GameMaster.xml & CtlCode

Making someone a Game Master involves two independent switches. They do different things, neither implies the other, and mixing them up is the usual cause of "my GM has no commands" or "my GM cannot use skills".

Switch	Where	What it grants
`Level` in `GameMaster.xml`	Config file, GameServer	Permission to run slash commands
`CtlCode` on the character row	`Character` table, database	In-game GM status: aura, monster immunity, trade unlock, name colour

File Location#

Data/Util/GameMaster.xml

Loaded at GameServer startup. /reload util reloads it without a restart, and the new GM list applies at once, even to characters already online. With no GM set up yet, use reload.util in the Server Manager's Commands tab (or the GameServer window's Reload menu) instead.

Schema#

<GameMasterList>
    <GameMaster Account="admin" Character="Qubit_ADM" Level="32" />
</GameMasterList>

Attribute	Type	Effect
`Account`	string, max 10 chars	Account name as stored in `MEMB_INFO`. Must match the character's owner
`Character`	string, max 10 chars	Character name under that account
`Level`	byte (0-255)	GM command level. Higher = more privilege

Entries are keyed internally by Character name - listing the same character twice keeps only the first row. An entry whose Account or Character exceeds 10 characters is skipped with a red log line instead of loading.

What Level actually means#

Level is an arbitrary number with no hard-coded tiers. The only rule the GameServer applies is:

the character's stored Level must be greater than or equal to the GameMaster= attribute of the command being run (Command.xml).

The value 32 in the shipped file is a convention, not a bitmask, and has nothing to do with CtlCode = 32 despite looking identical.

Level	Typical role
`0`	Not a GM - entry is effectively disabled
`1`	Event host / helper commands (all built-in event commands gate on `>= 1`)
`32`	Full admin - the level used by the stock command gates in Command.xml

Commands whose GameMaster= is 0 or missing are available to every player.

Character.CtlCode#

Character.CtlCode is a tinyint bitmask column, default 0. The DataServer only ever reads it (the single writer is the WZ_DesblocAccount stored procedure, which clears CtlCode = 1 once a block expires), so it is safe to edit by hand or with the AXIOM Editor. It is read when the character enters the game - relog to apply.

Value	Name	Effect
`0`	Normal	Ordinary player
`1`	Character blocked	GameServer drops the connection when the character enters. Character select shows it as blocked. Auto-cleared by `WZ_DesblocAccount` when `bloc_expire` passes
`2`	Item block	Cannot pick up, drop or move items (inventory, trade, warehouse). Character select warns about it
`4`	For TV	Client-only spectator camera mode
`8`	Observer GM	GameServer `Authority = 2`: monsters ignore the character. Client marks it a non-attacking GM - all attacks and all targeted skills are refused client-side
`16`	Account item block	Same restriction as `2`
`32`	GM	GameServer `Authority = 32`: GM aura effect, GM ring support, monsters ignore the character, trade-block bypass, immunity to some player skills, hidden from viewport while invisible. Attacks and skills work normally
`128`	Manager move char	Client-only marker in the character info balloon

Bits combine, but the two GM bits do not: Authority is assigned, not accumulated, and 32 wins over 8 when both are set.

The Two Switches Together#

GameMaster.xml	CtlCode	Result
Not listed	`0`	Ordinary player
`Level="32"`	`0`	All slash commands work. No GM aura, no monster immunity, no trade unlock - looks and plays like a normal character
Not listed	`32`	GM status, aura and immunities - but no slash command with `GameMaster>=1` works. Entering the game registers the character at GM level `0`
`Level="32"`	`32`	Full GM. This is the correct setup
`Level="32"`	`8`	Commands work, GM status is the observer kind - cannot attack or cast

Cross-File Dependencies#

Attribute	Related in
`Account`	Must exist in the JoinServer / DataServer `MEMB_INFO` table
`Character`	Must belong to that account
Per-command GM gate	Command.xml `GameMaster=` attribute
Command tuning and cooldowns	Command.dat
Name-creation word filter	DataServer BadSyntax.txt

Common Issues#

GM cannot use any skills or attack - CtlCode is 8 (or 4). Set it to 32 and relog
GM has no commands - only CtlCode was set. Commands come exclusively from GameMaster.xml; add the account/character pair and run reload.util in the Server Manager (or /reload util as another GM)
GM has commands but no aura/immunity - only GameMaster.xml was set. Set CtlCode = 32 on the character row and relog
Command still denied after editing the XML - Level is below the command's GameMaster= value, the Account does not match the character's real owner, or the file was not reloaded yet. Run /reload util (or reload.util in the Server Manager)
Character cannot log in at all - CtlCode bit 1 is set
Character cannot touch items - CtlCode bit 2 or 16 is set
Duplicate character names - only the first entry for a given character name is stored, even across accounts
Test GMs shipped to production - v1.0.7 ships an empty GameMasterList. If you inherited an older file, strip its stock admin / test rows before release