For those of you have never heard of DynAMite, it is a freeware game written by Mattias "UltraGelb" Bocker. It is one of the only bomberman clones that you can play over the internet. The objective of the game is to run around different levels planting bombs all over the level in an attempt to kill off all the other players. The last remaining standing survivor wins the round.
In this article, I shall be discussing how you can set up your own DynAMite server. For UK players, I have setup a United Kingdom server to allow UK players to log in and join in with the fun. You can find my server online usually between 8-9pm Daylight Saving Time (BST) @ herc.23.2y.net. See you all there !
Before we proceed any further you will need to download Dynamite from AmiSource's DynAMite webpage, so go to: http://amisource.de/dynamite.
There are some external libraries the game requires, so after you have downloaded DynAMite, follow the links on the Dynamite webpages to download two further external libraries: amarquee.library (for TCP/IP) and identify.library (for identifying your hardware). Next, virus check and unpack the archive. Drag the DynAMite drawer anywhere you like and your done. Fire up your TCP/IP stack (Miami or Genesis) and log onto one of the servers which are located all over the globe and see what you think of the game..
Setting up an account via dhs.org:
In order to run the DynAMite DServer program to set up your own DynAMite Server we first need to set up an account at http://www.dhs.org to assign your Dynamic IP to a hostname for your server. You first need to sign up to the dhs.org first to do this.
Go to http://www.dhs.org. Click on 'Signup' on dhs.org web page to take you to the sign-up section. You are required to enter your UserID, Name (Not Nickname!) and E-mail address. If you choose a name or userid that is already in use, try adding a number on the end, e.g. 230. Once you have filled out all boxes, click 'signup'. You will need to agree to the terms and conditions once you have completed this. You should receive a confirmation mail which is sent straight from dhs.org to your e-mail address. Once you have completed this, you can then go to http://members.dhs.org/nic/ (or click on login page) to log into your dhs.org account.
Logging into your dhs.org account and setting up:-
Log into your dhs.org account (you will be prompted to enter your userid and password). Once you are logged in we need to click on 'Host Maintenace - Add host'. This section allows you to add a host to your account. For hostname, select 'Dynamic' and click on 'next'. You will be taken to the next menu which is 'Host Maintenance - Add Static host'.
For domain name, change the cycle gadget to 2y.net.
For hostname, choose the name of you wish to call your DynAMite server, e.g. MyDServer.
This example will give your DynAMite server the name: MYDServer.2y.net.
For the IP box, you have to enter your IP. Your IP is different everytime you connected to the internet, and can be found within Miami (go to Miami --> Database --> Hosts) to find out your current IP and enter it into the IP box.
For Mail Exchanger box, leave this blank.
For Wildcards leave this blank.
When your done, click 'Add'. Your dhs.org account is now set up !
Things to bear in mind when using dhs.org.
1) You are only permitted to log into your dhs.org up to three times every 15 minutes. If you log into dhs.org MORE than three times your dhs.org account will be terminated, so be careful.
2) You can only have ONE dhs.org account per e-mail address.
3) You will need to follow section 'Setting up an account via dhs.org' EVERYTIME you use Miami to connect to the internet before you run DServer, and to check your DynamicIP has been remapped to your servers hostname by using MiamiResolve.
Firstly, I would like to mention that you ALWAYS need to go to http://www.dhs.org to remap your IP address to your DynAMite server's hostname (via dhs.org) EVERYTIME your server is started. Go to Miami --> Database --> hosts and find out your Dynamic IP there, and enter into dhs.org everytime you connected to the internet before running DServer !
So bear in mind, everytime before you start DynAMite DServer, you will need to do the following:
go to http://www.dhs.org, click 'Login' which will take you to 'Host Maintance' menu, where you should see the hostname for your Server choose to name your server. Click on the button gadget next to the hostname of your account, and click 'Edit'. You will then be taken to the next screen to enter your Dynamic IP (Find it out in Miami --> Database --> hosts). When your IP has been typed in the IP box you can click 'Update' and dhs.org will then remap your IP to your servers hostname.
It normally takes around 10-15 minutes before dhs.org has remapped your dynamic IP to your hostname. If you choose the name: MyDServer.2y.net for your hostname on http://dhs.org, you can check your Dynamic IP has been remapped to your hostname by typing:-
Miami:MiamiResolve MyDServer.2y.net
This would for instance display:-
Check to see if the address list that MiamiResolve returns is the same as in Miami --> Database --> hosts. If it isn't, try checking again with MiamiResolve (again) as I've described above. Once the address list that MiamiResolve returns is the same one as in Miami --> Database --> Hosts, you will know your Dynamic IP has been remapped to your hostname on dhs.org. Be patient though, it can take about 5-10 minutes for dhs.org to perform the update. Once MiamiResolve has confirmed that your Dynamic IP has been changed to the same one in Miami --> Database --> Hosts (as I've described), you can fire up DServer and tick 'List Server' with DServer program to place your DynAMite server online.
The next step is to set up DServer, so run DServer by double click it (you'll find it in the DynAMite drawer).
Step 1) Once DServer is run, if you are running a 56kbs modem, set Player Limit to: 4, Observer Limit to: 2. I would strongly recommend an '060 and high speed serial. My old '040 use to choke with 4 players and 2 observers 8-(
Step 2) Open DServer preferences by choosing 'Settings' (from top of screen). This will open the DynAMite Server Settings. Follow the following example:-
For Sysop name, type your nickname, e.g. Hercules.
For Server name, type in the name you wish to call your server, e.g. Hercules' Dungeons.
For Server Location: choose the name of your country.
For Connection Speed: Click on the cycle gadget opposite and selected 56K modem (if your using a 56K modem).
Now click 'ok'.
You can have a standard greeting MOTD text to greet DynAMite players as they log into your server. Load a text editor, and type something like:-
Save this example text file as tgwnn.motd (in DynAMite's drawer).
Right, providing you have checked with MiamiResolve that dhs.org has remapped to Dynamic IP (as I've described earlier) and it matches the one in Miami --> Database --> Hosts. We can now click the 'List Server' tickbox in DServer. This will put your server online!
Try logging into your own server by doing the following:-
1) Run DynAMite.
2) Click 'Global Server List' Button.
3) GSL Server list appears. You should see your server listed.
Try connecting to your own server locally by clicking 'Connect'. If you are unable to connect using 'Connect' (only 'ConnectIP' works) then either you have not entered your IP correctly at dhs.org (it must be the same one as in Miami--> Database --> hosts). In which case go to section 'Setting up DynAMite DServer' (again) !
or if you still cannot connect to your DynAMite server (only ConnectIP works) this is because:-
dhs.org has not remapped your Dynamic IP to your servers hostname. Type: Miami:MiamiResolve MYDServer.2y.net (as an example) the host address MiamiResolve returns must be the same one as listed in Miami --> Database --> hosts. Be patient if dhs.org hasn't updated the IP since it can take about 5-10 minutes sometimes! Just keep checking with MiamiResolve until IP listed in Miami --> Database --> hosts matches the same IP as MiamiResolve host address returns.
Any questions regarding this tutorial should be forwarded in the first instance to craig.a.daines@btinternet.com. Subject: DServer tutorial. I'll be happy to help out any readers experiencing difficulties.