FOSS gamedev and creative worlds

Like i wrote in the title, what do you think about a server browser instead of manual copying ip/url from the forum? You could open the multi-player tab, wait for the download of the server list and view a list of active and inactive server to choose (the client could ping each server on the lists to determinate the server availability), clicking on a server and just type a master password, because passwords could be stored encrypted on a KeePass like/compatible database, so you can use multiple user/password for more servers. To insert a server on the server list (hosted on minetest.net, for example) will be enough to ask in the server thread to be added. Maybe a integrated browser would be nice, for posting comments on the server topic (forum user credentials managed by the database talked above) or to see crafting and smelting guide based on the server mod, this should be possible using QtWebKit but it would need to rewrite the client in Qt.
And last, and maybe the easy thing, should be to have a timeout on server connection.

Some code regarding mod and server management could be used from OpenTTD.

This thread is slightly related to your post. It might be interesting for you: http://minetest.net/forum/viewtopic.php?id=2643

I like the idea of a server list, but there shouldnt be a master server. If the master server is down nobody can play MT on servers.

My idea is use a master server just for have a server list, like OpenTTD does. List that can be cached on the client if the server is down. The server could make two files, the server list and a hash file of the list, so the client would download the hash file and if it's the same or the server is down, it will use the cached list.

Downloading the hash file would reduce the bandwidth needed.

No need for central server, get inspiration from some torrent clients.

nomohakon wrote:No need for central server, get inspiration from some torrent clients.

this in fact makes me feel some pain…

A central server used only to download a list of servers that will be contacted by the client versus a p2p network, much more easy the first.

Yes, this is a good idea, but PilzAdam raises a very good point

minetest.ru has a neat server list. Maybe we could write something so a text-based version of the site is displayed in the main menu? Or have it pull from a .xml file any idiot can host - then we can have MANY meta-servers!

irksomeduck wrote:Yes, this is a good idea, but PilzAdam raises a very good point

That's easy to resolv, the installer could pack a copy of the server list, and to make it updated the installer should be updated nearly every 2 weeks.

tinoesroho wrote:minetest.ru has a neat server list. Maybe we could write something so a text-based version of the site is displayed in the main menu? Or have it pull from a .xml file any idiot can host - then we can have MANY meta-servers!

OpenTTD has an integrated server search feature, based on a main list from their server, and even a mod manager that updates mods when new versions come around. I mention OpenTTD not because it's better (it's a different game and it has more years of development and many many active developers) but because of its license, GPL 2, that should be compatible with the LGPL of Minetest, and maybe some code could be taken from it, and adapted for Minetest.