How to set-up a „rookie only“ server.

GhoulofGSG9

This short tutorial will show you how to set up an easy to maintain “rookie only” server.
Rookie-only servers are useful at ns2 sales to allow rookies to get used to ns2 without getting stomped or abused and with the help of a selected group of mentors etc. .

There exist a set of mods which allow you to set up such a server without much work and no need to watch it 24/7.

Ok, first what mods do we will use:

Shine
[Shine] Ns2Stats
Badges+ (optimal)
NS2+ (optimal)

So let's start with setting up the MapCycle.json. Just add the 4 (or 2 mod ids):

{
    "maps": [
        "ns2_kodiak",
        "ns2_eclipse",
        "ns2_biodome",
        "ns2_descent",
        "ns2_docking",
        "ns2_mineshaft",
        "ns2_refinery",
        "ns2_summit",
        "ns2_tram",
        "ns2_veil"
    ],
    "mods": [
        "706d242",
        "aa8da06",
        "b7149f9",
        "812f004"
    ],
    "time": 30,
    "mode": "order"
}

Next we want to set up the shine groups so you have access to all shine commands. Open for this the UserConfig.json in the “shine” folder.

An example is this:

{
    "Users": {
        "106377166": {
            "Name": "SwedishViking",
            "Group": "mods"
        },
        "49071975": {
            "Name": "Ghoul",
            "Group": "admins"
        }
    },
    "Groups": {
        "mods": {
            "Immunity": 50,
            "IsBlacklist": false,
            "Commands": [
                "sh_reset",
                "sh_kick",
                "sh_forcemapvote",
                "sh_afk_partial",
                "sh_ban",
                "sh_gag",
                "sh_ungag",
                "sh_csay",
                "sh_ignoreelo"
            ],
            "Badges": {
                "3": [
                    "mod",
                    "disabled"
                ]
            }
        },
        "admins": {
            "Immunity": 100,
            "IsBlacklist": true,
            "Commands": [
                "sh_randomimmune",
                "sh_afk"
            ],
            "Badges": {
                "3": [
                    "admin",
                    "disabled"
                ]
            }
        }
    }
}

Admins have access to all commands as they are a blacklist group so they have access to all commands except the in the Commands field defined ones.

Important here is only the “sh_ignoreelo” command this is the one right you have to grant ppl who are not any more rookies to play at your server later.

So set yourself as admin

Ok after that is done and shine is running we have to enable a set of plugins. This can be easily done in-game.

Just type into the chat “!menu” and navigate to Plug-ins and enable the following ones (if not already enabled):

- AFK Kick
- Badges (optimal if you use Badges+)
- Bans
- BaseCommands
- Elo Team Restriction
- NS2Stats
- Map Vote
- Message of the day
- Unstuck
- Pregame (optimal)
- workshopupdater

Details about each of these plugins can be found here: Shine Wiki and NS2Stats Wiki

The Plugins we need to have for a working “Rookie only” Server are “Bans”, Elo Team Restriction and Ns2Stats

Last thing to do before we are finished is to setup the Elo Team Restriction and MessageoftheDay plugin-in (the given jsons can be found in shine/plugins).

eloteamrestriction.json:

{
    "RestrictionMode": 0,
    "MinPlayTime": 0,
    "ShowInform": false,
    "ForceSteamTime": false,
    "MaxElo": 1700,
    "UseSteamTime": true,
    "MinElo": 0,
    "MinKD": 0.5,
    "MaxKD": 3,
    "MaxPlayTime": 1500,
    "KickMessage": "You will be kicked in %s seconds",
    "Kicktime": 60,
    "Kick": true,
    "ShowSwitchAtBlock": false,
    "AllowSpectating": true,
    "WaitMessage": "Please wait while your data are retrieved",
    "InformMessage": "This Server is Elo rating restricted",
    "TeamStats": false,
    "BlockNewPlayers": false,
    "BlockMessage": "You are not a rookie anymore or your steam profile is not public. Your ELO: %s Server: Min %s , Max %s"
  }

Basically we block every player with more than 25 hours playtime or a better ns2stats elo than 1700 ( 1500 is the start elo ).
In the MotD.json set any message you like telling the player that the server is a “rookie-only” server and how to reach an admin

So all left now for you is to watch the rookies and ban smurf give mentors of the community access to the server via “sh_ignoreleo” and that's it.

Thanks for the community for supporting us with providing a “rookie-only” server.

If you have any futher questions feel free to ask them in this thread.

PS: I attached a zip with all files used in this tutorial included.

nightsky_

Do these mods prevent a server from becoming ranked?

GhoulofGSG9

nightsky_ wrote: »

Do these mods prevent a server from becoming ranked?

Not at all. All in this tutorial used mods are whitelisted at the hive.

Tarvaln

Thanks for the tutorial. I've set up a rookie only server called "NS2 Rookie Only". I'm using a mod called "Shine Bots WIP" with it and I was wondering if the bots are enabled will that disable the ELO screening?

GhoulofGSG9

Tarvaln wrote: »

Thanks for the tutorial. I've set up a rookie only server called "NS2 Rookie Only". I'm using a mod called "Shine Bots WIP" with it and I was wondering if the bots are enabled will that disable the ELO screening?

I'm not sure how exactly that plugin works but the check should ignore bots normally.

Fazmond

is this plugin updated to look at the new hive ?
plese let me know trying to set it up and cant get it to work because I think its looking at ns2stats.com

dePARA

Whats the point of using this plugin now in times where the game has inbuild rookie only options?
This thread is 2 years old, nice necro btw.

DC_Darkling

You are best of using the vanilla features. Rookie status on servers changed a lot over time.
As I havent set up any rookie server recently, im a bit vague on the details myself. I strongly suggest to ask around on the discord ops channel.
(poke ironhorse or ghoul or someone to add you if you host a server. There are great active server ops in there willing to help.)

GhoulofGSG9

Fazmond wrote: »

is this plugin updated to look at the new hive ?
plese let me know trying to set it up and cant get it to work because I think its looking at ns2stats.com

This guide is very out to date. NS2Stats has been shut down due to a lack of time and funding. Rookie only server are part of vanilla now. Just set rookie_only in the ServerConfig.json to true.

In case you want to restrict your server based on k/d or hive skill you can use the Hive Team Restriction which is part of the [Shine] Epsilon workshop mod. More details can be found here: https://github.com/GhoulofGSG9/Shine-Epsilon/wiki/Hive-Team-Restriction