section 8 SETTINGS screen, go to VIDEO settings,
and change TEXTURE DETAIL to 4 or lower.
3. To increase the amount of virtual address space 32 bit Windows Vista or
Windows 7 allocates to processes, click on the Start button, then All
Programs, then Accessories, then "Command Prompt," then "Run as
Administrator." On the command prompt enter:
bcdedit /set increaseuserva 3072
to increase your process address space to 3072MB. If you ever wish to
return windows back to the default 2048MB of address space then, at the
command prompt type:
bcdedit /deletevalue increaseuserva
You will need to reboot your computer for either change to take effect.
4. Windows XP is less likely to suffer from this problem, but if you should
encounter it, note that bcdedit and the procedure above won't work in
Windows XP.
Instead navigate to the root folder of your system drive (Usually C:\) and
look for a file named "boot.ini". Open this file in notepad and look for a
line that looks something like this:
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
The exact contents of that line may vary on your system, but just add /3GB
to the end so that it looks something like this:
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn /3GB
Then reboot your computer. This has the same effect as the bcdedit utility
does in Vista and Windows 7. Simply remove the /3GB and reboot your machine
to go back to the default behavior.
Note: 64 bit versions of Windows won't suffer from this problem.
* Certain types of joysticks can cause some control issues, such as having your
character continuously spin in circles. You can manually disable joystick
support by doing the following:
1. Locate and open S8Engine.ini (See Section 2.4 for location)
2. Locate the following string:
AllowJoystickInput=1
Change the "1" to a "0", as shown below:
AllowJoystickInput=0
3. Restart the game.
* Startup Issue: Detected negative delta time (AMD system?) Please see README.
AMD users running older multi core processors may experience a crash on
startup. It is recommended that you download the AMD Dual Core Optimizer
sofware via AMD's website:
http://support.amd.com/us/Processor_TechDownloads/DCO_1.1.4.zip.
Install the software, reboot your system, and the crash should no longer occur.
* If you are experiencing connection issues with Games for Windows - Live and
are behind a firewall or router, please refer to the following link:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/937424?sd=xbox
---------------------------------------------------
4. VIDEO ISSUES
---------------------------------------------------
* If you are having video or graphics problems while running Section 8, we
recommend updating your video card drivers to the latest version available
from your card manufacturer.
* ATI - http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/Pages/index.aspx
* NVIDIA - http://www.nvidia.com/content/drivers/drivers.asp
* Users with ATI video cards may experience an issue where their HUD status bars
(Jetpack, Overdrive, etc.) do not update. Installing the latest driver for
your card should resolve this problem.
* If you would like to change your ScreenPercentage setting, it can be changed
in S8Engine.ini (See Section 2.4 for location) under the SystemSettings
section. Note that ScreenPercentage is an unsupported feature with known
artifacting issues.
---------------------------------------------------
5. AUDIO ISSUES
---------------------------------------------------
* If you are having audio problems while running Section 8, we recommend
updating your audio drivers to the latest version available from your card
manufacturer.
* Creative - http://support.creative.com/
* Realtek - http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/
---------------------------------------------------
6. HOSTING A DEDICATED SERVER
---------------------------------------------------
6.1. SERVER TYPES:
---------------------------------------
Section 8 supports two types of servers depending on your needs.
A Listen Server supports up to 16 players and allows the host to play on the
machine that is acting as the server. Listen servers are best suited for
small-sized games that are not intended to run indefinitely.
A Dedicated Server supports up to 32+ players, and is intended to run for
long periods of time. Although it is not possible to play on the machine that
is hosting the server, dedicated servers allow for a greater number of
players and have more customization options available. They can be launched
either in-game, or from the command line.
Both listen and dedicated servers require broadband or faster internet
connections. Bear in mind that most residential internet services are not
fast enough to support the higher player counts offered by dedicated
servers.
If you experience performance degradation, consider decreasing the number
of players allowed on the server.
NOTE: This Readme specifically covers how to host a dedicated server.
6.2. GAMES FOR WINDOWS - LIVE:
---------------------------------------
All dedicated servers require their own unique Games for Windows - LIVE (GFWL)
accounts (called Gamertags). Gamertags can be created for free by using the
in-game GFWL client, or by visiting:
http://www.microsoft.com/games/en-US/index.aspx
Note that GFWL only allows one instance of a Gamertag to be logged in at a
time. If you are running multiple dedicated servers, or playing the game and
running a dedicated server at the same time, each will need their own
unique Gamertag.
Also, note that each Windows login only supports one GFWL login at a time. If
you want to run multiple dedicated servers on the same machine, each one must
be logged into a different Windows login.
To do this, you can use the following in the command prompt (Where USERNAME is
a unique Windows login):
runas /user:USERNAME "S8.exe server TER13_Base-SmallA?maxplayers=32
-login=apples123@test.com -password=apples"
Note that running multiple instances from the same install may cause problems.
6.3 HOSTING FROM IN-GAME:
---------------------------------------
Dedicated servers can be launched via the in-game Host Menu using the options
presented to the player on screen. For instructions on launching a dedicated
server with advanced options see HOSTING FROM COMMAND LINE.
To launch a dedicated server from in-game:
1. After launching the title and logging into GFWL, press any key when
prompted.
2. Select the MULTIPLAYER button on the Main Menu.
3. Select the HOST button on the Multiplayer Menu.
6.3.1 HOST MENU:
To launch a dedicated server from the HOST Menu:
1. Select all of the desired options.
2. Click the START DEDICATED button at the bottom of the screen.
3. Specify a Server Name or Clan Tag if desired and click OK.
4. Enter your Games for Windows - LIVE Gamertag and password then click OK.
6.3.2 TYPE:
The TYPE option controls the network connectivity restrictions for the
server. There are three options available to the player:
1. LAN - Restricts the server to a local network. Only players with a valid
connection to this network and a copy of Section 8 will be allowed to
connect to the dedicated server. LAN servers can be connected to
utilizing an offline GFWL profile.
2. INTERNET - Creates a match that users with an internet connection, a copy
of Section 8, and a valid Gamertag will be able to connect to.
3. PRIVATE - Creates an internet match that is restricted to only players
who are "invited" via GFWL by the host Gamertag. This is not possible
with a dedicated server, so this option is intended for listen servers.
6.3.3 PASSWORD:
Gives the server administrator the option to password protect the server.
Clients attempting to connect to a password protected server will need the
password in order to enter.
6.3.4 MAP ROTATION:
Specifies a desired map rotation for the server.
6.3.5 PLAYERS:
Sets the maximum player count for the server. Note that while, depending on
the Bot Mode, the server will be auto-filled with bots, this limit applies
to the number of Human players allowed. This has a direct impact on
bandwidth requirements for a consistent gameplay experience.
6.3.6 REGULATION TIME:
Specifies the amount of regulation time in minutes. Once regulation time
has been exceeded, the game will enter Overtime mode where all victory point
scoring events are multiplied.
6.3.7 VICTORY POINTS:
Controls how many points a team must score for the round to end.
6.3.8 FRIENDLY FIRE:
Specifies whether damage can be dealt to friendly players. Options include:
* ON - Allows players to damage teammates to the point of death.
* SHIELDS ONLY - Allow players to only damage their allies' shields.
* OFF - Restricts players from doing any damage to their allies.
6.3.9 AUTOBALANCE:
Controls whether the server will force teams to play on teams with equal
amounts of players. Players will automatically be moved if there are uneven
amounts of players on each team. Note this applies to human players (not
bots).
6.3.10 SPECTATOR MODE:
The server administrator has the option to prevent other users from
spectating the match being played. To prevent people from joining as a
spectator, set SPECTATOR MODE to off.
6.3.11 BOTS:
The bot options specify if and how the server handles bots in each game
session.
BOT MODE:
* None Removes bots from the game
* Balanced 25% Automatically adds bots to ensure the server is
at least 25% capacity.
* Balanced Automatically fills the server with bots.
* Coop Humans vs. same number of bots
* SuperCoop Humans vs. rest of server filled with bots
* Swarm Humans vs. bots with a 1:2 ratio
* SuperSwarm Humans vs. bots with a 1:4 ratio
6.3.12 DIFFICULTY:
Sets the difficulty of the bots on the server. Note that in unbalanced bot
modes, bots on the human team will have the opposite difficulty.
6.3.13 TEAM 1/TEAM 2:
Sets the playstyle of the bots on the server for the specified team.
6.4 HOSTING FROM COMMAND LINE:
---------------------------------------
Dedicated servers launched from the command line have additional options that
can be specified. To start a dedicated server from the command line:
1. Open the Command Line (Start Menu > Run > Cmd)
2. Navigate to the Section 8 folder in the directory the game was
installed to (default is C:\Program Files\TimeGate Studios\Section 8\).
3. Type "S8.exe server <URL> -login=<LOGIN> -password=<PASSWORD>"
* <URL> = Map and additional URL parameters (explained below)
* <LOGIN> = Your Gamertag
* <PASSWORD> = Your Gamertag password
Note: Before you can host a dedicated server, you will have to register your
unique Games for Windows - Live (GFWL) Token. If you have not already
registered your GFWL Token by running the game and signing into your
GFWL profile, you can register your GFWL Token from the command line.
To do this:
1. Open the Command Line (Start Menu > Run > Cmd)
2. Navigate to the Section 8 folder in the directory the game was
installed to (default is C:\Program Files\TimeGate Studios\Section 8\).
3. Type "s8.exe -login=<LOGIN> -password=<PASSWORD> -registertoken=<TOKEN>
* <LOGIN> = Your Gamertag
* <PASSWORD> = Your Gamertag password
* <TOKEN> = Your 5x5 unique token (e.g. XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX)
Note: The token registration will not print anything to the command
window if it is successful.
If you are using a machine with an older video card, you may receive
the following message:
"This game requires at least Shader Model 3.0"
To resolve this issue, add -sm3 to your registration command:
s8.exe -sm3 -login=<LOGIN> -password=<PASSWORD> -registertoken=<TOKEN>
* <LOGIN> = Your Gamertag
* <PASSWORD> = Your Gamertag password
* <TOKEN> = Your 5x5 unique token (e.g. XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX)
6.4.1 URL:
The URL is a string consisting of the map the server will launch with,
followed by the map rotation and any additional parameters. All URL
parameters are separated by a "?".
For example, to launch a server with the following options:
* Starting map: Stormfront
* Type: Internet game
* Max Players: 32
* Bots: Balanced 25%
* Friendly Fire: Shields Only
* Map Cycle: Stormfront, Nuclear Dawn
* GFWL Login: apples123@test.com
* GFWL Password: apples
You would type the following:
S8.exe server TER13_Base-SmallA?hosttype=1?maxplayers=32?BotMode=7?FF=part
?mapcycle=TER13_Base-SmallA+DES10_Base-SmallA -login=apples123@test.com
-password=apples
Note that the first map listed after "server" (Ex: TER13_Base_SmallA) is the
first map that the server will start with. After that map is complete, the
server will cycle to the *second* map specified in "mapcycle"
(Ex: DES10_Base-SmallA).
6.4.2 VALID MAP URLS:
The following are considered valid map URLs, and consist of two parts. The
map name (ex. DES07_Base), followed by a variant designation (ex.
DES07_Base-LargeA).
* DES07_Base-LargeA = Invasion Point
* DES07_Base-SmallA = Invasion Point: Radar
* DES07_Base-SmallB = Invasion Point: Cannon
* DES09_Base-LargeA = Utah Crash Site
* DES09_Base-SmallA = Utah Crash Site: Station
* DES09_Base-SmallB = Utah Crash Site: Relay
* DES10_Base-SmallA = Nuclear Dawn
* DES12_Base-SmallA = Edge of Oasis
* TER03_Base-LargeA = Orbital Relay
* TER03_Base-SmallA = Orbital Relay: West
* TER06_Base-LargeA = Land's End
* TER06_Base-SmallA = Land's End: Cross
* TER06_Base-SmallB = Land's End: Port
* TER06_Base-SmallC = Land's End: Skyhook
* TER07_Base-LargeA = Blackstone Marsh
* TER07_Base-SmallA = Blackstone Marsh: West
* TER07_Base-SmallB = Blackstone Marsh: East
* TER13_Base-SmallA = Stormfront
6.4.3 ADDITIONAL URL PARAMETERS:
The following additional parameters are also supported. Note that all URL
parameters must be preceded by a "?", and appended to the URL string.
* HostType 0 = LAN game
1 = Internet game
Ex: "?hostype=1"
* WarmUpMode on = warmup mode on (default)
off = warmup mode off
Ex: "warmupmode=off"
* AutoBalance on = autobalance is turned on (default)
off = autobalance is turned off
Ex: "?autobalance=off"
* MaxPlayers Sets the maximum number of player
Ex: "?maxplayers=32"
* BotMode 0 = Balanced: server maintains equal and full teams
1 = Co-op: X humans vs. X bots
2 = Extreme Co-op: X humans vs. (MaxPlayers - X) bots
3 = Swarm: 2 to 1 unbalanced towards bots only team
4 = None (Default)
6 = Super Swarm: 4 to 1 unbalanced towards bots only team
7 = Balanced 25%: server maintains minimum capacity
Ex: "?botmode=7"
* Difficulty Sets the difficulty of bots. Note that in unbalanced
bot modes, bots on the human team will have the opposite
difficulty. Valid values include:
0 = Trivial
1 = Easy
2 = Medium
3 = Hard
4 = Insane
Ex: "?Difficulty=4"
* GoalScore Sets the max amount of Victory Points
Ex: "?goalscore=1000"
* TimeLimit Sets the regulation time for the game in minutes
Ex: "?timelimit=15"
* FF On = Turns friendly fire on
Part = Turns friendly fire to partial/shields only
(default)
Off = Turns friendly fire off
Ex: "?FF=part"
* MaxSpectators Sets maximum number of spectators
Ex: "?MaxSpectators=0"
* MapCycle Specifies the map rotation for the server. Use "+" to
add additional maps
Ex: "?mapcycle=DES09_Base-LargeA+TER13_Base-SmallA"
* ServerClan Sets server clan tag that can be searched for by players
to find this server. Valid clan tags can only contain
alpha-numeric characters, can consist of no more than
three characters, and cannot be [TG].
Ex: "?ServerClan=ABC"
6.4.4 COMMAND LINE PARAMETERS:
Command line parameters are added after the URL string, begin with a "-",
and must be preceded by an empty space.
* -login GFWL Gamertag login. Must be unique to server, and
required for startup.
Ex: " -login=apples123@test.com"
* -password GFWL Gamertag password.
Ex: " -password=apples"
* -registertoken Registers the GFWL token (aka CD-Key). A valid token
is required to host, and must be registered before
a server can be launched.
Ex: " -registertoken=XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX"
* -ranked Flags server as "ranked". See Section 7 "SECTION 8
ONLINE" for additional information on this parameter
Ex: " -ranked"
* -savelogin Saves passed in login credentials so they are no longer
necessary. Must pass in both login and password.
Ex: " -savelogin -login=apples123@test.com
-password=apples"
* -deletelogin Deletes previously saved login credentials.
Ex: " -deletelogin"
* -unattended When running -unattended, a server will suppress all
prompts and will never block while waiting for user
input. An -unattended server window will also close
itself when it exits. This can be useful for running
multiple servers, running within an automated process,
or running on a machine which you do not have physical
access to.
Ex: " -unattended"
6.5 ADDITIONAL SERVER CONFIGURATION
---------------------------------------
To configure additional server variables such as Server Name and Message of the Day,
you will need to update S8Game.ini (See Section 2.4 for location) in the game's
data folder.
1. Navigate to the data folder
2. Open S8Game.ini in a text editor.
3. Under each indicated [Heading], set the variables to the desired values:
[Engine.GameInfo]
* bAdminCanPause=<Value> Set <Value> to true or false to enable or disable
the ability for the administrator to pause the game.
If enabled the game can be paused using the <Pause>
key or the "admin pause" command.
* MaxSpectators=<MaxSpect> Limits the maximum number of players that can spectate
in the game to <MaxSpect> players.
* MaxIdleTime=<Sec> Limits the maximum time a player can idle before being
kicked from the server to <Sec> seconds. This variable
has a minimum value limitation.
* InactivityWarningTime=<Sec> Sets the time at which a player will be warned they will
be kicked for being idle, to <Sec> seconds.
* bKickLiveIdlers=<Value> Set <Value> to true or false to enable or disable auto
kick for idle players.
[Engine.GameReplicationInfo]
* ServerName=<Server> Sets the server name to the text specified by <Server>.
Ex: ServerName=MyName's Server
* MessageOfTheDay=<Message> Sets the MOTD to the text specified by <Message>.
Ex: MessageOfTheDay=Welcome to MyName's Server!
[S8Game.S8GameInfoConquest]
* bOvertimeEnabled=<Value> Set to <Value> to true or false to enable or disable
Overtime mode. When Overtime is enabled, scoring will
increase after Regulation time ends.
* bWarmUpEnabled=<Value> Set <Value> to true or false to enable or disable Warmp
Up mode. When warmup is enabled there will be a short
period before game start at the beginning of each map.
[TGEngine.TGGameReplicationInfo]
* ServerClan=<Clan TLA> Sets the server clan to the 3 character <Clan TLA>
Ex: ServerClan=ABC
4. Save S8Game.ini.
5. Run the game and create your dedicated server as normal.
---------------------------------------------------
7. SECTION 8 ONLINE
---------------------------------------------------
Section 8 Online is a service used to track persistent statistics through
play on "Ranked" servers. These statistics include the following.
* Leaderboards
* Experience Levels and Ranks
* Badges - In a Round (IAR) accomplishments
* Records - In a Life (IAL) accomplishments
* Feats - In a Life (IAL) accomplishments. These are available in unranked
play but can only be unlocked in ranked play
7.1 RANKED SERVERS:
---------------------------------------
Section 8 supports both "Ranked" and "Unranked" servers. The former will
communicate all results to Section 8 Online. They can be identified by
the "ladder icon" visible on:
* the "Find Servers" screen outside of the game
* the "Scoreboard" inside the game
To prevent server-side exploits and to help safeguard the authenticity of
each player's profile, the game relies on a "white list" of trusted servers.
Only servers that are included on this list are considered Ranked.
TimeGate Studios and SouthPeak Games regulate the official list of white
listed servers, and work with official hosting partners to ensure maximum
quality on these ranked servers.
To launch a server on the white list in Ranked mode, append the following
to the end of the dedicated server's command line string (after the username
and password):
-ranked
Note that not all options are available for ranked servers. For example,
Autobalance must be enabled.
---------------------------------------------------
8. REMOTE SERVER ADMINISTRATION
---------------------------------------------------
As a remote administrator, you can change game options, kick/ban players, and
execute commands on your dedicated server while connected from another client.
8.1 DEDICATED SERVER SETUP:
---------------------------------------
1. Open S8Game.ini (See Section 2.4 for location) in a text editor.
2. Under the heading [Engine.AccessControl], set the AdminPassword field
to your desired password.
Ex: AdminPassword=MyServerPassword
3. Save S8Game.ini.
4. Run the game and create your dedicated server as normal.
8.2 LOGGING IN FROM ANOTHER CLIENT:
---------------------------------------
Once your dedicated server has an admin password, you can login as the
administrator while connected to it from another client.
To login as the administrator:
1. Join a game on your dedicated server.
2. Press the tilde key (~) or the equal sign key (=) to bring up a console
window.
3. Type “AdminLogin MyServerPassword” into the console window and press
enter where “MyServerPassword” is the password you entered into
S8Game.ini.
Once you’re finished updating the server, to log out as the administrator,
type "AdminLogout" into the console window.
8.3 EXECUTING ADMIN COMMANDS:
---------------------------------------
After you have logged in as the administrator, admin commands can be issued
using the console window.
To issue an admin console command:
1. Open the console window using tilde (~) or equals (=)
2. Type “Admin <AdminCommand>” in the console window where ”<AdminCommand>”
is the command you wish to execute.
* PlayerList Lists the name and ID number for all players
and bots on the server
* NetID <PlayerName> Lists the player ID number for all players
named <PlayerName> on the server
* Kick <PlayerName> Kicks the player named <PlayerName> from the
server
* Kick <PlayerID> Kicks the player with ID number <PlayerID> from
the server
* Ban <PlayerName> Kicks the player named <PlayerName> from the
server and prevents them from ever joining the
server again
* Ban <PlayerID> Kicks the player with ID number <PlayerID> from
the server and prevents them from ever joining
the server again
* Banned Lists the name and ID number of all players who
have been banned from the server
* UnBan <PlayerName> Remove <PlayerName> from the list of players who
are banned from the server
* MOTD <Message> Sets the server's message of the day to <Message>
* BroadcastMessage <Message> Sends <Message> to all players on the server
* ChangeMap <MapURL> Changes the current map to <MapURL>, refer to
Section 6.4.2 "VALID MAP URLS"
Ex: Changemap DES09_Base-SmallA
* SetTeam <Player> <TeamName> Moves the player named <Player> to the team
named <TeamName>
* SetTeam <PlayerID> <TeamID> Moves the player with ID number <PlayerID> to the
team with index <TeamID>; 0 is Section 8, 1 is Arm
* SetSpectator <PlayerName> Moves the player named <PlayerName> to the
spectator team
* SetSpectator <PlayerID> Moves the player with ID number <PlayerID> to the
spectator team
* AddBot <TeamName> Adds a bot to the team named <TeamName>
Ex: Addbot Section 8
Note: AddBot is only available when bot mode
is set to None
* AddBot <TeamID> Adds a bot to the team with index <TeamID>; 0 is
Section 8, 1 is Arm
Note: AddBot is only available when bot mode
is set to None
* RemoveBot <TeamName> Removes a bot from the team named <TeamName>
Ex: Removebot Arm
Note: RemoveBot is only available when bot
mode is set to None
* RemoveBot <TeamID> Removes a bot from the team with index <TeamID>;
0 is Section 8, 1 is ARM
Note: RemoveBot is only available when bot
mode is set to None
* Password <MyPassword> Sets the server’s game password to <MyPassword>
* AdminPassword <MyPassword> Sets the administrator password to <MyPassword>
* AutoBalance <ON/OFF> Turns team auto-balancing on or off
* FFMode <ON/OFF/PART> Changes the friendly fire mode to on, off, or
shields only
* ScoreLimit <Points> Sets the game’s score limit to <Points>
Ex: ScoreLimit 1000
* TimeLimit <Minutes> Sets the game’s time limit in minutes
* ServerName <MyServer> Changes the server’s name to <MyServer>
* NextBotMode <Mode> Sets the bot mode for future matches to <Mode>
Refer to 6.4.3 "ADDITIONAL URL PARAMETERS" for
the list of bot modes
* PlayerLimit <MaxPlayers> Sets the server’s player limit to <MaxPlayers>
Ex: PlayerLimit 16
* Difficulty <Level> Sets the server’s difficulty for bots to <Level>
Refer to 6.4.3 "ADDITIONAL URL PARAMETERS" for
the list of difficulty levels
* Spectator <ON/OFF> Enables or disables spectator mode
* Warmup <ON/OFF> Enables or disables the warmup time before matches
8.4 FIXED CPU LOAD SERVERS:
---------------------------------------
Some server hosts prefer that server player limits and bot counts remain
constant or fixed to a certain maximum limit. Doing so helps to maintain a
consistent CPU load, so server hosts can more accurately manage their
systems. When setting up your server, you can disable admin player-limit
commands to prevent remote administrators from changing player limit, bot
mode, and bot counts.
To disable player-limit commands:
1. Open S8Game.ini (See Section 2.4 for location)
2. Under the heading [TGEngine.TGAdminCommandManager] set
bDisableAdminPlayerLimit to true. It should read:
[TGEngine.TGAdminCommandManager]
bDisableAdminPlayerLimit=true
Note: If the [TGEngine.TGAdminCommandManager] heading does not exist, add it
to your S8Game.ini.
3. Save S8Game.ini
4. Create your dedicated server as normal.
Note: With this option set, administrators will not have access to the admin
commands PlayerLimit, NextBotMode, and AddBot.
---------------------------------------------------
9. GAMEPLAY ISSUES
---------------------------------------------------
* Spectator Mode includes additional controls that are not referenced in the
game manual.
1. Additional Controls
* JUMP: Move up (z axis)
* CROUCH: Move down (z axis)
* SPRINT: Move faster
* NEXT EQUIPMENT: Change POV
2. Spectator bindings are bound to actions and cannot be rebound in game
* UNSUPPORTED: Bindings may be changed in the controls config file and
may cause issues with gamepad controllers
---------------------------------------------------
10. GENERAL SUPPORT AND CONTACT INFORMATION
---------------------------------------------------
If you are experiencing technical difficulties with Section 8, you may email
SouthPeak Games at customersupport@southpeakgames.com, or call the Customer
Support hotline at (817) 898-1746.
You may also visit SouthPeak Game Support online at
http://www.southpeakgames.com/index.php?support=go.
For more information on general gameplay questions, visit the game website at:
http://www.joinsection8.com
---------------------------------------------------
11. WEB LINKS
---------------------------------------------------
For more information on Section 8, please visit the following web sites:
Official Section 8 Website
http://www.joinsection8.com
TimeGate Studios (Developer)
http://www.timegate.com
SouthPeak Games (Publisher)
http://www.southpeakgames.com
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