Network Protocol

The following is an overview of the network protocol from version 2.4.x of BZFlag.

Information is directly read from the source code and can be easily referenced:

Location:	File:
/include/	Protocol.h
/include/	Pack.h

All packet codes are of the type: uint16_t. (Protocol.h)

Below is taken from Protocol.h:

server communication protocol:
 --> incoming messages (to server)
 <-- outgoing messages to single player
 <== outgoing messages to all players

player to server messages:

 MsgEnter      player is joining game
           --> id, type, team, name, motto
           <-- MsgReject (if rejected)
           <-- MsgAccept (if accepted)
           if accepted, new player is sent (following MsgAccept):
           <-- MsgTeamUpdate (one per team)
           <-- MsgFlagUpdate (one per existing flag)
           <-- MsgAddPlayer (one per already joined player)
           add, finally, sent to all:
           <== MsgAddPlayer (player being accepted)
 MsgExit       player is signing off
           --> /id/
           <== MsgRemovePlayer
 MsgGetWorld       request for playing field database
           --> bytes read so far
           <-- MsgGetWorld
 MsgQueryGame      request for game state
           <-- MsgQueryGame
 MsgQueryPlayers   request for player list
           <-- MsgQueryPlayers
 MsgAlive      player says he's coming alive
           --> /id,
           <== MsgAlive
 MsgKilled     player says he's been killed
           --> /id,/ killer-id, reason, killer-shot-id
           <== MsgKilled
 MsgNewRabbit      player is relinquishing rabbitship
 MsgGrabFlag       player wants to grab flag
           --> /id,/ flag
           <== MsgGrabFlag
 MsgDropFlag       player wants to drop flag
           --> /id,/ position
           <== MsgDropFlag
           <== MsgFlagUpdate
 MsgCaptureFlag    player captured flag
           --> /id,/ team (team flag was taken to)
           <== MsgCaptureFlag
           <== MsgFlagUpdate
 MsgSetVar     <== count/[name/value]*
 MsgShotBegin      player has fired a shot
           --> FiringInfo
           <== MsgShotBegin
 MsgShotEnd        shot has terminated
           --> shooter id, shot number, reason
           <== MsgShotEnd
 MsgTeleport       player has teleported
           --> /id,/ from-teleporter, to-teleporter
           <== MsgTeleport
 MsgMessage        player is sending a message
           --> /id,/ target-id/team-id, message string
           <== MsgMessage
 MsgWantWHash      (player wants md5 of world file
           -->
 MsgNegotiateFlags -->flagCount/[flagabbv]
 MsgPause      -->true or false

server to player messages:

 MsgSuperKill      player must disconnect from server
           <== <none>
 MsgTimeUpdate     game time left, if == 0 player is dead and can't restart
           <== time (left, in seconds)
 MsgScoreOver      score limit reached, player is dead and can't restart
           <== id (winner), team (winner)
 MsgAccept     player request is accepted
           <== <none>
 MsgReject     player request is rejected
           <== <none>
 MsgAddPlayer      notification of new tank in game
           <== id, type, team, name, motto
 MsgRemovePlayer   player has exited the server
           <== id
 MsgAdminInfo      update of players' IP addresses
           only sent to players with the PLAYERLIST permission.
           <-- count, [chunklen, id, bitfield, address]*
 MsgPlayerInfo     update of players status
           <-- count, [id, bitfield]*
 MsgFlagUpdate     update of flag info
           <== count, [flag, flag-info]*
 MsgTeamUpdate     update of team info
           <== teamcount, [team, team-info]
 MsgGetWorld       chunk of world database
           <-- bytes left, next 256 byte chunk of world database
 MsgAlive      player is alive
           <== id, position, forward-vector
 MsgKilled     player is dead
           <== id (victim id), killer-id, reason, killer-shot-id
 MsgGrabFlag       notification that flag is grabbed
           <== id (grabber), flag, flag-info
 MsgDropFlag       notification that flag is in air
           <== id (dropper), flag, flag-info
 MsgCaptureFlag    notification that flag has been captured
           <== id (capturer), flag, team
 MsgShotBegin      some player has fired a shot
           <== FiringInfo
 MsgShotEnd        shot has expired
           <== id (shooter id), shot number, reason
 MsgScore      player score has changed
           <== num-scores [id (player id), wins, losses, tks]*n
 MsgTeleport       player has teleported
           <== id, from-teleporter, to-teleporter
 MsgMessage        message to players
           <== from-id, to-id/team-id, message string
 MsgQueryGame      game status
 MsgQueryPlayers   list of players
 MsgWantWHash      md5 digest of world file
           <== temp|perm, digest
 MsgNegotiateFlags <== flagCount/[flagabbv]
 MsgNewRabbit      a new rabbit has been anointed
           <== id
 MsgPause      <== id/true or false