Server Help Text Collection

This is a (right now) loose collection of /help or /teach texts to put onto servers to help new players. If you want to add something go ahead. Also see the forum thread: http://forums3.armagetronad.net/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=24055

Help topic syntax in Armagetron is ADD_HELP_TOPIC name description text as in ADD_HELP_TOPIC name "Description" "Long\nMultiline\nText"

Be careful with the line length, the default number of characters in a row of text in tron is TODO:CONSOLE_COLUMNS DEFAULT VALUE. LETS SAY 70 FOR NOW! So if you want to make ASCII-art or neatly formatted lists, keep your lines below that count. If it's just text you're fine with anything.

Dump below from http://forums3.armagetronad.net/viewtopic.php?p=259350#p259350 (to be formatted for servers and updated - for example trongame.de is down)

auth

Type /help auth to learn how to create and use a forums account

1.) Go to http://www.forums3.armagetronad.net and register (for free, of course!).

2.) Logout and login on the forums. This is necessary to ensure that you aren't a spambot.\n\n3.) If you are in a server that supports authentication, type /login Yourname@forums, enter your forums password when you're asked for it. Authentication is case sensitive! Tip: Create an instant chat for /login Yourname@forums. There are other sites that support auth, such as PRU's:

http://www.trongame.de

The login-procedure remains the same, except that you have to use @pru instead of @forums.

This is an example help topic from this. When actually using it, have it all on one line.

ADD_HELP_TOPIC authentication "How to log in (@forums)" "1.) Go to forums3.armagetronad.net and register there (it's free).\n    Avoid spaces and special characters in your name if possible.\n 2.) Log in and out again there once, this will enable it in game.\n 3.) Now type /login YourForumName@forums and a dialog will appear.\n    The dialog may appear only at the end of a round on some servers.\n"

Changing name and adding color: Type /help naco to learn how you can change your name and add colors to text

Press ESC and go to player setup to modify your player's names. It is very likely that you're currently Player 1. Wait for the next round to get it changed. To add colors, find a list of html color codes on the internet. It should consist of 6 digits (2 for red, 2 for green, 2 for blue). Add 0x to mark the start of a color code, then type the code and the text. For example, 0x000dddHello! is 0x000dddHello!

Tip: 0xffff7f is the default chat color.

doublebinding

Type /help dbind to learn how you can improve your reactions by using 2 keys (or more) for each direction.

Doublebinding/Multibinding: Press ESC and go to player setup to modify your input settings. It is very likely that you're currently Player 1. Set more than one key for left and right Now use both of them to turn. The rest is practice!

camera

Type /help camera to learn how you can change your camera.

Camera setup: Press ESC and go to player setup to modify your camera settings. It is very likely that you're currently Player 1. Maybe you'll want to change the initial camera to custom instead of smart. It is the same camera you get when you have default settings and press C three times.

Glancing is helpful, but it can be confusing if you use the wrong camera. Go to Camera Input Configuration to change the glance keys - we recommend to keep the arrow keys.

lag

Type /help lag to learn how you can handle lag in a better way

If you're suffering from a bad connection the best thing to do is paying attention to the lag-o-meters. The lag-o-meters are the arrows which surround your enemies' cycles. Their size depends on the internet speed of all involved parties. The enemy cycle might be anywhere inside the arrow - imagine your enemy was on the arrowhead if he's going straight.\nThat said, lag-o-meters aren't perfect either, but they can be quite useful to know what maneuvers you should avoid. If you want the game to make it easier for you, type /console predict_objects 1. Your enemies will then be displayed on the arrowhead.\nUse /console predict_objects 0 to turn it off again.

Tips

Type /help tips to for additional tips

1.) Use SPACEBAR to brake - spare the biggest key for emergencies

2.) Grinding makes you fast, turning slow. Avoid unnecessary turns if they make you lose an advantage.

3.) Killing itself is the easiest part. First you need to get, and stay ahead of your opponent(s).

4.) Be always ready to turn back if your attack attempts failed.

5.) As soon as you've boxed someone, don't let that player out again, shrink it.

6.) When you're the one who is boxed, try to break out. but not too early. Remember that your opponent could always accidently commit suicide or get killed by someone else.

7.) Be patient! Everyone needs time to get better. You won't get better without failing.

rubber

Type /help rubber to learn what rubber is Rubber is a way to deal with network latency. It's very simple in concept, when you think about it.

Let's say you connect to a server and your ping is 200 milliseconds. Now, some other guy and you are racing towards each other. Just before you would pass each other, the other guy turns and blocks your path. It will take you 200 milliseconds to get aware of this and send your reaction back to the server, assuming you yourself can react instantly. Of course, you don't have 200 milliseconds, you'll collide and be dead in 100 milliseconds.

Enter: rubber. When you get close to a wall, rubber artificially slows your cycle at a certain distance from the wall. This change in speed is artificial, it doesn't affect your actual speed in any way. But the time it takes for you to crash against that wall is stretched.\nBy making this stretch, it is possible for you to see that you are in fact touching the enemy wall that popped up in front of you, and to react to it, all in the 200 milliseconds your hypothetical connection has to send a turn to the server.

Rules

Type /help rules to learn about this server's rules

As long as you behave, you can do everything to win. Do not insult other players or spam the server, otherwise you will most likely get banned.

sources

Type /help sources for our sources and links that offer more info.

Armagetron Wiki: Visit wiki.armagetronad.org for more information concerning console commands, servers, gameplay and the community. Here you can learn how to further customize your game.

If the search-function does not answer your questions, you'll find help on forums3.armagetronad.net or http://www.trongame.de