Unreal Tournament TV 3.0

Description

UTV is a mod for Unreal Tournament that allows many people to spectate a game without putting any additional load on the game server. The UTV Client allows you to watch and broadcast games. The UTV Server should be run on a machine with plenty of bandwidth to allow many clients to connect and watch.

Installation

• UTV client:
  
  With the umod version, doubleclick on utv.umod.
  With the zip version, extract utv.u and utv.int to unrealtournament\system.
  
  
• UTV server:
  
  Extract the utvserver.exe and utvserver.ini to a suitable location. Edit the utvserver.ini to set a feeder password, and perhaps also a client password and a limit on clients. It is also possible to specify a different .ini-file on the commandline:
  utvserver.exe [other.ini]
  
  The client password is optional. Leave it blank or comment out the line. The server will display current settings when run. To exit the server, just press any key in the console window.

Linux installation

Thanks to Tal of Clanbase fame there is now a Linux version of the server. However I don't know how you are supposed to provide linux software really, so the zip includes an executable that I compiled on my linux machine.. But the source is also included, a simple g++ *.cpp -o utvserver should do the trick.

How to use the bookmarking

The bookmarking needs some consideration before use. Because of limitations in what a client can do, you can't set a bookmark at all possible locations. Instead you need to be looking at some pickup, preferrably something that are rare in the map. A powerup is a perfect example. The pickup must be visible (ie not picked up or disabled) so it is recommended to set the bookmarks before the match starts, or in a practise session. The bookmarks are saved in unrealtournament.ini so you only need to set them once.

To set a bookmark, bind or type "set utv.utvmenuitem action set 0"

where 0 can be 1,2 etc. You can have up to 9 different bookmarks on a map.

To go to one of the bookmarks: "set utv.utvmenuitem action go 0"

where 0 can be 1,2 etc as above. To stop looking at a bookmark, just click your mouse as you usually would when swicthing between things to spectate.

How it works

There are three steps that must be completed for a game to be successfully broadcasted and viewed.

1. A machine with a lot of bandwidth should run the UTV server.
2. A person with the UTV client connects to the game to be broadcasted as a spectator. This person connects to the UTV server in broadcast mode, and starts transmitting the game. You do this by selecting UTV under the mod-menu.
3. The viewers use the UTV client to connect to the UTV server in watch mode. This is also found by selecting UTV on the mod-menu. After buffering game data for a small time, the playback will begin.

Why not just spectate?

Every spectator will place additional bandwidth and cpu load on the UT server which may have an impact on the game being played. Also the maximum total number of connections can only be 32. And perhaps more importantly, the game is watched directly so spectators can use voice communications to give the players information they shouldn't have. When using UTV to spectate a game, the broadcaster specifies a time which the UTV server will use to delay the broadcast.

Limitations

The playback is (as of now) not 100% perfect like a demo. But as of version 2.0 it is pretty close actually.. Effects like shellcases are not there yet. All players dying will die like shot with an instarifle and won't leave any carcass.

Benefits

Unlike a demo, the default watching mode is with the camera locked to the current player, but the view can be rotated manually. It is also possible to see players' packetloss, something which was removed in UT version 436.

System requirements

• To watch a game: If you can run UT there should not be any problems.
• To broadcast a game: You might get a somewhat lower framerate with UTV running, but since you are not playing anyway this should not be a problem.
• To run an UTV server: Calculate around 3-4kb/second per client of outgoing bandwidth. The CPU requirements should be very low, since the server transmits most of the data without any interpretation.

Mods supported

As of now, UTV works with capture the flag, domination, deathmatch and team deathmatch. Other game modes might work to an extent. Mods that adds weapons to UT like Tactical Ops will most likely not work very well.

Known bugs

The client crashing problems should really be gone now :). However, it is recommended that the broadcaster always restart UT at the start of a new map. Other than that there should not be any bugs. I don't count missing stuff as bugs since I need to write code to support them..

Future plans

Well, I'm not happy until it's perfect. :)

Authours and homepage

UTV was created by Fnordia and SJ
Linux port by Tal

For news and updates: visit http://utv.clan-sy.com
For our TA stuff: visit http://www.clan-sy.com

Mail suggestions and bug reports to me (Fnordia)

Version history

Version 3.0 - 2001-08-17

• New stuff:
  • UTV now supports weapon stay off
  • Redeemer explosion and projectil will be visible (unless it is guided)
  • Killing sprees are shown
  • Shieldbelt will be visible
  • Clients can choose to see less/none UTV status information
  • Elevators and doors now move
  • Linux version of the server
  • Full domination support
  • New broadcaster bind: "set utv.utvmenuitem action viewplayer <number>" which switches to that player. Numbers can be enabled to be seen in the on-screen player list
  • Clients can show chat separate from the usual chatbox
  • Clients can see player efficiency on the on-screen player list
  • Broadcaster will be reminded to restart UT

Version 2.5 - 2001-06-28

• New stuff:
  • Server can adjust maximum rate watchers can send messages at, to prevent spam.
  • Clients can turn off UTV chat
  • Administrative functions like kick and mute, can be done by both the broadcaster and admins watching the broadcast
  • Broadcaster can bookmark interesting spots and go there with a keypress. See the documentation on how to do this
• Bugfixes:
• A potential server crash fixed
• No longer will UTV transmit private IRC messages received by the broadcaster

Version 2.4 - 2001-06-02

• Bugfixes:
• Fixed pulsegun secondary fire sometimes remaining
• Fixed invisibility remaining as well

Version 2.3 - 2001-05-29

• New stuff:
  • Supports running the server on other ports. Only clients 2.3 and above can connect to different ports though. Use ip:port when connecting like you would expect..
  • Score support for Team Deathmatch and Domination
• Bugfixes:
• Server should no longer crash when hitting the maxclients limit
• The random and somewhat frequent client crashes should be really gone now :)
• Server correctly resets persistent information on new levels

Version 2.2 - 2001-05-26

• Bugfixes:
• Eliminated message spam
• The random and somewhat frequent client crashes should be gone
• Clients should no longer need to restart UT when the broadcaster does
• Server will no longer drop outgoing data due to winsock buffer filling up
• Error messages should be a little more clear

Version 2.0 - 2001-04-01

• New stuff:
• Version checking - not compatible with 1.0
• A little flag is shown on the scoreboard for the flagcarrier
• It's possible to use behindview 0 if desired - switch with fire / altfire!
• Should be possible for a 3rd party to add support for gamemodes like assault
• Damage amplifier supported
• Weapon sounds and effects are implemented
• Onscreen scoreboard is now optional
• Can handle maps in cache folder
• Cannot join servers that are not having an active feeder
• Bugfixes:
• No more message spam client<->client with odd characters in nickname
• People dying looks much better
• No more seeing watchers flying around
• Does not crash on map changes
• Logging on with incorrect passwords etc will now display an appropriate message
• Players always have the right weapon, no more shooting rockets with translocator
• Animations look correct instead of floating
• Makes sure that duplicate flagcarriers don't exist
• Prevent client from switching to an intermediate level when server is changing level
• Number of clients don't go down to negative values
• Dropped flag gets correct position
  

Version 1.0 - 2001-03-29

• First release.