fpsclasico irc ssl network

[adminless]

hey hi everybody

just announcing here that I set up a #unfreeze irc channel at the irc.quakenet.org network for the people at these servers so feel free to join and continue chatting with your friends even after quitting the game. just bear in mind that even if you see me connected there it doesn't really mean that I'm (personally) really there (it's just opened), sure I'll check it from time to time as everything but specifically know that is not by any means a official (or even appropriate) way to contact me, (it's possible that I do sure but) I don't have to answer you there all the official support is either in this forum or by direct contact in the mail form (https://contact.fpsclasico.de).

so check it out and enjoy you can just use any irc client you prefer but in addition to make it simply for everybody I also create a quick webchat unfreeze address for it:

http://webchat.unfreeze.xyz

finally in addition also note that as is obvious I do not run the irc.quakenet.org network therefor there are things there that I can not even do (in particular what comes outside this channel) as always I don't consider this to be a fundamental part of the project at the moment therefor I'm not gonna put too many resources in it (mostly the time cause this server here can perfectly suit a chat like the one here) by now if on the future this becomes troublesome (or even so, just preferably) and there's a need I guess I could build a own irc network here then, so far let's start with this.

[adminless]

hello guys

just let you know this time that there's actually a address with stats for the irc channel at the following address:

https://stats.quakenet.org/channel/unfreeze

in case someone is curious and wanna take a look (requires a account at quakenet.org to view, not my site, nevertheless you can later use that account in the webchat if you want)

also notice that this WebChat has been finally integrated into the navigation links at the forum for easier of access (recommended open it up in a new tab/window)

see you

[adminless]

if on the future this becomes troublesome (or even so, just preferably) and there's a need I guess I could build a own irc network here then, so far let's start with this.

so, finally here it's, on this post I announce the deployment of the new irc.fpsclasico.de irc ssl network.

ok, first of all let's start with a introduction and some words about the former official irc channel. this new deployment doesn't come because of a "issue" (mis-use) or a incident with the current external services (as it's usually the case) surprisingly this time let's say that there has been zero issues or problems with the irc channel provided at irc.quakenet.org so let's be fair and acknowledge and be thankful of their hard and good work at providing us with a fully featured irc channel for more than a year already at no cost at all. however that being said at the same time as pointed even if the irc services are just a "irrelevant" (in reality at the moment) secondary part of the project they are nevertheless a part of this so in order to consolidate, and as I've been saying lately, strengthen our internet presence and visibility (which are also important factors as I think that you could have noticed already), and increase the overall quality of the services provided I finally deployed our own in-side irc network here at fpsclasico.de (yes, fpsclasico.de, the board will come next after this).

so it wasn't that the previous irc services were bad by any means (to be honest they are overall of similar quality) or anything however like I also mentioned there was stuff there I could not even do myself and also the overall usability to me wasn't always a option and that's a problem in the long run therefore this addition comes to enhance and secure this service for the future. then, better let's stop talking any more and start presenting this new irc network and how it works, first the connection details are as follow:

• server: irc.fpsclasico.de (ipv6: 2a01:4f8:a0:5363:85:10:197:105 / ipv4: 85.10.197.105)
• port: 6667 (port is "default" but very importantly note about the connection mode bellow)
• connection mode: ssl (ONLY!)
• webchat: https://webchat.fpsclasico.de

so just in case let's remark this once again because this is very important, the port to connect to the network is the "default", this is 6667, however for security reasons the connection mode is not the standard (i.e. plain text), in order to connect to the network you need to instruct your client to use ssl over that port or it will not work. most clients (at least the relevant ones) come with a "ssl" checkbox when connecting or typically accept server notations like "irc.fpsclasico.de:+" or "irc.fpsclasico.de:+6667" to denote the use of ssl at that port. this is a intentional change in order to ensure the security of the communications at the chat if not they can just be trivially read by basically everybody and it was something that was largely missing at the previous services (probably it would still be possible but definitively not by default).

another addition it has been that the people who have their nicks registered at the server got also automatically registered their identities (warning not their nicks, they are a different thing) at the network so they can now get authorized. as mentioned a identity at a irc network is not the same as a nick, one identity can have several nicks, however each identity is unique, so without registering your nick at the irc services you can have people with other identities using it. "typically" (at the webchat for example) the identity will be the same as the nick however this doesn't always have to be the case therefore the main role these identities play here are for authorization purposes at the network mainly. you can check what's your actual identity and that of the other users at the network with the "/whois nick" or "/msg nickserv info nick" commands or just by right clicking on a user and then clicking on info once connected for example.

so, to connect to the network with a registered identity you need to enter its password (it's the same as the one at the game server) when connecting at your irc client. you can not register identities on the network (as well as you can not register nicks at the game server) only I can do that, therefore the only way to get a registered identity is by requesting it to me which as well as with the nick unless there's really a reason for that (i.e. you're actually being impersonated or are a well know player and are highly likely to) I will not.

ok, good, most of you can just overlook all that as that's mostly a server/admin related thing the important part for you comes now, then now moving to the nicks (what it actually prints at the room), as we all know until a nick gets registered anyone can use it (just like on the game server) so if you want to have your nick registered and protected at the irc server you can do it with the following commands:

Code: Select all

/nick <mynick>
/msg nickserv register <mypassword> <myemailaddress>
/msg nickserv confirm <receivedpassword>
/msg nickserv set kill immed

and that should get your nick registered and protected at the irc server. additionally for increased security you can wipe your nick's access list ("/msg nickserv help access" and then go from there list and del) to ensure that absolutely nobody have a chance to show up with your nick (not even your neighbor which could be the case if you don't nuke the nick access list). nicks have a maximum allowed length of 14 characters matching that of the in-game game server so keep that also in mind when setting your nick. then once you reconnect to use your nick again logically you have to identify you yourself again at the server first and then nick you like that, you can just do that with the following commands:

Code: Select all

/msg nickserv identify <mynick> <mypassword>
/nick <mynick>

and I believe that that should cover the most important thing here. I would strongly advise you to register your nick at this time mainly to test the new fpsclasico.de mail server to ensure that there's no mail delivery problems for you later on once the board gets moved there. as usual with any new domain it's possible that for some time on some instance messages from the new domain get forwarded into the "spam" or "junk" inbox folders, that's normal (although overall delivery problems are way lower than when the previous domain/host started) and you can obviously mark them as not spam (furthermore it helps to the reputation of the domain which will influence future deliveries).

in addition let's mention that as well as with the game server and this forum private messages are disabled by default for security reasons (ex. any bot could just join and start individually spamming each user making it more difficult to identify) so users have their reception of private messages restricted by default, then, in order to have a private conversation with someone you first must allow you to receive privates yourself as well as have the other person do the same. the command to allow the reception of private messages at the irc server is as follow:

Code: Select all

/mode -b

and "/mode +b" later for example will re-enable the restriction (ex. you started a conversation with someone that "seemed" cool but ended up being a pain and you want it to stop). also note that this is just a private network meaning it doesn't allow for the creation of independent channels, not at least by now, it's possible that if it gets really used I could allow for it on the future but definitively not by now and neither any time "soon". what it's likely it's that I add another channels as I deploy and migrate more fpsclasico.de services (like the urbanterror game server for example) but so far the only channel on the network is UnFreeZe.

and I think that that's all in a nutshell with this new fpsclasico.de irc ssl network, to be honest, I really think that it turned out to be a fully featured irc network and pretty good overall and definitively a good improvement over the previous one, as you can see more private, more secure, more robust, better escalatability, newer, easier management/integration and long term availability and probably just better anything else in few words.

to finish just note that for security reasons in order to prevent yet even more incidents here the former unfreeze channel at the irc.quakenet.org network will keep authoritatively running by our dear members "miroslav" and "noobenson" (thank you about that guys) so if you were a regular there you're still welcomed to keep using it if you feel like it just note that from now onward that channel is phased out and unless required for some issue I will no longer use it, now the new official UnFreeZe channel is at the irc.fpsclasico.de irc ssl network.

well, I go rest, with this everything is just ready to move the board the next week and start consolidating the services on this new season. have fun and for anything relating this you didn't get or want to know more about don't hesitate to answer this post.

[adminless]

ok, I finally moved this thread here as this ended up being more a fully featured fpsclasico irc netowork (in general) than simply a UnFreeZe(1,2,3) irc channel as in the begging. so just guys letting you know that as I've been reviewing the server these days I finally updated this irc network as well as the webchat, which now is fully hosted in-house too, so I think that it would be pretty cool if some of you could just give it a try and let me know if it worked on your computer/phones and similar browsers. not that now I pretend that this becomes busy, although to be honest I don't really understand very well why nobody cares as I think that it's a great feature, but it's always good to know that it's at least functional in case it finally really ended up being used/needed at some point. as I could scramble old logs I think that it turned out that the external webchat I was running suffered considerable (beyond acceptable) down time as well as it was relatively outdated. in addition as I reviewed the installation, and as it can even be seen on this thread, the previous setup was probably over the top (unnecessary) complex and that added to the previous point could have probably alienated many, not to mention that it's not even very well manageable (worth/cost wise) in the long run.

that should be addressed on this new 2020 installment/update since the whole thing, webchat included, is hosted in-house now and updated to a 2020 relevant client applet and I also largely simplified the whole thing. no more complicated (mostly unnecessary) nick registrations or fancy commands/restrictions (at least by now, may be, if things get out hand I need to review this, just like anything else, but given the actual real usage so far this should do it by now), simply connect and start chatting/enjoying the whole thing, nothing else, and now the webchat looks really relevant by 2020 standards and in-tune with the quality of the rest of the services offered here. no more downtime/disconnections and/or crappy experiences. to be honest, the webchat now works even much better and is more functional than my own local irc client and it even works on mobile devices. overall, I think this turned out pretty good here.

ok so the connection details are same as before, those who still prefer to use their local irc clients anyways can do so just by connecting to irc.fpsclasico.de at port 6667 with ssl (i.e. encryption/secure socket) and join the official #fpsclasico channel once there. notice that port is still the standard default 6667 despite running on ssl mode instead of the generalized (quasi-standard) 6697 ircs port as experience tells me that generally works better on some clients/networks. just let me know if it's not the case and this cause you any problems and "standard" ircs port 6697 would be a better choice for you as if that's the case for the majority I can probably change it without much trouble. for the rest the recommended and probably best way to connect is just through the enbded webchat forum tab and on portable devices probably simply fav the full external webchat.fpsclasico.de site for quick and full access there.

that's it for now, as usual, give it a try and let me know how you see it, I definitively think that it's a great improvement for this 2020 server update.

note: btw also remember than though I might connect there from time to time, as mentioned above, the irc is not a official channel to ask for support and I'm neither active at it. all the official fpsclasico support is offered exclusively through this forum or through the official contact form. the fpsclasico irc network is exclusively a users chat.