ManiaPlanet 3.0 introduces a new matchmaking technical architecture to make things simplier for server hosters. Server hosting is very popular in both TrackMania and ShootMania, and our goal is for matchmaking to benefits from the hosting skill and passion of the community.
For players, the idea remains the same: you join lobbies to play casually while waiting for your match; when opponents are matched in the lobby, they are sent to a match server to play their game.
For server hosters, new system is simplier than ever since it now only requires the dedicated server and a little configuration; no more ManiaLive or MySQL. Now, lobbies and match servers don't need to be close, or on the same server, or even owned by the same account. The game mode script as well as a new centralized matchmaking API hosted by Nadeo are doing all the dirty work.
The guide will cover the technical aspects. If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to join the discussion: http://forum.maniaplanet.com/viewtopic.php?f=261&t=27702
You can add any server you want as match server. As soon as it's launched and well configured, your lobby will start sending matches on it.
Easy, follow the instructions: https://player.maniaplanet.com/matchmaking-servers
With the new matchmaking system every server can be used as a match server by a lobby - as long as the match server is configured as such. You can whitelist only some lobbies to use your match server.
Easy, follow the instructions: https://player.maniaplanet.com/matchmaking-servers
On a standard lobby, players for a match are selected by the matchmaking algorithm. You can ally yourself with your friends if you want to play with them and the system will find opponents of your level automatically. But you can't select the players you'll play against.
On an universal lobby, all the players of a match are selected by the players themselves. If a match needs 6 players to be played, you have to create a group and have 5 other players joining it. Inside the group you can select your team and once everybody is ready the lobby will find a server and send the group there.
Progressive matchmaking ease the launch of matches on game modes that require a lot of people. If there's not enough players on the lobby, the matchmaking can start a match with less players than the maximum required. Later the lobby will send substitutes to complete the match line up.
Eg: 5vs5 Siege needs 10 players on the lobby to start a match. With progressive matchmaking turned on, the lobby can start a match with only 4 players (2vs2). Then this match will receive substitutes from the lobby until there's 10 players.
Use the "S_MatchmakingProgressive" setting to turn on/off this feature. The progressive matchmaking only works with standard servers, not universal ones. In Elite, Siege, Battle and Combo you can setup the minimum number of players per team with the "S_NbPlayersPerTeamMin" setting and the maximum number of players with "S_NbPlayersPerTeamMax".
Eg: S_NbPlayersPerTeamMax = 5 and S_NbPlayersPerTeamMin = 2 means that the lobby can create 2vs2, 3vs3, 4vs4 and 5vs5 matches depending on the number of ready players in the lobby. Any match started with less than 10 players will receive substitutes when new players connect to the lobby until it reaches a 5vs5 state.
Edit the relevant settings in the matchsettings file to enable the matchmaking.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<playlist>
[...]
<mode_script_settings>
[...]
<setting name="S_MatchmakingAPIUrl" type="text" value="https://matchmaking.maniaplanet.com/v6"/>
<setting name="S_MatchmakingMode" type="integer" value="0"/>
<setting name="S_MatchmakingRematchRatio" type="real" value="-1.0"/>
<setting name="S_MatchmakingRematchNbMax" type="integer" value="2"/>
<setting name="S_MatchmakingVoteForMap" type="boolean" value="0"/>
<setting name="S_MatchmakingProgressive" type="boolean" value="0"/>
<setting name="S_LobbyRoundPerMap" type="integer" value="60"/>
<setting name="S_LobbyMatchmakerPerRound" type="integer" value="6"/>
<setting name="S_LobbyMatchmakerWait" type="integer" value="2"/>
<setting name="S_LobbyMatchmakerTime" type="integer" value="8"/>
<setting name="S_LobbyInstagib" type="boolean" value="0"/>
<setting name="S_LobbyDisplayMasters" type="boolean" value="1"/>
<setting name="S_LobbyAllowMatchCancel" type="boolean" value="1"/>
<setting name="S_LobbyLimitMatchCancel" type="integer" value="0"/>
<setting name="S_LobbyBasePenalty" type="integer" value="120"/>
<setting name="S_MatchmakingErrorMessage" type="text" value="An error occured in the matchmaking API. If the problem persist please try to contact this server administrator."/>
<setting name="S_MatchmakingLogAPIError" type="boolean" value="0"/>
<setting name="S_MatchmakingLogAPIDebug" type="boolean" value="0"/>
<setting name="S_MatchmakingLogMiscDebug" type="boolean" value="0"/>
[...]
</mode_script_settings>
[...]
</playlist>| Setting | Default value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| S_MatchmakingAPIUrl | https://matchmaking.maniaplanet.com/v5 | URL of the matchmaking API. If you don't plan to use a custom matchmaking function leave this setting at its default value. |
| S_MatchmakingMode | 0 | This is the most important setting. It can take one of these five values : 0 -> matchmaking turned off, standard server; 1 -> matchmaking turned on, use this server as a lobby server; 2 -> matchmaking turned on, use this server as a match server; 3 -> matchmaking turned off, use this server as a universal lobby server; 4 -> matchmaking turned off, use this server as a universal match server. |
| S_MatchmakingRematchRatio | -1.0 | Set the minimum ratio of players that have to agree to play a rematch before launching one. The value range from 0.0 to 1.0. Any negative value turns off the rematch vote. |
| S_MatchmakingRematchNbMax | 2 | Set the maximum number of consecutive rematch. |
| S_MatchmakingVoteForMap | 0 | Allow or not the players to vote for the next map. |
| S_MatchmakingProgressive | 0 | Enable or disable the progressive matchmaking. |
| S_LobbyRoundPerMap | 60 | Number of rounds played before going to the next map. |
| S_LobbyMatchmakerPerRound | 6 | Set how many times the matchmaking function is called before ending the current round of King of the Lobby. |
| S_LobbyMatchmakerWait | 2 | Set the waiting time before calling the matchmaking function again. |
| S_LobbyMatchmakerTime | 8 | Duration (in seconds) of the matchmaking function. It allows the players to see with who they will play their match or cancel it if necessary. |
| S_LobbyInstagib | 0 | Use the Laser instead of the Rocket in the lobby. |
| S_LobbyDisplayMasters | 1 | Display a list of Masters players in the lobby. |
| S_LobbyAllowMatchCancel | 1 | Allows or not the players in the lobby to cancel a match. |
| S_LobbyLimitMatchCancel | 0 | If the players are allowed to cancel, how many matches can they cancel before being penalized. |
| S_LobbyBasePenalty | 120 | Time base for the first penalty. |
| S_MatchmakingErrorMessage | An error occured in the matchmaking API. If the problem persist please try to contact this server administrator. | This message is displayed in the chat to inform the players that an error occured in the matchmaking system. |
| S_MatchmakingLogAPIError | 0 | Log the API errors. You can activate it if something doesn't work and you have to investigate. Otherwise it's better to let it turned off because this can quickly write huge log files. |
| S_MatchmakingLogAPIDebug | 0 | Same as above, turn it on only if necessary. |
| S_MatchmakingLogMiscDebug | 0 | Same as above, turn it on only if necessary. |
The others game modes specific settings can be configured as you wish. A match can be played in BO1, BO3, ... with any number of players, points limit, etc. Just be sure that the number of players required by the match server matches the number of players sent from the lobby. Now that your matchsettings file is ready you can associate your lobby and match servers on your player page.
Your servers are now ready. You just have to launch and join them to see the new matchmaking system in action.
For a lobby server :
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<playlist>
<gameinfos>
<game_mode>0</game_mode>
<script_name>ShootMania\Elite.Script.txt</script_name>
<title>SMStormElite@nadeolabs</title>
<chat_time>10000</chat_time>
<finishtimeout>1</finishtimeout>
<allwarmupduration>0</allwarmupduration>
<disablerespawn>0</disablerespawn>
<forceshowallopponents>0</forceshowallopponents>
</gameinfos>
<hotseat>
<game_mode>0</game_mode>
<time_limit>300000</time_limit>
<rounds_count>5</rounds_count>
</hotseat>
<filter>
<is_lan>1</is_lan>
<is_internet>1</is_internet>
<is_solo>0</is_solo>
<is_hotseat>0</is_hotseat>
<sort_index>1000</sort_index>
<random_map_order>0</random_map_order>
</filter>
<mode_script_settings>
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_AutoManageAFK" type="boolean" value="0"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_AFKIdleTimeLimit" type="integer" value="90000"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_UseScriptCallbacks" type="boolean" value="0"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_NeutralEmblemUrl" type="text" value=""/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_ScoresTableStylePath" type="text" value=""/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_MatchmakingAPIUrl" type="text" value="https://matchmaking.maniaplanet.com/v6"/> -->
<setting name="S_MatchmakingMode" type="integer" value="1"/> <!-- Default : 0 -->
<setting name="S_MatchmakingRematchRatio" type="real" value="1.0"/> <!-- Default : -1 -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_MatchmakingRematchNbMax" type="integer" value="2"/> -->
<setting name="S_MatchmakingVoteForMap" type="boolean" value="1"/> <!-- Default : 0 -->
<setting name="S_MatchmakingProgressive" type="boolean" value="1"/> <!-- Default : 0 -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_LobbyRoundPerMap" type="integer" value="60"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_LobbyMatchmakerPerRound" type="integer" value="6"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_LobbyMatchmakerWait" type="integer" value="2"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_LobbyMatchmakerTime" type="integer" value="8"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_LobbyInstagib" type="boolean" value="0"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_LobbyDisplayMasters" type="boolean" value="1"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_LobbyAllowMatchCancel" type="boolean" value="1"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_LobbyLimitMatchCancel" type="integer" value="0"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_LobbyBasePenalty" type="integer" value="120"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_MatchmakingErrorMessage" type="text" value="An error occured in the matchmaking API. If the problem persist please try to contact this server administrator."/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_MatchmakingLogAPIError" type="boolean" value="0"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_MatchmakingLogAPIDebug" type="boolean" value="0"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_MatchmakingLogMiscDebug" type="boolean" value="0"/> -->
<setting name="S_Mode" type="integer" value="1"/> <!-- Default : 0 -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_TimeLimit" type="integer" value="60"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_TimePole" type="integer" value="15"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_TimeCapture" type="real" value="1.5"/> -->
<setting name="S_WarmUpDuration" type="integer" value="0"/> <!-- Default : 90 -->
<setting name="S_MapWin" type="integer" value="1"/> <!-- Default : 2 -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_TurnGap" type="integer" value="2"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_TurnLimit" type="integer" value="15"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_DeciderTurnLimit" type="integer" value="20"/> -->
<setting name="S_QuickMode" type="boolean" value="1"/> <!-- Default : 0 -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_UseLegacyCallback" type="boolean" value="1"/> -->
<setting name="S_UsePlayerClublinks" type="boolean" value="1"/> <!-- Default : 0 -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_ForceClublinkTeam1" type="text" value=""/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_ForceClublinkTeam2" type="text" value=""/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_DisplaySponsors" type="boolean" value="1"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_RestartMatchOnTeamChange" type="boolean" value="0"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_Practice" type="boolean" value="0"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_PracticeRoundLimit" type="integer" value="3"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_TurnWin" type="integer" value="9"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_UseDraft" type="boolean" value="0"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_DraftBanNb" type="integer" value="4"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_DraftPickNb" type="integer" value="3"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_NbPlayersPerTeamMax" type="integer" value="3"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_NbPlayersPerTeamMin" type="integer" value="2"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_DisplayRulesReminder" type="boolean" value="1"/> -->
</mode_script_settings>
<startindex>0</startindex>
<map>
<file>ShootMania\Lobby\Lobby - Heracles.Map.Gbx</file>
<ident>NdA_yJkkC6zQayBWpIAdhZDzMg0</ident>
</map>
<map>
<file>ShootMania\Lobby\Lobby - InMyBunk.Map.Gbx</file>
<ident>wG6dXKa2QKFzpnJiyCPxB3w1Gvb</ident>
</map>
<map>
<file>ShootMania\Lobby\Lobby - ThePit.Map.Gbx</file>
<ident>9YEx6CLzZ9z82nmutdLOlSk4XE0</ident>
</map>
</playlist>For a match server :
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<playlist>
<gameinfos>
<game_mode>0</game_mode>
<script_name>ShootMania\Elite.Script.txt</script_name>
<title>SMStormElite@nadeolabs</title>
<chat_time>10000</chat_time>
<finishtimeout>1</finishtimeout>
<allwarmupduration>0</allwarmupduration>
<disablerespawn>0</disablerespawn>
<forceshowallopponents>0</forceshowallopponents>
</gameinfos>
<hotseat>
<game_mode>0</game_mode>
<time_limit>300000</time_limit>
<rounds_count>5</rounds_count>
</hotseat>
<filter>
<is_lan>1</is_lan>
<is_internet>1</is_internet>
<is_solo>0</is_solo>
<is_hotseat>0</is_hotseat>
<sort_index>1000</sort_index>
<random_map_order>0</random_map_order>
</filter>
<mode_script_settings>
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_AutoManageAFK" type="boolean" value="0"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_AFKIdleTimeLimit" type="integer" value="90000"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_UseScriptCallbacks" type="boolean" value="0"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_NeutralEmblemUrl" type="text" value=""/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_ScoresTableStylePath" type="text" value=""/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_MatchmakingAPIUrl" type="text" value="https://matchmaking.maniaplanet.com/v6"/> -->
<setting name="S_MatchmakingMode" type="integer" value="2"/> <!-- Default : 0 -->
<setting name="S_MatchmakingRematchRatio" type="real" value="1.0"/> <!-- Default : -1 -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_MatchmakingRematchNbMax" type="integer" value="2"/> -->
<setting name="S_MatchmakingVoteForMap" type="boolean" value="1"/> <!-- Default : 0 -->
<setting name="S_MatchmakingProgressive" type="boolean" value="1"/> <!-- Default : 0 -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_LobbyRoundPerMap" type="integer" value="60"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_LobbyMatchmakerPerRound" type="integer" value="6"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_LobbyMatchmakerWait" type="integer" value="2"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_LobbyMatchmakerTime" type="integer" value="8"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_LobbyInstagib" type="boolean" value="0"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_LobbyDisplayMasters" type="boolean" value="1"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_LobbyAllowMatchCancel" type="boolean" value="1"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_LobbyLimitMatchCancel" type="integer" value="0"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_LobbyBasePenalty" type="integer" value="120"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_MatchmakingErrorMessage" type="text" value="An error occured in the matchmaking API. If the problem persist please try to contact this server administrator."/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_MatchmakingLogAPIError" type="boolean" value="0"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_MatchmakingLogAPIDebug" type="boolean" value="0"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_MatchmakingLogMiscDebug" type="boolean" value="0"/> -->
<setting name="S_Mode" type="integer" value="1"/> <!-- Default : 0 -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_TimeLimit" type="integer" value="60"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_TimePole" type="integer" value="15"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_TimeCapture" type="real" value="1.5"/> -->
<setting name="S_WarmUpDuration" type="integer" value="0"/> <!-- Default : 90 -->
<setting name="S_MapWin" type="integer" value="1"/> <!-- Default : 2 -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_TurnGap" type="integer" value="2"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_TurnLimit" type="integer" value="15"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_DeciderTurnLimit" type="integer" value="20"/> -->
<setting name="S_QuickMode" type="boolean" value="1"/> <!-- Default : 0 -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_UseLegacyCallback" type="boolean" value="1"/> -->
<setting name="S_UsePlayerClublinks" type="boolean" value="1"/> <!-- Default : 0 -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_ForceClublinkTeam1" type="text" value=""/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_ForceClublinkTeam2" type="text" value=""/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_DisplaySponsors" type="boolean" value="1"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_RestartMatchOnTeamChange" type="boolean" value="0"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_Practice" type="boolean" value="0"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_PracticeRoundLimit" type="integer" value="3"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_TurnWin" type="integer" value="9"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_UseDraft" type="boolean" value="0"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_DraftBanNb" type="integer" value="4"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_DraftPickNb" type="integer" value="3"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_NbPlayersPerTeamMax" type="integer" value="3"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_NbPlayersPerTeamMin" type="integer" value="2"/> -->
<!-- Default : <setting name="S_DisplayRulesReminder" type="boolean" value="1"/> -->
</mode_script_settings>
<startindex>0</startindex>
<map>
<file>ShootMania\Elite\Elite - CastleCrasher.Map.Gbx</file>
<ident>i2top8b_q6kHUHtLafyGc9jRLO4</ident>
</map>
<map>
<file>ShootMania\Elite\Elite - Collided.Map.Gbx</file>
<ident>bIOWRz5WA5ZfAountYwweP2ZUac</ident>
</map>
<map>
<file>ShootMania\Elite\Elite - CrossRoads.Map.Gbx</file>
<ident>6RwQcqP6h6Uo0XTQ8Xqv_EDkOxd</ident>
</map>
<map>
<file>ShootMania\Elite\Elite - Excursion.Map.Gbx</file>
<ident>5fKJ9CRkCtzCn44_CBuHDrMon63</ident>
</map>
<map>
<file>ShootMania\Elite\Elite - EyeOfTheStorm.Map.Gbx</file>
<ident>MUet8FtGteQ_aQyGEOeLj6MKQS7</ident>
</map>
<map>
<file>ShootMania\Elite\Elite - FaceToFace.Map.Gbx</file>
<ident>p9g3nMNQMn_sOwIliTKgPgFGtg7</ident>
</map>
<map>
<file>ShootMania\Elite\Elite - Fortress.Map.Gbx</file>
<ident>m8RgFwpekXe9bkV08I_9fJnuOL</ident>
</map>
<map>
<file>ShootMania\Elite\Elite - SeaOfDreams.Map.Gbx</file>
<ident>GzUm_cavauvxBUEDnHAhPewMnP7</ident>
</map>
<map>
<file>ShootMania\Elite\Elite - TheCastle.Map.Gbx</file>
<ident>Uj29Va8U1MzgJUTFaVx7UpUwcv0</ident>
</map>
<map>
<file>ShootMania\Elite\Elite - WatchYourBack.Map.Gbx</file>
<ident>hQR7msvc44TtT4FA0Go5s3l3kdf</ident>
</map>
<map>
<file>ShootMania\Elite\Elite - WindOfChange.Map.Gbx</file>
<ident>s3bVSikgs9J5qtqespGYJ1FDDyf</ident>
</map>
<map>
<file>ShootMania\Elite\Lobby - InMyBunk.Map.Gbx</file>
<ident>F4SF2gjW8xtH0rwIF7bzxeiVhLe</ident>
</map>
</playlist>