How to Make a Desktop Link to the Server

I did this after someone suggested it on a problem forum which i can't find anymore. Sorry, i can't remember who suggested it.

Anyway, this is a simple guide to making a desktop shortcut to the Disastrous Consequences server without having to go through all the menus or even linking from the website.

Simply RIGHT CLICK the link below and select 'Copy Shortcut'.
ut2004://disastrousconsequences.com/
Close or Minimize this window to show your desktop, RIGHT CLICK again anywhere on your desktop and select 'Paste Shortcut'. An unreal icon will appear but it will have no text under it.
To name it, simply right click the icon select 'Rename' and call it whatever you want ('Disastrous Consequences' would be advisable).
Also you can change the look of the icon. Just right click it and select 'Properties'. Then click 'Change Icon...'. Click 'Browse...' and look in the 'Help' file in your 'UT2004' directory. Although you only have the choice of the blue and green unreal icons, I'm sure there are others somewhere.

So when you feel like playing, just double click your new icon and it will take you straight into the server without you having to go through the menus if you opened up UT2004 normally.

Here is what mine looks like:

Enjoy.

Hey thanks for the hook up.

Cool!!

wow.. there's useful information in the forums now.

What has the world gotten to?

Why does my computer refuse to let me do anything helpful to it?
- It wont let me paste it onto the desktop and i tired in a couple of browsers geuss ill stick to the old way

dip42 wrote:

Why does my computer refuse to let me do anything helpful to it?
- It wont let me paste it onto the desktop and i tired in a couple of browsers geuss ill stick to the old way

Try it this way instead...

Right Click the desktop and select New -> Shortcut
then when the box asks for location type
UT2004://disastrousconsequences.com/
then click next, give it a name and finish.

That should work.

I use Mozilla Firefox so i dont get the same menu when i right click, but i can simply click and drag the link to the desktop to make a shortcut, of course the problem here is that I have no idea if the game is full, so i prefer to go to the website first anyway

i use the same thing an i did what the guy said in the post b4 you,
-I did it and it works kinda, everytime i click it it loads up but it always says the servers full even it thiers like 5 people in it

Ok, I followed these instructions on my PC at work and created the shortcut no problem.

My home PC however is having none of it

I get an error message stating:

"Application Not Found"

I click ok and...

"Internet Explorer cannot open this helper application for UT2004:// etc etc

The protocol in this address is not valid make sure the address is correct, and try again"

I've tried various methods to create a shortcut e.g copy + paste and right click desktop and select "New" and create a shortcut maunally but I get the same error.

Could it have anything to do with the game being installed on an external HHD?

Any assistance in beating those pesky windas errors would be apprecaited.

MD

MeanDevil wrote:

Ok, I followed these instructions on my PC at work and created the shortcut no problem.

My home PC however is having none of it

I get an error message stating:

"Application Not Found"

I click ok and...

"Internet Explorer cannot open this helper application for UT2004:// etc etc

The protocol in this address is not valid make sure the address is correct, and try again"

I've tried various methods to create a shortcut e.g copy + paste and right click desktop and select "New" and create a shortcut maunally but I get the same error.

Could it have anything to do with the game being installed on an external HHD?

Any assistance in beating those pesky windas errors would be apprecaited.

MD

It might be the external HD. With UT99, you could run it by just copying the entire directory from one computer to another and not run the setup. Did you install it on your primary HD and then move it to the External HD? I don't know if this is the case for 2k4, but if that's what you did then file type registrations and helpers wouldn't be registered, or your comp is looking for them in the old location. Are you using netscape or mozilla at home?

You can also drag the link to the desktop...

Well, it works in a way - it makes me a spectator.

Any clues as to how I could get it to pop me into the server?

I posted this in another thread, looked for a few minutes and found it:

To fix the "always joining spectator" bug from your desktop, open up your User.ini file (in System folder) and change the option "SpectatorOnly" to "0" instead of "1".

However, if you click on the "spectate" button ingame, know that it will change that value back to "1" and you will need to change it back to "0".

Thanks for your assistance.

I installed UT2004 directly to the external HHD which is configured to work as an extra drive letter from my PC. I have many games/programs installed and running from this drive without problems.

I have tried copying across the UT2004 directoy onto the drive that holds my system files but I get the same error.

I am running Microsofts Explorer, which won't let me drag and drop the "enter the game" link so can't try that.

I appreciate your advice but perhaps it's more trouble that it's worth!

MeanDevil wrote:

Thanks for your assistance.

I installed UT2004 directly to the external HHD which is configured to work as an extra drive letter from my PC. I have many games/programs installed and running from this drive without problems.

I have tried copying across the UT2004 directoy onto the drive that holds my system files but I get the same error.

I am running Microsofts Explorer, which won't let me drag and drop the "enter the game" link so can't try that.

I appreciate your advice but perhaps it's more trouble that it's worth!

Try it like this as your shortcut path:

C:\UT2004\System\ut2004.exe 208.186.100.30:7777

Change the drive letter, of course. This calls the app and provides it with an argument (the dc server). I do this when file associations get busted.