VROC: Virtual Racers' Online Connection

VROC Options

Below the Race List in the VROC 2.0 Java applet, you'll see the following fields to be filled in:

Racer Information

  1. Path to Sim

    This field tells VROC where to look when it launches your sim. It must be complete and correct., e.g.: C:\games\sierra\gpl.

  2. My Local IP / IP Override:

    If VROC reports an incorrect IP address or not.found for your machine, enter the correct one. See the explanation here.

    Note: If you're hosting behind a gateway and VROC reports the nonroutable address of your machine, don't change it. See below.

  3. Player

    VROC allows you to choose among all players defined in GPL. The player you choose will be the player which you will be driving as after you launch GPL. This is also the name that will show up in the race list when you host.

  4. Class and Car Preferences

    The class and car/team you enter here will be what you're driving when you join the race, unless the Host has limited the race to certain classes or a particular car. If you leave this setting at the default, then the sim will use whatever car the player name you chose above was last using.

  5. Password

    VROC will pass this to the sim when it launches. If you are hosting, this will become the password others must use to join, unless you change it within the sim.

    VROC will ignore any of the following special characters:
    < > * | ' & $ ! # ( ) [ ] { } ` " ,

  6. Bandwidth

    This allows you to choose the bandwidth settings which GPL will use when communicating between client and server. For most conditions, the Typical setting is best. If you host, and you choose any setting except "Use core.ini settings", all of your clients will use the same settings that you specify. See bandwidth settings for more information.

  7. Enable Old Synch Method and Clock Adjust Delay

    These allow you to override GPL 1.1's default clock synchronization method, and make it use the clock synchronization method from GPL 1.0. This only has an effect if you are a client. See GPL 1.1 Release Notes for more information.


For Hosting Behind a Gateway

  1. Gateway IP

    This indicates the IP address which VROC will use for communicating with the machine which is running your server(s). It should be the Internet address of your gateway machine.

  2. Host Port

    This is the port on which GPL will listen for clients who wish to join. You only need to change it if you are hosting races on more than one machine connected through a gateway or firewall. Each machine connected through the gateway must use a different port, and there must be at least 19 ports free after each Host Port.

    The default is 32766.

  3. Echo Port

    This is the port which VROC will listen for clients who wish to determine their ping time to you. You only need to change it if you are hosting races on more than one machine connected through a gateway or firewall. Each machine connected through the gateway should use a different port.

    The default is 6969.

See the Internet Plus LAN section of Eagle Woman's GPL Online FAQ for more details about hosting and joining from behind a gateway or firewall.

Hosting Information

  1. Dedicated

    See the explanation here.

  2. Maximum Ping

    A value entered in this field will cause the sim to limit the latency of racers joining. The units are milliseconds. VROC will convert this to seconds for the sim's use in the Maximum Latency field.

  3. Maximum and Minimum Classes:

    By default, the sim will allow the range of classes given in your core.ini - normally unrestricted. You can limit the race to GP, F2 and F3, or whatever you think will be fun.

  4. Clients Use Same Car

    If you check this box, all racers will be forced into whatever car you are driving, as selected above. This allows "spec" races. Racers will not be forced to use your setup.

  5. No Checkpoints

    If you check this box, GPL will not use any checkpoints in the races. This will help prevent bogus black flags for cutting the course, which can occur when there are latency problems on the routes between you and your clients.

    On the downside, it will allow unscrupulous drivers to shortcut certain corners without penalty, so use with care.

  6. Connection

    This info will appear in the race list when you host a race. Please be truthful. If you claim a better connection that you have, and lots of folks join, they'll get disconnected and you'll get a bad reputation.

  7. Upload Baud

    If you've got a cable modem or other fast link, this informs other racers of the exact speed of the upload side of the link, which is the critical communications factor impacting the number of players you can host. As with Connection Type, please be truthful.

  8. Country/Region:

    This info will appear in the race list. Many people like to know this about the hosts they are joining. This can help them to make a more educated guess about the quality of the connection they may have to your server.

  9. Comment:

    What you enter here (up to 50 characters) will appear in the race list.

Note to the Wary

The information you enter will be stored in a file on your machine, and hosting information will be sent to the VROC server. It will not be recorded permanently on the server. Your name will be used only to identify you to other potential racers when you host a race session. The executable path you enter will be used only for launching your sim.