GameSrv

I recently got the itch to work on GameSrv again, and I'd like to implement some newer features like a built-in WebSocket server for fTelnet support, as well as SSH support.

I found a nice SSH implementation that looks like it'll work well, but it has one drawback: It requires a version of the .NET framework that is newer than what is available on Windows XP.

So I'm hoping that if anybody using GameSrv reads this, they'll let me know what OS they're using, and whether they're using it as a front-end for a DOS BBS, or if they're actually using it as a door server.

I'm definitely leaning towards dropping XP in favour of SSH support, but if a lot of people are still using XP then I'll have to re-evaluate that choice.

There's a new alpha release of GameSrv available on GitHub: GameSrv Alpha (Just click one of the two .zip links, then click "View Raw" to download the file)

This new version has a lot of new features that I've been meaning to get out there for awhile, as well as fixes for installing on Ubuntu 14.04, so I figured it was probably time to package something up.  I haven't tested it too extensively yet, so that's why it's considered an alpha release.  Definitely don't use it to upgrade any existing installations you have, at least not without backing up your existing GameSrv directory!

Some of the new features in this version are:

• A whoisonline.txt is available in tab-delimited format
• Compiling pty-sharp on Ubuntu 14.04 is fixed
• Add rlogin-ips.txt, which gives you the ability to limit who can RLogin into your server
• IPv6 support!  Except on XP, which doesn't support dual-stack, and it's probably not worth working around that
• Added Dean Warren's start/stop script for Linux
• DOS BBSes can now run WIN32 doors via the W32DOOR utility (documentation pending, email me if you need assistance).  Credit to Mike Ehlert for making this work with NetFoss, which made me give some thought to how something like that could work with GameSrv.
• Telnet-out feature is now embedded instead of relying on TelnetDoor.exe, so it now supports Linux
• Doors now use Platform=DOS|Linux|Windows instead of Native=true|false, which gives more control over what doors can be displayed at any given time (ie a Win32 door set to Native=true shouldn't be visible when running on Linux, but GameSrv had no way of knowing that)
• RLogin can optionally validate the user's password
• Add banned-users.txt, which lets you temporarily ban users who try to login/register with certain aliases (I use it for bots that try to login as comcast, cusadmin, etc)
• Ignore StatusCake and UptimeRobot IP addresses

NOTE: .NET Framework 3.5 is now required.  You likely already have it installed if you had 2.0 installed, but it's possible you don't (especially if you're using XP)

Just uploaded a new release. See the CHANGELOG.txt for the full list of changes, or here's the shortened list:

• Updated display of connection counters in GUI
• Added new Telnet action that can be used to telnet to a remote server
• Fixed handling of RLogin connections
• Fixed DORINFO1 and DORINFOx command-line specifiers
• Fixed crashing of DOS doors when run via Console or Service mode
• Fixed hang on program close
• Fixed WebSocket negotiation for HtmlTerm and IE11, and also for old hixie-76 browsers
• Fixed disconnects when using RUNBBS mode

I don't really work on GameSrv a whole lot anymore.  It does what I want so I don't really feel the need to do much with it.  That said, I'm always glad to hear from people who are using it, especially if you've found a bug, or have a feature request, so feel free to contact me for whatever reason.

Just uploaded a new release. See the CHANGELOG.txt for the full list of changes, or here's the shortened list:

• Updated GameSrvGUI to look more like a real GUI (should be familiar to those who used older versions of GameSrv)
• Upgraded Usurper to 0.23f
• Add WatchDTR setting to door configuration files (see _sample.ini for info)
• Upgrader now supports importing of LogOn and Logoff process items that used the EXEC* command
• Fixed the thank-you screen that should have been displayed after registering (it didn't pause after displaying before)
• Take terminal type into account when displaying menus (previously only looked for menus\*.ans, now will also look for *.rip and *.asc whenever appropriate)
• Fixed install.cmd to work for everyone. For some it already worked, but for others it complained about not finding certain files
• Fixed WebSocket connections. When I added the terminal type detection, I put it in a place that ran before the handshake occured for websocket connections, so that broke things. The handshake now occurs before terminal type detection, so all is well.
• Added new icons to GUI
• Add a new history panel to the GUI WFC
• Fix hotkey input at menu screens

Just uploaded a new release. See the CHANGELOG.txt for the full list of changes, or here's the shortened list:

• Added ASCII version of all ANSI files
• Updated DisplayFile* action so you can pass an extensionless name, and GameSrv will pick the best extension based on the user's terminal type
• Changed things so "Incoming connection from :0" will be less likely to shown in the log window
• Added config\ignored-ips.txt
• Added *ALIAS, *USERNAME and *PASSWORD command-line parameters. Also made it possible to pass values from newuser.ini as command-line parameters
• NOTE: The above parameters could be abused by malicious users -- please read doors\_runbbs.ini before you try using these
• Added ability to disable password hashing (you can only do this with a fresh install though -- once you have users, it's too late to disable hashing or they won't be able to sign in anymore)
• Added a NewUserPassword setting to gamesrv.ini, allowing you to run a private system (users must enter this password before they can register)
• Added initial support for DOSBox 0.73, so DOS doors can run on 64bit versions of Windows (it really doesn't work that well though)
• Added a filter so incompatible doors won't be listed on the various menus (for example 16bit doors won't be listed on 64bit versions of Windows (unless DOSBox is installed))
• Renamed GSConfig to GameSrvConfig
• Added an Upgrade.exe program to import your settings/users from a GameSrv v10.04.02 install
• Added *MINUTESLEFT and *SECONDSLEFT command-line parameters

Just uploaded a new release. Change summary:

• Fixed CTRL-C in GameSrvGUI -- it'll now just copy the portion of the log window text you had selected, and won't also open the configuration program
• Changed the way coloured text is added in GameSrvGUI, which will hopefully solve the problem of colours not being used while the program is minimized
• Implemented terminal type detection. Which reminds me that I need to make .ASC screens for all the .ANS screens, in the off-chance that a non-ANSI capable client connects. Guess this'll wait for the next release now!
• "Behind the scenes" fix for the way the text is output in GameSrvConsole
• Upgraded Usurper from v0.21a to 0.23b. Please see the CHANGELOG.txt for notes on upgrading

The GameSrv source is now up on GitHub!

It requires two other libraries of mine (well mostly mine, they contain some collected code as well) that aren't on GitHub yet, so you won't be able to compile it yet, but hopefully I'll have RMLib and RMLibUI up there shortly

Just uploaded a new release. Change summary:

• Fixed time display (was showing month in place of minute in some cases)
• Fixed GameSrv version number in DOOR32.SYS
• Add colour coding to certain message types. Needs to be configurable in a future release
• Started work on a GUI configuration program (GSConfig). Only the Server Settings dialog works for now.
• Removed RLoginMode configuration variable. It now defaults to classic mode unless the incoming connection specifies otherwise
• Add configuration variables to control how the time is displayed (default to whatever you have set in Windows)
• Added an IP_BANNED.ANS file to display when a banned ip is detected