for a classical session system, where the clients can host their own servers on their PCs and the lobby acts as a kind of listing service, you need the following:
1. Professional edition for session_connect
2. a server running 24/7 which does all the "lobbying"
if you don't have both of this, forget about what I am writing next and skip to the bottom of the post.
so you have both (prof ed and server). this is where the problems start with 3DGS:
its not suited for this, but it is possible. with A7 and the send_.._id functions, it is easier.
the hardest things are: 1. servers run by clients have to send their status to the lobby system, and 2. the servers have to be connectable. in case of 3DGS, the players who host the games have to route several ports from their router to their computer (if they are using a router, which more than 50% of all internet users seem to be doing (estimated)). most people are not capable of this...
I'm quite that there are no workarounds in 3dgs. if I'm wrong, correct me.
if you don't fulfil the two needs above, there are other ways:
1. use a normal windows UI and programming language for the lobby function and start the engine from this interface when needed. this way you don't need prof-edition. I've once done a simple server list this way, using Delphi as the windows programming language and php with a mysql database on the server side.
2. if your game is simple and uses very little traffic, every game can be run on the one server you provide. no prof-edition needed, no problems with ports and routers. but your server has to be fast and have a nice connection. and the programming is a bit more complicated, but possible!
just noticed that you need a server in any case. no luck if you can't provide one that's online 24/7.
Last edited by SchokoKeks; 08/21/08 22:16.