Can't see the folk OA server?

[fer]

Hey, I can't see the folk OA server in the in-game browser anymore. Is it dead?
No, but the settings have been changed so it no longer shows up in the public listing of servers.

Okay. How do I connect?
Getting started with Armed Assault 2: Operation Arrowhead explains how to connect directly using the server's IP address.

Gotcha. Wait, why have you hidden the server?
Last night someone who isn't a guest contacted me and started making comments about the people playing in the folk sessions. The idea of folk sessions being monitored creeps me out, and I think guests have a right to privacy.

Is that because of the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy concerning fraternisation with Tigershark?
Exactly.

So what about GameTracker stuff?
Gone too, I'm afraid.

Are we totally invisible now?
Not quite. If someone truly wants to cyber-stalk you, and happens to know the IP of the server, they can still ping it with the in-game browser and see who's around. But if they're going to that much trouble, they're probably parked in the street outside your house. Hey, wasn't that car there last night?

[fer]

Update: I had to roll this back temporarily because it seems to really upset the server. Hmmm.

[fer]

Jest, the chap who runs our hosting company, is a very nice man; he explained that the software he uses to ensure we aren't cheekily re-configuring our server to have more slots than we've paid for relies upon the default server broadcast feature to work. If we stop the server from broadcasting its presence to the in-game browser, Jest's software gets worried that shady stuff is going on and shuts down our server. Which is actually pretty fair.

The only way to avoid this limitation - assuming we want to continue using Jest's platform - is to rent a dedicated server (which can have as many slots as we want). Since that isn't quite within our budget for now, and Jest has done a great job for us so far, I'm going to stop worrying about hiding the server.

If people want to cyber-stalk the sessions, I guess we'll just have to live with that. It's pretty of them, but what can you do? Anyway, always remember that in today's liberal society it's okay to play with Tigershark. Just remember to always wipe down everything he's touched.