Frequently Asked Questions
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Are there any rules or conventions to follow on line?
SunLits is the place for good sportsmanship and respect for fellow gamers.
Some players need to have the limits spelled out so here they are. :)
Facing the WallThe “Face the Wall†rule is a courtesy. If a player gets a phone call or is distracted, it is much easier to face a wall instead of logging off and on. They are obviously not in play, so please respect that and refrain from fragging them. If a new visitor to the server frags you, politely ask them not to do it again. Repetitive abuse of this rule will result of your removal from game by an Admin or Enforcer at their discretion
Cheating: with scripts, wallhacks, aimbots etc is pretty lame and if Valve Anti Cheat (VAC) software doesn't catch a player, the admin will.
Spawn Killing: Mining spawn points, camping next to them, or sniping them, are in our humble opinion, cheap ways to frag players. An admin or enforcer will kick or ban a spawn killer as merited.
If you accidentally frag a spawning player, and an apology is offered, all is well.. We realize that in the heat of a good session, shots get fired before the brain kicks in.
Spamming : Cluttering chat voice with repetitive or too many messages will kick in the spam/ overflow plugin and result in a kick. Voice spam such as singing will result in the same.
Offensive, Obscene or Hateful behaviour : Obscenities, pornography, racism and intimidation are not allowed and grounds for a permanent ban from all our servers. This includes spray logos, links to pornographic sites, voice communications or global chat.
If your nick implies any of the above you will be asked to change it.
This also applies to clan tags You have the option of modifying or reemoving the tag while playing here.
It seems that all I do is spawn and die. Any advice for the new player?
Introduction: This brief document is meant to give players who are just starting out some basic tactical ideas. If you are reading this, you should have some understanding of how to use Half-Life, but would like some help improving your play.
One-on-One Close Combat:
The most important thing to remember is Do Not Stand Still. It is a common error by new players and makes you easy prey for the regulars around here. Of course, in addition to not getting shot, you must shoot the other guy. Aim for the head. You can kill even a well-armed player with a pistol if you move quickly and put four bullets in his head.
Good weapons to use for close combat are the shotgun and the machine gun. The shotgun on our servers is "enhanced." You will find that it loads quicker, holds more, and does more damage. Remember to use the right-click to fire both barrels, particularly when very close to your opponent. Having the Long Jump module and using it in close combat is also a good idea.
Distant Combat/Sniping:
If you find a nice spot perched up on a ledge, perhaps, or on the side of a building and it is overlooking a large area or a high-traffic corridor (basically any "target-rich" area), grab an RPG or the crossbow and climb up there and hide. Wait for prey. Heat, and serve :)
When using the RPG, remember to turn off the red "guide dot" (you turn it on and off by clicking on the right mouse button) when running as it will slow down your framerates and possible give your position away to others. Turn it on only when about to fire at a target. When using the crossbow, note that there are two modes -- click on the right mouse button to switch between "zoom" and "regular" modes. When in zoom, one shot to the head will almost always kill a target. This makes this weapon very powerful if you can master the aiming (which is not easy). Remember to lead your targets (i.e., if the target is moving, don't shoot where his head is now, shoot where you think it will be in 1/2 second), just like one would do in real life. Note that it is easy to hit someone who runs in straight line (or even a predictable pattern) -- remember that when you are pinned down by a sniper too!
Underwater:
Only three weapons work while you are underwater: pistol, crossbow, and crowbar. The crossbow is the most deadly if the body of water is fairly large. Players move fairly slowly through water, and they usually move in more predicatable ways than when on dry land -- and as we learned above, this makes fore excellent sniping opportunities. Just swich to zoom and aim for the head.
Camping:
Camping refers to hiding out in one spot and picking off players as they enter a room or walk by. Many players whine about camping, but it's OK here as long as you don't camp at spawn points.
Mining:
Using mines can be a very effective tactic. In a large map, I tend to mine at every free opportunity. When placing the mines, find a location where the player is unlikely to see it until it is too late. I like just around a sharp corner and as low to the ground as I can get it, or at the top of stairs or elevator shafts.
Also think of using mines in conjunction with another weapon. For instance, you could hide high up on a ledge with an RPG, having mined all the places below where someone might find cover. When they run into the area, you know you will get them either way. Never mine a spawn point, it is against the rules.
What is HLDM Teamplay?
In teamplay, players work together to defeat the othe team instead of gunning down everyone in sight.
Team selection is simple. Just change to the model that the team you desire to be on is using. This can be done by either going back to your customize menu and selecting the model from your list, or enabling the console and typing "model xxxxxx".
ex: If you wanted to join team recon you would type in "model recon" in the console
Friendly Fire is an option to either take damage from your teammates or not. If it is enabled, when one of your teammates accidently shoots you, it takes away your health. As of now, we have it disabled to accomodate teamplay newbies.
How do I use a signature image and avatar in the forums ?
First thing I'd like to say about all this is kind of conceptual.... Keep in mind that the forum system is integrated with the PostNuke content management system (which runs the overall site), but it is not a stock component and therefore the integration is not perfect. That's why there's a separate "profile" link in the forums that seems to contain some information (e.g., your name) but not all information (e.g., your signature) from the info you entered in your PostNuke profile when you registered for the site.
If this confuses anyone, just know that you need to configure your "profile" in the forum system to have a signature and to adjust your avatar for the forums.
OK, now on to the step-by-step instructions...
If you've changed your avatar in your master profile for the sunlitgames.net site (i.e., the main PostNuke system), but it is not showing up in the forums, just Click on the "Profile" link near the top in the forums. When your forum profile comes up, scroll down towards the end and click the "From PostNuke" button and your current PostNuke (i.e., main site) avatar will be copied into the forum system. Alternately, you may specify a link to another avatar in the box provided.
With regard to the signature problem, I have turned on the important HTML tags in the forum system from the admin menu. However, I noticed in the user profile section that each individual user may select an option "Always allow HTML" -- make sure this is set to "yes." Then put your img tag with a link to your signature in the box near the top of the profile section, and you should be all set.
There is a button at the top of the user profile screen that says "Refresh from PostNuke". I believe this will pull all your current profile info (avatar, signature, name, etc.) from your main registration profile for the whole site.
Where can I find the Steam installer file?
All you need to install Steam is a 600kb file .
You can download the Steam installer here. Just follow the prompts.
No matter which game you are interested in, the key to success is patience.
So have a refreshing beverage and a magazine on hand.
Do not keep clicking on icons or buttons in an attempt to reinitiate process.
Just let it do its thing.
I have my valve game(s) installed , how do I convert it (them) to the Steam format?
You can use the 600kb installer and let Steam find your games itself and convert the files to the encrypted gcf files.
Start up a lan game on your PC = Create Game or Start New Game
This creates 2 directories
C:\ProgramFiles\Steam\SteamApps\youremailaddress\yourgame
and a config.cfg file.
How do I install or restore custom content ?
Steam stores all the game default maps, sounds, sprites etc in an encrypted gamename.gcf file. You can't add to this file.
Custom content is still possible by simply installing it to the game directory
C:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\youremailaddress\half-life\valve
or
C:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\youremailaddress\day of defeat\dod
in the appropriate folders.
Valve Games Installed with Custom Content Before Steam install:
If you had Half-Life installed before you installed Steam and didn't delete your old files, you can simply copy them over to the new game directory.
*All map .wad files
*Your gfx folder and all sub-folders
*Your maps folder and all sub-folders.
*Your models folder and all sub-folders
*Your overviews folder and all sub-folders
*Your sound folder and all sub-folders
*Your sprites folder and all sub-folders
If this seems like too much trouble, you can download skins and maps as self installers here
If you had DOD installed before Steam you would be better off installing new custom content.
Older versions of custom weapon and player models and some maps will not work with DOD 1.3.
You can download 1.3 compatable custom maps here
Where has the autoexec.cfg file gone! I've lost all my tweaks.
You can still use all your personalized tweaks in your game.
IN HLDM:
The cfg files are located in the root valve or valve_lv (low violence) directory.
The last line in the config.cfg files is "exec userconfig.cfg"
You can simply rename your old autoexec.cfg file to userconfig.cfg or can make a new one.
IN DOD:
The cfg files are located in the root dod or dod_lv (low violence) directory.
The last line in the config.cfg files is "exec userconfig.cfg"
You can simply rename your old autoexec.cfg file to userconfig.cfg or can make a new one.
In HL2:DM and DOD:S:
Add you tweaks and cvars in an "autoexec.cfg" file in the cfg directory.
What files are absolutely essential to back up in case of disaster?
Your custom content and config files of course.
The rest you can download from STEAM.
To avoid the lengthy download of new gcf files, take the time to make a STEAM Backup of the basic game files. Open Steam --> Play Games ---> Right click on the game you want to back up. STEAM will create an executable back up file(s)
in the format appropriate to either a CD or DVD burn.
When you need to reinstall the game(s), a brief update via Steam, to catch up on new updates from your last backup will be all it takes to be back on line.
I tried to log onto Steam but its frozen on updating screen...
or the log in screen or there is a ticket 35 error or children error.
Dont panic and there is no reason for reinstalling steam. This happens fequently after a Steam update. First thing to check in the Steam Forums.
If there is a error message about "something wrong with the data base or MySql", this could mean that there has been a denial of service attack at Steam or the the problem is so wide spread that the forums have been overloaded or shutdown becasue of the number of queries. In this case, take the opportunity to do some errands and come back later to try again.
If the Forums and Steam status appear ok, then Exit Steam. Go to the root Steam directory and delete the ClientRegistry.blob file.
Then start up Steam again. This will force it to update the Steam platform and any necessary files.
What is Day of Defeat ?
Day of Defeat (a.k.a. DoD) is a World War2 themed, Half-Life mod.
DoD is an online, team based, first person shooter.
Each team has several "player classes," that give each squad member a unique role. These include scout, infantry, sergeant, machine gunner, and more, each with a unique arsenal of historical weaponry at their disposal.
Day of Defeat includes 14 stock missions based on key historical battles. Additional missions, created by the online development community, are available for download.
** What do I need to install it?
If you have no Valve games installed, you will need a Valve game and a valid CD Key. Install the game. The original Half-Life would be the most economical.
If your HL version is earlier than 1.1.1.0, you will need to download and install the 1.1.1.0 patch
All you need to install Steam is a 600kb file .
The Mirrors for the Steam installer are listed here. Just follow the prompts.
A full explanation of the Steam install and game conversions can be found here .
So now where do I find a good server?
SunLit BoneYard (DOD 1.3)
IP: 69.28.221.147:27035
Public Slots: 24
FF: ON
Maps : Custom.
Auto Download: On
Class Limits: Yes
What is FF ?
FF means "friendly fire". This means that your fire can harm or kill your temamates. Its customary to apologize for team killing (tk) or team wounding (tw). 5 unforgiven tks will result your being automatically banned for 30 minutes.
What is FTB ?
FTB means "fade to black". The screen will become black while you are waiting to respawn. This prevents you from determining where your assailant was positioned.
What are custom maps ?
DOD installs with 17 stock or standard maps. Custom maps are made by fans of the game and offer more variety.
SunLit's has 210 custom maps in its DOD library.
Having the maps already on your hard drive lets you dive right into the game.
iIf you don't have them, they will fast auto-download for you in game.
Why are class limits set?
Classs limits are set to prevent teams from being stacked with only one or two weapon classes. This promotes team work.
How do I communicate to others in game?
The "y" key is the default for global chat.
Just hit "y", type in your message and then press Enter.
The "u" key is the default (TEAM) chat key.
Only your team members will be able to read this message.
Voice communication is possible.
You will need a microphone and speakers, microphone and headphones or a headset.
Plug in the microphone (headset) into the sound card or input jack.
Fire up the game. In Options menu, under Keyboard tab, assign a key to Voice communincations.
Under Voice tab, put a check mark in enable voice and slide transmit and receive bars over to the right.
Troubleshooting information is available.
What is a Console? It's not in my DOD Options Menu.
The console is the place to enter commands and settings directly into the game without using the Half-Life Option Menu.
You access the console in game with the tilde " ~ " key, and enter your commands there
The console allows you to fine tune game settings, enable tweaks, fixes and work-arounds.
This means you have the control to minimize ping, maximize frames per second, and configure your keyboard settings to be convenient for your individual requirements. These must be entered via the console or configuration files because menu options are not available to set them otherwise. Once you decide that a command is of benefit to you, you can add it permanently to a configuration file.
Frequently used commands are:
* Name Change
name "your name"
If there is a space in the name, surrround it by quotations or add an underscore
* Monitor FPS and Ping
netgraph_3
Shows a numerical value for frames per second(fps) and ping.
More complex commands require more typing. Doing this in-game inevitably results in being splattered on the nearest surface. Any command you enter from the console is temporary, lasting only for that session. Adding complex commmands and saving them for future games is easy using a configuration file.
Configuration File: what is it and how to use it ?
When you assign keys in the Options menu, Half-Life saves your preferences in the config.cfg file.
A custom configuration file is simply a permanent *.txt file, created with a text editing application (Notepad, Wordpad), containing a "list" of your favourite commands.They can be as simple as binding a key to an single action or command(s), changing the value of game variables (cvars) , executing scripts or making aliases.
* Change Variables:
//To brighten up the darker maps, reduce these cvars to 2.0 or 1.5
texgamma "2.0"
lightgamma "2.0"
Keys that can be bound are:
alt, ctrl, del, downarrow, end, f1-f12 (function keys),
home, ins, escape, enter, leftarrow, pause, pgup, pgdn,
return, rightarrow, shift, space, tab, uparrow, CapsLock
kp_minus, *, kp_slash, kp_plus, kp_enter, kp_del,
kp_ins, kp_5, kp_leftarrow, kp_rightarrow, kp_uparrow,
kp_downarrow, kp_home, kp_pgup, kp_pgdn, kp_end
* A Bind:
Binds assign an action to a specific key in the format: bind [key] [command]
So in order to turn Netgraph on and off with a keystroke add:
bind "key" "net_graph 3"
bind "key" "net_graph 0"
*fast weapon switch
hud_fastswitch 1
bind "key" "slot1"
*chat binds
bind "key" "say_team Sorry for the tk"
*stop the sounds
bind "key" "stopsound"
Userconfig.cfg : your custom configuration file
If you open the default config.cfg file with Notepad, you will see that the last line is exec userconfig.cfg
Your custom binds or cvars should be added to the userconfig.cfg file in the root valve directory. The game will automatically look for any commands in this file and execute them every time you start a game.
To make your userconfig.cfg file, make a New file with Notepad or Wordpad.
Save as userconfig.cfg. Type in your commands, binds, etc. Now right click on it.
Once you have started up a game and the config.cfg file has received your custom commands, exit the game.
You can make you cfg files read only to prevent server side or Steam changes to your cfg. It doesn't hurt to have a back up copy of both files.
The default DOD xhair is way too big and gets in the way of the target.
DOD provides the option to use a custom xhair.
In Options --> Multiplayer --> Advanced , uncheck the "Use dynamic xhair" box.
In your console type cl_xhair_style 1
You will now see an intensely red, smaller, static crosshair.
There are various sets of custom xhairs available on line.
The CAL custom xhairs are probably the most commonly used.
To use them
- in the config.cfg find cl_dynamic_xhair "1" and change it to "0"
- Add the customxhair_CAL.spr to the dod/sprite directory
- Rename it customxhair.spr
You access the different styles by the console command
cl_xhair_style "1" all the way up to 16
cl_xhair_style "0" returns you to the default red cross.
To toggle through all the available crosshairs
Make sure the last line of config.cfg is exec userconfig.cfg
Then in userconfig.cfg bind "k" "xtog"
and add the following lines:
alias xtog "xtog1"
alias xtog0 "vid_d3d 1; cl_xhair_style 0; alias xtog xtog1"
alias xtog1 "vid_d3d 0; cl_xhair_style 1; alias xtog xtog2"
alias xtog2 "vid_d3d 0; cl_xhair_style 2; alias xtog xtog3"
alias xtog3 "vid_d3d 0; cl_xhair_style 3; alias xtog xtog4"
alias xtog4 "vid_d3d 0; cl_xhair_style 4; alias xtog xtog5"
alias xtog5 "vid_d3d 0; cl_xhair_style 5; alias xtog xtog6"
alias xtog6 "vid_d3d 0; cl_xhair_style 6; alias xtog xtog7"
alias xtog7 "vid_d3d 1; cl_xhair_style 7; alias xtog xtog8"
alias xtog8 "vid_d3d 0; cl_xhair_style 8; alias xtog xtog9"
alias xtog9 "vid_d3d 1; cl_xhair_style 9; alias xtog xtog10"
alias xtog10 "vid_d3d 1; cl_xhair_style 10; alias xtog xtog11"
alias xtog11 "vid_d3d 1; cl_xhair_style 11; alias xtog xtog12"
alias xtog12 "vid_d3d 1; cl_xhair_style 12; alias xtog xtog13"
alias xtog13 "vid_d3d 1; cl_xhair_style 13; alias xtog xtog14"
alias xtog14 "vid_d3d 1; cl_xhair_style 14; alias xtog xtog15"
alias xtog15 "vid_d3d 1; cl_xhair_style 15; alias xtog xtog16"
alias xtog16 "vid_d3d 0; cl_xhair_style 16; alias xtog xtog0"
I can't see the chat messages
This is due to you using a Steam skin other than the default.
Open Steam--> Settings --> Skins ---> Default skin
Close then log onto a game.
The text is there but it is tiny.
Type in the cosole, "cl_hudfont" "2" or "3".
You can add this as a permanent command in your userconfig.cfg file
Open it with Notepad, add "cl_hudfont" "2" or "3"
The text is huge and covers up much of the screen.
The text for chat, admin messages and scoreboard are controlled by values in the TrackerScheme.res and ClientScheme.res files.
You can download on alternative for the fonts here
Unzip them to the dod/resource directory.
If you dont like them, you can try editing them with Notepad or simply delete them and return to the default values.
Spray logos look great. How do I get one for myself?
Half Life Engine
There are two kinds of spray logos:
Those available through the Customize Menu (*.bmp)
and Custom sprays (*.wad)
Both types are sprayed by the key selected in the Options --> Keyboard menu
or by adding the command
bind "key" "impulse 201" in your config file.
The regular greyscale logos (*bmp) are found in the Half-Life/logos or dod/logos directories.
The *.wad files are placed in the root dod or valve directories.
Steam has changed the spray logo set up
Your favourite pldecal.wad files will still work. All you need to do is rename them to
tempdecal.wad.
Now right click on the wad file. Select Properties and Read Only.
This will prevent the file from being overwritten if you enter the Options Menu.
Making your own Custom Logos is very simple.
All that is required is any simple image processing program such as MSPaint
or Jasc Paint Shop Pro and a program that will convert the *bmp file to a *wad file.
Wally
or the Decal Converter ver. 1.3 do the trick with ease.
There are many on line tutorials available to make both colour and grey scale logos.
Here are a few:
The LogoWarehouse
BubbleModOrg
Cyber-Rat.Com
These sites also make premade colour logos available for download.
An internet search will find you many other sources.
Source and OrangeBox Engines
You can import custom jpg or bmp directly through your Options --> Multiplayer Menu The images need to be 128x128, 256x256, 512x512 in size.
