Smogon has Master Server Monopoly?

[coolbho3000]

Why is it that Smogon is the only server listed now in Shoddy's master server list? Is it possible to add your own server to the list? Although Shoddy Battle is free and open source, having the release list only one server kind of goes against that philosophy. Why only list one server when the code clearly allows for more?

 

[Cathy]

There is supposed to be a metaserver which provides the list, but it is currently down. Previously when it was down, the list showed the Official Server, but this never made much sense because the Official Server and the metaserver are on the same computer, so if one was down they both would be. (Also, Official Server does not exist anymore.) Putting Smogon University as the default gives people somewhere to go while we figure out a more long term solution to the metaserver issue. (Well, the long term issue will be to use http rather than a metaserver, but I won't be doing that any time soon... I guess the mid-term solution will be to hardcode in a few other server as well, which I might do today or tomorrow.) This is a fairly neutral short-term solution since Smogon University is by far the most popular server anyway.

 

[coolbho3000]

Thanks for the quick response. It'd be nice to see the server up as soon as possible so that smaller servers can get more coverage. Wouldn't a solution be as simple as just downloading a list from a static page hosted anywhere and parsing that, though?

 

[Cathy]

As I said, "the long term issue will be to use http rather than a metaserver, but I won't be doing that any time soon". What I have planned for the long term is a fancy system where you can register a server online and stuff--but I have better things to work on now, so we'll have to settle for the mid-term solution which I described above for a little while.

 

[bearzly]

The midterm solution is now in place; so for now if you want to have your server listed you can send me or Colin a PM with the following:
Server name, a short server description, maximum users, host name/ip, and port.

 

[Articanus]

how exactly do we get the host name for said server if we try to run one?

 

[bearzly]

The host name can be either a domain name that points to the server computer e.g. shoddybattle.smogon.com, or the IP address of the server.