Some time ago, I found out how to get around the verify-names issue, and turned it on for my server. While this greatly improves safety for the server, it leads to much headache when you have to find your external url (for private servers) in the .txt file every time you restart the server, updating the people you want on your server about the url, and so on.
Even though this may be a minor issue, I feel like it should be solved. And I think I know how. Keep in mind I thought about this ten minutes ago, and the euphoria of me finally being smart and everything may be influencing me as I write this.
Every user on this game has a name. This is called an username. Upon registration an external url could be set aside in case that player would start its own server. If he does, he will download the server files, just like now, but with an addition in the server.properties file. A slot to fill in his username and password. If these two match with the correct username and password, the server is given a green-lit to start running, and the admin of that server will have an external url for his server, that will follow his name. If someone elses username + password was entered into the properties file, the url would change, but the url would never change for that user.
Now, I can see the problem with having two servers at once. I think this is solvable by having the user tell the file which server 'slot' he will use for this server. These server slots would work just as the single player slots we have now, and each slot would keep its url.
I think this is a much simpler way to keep track of servers, rather than the seemingly randomness we have now. Is this a very stupid idea?
I don't know for sure, but I think the url is actually an encrypted or hashed IP address and port. I know it doesn't change unless your IP changes, because I run two servers through a dynamic IP access point, but that IP doesn't change all that often. When the IP does change, the server address changes, and I have to update my users.
I still like this idea though. Perhaps the master server can take the user/pass thing, and the ip and create an address redirect through a similar system to the singleplayer slots system, but now divided by port number.
So, Duh102 becomes 127.0.0.1, and the full redirect address turns into minecraft.net/play.jsp?&user=duh102&port=25565.
One major issue I see with this is people running multiple servers. Also, although the URL is lengthy and looks awful, it conveys more security than a username.
I agree that it's really annoying.
edit: and yeah, it'd be nice to have the same external URL whatever happens, and i think allocating each person a "server link" would work.
Even though this may be a minor issue, I feel like it should be solved. And I think I know how. Keep in mind I thought about this ten minutes ago, and the euphoria of me finally being smart and everything may be influencing me as I write this.
Every user on this game has a name. This is called an username. Upon registration an external url could be set aside in case that player would start its own server. If he does, he will download the server files, just like now, but with an addition in the server.properties file. A slot to fill in his username and password. If these two match with the correct username and password, the server is given a green-lit to start running, and the admin of that server will have an external url for his server, that will follow his name. If someone elses username + password was entered into the properties file, the url would change, but the url would never change for that user.
Now, I can see the problem with having two servers at once. I think this is solvable by having the user tell the file which server 'slot' he will use for this server. These server slots would work just as the single player slots we have now, and each slot would keep its url.
I think this is a much simpler way to keep track of servers, rather than the seemingly randomness we have now. Is this a very stupid idea?
tl;dr: No more changing external urls, please.
I don't know for sure, but I think the url is actually an encrypted or hashed IP address and port. I know it doesn't change unless your IP changes, because I run two servers through a dynamic IP access point, but that IP doesn't change all that often. When the IP does change, the server address changes, and I have to update my users.
I still like this idea though. Perhaps the master server can take the user/pass thing, and the ip and create an address redirect through a similar system to the singleplayer slots system, but now divided by port number.
So, Duh102 becomes 127.0.0.1, and the full redirect address turns into minecraft.net/play.jsp?&user=duh102&port=25565.
[bookshelf] [bookshelf] [bookshelf] [bookshelf] [bookshelf] [bookshelf] [bookshelf] [bookshelf] [bookshelf] [bookshelf] [bookshelf] [bookshelf] [bookshelf] [bookshelf]
Then what about requesting a new URL? Atleast the owner will have control over URL change.
edit: and yeah, it'd be nice to have the same external URL whatever happens, and i think allocating each person a "server link" would work.