The TetriNET protocol specifies the following message types for communication sent from the client to the server it is connected to:

(Note: “local player” is a convention referring to the user of the client sending the message.)

see logging in to a server

team <number> <team name>

Sent to the server immediately after the local player’s player number is received. Identifies the name of the team the local player plays for.

arguments	type	values	meaning
number	integer	1 – 6	the local player’s player number
team name	string		the name of the local player’s team

clientinfo <client name> <client version>

(Optional; not part of the protocol)

Used to send the name and version of the client application to the server. Not all servers will accept this message—those that do will request it by sending a Client Info Request (see tetrinet protocol: server-to-client messages.)

arguments	type	values	meaning
client name	string		the name of the client application (e.g., “iTetrinet”)
client version	string		the client application’s version number, as a string (e.g., “1.0.0”)

pline <sendernum> <message>

Used to send partyline chat messages from the local player to the other players on the server. This message is usually echoed to all other connected clients, but many servers support the use of slash commands, (such as /list or /whisper) which are handled by the server and not echoed. Note that /me is not a server-side slash command; see “Partyline Chat Action,” below.

arguments	type	values	meaning
sendernum	integer	1 – 6	the local player’s player number
message	string		the contents of the message to send. may contain formatting characters

plineact <sendernum> <action>

Used to send partyline actions (messages beginning with /me, also known as emotes) from the local player to the other players on the server. These messages should not contain the /me token.

arguments	type	values	meaning
sendernum	integer	1 – 6	the local player’s player number
message	string		the message contents following the /me token

gmsg <message>

Used to send a game message (i.e., a message entered in the chat field underneath the gameplay areas) from the local player to the other players on the server. Note that this message does not contain the local player’s player number, and, as a result, the receiving client does not know from whom it came. It is recommended that clients append the local player’s nickname to the front of the message contents before sending it.

arguments	type	values	meaning
message	string		the contents of the chat message, perhaps with the local player’s nickname appended in front

startgame <state> <playernum>

Used to start a new game, or stop a game in progress. Servers will only respond to this message if it is sent by the channel operator, i.e., the connected player with the smallest player number.

arguments	type	values	meaning
state	boolean	1 or 0	indicates whether the game should be started or stopped: 1 signifies “start game,” 0 signifies “stop game”
playernum	integer	1 – 6	the local player’s player number; must be the smallest player number among players in the server for this message to work

See field updates

lvl <playernum> <levelnum>

Sent when the local player reaches a higher level in the game, which occurs when the local player completes a certain number of lines, specified in the new game rules string at the beginning of the game.

arguments	type	values	meaning
playernum	integer	1 – 6	the local player’s player number
levelnum	integer		the local player’s new game level

sb <targetnum> <specialtype> <sendernum>

Sent when the local player uses a special on another player.

arguments	type	values	meaning
targetnum	integer	1 – 6	the player chosen by the local player to receive the special
specialtype	char	a, b, c, g, n, o, q, r, or s	the type of special used (see special blocks)
sendernum	integer	1 – 6	the local player’s player number

sb 0 cs<numlines> <sendernum>

(A minor variation of the “Send Special” message, above.)

Sent when the local player completes multiple lines simultaneously in a game with “classic mode” enabled, (see new game rules string) triggering a classic-style add. The targetnum field of the message should always be 0, since classic-style adds affect all players except the sender.

arguments	type	values	meaning
numlines	char	1, 2, or 4	the number of lines added to other players’ fields; see classic-style adds
sendernum	integer	1 – 6	the local player’s player number

playerlost <playernum>

Sent when the local player loses the game; i.e., when his or her field is full to the point that the next block cannot be moved onto it.

Implementation note: some servers (Jetrix for instance) expect the client to send a randomly-filled “death field” (via a field update message) after the player loses, but before sending the “player lost” message.

arguments	type	values	meaning
playernum	integer	1 – 6	the local player’s player number

pause <state> <playernum>

Used to pause or resume a game in progress. Like the Start/Stop Game message, servers will only respond to this message if it is sent by the channel operator.

arguments	type	values	meaning
state	boolean	1 or 0	indicates whether the game should be paused or resumed: 1 signifies “pause,” 0 signifies “resume”
playernum	integer	1 – 6	the local player’s player number; must be the smallest player number among players in the server for this message to work