Preventing players from replacing AI slots? (Lobby controls)

After trying to start up a game of SupCom2 today, a comp stomp I found myself being swamped by players who kept replacing the bot players I assigned, not to mention more players joining then the map I selected allowed.

So you know the usual thing happened of people shouting start, people joining the AI side and all the little reasons I HATE playing with public players.

So I would like to address the matter of lobby controls for the host player, so I can set up the games I want with out all of the MP stuff that gets me so frustrated.

It's the little things, I don't even play on FAF with people, I just use it for playing the bots!

Re: Preventing players from replacing AI slots? (Lobby contr

Just a few musings along these lines...

I guess there's two sides to attack this problem from. The straightforward one might be giving the admin a lock option which freezes a slot in place. You make your changes (AI, hard, no alliance) and then lock the slot. No changes can occur when locked. (This is actually similar to a "ready" option. Huh).

The other side of this is it sounds like you would want an option to take the server offline/public/private while in the lobby. So you start with the server offline, add your AIs, lock them, switch to private, invite your friends, and then switch to public to add filler people.

Re: Preventing players from replacing AI slots? (Lobby contr

Just more host controls would be nice.

Re: Preventing players from replacing AI slots? (Lobby contr

You mention SupCom2 and FAF which is it?

I assume the obvious answer is to make AI occupy the slot and can only be removed via the Admin.

Mike

Re: Preventing players from replacing AI slots? (Lobby contr

Well most MP lobby's to be honest, none of them are great.

Re: Preventing players from replacing AI slots? (Lobby contr

Oh so your one of those that doesn't password their games....

*grumble grumble*

Re: Preventing players from replacing AI slots? (Lobby contr

Passwords.

Re: Preventing players from replacing AI slots? (Lobby contr

If I put a password, how would I play with public players?

Re: Preventing players from replacing AI slots? (Lobby contr

Wait, what? Do you want random people joining or not? Though I think I understand your point. I imagine the best way to deal with this is to only allow the host to chose which slots are open and which are AI controlled, with no ability to override the session settings. Is that your intent here?

The only real use case I can think of for this is for public co-op games. Where you want it to be cooperative, but still open to the public. Or is there another situation where you were imagining using this?

Re: Preventing players from replacing AI slots? (Lobby contr

I'd say that whatever changes a host makes should be permanent, maybe have a 'replaceable AI' checkbox to allow players to drop in? Defaulting with non-replaceable of course, or else players could drop in before you clicked the box. Maybe also a 'take this game online' button?

Re: Preventing players from replacing AI slots? (Lobby contr

If you want players to drop in, wouldn't it make more sense to just leave the slot open?

So say you wanted a 4 Human VS 2 AI Comp Stop, you host a game with 6 Slots, fill in 2 Slots with AI and one slot for yourself, then 3 slots for drop-ins/friends/other humans.

Mike

Re: Preventing players from replacing AI slots? (Lobby contr

The OP sort of made me think of 'middle of the match' dropping in, and i mixed stuff. Leaving it open would work, then maybe if you start it early the lobby will autofill it with appropriate level bots?

Re: Preventing players from replacing AI slots? (Lobby contr

You got it right!

And that would be grand.