Tomcat My current project is not about revelations and discoveries, and was intended primarily to try to practice working together and storing work. Well, a negative result, in a way, is also a result.

If your current project is collaborative in nature and you already have another party as partner, perhaps they can get and provide the version control and data mirroring.

    xyz Makes me wonder how the hell all them games got made prior to existence of online code versioning services.

    Perforce isn't exactly new and many larger studios likely run their own custom infrastructure for central data management and version control. And probably always have.

    • xyz replied to this.

      Megalomaniak If your current project is collaborative in nature and you already have another party as partner, perhaps they can get and provide the version control and data mirroring.

      Unfortunately, the “another party” has the same problems I have… only on a larger scale.

      SnapCracklins and then one day ms shuts down gh for no reason 😃

      just bite the bullet man, self host, create a vpn so that the only port open on your network is the vpn, add your collaborators, to the vpn and the rest is history.. or just forward the git/forgejo instance port and bypass the vpn stuff..

        Megalomaniak I was sarcastic there. The whole "problem" presented in this thread boils down to insisting on biting more than one can chew and then complaining about it. It's one of the most common forms of self sabotage.

        @Tomcat Curb your ambitions and start with a smaller project, one that won't give you reasons to complain a lot... if you want to finish it, that is. Adapt to what's available.

        If you think there's no adequate versioning service out there that's affordable or good enough, get a web hosting package for dozen bucks a year and install whatever you think you need. You could have already installed "limitless" capacity git and a wiki hundred times over since this "discussion" started. But somehow I suspect you'll now proceed to complain that web hosting is not available in your country 😃

          It ultimately always boils down to: what is available and what are your limitations. If one of your limitations is that you cannot upload/store big files on let's say GitHub then that's what it is. Accept and deal with it.

          Creativity flourishes under limitations so try to find a way to work around this problem. 3D models too big? Use simpler models and lower res textures. Or make it 2D. Or procedually generate some of your assets while the game is running. Try to find an art style that goes well with your technical limitations.

          Point is: You can find some way to work around these issues that still let's you and other people work comfortably on your project.

            xyz get a web hosting package for dozen bucks a year

            But somehow I suspect you'll now proceed to complain that web hosting is not available in your country

            Surprisingly, why should it be? No complaints, just objective fact:

            In order to pay the $10 hosting fee, I have to go to another country (the list of which is very limited). To do this, I need to:

            1. get a visa (this is a separate quest);
            2. use an airplane — with such distances — no options.
              And our airplanes are now flying without service because of sanctions. There have not been too many casualties yet, but problems arise regularly.

            So this is turning into a fascinating but rather risky adventure.

            It looks about the same as suggesting you put wons (you know that currency?) into an account in North Korea or rials in Iran.

            I will say a simple thing, but which I fear will be quite difficult for many to understand:

            Not everything can be measured in money.

            • xyz replied to this.

              Toxe Creativity flourishes under limitations

              Practice does not support this dictum. Have you heard much about the flowering of creativity in Russia over the last… well, let's say 100 years?

                Tomcat can you not tor your way into clearnet and buy what you need/want?

                I mean tor is pretty safe because of this reason that you hop throigh multiples of machines before you end up at the destination..

                But like i said, self host. it seems you got no other options, i just dont understand why you so reluctant? Its not like you hosting illegal stuff? or are you planning to?

                  Tomcat Bullshit. Buy web hosting from a local provider in your country.

                    kuligs2 I mean tor is pretty safe

                    Tor is still working, although they tried to block it. It didn't work, but they slowed it down considerably. I can jump over, but how to transfer money is a big question.

                    i just dont understand why you so reluctant?

                    "Why, Mr. Anderson, why? Why, why do you do it? Why, why get up? Why keep fighting?"

                    Its not like you hosting illegal stuff? or are you planning to?

                    Yep, of course. The Sims is banned in my country, and I'm going to make an alternative.

                    Our police and secret service have a saying: "If you're not in jail, it's not your achievement, it's our failure." It is better not to speculate about lawbreaking in other countries. Especially without knowing their specifics.

                    In a crisis of lawfulness, legality is worthless and is not a source of legitimization.

                    xyz Buy web hosting from a local provider in your country.

                    This is very unreliable. It can be blocked:

                    1. Access from outside. They are now training to disconnect Russia from the world wide web.
                    2. The ISP itself, if the state regulator doesn't like it. There's no telling who or what they might dislike.

                    "Unreliable" is a very mild formulation.

                    I need to maintain access from freer countries.

                    Just wondering, if you ask ChatGPT about "the rules of doing business in Russia", will he formulate the "first rule" correctly?

                    Actually, despite all the problems, the work is progressing. I would just like to make it easier and faster.

                      Tomcat do you need this for work? like you share files with the team and once its done, you dont need it anymore?

                      Is the team local - the same origin country or international?

                      If yes, then you could like i keep saying, host the git instance locally on your hardware, computer AND use vpn WIREGUARD that is locally hosted on your hw, to let other people access YOUR lan git instance. All you would need is to open a wireguard port, it can be any port.

                      Clients will run wireguard application that connects to your server and have access to lan/git instance.

                      If international, then you will have to ask one of the team members to set up vps or something..

                        Tomcat This is very unreliable. It can be blocked:

                        Why stop there? Go for the ultimate excuse: Everything can collapse at any time so why bother with anything.

                          kuligs2 do you need this for work? like you share files with the team

                          Yes. Including.

                          and once its done, you dont need it anymore?

                          No. Needs.

                          This project can be developed almost indefinitely (as additions to The Sims 3–4) and would like to keep access to those who want to develop it further, if we, for some reason can not do it.

                          Is the team local - the same origin country or international?

                          We're not limited to one country.

                          If yes, then you could like i keep saying, host the git instance locally on your hardware, computer

                          I have already written why this option is not very suitable now. But the project needs its own server and this issue is being considered, probably will be later.

                          If international, then you will have to ask one of the team members to set up vps or something..

                          If someone joins from abroad, this option will be discussed.

                          Now we decided to try bitbucket, since it is "a bit better than github", it might be suitable. If it doesn't work, we'll take a look at HelixDAM. Now we are working with exchanges , without VCS, like in the stone age. It's not very convenient, but we manage somehow.

                          xyz Go for the ultimate excuse:

                          What requires an excuse? However, this question can be considered rhetorical and does not require an answer. I have the impression that you have made up something for yourself and based on your fantasies (incorrect assumptions) you have created a completely wrong idea of the current situation.

                          so why bother with anything.

                          Of course, there is no need to bother about anything. The main thing is that you do not bother. Thank you for your attention to the topic and for the time spent on your answers!

                          • xyz replied to this.

                            Tomcat Now we decided to try bitbucket, since it is "a bit better than github", it might be suitable. If it doesn't work, we'll take a look at HelixDAM

                            Somehow I doubt any of them will be "good enough". Don't forget to add those to the poll.

                            4 days later

                            Blocked registration of new accounts in Atlassian (Bitbucket) from Russia.

                            "Due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine".

                            What if I'm Ukrainian? Should I show them my documents?

                            We support Ukraine

                            Well, I support it too. And in a more productive way.

                            Now we are deciding whether to try to register via Tor or VPN or try GitLab. Unless, of course, GitLab doesn't have the same crap.

                              You're gonna laugh. But we've got that site blocked, too. Opened it through Tor, looks interesting. We'll look into it.

                              The most frustrating thing is that I have a free computer suitable as a normal server. Do you happen to know if the server can be controlled by phone: on/off, reboot by sms?

                                Tomcat why do you want sms? 😃 jihad style...

                                Look, im sure you can have mobile data (internet), maybe you already have. So why dont you do wake-on-lan? This can be done only on lan, meaning the machine that sends this command needs to be on lan network with other devices.

                                So, all you need to do is create VPN to your home network, using wireguard. put wireguard app on your phone, flick a switch and youre connected to your lan from any network. 🙂..

                                I have a setup like this. Some routers have built in software -wakeonlan so that you only need to conenct to your router which is already facing the public network..

                                I dont know how to do it by sms but im sure there are ways, but sms could be blocked with them drone blockers that they use these days.. whole region could be under interference.. so im not sure that its reliable.. optical network which most of modern networks are made of are more reliable.. but not certain..

                                I dont get it why dont you use wireguard? it is self hostable application that inly needs one port to be open, and you can conenct to your network from outside networks... it has client apps for phones, windows, linux, mac..

                                Right now im playing with home assistant, where you can control your home from the webui. In there you can add integration/addon - wakeonlan, and then create button in the webui to trigger that. Its more handy than trying to ssh into the server and type out the mac address in the terminal on the phone D:

                                  Tomcat Do you happen to know if the server can be controlled by phone: on/off, reboot by sms?

                                  I answer myself: you can, but it's hemorrhoidal (pain in the ass).
                                  Controlling the server via SMS

                                  kuligs2 why do you want sms?

                                  Does your computer never hang? And if there is a power outage, such that UPS will not pull out? How to turn on the server? You've never had this happen before?

                                  jihad style...

                                  This is the way it is in Russia.

                                  Look, im sure you can have mobile data (internet), maybe you already have.

                                  The problem in communicating with people is that people very often believe in the existence of what does not exist or do not believe in reality (this is the reason not to discuss religion and politics — can collapse the picture of the world created in the imagination and will be very uncomfortable).

                                  Nope! There may not be access! And will need to remotely turn on or reboot the server after a hang-up (freeze) or power outage.

                                  So why dont you do wake-on-lan?

                                  Turning on via LAN seems to be possible (my motherboards support it), but then a static IP is needed? And it won't help with rebooting.

                                  put wireguard app on your phone

                                  I have a button phone with a walkie-talkie. It is impossible to install any programs on it.