Log Analysis: I'm a lumberjack and I'm not OK

[Dilvish]

Folks:

 

This is probably another Frequent Whine but I feel like I'm skating on thin ice as I run my JKII server. I'm finding the logs to be woefully inadequate for reviewing events. At least I haven't found a way of getting detailed logs. Why do I want them? Here's a possible scenario that illustrates this:

 

You receive E-mail from one of your regulars. "Hey, some guy came on about 2:00 PM EST and after playing a few rounds said "I'll show you guys!." Then the server crashed. I rejoined and he was back and said, "I'm coming back tomorrow to do the same thing!"

 

Those of you who have examined the JKII logs will see the problem we face: We may be able to find the guy's nickname by searching for what he may have said, but we won't find it by time of day. And once we find his name, we won't find his IP#. So the best that can be done is lie in wait for him to return and then ban him.

 

For those not familiar with what can be done log-wise, here's examples from my TFC server:

L 05/28/2002 - 17:44:56: "<BaiT><2310><125297><>" connected, address "XX.XX.XX.124:27005"
L 05/28/2002 - 17:45:08: "Sloman<2309><1654652><Green Sniper>" killed "wizhippo<2271><639012><Yellow Sniper>" with "sniperrifle"
L 05/28/2002 - 17:45:54: "GOT BOLLS'<2269><2315854><Green Sniper>" say "ahahh"

So you have a Nickname, a ServerID, a WONID (for universal identification across servers) and an IP#. As well as all activies are timestamped. What do we have to work with in JKII?

588:31 say: Dark Lord Thorn: gf
588:43 say: ^1Marcus: i rarly use backstab
588:52 ClientBegin: 9
589:01 say: IronWarrior: me neither...
589:26 say: ^1Marcus:  to easy to win what fun is that
589:27 say: ssj Luke: how do you use backstabe?
589:54 Kill: 5 3 3: C@rnage killed Dark Lord Thorn by MOD_SABER
589:54 Exit: Kill limit hit.
589:54 score: 1  ping: 94  client: 5 C@rnage
589:54 score: 0  ping: 50  client: 3 Dark Lord Thorn
589:57 setteam:  3 FREE SPECTATOR
589:57 ClientBegin: 3
589:57 setteam:  8 SPECTATOR FREE
589:57 ClientBegin: 8
589:58 say: Dark Lord Thorn: gf

And I assume the numbers are the number represents minutes and seconds since the server was started. Not much at all to work with.

 

Is there a means by which we could either get more detail in the logs or ask Raven if it's possible to get a bit more detail if/when they do the next patch?

 

Edit:

Keriminy! I forgot about the IP# and edited it.

[MatrixCPA]

I'm right there with you. Q3 logging, in generally, has always been a bit short. Once the new VM's are out and I can get my admin bot running again, it keeps it's own log and, through a combination of tailing the existing server log and rcon commands, tracks players by ip; logs kills, says, and teamsays; recongnizes admins by ip and name; allows admins to kick using say/teamsay commands; and timestamps everything using the server clock. Here's a sample of the log file:

 

Tue Apr 9 15:15:57 2002:0:User connected: wAnkEr (4) xxx.217.68.143

Tue Apr 9 15:15:57 2002:0:User connected: Soul Harvester (7) xxx.234.156.55

Tue Apr 9 15:15:57 2002:0:User connected: MangelDisziplin (8) xxx.175.84.186

Tue Apr 9 15:15:57 2002:0:User connected: Salma Hayek (9) xxx.5.164.32

Tue Apr 9 15:15:57 2002:0:User connected: Prophet (10) xxx.141.25.131

Tue Apr 9 15:15:57 2002:0:User connected: Axemus (11) xxx.7.44.49

Tue Apr 9 15:15:57 2002:0:User connected: ViperXL (12) xxx.5.13.87

Tue Apr 9 15:15:57 2002:0:User connected: namx8 (13) xxx.205.162.156

Tue Apr 9 15:15:57 2002:0:User connected: Jed i (14) xxx.229.128.47

Tue Apr 9 15:15:57 2002:0:User connected: fire feet PETE (15) xxx.3.172.251

Tue Apr 9 15:15:58 2002:1635:18:SayTeam Prophet Go to it Mangle!

Tue Apr 9 15:16:02 2002:1635:21:SayTeam MangelDisziplin hehe

Tue Apr 9 15:18:33 2002:1637:53:Say MangelDisziplin wanker im gonna kick u

Tue Apr 9 15:18:37 2002:1637:57:Say wAnkEr aight

Tue Apr 9 15:18:38 2002:1637:57:Say MangelDisziplin u can come back

Tue Apr 9 15:18:45 2002:1638:04:InfoChange <ViperXL> (12) on Red changed to <ViperXL> (12) on Blue

Tue Apr 9 15:18:48 2002:1638:05:Say wAnkEr im ready

Tue Apr 9 15:19:19 2002:1638:38:Say MangelDisziplin kick wAnkEr

Tue Apr 9 15:19:19 2002:1638:38:KICK wAnkEr (4): Admin kick by MangelDisziplin

Tue Apr 9 15:19:20 2002:1638:38:SAY: wAnkEr kicked: kicked by admin

Tue Apr 9 15:19:21 2002:1638:38:Client wAnkEr (4) disconnected

Tue Apr 9 15:19:25 2002:1638:44:Say MangelDisziplin ahhh cool

Tue Apr 9 15:19:37 2002:1638:54:User connected: wAnkEr (4) xxx.217.68.143

 

It was working very nicely until 1.02c. I had to stop development at that point because the status command got goofed up and it was made worse with 1.03 due to the truncation of the status command as well as a removal of the ClientUserInfoChange logging. The status command has been fixed in 1.03a so that you can get a notrunc version. However, the g_logClientInfo cvar isn't actually working yet due to the need for new VM's. Ah well.

 

EDIT: I replaced the first part of the ip's with x's because I think the forum admins don't like us posting full ip's. It actually logs the whole thing.

[Dilvish]

Wow! That looks like a real log, MatrixCPA! I can give you all the moral support I have in your work on the admin bot. Not being familiar with its previous incarnation, does/will it have both Windows and Linux flavours?

 

In the HalfLife world I swear by a combination of Admin Mod and HalfD; two tools that allow for a fair amount of control over a server. It sounds like your tool is something that is needed here in JKII land.

 

Cheers,

[MatrixCPA]

The bot is written in Perl, so it's basically platform independent in most respects. I'm actually performing the adaptation on a linux system and will probably beta on linux first.

[NITEMARE]

i cannot understand lucas arts decision here. as far as i heard it was them who decided not to have a cd key. fine and no other id possibilities, super fine! don't they realize what importance this game has? there is no other game like it to play online. its fighting with light sabers dude! the only concept at the moment, except the very old jk1...

but they let us rott in a hell created by the community. just like counterstrike, tho cheaters are not as lethal to jk2 as they were to cs due to the gameplay. but the leet jedis of the cool side of the force do not have enough weapons against the lame side. we will be eradicated if the things don't change for our advantage. admins do not have enough power to control who's in or out, the game itself is not balanced at all and there are not enough features to make more rules , like 2on2 duels and stuff. ok one thing is hard to get right, balance. who could have thought how the gameplay would develop with the elite gamer skills increasing? ok kicks were singled out very quick since they are THE weapon(can be scripted too). but now we have backspin/upper cut(bluespec.) whores, like i am. and i dont want to know what happens if i switch the force powers back on, probably srcipted instakill binds to pull the opponent then backspin him in onw move. i hope something changes, quick!