HLTV

cstone · Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2001 9:15 pm Post subject:

In addition to voice chat and other things, the 1108 patch added HLTV. HLTV is basically a massive spectating server. To see it in action just go in to your in-game server list, and click 'spectate games' instead of 'Internet games'.

This will show you a list of all the servers currently running the spectating service. The ones I saw (mostly CS servers) had space for about 128 to 256 spectators. By default, all servers run a 30 second delay to curb real-time cheating.

I was able to spectate through all the normal views in addition to seeing the players first-person view, and a full screen view of a top-down map including player location, the direction he faces, and relative height.

You can read HLTV.txt in your HL directory to find out more. Basically the server admin connects a proxy server to the game server. Then specators connect to that proxy server. To add more spectators, a proxy server would be attaced to the main proxy server, creating a 'tree' of proxy servers allowing for many, many spectators to view the action at the same time. There might even be a way to chat with other spectators (but probably not players)

So, that said, is there any chance of TV hooking up a proxy server for one of its servers?? I imagine that might be good alternative for people who can't get into the servers b/c they are full or just want to watch how others play w/out taking up a game spot. Or people like me, who tend to eat at the computer or watch (an actual) TV could watch the game and not have to worry about moving the game character around so as not to get caught 'camping' lol

Sorry Rob, I know I already asked this, but have there been any new thoughts on it since then?

Robert E. Lee · Registered User Joined: 18 Jul 2001 Posts: 2904

We did plan on using this but the bandwidth requirements are ridiculous. To my understanding, when someone connects to HLTV, it's has the the same bandwidth needs as when a player connects. That would put us over our limit.

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cstone · Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2001 11:22 pm Post subject:

Ah well.... thats a shame. A good idea but pretty impractical if it has such huge bandwith issues.

Warhammer · Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2001 9:07 pm Post subject:

Robert, what is the bandwidth utilization for a full 20 player game? More than 768Kb/s both ways?

Twisted29 · Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2001 9:21 pm Post subject:

Does HLTV have to be set up through the same server as the game, or can it be configured to work on a different server just for HLTV? Another server would loosen bandwitdh constraints a little.

I'd love to see HLTV brought to the ville. That was we can all go first person and learn everyone's dirty little tricks.....

Robert E. Lee · Registered User Joined: 18 Jul 2001 Posts: 2904

A full 20 player game uses around 600-800 kb/s. Upload is the most important thing when running a server.

You could set up a "tree" for HLTV. Having the master HLTV's relay to other proxies on a different network. Therefore only taking up player spot per server.

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