holy_moses
02-02-2004, 08:58 AM
This sticky will post your questions (and answers) about using version 4.1 of the HLC RCON mod. If you have a question, post to this thread. I'll then add the question (and answer) to the list below. Although many of these questions refer to the old 4.1.4 version, many of the problems and solutions are similar. If you're still stuck, visit the forums at www.frankenworks.com. UPDATED 12/23/2004:
Q: Ok. I saved the zzz_hlcrcon_v4.1.4.pk3 file to my local \MAIN folder. When I go into the game, everything is fine and I can see the menu. But as soon as I connect to my server, the menu is gone. What the freak?
A: Due to the patch fixing some issues with server pure settings, the HLC RCON menu system is no longer client-side-only. You now need to also upload the zzz_hlcrcon_v4_1.pk3 file to your server's \MAIN folder. This will not jeopardize your rconpassword security.
Q: I keep getting a "bad rconpassword". What's up?
A: Check the following items:
1) Make sure you are editing the correct file: config_mp.cfg
2) Make sure you paste the
seta rconPassword ""
as the last comment in the file. Double check the lines.
3) When you save it, click SAVE and not SAVE AS. Using the SAVE AS command will save the file in .txt format, resulting in CoD creating a new config_mp.cfg file for you. You do NOT want that.
4) If you were using a previous version of my mod, then you need to delete the old HLCRCON.CFG file and the old HLCRCON pak file. Also make sure you remove the +exec HLCRCON.CFG statement from your desktop shortcut gamestring for COD MP.
4) Open the SET RCONPASSWORD submenu. Enter your rconpassword (it's case sensitive!) and click OK. Now try!
Q: The enable/disable voting option doesn't seem to work?
A: If the voting is something you want to be permanently disabled, then disable it via the server's config file by adding the following lines to your server's config file:
seta scr_allow_vote 0
seta g_allowvote 0
If you want the option of turning it on and off via rcon, then enable it through the server config file. Then, when you disable voting via the HLC RCON mod, the vote menu will still be there, but if you try it it will tell you "Voting is disabled on this server" (thanks to Knox for noticing this!).
Q: How do I determine a player's client number to kick or ban him?
A: Clicking on the PLAYER LIST buttons will request a player list from the server and bring down the console. You'll see a list of all the players in the server at the moment, with their respective client numbers listed in the far left column next to their name. Try it in a private server (create your own server from your gaming machine for just a few clients and kick your friends!) to practice using it.
Q: How do I get the HLC RCON menu to come up in the game and not have to go to the MAIN MENU to access it?
A: While playing or spectating, hit the ESC key. Doing so will bring up the ESC menu. The third tab slot from the left is labeled HLC RCON. Click on that and the menu will appear.
NEW Feb 3rd, 2004
Q: The new version of the mod is working great for me, but I was hoping to see a field that I could type a message in and it would broadcast it through the console, like the RCON SAY command. Is this possible?
A: I've tried several methods of doing such a thing, and so far I've come up short. The game has limitations on what you can do with menus, and this appears to be one. But just like custom map support, I'm working hard on finding a work-around.
Q: Why is it that when I use the Weapon Control shortcut options (example: NO SNIPERS, RIFLES ONLY, RESET ALL , etc) it kills some of your keys where you can't move or hit escape or similar? The only way I was able to fix this was to close COD and go back in. I had another clan member have the same issue?
A: Those weapon shortcut keys send a TON (more than a dozen) of rcon commands consecutively to the server with just one click. This takes time to happen, so you won't be able to move your player or hit esc while your computer is sending the commands. Wait until you see the confirmation message ("ALL WEAPONS HAVE BEEN ENABLED", "SERVER IS NOW RIFLES ONLY", etc) saying the process is finished. It will take several moments, so just give it a minute.
Q: Why is it that even after I disable a weapon (example: the thompson), clients can still see it? Is the mod not working?
A: The mod is working. Here's the skinny on the mod: the mod is only graphical user interface for the rcon command system. So if a command works, then the mod works. The important question you need to ask for your specific problem is: "Can the clients actually select the weapon after you disable it? If they can, then the server just ignored the rcon command sent to it disabling the weapon and you need to try disabling the weapon again. If they can't select it, then the weapon is disabled. The client should see a message flash quickly at the bottom left corner of their screen stating:
"The <weaponname> is a restricted weapon"
Q: All the HLC RCON controls seem to work fine except when I try to call up one of my custom maps through the scroll box in the MAP CONTROL submenu. Is it broken?
A: Yes and No. YES it is broken because IW didn't supply the scripting to utilize those scroll boxes for RCON control in any meaningful way. NO it is not broken because I only put it there for admins to use as a reference for their custom map names (since there's no naming standard for custom maps, sometimes it's difficult to remember the correct call names). Therefore, you still need use the CONSOLE to call up custom maps. Find the mapname in the scroll box that you wish to call up then hit the ` key to bring down the console. Then enter the following command, noting that you do NOT need to enter the rconpassword:
/rcon map <mapname>
Keep in mind that the maps listed in the scroll box represent the maps stored locally, on your gaming rig. This assumes that you have the same maps as the server.
Q: Some of the commands don't work, but some do. What the hell is going on?
A: MAKE SURE PUNKBUSTER is ENABLED on your server. The latest version of the HLC RCON mod (v1.4.1) is designed to work ONLY with PB-Enabled servers. For this reason, functions like kick, ban, and Player List will not work unless you have enabled PunkBuster.
Q: I'm looking at the STATUS list in the console and when I try to click on the player's client number, nothing happens. I don't get an error message like "bad rconpassword". What could be wrong?
A: Strangely enough, the game will not accept commands sent through the menu system when the console window is open. You must close the console window to interact with the HLC RCON menu. Learn how to be ambidextrous and you'll soon be a pro!
Q: Hey Moses, thanks for the good work on the mod. But man, do you have a life?
A: Thanks for the positive feedback. The answer to your question is YES and NO. I have a full time job, am married, work out on a regular basis, and practice Aikido. But my wife hates all the time I spend on this. You wouldn't happen to have a spare room just in case, would you?
Peace,
Moses
Q: Ok. I saved the zzz_hlcrcon_v4.1.4.pk3 file to my local \MAIN folder. When I go into the game, everything is fine and I can see the menu. But as soon as I connect to my server, the menu is gone. What the freak?
A: Due to the patch fixing some issues with server pure settings, the HLC RCON menu system is no longer client-side-only. You now need to also upload the zzz_hlcrcon_v4_1.pk3 file to your server's \MAIN folder. This will not jeopardize your rconpassword security.
Q: I keep getting a "bad rconpassword". What's up?
A: Check the following items:
1) Make sure you are editing the correct file: config_mp.cfg
2) Make sure you paste the
seta rconPassword ""
as the last comment in the file. Double check the lines.
3) When you save it, click SAVE and not SAVE AS. Using the SAVE AS command will save the file in .txt format, resulting in CoD creating a new config_mp.cfg file for you. You do NOT want that.
4) If you were using a previous version of my mod, then you need to delete the old HLCRCON.CFG file and the old HLCRCON pak file. Also make sure you remove the +exec HLCRCON.CFG statement from your desktop shortcut gamestring for COD MP.
4) Open the SET RCONPASSWORD submenu. Enter your rconpassword (it's case sensitive!) and click OK. Now try!
Q: The enable/disable voting option doesn't seem to work?
A: If the voting is something you want to be permanently disabled, then disable it via the server's config file by adding the following lines to your server's config file:
seta scr_allow_vote 0
seta g_allowvote 0
If you want the option of turning it on and off via rcon, then enable it through the server config file. Then, when you disable voting via the HLC RCON mod, the vote menu will still be there, but if you try it it will tell you "Voting is disabled on this server" (thanks to Knox for noticing this!).
Q: How do I determine a player's client number to kick or ban him?
A: Clicking on the PLAYER LIST buttons will request a player list from the server and bring down the console. You'll see a list of all the players in the server at the moment, with their respective client numbers listed in the far left column next to their name. Try it in a private server (create your own server from your gaming machine for just a few clients and kick your friends!) to practice using it.
Q: How do I get the HLC RCON menu to come up in the game and not have to go to the MAIN MENU to access it?
A: While playing or spectating, hit the ESC key. Doing so will bring up the ESC menu. The third tab slot from the left is labeled HLC RCON. Click on that and the menu will appear.
NEW Feb 3rd, 2004
Q: The new version of the mod is working great for me, but I was hoping to see a field that I could type a message in and it would broadcast it through the console, like the RCON SAY command. Is this possible?
A: I've tried several methods of doing such a thing, and so far I've come up short. The game has limitations on what you can do with menus, and this appears to be one. But just like custom map support, I'm working hard on finding a work-around.
Q: Why is it that when I use the Weapon Control shortcut options (example: NO SNIPERS, RIFLES ONLY, RESET ALL , etc) it kills some of your keys where you can't move or hit escape or similar? The only way I was able to fix this was to close COD and go back in. I had another clan member have the same issue?
A: Those weapon shortcut keys send a TON (more than a dozen) of rcon commands consecutively to the server with just one click. This takes time to happen, so you won't be able to move your player or hit esc while your computer is sending the commands. Wait until you see the confirmation message ("ALL WEAPONS HAVE BEEN ENABLED", "SERVER IS NOW RIFLES ONLY", etc) saying the process is finished. It will take several moments, so just give it a minute.
Q: Why is it that even after I disable a weapon (example: the thompson), clients can still see it? Is the mod not working?
A: The mod is working. Here's the skinny on the mod: the mod is only graphical user interface for the rcon command system. So if a command works, then the mod works. The important question you need to ask for your specific problem is: "Can the clients actually select the weapon after you disable it? If they can, then the server just ignored the rcon command sent to it disabling the weapon and you need to try disabling the weapon again. If they can't select it, then the weapon is disabled. The client should see a message flash quickly at the bottom left corner of their screen stating:
"The <weaponname> is a restricted weapon"
Q: All the HLC RCON controls seem to work fine except when I try to call up one of my custom maps through the scroll box in the MAP CONTROL submenu. Is it broken?
A: Yes and No. YES it is broken because IW didn't supply the scripting to utilize those scroll boxes for RCON control in any meaningful way. NO it is not broken because I only put it there for admins to use as a reference for their custom map names (since there's no naming standard for custom maps, sometimes it's difficult to remember the correct call names). Therefore, you still need use the CONSOLE to call up custom maps. Find the mapname in the scroll box that you wish to call up then hit the ` key to bring down the console. Then enter the following command, noting that you do NOT need to enter the rconpassword:
/rcon map <mapname>
Keep in mind that the maps listed in the scroll box represent the maps stored locally, on your gaming rig. This assumes that you have the same maps as the server.
Q: Some of the commands don't work, but some do. What the hell is going on?
A: MAKE SURE PUNKBUSTER is ENABLED on your server. The latest version of the HLC RCON mod (v1.4.1) is designed to work ONLY with PB-Enabled servers. For this reason, functions like kick, ban, and Player List will not work unless you have enabled PunkBuster.
Q: I'm looking at the STATUS list in the console and when I try to click on the player's client number, nothing happens. I don't get an error message like "bad rconpassword". What could be wrong?
A: Strangely enough, the game will not accept commands sent through the menu system when the console window is open. You must close the console window to interact with the HLC RCON menu. Learn how to be ambidextrous and you'll soon be a pro!
Q: Hey Moses, thanks for the good work on the mod. But man, do you have a life?
A: Thanks for the positive feedback. The answer to your question is YES and NO. I have a full time job, am married, work out on a regular basis, and practice Aikido. But my wife hates all the time I spend on this. You wouldn't happen to have a spare room just in case, would you?
Peace,
Moses