== Master Server instruction ==

The master server is the server where you get the overview of currently online Unreal servers from when you open the Unreal server browser.
The official Unreal master server is hosted by GameSpy but there are also other master servers. QTracker runs a master server for its external server browser tool, also called QTracker.

With some research I discovered that it's also possible to run custom master servers. With this discovery I was able to run the first master server for the Unreal community and create a master server installer package. But the master server was unstable and needed sophisticated tools to help it keeping running. Fortunately, Winged Unicorn and Zora were able to update the master server code with Nephthys and fix the bugs that made it unstable. The new version of the custom master server I run as well as the new Master Server installer package are based on Nephthys Technology.

Information for players

In order to let your Unreal server browser query a custom master server you need to edit your Unreal.ini file. Here is what to do:

Information for Unreal server owners

When you run an Unreal server it's good to uplink it to multiple master servers to make sure the players can always find your server, even when the official master server would be unavailable. To get your server listed, you need to do the following:

1. Install Nephthys 1.1 or higher (Warning: Follow included instructions carefully!)
2. Close your Unreal server and open your servers Unreal.ini file (Note: This file may also be called Server.ini or whatever you use.)
3. Disable the lines starting with "ServerActors=IPServer.UdpServerUplink" by placing a ";" in front of them:
   
   ;ServerActors=IPServer.UdpServerUplink...
    
4. Nephthys 1.1 uses its own master server uplink you need to use from now. It's compatible with the old IPServer method. Here is an example configuration:
   
   ServerActors=Nephthys.NptServerUplink MasterServerAddress=master0.gamespy.com MasterServerPort=27900
   ServerActors=Nephthys.NptServerUplink MasterServerAddress=master.qtracker.com MasterServerPort=27900 QueryPort=7778
   ServerActors=Nephthys.NptServerUplink MasterServerAddress=master.thenerdnetwork.com MasterServerPort=27900
   
   The first line is for the default GameSpy master, the second line for the QTracker master server. Change the QueryPort if necessary. The last line is for the official TheNerdNetwork master server. Of course you can add or remove lines where needed.
5. When everything is configured correctly you can save your .ini file and start the server again.

Information for master server admins

Do you have an internet server and do you want to run a master server for the Unreal community? Then you are in the right place.

It's important to understand the need for a stable master server. When you are interested in offering a master server you should have a server with the best possible uptime. Players from all over the world will query your master server 24 hour per day, so you should at least have an 'always on' server. Of course there always will be some downtime for maintenance, but the most important feature of the master server is availability.

It's also a good thing to have a low ping, but this will differ from your location.

The last important thing to have is a fixed domain name or IP address. This address will be used by players to query your master server and Unreal servers to uplink their game details to your master. This address should not change or at least change not often.

Okay, now you understand the requirements, it's time to go to the installation. This is the easy part, because I did the most work for you:

1. Download the Master Server installer package.
2. Install the package and follow provided instructions (Included Readme.txt)
3. Be sure the ports of the master server are open for connections from the internet. You might need to configure your router or firewall.

With kind regards,

Hyper.nl