How to Talk to Yourself

In regular paradise there are several features available by sending messages to yourself. You can check the ship rebuild timers, enter the tournament queue, reset your keymap, and probably a few more that have been written into the server since this document was composed. To explore this system, send yourself the message help.

It's best to think of the control system as a set of menus. Each level of the menu has a help entry that will list all the other entries possible. Submenus will be have ... after them in a help list.

To issue a command you send yourself a string of words that navigate through the menu system. The message ``league time 90 30'' allows a captain to configure the game for a 90 minute game with a 30 minute overtime period. The message ``player password coffee'' changes a player's password to ``coffee''.

Top Level Commands

The following commands are available from the top level menu

help: Get a list of commands available from the top level menu.
control...: The god controls submenu. This is not available to normal players.
version: Prints out the current server version.
player...: The player controls submenu.
queue tq: Enter the tournament queue so that you can wait for tournament mode without worrying about being iconscummed or iggied to death.
league...: The league controls submenu. This menu is only available during league play.
information...: The information submenu. Miscellaneous bits of configuration and state info that you can't easily obtain otherwise.
observe [%d]: Signify that you do not want to fly a ship anymore. The next time you die and reenter the game, you will be placed in observer mode. If the argument is present and zero, then you do NOT wish to observe anymore and you may quit your observing and reenter the game flying a ship again.
parameters params: request that the game download certain parameters to your client. This can include team logos and ship bitmaps. This will be automatic in the future.

Player Controls

All player control commands begin with the word ``player''. The following subcommands are available.

help: Gives a list of commands available under this menu.
password %s: Changes your password to the string argument. You must issue a duplicate request to confirm the change (not on all servers).
ratings: Prints out your ratings. Since the client is often unaware of new ratings computation methods, this is the only way to really know what your ratings are.
rank: Prints out the requirements for the next rank. The client has a set of built-in rank statistics that sometimes do not match what the server has. To get the real scoop you have to either download the game parameters or use this command.

Information Submenu

All information requests start with the word information. To get a list of commands, send yourself the command ``information help''

shiptimer: Print a list of which ships have been destroyed and how long before a new one will be available.

League Commands

All league commands start with the word league. To get a list of commands, send yourself the command ``league help''

Commands available to the user include

help: Get a list of commands available under the league menu.
captain [%d]: if there is no numeric argument, or the argument is non-zero, and there's no captain already, you'll become captain. If the argument is zero and you are currently captain you will quit being captain.
time: Tells you how much time is left in league play.
information: Gives information about team names, empires and other configuration info.
maxplayer: Inquire about the maximum number of players per team.

There are extra commands available to the captain which allow him to configure the game.

pass: Pass the choice of empire to the other team.
start [%d]: Signify that this team is ready to start, unless the argument is present and zero, in which case you are not ready to start.
teamname %s: Set the name of your team.
time %d %d: Set the length of the game. The first parameter is regulation time, and the second is overtime. Both captains must agree to change the length of the game.
home %c: Force a teammate (the player specified by the argument) onto the home team. This only works if you are captain of the away team (Riker?).
away %c: Force a teammate onto the away team. This only works if you are captain of the home team.
fed
rom
kli
ori: Choose an empire for your team.
galaxy [%d]: Ask for a galaxy reset. If the argument is present and zero, then prevent a galaxy reset. Both captains must agree to reset the galaxy.
pause: Request a pause during the game. Both captains must agree to pause the game. If you decide you no longer want a pause, use the continue command to change your mind before the opposing captain pauses.
continue: Request that the game continue after a pause. Both captains must agree to continue the game.
maxplayer %d: Request a change in the maximum players per team. Both captains must agree to change the maxplayers.