13 replies to this topic

[MaxyBlack]

Hello! 

My name is Maxymilian Black, I'm webdeveloper from Poland and I really appreciate your work over the entire service, but one thing bothers me. As befits for the programmer I like shortcuts. It would be brilliant if you can create lobby API which allows us to create a lobby with a script. In this way I could create lobby after game is over. 

[TheMattgician]

This has been discussed extensively within the team. Basically, the conclusion is: "Meh". Basically, if someone has an idea that would be done through and API, we might as well incorporate it into TF2C.

If I recall correctly, someone made an automatic lobby launching script, but I can't seem to find it.

Otherwise, you can use iMacro.

[Foxy]

The question is: what does it gain? Do you want to write a separate thing that uses lobbies hosted on TF2Center, or do you want an easier way to create a lobby with your favourite settings?

[MaxyBlack]

I've got strong server and no idea what can I do with him. I've playing on tf2center 2 days and i can only say that this is best place in the world if you want to train your skill in tf2.Problem is that I can't spend all day on creating lobbys for other players. On my machine I can host 5 highlander lobbys. I just want to automaticly create lobby after game is over.

 

I know this can be hard to do. 

[TheMattgician]

This would basically be the equivalent of leaving TF2C use your server freely when you're away, right? If that's the case, I know there was talk about this before, not quite sure what we had concluded.

[MaxyBlack]

Yeap. I'm paying for my server but sometimes i don't use it. So I can use it to creating public lobbys for other players.

[loop]

I think what MaxyBlack wants to do, like most of us server owners, are to setup lobbies automatically while we cannot be physically at the computer to do it. It needs a balance however, which goes into a pain I sometimes have, that is, I know there are times when TF2Center direly needs lobby owners to create, such as at late nights or week days. There are times where there isn't any need because there's 5-6 open HL lobbies any given time, such as on a weekend like today (US Memorial day today).

 

The API could include simple data such as lobbies open at the moment (with their type such as HL/6s/4s/etc). A TF2C statistics page would be nice as well, so us server owners can see what times or day TF2C needs more server owners to help add lobbies.

[Luop90]

During the middle of the day it normally drops to 1-2 lobbies, and even those take awhile to fill up. Would be cool to add so that there could be a selection of game servers that could be used to create a lobby when the number of total lobbies drop below a certain number. That way there are always lobbies on TF2Center.

[TheMattgician]

This has been an intended feature for a long time. I think at this point it's simply a question of priorities for the devs.

[MasterNoob]

I like your idea of allowing people to use your idle server, I don't however agree with your solution.

 

We have come up with an alternative, presenting "Lobby voting"; all players can vote whatever map+gametype they want next, and the one with the most votes gets created. This requires some servers in the tf2c "server pool", so you could contribute by donating your server or to serveme.tf otherwise.

[mizx]

I would like to make a plugin involving SourceMod for servers, however, there is literally no way for me to access the lobby information after it starts. After a lobby launches, you guys have the link http://rc.tf2center.com/lobbies/###### redirect to the home page http://rc.tf2center.com/ thus making it virtually impossible to do anything. I'd be fine with working around something, though if there was an API implemented that would be easiest and most efficient!

 

The one suggestion I have and would love is a API to get lobby information in JSON format. I can currently parse the lobby number from the "say" commands you guys execute, though there's not much information I can do after that. If I could make a call to your site and get the lobby host, lobby player names, steam id's, classes, and teams, that would be awesome. (Maybe other things I might not be thinking of?)

 

I would also love to make a SourceMod modification of some kind to call custom events--thus making it easier for others to make scripts involving TF2Center (such as LobbyStarted, SubRequested, SubJoining, ... the list goes on, and the creativity is exponential!)

[_kd]

It would be really nice if there was an API with the following features:

• JSON list of all lobbies, info, and slots open
• A way to create a lobby with a GET request
• A way to get user info

There would be unlimited possibilites if this could happen.

[TheMattgician]

This has been discussed before, specifically in the frame of automatically creating lobbies. The main issue is that implementing this is time consuming, and the benefits pretty limited. I'll take it to the devs, but I doubt it'll be accepted.

[TheMattgician]

An API would only be available for certain people, nothing completely public. Unless there's a really good reason, I don't see what use could come out of it.