FOSS gamedev and creative worlds

By now I'm sure everyone has encountered Minecraft clones on the google play store. Almost all of these clones are using the Minetest engine. Meaning they can connect to Minetest servers. This pretty much creates a lot of issues, at least for me, because a lot of clueless mobile gamers are downloading these clones and connecting to servers. It would be fine if they didn't act like complete dunces. But unfortunately, they just walk around, grief and place dirt all the time. The servers are overloaded with these kinds of people to the point where it's hard to do anything at times. My proposal to fix this is to have an option to not allow mobile users to join desktop servers. I'm not sure how easy that would be to implement but I think it is a must have for this game. I think there should also be options to not allow desktop players into a server. To create mobile-only servers. There could even be separate tabs for desktop and mobile servers. Of course, there are some hardcore mobile players who use the actual apk from the site. For those people, I would suggest having the option to whitelist certain mobile players. Also, I apologize if someone has already posted about this.

I typically don't enjoy multiplayer in video games, so I play most games single player, MC and MT included. So forgive me if I'm ignorant of how Minetest servers work, but can't you password protect your server? Or at least only allow whitelisted usernames?

I currently play on different servers, mobile players or not, players who just do grief, destroy the map are a real problem.

There is a whitelist/blacklist but if you want a public server, you can't prevent the reasons to be blacklisted to happen.

The only advice I can tell you at the moment is this : this kind of player remains generally few time on the server, never read rules or try to understand anything. In this way, try to do this kind of thing I have seen on a server, it really works :

1. Don't give directly interact priv to new player
2. Create an isolated static spawn point
3. In this place, place signs where all the detailed rules are written
4. Almost hidden in all these sign, explain that a code (short, few letters/numbers) is needed to be written inside the chat to get the priv interact, make the code changes everyday
5. Once the player have the code, he can push a button/walk on a pressure plate and be teleported to another spawn place and play

Generally, bad players surrender before having understood the matter :)
But if that happen, I suggest you a simple mod easy to use : Markers

As it is explained, you can craft basically two types of item (3 in fact, but two of them are quite the same, one in a block kind and the other one is a book, not needed to be placed on the ground) : stakes used by 4 to delimit a square, give this delimited area a name, and the block/book to add new builder, give the area to someone else, ect.

In this way you should avoid most of your problems ^^

I'm totally with Alcyone on this way to go, These 5 steps are exactly what I did on Mynetest server,
And as our mods code is open-source, you can have it to get a random code written on a sign when your server starts.

https://github.com/Mynetest/Mynetest-se ... r/init.lua

AcidDragon wrote:I'm totally with Alcyone on this way to go, These 5 steps are exactly what I did on Mynetest server,
And as our mods code is open-source, you can have it to get a random code written on a sign when your server starts.

https://github.com/Mynetest/Mynetest-se ... r/init.lua

I was exactly thinking to Mynetest ;) thanks for the link

I already stated in https://github.com/minetest/minetest/issues/4367 why I am opposed to user discrimation based on their operating system.

But yeah, the Android build needs more love.

I think the real issue is that new players simply have no idea how everything works. Since Minetest (and most subgames) have no in-game help whatsoever, it's no surprise that this happens. Mobile users are less likely to hunt down the Internet for some wiki; they probably do not even know that it exists.
I want to be as soon as Minetest becomes REALLY popular on the PC version, servers will have to face a lot of clueless newbies as well.
So the actual issue is not neccessarily mobile, but players who break the rules. Most mobile users probably do so unintentionally.

I think the suggestions given by the previous posers are very good, much better than just banning mobile users altogether, IMO this is totally unfair. Don't blame the user, at least give them a fair chance.

This makes totally sense: You can not reasonably expect that players magically know all the server rules or conventions (such as “griefing”). So the least you can do is to make at least sure these rules are known.

I also want to mention my Help modpack here which provides an API to add help pages for basically everything: that viewtopic.php?f=9&t=15912&p=240152
I suppose it would be rather easy to extend this modpack with an help entry for the server rules or a “getting started” guide to be shown at the start and which can be looked up later. Of course, this is no replacement to the previous suggestions, but I think this modpack might come in handy. :-)

Also, if newbies can place dirt everywhere when this annoys the hell out of everyone, then clearly this is a problem with the server for not having protection. I mean, duh! It's so obvious, right?
In general, I think it would be a good idea to enforce rules with the mods (at least as much as possible), so they can impossibly be broken. For example, instead of telling players, “never place dirt”, modify dirt so that it can never be placed. ;-)

on Xanadu, we try to convince players to use the original minetest on computers or at least get the official app version.
you can usually identify those mobile users when they talk about the app store, ratings, worldcraft and that stuff.

when they are flying or noclipping (if that is not a word, then it should be now) without having the proper privs, they just get banned for cheating.

Alcyone, while that system probably works well I still think it would be easier and more efficient to just have to option to kick them.

Wuzzy, I think the fact that there's a million different version of Minetest on the app store is hurting it. I'm sure if there was only the official apk it would be a lot better.

Both of you gave good fixes for this issue, but I think the mobile user problem will exist until more servers start doing what you suggested. I still think we should have the option to ban certain users, however.

WinkingBaby wrote:Acyclone, while that system probably works well I still think it would be easier and more efficient to just have to option to kick them.

Wuzzy, I think the fact that there's a million different version of Minetest on the app store is hurting it. I'm sure if there was only the official apk it would be a lot better.

Both of you gave good fixes for this issue, but I think the mobile user problem will exist until more servers start doing what you suggested. I still think we should have the option to ban certain users, however.

Alcyone*

You can still kick or ban them if they break the rules, but I agree to Wuzzy, don't blame them because of the OS even though it is logical that you may find more players doing this on a popular OS with an appstore and so many fork of Minetest.

If you use efficiently basic materials (locked chest, locked door) and protection mods (Areas, Markers...), you will rarely have a problem.

WinkingBaby wrote:By now I'm sure everyone has encountered Minecraft clones on the google play store. Almost all of these clones are using the Minetest engine. Meaning they can connect to Minetest servers. This pretty much creates a lot of issues, at least for me, because a lot of clueless mobile gamers are downloading these clones and connecting to servers. It would be fine if they didn't act like complete dunces. But unfortunately, they just walk around, grief and place dirt all the time. The servers are overloaded with these kinds of people to the point where it's hard to do anything at times. My proposal to fix this is to have an option to not allow mobile users to join desktop servers. I'm not sure how easy that would be to implement but I think it is a must have for this game. I think there should also be options to not allow desktop players into a server. To create mobile-only servers. There could even be separate tabs for desktop and mobile servers. Of course, there are some hardcore mobile players who use the actual apk from the site. For those people, I would suggest having the option to whitelist certain mobile players. Also, I apologize if someone has already posted about this.

If you replace "player/user" = Mexicans then "server" = USA it sound like Trump voter. Tweet Trump and ask for 2 walls.

TARD wrote:If you replace "player/user" = Mexicans then "server" = USA it sound like Trump voter. Tweet Trump and ask for 2 walls.

All hail Hitl- I mean Trump.