BZFlagWiki - User contributions [en]

User:Samjetski

2009-08-11T09:05:53Z

Samjetski: rectify timeline for porting BZFlag to PortableApps, update ext. links

I love [[BZFlag]] - my favourite game :D

I've done a fair bit of tinkering with running BZFlag portably (ie: from a flashdrive at school/work) on Windows.
I might write a how-to regarding this at some stage...
I intend to port BZFlag to the [http://www.portableapps.com/ PortableApps.com] platform for Win32, but this will probably not be done until November/December 2009.

I'm an Ubuntu user, but I use Windows XP when I must.

I also do a bit of web development, etc. (although I have been rather busy with other things lately).

==External links==
*http://www.samjetski.net/ - my general development and (public) testing, and long-term project hosting
*http://samjetski.ddns.info/ - my live development, often offline

BZFlag 2.99

2009-08-11T08:45:24Z

Samjetski: /* Release Date */ clarified ambiguity - "2009" instead of "the year"

BZFlag version 3.0 is the next planned release of BZFlag.

==Overview==
Version 3.0 is currently in development and marked as version v2.99.x. Upon release it will be marked as version v3.0. The primary goals for this version are improved server side stability and security in an effort to minimize the impact of clients that have been modified to provide their users benefit ( aka, cheating ). Additional efforts are being made to extend the server side customization of the game. v3.0 will be completely incompatible with all previous versions of the game. Users of v3.0 will only be able to play on 3.0 servers. This is similar to how v2.0 was incompatible with 1.10.

==Development==
Development began on 3.0 on October 25th 2005. After an initial rush of changes, development stalled, as a number of bugs were found in the current release build of the time ([[BZFlag 2.0.4|v2.0.4]]). These bugs and problems, as well as a number of graphical changes from [[trepan]] necessitated the release of compatible [[BZFlag 2.0.6|v2.0.6]], [[BZFlag 2.0.8|v2.0.8]], and [[BZFlag 2.0.10|v2.0.10]] releases.

==Version Number Change==
v3.0 is the first version to use the new version numbering system. The 3.0 release initially began as the 2.1 development line, with the intent of being released as version 2.2. Part of the way through development, however, the [[Versions|versioning]] number scheme changed and the development revision changed from 2.1 to 2.99. With previous releases the minor version number in the version triplet (major.minor.revision) represented protocol and client compatibility. With 3.0 compatibility is instead reflected in the major version number. This new scheme gives more "room" to deal with minor packaging revisions and patch release updates.

==Features==
v3.0 has a number of features that make for a much improved gameplay experience.

===Fonts===
The font system has been replaced and now uses standard TrueType fonts([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TrueType TTF]). This offers a number of advantages over the older bitmap based font system, including support for unicode character sets.

Users can now set the default fonts that they wish to use on a per-locale basis so they can use the best fonts for their character set. (More info on how?)

===Server Side Logic===
A number of gameplay features have been moved from the client to the server, to ensure more consistent gameplay over the internet, including;
* Flag operations (pickup, capture, identify, etc)
* Pause/unpause
* Shot type

===Game state and security checks===
Many changes and enhancements have been made to the network protocol to prevent errors in the network message stream or shared game state.

===BZW Format===
*Links can now be included in groups, with relative naming.
*Mesh faces can now be used as teleportation link sources (with numerous options)
*Mesh faces can now be used as team bases (must be flat tops).
*Mesh faces can now be used as zones (must be flat tops).
*Meshes can now contain weapon objects.
*World Text objects have been added (with numerous options)
*Dynamic Colors now use a simpler format.
*Solid objects can now specify the 'ricochet' property individually.

===Graphics===
Changes have been made to the graphical quality settings. What was Experimental quality in 2.0.12 is now High quality. Medium quality is between the old High and Medium, and Low has remained mostly unchanged.

The new Experimental mode includes new shot and flag graphics.

===New Server List===
The list of servers has been enhanced to allow tabbed browsing as well as improved searching and sorting.

===HUD Markers===
If HUD markers showing flag position, GM lockon are now shown to players. THe name and team of the closest target is also shown, helping prevent teamkills. Servers can turn off this feature for all players if desired.

===BZFS API===
The [[BZFS API]] has been reviewed and re-factored for 3.0 and includes a number of new events and functions.

====Server Side Players====
The API has experimental support for server side players (bots).

====Custom Flag Names====
The API may define new custom flag names using any strings desired. The ammount of logic that can be processed for custom flags is limited.

====HTTP based plug-ins====
The networking system for BZFS now allows for the support of HTTP (and other ) connections. A number of plugins have been made to take advantage of this new feature, such as;
* [[Fastmap]]
* [[Webadmin]]
* [[Webreport]]
* [[Webstats]]

====BZFS API Versioning====
The versioning system in the BZFS API has been redone, and now event data classes are versioned for forward computability. Custom plug-ins that were written for v2.0.x must be updated to use the new classnames before they will work with v3.0.x. This should only be a one time change as the new classes are versioned and will remain the same in future releases. All standard plug-ins that ship with the bzflag source code have been updated.

===Lua BZFS API===
The lua scripting language (http://lua.org), is now built into the bzfs executable, and exposes almost all of the features from the C++ BZFS API (and a few that the C++ API does not have). It has the advantages of being easier to learn and write than comparable C++ code, and it can be embedded in world files. The main disadvantage is that it is not as fast as native c++ code.

===Server Administration===
Some changes have been made to help you server administrators.

The [[Webadmin]] plug-in allows server owners to manage many aspects of the server from a standard web browsers.

====Local Authentication====
Local authentication ( '''/identify''' ), has been removed from the game, servers can use global authentication services for all authentication needs.

===Gameplay Changes===
A number of changes have been made to the game that will subtly affect gameplay.
====Acceleration====
Tank acceleration is now always on. The "-a" server option has been removed, and the acceleration values are pulled from BZDB variables. These variables are _inertiaLinear and _inertiaAngular.

====Lag Compensation====
Clients now use a synced timestmap and attempt to compensate tank positions for lag. This can change the way the game feels for players that are used to "leading" the target based on it's lag.

====Hit Volume====
The volume that defines a "hit" on a tank has been changed. It is now a box around the tank that can be adjusted by the server using BZDB variables.

====No TK Option====
A server can define an option that will allow players to not be killed if a team-mates shot hits them

===Build System===
Much effort has been put into making the bzflag source tree easier to compile on various OSs. The makefile build system has been updated and attempts to detect as many items as possible from the host System. The windows build system has been updated to be compatible with Visual Studio 2008 Express Edition that is freely available. When possible, copies of third party libraries are included with the source code.

===Bug Fixes===
A student is being paid as part of the Google Summer of Code program to evaluate and fix the backlog of reported bugs in the software. This will have the overall effect of increasing the stability of the game.

===ChangeLog===
A full list of changes can be found in the [http://bzflag.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/*checkout*/bzflag/trunk/bzflag/NEWS NEWS] file in the [[BZFlag Source]] code in [[BZFlag SVN|SVN]].

==Known Issues==
A lot of stuff needs testing, and probably doesn't work.

==Release Date==
As is always the case for major updates to BZFlag, '''''3.0 will be released when it is done'''''. At present, a major effort is being made to release sometime in the third quarter of 2009.

==Misconceptions about V3.0==
There have been a few misconceptions in the community regarding what this new version will and will not do. Most of this is simply due to the exceptionally long development time, or comments being taken out of context.

'''V3 will do everything Server Side, including shots'''

This is untrue. While more things have been moved to the server, shoots and hits are still handled by the client. Shots and hits will not be moved to the server until the code can be shown to maintain the level of response time that players have come to expect.

'''V3 will use more bandwith and be laggy'''

V3 does a better job of handling network traffic to and from players. Many messages have been reduced in size. Server side handling of some events, (like flag grabs) have actually removed some messages from the network stream. Network performance should be similar to V2.x. In some cases, lag compensation may even improve apparent performance.

==See also==
[[Versions]]

[[V3RCChecklist]]

[[Category:Versions]]

User:Samjetski

2009-01-30T08:43:52Z

Samjetski:

I love [[BZFlag]] - my favourite game :D

I've done a fair bit of tinkering with running BZFlag portably (ie: from a flashdrive at school/work) on Windows.
I might write a how-to regarding this at some stage...
I'm currently working on porting BZFlag to the [http://www.portableapps.com/ PortableApps.com] platform for Win32 (should be done soon...)

I'm an Ubuntu user, but I use Windows XP when I must.

I also do a bit of web development, etc. (although I have been rather busy with other things lately).

==External links==
http://samjetski.googlepages.com/ (old, mostly outdated)

http://samjetski.no-ip.info/ (development, often offline)

Getting Started

2008-09-21T11:09:45Z

Samjetski: /* Entering a Game */ spelling

This article covers the basics of getting started with BZFlag. It is intended for new players who have just found the game and require assistance. More detailed help can be found on our [[Getting Help]] page.

==Getting Started==
These simple steps have been designed to allow new users to begin playing the game as quickly as possible.

===Downloading and installing the game===

The main thing users need to play is the game software. Users can [[Download]] the software for a number of different [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operating_system|operating systems].

====Windows====
The most common operating system for players is Microsoft Windows. A simple installer can be found at, http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/bzflag/bzflag-2.0.10.exe?download . Simply Double click the downloaded file to install the game.

====Mac OSX====
The next most popular system for players is Apple's MacOS X for the Macintosh family of computers. The version for macs can be found at, http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/bzflag/BZFlag-2.0.10.dmg . Simply drag the BZFlag icon from the extracted DMG to your Applications folder to install the game.

====Linux====
The project does not distribute a premade binary package for linux, but many linux distrobutions have BZFlag in their package management systems ( APT, YUM, emerge, etc.. ). Linux users can always build the game from the source code. Please see the [[Download|downloads]] page for more information.

===Registering a callsign(Optional)===
It is not mandatory to register a callsign ( the name a player uses in-game), but it is highly recommended.

A few of the benefits of registering are:

* The callsign is reserved, and can not be used by any other player.
* Registered users post on the BZFlag forums
* Registered users can join global groups, and leagues.
* Many servers require registration to play.

Users that wish to register can simply do so on the BZFlag forums at [http://my.bzflag.org/bb/profile.php?mode=register my.bzflag.org/bb]

===Running the game===

Once the game is installed, it must be run to play.

====Windows====
Windows users that have installed the game with the provided installer will find a shortcut to the game in the start menu, under program files. Users simply have to click this shortcut to start the game.

====Mac OS X====
Macintosh users simply have to double click the BZFlag icon that they dragged to their Applications folder to start the game.

====Linux====
Linux, and other unix based platforms can start the game by typing the command '''bzflag''' in a terminal.

===Joining a game===
When the game is first started it will show the main menu screen. Users navigate the menu by using the Up and Down arrow keys to highlight a menu item, and using the enter key to select and activate the highlighted item.

{|
|-
|
====Main Menu====
The main menu includes a number of menu items that lead to sub menus. The most important menu for new players is the '''Join Game''' item.
|[[Image:MainMenu.png|right|thumb|300px|The Main Menu]]
|-
|

====Join Game Menu====
Users wishing to join an internet game in progress should choose the '''Join Game''' item from the main menu.

On the first run of the game software all the fields in the Join Menu will be empty. Players need to use the arrow keys to highlight the '''Callsign''' item and input a player name. This name will be how other players see the user. Registered users should use the same callsign that they registered when playing. Registered users should also enter in their password into the item marked '''password'''. This password is only used for to verify your identity and is NEVER sent to the game server.

The e-mail string is optional and usually left blank by many users.

Once this information has been entered, the user must choose a server to play on. Servers are games of BZFlag that are hosted on the internet. There are over 200 servers to choose from. A listing of all the servers can be found by highlighting the '''Find Server''' menu item to bring up the server list.

|[[Image:JoinGame.png|right|thumb|300px|]]
|-
|
====Server List====
The server list menu shows a listing of all publicly available internet games. The list is sorted by the number of players on each server at any time, and will dynamically change over time. The servers with the highest player counts will always be at the top of the list.

The various servers can be highlighted using the arrow keys, and additional information about the highlighted game will be shown at the top of the screen. Once the user has chosen a server to join they must hit the enter key to select the server and return to the Join Game Menu.

|[[Image:ServerList.png|right|thumb|300px|The Serverlist]]
|-
|

====Entering a Game====
When a server is choosen from the Server List, it's information will be automatically entered into the appropriate fields in the Join Game menu. The user may then choose a team color, or leave the setting on automatic if they wish the server to assign them to a team.

When all the information is entered, the user simply has to choose connect menu item, and they will join the game. If additional textures or resources are needed to join the game, they will be downloaded automatically.
|-
|

====Playing BZFlag====
Once the user has joined the game they will be able to enjoy the gameplay that has made BZFlag one of the most popular open source games in history.
|-
|

=====Controls=====
The basic controls for the game are rather simple.

By default the mouse is used for movement. Moving the mouse up and down will move the tank forwards and backwards, while moving the mouse left and right will cause the tank to turn in that direction. Returning the mouse to the center of the screen will cause the tank to stop moving.

The left mouse button is used to fire the tank's weapon.

Optionally the keyboard can be used. The arrow keys control movement in the same way as the mouse, and the space bar is used to fire the weapon.

Some servers offer a feature that allows tanks to jump. The ''tab'' key is used to start a small jump into the air. When jumping a tank normally can not change it's speed or direction until it lands. Depending on the map, it may be possible for tanks to jump and land on various world objects and continue to fight.
|-
|

=====Objective=====
BZFlag is a team game, and has various objectives depending on the game type.

The default game type is '''Free For All''', commonly abbreviated as ''FFA''. This mode is similar to a team death match in other first person shooting type games. The objective is to destroy as many tanks as possible on other teams, while minimizing your own losses. Tanks are destroyed by being shot, in most cases one shot is all it takes to kill an enemy tank.

Capture the Flag is another common game type. It's objective is to pick up the flag from an oposing team and return it to your base. Tanks are destroyed the same way as in FFA games.

The least common type of game is '''Rabbit Hunt'''. In this game mode, one user is a white-colored '''rabbit''' tank, and everyone else is a orange-colored '''hunter''' tank. The '''hunter''' tank(s) must chase and kill the rabbit tank. The '''hunter''' tank which kills the '''rabbit''' tank then becomes the '''rabbit''' tank.
|-
|

=====Non-Standard Teams=====

Usually, you may not shoot members of your own team. But, there is one exception to this rule, called the '''rogue''' team. '''Rogue''' tanks are black in the view window, and yellow on the radar. They may shoot their "teammates", and gain points for it. This is because '''rogue''' tanks are each on a one-man team of their own. '''Rogue''' tanks are usually found on '''Free For All''' maps, but are occasionally found on '''CTF''' maps.
|-
|

=====Flags=====
There are four different kinds of flags on an average server:
* Team flags are colored to correspond with the teams on the map. The idea is to grab the other team's flag and bring it back to your base.
* Superflags are "power ups" for your tank. Some examples of superflags can be '''Guided Missile''' (Allows your tank to lock onto and shoot others), '''laser''' (Allows your tank to shoot an infinitely fast and long laser beam), and '''Stealth''' (Your tank does not appear on radar).
* Bad Flags restrict the movement or actions of your tank. Some bad flags are ''''No Jumping, Obesity, Trigger Happy,''' and '''Left turn only.'''
* Antidote flags are flags that appear only when you have a bad flag. Driving over an antidote flag removes the bad flag from your tank.
|-
|

=====Interface Elements=====
Most of the interface elements can be changed in the GUI settings, or by editing the config file.
|-
|

======Scoreboard======
Once a player has joined a server, they should notice a number of things, including the scoreboard.

Internet games commonly feature between 5 and 20 players. The names of these players will be listed in the scoreboard on the left hand side of the screen. The scoreboard can be hidden and shown by using the ''S'' key. The scoreboard is usually set up to show a players name, score, teamkills, email string, flag, kills/deaths, and the amount of kills/deaths you have scored against that player. For example, in this scoreboard, player "Andrey" has a score of 2, 0 teamkills, and email string of "Andrey@andreypc", has the SW (shock wave) flag, has 8 kills, 6 deaths, and has been killed by player "me1" 0 times, and has killed player "me1" once. Flags whose names are in white are powerful flags. Team flags are always the color of that team on the scoreboard. Other flags are just the same color as the player using them.

|[[Image:Scoreboard.jpg|right|thumb|300px|The Scoreboard]]
|-
|
======Team Scoreboard======
There is also a scoreboard for team scores. In FFA this shows the kills, deaths, and overall score. In CTF this shows the amount of flags that team has captured, and the amount of times their flag was captured, and the score. Also, to the right is the amount of players on that team. The rogue team is never included on the team scoreboard.
|[[Image:Teamscoreboard.jpg|right|thumb|300px|The Team Scoreboard]]
|-
|

======Radar======
The [[Radar]] (In the bottom left), shows a bird's eye, 2d view of the map. This is useful for dodging bullets, and seeing where other players are in relation to the users' tank. The user's tank is displayed in the center of the radar, in white. Two lines from the user's "blip" on the radar represent the user's FOV (Field of view). The user's bullets are also displayed in white. Other teams are shown on the radar in their respective color, red shown in red, green shown in green, etc. The rogue team is shown in yellow. Flags are shown as little x's, and team flags as colored x's. A square is also around each radar "blip." This represents height. The larger the square, the higher something is. If a "blip" has an X through it, that tank has a flag.

|[[Image:Radar.jpg|right|thumb|300px|The Radar]]
|-
|

====Sportsmanship====

When playing BZFlag, it is important to keep a few simple rules in mind:

* Players should never shoot tanks on their own team (except for the rogue players).
* Players should be civil to other players in all respects.

|[[Image:Screenshot1.jpg|right|thumb|300px|A Screenshot of a standard 2.0.9 client playing on Missile War 2]]
|}

Rabbit Hunt

2008-09-17T07:25:09Z

Samjetski: fixed: selection can also be score based

[[Rabbit Hunt]] is a game mode in BZFlag.

==Playing==
A player is selected to be the rabbit (based on scores, who killed the last rabbit, or randomly) and the rest of the players remain hunters. The rabbit tries to kill the hunters while avoiding their shots. If the rabbit gets shot (by themselves or a hunter) they are no longer rabbit and someone else becomes rabbit. Hunters can get [[Team Kill|team killed]] by other hunters.

{{stub}}

[[Category:Gameplay]]

HoldTheFlag

2008-09-15T09:57:17Z

Samjetski: add categories, tidy up, wikified

HTF is a [[plugin]] that creates basically a half [[Capture the Flag]] game mode. The user spawns on their team's [[base]] and somewhere on the map is their [[Flag List#Team_Flags|team's flag]]. The goal of the game is to capture your own flag (something not thought of as nice in normal [[CTF]]). The more times you capture your own flag, the more points you get. Points do not affect your [[score]] in anyway and are shown via the [[chat]].

{{stub}}
[[Category:Gameplay]]
[[Category:Plug-Ins]]

Chat

2008-09-15T09:56:32Z

Samjetski: redirect to Message

#REDIRECT [[Message]]

Score

2008-09-15T09:41:51Z

Samjetski: redirect to Scoreboard

#REDIRECT [[Scoreboard]]

Hix

2008-09-15T09:28:25Z

Samjetski: wikified (linked)

Hix is a [[CTF]] and [[FFA]] map that is included with the BZFlag installation.

[[Image:Hix-ctf.png|thumb|right|Hix Screenshot in 4 team CTF Mode]]
[[Image:Hix-ffa.png|thumb|right|Hix Screenshot in FFA Mode]]
[[Category:Maps]]
[[Category:CTF Maps]]
[[Category:FFA Maps]]
[[Category:4 Team Maps]]
==Description==
The Hix map is a completely symmetric map with the [[Base|bases]] in the center of the walls, two stories above the ground. Players can get to these bases through [[Teleporter|teleporters]] at the corners of the map, or from three boxes, one on each side of the base half way between it and the teleporters and from one box in front of the base. Boxes and pyramids laid out across the map make for great [[ricochet]] moves to catch opponents by surprise.
==Leagues==
The Hix map is used in the [[GU League|Games United League]] as a 2 vs 2 map with the red and the purple bases used and is used in the [[Leagues#1vs1_League|1vs1 League]] in it's FFA form
==CTF Strategies==
On the Hix map in its 2 team form, flags should be placed either behind a teleporter or against the box half way between the teleporter and the base. These two spots make it easy to kill opponents trying to grab your flag. In its 4 team form, flags should be left on the base or on the box behind the base.
==Other forms==
The map can be found in other forms besides [[FFA]], 2 team [[CTF]], and 4 team [[CTF]]. Some servers use the map in a [[Rabbit Hunt]] format, a [[Hold the Flag]] (HTF) format using a HTF plug-in, and a [[King of the Hill]] format.
{{Template:Stub}}

Talk:Bloodbath

2008-09-15T08:38:39Z

Samjetski: New page: picture needed? ~~~~

picture needed? [[User:Samjetski|Samjetski]] 04:38, 15 September 2008 (EDT)

Slash commands

2008-09-15T08:22:17Z

Samjetski: redirect - case sensitive

#REDIRECT [[Slash Commands]]

Talk:Server Permissions

2008-09-15T08:13:34Z

Samjetski: New page: Perhaps we also need how to view and set permissions (or at least a link). Without this, knowing what each permission means is sort-of useless...

Perhaps we also need how to view and set permissions (or at least a link). Without this, knowing what each permission means is sort-of useless...

Flag ideas

2008-09-15T02:06:44Z

Samjetski: /* List of suggested flags: */ AfterBurner (AB) flag

== Some simple guidelines ==

=== READ THIS FIRST ===

* First, check that your idea isn't already here. Chances are someone else has already come up with your flag.
* Next, think carefully about your flag. Come up with a short and succinct description. Not only will a short description will make it easier for the project management team to make a decision about the flag, but it usually also indicates the quality of the idea. Chances are if a flag requires more than a short sentence or two, it's too complicated for the game.
* Make sure your flag idea isn't overpowered or stupid.
* Finally, add your flag to the '''top''' of the section with the blank 'status' field. Use the teal background color and leave the status blank!
* Note that your flag approved to a "yes" does not mean it will happen. Everything done is what the developers want to do - if a flag requires significant changes to the codebase and isn't the most brilliant idea ever, it'll probably sit here for quite some time before being implemented, if ever.

This is NOT a list of flags that are being considered. Discussion/implementation of these is encouraged, but does not mean any of these flags are going into the game.

If you do implement a flag keep these things in mind:
* All powerful flags aren't fun.
* Flags that ensure your immediate destruction aren't fun.
* Flags that aren't useful aren't fun.
* Flags boost/modulate tactical trait of tanks

Based on these observations we have the following rules:

;Flag power must be limited
:For example, BZFlag has stealth and cloaking flags, but no stealth-and-cloak flag. Such a tank would be virtually impossible to destroy. Nobody likes to play against someone who can't lose.
The guided missile and laser flags are both exceptionally powerful flags, but neither make the owner invincible. Laser takes twice as long to reload and a guided missile can be dodged while still firing on the owner. You've gotta be good, but it can be done.

;Flag powers can counteract/balance each other.
:Some flags are handily defeated with another kind of flag. The oscillation overthruster can be destroyed by a super bullet or a shock wave (or a genocide). Cloaking is effective against laser and stealth is good against guided missile. Ricochet is useful against ricochet.
:Consider adding counterbalancing flags together. Or consider adding a flag that acts as a counterbalance to an existing flag or flags. Also consider making your new flag counterbalanced by an existing flag; superbullet is often a good choice.

;Don't add flags that (almost) instantly kill the owner.
:I considered adding a Death flag that would instantly kill the tank that grabbed it. I changed my mind because that's not fun and seriously dampens interest in picking up flags. Mines are similar. You're driving around and *boom* you're dead. Nothing you could've done to avoid it, no mistake you made. You're just dead. People don't mind losing so much if they know it was because they did something wrong.
:Even worse is a flag that disables your radar and vision. You're basically dead. You can shoot at random and hope to get lucky, but no amount of skill can save you. And what's worse than the Death flag is that you have to stagger around waiting for someone to kill you.
:A flag that seriously disables a tank is not as bad because the player can still use skill to defeat as many enemies as possible before getting shot. Thus we have flags like left turn only and obesity.

;Flags should require new skills
:Flags that require new skills keep the game interesting. If there's still more to learn about using ricochet or guided missile, or more to learn about fighting against them, then people will keep playing.
:Some flags seem pretty dull to some players. The steamroller and the phantom zone come to mind, or quick turn. These aren't the most powerful flags, but they do have their uses and some people enjoy them. However, I think I should have removed SR and PZ. Steamroller's usefulness is very limited and looks pretty weak compared to shock wave. PZ tends to encourage very defensive play, which slows the game down. But quick turn can be very effective when used well; put it in a tight furball and it'll do serious damage. You just have to learn how to take full advantage of it.

== List of suggested flags: ==

{| cellpadding="10" cellspacing="1" border="1"
|+align="bottom" style="color:#e76700;"|''Legend''
|-
|style="background-color:#5BFAFA;"|'' ''
|To be Approved
|-
|style="background-color:#a14141;"|'' ''
|Approved as a not bad idea, but needs research
|-
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|'' ''
|Rejected
|-
|style="background-color:#41a141;"|'' ''
|Claimed (Implementing)
|-
|style="background-color:#4141a1;"|'' ''
|SVN (Implemented, and going to be in the release)
|-
|style="background-color:transparent;"|'' ''
|Maybe but there are issues
|}

{| cellpadding="2" cellspacing="1" border="1" width="100%"
|- style="background-color:#ffff88;"
!Name
!+/-
!Status
!Use
|-
|AfterBurner (AB)

or

Rocket Jam (RJ)
| -
|style="background-color:#5bfafa;"|'' ''
|In-game description: Tank can't stop going forwards at high speed. Don't hesitate!

Description here: On pickup (or perhaps after first forward movement) tank instantly starts going forwards (only, no reverse) at high-speed (or faster?). Left/Right turning is still normal. (Perhaps reduced turning circle?)

Makes it easy to crash into walls. Getting stuck in a corner will make you an easy target. However, an alert player could probably hold out with this for long enough to make it quite fun.
|-
|Temporary Shield (TS)
|
| style="background-color:#5bfafa;"|'' ''
|In-game description: Trigger a temporary shield. Be careful not to hold on too long!
Description here: Akin to the shield on the old Atari 2600/coin-op [http://www.atariage.com/manual_html_page.html?SoftwareID=828 Asteroids] game. "Fire" triggers shield, which remains in place until released, but enabling shield for too long (A short "reload" threshold, 2 seconds?) results in self-destruction. Shots at shielded player could be any of: ''pass-through'', ''absorb'', or ''deflect'' -- although the first one is more true to the original concept.

'''Other notes:'''
* Suggested limit of 3-5 uses per flag, although this would be set per-server.
* This is an implicitly defensive flag -- there's no weaponry when using it -- but could be well suited for advancing a front in a CTF, etc.
|-
|Super Flag (SP)
|
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No double flags.''
|Enables 2 flags to be used at the same time, but some flags have conflicts with others, for example, "won't allow combos like stealth, and cloak flag".
|-
|Low Ammo (LA)
| -
|style="background-color:#5bfafa;"|'' ''
|you only have half of the ammo you originally had.If odd round up with maybe a little longer reload time.
|-
|Safe Thief (ST)
|
|style="background-color:#5bfafa;"|'' ''
|In-game description: Front and rear shots.

Description here: Shots only go go 1/4 distance of normal shot, can only be killed with thief, SW, & SB, any tank that touches you dies and you get their flag, if they don't have a flag; you still drop your flag.

|-
|Front+Rear fire (FR)
|
|style="background-color:#5bfafa;"|'' ''
|In-game description: Front and rear shots.

Description here: Fires the default fire and additionally fires at the same time rear-shots.
|-
|No Ricochet (NR)
| -
|style="background-color:#5bfafa;"|'' ''
|In-game description: Shots don't ricochet.

Description here: Like the Jamming and No Jumping flags in maps that have radar and jumping enabled by default, this flag disables the ricochet ability in maps where ricochet is normally enabled.
|-
|Long SB (LSB)
| +
|style="background-color:#5bfafa;"|'' ''
|In-game description: Shoot through building, infinite range, long reload time

Description here: SB-- range and speed of L, 2.5 times reload time of normal SB.
|-
|Radar (RD)
| +
|style="background-color:#5bfafa;"|'' ''
|In-game description: Can use radar.

Description here: Like how in some maps that have jumping flags or ricochet flags when those things are normally disabled, in maps with radar disabled, this would give you radar ability. It would counteract the Jamming flag in normal maps.
|-
|Sticky Jump (SJ)
| +
|style="background-color:#5bfafa;"|'' ''
|In-game description: Stick to ceeling.

Description here: When you jump when you are under a building, your tank 'sticks' to the ceeling. Pressing jump again would cause you to end up on the top of the building. When a tank is stuck to the ceelimg, it would be incincible to L; and have a form of GM that had 1/4 the range and only locked-on to targets below.
|-
|Flat (FL)
| +
|style="background-color:#5bfafa;"|'' ''
|In-game description: Tank is flat from sides, but normal size from front and back. Can hide against walls.

Description here: Like Narrow but the forward-backward dimension is where you are flat instead of the left-right dimension if you understand.
|-
|Signal Decoder (SD)/Transmission Interceptor (TI)
| +
|style="background-color:#5bfafa;"|'' ''
|In-game description: Listen to all messages.

Description here: Any message sent on the server, even ones to a team or individual tank, are picked up. In the case of private messages, it will appear as [SendingTank->IntendedRecipient]. Also, commands show up, such as /set, /me, or /say, as well as their results. Good for detecting enemy strategies.
|-
|Carbonite Missile (CM)
| +
|style="background-color:#5bfafa;"|'' ''
|In-game description: Shoots a guided missile that slows down tanks near where it detonates. Can kill only with a direct hit.

Description here: The missile is similar to the missile from GM, but it's light blue and has different variables to control its movement speed/turn speed. When it hits something or times out, it creates a light blue shockwave-looking pulse that may leave residual graphical effects in the vicinity and/or on tanks in the area. Instead of doing damage, this pulse temporarily slows down the tanks it hits; the duration of the slowdown is the same as the duration of the residual graphical effects mentioned above. The time that the tanks are slowed down, as well as the degree of the slowdown and the degree of reduction to turning capability (it can slow turning too) are all server variables. There should also be a brief time between shots, and/or an increase in reload time.
|-
|Pulse/Plasma Cannon (PC)
| +
|style="background-color:#5bfafa;"|'' ''
|In-game description: Fires a burst of plasma capable of shaking buildings. Can kill Phantom Zone.

Description here: Shoots a large, wave-like shot that is bigger and slower than normal shots. Alternately, two shots spiraling around each other. Either way, it hovers in front of you for a short time before going forward, and during that time you cannot fire. If it hits a building, all tanks inside that building via OO or PZ are killed, all shots inside it (such as SB or PZ) are disintegrated, all tanks touching the sides bounce away, and all tanks on top briefly are forced to jump rapidly, like on a trampoline that has a very low jump height.
|-
|Mass Driver (MD)
| +
|style="background-color:#5bfafa;"|'' ''
|In-game description: Fires a fast bullet that can go through multiple targets and shields. No ricochet.

Description here: The bullet moves about twice as fast as a normal bullet, and has 1.5x range by default, and corresponding reduction in reload time. It kills shielded tanks, and keeps going if it hits a tank to hit other tanks. However, it never ricochets.

Possible addition: A server variable (binary/true or false/trinary) sets whether it shoots one shot from the tank's barrel, one shot alternating between left and right of the tank, or two shots from the left and right of the tank at once, in reference to the Canderous-class Assault Tank from Star Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption.
|-
|Shield (SH)
| +
|style="background-color:#5bfafa;"|'' ''
|Description: It's an idea for the improvement of Shield, not a new flag entirely. The idea is that if a person with Shield is hit, they are briefly invincible, and possibly flicker and/or be unable to shoot. This would really help; I remember numerous times when I was hit while equipped with Shield, and was immediately killed anyway because the other guy launched a cluster of shots.
|-
|Score Drain (SD)
| +
|style="background-color:#5bfafa;"|'' ''
|In-game description: Drains score continuously. Does not kill.

Description here: Shoots a normal bullet with a line (laser sprite) between it and the user tank. When it hits someone, the line attaches to them instead. The bullet vanishes. Then score goes continuously from the tank with higher score to the one with the lower score at a speed determined by the size of the difference of the scores (the larger the difference, the faster the score drains, and obviously it slows down as time passes) as well as server variables; it stops draining when the scores are equal. The tanks have full freedom of movement, but if they get out of range of each other ("range" being the range of a standard shot), or something (either a wall or a tank) gets between them, the line will disappear and the drainage will stop. The tank firing can only have one line out at once, even if it hasn't hit something yet. The range is reduced if the firing tank moves backward or to the side; the line cannot be longer than the range of a shot.
|-
|ShotGun (SG)
| +
|style="background-color:#5bfafa;"|'' ''
|In-game description: Shoots a large bullet that explodes into smaller ones on contact.

Description here: What this does is shoots a single abnormally large shot using all of your shots. It has reduced range and speed and does not ricochet. When it hits anything, it does not do damage; it releases as many bullets as you have shots; they fly in random directions and are normal range. Server variables control whether they go out in set angles or random, and if they go at random/set/no vertical angles. Note that the big shot does NOT do damage directly; it explodes on contact, but does not kill, but the target usually dies from bursts.
|-
|Basic Invulnerability (BI)
| +
|style="background-color:#5bfafa;"|'' ''
|In-game description: Immune to normal shots[ and shots from Rogues]. Any altered shot[ from a team] can kill. [Can't kill Rogues.]

Description here: It's immunity to normal shots. ANY other shot, be it GM, SW, from PZ, or even RF, MG, or even ricochet in a non-ricochet map, (but not Burrow, Wings, or vertical velocity shots or similar) can kill the user. This is designed to counter non-shot flag users, non-flag users, and rogues. Some binary switch on the server makes the stuff in [] square brackets appear and immunity to rogues take effect.
|-
|Fog Shield (FS)
| +
|style="background-color:#5bfafa;"|'' ''
|In-game description: Creates fog nearby for decreased visibility nearby and deflection of Shock Wave and Super Bullet.

Description here: A sphere with extremely thick gray fog. If Super Bullet hits it will bounce off; if Shock Wave hits it the shock wave will cease to exist in the area or bounce off or just totally disappear. Designed as a counter for Shock Wave and Super Bullet.
|-
|Cloaking Shield (CS)
| +
|style="background-color:#5bfafa;"|'' ''
|In-game description: Causes everything non-permanent nearby to be invisible out-the-window; still visible on radar and Phantom Zone. Blocks OO, PZ, and Laser.

Description here: The in-game description is pretty effective. It generates a sphere of tank and shot invisibility that blocks Oscillation Overthruster, Phantom Zone, and Laser, and is specifically designed to counter Laser. The downside is the double-blindness of those in the shield; they can't see tanks or shots out-the-window. Radius defined by /set variable.
|-
|RepulsorLift (RL)
| +
|style="background-color:#5bfafa;"|'' ''
|In-game description: Tank floats over the ground. Immune to steamroller. Good for avoiding burrowers and climbing stairs or ramps.

Description here: The tank will lose its treads for a wider hull, hover in the air, and appear to be constantly activating its jump thrusters. If possible, also make it so it moves up and down. Due to this, it is over the heads of those tanks that use burrow, and it can't steamroll them; it can't be shot by them either, but it may be able to shoot them with vertical velocity shots and the up-down automatic movement, and if it jumps and gets close to the ground as it lands. It can change direction in midair, and go up ramps of steepness less than a value (in degrees) defined at the server. Also, it's immune to steamrollering because it floats; it can possibly be squished (if you decide to implement it) only by landing directly on it. Can't multi-jump.
|-
|Jamming Shield (JS)
| +
|style="background-color:#5bfafa;"|'' ''
|In-game description: Jams radar, communications, and guided missiles nearby.

Description here: Within a radius around the tank, no tank (not even allies or the user) can see on radar. Within this area, communications do not exist; if someone (except the server or observers, or using a non-/me command) says something, no tank in the area will hear it; and if one within the field chats, no one will hear it (except observers and loggers). Projectiles that can be guided (even when not guided as they enter the field) within the field will constantly lock on to random points and therefore be ineffective; but if they leave the field, they will return to their original targeting; if they weren't guided, they will just go straight.
|-
|Point Defense (PD)
| +
|style="background-color:#5bfafa;"|'' ''
|In-game description: Automatically shoots down incoming missiles.

Description here: When a missile that has a lock (any team's missile, even allied, but not ones fired without locking on first) gets within a certain range of the tank, a laser shoots from the tank (preferably from the top of the tank, under the flag, but if that's too hard to implement, from the main muzzle) to the missile for exactly one frame and destroys the missile. There is a brief reload time between shots, say about double the reload time of MG. This flag is the perfect counter-flag to GM. And don't say Stealth is the counter to GM; it's NOT, it's only as effective against GM as anything else.
|-
|AirStrike (AS)
| +
|style="background-color:#transparent;"|'' Too complex and confusing for players, too powerful ''
|Lock onto a player using right click; firing drops a bullet from the sky onto target. Similar to GM, but useful against people who camp on towers and can't be hit by normal means. (dim3wit)
|-
|Shoot Different (SD)
| -
|style="background-color:#5bfafa;"|'' ''
|Your tank leaves a “trail” behind about 20 world units long that, if shot, will result in your tank being destroyed by the next shot that travels over the trail. If any tank runs over the trail you will also die. The trail is not visible, but emits a glow that is seen around the borders. The trail is the same width as the tank. When you shoot a tank, it results in that tank killing you. I don’t think you’d want to get this flag because it is BAD, which means you can’t drop it.
|-
|Bad Thief (BT)
| +
|style="background-color:#5bfafa;"|'' ''
|When you shoot a tank with this flag, the flag is transferred to that tank while a random flag (including bad flags) is transferred to you. If you don’t shoot someone in 1 minute, you die. You can only be killed by SB, L, SW, and GM with this flag.
|-
|Evil Tunneler (ET) (mind the abbreviation)
| +
|style="background-color:#5bfafa;"|'' ''
|With this flag, you tunnel completely under the ground and you can go up or down as well by pressing V or C, respectively. When you pick up the flag, you go below the ground to a default 50 world units and generates a 100 world units force field for 3 seconds that allows you to go below safely. Your shots travel straight up and if you are in a position that lets your shot travel above the ground (your shots underground have the same range as a regular bullet), you can shoot, and your shots travel straight upwards at a velocity equal to that of a normal bullet, pausing 20 world units above the ground or building it passes through, then traveling downwards at a speed equal to a Burrow tank going forward, and expiring when it hits the ground. You can’t be steamrolled while you have this flag but if a SB or L passes above you at any altitude you die. You can be shot by other ET tanks, if their shots pass within 10 world units of you, you die, and when a GM is fired within 100 world units of you, it goes underground towards you and expires normally, however, if that explodes below any tank, including teammates they die. Your shots show up on radar but they appear a stationery dot with altitude, if the altitude is below ground the entire square is colored purple or some other color like that. You cannot kill PZ or tanks with Wings. The maximum depth you can descend to is 3000 world units, so if you go any lower, you self-destruct. The maximum altitude (literally) you can reach is the same as a burrow tank and in that altitude you can be steamrolled, and as long as your muzzle is above ground you fire normal shots and can be steamrolled. PZ tanks can steamroll you at any altitude. When your shots expire, they explode in a cloud that tags all tanks caught in it with a 20-second time bomb and when the time’s up, the points go to you but only ½ rounded to the nearest even number, excluding 1. You can only fire half the shots allowed between reloads but reload is ½ server set time. Your tank controls are normal and normal speed. When you jump you go downwards instead of up at the server-set jump height, except reversed.
|-
|Ghost (GH)
| +/-
|style="background-color:#transparent;"|'' no flag combos ''
|Combines Stealth and Cloak, but the player who picks up this flag will die in around 20-30 seconds, even if he drops the flag. Only useful if applied well. (dim3wit)
|-
|Shot Shockwave (SS)
| +
|style="background-color:#5bfafa;"|'' ''
|Like SP, but you can only have one shot.
|-

|Dangerous Debris (DD)
| +
|style="background-color:#5bfafa;"|'' ''
|When you shoot a tank, their “debris” destroys all tanks they touch on the ground or in the air.
|-

|RaDiation (RD)
| +
|style="background-color:#5bfafa;"|'' ''
|For 10 seconds, your tank emits a “radiation” that kills all tanks within a 5 world unit radius.
|-

|Wind Shot (WS)
| +
|style="background-color:#5bfafa;"|'' ''
|Your shots deflect away from enemies when you have this flag. You cannot be shot by regular shots with this flag, and cannot kill any tanks (except PZ).
|-

|BadBullet (BB)
| -
|style="background-color:#5bfafa;"|
|Your bullets become guided missiles that loop around and hit you, if there are no enemies in the way (if they get hit they die). Does not kill teammates. Goes slow enough for you to outrun but goes through buildings. Has very long range and cannot travel out of the world. Stops after 3 minutes. Has large turning circle and ricochets off world borders and teleporters. Bad flag.
|-
|Jump and Stay (JS)
| +
|style="background-color:#5bfafa;"|
|You jump and when you reach the top of the jump, you stay at that level, but cannot jump further. You can still move and shoot.
|-
|Crazy Color (CC)
| +
|style="background-color:#5bfafa;"|
|Your tank looks like a rogue on the hud, radar and scoreboard, but isn't. Prevents teams from knowing which side you're on. Bad flag.
|-
|CanYon (CY)
| +
|style="background-color:#5bfafa;"|
|Causes a deep gorge to spread in front and behind you, killing all tanks that fall in. Teammates are not affected. You can't shoot while you have this flag.
|-
|Quantum Plane(QP)
| +/-
|style="background-color:#5bfafa;"|'' ''
|Basically the bullet behaves like a quantum, where it starts off like a wave and has multiple locations, has the capability of tunneling through boundaries, and when encountered by a tank collapses into a particle resulting in that tank collapsing into a reality where that tank may or may not be killed (like Schrödinger's Cat). When a tank shoots, the shot does not have a specific location, but rather a probability distribution along a plane parallel to the ground at the same altitude the shot was made. This "quantum plane" would have the same color as a bullet, however it would be brighter and more opaque where the probability of the bullet's location is higher, and more translucent and not as bright where the probability is less, in other words it would look like a flat electron cloud. The Bullet would have zero probability of being in an object, so OO tanks are safe, however the bullet can be inside hollow areas closed off from the area where the tank shot the bullet (i.e. rooms), this allows for quantum tunneling. The probability distribution is determined by the boundaries formed from the cross section of the map in the quantum plane, in other words the wave has to be a standing wave that resonates within the boundaries, thus the particular probability distribution would be found by a partial differential equation. When a tank intersects the plane, the probability of that tank being hit by the bullet is calculated by a double integral, where the tank's cross section is the boundary. Then a random number generator determines if that tank is shot or not shot, and the chances of either way is determined by the the tank's probability of being shot. Once it is determined either way, that particular plane collapses for the tank that intersected with it, thus the plane does not affect that particular tank anymore nor does that tank see it, so to that tank the plane doesn't exist anymore, however it can still affect other tanks that have not collapsed the wave function. The Quantum Plane exists until all the tanks intersect with it, or until it expires after the amount of time it takes to reload a regular bullet. It is possible for more than one tank to be killed by the same Quantum Plane, however it is also possible for the QP holder's teamates and even the QP holder itself to be killed. In fact as soon as the QP holder fires, it collapses the Quantum Plane in its perspective, because the holder automatically intersects with the plane.
|-
|Teleport Shot
| +
|style="background-color:#5BFAFA;"|''No, no on drop flags, and too complex
UPDATE: It's not on-drop, it means that only one shot is allowed. I clarified the description.''
|You can only shoot one shot with this flag. When your shot expires, you appear where it expired. Shots don't kill.
|-
|Switched Laser? (SL)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|'' Not different enough ''
|Like Laser, but it doesn't ricochet on servers with ricochet on. Maybe a server option or plugin to make <flag-type> not ricochet instead?
|-
|Flame Thrower (FT)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|'' shockwave does the same thing beter''
|Firing a shot emits a short length of flame, which never ricochets. It should get wider as it leaves the barrel, have a duration of half a second or so and have a long reload time. If it could "snake" as the turret turns, even better! There should be a new sound to accompany the firing and some nice graphics for the flame.
|-
|Air Strike (AS)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|'' no flag combos ''
|Tank can drive in air (like Wings). Right-click to lock on to target like GM, except that a) your shots may only aim down and b) your shots travel in straight lines.
|-
|Grenade (GN)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|'' too deadly/complex ''
|When your shots die (i.e. hit wall when no ricochet, or expire in air or killing somebody) they explode in a SW. (I don't know if this is possible in 3.0.)
|-
|Ball (BA)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|'' dosn't need to be a flag, is more of a game mode with plugins''
|BA is for maps with a sport structure in CTF mode. Shots are like a reverse thief, where BA is passed to a tank that is hit by a BA shot. A tank with BA can only shoot one shot at a time. Instead of looking like a thief beam, it could resemble a regular shot with a distinguished color. A Thief can steal a BA only if the BA tank is fully loaded, that is there aren't any BA shots on the map from the corresponding BA tank. If a tank with BA makes a shot, and is killed before that shot expires, the BA flag doesn't respawn until that shot expires. It would have to be determined where the BA flag respawns in such a situation (i.e. at the location where the recently deceased BA carrier died, at the location where the BA bullet expired, or at the BA reset point). When a tank is on top of its own team base and is holding a BA flag, that tank's team's score is increased by one and the BA flag is reset, just like a capture.
|-
|Steerable Shot (SS)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|'' too complex''
|Shots can be steered using keyboard or mouse. HUD follows shot. Cannot move tank while a shot is active.
|-
|Player Distance (PD)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|'' not a flag, but a mode for auto id.''
|Right-clicking or pressing I to identify a player shows the distance to that player as well.
|-
|Flag Drop (FD)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|'' flags generally kill ''
|Firing causes all tanks nearby to drop their flags. Cannot kill with this flag.
|-
|Cloaked Shot (CS)
| +
|style="background-color:#4141a1;"|''Yes, done in 2.99''
|Shots are invisible out-the-window. Still visible on radar. Glow is still visible out HUD. Watch out for ricochet!
|-
|Shot Protection (SP)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|'' too powerful, shield does a more fair job''
|Firing destroys all shots nearby. Cannot kill with this flag. Does not affect Laser or Super Bullet.
|-
|Camouflage (C)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|'' just use cloak''
|The tank has the same color/texture as the nearest object within a specified range, if there isn't an object within that range then it has the same color/texture as the ground. The Tank can be killed by a Laser. Camouflage is a weaker form of Cloak. If Stealth properties are included, it is a stronger form of Stealth.
|-
|Snipper (SN)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|'' no super powerfull combo flags ''
|Tank is Stealthed and Camouflaged(i.e. the tank has the same color/texture as the nearest object within a specified range, if there isn't an object within that range then it has the same color/texture as the ground). It has 4 times the range and speed of a normal shot. Reload time takes 4 times longer than a normal shot. SN has a shot # limit of 1 before requiring reload. SN can be killed by a laser. Binoculars are magnified twice as much as usual. SN is not too practical for short range use.
|-
|SCaler (SC)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, basically the same as All Terain''
|This flag enables the ability to climb the walls of a pyramid, box or any other object. A BZDB variables I thought of for it might be _scalerSpeed or maybe the speed should be the same as _tankSpeed. MDSKPR
|-
|BlinkMine (BM)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|'' no mines''
|This flag is shot and lays a mine that blinks very rapidly, if runover it disables shooting until BZDB variable _mineTimeLimit kicks in and enables shooting again. also another BZDB variable could be added _mineDeactivateTime setting how long a mine can remain dangerous. yet another BZDB variable could be added specifying the mine size. maybe BZDb variable _mineLimit could specify how many mines a player could have or it could be just based on the shot limit. this flag is useful if being chased and many other uses MDSKPR
|-
|Unsteady (US)
| -
|style="background-color:#5bfafa;"|'' ''
|When jumping, the tank gets a random angular momentum, like you accidently moved your move while pressing jump.

''(This is a resubmit: I submitted this flag along with others quite some time ago, but, unlike the others, this just vanished from the Wiki)''
|-
|Tesla Coil (TC)
| +/-
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''too complex ''
|Zaps all tanks (including ST) that come within a SW radius of the TC carrier tank. Only works if TC carrier is grounded (i.e. it is touching the ground or touching something else that is touching the ground). Once a tank is zapped it becomes charged. If a charged tank is or becomes grounded it dies, unless the zapped tank has SH in which case it just becomes discharged and loses its SH flag. If a charged tank is not grounded and touches an uncharged tank, the charge is transfered. A TC carrier is by default uncharged, however, it can become charged from a transfer or from being zapped by another TC carrier. A tank that dies from the zap, either directly or from 1 or more charge transfers adds a point to the TC carrier's score, unless the killed tank is a teammate in which case the TC carrier looses a point and dies as normal. Charged tanks are indicated by corona discharge.
|-
|Nuclear Fallout (NF)
| +/-
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|'' far far far too complex''
|A modified version of GM. NF fires, locks on, and flies like GM except at the point and right after the time of impact, a Mushroom cloud and Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) emerges as a residual effect. To sum up what the effect of this weapon might look like: You start off by ideally locking on to an enemy tank, and then launch the NF. The NF soars through the sky like a gm and then impacts. At the time and from the point of impact a very short lived but extremely bright white flash is seen, considering the speed of sound, it is followed by a loud/dull roar that is heard until the NF expires, and whose amplitude is inversely proportional to the distance from the NF's epicenter. The EMP should propagate faster than a SW, lets say three times. The mushroom cloud should propagate slower than a SW, lets say 1/3 the SW's speed. However both the EMP and mushroom cloud dissipate at the same time. A tank hit directly by an NF, only at the point and time of impact with in a radius of a bullet, would die, just like being hit by a GM. The EMP radiates up to a radius equal to maybe three times the SW radius and causes Radar Jamming on all tanks within the EMP radius. Radar Jamming Stops either when the EMP expires or when the tank exits the EMP radius. The EMP would be invisible except for the fact that a tank within the EMP radius would see everything in the HUD as tinted the color of the tank that fired the NF, and the EMP would be marked on the radar of tanks outside the EMP as perhaps a black disk or a disk with the color of the firing tank. A tank while within the radius of an existing EMP, would not be seen on the radar except by a Seer flag carrier outside the EMP radius, thus it would effectively be stealthy. If a tank is outside of the EMP but over or under it, the tank would appear superimposed over the disk as if the disk was not there. Perhaps something similar could be done to the radar visibility of bullets. Similarly, if a Tank comes into contact with the Mushroom cloud, the tank becomes blinded until either the Mushroom Cloud Expires or if the tank leaves the mushroom cloud. The Mushroom cloud would be visible to everyone outside of the mushroom cloud, which would also be an out the window indication of the location of the epicenter of the NF. A tank with seer would not see the mushroom cloud but see everything in it as opposed to someone without seer. The Mushroom cloud Emanates from the point of impact and at the time of impact perhaps up to a height of 6 SW radii, the stem would be cylindrical and could expand to a radius of 1/4 of the SW radius, and the top of the cloud would look like a squashed sphere perhaps expand up to a short radius of 1/2 of the SW radius and a long radius of 1.5 SW radii. These are only ideas, the exact shape, color, textures, and maximum dimensions would have to be thought out more thoroughly, but I would think that none of the adjustable properties of the NF would have to be based on too many more variables than that of the GM and the SW. The NF could dissipate after it reaches its full dimensions, or it could linger for a set amount of time. Tanks carrying a Shield flag would be immune to the effect of both the EMP and mushroom cloud, however neither the EMP nor the mushroom cloud would cause a tank to drop its shield flag. Although, if a tank carrying a shield flag while encountering a direct impact at the time of impact from the NF, it will drop the shield flag as if hit by a GM, but then it will be affected by the EMP and mushroom cloud. A Seer flag is ineffective in the NF. Just like GM, you can't lock onto a tank that has Stealth, using NF. Reload time is twice as long. The NF, along with GM, can't lock onto a tank within the radius of a non-expired EMP. Conversely a tank that has an NF or a GM within the radius of a non-expired EMP, can't lock onto another tank. If it doesn't make this flag too powerful, perhaps an optional SW could emanate at the time and point of impact, having of course its usual properties except it could kill the tank that fires that NF if it impacts too closely. Another concept to consider is to include a radiation wave that has the same radius as the SW, but instead of killing tanks within its radius, tanks within its radius automatically drops any flags it carries except the shield flag, either until exiting the radiation wave and/or perhaps until a preset time period has expired after the tank exits. As an indication of being affected by a radiation wave, one would hear clicks like from a Geiger counter and maybe see small random flashes to simulate the way gamma rays affect one's eyes, while one still has radiation poisoning. The radiation wave would last for the same amount of time as the overall NF. I think the NF can really enhance strategy and action in this game, however if this flag seems too powerful, I hope that at least I have inspired spin offs.
|-
|SPinner (SP)
| -
|style="background-color:#5BFAFA;"|'' ''
|If you turn when you have this flag you can't stop turning. Optional: If you leave the tank turning it slowly gets faster and faster, but probably only to a set speed otherwise it would get too fast.
|-
|DoNuts (DN)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|'' too mean''
|When you pick up this flag it has the affect of picking up SPinner and Don't Stop, which means the tank doesn't stop spinning and doesn't stop driving. The tank is now driving around in circles like it is doing donuts. Mmmm... Donuts!!
|-
|Looking Around (LA)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|'' too mean ''
|This makes the camera view spin around but not the tank. It's like you are sitting on the turret and the turret is spinning around, but of course the tank is still facing forward, but this flag WON'T make the turret spin, only the camera you still have to fire forward. This could make the radar spin to the same way you are viewing, or leave the radar facing the same way.
|-
|Artillery (AY)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''too complex, needs aiming to work right''
|The distance the warhead travels is in direct relation to how long fire button is held down. Projectile flies in an arc exiting from tank at 45 degrees (no vertical aim required). Range indicated above HUD as RANGE:### (counter advances as fire button is held down).
possible advantages:
-Very long range (though still finite unlike laser)
-shots may be fired over obstacles
-relatively large warhead, radius at 5%, 8%, or 10%, of normal bullet range though much less absolute than sw-perhaps the shot would be a cluster of 5 traditional bullets that travel together in an arc upon firing
-can function akin to anti aircraft guns against wg as well

Possible disadvantages:
-Tank becomes almost stationary except pivoting/rotation (maybe have some forward/backward motion, but at something like 5 or 3 units per second), or no jumping regardless of server (like with burrow)
-Shot travels slowly, has close minimum range, shot lands where machine gun terminates at minimum release (as such player can't immediately hurt self, which actually aids the learning process)
-very long reload time (does 15% sound reasonable?)
-rarity of flag, like geno?
-binocular view and radar only when used?
|-
|Blink (BK)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|'' complex, pick one ''
|Player alternates from stealth to cloak. Radar signature alternates from stealth to cloak. Player with flag is always visible either in window or radar. If a bad flag, player alternates from blindness and jamming for limited time.
|-
|Blink (BK)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|'' mean ''
|If a bad flag, player alternates from blindness and jamming for limited time. Primary preference is to use blink as super flag described above.
|-
|Tankochet
|
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|'' just a super shield, too powerfull ''
|bullets ricochet off your tank for a limited time
|-
|False Enemy (FE)
|
|style="background-color:#5BFAFA;"|'' ''
|The opposite of MQ; when you pick up this flag, your teammates see you as from another team.
|-
|Campers Bullet (CP)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|'' to specific''
|Shots go through teleporters, without actually teleporting. Useful for hiding behind a teleporter and shooting through it, while being shielded by the teleporter.
|-
|Black Hole (BH)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|'' too complex ''
|Your shots move slowly, shots within half a shockwave radius of yours aim towards yours, (double maximum turn/frame of guided missile,) your shots absorb any shots that hit them to increase their range. Black holes either can't absorb each other or if they collide, they instantly kill all tanks, including the shooter(s).
|-
|GalaGa (GG)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|'' lame ''
|When this flag is held, your tank becomes 1.5 (to 2) times wider. However, you are able to shoot two bullets at the cost of one (like a dual fighter in Galaga).
|-
|Dome of Protection (DP)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|'' shield''
|Similar to SW, but instead the "shell" is a protective dome. All shots are simply absorbed or, if there is richochet, bounce off it. It can only be penetrated by SB and SW. Note: when the flag is held the player cannot fire normal shots. They can still fight by making the shots bounce back at them.
|-
|No Ricochet (NR)
| -
|style="background-color:#5BFAFA;"|'' ''
|Shots don't ricochet.
|-
|Ricochet Guided missile (RG)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''combo flag.''
|Instead of exploding, the RG bounces off of surfaces and continues to track the target. Option 1: It loses velocity with each bounce. Option 2: When the RG bounces, it travels in a straight line for a certain distance before regaining lock. EDIT: Perhaps we keep it as a simple ricochet, without any lock loss. The GM keeps lock, it' just takes longer to get there.
|-
|NearSight (NS)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''complex''
|All tanks farther than (variable defined) world units are completely invisible on HUD. The closer they are to the player, the more visible they become. Similar to an invisible fog, does NOT effect buildings. Gives enemies a long-range advantage.
|-
|Long Shot (LS)
| +
|style="background-color:transparent;"|''Maybe, not a bad idea.''
|Bullets go twice as far but at a slower speed. Possibly N/2 extra bullets.\
|-
|Low Gravity(LG)
| +
|style="background-color:#4141a1;"|''Yes, done in 2.99''
|Gravity is reduced to a large degree allowing the tank to jump very high in the air.
|-
|Long Reload (LR)
| -
|style="background-color:#a14141;"|''Yes.''
|Reloading weapon takes twice as long.
|-
|Don't Stop (DS)
| -
|style="background-color:#a14141;"|''Yes.''
|Tank always moves forward or backwards, it cannot stop.
|-
|BackFire (BF)
| +/-
|style="background-color:#a14141;"|''Yes.''
|Shots fire to rear of tank instead of front.
|-
|FrienDly fire (FD)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''no, a server mode.''
|Your shots don't kill friendly tanks (Your own ricochets are harmless!).
[Additional suggestions: immune to friendly shots? This can also be a server-side setting, like ricochet.]
|-
|Sensor Echo (SE)
| -
|style="background-color:#a14141;"|''Maybe, not a bad idea.''
|All tanks show up twice (or more) on radar. Echoes behave like the tank they mirror, down to the flag.
|-
|Delayed Shot (DS)
| -
|style="background-color:#a14141;"|''Yes.''
|Shots wait some prescribed amount of time (2 seconds?) between clicking and actually firing.
|-
|Extra Shot (ES)
| +
|style="background-color:#a14141;"|''Yes.''
|Player gets an extra shot.
|-
|SlowMotion (SM)
| -
|style="background-color:#a14141;"|''Yes.''
|Tank moves and turns with half speed.
|-
|INcoming (IN)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, it's very very close to a cheat.''
|Bullets that will hit the tank are highlighted on radar/main view in some fashion as a warning system.
|-
|Flip Out (FO)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No not really different from reverse controls.''
|Out of window view is upside-down.
|-
|EarthQuake (EQ)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, same as using a shockwave on landing.''
|When landing after a jump, a shockwave will destroy tanks on the ground in the immediate vicinity of the landing tank.
|-
|DeFender (DF)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too confusing for players.''
|Fires a short-range shot that projects a miniature shockwave to destroy enemy shots.
|-
|Retro (RE)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, doesn't do ANYTHING''
|View becomes green wireframe and otherwise looks like the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battlezone original Battlezone].
|-
|Velocity Shooting (VS)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, is a server option, not to be mixed for some players and not others.''
|Shots keep Vertical-Velocity (as its set on some Servers for all players). If you jump; shots go up and when you fall; shots aim downward.
|-
|SQuishable (SQ)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too confusing for players.''
|The opposite of Steamroller. When you touch other tanks (including teammates), you die.
|-
|Judas (JD)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too confusing for players.''
|When you pick up the flag, you immediately become a player on a different (random) team (or rogue). You must play on that team for as long as you have the flag. If you kill one of your new teammates, you die. BUT you can kill your old teammates for as long as you hold the flag. When you drop the flag or are killed, you revert to your old color.
|-
|ANtagonize(AN)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, can not be localized easily, and may anger people.''
|This bad flag causes your tank to automatically send out mild insults and taunts to opposing players. Especially the good ones by name.
|-
|CoW launcher (CW)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, would require vertical aiming to work properly.''
|(Goofy) Launches a cow along a parabolic trajectory.
|-
|ConFusion (CF)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too similar to CB.''
|Tank colors and names are shuffled around. Like colorblindness, but worse.
|-
|ShowOff(SO)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, basically useless in gameplay.''
|(Goofy) Tank is capable of doing tricks, back flips when jumping, riding on one tread, etc.
|-
|Leash(LE)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too confusing for players.''
|Tank is confined to a small radius for a set time period but can still jump.
|-
|BUckler (BU)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, shield is enough.''
|Give the player a 45 degree shield that reflects all shots. It should be located in the arc between 270-315 degrees. The shielded area should be visible but transparent.
|-
|PSychic (PS)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too powerful and makes ID pointless.''
|Callsigns and flag names of all (visible?) tanks appear above the tank.
|-
|Full Reverse(FR)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too similar to HS and too limited in scope.''
|Your tank can move full speed in reverse. A middle ground between high speed and normal.
|-
|All Terrain (AT)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No slopes, never. No.''
|Can drive over slopes and pyramids, (unless steeper than 45?) and perhaps up walls too.
|-
|Tac Nuke (TN)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No too powerful.''
|On impact with any surface or tank, causes TN to detonate like a half-size SW. Option 1: TN has long reload time or is a single shot flag. Option 2: TN has an "arming" range where it cannot detonate until it passes out of that range. This range can be equal to 1/2 the blast radius or some arbitrary number. Option 3: If the TN hits a tank with a Shield flag, it is neutralized.
|-
|Glue Trail (GT)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too confusing for players.''
|Leaves a trail that slows down other tanks behind it. fades after server-set number of seconds?
|-
|Oil Slick (OS)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too confusing for players.''
|Leaves a trail that makes tanks behind skid/spin. Fades after server-set number of seconds?
|-
|Petrificus Totalus (PT)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too confusing for players, and rather lame.''
|Paralyzes tank. Cannot move, turn or shoot for set number of seconds.
|-
|Toy Gun (TG)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, pointless in game play, just use the Useless flag.''
|When you shoot,the bullet that comes out is a fake bullet attached to a string which is attached to your tank.
|-
|Icy Treads (IT)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, just like momentum.''
|Tank loses traction on the ground and on all objects, as if the friction setting was lowered for that particular tank.
|-
|ParaChute (PC)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, just like Wings.''
|You can control your tank ONLY when falling down and you fall down slower.
|-
|ToRnado (TR)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too confusing for players.''
|You jump and spin uncontrollably.
|-
|GhostS (GS)/SPawn (SP)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, FAR too complex.''
|2 or 3 mini bot tanks come out of your tanks and help you by providing cover ect. They die by being shot or after a certain period of time (45 secs?).
|-
|Death Ball (DB)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, FAR too complex.''
|Tank morphs into a Death Ball and kills anyone who touches it. Faster than a normal tanks. Can be killed by being shot 5 times. You can't jump.
|-
|DiG (DG)
| +/-
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too similar to burrow.''
|Your tank goes completely underground upon picking up the flag, and you may then shoot up at tanks above you. Anybody may lock on you (as with GM) if they hold GM, SB, or even no flag. You are also in range of SW. Bullets will follow you underground.
|-
|RaM (RM)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too poweful and complex.''
|Tank travels at normal speed unless you fire. Firing causes your tank to accelerate forward quickly and only for a certain range. When you touch another tank, it has Steamroller effect, causing them to explode.
|-
|Auto Teleport (AT)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too complex, too powerful, and looks too much like a cheat.''
|With this flag a player can teleport to any place visible place on the radar by clicking the desired area on the radar. Only one teleport can be done per flag, otherwise you would be impossible to kill. Another way to make it harder is to put a reload time on it, so there would be at least some pause between teleports. If you teleport to an area occupied by a building, you go to the highest place on the specified area of the building.
|-
|Ice Laser (IL)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too confusing for players, just kill them.''
|This laser does not kill players. Instead, it freezes them. They can't move, jump, or shoot, for 10 seconds. Players who are shot by normal bullets while they are frozen become unfrozen. When a tank is frozen, the tank becomes white, preventing other players from knowing which team the frozen tank is on.
|-
|Kamakazi Attack (KA)
| +/-
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too confusing for players.''
|This can be a good and a bad flag. When picked up, starts a self-destruct timer, that, when runs out, will blow you up. But if the right button is pressed before the time is up, then you blow up on the click. This can be use to kill multiple tanks, and can also be used in mid-air. Moderate blast-radius?
|-
|Swallow Tanks (SW)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, far too confusing.''
|(GOOFY) If you touch another tank it disappears and becomes an observer to your tank. The more tanks you swallow the more obese you become. You can only swallow a limit of 3 tanks at a time, if you swallow more you pop. If you are killed all of the tanks you are carrying are set free. The tanks jump as they are set free to avoid multiple shots that may have been fired at the original tank. Swallow your own teammates and carry them deep into enemy territory!
|-
|Electricity Bolt (EB)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, far too powerful and confusing.''
|Looks like thief shot when fired (Short range weapon) only when it hits a structure it kills everyone on it or touching it (or in it, players with OO). This would be handy for killing tanks sitting in hard to get to places!
|-
|Invisible Objects (IO)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''Maybe.''
|All surface objects (pyramids, boxes, etc.) become invisible.
|-
|Meatloaf Launcher(ML)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''Just move forward while jumping, unrelated name.''
|Jumping propels your tank not only upwards but forwards as well.
|-
|Bent Turret (BT)
| -/+
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''Maybe.''
|All shots go out 30 degrees to the left/right (than a normal shot). Some people might call this a super flag because it helps dodging.
|-
|Tiny Bullet (TB)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''Perhaps.''
|This bad flag causes your the bullets to shrink, making them hard for you to hit your opponent.
|-
|Missle Jammer (MJ)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''Maybe.''
|Prevents a GM lock on your tank. You can still be killed by normal shots, or unlocked shots.
|-
|Score Flags (SF)
| +
|style="background-color:#a14141;"|''Maybe, a multi-player isn't a bad idea.''
|Gives you more than one point for each kill. Maybe randomize between 2 and 5 points. (This could also be used as a handicap for beginners)
|-
|NearSight (NS)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''Maybe, not too game breaking, but not relay that exciting.''
|All tanks farther than (variable defined) world units are completely invisible on HUD. The closer they are to the player, the more visible they become. Similar to an invisible fog, does NOT effect buildings. Gives enemies a long-range advantage.
|-
|Black Death (BD)
| +/-
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, far too powerful and confusing''.
|This flag is similar to a team flag only when it is captured it kills all other opposing teams (instead of just one specific team). This would make it so that multiple teams would be competing for one flag. (The color of the flag is black)
|-
|Colored Flag (CF)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, would destroy CTF.''
|CTF only flag. Other people see the CF as their own team flag (except own team?)
|-
|Punch (PU)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, just kill with steamroller.''
|Hitting a tank at full speed throws it some appreciable distance away
|-
|Remote Mines (RM)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, no mines. They will seem to kill players for no reason.''
|Firing places a mine, up to some predefined number. The next shot detonates all of them
|-
|Firewall (FW)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too hard to sync, and somewhat confusing.''
|Firing creates a temporary wall of flame that tanks cannot pass
|-
|Glue Bomb (GB)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too confusing for players.''
|Shot would detonate in a big pile of glue, slowing down people in the blast radius
|-
|Corbomite Device (CD)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too confusing, and hard to sync.''
|When the tank is shot, it generates a reciprocating shot to what killed it - these shots can be dodged normally, in most cases (SW, GM being impossible/difficult)
|-
|Clone (CN)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too confusing and too much like cheats.''
|Tank emits a hologram clone at some offset from itself as a diversion.
|-
|Smoke Screen (SC)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, doesn't add much for gameplay.''
|The tank emits a cloud of smoke behind it. This provides a visual wall, and perhaps cancels out GM locks as well.
|-
|Time Lapse (TL)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too similar to blind and jamming combined.''
|Holding this flag will cause the HUD & radar to refresh only every second or so.
|-
|Big Bullet (BB)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too powerful, shots are computed as point hits.''
|Bullets are twice (or more) as large. Tank feels a kick-back when firing
|-
|Gravity Well (GW)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, FAR too complex.''
|One-shot fire, creates a gravity well at some distance away from the firing tank. This well pulls in all tanks around it - driving away from the well will slow the descent. Possible avoidance/negation flags include BU, OO, PZ, HS.
|-
|Mirror (MI)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, just make CL deflect laser.''
|Holding this flag will reflect a hit by laser. Flag is not dropped after a hit. The appearance of a tank holding this flag changes so that it reflects the surroundings. Or maybe appears pseudo-transparent, rather like the inside of structures viewed with Oscillation Overthruster, or of objects when in the PZ.
|-
|Plasma Ball (PB)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too limited, and just kinda weird.''
|Shoots a large (8 unit) sphere that behaves exactly like a super bullet -- except it travels very, very slowly. It would travel as fast as a burrowed tank going in reverse, thus being easy to outrun in open areas, but hard to avoid on "indoor" maps. Because of the size, it would kill burrowed tanks when fired on the ground.
|-
|Fake Bullets(FB)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too complex, and pointless.''
|1) your bullets look, bounce, show up on radar, and seem real, but they pass right through tanks, causing no damage, and can't harm anyone. This can seem like a bad flag, but would be great to get the other team jumping and running while having zero chance of hitting your own team (and this is how I'd like to use it). 2) Could be made a bad flag that requires you to hold it for a certain amount of time before dropping it. (Would be nice if there were a way to keep a bad flag if you choose.) 3) optional: fire rate is doubled, or unlimited
|-
|BulletInertia(BI)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, it's a server setting.''
|When a shot is fired it has the same motion as the tank when it was fired. So if the tank is falling the shots move downward towards the ground, and shots are accelerated or decelerated if the tank is going forward of backward.
|-
|Warp Engine (WE)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, FAR too complex.''
|Tank can hit newly-defined "Warp" key (perhaps jump key?) and, with a two-second delay, instantaneously be transported an amount in the direction of facing equal to the current warp power, which starts at a minimum value. Pushing the key during the delay period increases the power; increasing it past a certain amount causes the warp engine to overload and blow up. Warping into buildings or outside the world boundary causes a collision and blows up the tank. (A random chance of being dropped when used, depending on how much power is applied? Use a gradual teleporter fog during the about-to-warp delay? Signal about-to-warpness to the other players by turning the tank gradually bright glowing white? Use a new sound for when the warp occurs?)
|-
|Identify Friend/Foe (FF)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, just apply the setting to Masquerade.''
|Masquerade for the radar. Tank shows up for everyone as their team on the radar.
|-
|Rotating Turret (RT)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, no turning turrets, ever.''
|Turret can turn. Like GM, you can lock on people, and the turret always fires in their direction (horizontally, not vertically). May need some graphics changes (tank becomes bottom part - tank orientation + top part - turret orientation)
|-
|Boat (BO)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too dependent on map features.''
|Tank floats on water. Moats don't kill you. You move a bit slower on water though. You can still jump on water, but not as high.
|-
|MortarBomb (MB)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, requires vertical aim to be any use.''
|Shot has same trajectory as a jump. Vertical velocity alters trajectory. Should be very useful once mastered. Many applications e.g. stop-shoot-go to drop a shot on a pursuer. - FiringSquad
|-
|CriticalMass (CM)
| +/-
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, this is a server side plugin, not a flag.''
|When killed you explode in a ShockWave (perhaps larger). Tanks with this flag should pulse on your radar. Suicide to kill at close range and dangerous to have near you. Points scored from explosion should accrue to the holder not the killer, otherwise not worth holding onto flag. - FiringSquad
|-
|ShortHop (SH)
| +/-
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too similar to jump.''
|Jump is half the normal height and takes half the time. (+) Good for jumping over bullets and regaining control quickly to return fire. (-) Unable to reach everywhere. - FiringSquad
|-
|1000 Tons Weight (TW)
| +/-
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, just stupid''
|Timer starts as soon as flag as picked up(30 sec timer? Server set?), and user cant drop it. When timer runs out, a 1000 ton weight falls out of the sky killing the owner. When you shoot someone the flag gets transfered over. Player 1 gets TW, 25 seconds go by, he shoots Player 2, then, 5 seconds time, BOOM. Make a nice CLLANNG sound, and tank stops, and other tanks see the weight fall on him. (Punkus)
|-
|Red Eye (RE)
| +/-
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too complex and somewhat pointless.''
|First shot causes target tank out-of-window screen to become all white (like a red-eye flash). Out-of-window view stays white for a certain number of seconds (2? 3?). Within that time initial tanks shots are normal, other shooting tank causes white screen again. Radar works as normal, only out-of-window view is affected
|-
|SUbtle (SU)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, just use CL''
|Tank appears normal to friendlies - only outline visible to enemies.
|-
|Klingon Cloak (KC)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, to powerful.''
|A super cloak, combining stealth and cloak to render you totally invisible to others (though not untouchable). You're not invincible though because, just like with the cloaks used by the Klingons, your tank cannot fire while you have this flag and there is a couple second delay between dropping cloak and being able to fire. Not much for fighting, but great for sneaking up on campers.
|-
|Team Invulnerable(TI)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, just use Friendly Fire.''
|Can't be killed by a teammate, except maybe superbullet, genocide.
|-
|TagYourit (TY)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, should be a game mode, not a flag.''
|Your tank can't fire and the only way to drop the flag is to get within a certain radius of another tank. The flag is automatically transferred to the other tank.
|-
|SwiM (SM)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too complex.''
|In short: Can get into building. while in building can:
* raise slowly while the jump-key is pressed. fall slowly otherwise.
* get to the almost top of the building. from the top can shoot and be shot - while holding the jump key(otherwise he'll fall-in)
* and can die if the countdown reaches zero. a countdown will be started when he gets to a building, and stopped when he gets out.
|-
|Proximity Drop (PD)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too confusing for the other players.''
|When driving close to opposing tanks (say 3 tank lengths) you cause them to lose their flags.
|-
|Lightning Bolt (LB)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, lame munchkin flag. Too limited in use.''
|A lightning bolt descends from the sky and hits the highest object above the tank (possibly passing through everything on it's way down?), destroying people above you. Harmless to your own tank. Effective against tanks with GM sniping from high places. Completely useless against almost everything else.
|-
|ThrUster (TU)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, We have Wings.''
|Clicking causes thrusters to fire up underneath your tank. Holding the left mouse button keeps the rockets on (for a time, until they burn out and you plummet to the ground). Landing on other tanks destroys, unless the thrusters used up. Rockets must recharge (especially after being burnt out) like any offensive weapon. A bit like the tank in StarFox64 - yes, I know, sinful console game.
|-
|Ostrich (OS)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, we have burrow.''
|(Goofy) Your tank becomes an ostrich. Clicking causes you to bury your head (and the rest of your body) underground, making it impervious to attack for a very short period, but completely unable to move. Any tanks in the way of it diving underground are destroyed. Weak against lasers, because there would be no time to duck.
|-
|LaZarus(LZ)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, just use shield.''
|When killed holding this flag, after being exploded your tank magically combines, and you are not dead.
|-
|WaveFront (WF)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, just use shockwave.''
|Like shockwave, but only, say, 30 degrees high and wide, but has longer range
|-
|Dud Shot (DS)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, it's kinda mean. And you could not shake it on servers with shake kills.''
|Not all of your bullets work
|-
|Death Blossom (DB)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, Just use shockwave.''
|Shoots all bullets available in a circular pattern from the tank.
|-
|COlumn(CO)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, very limited in use.''
|All of your (currently loaded) shots are fired at once, on top of each other, making a vertical column.
|-
|Sniper Rifle (SR)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, just use laser.''
|Your Tank's shots have infinite range, think of the good, and the bad.
|-
|Flash Bang (FB)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, redefines too many existing behaviors, and far too complex.
|A few possible implementations. 1) Right-click fires non-lethal shots which travel until a second right-click upon which they explode (similar to SW radius, perhaps bigger) and blind tanks within blast. 2) Could be semi-bad flag where normal shots don't kill but temporarily blind tanks that are hit to allow escape (or kill by teammate). 3) Right click flashes all opponents within line-of-sight of tank w/flag. If tanks are turned such that they can see tank w/flag, they are temporarily blinded.
|-
|Freeze Wave (FW)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, just kill them.''
|Similar to Shock Wave, except that instead of destroying other tanks within the shock radius, it freezes other tanks within the freeze radius for a certain time, so they cannot move or fire (even in mid-air). When the other tanks re-awaken, they are immune to freezing for a certain time. Dropping the flag forces a reload time (like Thief). This flag encourages team play. An alternate implementation would freeze yourself if any team tanks get frozen.
|-
|ARchitect(AR)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No.. Just... No.''
|Your tank can move buildings by driving into them.
|-
|Gravity Bullet (GB)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, requires vertical aim to work well.''
|Your bullets are affected by gravity. This obviously reduces the range when fired on the ground, but a tank sitting on a building or jumping has the ability to hit people below them... if they time their shots right.
|-
|RubberTank (RT)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, use shield.''
|I'm rubber and you're glue, whatever you shoot bounces off me and kills you! Regular shots ricochet off your tank back in the direction they came, if shooter is still there or close then he gets hit by his own shot. GMs explode without killing or cause rubber damage (flag drop). Super bullet and shock wave kill. Steam roller bounces off you, maybe causing his death or both your flags to drop.
|-
|MagNet (MN)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, it's just mean.''
|Bullets are attracted to player's tank.
|-
|Force Field (FF)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, Just use Shield.''
|Pushes bullets away. Well aimed shots do not get pushed away
|-
|Boomerang Bullet (BB)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too limiting.''
|Shots move in a curved path that includes the point of firing
|-
|ZigZag (ZZ)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too limiting. ''
|Shots don't fly straight. Instead they fly in a sine wave or a zigzag pattern. Probably no reasonable expectation of hitting what you want.
|-
|FReeze (FR)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No Too limiting.''
|Tank can't move, only jump and fire.
|-
|Shock Ring (??)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, just use shockwave.''
|Shockwave in a horizontal ring pattern
|-
|RemoteControl (RC)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No.. Just... No.''
|Player can take control of another player's tank, steer and/or fire it, causing the other player to become vulnerable and/or kill himself or others. Offensive and defensive uses, especially if gm or laser campers are around. Automatically dropped after use.
|-
|TransLocate (TL)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No.. Just... No.''
|Identify a player, then switch places (perhaps N times use)
|-
|Clone (CN)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No.. Just... No.''
|Takes on the properties of the nearest player's flag
|-
|Lemur mode (LM)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No.. Just... No.''
|Walk on walls. (maybe parallel to ground only, from however high you touched it, and then jump to get off?)
|-
|Cattle Prod (CP)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, Steamroller!?!?!''
|(Goofy) A cattle prod sticks out some fixed distance in front of the bearer's tank. Anyone who touches the prod dies. Clicking while the flag is in effect does nothing.
|-
|MiRage (MR)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No.. Just... No.''
|Player sees tanks and shots where they shouldn't be.
|-
|Wormhole Bullet(WB)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No.. Just... No.''
|Bullets that hit other tanks send them to a random link/teleporter instead of killing them. (If there are no teleporters, don't create flags?).
|-
|INflate(IN)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No.. Just... No.''
|Your bullets cause tiny tanks to become normal sized, normal tanks to become obese, and obese tanks to explode.
|-
|Proximity Fuse (PF)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No.. Just... No.''
|Shells explode with a small shock wave when they pass within range of a tank (even a friendly one).
|-
|Laser Cloud(LC)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No.. Just... No.''
|Firing this causes a x amount (x = amount of shots available) of short laser beams to project from the tank, killing all GM, bullets, and tanks they meet. It can aim up and down, and has the range of a Shockwave. Can be over driven by a greater amount of shots than the tank has lasers for. Right clicking causes one single laser beam twice as long as usual, it uses all the shots available, and takes twice as long to recover (optional)
|-
|French Fries (FF)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too complex, kinda lame.''
|(Goofy) Other tanks are attracted to the french fry and will turn to it if they are facing it within 90 degrees.It automatically moves toward it. Other tanks can still turn around (slowly) until it gets out of the magical 90 degrees.
|-
|Time Displacement(TD)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No.''
|Employing this causes the whole world to freeze for a short period of time. Except you, and perhaps PZ. You loose your flag after this. You can't shoot while the world is frozen.
|-
|Ugly
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No.''
|When opposing tanks have you in there lock angle, their tanks automatically turn away from you. This can be compensated for by turning against it.
|-
|Fly by Wire (FW)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, though adding this to GM might be nice.''
|Missile flies with built-in camera; player's tank stands still until missile flight is over.
|-
|KamikaZe (KZ)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No.''
|Tank drives fast, explodes with a large radius when it collides with another tank or obstacle
|-
|Random Teleport (RT)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No.''
|Can't control when or where it teleports you
|-
|Air Burst (AB)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''Never.''
|Flag explodes when it reaches its apex when dropped. Apex is especially high. Explosion is large (bigger than shock wave). Being in or behind a building should protect you. Being behind (or through!) a teleporter should not.
|-
|Heat Seeker (HS)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''Never, same as GM.''
|Missile is fire-and-forget; heads toward nearest "heat source"
|-
|HoloGram (HG)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''Never.''
|Player's tank appears off to one side from where it really is.
|-
|Grappling Beam (GB)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No.''
|Clicking fires a laser-like beam that travels at the same speed as bullets, and does the same thing to enemy tanks if they are hit. If the beam hits a pyramid or a box, however, the tank gets pulled rapidly to the object that was hit (like a grappling hook).
|-
|ILlusion (IL)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No.''
|Opposing players see 2(?) fake copies of your tank at constant random offsets from your real position (if they are shot, either nothing happens or the fakes disappear?).
|-
|SNake (SN)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No.''
|(Goofy) Becomes like a game of Nibbles for the bearer of the flag; a laser-looking barrier comes out behind the tank, and stays there (possibly for only a fixed length). Any player that touches the barrier dies.
|-
|Kill or be Killed (KK)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''Never.''
|Player has to make kills within a certain time, or risk blowing him/herself up. {abbrev should be changed for obvious reasons}
|-
|ShotGun (SG)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''Never.''
|Shots split and go off in different directions.
|-
|Interdimensional Teleport (IT)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''Never, no "on drop" actions.''
|Teleports to a random location when dropped
|-
|Rear Shot (RS)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''Never.''
|Shoots both in front and behind (if available shots)
|-
|LLama (LL)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No.''
|(Goofy) Involuntarily charges all visible tanks, starting with the closest, including teammates. Has the same effect as SR on impact. Other tanks see an amusing llama. graphic.
|-
|SuperDrop(SD)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''Never.''
|When killed holding this flag, all tanks loose their flags, and they are sucked into the ether.
|-
|George Bush (GB)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No.''
|(Goofy) All game and player messages are sent through a filter translating them into George W. Bush speak. Because he knows how difficult it is to put code on your project.
|-
|Turbo Boost (TB)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''Never.''
|Right click makes you faster than high speed briefly. Flag can be used multiple times, maybe with a recharge time.
|-
|ReFlect (RF)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''Never.''
|When you get hit, you die as usual, but shot isn't stopped, it is reflected back in the direction it came from.
|-
|MirroR (MR)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''Never.''
|See reflections of other tanks on the walls for aiming ricochet bullets
|-
|SubterFuge (SF)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''Never.''
|Similar to Antagonize. Players near you or those you id are sent deceptive messages purportedly from other players or teammates. These would be stock messages such as: watch out, [callsign] is behind you... let's go after [callsign]... boo... where callsign is a player on a team other than theirs or a rogue.
|-
|MagShield(MS)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, need to shoot.''
|A defense only flag. Fire and you envelope yourself with a brief magnetic shield that looks like or similar to shock wave, only this shield acts like a wall stopping or causing shots to rico as appropriate. Put up your shield soon enough and you're safe, but wait too long and a shot's ricocheting around inside with you. Tanks can drive thru the shield, both to fire at you or to be protected by you as you approach a target (camper). To fire yourself you have to drop the flag.
|-
|Tether Ball(TB)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No. too many changes.''
|A ball appears behind the tank attached by a tether and can be swung along the ground by sharp turns. If a tank (even your own) hits either the tether or the ball it is destroyed.
|-
|Dumbfire Missile (DM)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No.''
|A missile that can not be locked on, but has an actual blast area (miniature shock-wave, but without affecting PZ players). Possible alternative: Full size SW, but flag is 'used' (dropped for a long time, like the shield flag) when fired.
|-
|MultiFlag (MF)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''Never.''
|Tank can hold two other flags at the same time.
|-
|OIl (OI)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No. large engine change.''
|Tank leaves an oil trail behind which steers people off course.
|-
|Flag Launcher(FL)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No. No multiple flags.''
|Gives tank the same attributes as TH but can pick up a second flag without being affected, and fire it at another tank. If it misses you keep the flag but if it hits the tank is forced to give up any currently held flags and pick up the launched flag. Good with LE.
|-
|Radar Scout (RS)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, confusing.''
|Your tank becomes a radar-equipped scout (you can still shoot). In a certain radius around you, all tanks (except you) look obese (due to increased radar) and can be shot like obese tank (hitting is easier); they still fit through teleporters. In addition, cloaked and stealthed tanks and shots also become visible. Every tank on the play field can see and shoot the obese and cloaked tanks, so you have the advantages that

Tanks are more likely to shoot at each other, since you are normal in size, the others are obese
Others will think twice before destroying you since you provide them with a targeting aid
|-
|TurreT (TT)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No.''
|Turns your tank into a turret. Same as Burrow + Machine Gun + Angular Velocity, but your tank can't move at all.
|-
|AnnoYance (AY)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too easy to camp by a flag.''
|Tank is very large and fast, can't shoot, and invincible. Can distract enemies while friendlies go in for the kill.
|-
|AntiMatter (AM)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, needs more thought for vertical worlds.''
|Tank cannot be hit except for SB/SW. 50% increased reload time, can be steamrolled by any tank, colliding with buildings results in death too
|-
|Targeting Computer (TC)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, a lag nightmare.''
|HUD shows where to aim for lead-ahead based on dead reckoning
|-
|StraFe (SF)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, will not be a flag feature if ever implemented.''
|Modifier key makes turning strafe
|-
|ECCM (um...)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No.''
|When firing from ECCM equipped tank, other tanks in front of it, 20/30 degrees, have for a while both not working radar and communication (excluding admins).
|-
|HeadAche (HA)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No.''
|All colors (not just tank colors) are inverted. Causes confusion for player, should have time limit. Submitted by ThatGuySpencer
|-
|Double Shot (DS)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, see backfire.''
|Shots come out of both ends of your tank, shoting backwards and fowards (maybe your bullets run out twice as fast) - Terminator
|-
|X-ray Vision(XV)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, difficult to portray with complex worlds.''
|Can see through buildings, but not drive through them. Either they are completely invisible (making out-the window driving fun) or they show up like with OO. Makes it possible to surprise others who are behind objects, and who are depending only on radar to know where you are.
|-
|SNiper (SN)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, to much like laser.''
|Tank has one, invisible, shot that lasts until it hits something/someone. Never ricochets. Blam!
|-
|PariaH (PH)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No.''
|Tank is identified in all ways as each other player's nemesis.
|-
|NeMesis (NM)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, not a good flag feature.''
|HUD indicates direction (but not distance) to last person to kill you, even if under stealth.
|-
|Rear Window (RW)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No.''
|View is split horizontally, bottom half is view out the back.
|-
|Collector (CO)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No holding multiple flags, unproductive''
|Or cleaner (CR). Everything is normal except this tank can collect all the flags, without being able to use them. The moment he presses spacebar or dies all flags he holds return to the world.
|-
|Bomber (BM)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No we don't do splash damage''
|Like WG, but all shots go downwards. Speed is determined by _gravity. Useful for flying servers. When flying with BM the speed is slower than that of WG, but bombs shot will have a larger radius (can kill more things around them).
|-
|Pole-aXed (PX)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No may as well just kill him, and we don't kill for a bad flag''
|Tank cannot move forwards or backwards, can steer and jump (even on no jump servers,to be more fair). It's like being stuck on a pole.
|-
|Splash-Damage (SD)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No we don't do splash damage''
|When one of your bullets hits an enemy, he explodes in a shockwave.
|-
|PHase shift (PH)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''Combines OO, SB and more -- too powerful.''
|Oscillation Overthruster, but can backup, jump and shoot in walls. Shoots Super Bullets, and can be killed by Phantom Zone.}
|-
|ASsassin (AS)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too complex, too powerfull''
|As small, fast and short-ranged as thief. Fatal and can't steal flags. Stealth and Cloaking in effect when someone is not in range, and cloaking in effect when you can't see them. (partial cloaking in effect when you can see part of them, that is, they're on the side of your view.) Can be steamrolled by anyone. Longer reload time than Thief. Can only kill once (but maybe you still keep the flag?).
|-
|BoMb (BM)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, rather pointless''
|Can be transferred to someone by shooting them, also transfers the timer. When the bad flag timer (or another timer) is up, the holder dies and creates a shockwave.
|-
|Terrain Immunity (TI)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too map specific''
|User is invulnerable to, and can walk through, terrain hazards such as stuff that would normally be fatal to touch and conveyor belts.
|-
|Cloaked Bullet (CB)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, getting killed by a shot you can't see is bad''
|Your bullets are invisible out-the-window.
|-
|Charge Beam (CB)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, just use multiple shots from a regular laser''
|Hold mouse button to charge. Releasing shoots a laser that keeps firing for as long as you charged the beam for. (Maybe a limit on charge time, so there's a limit on how long you fire a laser for?)
|-
|Gravitational Field (GF)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''BZFlag is not a physics engine. Possible lag and sync nightmare.''
|Attracts nearby tanks and bullets towards you. You are also afected by Newton's third law, with a resulting force pushing you in the opposite direction of the sum of all the force vectors of all the tanks and bullets you attract. It can be good and bad. With skill you can use this flag to alter bullet paths and tank motion to your/your teammate's advantage, or to your enemy's disadvantage. An example of the effect might be if a tank w/ WG is nearby you could be pulled aloung in flight,although flight would be more difficult for the tank w/ WG. There is a higher risk of being hit and higher difficulty in moving.
|-
|Destroy Buildings (DB)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, significantly difficult to implement, and allows for to much abbuse''
|When your shot hits an object (such as a building) it causes that object to disappear temporarily. Still ricochets off.
|-
|PLane (PL)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No multiple flags, no vertical shots, no weird [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Flying_Corps flying] stuff. This probably won't be implemented.''
|Turns your tank into a plane. Planes have two guns, one on each wing. You can accelerate or decelerate by using scroll wheel up to accelerate, down to decelerate. Point the mouse in the direction you want to turn. If you are shot or touch a wall you turn back into a tank. ENEMY tanks get vertical lock-on on you, meaning if they shoot while you are within their view, then their shot is at an angle upward or downward so that it might hit you. You can get some flags as a plane. Shock wave drops a bomb straight down with the velocity of a shot, plus your velocity; Laser shoots a laser from your nose-cone; Rapid Fire, Super Bullet, Machine Gun, GM are the same as normal (but you still have wing guns); Cloaking, Stealth, and Masquerade are the same; Thief shoots from nose-cone; Black Hole shoots from nose-cone; OO lets you fly through walls (except floor and the surrounding wall, of course); PZ is same as normal; Galaga makes you wider, but you can shoot more shots; Charge Beam from nose-cone; Sensor Package is same as normal; No Ricochet prevents ricochet; etc.. If you drop a flag as a plane, it drops first the grabbed flag, then once you have no grabbed flag, turns you back into a tank. I realize this probably won't be implemented.
|-
|Sensor Package (SP)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too powerful''
|In-game description: "Tank has upgraded sensors and can send locks to guided missiles and allies." Description here: You can see what flag an enemy has, you get those arrow things for enemy team flags as well as your own (and also vertical ones), all walls show up as green wireframe on black background; you get those "enemy in range, enemy to left/right" from Battle Zone when an enemy is in your range; you can lock on to enemies (but not allies) (as you do, all ENEMY missiles within the radius of a SW lock onto them, all ALLIES with GM lock onto them, but not their fired missiles), you also get notifications when you are within an enemy's line of sight and range, especially when you are within the blast radius of someone with shockwave, you can see what flag somebody has on the radar and HUD (letters over their head).
|-
|Flak (FK)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too complex''
|Your tank shoots debris (or oval shaped sheilds or whatever they may look like) that collide and disintegrate regular type bullets instantly when the two come in contact.
|-
|Improved Masquerade (IM)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, no on shot changes, and too complex''
|Your tank appears on the Radar and through the view finder as a friendly tank to the enemy, but not to right-clicks and identification through targeting. However, this lasts until your fire. When you fire, you immediately lose the flag. This is good for infiltrating another side, but as soon as someone right-clicks you in his targeting reticule, your identity is displayed.
|-
|Kick back (KB)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, no advantage to the flag, just make it a server option for all shots''
|When shot your tanks goes backwards a certain distance. This lasts for a server set # of seconds
[Note: How is this a positive flag? This is also too similar to Big Bullet.]
|-
|Oldschool (OS)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, is not general enough, depends on other map setup''
|Immune to super bullets, missiles, laser beams, shock waves, and steamrolls. Tanks with other flags can still hit you, and theives can steal your flag; in other words, business as usual. Make others drop their precious flags.
|-
|New Age (NA)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, is not general enough, depends on other map setup''
|Immune to regular bullets; can only be killed by lasers, missiles, super bullets, steamrolls, and shock waves. Opposite of Oldschool. Probably disabled on maps without easily accessible superweapon flags.
|-
|Entanglement (QE)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No''
|Whoever kills you gets destroyed by the server.
|-
|Laser Tripwire (LT)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too complex''
|Shot travels until it strikes a wall, then generates a (non-ricocheting) laser beam along the direction of the surface normal until it reaches another surface. Beam remains until touched by a tank, which is destroyed. If player fires another tripwire, the existing tripwire is deleted. Player may drop the flag to leave the most recent tripwire in place. Shockwave will delete any tripwire it touches (if not too difficult to code).
|-
|Shotgun (SG) (Different to other one)
| +/-
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too much like MG, same as the other ShotGun suggestion''
|All available shots are fired at once (set # by server), 1 straight, the next a set # of degrees left of the first, then the next # of degress right of the first and so on creating dispersed shots. Fast bullets but reduced range, no ricochet and very slow reload time. Good against multiple enemies in range and provides strategic usage of walls for cover while reloading. Useless against laser and guided missle and good players can jump/avoid and shoot you while reloading which is why shots travel faster. Good for short range but useless in long range.
|-
|Air Safe (AS)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, GM already has a counter flag: ST''
|Countermeasure for guided missle. Guided missles that come within sw radius of the player are destroyed but all other shots unaffected. Dampens power of guided missle.
|-
|SHort tank (SH)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, simply make a server option to make burrow jump''
|Makes tank short. Exactly like burrow except that it allows you to be on buildings and jump.
|-
|Communications Disruption (CD)
| -
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too specific to a play style''
|You cannot send team messages. You can still send PMs, Admin messages and public messages.
|-
|Double Shot (DS)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too complex, with not enough added benefit. Shots would have to bounce in non physical ways to seperate.''
|Every time a player with this flag fires and the shots bounce off a wall (or other object) it splits the shot into 2 shots. Can only happen once (split shots cannot split again).
|-
|Super Shield (SS)
| +
|style="background-color:#ffff00;"|''No, too complex''
|You have to be shot a set amount of times to die. A bit like shield BUT different types of shots damage the tank more. (Say a tanks picks up the SS flag and he/she has to be hit 5 times to die, but SW takes off 4 hits so he only has to be hit 2 times with SW to die). This could also work with Double Shot (DS) where when the shot splits it only makes half the damage of a normal shot. (He/she would now have to be hit 10 times with split bullets to die). Maybe put a health bar over the players tank that shows how many times YOU have to hit the tank with your bullets. (P1 gets SS flag and has to be hit 4 times to die, P2 gets GM (which takes off 2 hits) and he looks at P1 and it has the health bar and a number saying 2 (P2 has to hit P1 with the GM that he has 2 times) then P3 gets a SW flag and the health bar says 1 (because SW takes off 4 points and P1 only has 4 health points). If the health bar is too hard then i think that you could just have the SS without a health bar.
|-
|Flag Magnet (FM)
| +
|
|When you shoot this, all nearby flags get pulled into it and disappear (Go to phantom zone?)
|-
|Flag Changer (FC)
| +
|
|You can give/take somebody bad/good flags. (Zoned flags too?) Dontkillmyimabeg.
|-
[Category:Gameplay]]

Rabbit hunt

2008-09-14T11:34:53Z

Samjetski: Redirecting to Rabbit Hunt

#REDIRECT [[Rabbit Hunt]]

Config File

2008-09-14T11:28:57Z

Samjetski: oops stubbed wrong way

{{Stub}}
BZFlag uses an ASCII configuration file to store user settings. The file is called "config.cfg" and its location is dependant on your operating system.

===Windows===
My Documents\My BZFlag Files\2.0\config.cfg

===Mac OS X===
~/Library/Application Support/BZFlag/2.0/config.cfg

===Linux and unix platforms===
~/.bzf/2.0/config.cfg

[[Category:Client]]

Config File

2008-09-14T11:24:34Z

Samjetski: add to stubs

BZFlag uses an ASCII configuration file to store user settings. The file is called "config.cfg" and its location is dependant on your operating system.

===Windows===
My Documents\My BZFlag Files\2.0\config.cfg

===Mac OS X===
~/Library/Application Support/BZFlag/2.0/config.cfg

===Linux and unix platforms===
~/.bzf/2.0/config.cfg

[[Category:Client]]
[[Category:Stubs]]

Talk:Config File

2008-09-14T11:22:47Z

Samjetski: New page: Perhaps we need some info on what's in it and how to use it? Just an idea ~~~~

Perhaps we need some info on what's in it and how to use it? Just an idea [[User:Samjetski|Samjetski]] 07:22, 14 September 2008 (EDT)

Local chat filter

2008-09-14T11:20:05Z

Samjetski: add categories

There is no need to rely on the server owners to protect yourself from unwanted language. You can filter chat locally from your BZFlag client.

=Overview=
The "-badwords" option is used in conjunction with a file that contains the words to be blocked. To use this option you must start your client from a command line. Once the filter is enabled, it will stay active until deactivated. (It saves this option to the [http://my.bzflag.org/w/Config_File Config file] ). To deactivate it, edit this config.cfg file and comment out the command with the path with a <nowiki>#</nowiki> in front of the line.

A [http://bzflag.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/bzflag/trunk/bzflag/misc/multilingualSwearList.txt?view=log multilingual badwords file] can be found in source downloads.

==Starting the client with a command line ==
The game client must be started with a command line option to enable the local filter.

===Linux and Unix===
On Linux or other Unix-like systems the game client can be started with command line options directly from the terminal.
{|
|
bzflag -badwords /path/to/badwords.txt
|}

===Microsoft Windows===
Microsoft Windows users can follow the following steps to create a shortcut that starts the game client with chat filtering enabled.
# Locate the BZFlag shortcut installed in the programs section of the start menu.
# Drag the BZFlag shortcut with the right mouse button on to the desktop.
# Pick the "Copy here" item from the context menu that pops up when the drag is complete.
# Click on the Copied shortcut with the right mouse button and pick the "properties" item.
# Find the "Target" field in the shortcut properties window that is opened, and click in it.
# Press the "End" key on your keyboard to jump to the end of the text in the target field. It will end in bzflag.exe".
# After the last quote(") add a space and then '''-badwords "C:\path\to\badwords.txt"'''
# Save the changes by hitting the OK button at the bottom.

Running this shortcut will now start the client with chat filtering.

===Mac OS X===
The Mac OS X method for starting the game with bot support is the same as the Linux method, but the path to the bzflag client is required. If you installed BZFlag in your applications folder, then the command that needs to be typed into terminal will be along the lines of:
{|
|
/Applications/BZFlag.app/Contents/MacOS/bzflag -badwords /path/to/badwords.txt
|}
[[Category:Client]][[Category:Tutorials]]

Talk:Local chat filter

2008-09-14T11:05:41Z

Samjetski:

I'm sure the Windows instructions need work. I adapted it from the "solo bots" page.

You could do this from the "Start>Run" dialogue, since it only needs to be done this way once (it saves in the config file). The only issue is that we would need to assume that the game is installed in the default location... [[User:Samjetski|Samjetski]] 06:50, 14 September 2008 (EDT)

On second thoughts, this game location will have version number in it-issues? [[User:Samjetski|Samjetski]] 07:05, 14 September 2008 (EDT)

Talk:Local chat filter

2008-09-14T11:05:22Z

Samjetski:

I'm sure the Windows instructions need work. I adapted it from the "solo bots" page.

You could do this from the "Start>Run" dialogue, since it only needs to be done this way once (it saves in the config file). The only issue is that we would need to assume that the game is installed in the default location... [[User:Samjetski|Samjetski]] 06:50, 14 September 2008 (EDT)
On second thoughts, this game location will have version number in it-issues? [[User:Samjetski|Samjetski]] 07:05, 14 September 2008 (EDT)

Local chat filter

2008-09-14T11:03:47Z

Samjetski: /* Microsoft Windows */ oops windows path should have quotes in case of spaces (eg: 'Documents and Settings')

Local chat filter

2008-09-14T11:00:41Z

Samjetski: /* Microsoft Windows */ typos, use end key (simpler), Windows file path (C:\path\ not /path/)

There is no need to rely on the server owners to protect yourself from unwanted language. You can filter chat locally from your BZFlag client.

=Overview=
The "-badwords" option is used in conjunction with a file that contains the words to be blocked. To use this option you must start your client from a command line. Once the filter is enabled, it will stay active until deactivated. (It saves this option to the [http://my.bzflag.org/w/Config_File Config file] ). To deactivate it, edit this config.cfg file and comment out the command with the path with a <nowiki>#</nowiki> in front of the line.

A [http://bzflag.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/bzflag/trunk/bzflag/misc/multilingualSwearList.txt?view=log multilingual badwords file] can be found in source downloads.

==Starting the client with a command line ==
The game client must be started with a command line option to enable the local filter.

===Linux and Unix===
On Linux or other Unix-like systems the game client can be started with command line options directly from the terminal.
{|
|
bzflag -badwords /path/to/badwords.txt
|}

===Microsoft Windows===
Microsoft Windows users can follow the following steps to create a shortcut that starts the game client with chat filtering enabled.
# Locate the BZFlag shortcut installed in the programs section of the start menu.
# Drag the BZFlag shortcut with the right mouse button on to the desktop.
# Pick the "Copy here" item from the context menu that pops up when the drag is complete.
# Click on the Copied shortcut with the right mouse button and pick the "properties" item.
# Find the "Target" field in the shortcut properties window that is opened, and click in it.
# Press the "End" key on your keyboard to jump to the end of the text in the target field. It will end in bzflag.exe".
# After the last quote(") add a space and then '''-badwords C:\path\to\badwords.txt'''
# Save the changes by hitting the OK button at the bottom.

Running this shortcut will now start the client with chat filtering.

===Mac OS X===
The Mac OS X method for starting the game with bot support is the same as the Linux method, but the path to the bzflag client is required. If you installed BZFlag in your applications folder, then the command that needs to be typed into terminal will be along the lines of:
{|
|
/Applications/BZFlag.app/Contents/MacOS/bzflag -badwords /path/to/badwords.txt
|}

Talk:Local chat filter

2008-09-14T10:50:27Z

Samjetski:

User:Samjetski

2008-09-13T07:55:42Z

Samjetski:

I love [[BZFlag]] - my favourite game :D

I've done a fair bit of tinkering with running BZFlag portably (ie: from a flashdrive at school/work) on Windows. I'll write a how-to regarding this soon...

I'm an Ubuntu user, but I use Windows XP when I must.

I also do a bit of web development, etc. (although I have been rather busy with other things lately).

==External links==
http://samjetski.googlepages.com/ (old, mostly outdated)

http://samjetski.no-ip.info/ (development, often offline)

User:Samjetski

2008-09-13T07:55:06Z

Samjetski: about me

I love [[BZFlag]] - my favourite game :D

I've done a fair bit of tinkering with running BZFlag portably (ie: from a flashdrive at school/work) on Windows. I'll write a how-to regarding this soon...

I'm an Ubuntu user, but I use Windows XP when I must.

I also do a bit of web development, etc. (although I have been rather busy with other things lately).

==External links==
http://samjetski.googlepages.com/ (old, mostly outdated)
http://samjetski.no-ip.info/ (development, often offline)

Getting Help

2008-09-13T07:45:14Z

Samjetski:

Getting help on BZFlag is rather easy. There are a number of places to get help

==IRC Chat Room==
The BZFlag communities [[BZFlag on IRC|make heavy use of IRC]] for communication and collaboration.

The [http://freenode.net/ freenode network] is used for all IRC communications.
Common channels include:
* #bzflag ( development )
* #bzchat ( help and general player talk )

A web interface is provided to these channels for registered forum users on the forum main page.

Please see [[BZFlag on IRC]] for more info.

==Web Forums==

BZFlag maintains a set of [[BZFlag Forums|official forums]], located at http://my.BZFlag.org/bb/

An older set of forums, now mostly unused, is located on SourceForge:
*http://sourceforge.net/forum/?group_id=3248 - main page
*http://sourceforge.net/forum/forum.php?forum_id=9554 - help forum

==Quickstart==

If you want a quick overview of how to join and start playing, please [[Getting Started|see this article]].

==Mailing Lists==

There are a number of BZFlag mailing lists. The best one for support questions is bzflag-user. Archives and subscription information can be found on the SourceForge BZFlag project mailing list page at http://sourceforge.net/mail/?group_id=3248

==Common Support Issues==
The [[Common Support Issues]] page lists a number of the common problems with the game, and their resolutions.

==Documentation==
The game is documented via a series of manual pages ( or man pages ).
On Linux and other Unix like operating systems they are installed by default and can be accessed by using the '''man''' command and one of the following pages.
*bzflag
*bzfs
*bzadmin
*bzw

On Microsoft Windows and Apple OSX the manual pages are in HTML format. They are installed in the start menu for Windows, or in the extras folder on the install DMG for OSX.

The man pages are also available online in HTML format:
NOTE: As of June 2007 there is a problem with the man page conversion to HTML and the web manuals are NOT CORRECT! Use the man pages from source, or
Corrected versions are being made, and will be posted on this wiki.

*[http://my.bzflag.org/bzfman.cgi?bzflag.6.in bzflag]
*[http://my.bzflag.org/bzfman.cgi?bzadmin.6.in bzadmin]
*[http://my.bzflag.org/bzfman.cgi?bzfs.6.in bzfs]
*[http://my.bzflag.org/bzfman.cgi?bzw.5.in bzw]

==Further Support==
If any of these methods don't provide a resolution to a problem, the project maintains a support tracking system on SourceForge. New tickets can be opened at this URL:

http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?group_id=3248&atid=203248

==See also==
[[BZFlag on IRC]]

[[BZFlag Forums]]

[[Common Support Issues]]

==External links==
[http://my.BZFlag.org/irc/irc.cgi BZFlag Web IRC gateway]

[[Category:Support]]
[[Category:Tutorials]]

Installing on Linux

2008-09-13T07:44:17Z

Samjetski:

This is how to install. To compile, see [[:Category:Compiling|Compiling]].

== Installing from tarball ==
You extract it and run the install script as root.

== Installing using a package manager ==
This depends on your distribution. But for example:
$ sudo rpm -ivh bzflag.x86.208.rpm

=== Fedora / Red Hat / Mandriva / SUSE ===
$ sudo yum install bzflag

=== Gentoo ===

# emerge bzflag

Alternatively, if you want to grab the 2.0 subversion branch (you probably shouldn't worry about this unless you need a bug fix that you know is not in the latest release), there is an ebuild available to do this at http://succexy.com/~chris/overlay/games-action/bzflag/bzflag-9999.ebuild. See the [http://gentoo-wiki.com/HOWTO_Installing_3rd_Party_Ebuilds Gentoo Wiki] for more information on using third-party ebuilds.

=== Ubuntu / Debian ===
$ sudo apt-get install bzflag

[[Category:Installing]]
[[Category:Tutorials]]

Compiling

2008-09-13T07:43:39Z

Samjetski:

==Overview==
Compiling BZFlag is the act of taking the raw source codes for the game and using tools to build an executable application(s) for a target system.

==Source Code==
In order to compile a user must have his or her own copy of the [[BZFlag_Source|Source Code]]. The code can be obtained from a source archive from the [[Download]] page, or from the [[BZFlag_SVN]] server.

==Readme Files==
Users should always read the README files for the appropriate operating system. These files are located in the root directory of the source code tree.

==Compilers==
BZFlag is capable of being built on a number of compilers. The compiler used will depend in some way on the operating system of the computer doing the build.

Linux computers, use the GCC compiler.
Macintosh Computers use the XCode compiler
Windows Computers can use the Visual C++ compiler, or the MinGW compiler (based on GCC)

===GCC===
The GCC build as a number of requirements;
* Automake X.XX
* Autoconf X.XX
* Autotools X.XX
* SDL Development libraries 1.2.10 or greater
* OpenGL Development libraries 1.1 or greater

If the required dependencies are installed, the user must then run the following commands from at root level of the source tree

./autogen.sh
./configure
./make
./make install

Please note that depending on permissions levels the '''make install''' command may need to be run as an administrator or root.

===XCode===
Launch XCode and open the '''bzflag/BZFlag.xcodeproj''' project. Note that XCode should have '''BZFlag''' selected as the active target and '''Development''' as the active build configuration. Click on '''Targets''' then click the '''Build''' icon. When this process completes, your application will be in '''bzflag/build/Development'''. You can then move it wherever you like.

===Visual C++===

==== 2.0.x ====

==== 2.99.x =====

===Other build systems===
Other build systems may be supported in the various readme files (minGW, IRIX, SOLARIS,etc..)

[[Category:Development]]
[[Category:Compiling]]
[[Category:Tutorials]]

Staying Alive

2008-09-13T07:42:47Z

Samjetski: add to category

= Staying Alive =
One of the most important objectives in BZFlag is to stay alive (if not '''the''' most important!) "Staying alive" means "not getting your tank blown up", because when it's blown up, you can't have fun driving around shooting the enemy tanks, which is why you play BZFlag in the first place, right? On the positive side, you're only "dead" for about 3 seconds, and after that you can get back into the mayhem.
There are several ways to die in BZFlag:

* You get shot
* Wholesale kill, i.e:
** Your team flag gets captured by an opposing team in a [[Capture the Flag]] ([[Capture the Flag|CTF]]) match
** One of your teammates is hit by [[Genocide]]
* You self-destruct
* Death [[Physics|physics drivers]]
* An admin executes a /kill command

So, your best chances of staying alive basically boils down to avoiding these 2 situations; getting shot, and getting your team flag captured by the enemy - avoiding to self-destruct is easy; just don't hit the DEL ("delete") button. Normally map makers will make it clear where death physics are, and there's not much you can do about the trigger happy admins.

== Avoid getting shot ==
An obvious way to avoid getting shot, is to stay away from tanks that might fire shots at you. However, this is not very desirable (if you are out of their firing range, they are out of yours, and thus you can't blow up other tanks which is the fun part!). And it's not possible to hide forever, so you will eventually have to deal with situations where bullets are coming in your direction...

=== Shooting yourself ===
It's possible for you to blow up your own tank by shooting yourself. This can be done on maps where bullets can ricochet, which means that a bullet hits something, like a wall or a building for instance, and then springs off in a new direction, which is in a parallel angle if ricocheting off a vertical surface. So if you fire directly at a wall in a game where the ricochet option is "on", the bullet will spring back and possibly hit your own tank, thus blowing it up!
If you shoot yourself (by accident or otherwise) you see a message saying "shot myself", your body-count will go up, and everyone else on the server gets to laugh at you.

You can avoid this by giving your shooting a little thought, i.e. don't stand close to solid objects (like buildings and walls) while firing directly at them, or fire at them in sharp angles, sending your bullets away from you even after the ricochet.

Also, be very, very careful when firing off a laser on the ground level.

=== Friendly fire ===
Not only can you shoot yourself, your teammates, your brothers in arms, can shoot you as well on most servers! Keep in mind that, if you are stealthed, you are much less visible to your teammates, and are likely to get shot if you stand in their way.

=== Dodging ===
==== Bullets ====
Dodging shots in BZFlag requires a different technique than most other games. The key to dodging shots in BZFlag is to face at an angle from the person shooting at you. That way, you can avoid the shots completely, or slip in between them. If you are facing straight at your opponent then you must turn to avoid their shots, which wastes precious time.

Of course, if you are facing away from your opponent, it is difficult to shoot them. Thus, you want to time your approach so that you are facing towards them when they are out of shots, and you are facing away from them when they are shooting at you.

==== Guided Missiles ====
Somebody has fired a GM at you, and it is bearing down fast. What do you do? You drive full speed in a circle perpendicular to the player firing the GM. Watch their frustration as the GMs miss the rear of your tank by a fraction. Keep driving until you're out of range or out of space to drive. This is particularly effective against stationary GM users. With practice, you can develop this method by moving in a spiral, gradually reducing the distance as you drive around the GMer. This way, you can close in and hopefully take a shot at them. Also, keep in mind that the GMer can't lock on you if you are too close to him, making you nearly invulnerable.

=== Jumping ===
[[Jumping]] in order to avoid enemy fire is generally considered a bad idea, unless the jump is such that you land in a less accessible place (for example on top of a box). Jumping in the open makes you unbelievably vulnerable to being shot, as all the enemy tanks need to do is fire off a few shots in your direction just before you land. Don't do it unless it's your final option.

For further information on jumping tactics, see [[Jumping]]

=== Common Sense ===
By exercising a little caution, you can avoid many deaths. Keep an eye on the radar, especially when rounding corners. But also, keep an eye on the screen, in case somebody is stealthed. Identify people's flags. Never ever try to jump in a battle against a wings. If there is a laser running loose on the ground level, go someplace high and wait for him to kill himself. When going against a GM, hide behind buildings, if there are any. Keep your distance from shockwaves. Be careful around teleports; shockwaves and phantom zones like to camp there. And don't let yourself be hit by a [[Genocide|geno]]; because then everyone will hate you. Finally, be on the lookout for tanks acting strangely (driving straight at you, for example). They probably have some special flag: wings, shockwave, or masquerade.

== Prevent the enemy from capturing your teams flag ==
This one is relatively simple. If an enemy picks up your team's flag, shoot him!
Note: Dropping your or your opponent's team flag on a "bad surface" i.e. a pyramid or cone will return it to a certain point, often the middle or the owner's base.

== A note on self destruction ==
Some people self-destruct in order to avoid getting shot. This may sound a bit strange at first, but the idea is that if you self destruct and thus avoid getting shot, you prevent your enemy from getting a hit point as a result of shooting you - and keeping your enemies hit count down is desirable.

But...

'''Please don't do this!'''

It is generally frowned upon - if your enemy has you cornered, and your destruction is the only possible result in this situation, then of course he deserves the point. So please, either fight your way out, or die with honor!

[[Category:Tactics]]
[[Category:Tutorials]]

Single Player Mode

2008-09-13T07:36:30Z

Samjetski: tidy, add to category

Single Player Mode is a term that represents play of BZFlag on a local server using the computer controlled player (bots) of a client.

=Overview=
Using bots on a local server is a way to play the game with out an internet connection, or to gain experience in playing with out the need for other human players. Bots are currently only run by the game client and can be run on any server. The term Single Player Mode is most commonly used to describe a single client that is logged in to a local server with a number of bots.

Bots can be used on remote servers, but many of the owners of public servers to not allow bots to join with players. Use of bots on public servers is not recommended and can lead to being banned from the server.

=Starting a Single Player Session=
The basic idea behind starting a single player session is the following.
#Start a local server, ether by using the in game menu, or via the command line.
#Start the game client using the '''-solo'' [[BZFS Command Line Options| command line option]].
#Join the local server using the client and begin play.

==Starting a local server==
The simplest way to start a local server is to use the in-game '''Start Server''' menu. This menu is found on the [[Join Game Menu]] at the very bottom. This menu gives a number of settings for the server, including shot counts, and world options such as [[jumping]] and [[ricochet]]. Specific flags or more advanced options can not be set via the start server menu.

To set additional options one must run [[BZFS]] manually and enter in a number of [[BZFS Command Line Options| command line options]]. See [[Creating A Server|creating a server]] for more options. To keep the server local, do not use the '''-public''' option.

==Starting the client with bots==
The game client must be started with a command line option to enable bots. Bots can not be enabled from within the game menus.

===Linux and Unix===
On Linux or other Unix-like systems the game client can be started with command line options directly from the terminal.
{|
|
bzflag -solo ##
|}
Where <nowiki>##</nowiki> is the number of bots you want to run.

===Microsoft Windows===
Microsoft Windows users can follow the following steps to create a shortcut that starts the game client with bots.
# Locate the BZFlag shortcut installed in the programs section of the start menu.
# Drag the BZFlag shortcut with the right mouse button on to the desktop.
# Pick the "Copy here" item from the context menu that pops up when the drag is complete.
# Click on the Copied shortcut with the right mouse button and pick the "properties" item.
# Find the "Target" field in the shortcut properties window that is opened, and click in it.
# Use the right arrow key to find the end of the text in the target field. It will end in bzflag.exe".
# After the last quote(") add a space and then '''-solo''' <nowiki>##</nowiki>. Where <nowiki>##</nowiki> is the number of bots you wish to have.
# Save the changes by hitting the OK button at the bottom.

Running this shortcut will now start the server with bot support.

===Mac OS X===
The Mac OS X method for starting the game with bot support is the same as the Linux method, but the path to the bzflag client is required. If you installed BZFlag in your applications folder, then the command that needs to be typed into terminal will be along the lines of:
{|
|
/Applications/BZFlag.app/Contents/MacOS/bzflag -solo <nowiki>##</nowiki>
|}
Where <nowiki>##</nowiki> is the number of bots you want to run.

==Joining the Local Server==
Once the client is started with bot support you must do the following to join the local server
# Go to the Join Game menu.
# Enter "127.0.0.1" in the server name field. This is called "localhost".
# Enter "5154" in the port field.
# Choose the "Connect" item to join the server.

This will connect to the local server with the number of bots specified to with the '''-solo''' option.

=Autopilot=
The aforementioned bot method creates what may be called 'simple' bots, which simply shoot and attempt to dodge bullets.
A feature called autopilot, is activated when you press the "9" key on your keyboard, although as stated earlier, many servers do not allow this.
Some players may decide they want to open up 5 or 10 clients and place them on autopilot. When they do, it allows them to be able to jump, grab flags, and are slightly smarter than the 'simple' bots.

==See also==
[[Creating A Server]]

[[BZFS Command Line Options]]

[[Category:Concepts]]
[[Category:Client]]
[[Category:Tutorials]]

Category:Tutorials

2008-09-13T07:33:53Z

Samjetski:

Various BZFlag tutorials and how-tos.

Creating a server

2008-09-13T07:19:51Z

Samjetski: add to category

Creating a server is the process of using [[BZFS]] software to host a game for users to play on.

==Overview==
Running a server can be done in both [[public]] or [[private]] modes. It involves running the server software [[BZFS]] on some host computer. For [[public]] servers this host computer must be connected to the internet, and be able to accept incoming connections on a fixed port.

== Planning a Server ==

Before you create a server, you need to decide what you want your server will be like. There are a few requirements in creating a server. First, you need a good connection. If you are on a high end DSL or higher connection you will be able to host a few players. With really fast connections, such as T1 or related, you could host dozens (although you may not want to do so).

You must provide an address to connect to. You will specify this address when you run the server (more on this below). The address may be your IP address (something like 192.12.193.123), or the domain name pointing to your computer (e.g. BZFlag.ducati.org). If your server is going to be on a machine that is connected via DSL or Cable, figure out if your provider is giving you a dynamic or a static IP. If the IP address is static, your life will be a little easier since you can specify that address once and forever. If the IP is dynamic, this means that your internet provider will change the address once in a while (without warning). In this case you probably want to "[[Alias Your IP Address]]" to a static name (click on the link for how to).

Next you need to have an idea of how your server is going to look: you are probably already familiar with the game style (CTF, Rabbit) from playing on existing servers. You may specify a map or ask your server to create a random one. You will also be able to specify many details of the game play (how many good and bad flags, jumping, ricochet, etc...). All of this is accomplished in the next step.

== Configure your Server ==

In this step, you specify all the server options. The cleanest way to accomplish this is to create a configuration file. Fortunately, the BZFlag installation provides you with a sample configuration file that you can modify according to your wishes. You will find this file in the directory where you installed BZFlag under a subdirectory called <code>misc</code>. The file is named <code>bzfs.conf</code>. Open <code>bzfs.conf</code> in a text editor (in windows, notepad will be just fine; in GNU/Linux, Unix, Debian, etc.. : vi would work nice).

Read through <code>bzfs.conf</code> to understand all the options. Remove the # sign on the lines corresponding to the options you want to set. Add # at the beginning of the line if you don't want that option. After you have finished your changes, you can save that file with a different name (this will be helpful if you want to run server with different configurations: just save many files with different names).

Note also that recent BZFlag installations come with a "nice" web-based configuration builder that lets you create a configuration using a simple web form. Run it by selecting "BZFS configuration builder" from the BZFlag folder in the start menu. Your web browser will pop up with a web form that will prompt you for several configuration choices. Please note that the form will not save the configuration file for you: you will still have to copy and paste the text generated by the web form into your configuration file.

Here is an incomplete list of things you must or can specify in the configuration file.

* Choose a password for administrative purposes. With this password, you can use the administrative operations, such as changing the lag kick threshold or setting environment variables. This is done by adding the following line to your configuration : <code>-passwd PASS</code> (replacing PASS with a password of your choice). Once the server is running, run your client and login as an administrator by entering "<code>/password PASS</code>" (without quotes "") as a chat message.
* If the server is to be public, you must specify the server people should connect to. The option is added with the following line "<code>-publicaddr server.name.com:5154</code>" (without quotes), or "<code>-publicaddr 111.111.111.111:5154</code>" where you should replace <code>111.111.111.111:5154</code> with your IP address. <code>5154</code> is the port the server will listen to. Make sure it is the same number as the one specified in a line starting with <code>-p 5154</code>. You can change the port but don't do that if you don't know what you are doing. We recommend you use port numbers that are proven to work in other servers.
* Specify other options. For example, if you want to allow jumping, then your conf file should have a line starting with <code>-j</code>. Other options are: ricochet, which needs a line starting with <code>+r</code>. Read through <code>bzfs.conf</code> and you'll find out how to specify the game style (rabbit, ctf, etc...), the number of flags, etc.... If you want to run different configurations you can create as many conf files as you like (with different names of course). Just specify the correct configuration file you want to invoke in the bat file mentioned in the previous paragraph. One of the options that you can set in the configuration file is a map the server should use.
* You can choose whether to use a custom map or a random one. If you use a random one, decide whether or not to include teleporters. If you want to include them, add (again, to your configuration) the option "<code>-t</code>". If you are playing CTF and you want a random map, use "<code>-cr</code>" instead of standard "<code>-c</code>", in addition to "<code>-t</code>". For a custom server, use: <code>-world "MAP_NAME"</code> ; replacing <code>MAP_NAME</code> with the file name of the map, which must be in the BZFS directory. You have probably seen that when you visit other server, one of the menus has the "save map" option. That means you can save that map for use on your server. Just save it somewhere in your pc, and specify the location of the map in the configuration file, next to the line that starts with <code>-world</code>
* You can choose the max number of players (for example <code>-mp 10</code> says there can't be more than 10 players). But just because you can host many, decide if you really want to. The more players on your server, the higher the overall latency will be and the more bandwidth your server will consume. Moreover, more than 4 players per team on a ctf or more than 6 players on a rabbit style is just not fun. Experiment if you plan to host a lot, otherwise don't worry. Not only latency that matters, but many players will make the field busy. Tanks will get killed often and there would be a lot of action. This is good, and bad. Good in that it is a lot of fun! But bad in that the average alive time may only be a few seconds.
* A server description would be nice. Note that there is a small limit on how many characters you can put for description, and it gets smaller based on how long the server address is. Add a description by adding option: <code>-public DESCRIPTION</code>
* You can choose what flags, if any, to include or restrict. You must be familiar with the flag abbreviations, which are listed using command "<code>bzfs -help</code>" near the end of the help message. Add flags to the server using "<code>+f ABBR</code>" and restrict flags using "<code>-f ABBR</code>" replacing <code>ABBR</code> with the flag abbreviation.

This should get you started, but there are many more options you can set. Some of them are explained below in the section "Good Administration". In any event, most of the options can be understood by reading the file bzfs.conf provided with the installation.

== Getting your server on the public list ==

BZFlag has a central list server that keeps track of all the public servers. Using the <code>-public "some text"</code> command line argument will tell your local server to attempt to register itself on the public server. This is normally all that is required to get your server listed.

The list server will need to be able to access your server just as other players will. This is done by connecting back to the public IP address where your server is running. The list server only checks the tcp connection back to your server at present, though players will also try udp on the same IP address and port number.

You can test your server with the bot in #BZFlag on irc.freenode.net IRC network. See http://irchelp.org/ for more information on irc. You may want to use the web interface at http://my.BZFlag.org/irc/irc.cgi if you do not already have an irc client like [http://xchat.org/ X-Chat] or [http://mirc.com mIRC] installed. Once you are in the #BZFlag channel tell the bot to contact your server by doing this with your machine name or IP address and the :port number:
{|
|
~bzfquery bzflag.secretplace.us:5255
|}
You should get a list of players back like:

{|
|
<ibot> X:0(0-0) R:-78(95-173) G:4(67-63) B:-4(172-176) Tofe(R:anonymous)-27(29-56) zapped
(O:anonymous)0(0-0) cookiecutter(G)14(28-14) Shoot For Brains [CAN-NS](G:shoot@me.com)7(20-13)
Attilla(X:Terleckyjy@terleckyjy)42(79-37) emul(G)-15(18-33) immel(G)-2(1-3) shadow
(B:matt@tiger.prinz)-10(0-10) jp(R:PenovichJ@penovichj)-31(31-62)
|}
or
{|
|
<ibot> No Players
|}
which means the bot was able to contact your server, just that there are no players on it at the moment. This is ok.

If you get:
{|
|
<ibot> could not connect to 127.0.0.1:5154
|}
Then your server is firewalled and the list server cannot contact it. This means that you will not be able to get your server on the list. Chances are you have a firewall blocking external access to your server.

Note: when you run the bzflag client on the same network as a server it should discover the server by using a broadcast ping. If your server shows up in the list, but without the description next to it, this means that you found it through broadcast discovery, and '''not from the public list server'''. If the server description that you included on the <code>-public "this text"</code> command line option is there, then your server is correctly listed on the public server list.

Using multiple <code>-d</code> options to the server will result in some useful (and some useless) messages from the server.
{|
|
bzflag@phoenix:~/bzflag-1.10$ src/bzfs/bzfs -d -d -d -i 24.1.104.25 -p 51540 -public "My Server Name"
style: 0
There is a voting arbiter with the following settings:
vote time is 60 seconds
veto time is 10 seconds
votes required are 3
vote percentage necessary is 50.099998
vote repeat time is 300 seconds
available voters is initially set to 200
Running a public server with the following settings:
public address is 24.1.104.25:51540
listening on 24.1.104.25:51540
with title of "My Server Name"
Sent ADD message to list server
GET /db/?action=ADD&nameport=24.1.104.25:51540&version=BZFS1910&gameinfo=0000000100000000000000000000c800c800c800c800c800c800c8&
build=1.10.7.20040809-RELEASE-linux-gnu&title=My+Server+Name HTTP/1.1
Host: my.BZFlag.org
Cache-Control: no-cache

Player [0] accept() from 24.1.104.25:50579 on 6
Player [0] on 6 removed: Disconnected
|}
* the -i parameter is used here to force an IP address. This server happens to have more than one IP address. This is not required on most servers.
* the -p parameter is used to pick a different port number than the default. If you are only running one server, it is recommended that you leave this off and use the default port number.
* notice the debug line that starts with "<code>GET</code>". This is the request that was sent to the bzflag list server to attempt to get listed
* notice the "<code>Player [0]</code>" lines. This indicates that the list server connected back and then disconnected. If you don't see this then it is likely that your server is firewalled and the list server is unable to connect back and so will '''not''' list your server.

== Running the server ==

There are different ways to run a server. On both Windows and *nix, the program (BZFS) is in the directory where you installed BZFlag (most likely: "<code>C:/Program Files/BZFlag2.0.0</code>", or on your usr account). The program containing the server is BZFS.exe. Double clicking on it will run a server with default options, but clearly you want to specify your own options, for example those you saved in the configuration file generated in the previous step. One way to do it is to specify all the commands for the server in a batch file, so you can just double click on it to start a server. On other systems such as Linux, create an executable with the commands, or a shell script, or see if there are any related ways to store console/text based command interface commands in a "shortcut" style.

On Windows: Here is a [SampleBatchFile]. Open notepad or any other text editor, copy the content of the file, make the changes that you need to change (notably: the location of BZFS and the config file bzfs.conf). Save the file with a nice name and extension .bat (for example: nicename.bat) on your desktop or a window of your choice. You probably understand what the batch file is doing: the lines beginning with "set" specify the content of some variables, such as the location of BZFS and the configuration files. The server is started on the line next to last (before "pause").

If you don't want to have a batch file or for some reason your batch file doesn't work, here is a procedure that always works: from the start menu in your windows machine, look for the "command prompt" and click on it. A black window will open up. Type: <code>cd "c:\Program Files\BZFlag2.0.0"</code> (this should work in most cases, unless you installed BZFlag in a different directory). Once you are there type: <code>bzfs -conf "C:\Program Files\BZFlag2.0.0\Data\bzfs.conf"</code> (change what is between quotes with the exact location of the configuration file).

On *nix: Use a config file, or a shell script. A config file can be made simply by taking all of your command line options you want to pass to BZFS, and placing them in a config file, one options on each line. An HTML file has been created that is shipped with BZFlag (in /data/ on binary releases, and in /misc/ in source releases or CVS). A shell script can be made the same way. A config file can be used, by changing directory to BZFS, and do "bzfs -conf CONF.conf", replacing CONF.conf with the config file in the same BZFS directory.

Once the server is running, log into it with your client and type /password PASS, where PASS is the password you chose in the configuration step. You'll be greeted by the client as an administrator. The KeysAndCommands and ServerCommands pages list a number of things you can do as an admin (although I don't think either of those pages is complete). If when you type one of those commands you get a "You do not have permission" message on client commands, it means that you forgot to login as admin (or somehow your login failed). Type in your client /password PASS replacing PASS with the password that you specified in the configuration phase. If this doesn't work shut down your server, go back to the configuration step and make sure you are getting the right password.

== Sharing Administration Status ==

Helpful links about this topic:

http://my.bzflag.org/bb/viewtopic.php?t=5960
and
http://my.bzflag.org/bb/viewtopic.php?t=6516

Sometimes people will want to share administrator status. Multiple people can be assigned permissions on a server, and all can do more than the normal DEFAULT group (general public). This allows a server to be better administrated, as when one admin is not watching it, another one can. So how do you do this? This is quite easy to do. First off, configure your server to accept group permissions. This is done through BZFS command "<code>-groupdb FILE</code>". This stores group names and permissions for that group. Its syntax for adding groups is: "GROUPNAME: permissions...", replacing GROUPNAME with the name of the group. Don't worry about adding ADMIN or DEFAULT groups, as those get thrown in automatically. Make one up, but please do not alter ADMIN group, as this is stuff administrators can do, and why limit yourself? Groupnames may not have spaces or quotes. Replace "permissions" with permissions, and take out the backslash in the command. For example, write "lagstats" instead of "/lagstats". So a sample line would be, "JRADMIN: playerlist ban kick". Separate permissions by a space, and DO NOT put permissions on different lines! Make sure the group name and ALL permissions are on the same line!

Now that you have your groups laid out, you must create a pas-swo-rd dat-ab-ase to store nicks and passwords created using "/register", as only registered users may be added to groups. To add people to a group, have them register, and enter BZFlag admin client command "/setgroup CALLSIGN GROUPNAME", replacing CALLSIGN with their callsign, case sensitive (add quotes around it if the callsign has spaces), and GROUPNAME with the name of the group to add them to. And that?s it! Easy as pie! This enables you to have multiple admins on one server. But what if you don't want other admins? Easy, create a smaller admin group, such as JRADMIN, in which they have more privileges than a normal person, but not as many as an admin. One privilege you MUST be very careful in giving a person is /shutdownserver. This is terrible if misused, as it kills the server. Trust wisely. And finally, if your server supports /report, starting in 1.11.*, people with privilege to "/viewreports" can see any reports filed, regardless of whether or not the person with that privilege has the computer that stores the reports.

== Shutting down your server ==

If you have had enough of your server, shut it down by entering /shutdownserver in the client. You can also just terminate BZFS execution, but this is not proper and takes a while for the client server list to realize it was terminated.

Now that the server is running, how does it work? Well, the BZFS window or execution must stay alive to keep the server alive. If you close the BZFS window or halt its execution, the server goes too. It will stay on the server list for a short time if halted suddenly.

Closing the server window, or halting its execution, is somewhat like turning off the power suddenly as a way to shutdown your computer - it is not proper, and is not recommended.

== Good Administration ==

Just because you have a server, that's not all. You must maintain it and keep your players satisfied. Check it often. One way to get feedback is to support the "/report" command.

Enable this using BZFS by setting the configuration option "-reportfile FILENAME" replacing FILENAME with a file to use to write reports to, or "-reportpipe FILENAME" replacing FILENAME with the file to pipe reports to. Reports are made through the client and are simply human messages.

But besides that, you must watch the people that come on your server. Often times people will pause or become "NR", not responding. "Not responding" means that they haven't sent a packet in a while (5 seconds by default). This happens to people with slow connections, or people with messed up connections because their connection simply can't send packets fast enough to be within the threshold. Usually they will be kicked automatically for idling too long, but if not, a kick is suitable. Take action against teamkillers (people who kill their own team on PURPOSE, not by occasional mistake), cheaters (a ban is usually nice :), people who log in/off constantly (people who constantly log on & off to reset their score, a warning is suitable), and any other nasty behavior.

You may want to implement a filter to filter chat or callsigns or both from abusive words. Make a file with a phrase/word that should be filtered on every line, and add it to the server using configuration option "-badwords FILE", replacing FILE with the file name IN QUOTES that is found in the BZFS directory. Then set whether to filter chat, callsigns, or both using "-filterCallsigns" and/or "-filterChat". Sometimes, BZFS will be too strict and filter things that aren't bad. You can make simple exact matches happen using "-filterSimple".

So you have a filter, but what if a bad person comes on? Take reasonable action, a warning to start, a permanent ban at worst. Punishment severity is, in order, a warning (use the chat), a kick (/kick REASON), a temporary ban (/ban IP DURATION REASON), and a permanent ban (/ban IP REASON). IP is delinquent's IP address (found using "/playerlist" admin command), DURATION is the amount of time in minutes (do not put a number alone if to ban forever), and REASON is an optional text string of the reason, which will be sent to the player and recorded in your logs. If you want to just kick a person off the server temporarily, use "/kick REASON", replacing REASON with an optional text string of the reason why. If you want bans to last after you shut down or restart your server, make sure you specified a [[ban file]], which is a file that BZFS can store banned IPs in, using BZFS command-line option "-banfile FILE", where FILE is the name of the file in the BZFS directory.

== World Files ==

World files should have the ".bzw" file extension and be in [[BZW]] format. If world files live in the "<code>worlds</code>" directory under the config directory they will be usable when you start a simple server from inside the client. You should not use this method to run a dedicated server, just for starting a LAN game etc. The "<code>worlds</code>" directory is located:

* "~/.bzf/worlds/" - on Linux and Unix Systems.
* "My Documents\My BZFlag Files\worlds\" - on Microsoft Windows.
* "~/Library/Application Support/BZFlag/worlds" - on Apple Mac OS X.

== Other Information ==

BZFlag has not been carefully audited for buffer overflows and other remote attacks, however, large packets or suspicious packets make the server kick the player that sent it. You should never trust the server to be your guard. It's a good idea to run your BZFlag server as a user with minimal permissions on your machine and to run it in a [[BZFS in a chroot jail|chroot jail]].

== Regarding "cheat" servers ==

While the license for BZFlag allows users to run any server modification that they wish, or to modify the code in any way, the project administration asks that users do not publish or host "cheat" type clients or servers. These cheats ruin the game for the average player, when they are mixed in with the normal game servers and clients. We understand the desire to expand and modify the game and it's sources, so it is requested that anyone wishing to run a game that uses modified code or logic to do so using a different network protocol than the current public release. This will let modified games be played, and prevent modified clients from being used on public unmodified games, as they would be incompatible. The BZFlag project administrators reserve the right to remove the public listings of any game servers that do not adhere to this rule. Administrators also reserve the right to remove any global accounts or access to public services at any time.

==See also==
[[Commands]] 
[[Server Variables]] 
[[BZFS in a chroot jail]] 
[[Known Cheats]]

==External Links==
http://my.bzflag.org/bb/viewtopic.php?t=2915 post on the BZFlag Forums

[[Category:Server]]
[[Category:Support]]
[[Category:Tutorials]]

Setting up a group file

2008-09-13T07:18:37Z

Samjetski:

==Getting started with group files==

Before we make a group file, we need to know what a group file is, and how to use it.

===What is a group file?===

The first thing we should probably clear up is, "what is a global group?".

Simply put, a global group is a group of people that have special permissions. The owner of the group can add or remove people from the group, and then give them special permissions in a group file. These permissions can range anywhere from being able to speak, to all administrator permissions.

===Request A Group===

In order to use global groups, you obviously need a group to add people to. You can request them [http://my.bzflag.org/bb/viewtopic.php?t=11774 here on BZBB]. Please follow the current naming convention when asking for a group, which works like this: '''organization.level'''. For example, if I owned a server called "bzflagserver", and I wanted to have jradmin, admin, and sradmin groups, the names of those groups would be '''bzflagserver.jradmin''', '''bzflagserver.admin''', and '''bzflagserver.sradmin'''.

===Possible Permissions===

To give people permissions, you first need to know which are available. A list of possible permissions are available on the [[Server Permissions]] page. Read through that page, and familiarize yourself with the group permissions, it will come in handy later.

===How do I add people to my group?===

Once you've had your group created, you need to add people to it. This can be done by going to the [http://my.bzflag.org/bb/groupcp.php "Usergroups"] link on BZBB. From here, you can select which group you want to add people to by clicking on the drop-down menu and then clicking "View Information". Once in the control panel for your group, you can add people by typing their names in the box next to the "Add Member" button at the bottom of the page. Then click "Add Member", and the user will be added to the group. Repeat this until you have added all the members that you want. Remember, you can always come back later and add more.

==Configuring a server to use your groups==

===Giving your groups different permissions===

Once the group files have been created, and you've added people to them, they can now be used on a server.

This is done through the use of a group file, which is a text file. A group file lists the groups you use at your server, and their [[Server Permissions]]. Here is a sample group file:

gu.league: talk spawn clientquery adminmessagesend actionmessage poll vote
gu.admin: talk spawn clientquery adminmessagesend adminmessagerecieve ban kick antiban antikick actionmessage poll vote
gu-league.admin: *gu.admin

Here's a quick explanation of what these lines do.

gu.league: talk spawn clientquery adminmessagesend actionmessage poll vote

This allows everyone in the '''gu.league''' group to be able to talk, spawn, use the clientquery command, send admin messages, use /me, to poll, and to vote.

gu-league.admin: *gu.admin

This gives everyone in '''gu-league.admin''' the same permissions as '''gu.admin'''.

Once you've created your group file, save it. Remember where the group file is located, since we'll need it later.

===Making your server use the group file ===

You obviously need to reference to the group file somewhere. This is done through the conf, or configuration file that you use to run your server. Open up the conf, and add a line like this, to make the server use the group file:

-groupdb /the/path/to/the/groupfile.txt

The groupfile can have whatever extension you want, just make sure that you have the complete path specified after '''-groupdb'''. If there are spaces in the path, it is best to surround it with quotes.

===Testing your groups===

To make sure everything is working properly, log into your server run the command '''/groupperms'''. It will list all the groups, and their permissions currently in use.

===Updating group permissions===

If you want to change the group permissions without restating your server, you can simply add the wanted permissions to the group file, save it, and then run a '''/reload''' at the server. All group permissions will be reloaded.

[[Category:Server]]
[[Category:Tutorials]]

BZFS in a chroot jail

2008-09-13T07:17:58Z

Samjetski: add to category

BZFS in a chroot jail is a concept where a [[BZFS]] server is run on a host computer in a very secure environment, preventing it from having access to any other parts of the host system.

==Overview==
Installing the BZFLAG Server (bzfs) in a ‘sandbox’ or a ‘jail’ on Linux by using the features provided with chroot is an advanced method for setting up a server. It offers additional security for the hosting server. For general information on setting up a server see [[Creating A Server]].

This method has been tested on Redhat 8 and 9 systems. Other Linux distributions should work in a similar manner.

==Background==
Before attempting to set up BZFS in a chroot jail it is best to have a little background in using the chroot command. The best place to start is reading the man page
man chroot
but the basic concept is to run a program in a directory and force it to think that it is the root (the top) of the filesystem (the ‘sandbox’ or ‘jail’), so that if the application was ever compromised, only it’s folder would be accessible to the attacker and not the entire filesystem. User root, or any program with root privileges can break out of a chroot jail. Users should be ware that a badly configured chroot jail might even be a larger security problem then not running one. The application jk_check from http://olivier.sessink.nl/jailkit does checks to verify if your chroot jail is safe.

Before a program can be run in a jail, the user must make sure that the program has all dependencies that it may need. This means creating a smaller copy of the root filesystem so that the program can access the files that it needs, and knows where to find them. This means that if a program requires a library in /lib, then we will need a lib directory with those libraries in our jail. (if this is confusing – hang in there, you will see an example below).

== Just tell me how to do it!! ==

Let’s say we have already compiled and installed (via RPM or source) bzflag in /usr/share/bzflag (or wherever you installed it), and we want to have it run in a jail.

I like to create a folder in the root of the filesystem called chroot, and then place folders in there for everything that I am running in a jail. This helps me to keep track of which programs/services/applications I am running in a jail easily. I also don’t like creating jails in system directories (in this case it would be /usr/share or wherever you installed it).

I would, for example, create a folder like /chroot/bzflag.
I would then copy the actual executable in a bin folder. So know we have:
/chroot/bzflag/
/chroot/bzflag/bin
/chroot/bzflag/bin/bzfs (the bzfs executable in the jail’s bin directory).
Now we need the dependency files – how do we know which files bzfs depends on? Run ‘ldd –v /usr/bin/bzfs’ (or where ever you installed bzfs to when you compiled it. NOTE: that this is the real one and not the one you copied to the jail) and you should get something like (on Redhat 9 systems):
$ ldd -v bzfs
libstdc++.so.5 => /usr/lib/libstdc++.so.5 (0x40034000)
libm.so.6 => /lib/tls/libm.so.6 (0x400e7000)
libgcc_s.so.1 => /lib/libgcc_s.so.1 (0x40109000)
libc.so.6 => /lib/tls/libc.so.6 (0x42000000)
/lib/ld-linux.so.2 => /lib/ld-linux.so.2 (0x40000000)

Version information:
./bzfs:
libc.so.6 (GLIBC_2.1.3) => /lib/tls/libc.so.6
libc.so.6 (GLIBC_2.1) => /lib/tls/libc.so.6
libc.so.6 (GLIBC_2.0) => /lib/tls/libc.so.6
libstdc++.so.5 (CXXABI_1.2) => /usr/lib/libstdc++.so.5
libstdc++.so.5 (GLIBCPP_3.2) => /usr/lib/libstdc++.so.5
/usr/lib/libstdc++.so.5:
libgcc_s.so.1 (GCC_3.0) => /lib/libgcc_s.so.1
libc.so.6 (GLIBC_2.2) => /lib/tls/libc.so.6
libc.so.6 (GLIBC_2.1.3) => /lib/tls/libc.so.6
libc.so.6 (GLIBC_2.3) => /lib/tls/libc.so.6
libc.so.6 (GLIBC_2.0) => /lib/tls/libc.so.6
libc.so.6 (GLIBC_2.1) => /lib/tls/libc.so.6
/lib/tls/libm.so.6:
libc.so.6 (GLIBC_2.1.3) => /lib/tls/libc.so.6
libc.so.6 (GLIBC_2.0) => /lib/tls/libc.so.6
/lib/libgcc_s.so.1:
libc.so.6 (GLIBC_2.2.4) => /lib/tls/libc.so.6
libc.so.6 (GLIBC_2.1.3) => /lib/tls/libc.so.6
libc.so.6 (GLIBC_2.0) => /lib/tls/libc.so.6
/lib/tls/libc.so.6:
ld-linux.so.2 (GLIBC_2.3) => /lib/ld-linux.so.2
ld-linux.so.2 (GLIBC_2.1) => /lib/ld-linux.so.2
ld-linux.so.2 (GLIBC_2.0) => /lib/ld-linux.so.2
ld-linux.so.2 (GLIBC_PRIVATE) => /lib/ld-linux.so.2}}}
This is where the ‘mini root’ filesystem comes in. For every file listed in the output of the ldd command – copy those files to the jail into the appropriate directory. The jailkit package at http://olivier.sessink.nl/jailkit/ contains a utility jk_cp that can be used to automatically copy all dependencies of a file into a jail.
mkdir /chroot/
jk_cp /chroot/ /bin/bzfs

Make sure you get all of them or bzfs will complain that it is missing something later on. On Redhat 9 there is a /lib/tls directory, on Redhat 8 these same libraries were in /lib/i686 – so you will have to substitute the proper directories here for wherever your system expects them. Use the exact same path as outputted by ldd. So you should copy something similar to (create the directories as needed):
/chroot/bzflag/usr/lib/libstdc++.so.5 (copied from /usr/lib)
/chroot/bzflag/lib/libgcc_s.so.1 (copied from /lib)
/chroot/bzflag/lib/tls/libm.so.6 (copied from /lib/tls)
/chroot/bzflag/lib/tls/libc.so.6 (copied from /lib/tls)
/chroot/bzflag/lib/ld-linux.so.2 (copied from /lib)

BZFS also needs libraries to resolve DNS names to IP addresses (to register itself with the list server), and so you will need these extra libraries that are not reported through ldd (copy from /lib to your corresponding jail directory):
/lib/libnss_dns.so.2 -> /chroot/bzflag/lib/libnss_dns.so.2
/lib/libresolv.so.2 -> /chroot/bzflag/lib/libresolv.so.2

You will also need an etc directory with the resolv.conf file in it so that the above libraries know which DNS server they need to contact in order to resolve things, so copy from /etc into your corresponding jail directory:
/etc/resolv.conf -> /chroot/bzflag/etc/resolv.conf

and now the hard part is done…

Again this bit can be done easier using jailkit:
jk_init /chroot/ netbasics

Here is the complete listing of what your jail should look like or be similar to (in the case of the lib directory which will change from Linux version/distro I am sure – it already changed just from Redhat 8 to 9):
$ ls -alFR ./bzflag/
./bzflag/:
total 24
drwxr-xr-x 6 root root 4096 Jul 12 08:12 ./
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4096 Jul 12 07:24 ../
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 Jul 12 07:25 bin/
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 Jul 12 08:29 etc/
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4096 Jul 12 08:34 lib/
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4096 Jul 12 08:26 usr/

./bzflag/bin:
total 188
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 Jul 12 07:25 ./
drwxr-xr-x 6 root root 4096 Jul 12 08:12 ../
-rwsr-sr-x 1 nobody nobody 179160 Jul 12 07:25 bzfs*

./bzflag/etc:
total 12
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 Jul 12 08:29 ./
drwxr-xr-x 6 root root 4096 Jul 12 08:12 ../
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 54 Jul 12 08:29 resolv.conf

./bzflag/lib:
total 252
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4096 Jul 12 08:34 ./
drwxr-xr-x 6 root root 4096 Jul 12 08:12 ../
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 103044 Jul 12 08:20 ld-linux.so.2*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 30324 Jul 12 08:20 libgcc_s.so.1*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 18416 Jul 12 08:25 libnss_dns.so.2*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 76552 Jul 12 08:23 libresolv.so.2*
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 Jul 12 08:16 tls/

./bzflag/lib/tls:
total 1740
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 Jul 12 08:16 ./
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4096 Jul 12 08:34 ../
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 1549556 Jul 12 08:16 libc.so.6*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 211876 Jul 12 08:16 libm.so.6*

./bzflag/usr:
total 80
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4096 Jul 12 08:26 ./
drwxr-xr-x 6 root root 4096 Jul 12 08:12 ../
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 69632 Jul 12 08:02 lib/

./bzflag/usr/lib:
total 776
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 69632 Jul 12 08:02 ./
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4096 Jul 12 08:26 ../
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 710608 Jul 12 08:02 libstdc++.so.5*
== More Security ==

Since you have to execute chroot as root, bzfs will run as root – which is not what we want. We can force bzfs to run as nobody by changing his ownership to nobody, and setting the SUID bit on him. This way, when root executes /chroot/bzflag/bin/bzfs – it is executed as nobody, and therefore has very little privileges on the system.

This is how we do that:
chown nobody.nobody /chroot/bzflag/bin/bzfs
chmod +s /chroot/bzflag/bin/bzfs

But this changes only the effective user id, not the real user id. A safer way to do this is to make use of the jk_chrootlaunch utility in jailkit (http://olivier.sessink.nl/jailkit/), it will drop all privileges, and then execute as user nobody, without any possibility to regain root privileges, because both the effective AND the real user id are now changed to nobody.

jk_chrootlaunch -j /chroot/bzflag/ -x /bin/bzfs –d –d –d –d –public TestServer –publicaddr <your_public_ip_address:port>

== Testing ==

Run a command like the following (as root),
chroot /chroot/bzflag/ /bin/bzfs –d –d –d –d –public TestServer –publicaddr <your_public_ip_address:port>

It will log any errors to /var/log/daemon.log

This is where all the magic of chroot happens. And this command should make sense to you as you read the man page, right :) If not, the command basically takes 2 arguments. The first is the "new root" (/chroot/bzflag/). The second is the command to run. Notice that we specify /bin/bzfs to run bzfs, and not /chroot/bzflag/bin.

You should see something similar to:
$ chroot /chroot/bzflag/ /bin/bzfs -d -d -d -d -public test -publicaddr 65.39.216.149:5155
style: 0
Opening List Server 0
listening on 0.0.0.0:5155

ADD 65.39.216.149:5155 2 BZFS107e 000000c800010000000000000000000000c800c800c800c800c800000000000000000000 test

Closing List server 0
Player [0] accept() from 208.186.182.172:47076 on 7
Player [0] shutdownAcceptClient: close(7)

If you don’t or get an error like “failed http ...” – then a resolv/dns library or the resolv.conf in etc can’t be found – copy them again check your spelling and any paths and try again…

The next thing to verify is that bzfs is really running as nobody and not as root. Start bzfs in the background this time ($ chroot /chroot/bzflag/ /bin/bzfs -d -d -d -d -public test -publicaddr <your_public_ip_address_here>:<your_server_port> &), and then ‘ps aux | grep –i bz’ and look for at the user bzfs is running as.

You should see something like:
$ ps aux | grep -i bz
nobody 2930 0.1 1.3 3032 1668 pts/1 S 09:49 0:00 [bzfs]
root 2932 0.0 0.5 3568 628 pts/1 S 09:49 0:00 grep -i bz

if all this works, then you are done.

You might also want to double check that your server did register itself with the main listserver – there are 2 ways to do this.

The first is through bzflag – open the client and browse through the servers with the “find server” otion, and see if yours is listed.

The second – and the method I prefer as it is faster, is to just open a web browser up to the list server. The current one is http://208.186.182.172:5156/. You should see your server listed in this list when you start (register) and stop (unregister) your bzfs server. I keep this open in a browser and just refresh it when stopping and starting the bzfs server.

== Misc ==

I use config files for each server that I run, and keep all the download the maps in separate directories.

I keep all my config file in a conf dir. For example /chroot/bzflag/conf/

I also keep all my (not mine, but the ones I downloaded :) ) in a map dir like: /chroot/bzflag/maps

You may want to create some startup scripts that start your server up automatically in case it reboots. I use a separate rc file for this for simplicity. One could create an init script and then use chkconfig to call it in rc3.d, but I am lazy and haven’t done that.

I simply declared in my rc.local (which is loaded last anyways and as such all network systems will be available when it is called) to execute rc.bzfs which I have in /etc/rc.d/rc.bzfs.

In my rc.bzfs, I have sections for each server I am running. One such section I have looks like:
#FreeForAll config
echo >>/var/log/bzfsFFA.log
echo >>/var/log/bzfsFFA.log
echo `date` >>/var/log/bzfsFFA.log
chroot /chroot/bzflag/ /bin/bzfs -d -conf /conf/q-net.conf >> /var/log/bzfsFFA.log 2>&1 &

This way I can ‘tail –f’ the log file in /var/log, and see what’s going on as all output (errors, standard output – everything) is directed to this file. This will also start it up in the background, and so it will keep going even when you log off. Every time I kill the process and start it using this script, I get 2 empty lines and the date when I issued the command in the log file – this way I can trace it and see. I also start bzfs using the –d option. This outputs more stuff, but not too much, to the log files. I get to see who connected and their current IP’s so if I get a complaint about a person cheating, I can see their callsign and their last IP and monitor it. I can also see who issues the /password command and know if my admin password is compromised.

The weakness that this rc.bzfs startup file has is that you can’t just shut down one server (if you host multiple servers on your box) and start it back up again easily. I have started creating sub scripts for this reason. One script for each server that I run. That way all I have to do is to kill the process and run that one script and everything is OK. I keep these scripts in the bin folder of the jail along with bzfs and make them executable. Since they all call bzfs, you don’t have to make their owner nobody.nobody or have their sticky bit set..

== The End ==
I hope this is useful to people out there, as a bit of time went into it to figure out just which files are needed to run bzfs in a jail. I started out with the entire /lib copied over, and got it working with the minimal files listed above.

==See also==
[[BZFS]]

==External Links==
http://olivier.sessink.nl/jailkit

[[Category:Server]]
[[Category:Server Security]]
[[Category:Tutorials]]

Category:Tutorials

2008-09-13T07:15:04Z

Samjetski: New page: Various BZFlag tutorials.

Various BZFlag tutorials.

Texturing how to

2008-09-13T07:13:21Z

Samjetski: see also, categories

The following is ©Petteri Aimonen 2005 (JPA)

=Materials=
As of version 2.0.10 all BZFlag objects except base and teleporter frame support materials. (Technically the box and pyramid objects do not support materials, but they get auto converted to meshbox and meshpyr.)

To have a texture, you need a material. According to bzw manpage, a material object is defined as follows:

material
name example_material
addtexture filename # add texture (without PNG extension)
notextures # specify that no textures are to be used
notexcolor # the color is not applied to the texture
notexalpha # don't use the texture's alpha channel
# if a texture is specified, but not found, the default texture
# will be used. if the default texture is also not available, then
# the color will be used (untextured)
texmat -1 # texture matrix (-1 for none)
dyncol -1 # dynamic color (-1 for none)
ambient 0.2 0.2 0.2 1.0 # ambient color
diffuse 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 # diffuse color (main color)
color 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 # synonym for 'diffuse'
specular 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 # specular color
emission 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 # emission color
shininess 0.0 # shininess
resetmat # restore default values
end

Not all combinations and uses of those options will be descibed in this tutorial, but it should give you a basic idea about materials and textures.

The most basic material is as follows:

material
name red
diffuse 0.8 0.2 0.2 1
end

As you may guess, it is red. Diffuse and other color definitions in bzw are RGB in 0..1 range. In most programs, RGB is in range 0..255. To convert values from bzw to other programs or vice versa (for choosing colors etc.), use:

RGB = BZWColor * 255
BZWColor = RGB / 255
Simple, huh? So, if we want to know what diffuse 0.8 0.2 0.2 1 is in RGB, we do:

0.8 * 255 , 0.2 * 255 , 0.2 * 255 , 1 * 255
And the result is:
204 , 51 , 51 , 255

Four values, why? The fourth number is the alpha channel, or transparency. A value of 1 is fully opaque, and 0 would be invisible. 0.9 is slightly transparent and 0.1 almost invisible.

Defining texture can be done either for all faces:
meshbox
position 0 0 0
size 10 10 5
matref red
end

Material can also be defined for just one side:

meshbox
position 0 0 0
size 10 10 5
matref red
top matref blue
end
That first defines all faces as red, and then changes top of the box to blue. Order is important!

=Textures=

This far, we havent used any textures. Client has to have the textures used on the map. You can make your own textures with any image editor capable of saving as ".png", but you have to make them available in internet and players have to download and install them to see your map right! There are some builtin textures in bzflag, though:

boxwall (the ordinary texture for walls)
clouds (on the sky)
mesh
pyrwall (ordinary pyramids)
roof (ordinary box roof)
std_ground (grass)
telelink (teleport texture)
tetrawall
wall (outer wall, rocks)
water
There are some others, but these are the most usable ones. With diffuse and creative mind, you can usually get almost anything from them.

Textures are added with addtexture-keyword. If we wanted to add a texture to our red meshbox, the complete code would look like:

material
name red
diffuse 0.8 0.2 0.2 1
addtexture boxwall
end

meshbox
position 0 0 0
size 10 10 5
matref red
end
Texture scaling

Example of texsize use:

meshbox
position 0 0 0
size 10 10 5
texsize 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5
matref red
end
Values after the texsize keyword are specific to the object. Usually the order is sides first, top/bottom after that. Two values specify the size of the texture. If value is positive, it is relational to the size of the object. In our example, 0.5 means there will be 0.5 texture-tiles per face, ie. whole tile is twice as big as the side of the box. Negative values specify size in bzmap units, -8 -8 -8 -8 seems to be the default size that means each tile will be 8x8 bzmap units. For arc, there seems to be no top/bottom values. If you want more detailed control over textures, trepan recommends to use textureMatrix.

=Dynamic colors=

I will discuss dynamic colors very briefly, since they are quite complicated and out of the scope of this tutorial. Dynamic colors are colors that change. And no, they do not change at the same time for all the clients, so you can't have traffic lights etc.

According to bzw man page, there are five dynamic color commands: limits, sinusoid, clampUp, clampDown and sequence. Of these, only sinusoid and limits are used here.

dynamicColor
name flash
red sinusoid 8 0 1 #8 seconds cycle, from 0 to 1
blue limits 0 0 #always 0
green limits 0 0 # always 0
end
material
name red
dyncol flash
end
<Object that material is used in>
==See also==
[[:Category:Map Making]]

[[Material]]

[[Mesh]]

[[TextureMatrix]]

[[Category:Map Making]]
[[Category:Tutorials]]

Texturing how to

2008-09-13T07:09:12Z

Samjetski: /* See also */

Texturing how to

2008-09-13T07:08:41Z

Samjetski:

The following is ©Petteri Aimonen 2005 (JPA)

=Materials=
As of version 2.0.10 all BZFlag objects except base and teleporter frame support materials. (Technically the box and pyramid objects do not support materials, but they get auto converted to meshbox and meshpyr.)

To have a texture, you need a material. According to bzw manpage, a material object is defined as follows:

material
name example_material
addtexture filename # add texture (without PNG extension)
notextures # specify that no textures are to be used
notexcolor # the color is not applied to the texture
notexalpha # don't use the texture's alpha channel
# if a texture is specified, but not found, the default texture
# will be used. if the default texture is also not available, then
# the color will be used (untextured)
texmat -1 # texture matrix (-1 for none)
dyncol -1 # dynamic color (-1 for none)
ambient 0.2 0.2 0.2 1.0 # ambient color
diffuse 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 # diffuse color (main color)
color 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 # synonym for 'diffuse'
specular 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 # specular color
emission 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 # emission color
shininess 0.0 # shininess
resetmat # restore default values
end

Not all combinations and uses of those options will be descibed in this tutorial, but it should give you a basic idea about materials and textures.

The most basic material is as follows:

material
name red
diffuse 0.8 0.2 0.2 1
end

As you may guess, it is red. Diffuse and other color definitions in bzw are RGB in 0..1 range. In most programs, RGB is in range 0..255. To convert values from bzw to other programs or vice versa (for choosing colors etc.), use:

RGB = BZWColor * 255
BZWColor = RGB / 255
Simple, huh? So, if we want to know what diffuse 0.8 0.2 0.2 1 is in RGB, we do:

0.8 * 255 , 0.2 * 255 , 0.2 * 255 , 1 * 255
And the result is:
204 , 51 , 51 , 255

Four values, why? The fourth number is the alpha channel, or transparency. A value of 1 is fully opaque, and 0 would be invisible. 0.9 is slightly transparent and 0.1 almost invisible.

Defining texture can be done either for all faces:
meshbox
position 0 0 0
size 10 10 5
matref red
end

Material can also be defined for just one side:

meshbox
position 0 0 0
size 10 10 5
matref red
top matref blue
end
That first defines all faces as red, and then changes top of the box to blue. Order is important!

=Textures=

This far, we havent used any textures. Client has to have the textures used on the map. You can make your own textures with any image editor capable of saving as ".png", but you have to make them available in internet and players have to download and install them to see your map right! There are some builtin textures in bzflag, though:

boxwall (the ordinary texture for walls)
clouds (on the sky)
mesh
pyrwall (ordinary pyramids)
roof (ordinary box roof)
std_ground (grass)
telelink (teleport texture)
tetrawall
wall (outer wall, rocks)
water
There are some others, but these are the most usable ones. With diffuse and creative mind, you can usually get almost anything from them.

Textures are added with addtexture-keyword. If we wanted to add a texture to our red meshbox, the complete code would look like:

material
name red
diffuse 0.8 0.2 0.2 1
addtexture boxwall
end

meshbox
position 0 0 0
size 10 10 5
matref red
end
Texture scaling

Example of texsize use:

meshbox
position 0 0 0
size 10 10 5
texsize 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5
matref red
end
Values after the texsize keyword are specific to the object. Usually the order is sides first, top/bottom after that. Two values specify the size of the texture. If value is positive, it is relational to the size of the object. In our example, 0.5 means there will be 0.5 texture-tiles per face, ie. whole tile is twice as big as the side of the box. Negative values specify size in bzmap units, -8 -8 -8 -8 seems to be the default size that means each tile will be 8x8 bzmap units. For arc, there seems to be no top/bottom values. If you want more detailed control over textures, trepan recommends to use textureMatrix.

=Dynamic colors=

I will discuss dynamic colors very briefly, since they are quite complicated and out of the scope of this tutorial. Dynamic colors are colors that change. And no, they do not change at the same time for all the clients, so you can't have traffic lights etc.

According to bzw man page, there are five dynamic color commands: limits, sinusoid, clampUp, clampDown and sequence. Of these, only sinusoid and limits are used here.

dynamicColor
name flash
red sinusoid 8 0 1 #8 seconds cycle, from 0 to 1
blue limits 0 0 #always 0
green limits 0 0 # always 0
end
material
name red
dyncol flash
end
<Object that material is used in>
==See also==
[[:Category:Map Making]]
[[Material]]
[[Mesh]]
[[TextureMatrix]]
[[Category:Map Making]]

Dodging

2008-09-13T06:58:00Z

Samjetski:

Basically put, dodging is moving your tank (usually done best with the mouse), in a pattern as to avoid getting shot by another tank.

'''An example of dodging'''

[[Image:doding.jpg|Radar]]

==How to dodge efficiently==

If you are going to be joining a [[Leagues|league]], or even just playing at a public [[server]], you need to learn how to dodge in order to:

1) Stay alive

2) Get a good [[Scoreboard|score]]. If you can't avoid the shots, then you can't kill the other tank.

It is almost required to learn to dodge by looking at the [[radar]], since you can see 360 degrees around your tank, instead of the 60 degrees your view can display. You can also dodge more accurately by using the [[radar]], since the shot paths can be adjusted to show where a shot will go before it hits you (see the example from above).

[[Dodging]] is recommended over just [[jumping]] away from shots, since your tank hangs, uncontrollable in the air for about 4 seconds while jumping. This makes you EXTREMELY vulnerable to any other tanks in the area. If you jump while playing a [[Leagues|league]] match, it almost always means you are going to encounter death. If you have to jump, try to jump onto a building, or behind the tank that is shooting at you, so he/she'll have to turn around.

If you are dodging with a mouse, I would recommend making your mouse faster in the control panel settings of your OS. I would also recommend making your mousebox smaller. This allowed the mouse to move the tank from side to side faster, and then you will be able to dodge with greater ease.

==Ways to combat dodging==

If you are playing on a server with no jumping (like hepcat), then try to fire spreads of three shots towards the tank. This will make it hard/impossible for them to dodge at close range.

If you are playing at a [[server]] with jumps (we'll say [[jumping]], [[rico]], 3 shots), fire two of your shots at the tank. Then, when they turn back from [[dodging]] your bullets, fire the third shot at them. This usually causes the tank to jump, where you can easily take them out.

==Other Tips==

I'll leave the rest for you to figure out ;)

[[Category:Tactics]]

Rico

2008-09-13T06:57:50Z

Samjetski: Redirecting to Ricochet

#REDIRECT [[Ricochet]]

Dodging

2008-09-13T06:46:18Z

Samjetski: wikified (linked)

Basically put, dodging is moving your tank (usually done best with the mouse), in a pattern as to avoid getting shot by another tank.

'''An example of dodging'''

[[Image:doding.jpg|Radar]]

==How to dodge efficiently==

If you are going to be joining a [[league]], or even just playing at a [[public server]], you need to learn how to dodge in order to:

1) Stay alive

2) Get a good [[score]]. If you can't avoid the shots, then you can't kill the other tank.

It is almost required to learn to dodge by looking at the [[radar]], since you can see 360 degrees around your tank, instead of the 60 degrees your view can display. You can also dodge more accurately by using the [[radar]], since the shot paths can be adjusted to show where a [[shot]] will go before it hits you (see the example from above).

[[Dodging]] is recommended over just [[jumping]] away from shots, since your tank hangs, uncontrollable in the air for about 4 seconds while jumping. This makes you EXTREMELY vulnerable to any other tanks in the area. If you jump while playing a [[league]] match, it almost always means you are going to encounter death. If you have to jump, try to jump onto a [[building]], or behind the tank that is shooting at you, so he/she'll have to turn around.

If you are dodging with a mouse, I would recommend making your mouse faster in the control panel settings of your OS. I would also recommend making your mousebox smaller. This allowed the mouse to move the tank from side to side faster, and then you will be able to dodge with greater ease.

==Ways to combat dodging==

If you are playing on a server with no jumping (like hepcat), then try to fire spreads of three shots towards the tank. This will make it hard/impossible for them to dodge at close range.

If you are playing at a [[server]] with jumps (we'll say [[jumping]], [[rico]], 3 shots), fire two of your shots at the tank. Then, when they turn back from [[dodging]] your bullets, fire the third shot at them. This usually causes the tank to jump, where you can easily take them out.

==Other Tips==

I'll leave the rest for you to figure out ;)

[[Category:Tactics]]

Jumping

2008-09-13T06:38:52Z

Samjetski:

As you may know jumping can save you at times, but when you're first starting out jump as little as possible to learn how to [[Dodging|dodge]] first.

== Basic Tactics ==
With the default server settings, a tank can jump 18 units high which takes about four seconds. That's four seconds of uncontrollable flying, during which time opponents on the ground can get an easily aimed shot when you land. You can do some thing against this:

* Force the opponent(s) to jump.
* Try to jump to higher ground - this reduces fly time. Remember that the open field is hostile, if you're over-powered, it is probably a good idea to find shelter.
* Don't jump from high to low. Instead, fall to save time.
* Jump around or over the enemy to force him to turn as much as possible.
* Jump and turn to try and get a shot off at the enemy when you land.

== More Advanced Tactics ==
Learning some of the more innovative jumps can give you a real edge on servers in which jumping plays a vital role.

=== Rotational Jumps ===
A common tactic against tanks that are on boxes a jumpable distance above you, is to drive parallel to the block and then jump while turning slowly towards your opponent. If you time it right, your barrel will track him as you fly past. You can then fairly easily shoot the tank, whereas he will have a harder time targeting you. This is also frequently referred to as a "Strafe Jump", even though it has nothing to do with strafing, and is nothing like a strafe jump in Quake.

=== Quick Turn ===
While in the air without a flag you can often turn a full 180 degrees. With Quick Turn, you can turn a full 360 degrees. At the top of your jump you are actually at 180 degrees. It is possible to force an opponent to jump, rotate the 180 degrees with Quick Turn, shoot, kill them in the air, and continue as if nothing happened.

=== Limiting a Jump ===
If you jump while underneath something, you will not go as high. Thus, you will spend less time in the air, and be at less risk. It can be a significant advantage to camp underneath a bridge.

=== Oscillation Overthruster ===
With Oscillation Overthruster, you cannot jump while sealed, and you cannot drive backwards into a block. However, you can jump backwards onto a block, and fall through the floor. This is a common means of OO camping, especially on [[Overlord]]. You can also jump from one building to another, which is another good way to limit exposure.

=== Reversing ===
If a noob is chasing you, you can sometimes kill them by throwing your tank into reverse and jumping straight backwards. You land behind them, and can then kill them with ease. This sort of behavior is often completely unexpected. Similarly, you can fire off a ricochet, and then jump over your own shot.

=== Dropping Flags ===
If you drop a team flag while jumping over a pyramid, it counts as an "illegal location". That is, the game will prevent the flag from landing there. Instead, it will send the flag to some designated location. On some servers, this is a quick way to return the flag to your base.

=== The Mofo Trick ===
Want to jump from one platform to a platform directly above? To do this trick, it helps to zoom in the radar until you tank clearly appears as a rectangle. Then, drive your tank until it is just perched on the edge. Jump straight up, while turning slowly. If everything is done right, your tank will not hit the upper platform, and will instead pass it sideways. Your tank will then be one level higher. Keep in mind that you are very vulnerable if you are not paying attention while doing this.

[[Category:Tactics]]

Shock Wave

2008-09-13T06:30:23Z

Samjetski: redirect for alternate spelling

#REDIRECT [[ShockWave]]

Genocide

2008-09-13T06:24:51Z

Samjetski: fix dead link

The definition for "Genocide" is "The deliberate and systematic destruction of an entire people who belong to one group of any kind," or quite simply the hunting down and elimination of anyone in a certain group. This flag works in a similar fashion.

The Genocide flag is a flag which kills an entire team that the shot hits with the exception of rogues.
Therefore a rabbit in [[Rabbit Hunt]] with genocide is very dangerous.
Rogues can experience the same reaction with the help of the [[RogueGenocide]] plug-in.
The flag can be disastrous if it hits the same team, but can be the turning point of a battle,
giving you and your team time to maneuver. Genocide is usually, in gameplay, referred simply to as "Geno".

Because a single hit from a Genocide flag wipes out an entire team, the amount of points you get
is equal to the amount of players on that team. For example, if you were to shoot a blue tank with the Genocide flag,
and there were four blue team members, you would get four points. However, if you were also a blue tank, four points
would get taken away, so be careful!
{{stub}}

Ban File

2008-09-13T06:17:31Z

Samjetski:

{{Stub}}[[Category:Server]]
The [[banfile]] is a file in which a list of banned player accounts and IP addresses are saved. Server administrators may issue bans to players who use foul language, [[Team Kill]], use a [[cheat client]] or who behave inappropriately or against the spirit of the game.

==Creating a Banfile==
A server administrator wishing to use a [[banfile]] (eg: ''filename.txt'') would add:
-banfile filename.txt
to the [[BZFS]] [[BZFS Command Line Options|configuration]].

==Banning Players==
Before banning a player, it is advisable to warn them (using ''/warn''). A ban may not always be necessary, and should be used as a last resort.

A server administrator would ban a player by either:
*using the /ban command in an in-game chat window ''or''
*editing the file while the server is off
The administrator may specify a duration for the ban, or ban a player indefinitely. A reason for the ban may also be specified, which will be used for reference in server logs and sent to the player.

==See also==
[[BZFS]]

[[BZFS Command Line Options]]

[[Creating_A_Server#Good_Administration|Good Server Administration]]

[[Slash Commands]]

[[Known Cheats]]

Ban File

2008-09-13T06:11:53Z

Samjetski: /* Banning Players */

The [[banfile]] is a file in which a list of banned player accounts and IP addresses are saved. Server administrators may issue bans to players who use foul language, [[Team Kill]], use a [[cheat client]] or who behave inappropriately or against the spirit of the game.

==Creating a Banfile==
A server administrator wishing to use a [[banfile]] (eg: ''filename.txt'') would add:
-banfile filename.txt
to the [[BZFS]] [[BZFS Command Line Options|configuration]].

==Banning Players==
Before banning a player, it is advisable to warn them (using ''/warn''). A ban may not always be necessary, and should be used as a last resort.

A server administrator would ban a player by either:
*using the /ban command in an in-game chat window ''or''
*editing the file while the server is off
The administrator may specify a duration for the ban, or ban a player indefinitely. A reason for the ban may also be specified, which will be used for reference in server logs and sent to the player.

==See also==
[[BZFS]]

[[BZFS Command Line Options]]

[[Creating_A_Server#Good_Administration|Good Server Administration]]

[[Slash Commands]]

[[Known Cheats]]

[[Category:Server]]

Castle Warfare

2008-09-12T09:35:52Z

Samjetski: /* Flags */ fix dead link

‘’’Castle Warfare’’’ is a 2 team (red vs. green) CTF map created by Duciwannatbe and hosted by Benfish.

==Description==
Some main features of the map are listed here. The map is exactly symmetrical.

===Objects===
*Castles: These contain the team base and sniping areas. There are GM sniping areas on the first and second floors. The third floor is the team base and laser sniping area. There are two towers on each castle, accessed by [[teleporter]]s on the first level. A narrow bridge connects the castles at the second floor. The third floor contains "battlements" to dodge behind in case of an incoming bullet.

*Pyramids: There are eight pyramids on the ground to stop laser [[ricochet]] from getting out of hand.

*Central building: In the middle, it is a raised, roughly octagon shaped platform with walls placed at every diagonal, reaching down to the ground and rising above the platform. There are two closed-in tunnels under the platform for safer travel between the castles.

*Other objects: These include four raised platforms located in the corners of the map and two low walls with gaps in the middle and sides.

===Flags===

*[[Flag List | Laser]] and [[Flag List | Guided Missile]]: Laser is found most frequently on the third floor, with GM on the first and second floor, but they are still found in most places including on the ground. These are the most common [[Flag List#Good Superflags|superflag]]s.

*[[Flag List | Stealth]] and [[Flag List | Cloaking]]: Found on the ground below the castles but still sometimes found on castles.

*[[Flag List | Thief]]: Found in the middle, below central building.

*[[ShockWave]]: Very rare, but most commonly found below castles.

See also: [[Flag List]]

==Strategy==
The two main ways for destroying enemies is sniping from the team base castle. Most players that get the enemy flag go across the bridge, but the safest way is through the tunnel. Wings is useful for killing enemy GM snipers in towers. You have to identify players (press i) before you shoot a guided missile because it is unusually easy to shoot teammates instead of enemies. (3 [[Team Kill | team kills]]=kick).

===Camping===
'''[[Camping]]''' (spawn-camping, base-camping, etc) like in [[Bloodbath]], is a significant part of the game's strategy. Here are a few tips:

* Spawn-camping:
After a teammate captures the flag, you can aim at the enemy base with laser to instantly kill the tanks that come out.

* Camping with a Stealth:
After you get a stealth, go to the enemy base and jump to the first or second floor, wait at one end and then kill any tanks that respawn there. Camping on the third floor is a bit hard because it is open, so you are more at risk of getting killed.

* Camping with a Shockwave:
After you get a shockwave, go below the enemy base, and fire. If you want to kill the enemies on all the levels (except towers) jump and then fire. You can only have three shots, so be careful not to waste them (or kill your teammates).

* Base camping:
Base camping at the enemy base is only useful '''when all enemies are away from the third floor and your team is about to capture the enemy flag'''. Otherwise, it is dangerous (to you) and ineffective.

* Camping at tunnels with laser:
You can get laser and go to one of the tunnels to wait for enemies to come, and once they're inside they're basically dead (if you are at an angle small enough to the entrance of the tunnel).

====Policy====
On this server, '"excessive" spawn camping is not allowed. (Though it is rarely enforced, because it happens every time the flag is captured.)

===How to put the team flag?===

====Towers====
* Pros: Easy to shoot enemy, hard escape for enemy
* Cons: Easy for enemy to get flag, short time span

====Battlements====
* Pros: Time consuming for enemy, easy to shoot enemy
* Cons: Easy escape for enemy, easy for enemy to use Wings

====Base====
* Pros: Easy to shoot enemy
* Cons: Quick escape for enemy, easy for enemy to get flag

==Notes of Interest==
* Although the team flag is usually auto-placed on its team base once is is captured, sometimes it appears somewhere near the enemy base as a "indication" that the enemy has made several captures in a row.

* You do not get kicked for lag, jitter or packet loss.

* There are no bad superflags in Castle Warfare.

* In the GM sniping areas you cannot kill any tanks in other GM sniping areas on different floors.

* [[Team Kill | Team killing]] is much more possible (and much more enforced) than on most other servers.

==Server Rules==
3 shots between reload, 12 shots for laser, 15 shots for wings, unlimited GM shots, 2.0 seconds reload time, [[Team Kill | team killers]] are eventually kicked, [[lag]], [[packetloss]] and [[jitter]] are warned of.

==Castle Warfare today==
Castle Warfare is hosted at 06.bztank.net and at port 5159. It is usually full or partly full from 7AM-7PM (Pacific Standard Time).

[[Category: Maps]] [[Category: 2 Team Maps]] [[Category: CTF Maps]]

Ban file

2008-09-12T09:23:33Z

Samjetski: Redirecting to Ban File

#REDIRECT [[Ban File]]

Banfile

2008-09-12T09:20:42Z

Samjetski: Banfile moved to Ban File

#REDIRECT [[Ban File]]

Ban File

2008-09-12T09:20:42Z

Samjetski: Banfile moved to Ban File

The [[banfile]] is a file in which a list of banned player accounts and IP addresses are saved. Server administrators may issue bans to players who use foul language, [[Team Kill]], use a [[cheat client]] or who behave inappropriately or against the spirit of the game.

==Creating a Banfile==
A server administrator wishing to use a [[banfile]] (eg: ''filename.txt'') would add:
-banfile filename.txt
to the [[BZFS]] [[BZFS Command Line Options|configuration]].

==Banning Players==
Before banning a player, it is advisable to warn them (using ''/warn''). A ban may not always be necessary, and should be used as a last resort.

A server administrator would ban a player by either:
*using the /ban command in an in-game chat window ''or''
*editing the file while the server is off
The administrator may specify a duration for the ban, or ban a player indefinitely.

==See also==
[[BZFS]]

[[BZFS Command Line Options]]

[[Creating_A_Server#Good_Administration|Good Server Administration]]

[[Slash Commands]]

[[Known Cheats]]

[[Category:Server]]