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How to Get the Most Maps on Your eXtreme+ Server
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So you put ten maps on your server and now the server won't start and there is no error message in the console log? Here's how to fix it plus more stuff than you ever wanted to know.
It all has to do with the length of a variable called the infostring. There are a lot of things in the infostring by default and only a few characters available for maps. Each iwd file takes up 10 to 12 characters because it includes the map file name and its checksum. So here is the procedure for maximizing the maps and keeping the infostring from overflowing:
1. Name your mod file x.iwd instead of e26.iwd - that saves 2 characters (or 6 if it was extreme.iwd).
2. Rename your fs_game directory - and keep the fs_game short like 2 or three characters at most (no checksum for fs_game). One character would be great. example: set fs_game k . You can use odd characters for this - see below.
3. Rename iw_01.iwd to iw_01.sav and rename iw_02.iwd to iw_02.sav. These files are for single player and are not used by the server.
4. Rename each map file with single character names like -- a.iwd, b.iwd, c.iwd ...thru z.iwd (do not use x.iwd unless you are brave). Then use numbers 0.iwd, 1.iwd, ... 9.iwd. Single letters and numbers will give you a total of 35 names that can be used. That is all you need because you will run out of infostring space at about 24 files anyway (or about 28 if you do the tricky stuff down below).
5. The map names on your redirect must match the server, so change the file names on the redirect too. Make sure they match by checking the file size.
6. Make a list of the map's real name and the file name and the file size - so you can identify them later when you want to change maps. When you change a map you can reuse the file name - CoD2 finds the map by reading the arena file inside the map, not the file name. You can leave your old maps on the server by renaming unused maps like this: a.iwd becomes a.gobrats.sav. The game ignores files that are not iwd's. When you want to run it again just rename it back to a.iwd.
If you do all this your infostring will not overflow until about 22 to 24 maps and then weird things will start to happen. You add one more map and the server may not start at all, or it may crash randomly or it may run and strange things will happen - like can't find a map or skipped maps in the rotation. There may be no error message in the console log. Just take out one map and see if that fixes it.
When you get to this limit you must start making mappaks (you can then stuff more maps on the server). But you can push it even a little farther with this next trick. I have done this on both Windows and Linux servers with 100% success. With space for 28 maps, I don't need to make mappaks.
To free up space for about 5 more maps you can rename the iw_xx files in /main. The game will run fine and you will pick up 52 characters - enough space for 4 or 5 more maps.
Rename the files like this using these single character file names:
iw_00.iwd becomes !.iwd exclamation
iw_01.iwd becomes iw_01.sav unused file
iw_02.iwd becomes iw_02.sav unused file
iw_03.iwd becomes #.iwd octothorpe
iw_04.iwd becomes $.iwd dollar sign
iw_05.iwd becomes %.iwd percent
iw_06.iwd becomes &.iwd ampersand
iw_07.iwd becomes (.iwd left parenthesis
iw_08.iwd becomes ).iwd right parenthesis
iw_09.iwd becomes ,.iwd comma
iw_10.iwd becomes '.iwd apostrophe
iw_11.iwd becomes -.iwd minus
iw_12.iwd becomes @.iwd at sign
iw_13.iwd becomes [.iwd left bracket
iw_14.iwd becomes ].iwd right bracket
iw_15.iwd becomes ^.iwd caret
Do not use a semicolon (forbidden by the game) or characters forbidden by Linux or windows. These characters are forbidden < > " : / | \ ? *
These characters that are left and can be used for maps: ` acute (on the tilde key), { } left and right brace, ~ tilde, + plus, = equals
_ underscore. periods act funny on Windows. Linux will let you name a file ..iwd
The exact number of maps is dependent on the total length of the checksums and the referenced iwd's that are called by each map in your rotation. So you could get up to 33 map iwd's - 28 is more normal. Put two or more maps in each iwd and 56+ maps are possible.
Yes, you can use this in your command line: set fs_game =
So I am a little obsessive.
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Here is a nice historical thread on the subject:
http://www.mycallofduty.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=461..and here is bulletworm's original post:
http://iwnation.com/forums/?showtopic=24161**************************************************************************
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