dopewars configuration files

A dopewars server, or a client (in single-player mode) can be heavily configured by the means of dopewars configuration files. Clients used to connect to multiplayer servers can also be configured by the same means, but almost all of these settings will be overridden on connecting to the server (although the server location settings Port and Server are still useful).

The order of making dopewars settings is as follows:-

1. The global configuration file (if present) /etc/dopewars
2. The user-specific file (if present) ~/.dopewars
3. (Windows only) The file dopewars-config.txt in the current directory
4. Options specified on the command line

Settings in a configuration file can set numbers, strings or "string lists". A numerical value is set with a command such as Port=7902 (which sets the TCP port for mulitplayer connections to 7902).

String (text) values are set with commands such as BankName='the bank' (which sets the name of the bank). Notice that string values must be enclosed in quotes. Strings in double quotes understand escapes such as "\t"; strings in single quotes do not treat backslash characters specially, and so should be used for Windows pathnames.

A string list is used for setting an array of strings; for example SubwaySaying = { "Saying 1", "Saying 2", "Saying 3" } sets up three "subway sayings". A string list consists of a list of strings, separated by commas and wrapped with braces - { and } characters. Single strings in a string list can be replaced individually - for example SubwaySaying[3]="Third Saying" replaces the third string (which was previously "Saying 3"). The number of strings in the list "List" can be set with the variable NumList - for example, NumSubwaySaying=4 dimensions the SubwaySaying list to contain four strings.

Whitespace and line breaks are ignored in the configuration files; comments can be used, and extend from a '#' character to the end of the current line, or are enclosed by C-style /* and */ symbols. See the example configuration file for a demonstration. Valid configuration file settings are listed below. The examples given generally reproduce the default behaviour; obviously you are free to replace the parts in italics to customise your own server and client.

• General configuration: file and server locations
• Metaserver configuration
• Basic configuration: places in the game
• Basic configuration: drug prices
• Basic configuration: guns and fighting
• Advanced configuration

General configuration: file and server locations

Port=7902

Tells the dopewars client to look for a server on port 7902, and tells the dopewars server to bind to port 7902 and wait for connections. This can be overridden with the -p command line option.

Server="localhost"

Tells the dopewars client to look for a server at the address localhost. Dotted quad (e.g. 127.0.0.1) addresses may also be used here. If this variable is set to one of the three "special" names (MetaServer), (Prompt), or (Single) (including the brackets) then the client will not connect to a server but instead list the servers available at the metaserver, prompt the user to enter a server name and port, or play in single player mode, respectively. This option can be overridden with the -o command line option (but be sure to protect the brackets from the shell if you use one of the "special" names).

HiScoreFile="/var/lib/dopewars.sco"

Tells the dopewars server (or the client, if running in single-player mode, not connected to a server) to use the file /var/lib/dopewars.sco to store high scores. This can be overridden with the -f command line option.

Pager="more"

Sets the pager used to display multi-page output in an interactive server to more. ("less" is a popular alternative)

ConfigVerbose=0

Prints extra feedback information when processing the config. file if set to 1; this only takes affect, of course, after the ConfigVerbose variable is set, and then remains in force until it is reset again.

Metaserver configuration

MetaServer.Active=1

Tells the dopewars server to report its status to the metaserver. If 1 is replaced by 0 (zero) the server will not report to the metaserver. This setting, if set to 1, can be overridden by the -S command line option.

MetaServer.Name="dopewars.sourceforge.net"

Tells dopewars that the metaserver is located at dopewars.sourceforge.net. See the metaserver page, and below, for information about connecting to the dopewars metaserver via. a proxy web server.

MetaServer.Port=80

Instructs dopewarsclient that the metaserver can be found on TCP port 80. This is the standard HTTP port for Web access. (You shouldn't need to change this, even if you connect via. a proxy.)

MetaServer.ProxyName="proxy.com"

Sends all requests to the metaserver via. the web proxy at proxy.com. If this is set to a blank string (the default) then the connection to the metaserver is made directly.

MetaServer.ProxyPort=8080

Connects to the web proxy on port 8080. (It then connects to the metaserver on the port specified by MetaServer.Port.) This variable is ignored if MetaServer.ProxyName is blank.

MetaServer.Path="/metaserver.php"

Tells dopewars that the PHP script on the metaserver, for server registration (server mode) or listing the available servers (client mode) is /metaserver.php.

MetaServer.Comment="dopewars server"

Sets the comment for your server, which appears on the list of servers maintained by the metaserver, to dopewars server.

MetaServer.LocalName="dope-serv.com"

Tells the metaserver that the preferred hostname of your dopewars server machine is dope-serv.com. By default, the metaserver tries to ascertain your domain name from the connection, and this can fail if you connect via. a proxy server, or if DNS does not properly translate your IP address to your domain name. You must also set MetaServer.Password to the password given to you by the metaserver maintainer for this to work. A blank LocalName can also be used with a suitable password to identify "your" server, even if its IP changes. See the metaserver page for more details.

MetaServer.Password="auth"

Uses the password auth to authenticate your dopewars server's hostname (see MetaServer.LocalName above) with the metaserver.

Basic configuration: places in the game

NumLocation=8

Sets the number of locations in the game to 8. Note that if too many locations are specified, the client may not be able to display them all!

Location[4].Name="Manhattan"

Sets the name of the 4th location in the game to Manhattan. The index within the square brackets can range from 1 to whatever NumLocation is set to above, or an error will be reported.

Location[4].PolicePresence=90

Sets the police presence in the 4th location to 90%. This affects how likely it is for the police to attack players at each location when arriving, dropping drugs, or attacking other players.

Location[4].MinDrug=4

Sets the minimum possible number of different drugs that will be on sale to players in location number 4 to 4.

Location[4].MaxDrug=10

Sets the maximum possible number of different drugs that will be on sale to players in location number 4 to 10.

LoanShark=1

Makes the loan shark pop up when players visit location number 1. To stop the loan shark from appearing at all (making it rather difficult to pay off debts) set this number to something which is not a valid location, such as 0 (zero).

Bank=1

Makes the bank appear when a player visits location 1 (the Bronx).

GunShop=2

Players can visit the gun shop in location number 2 (the Ghetto).

RoughPub=2

Players can visit the rough pub to hire bitches in location number 2.

LoanSharkName="the Loan Shark"

The loan shark is known by the name "the Loan Shark" during the game.

BankName="the bank"

The bank is known by the name "the bank" during the game.

GunShopName="Dan's House of Guns"

The gun shop is known by the name "Dan's House of Guns" during the game.

RoughPubName="the pub"

The pub is known by the name "the pub" during the game.

Basic configuration: drug prices

NumDrug=12

Sets there to be 12 different types of drug in the game.

Drug[6].Name="MDA"

Sets the name of the 6th drug to be MDA.

Drug[6].MinPrice=1500

Sets the usual minimum price of the 6th drug (in the absence of "special events" such as drug busts) to be $1,500.

Drug[6].MaxPrice=4400

Sets the usual maximum price of drug number 6 to be $4,400.

Drug[1].Cheap=1

Tells dopewars that drug 1 (by default, Acid) can occasionally be especially cheap (if this is set to 0, zero, this does not happen).

Drug[1].CheapStr="The market is flooded with cheap home-made acid!"

Sets the message to display to alert players that drug number 1 is especially cheap.

Drugs.CheapDivide=4

Tells dopewars that whenever a drug is "specially" cheap, divide the normal price distribution (between Drug[x].MinPrice and Drug[x].MaxPrice) by 4.

Drug[4].Expensive=1

Tells dopewars that drug 4 (normally Heroin) can occasionally be particuarly expensive (0, zero, cancels this).

Drugs.ExpensiveStr1="Cops made a big %s bust! Prices are outrageous!"

Sets the string that is displayed when any drug is particularly expensive. This is a standard C-style format string - i.e. the %s is replaced by the name of the drug which is expensive. This string is displayed 50% of the time for expensive drugs.

Drugs.ExpensiveStr2="Addicts are buying %s at ridiculous prices!"

Sets the string which is used for expensive drugs the other 50% of the time.

Drugs.ExpensiveMultiply=4

Tells dopewars that whenever a drug is "specially" expensive, multiply the normal price distribution (between Drug[x].MinPrice and Drug[x].MaxPrice) by 4.

Basic configuration: guns and fighting

NumGun=4

Configures the game to have 4 guns available to players at the gun shop.

Gun[3].Name="Ruger"

Sets the name of the 3rd gun to Ruger.

Gun[3].Price=2900

Sets the price in the gun shop of the 3rd gun to $2,900. Guns offered "on the street" (i.e. by random events) will be priced at 10% of the value set here.

Gun[3].Space=4

Tells dopewars that gun number 3 uses 4 spaces in the inventory - i.e. carrying one of these guns uses the same spaces as 4 drugs.

Gun[3].Damage=4

Defines gun number 3 to do up to 4 points of damage.

PlayerArmour=100

Sets the percentage armour rating of each player to 100 - this defines the amount of health that you lose when you are successfully hit. If 100, you lose the same number of health points as the gun's damage. If more than 100, you lose fewer health points, and if less than 100, you lose more health points than the gun's damage. This rating applies only when you have no bitches.

BitchArmour=50

Sets the percentage armour rating of each bitch to 50.

NumCop=3

Configures the game to have 3 cops. If you kill the first one, you will later be attacked by the second one, and so on. (The last cop is 'undead' and will return even if you kill him.)

Cop[1].Name=Officer Hardass

Names the first cop to attack you "Officer Hardass".

Cop[1].DeputyName=deputy

Names a solitary deputy accompanying the first cop "deputy".

Cop[1].DeputiesName=deputies

Names more than one deputy accompanying the first cop "deputies".

Cop[1].Armour=4

Sets the armour rating of the first cop to 4%.

Cop[1].DeputyArmour=3

Sets the armour rating of the first cop's deputies to 3%.

Cop[1].AttackPenalty=30

When attacking another player, whether you successfully hit them depends on whether your attack rating is greater than their defence rating, which are generally numbers between 0 and 100 (think of them as percentages). This penalises the first cop (and his deputies) by 30% when attacking you.

Cop[1].DefendPenalty=30

Penalises the first cop (and his deputies) by 30% when defending against a player.

Cop[1].MinDeputies=2

The first cop will be accompanied by a minimum of 2 deputies.

Cop[1].MaxDeputies=8

The first cop will be accompanied by a maximum of 8 deputies.

Cop[1].GunIndex=0

The first cop, and his deputies, will carry gun number 0 (zero-based).

Cop[1].CopGun=1

The first cop will carry 1 gun.

Cop[1].DeputyGun=1

The first cop's deputies will each carry 1 gun.

Advanced configuration

LogLevel=2

Most server log messages are given a priority level, from 0 (most urgent) to 5 (most verbose). This setting instructs the server only to log messages from level 0 up to 2, inclusive.

LogTimestamp="[%H:%M:%S] "

Prefixes all log messages with a timestamp of the form (e.g.) [16:34:49]. This is a string which is passed as input to the strftime(3) function. If this is set to a blank string, then no timestamp is added to log messages.

NumTurns=31

Defines the game to end after 31 "days" or turns. If this is set to 0 (zero) the game never ends for a player, unless they quit or are killed.

Sanitized=0

If set to 1, this "sanitizes" the game by removing all drug references from the random events. To completely remove drug references, of course, you must also alter the drug names above.

DrugSortMethod=1

Tells the dopewars client how to sort the names of available drugs at each location for display. The default, 1, sorts them in alphabetical order by their names. The choices are as follows:-

• 1. Sort in forward alphabetical order by name
• 2. Sort in reverse alphabetical order by name
• 3. Sort in order of current price, cheapest first
• 4. Sort in order of current price, most expensive first

FightTimeout=5

If a player in a firefight with another player fails to fire back within 5 seconds, lets his/her enemy have another shot. If this is set to 0 (zero) timeouts are disabled, and players may take as long as they like to fire back.

IdleTimeout=14400

If a connected player in a game does nothing to interact with the server for 14400 seconds, he/she will be automatically disconnected.

ConnectTimeout=300

If a player takes more than 300 seconds to complete the process of connecting or disconnecting to the server, the server will sever the connection.

MaxClients=20

Prevents more than 20 clients from connecting to the server at any one time.

AITurnPause=5

Makes computer-controlled client players run from this machine (not necessarily AI players that connect to a server run on this machine) wait 5 seconds between moving from location to location - i.e. a turn takes at least 5 seconds.

StartCash=2000

Each player will start the game with $2,000 in cash.

StartDebt=5000

Each player will start the game with a debt to the loan shark of $5,000.

Names.Bitch="bitch"

Sets the word used to describe a single "bitch" in the game. Bitch, gun and drug names are automatically capitalised where necessary by the dopewars code.

Names.Bitches="bitches"

Sets the word used to describe two or more "bitches".

Names.Gun="gun"

Sets the word used to describe a single "gun" (for example, it could be replaced by "knife").

Names.Guns="guns"

Sets the word used to describe two or more "guns".

Names.Drug="drug"

Sets the word used to describe a single "drug" (for example, it could be replaced by "candy bar" or something similarly innocuous).

Names.Drugs="drugs"

Sets the word used to describe two or more "drugs".

Names.Month="12-"

Sets the text which is displayed on the client's screen to the immediate left of the current turn (by default, a "turn" is a day, and so this part is the month, in displaying the date in MM-DD-YYYY format)

Names.Year="-1984"

Sets the text displayed to the immediate right of the current turn (by default, the year).

Prices.Spy=20000

Sets the price to pay a bitch to spy on another player to be $20,000.

Prices.Tipoff=10000

Sets the price to pay a bitch to tip off the cops to another player to be $10,000.

Bitch.MinPrice=50000

Sets the minimum price for a bitch at the Rough Pub to be $50,000. Note that prices for bitches "on the street" (i.e. those that are offered by random events) are produced by dividing the normal bitch price distribution by 10.

Bitch.MaxPrice=150000

Sets the maximum price for a bitch to $150,000.

SubwaySaying= { "First saying", "Second saying", "Third saying" }

Sets the list of things which the lady you sometimes meet on the subway says to you; one of "First saying", "Second saying" and "Third saying" will be displayed each time. Any previous sayings will be erased. Note that individual sayings can be overwritten by appending an array suffix to the variable name - for example, to replace "Third saying" with "3rd saying" the following command would suffice:-
SubwaySaying[3]="3rd saying"

NumSubwaySaying=5

Sets there to be 5 distinct things that the lady on the subway says to you. If this number is greater than the old number of sayings, the newly added sayings will be blank; if it is smaller, the sayings that are now beyond the end of the list will be deleted.

Playing= { "Song 1", "Song 2", "Song 3" }

Sets the list of things which you can sometimes hear playing while jetting; one of "Song 1", "Song 2" or "Song 3" will be displayed. See the help for SubwaySaying for more details.

NumPlaying=4

Sets there to be 4 distinct things which you can sometimes hear playing.

StoppedTo= { "have a beer", "smoke a joint", "smoke a cigar", "smoke a Djarum", "smoke a cigarette" }

Sets the list of things which you sometimes stop to do while jetting; see SubwaySaying for more details.

NumStoppedTo=5

Sets there to be 5 distinct things which you can stop to do.

DrugValue=1

If non-zero, then the server will keep track of the price you paid for any drugs, and clients will display this information if available.

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Last update: 17-06-2001