Improved stability and dedicated server

On this particular issue: for me, reducing Preload Radius to minimum (100 I think?) helped immensely, along with disabling the page file in Windows. But my PC does sport an M.2 drive.

It's great that you found a workaround, but I don't think I'd consider a game which requires altering OS-level features such as a page-file to get going stable. That's just me though. Pre-load radius alterations are a pretty common suggestion to get things going I think, which is good that people can point to it and say "tweak this" and have results, but the page file shouldn't need to be touched by a video gamer IMO.

I'm curious as to your server specs and the internet throughput you're using while running your server with 40 people. Additionally how long you ran the mission for, and how complicated the mission itself is. Our server that sparked this thread is not running the simplest mission, but I wouldn't consider it insanely complicated either, and it seems to get bogged down after around 2.5 hours.

I only see 50 or so posts in this thread, some by the same people, I guess that is not a lot of people complaining about multiplayer either.

What a terrible observation. Did you purposely refuse to acknowledge the Hoggit thread with over 300 unique upvotes and almost 200 comments? You of all people should know 50+ posts and 5K views in a thread only just three days old is quite something in these forums and to shrug it off as "not a lot of people" is absurd. Perhaps if MP was much more stable the numbers would grow and reflect on that. Last year we lost an incredible server "Open Conflict" because of the stress involved with trying to get the server to run smoothly in this simulator and ultimately because of what seems like ED's refusal to acknowledge and address this issue. Let's not lose any more servers shall we? It's been 6? years since dedicated servers were first mentioned, why has absolutely nothing come out of it?

+1 Server stabillity is an issue for me. Yes it has gotten better, but there is still a long way to go.

Not only that but the netcode has three big broken features: Multicrew, Gazelle dev said their issues have to do with latency. 2. Slingloading, it has been causing issues in MP for a long time. 3. Moving ground units, same.

I will not comment on the ME side, but afaik it is very taxing for mission creators of big servers, to make engaging and stable missions.

Add on top of that client instabillity/bugs etc., and server admins&players cook their own meal of grief.

I only see 50 or so posts in this thread, some by the same people, I guess that is not a lot of people complaining about multiplayer either.

Most people probably gave up trying to convince you to sort this out long ago

Throw my name on the list of names of DCS players who want to see some improvement in the multiplayer server experience.

We know that this is a study sim and many players can't see past that in terms of a what the DCS experience could be. If you've played on some of the better MP servers like Dynamic DCS and 10rth, it quickly becomes apparent that DCS really shines in the Multiplayer world despite it not being optimized for that.

I think what the majority of players on multiplayer want , is simply some upgraded net code and performance tweaks. Also, let some of the server host have some access to an API so they can create better MP experiences, a la Drex's Dynamic DCS server.

If you only play single missions, you don't know what you are missing. If you only do "mission files" with a few friends, you still do not know what is really possible on a dynamically hosted server with access for all DCS players (with a decent ping).

If you really want to see this simulation pushed into a space where it really becomes a ground-breaking new experience with a chance to GROW its user base beyond the "Make-A-Module-Buy-A-Module" economy, you should all support these requests for better multiplayer support. I should add that all modules that I purchased have been with multiplayer experiences in mind.

Flight sims have been a solo experience for 30+ years and that's fine but online multi-player creates such a better, randomized, challenging environment when done well. This now exists.

And what's holding further development of this back, unfortunately , is the deafening silence from ED.

I only see 50 or so posts in this thread, some by the same people, I guess that is not a lot of people complaining about multiplayer either.

I LITERALLY don't have time to complain in this form, I need to work on DDCS code and lately you see it as the top multiplayer server day in and day out, I sell LOTS of modules, and I am pretty sure I can prove that MOST of the hours played in DCS is in fact multiplayer, want to trade metrics, I log everything! (people play 6-8 hours a day every day, I doubt ANYONE does this in single player),

How about taking my bug reports seriously for once, I think I know what I am talking about when I explain all the desync bugs, and I am PURPOSELY picking ONLY the desync bugs, I could fill the bug list up with 50+ backend DCS bugs with the API(events sending me null objects etc), desynced things, weird loading issues but I use my time better to give you guys a FOCUSED most painful group of bugs so you get that fixed first then move on to the next set, but I see NOTHING getting fixed on the desync front(which requires 2 computers to test the dataobjects), im tired of people moving large base groups on the map causing massive lag (its mostly new people that don't know any better, again ["uncontrolled"] flag does NOT work on clients when server has units spawned in with addGroup())

Bugs in question:

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=212793 https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=209552 https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=209551 https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=209554 https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=209553

I don't complain because its a waste of my time right now, I need a better dialog opened up to the ED devs, I am a dev myself, I code 6-8 hours a day on average, for this game, for over a year now(on top of 6 hours of coding at my day job), I am pledged to the cause, I really understand its quarks, and when my bug reports get ignored(reported != fixed) and not fixed for months at a time... it makes me think..

Yes, what you said COMPLETELY triggered me, lack of complaints is NOT a reason to not fix the game!

BTW, I really make DCS World shine, jump on my server sometime, especially when I get the second hardcore one up, I PROMISE you, you will have no desire to play single player ever again pretty much. I get DAILY comments like 'your saving the game', 'I wouldn't be playing DCS without your server', seriously, I need more support, I am a free resource that sells lots of modules for you guys......

Sincerely, I want to make this game better and help you guys, and I understand you might be short staffed, which would explain a lot.

Andrew Finegan

-Drex

It sure would be nice for them to work on fixing multiplayer one day. As far as I can remember this has been promised for years. Hopefully they actually do something about it now that we have a unified version with 2.5

I only see 50 or so posts in this thread, some by the same people, I guess that is not a lot of people complaining about multiplayer either.

Well, since ED seems to base whether or not it delivers a workable experience for those in the community dedicated enough to host servers based on the number of people who reply in a (to put it nicely) strictly moderated forum thread, I guess I'll chime in.

In lieu of an actual dynamic campaign, multiplayer is by far the most engaging, dynamic, and challenging environment to play DCS. There's so much potential for DCS here if people like Drex or the hoggit admins didn't have to spend hours a day just maintaining their servers and working around months-old bugs, let alone improving them. Of course you're going to have a lot on your plate, but online play often forces players to be sneaky, clever, and competent with their aircraft, and if properly supported would easily outshine the default singleplayer experience.

Even as I type this, there are 40 people connected to DDCS in the middle of a weekday, at least in NA. Routinely the server is filled in the evenings because the server can't handle more than 50 people online at once. There's a really strong case to be made that buggy multiplayer with obscene loading times and routine freezes after loading with a barebones lobby, briefing tab, map, communication, and GCI system in is the reason for your reportedly low percent of people who actually play online.

I only see 50 or so posts in this thread, some by the same people, I guess that is not a lot of people complaining about multiplayer either.

You really said this, did you? The amount of ignorance ED puts towards MP is puzzling. We live in 2018, and ED has buildt up a pretty solid reputation about banning people who complain about things in the forums.

Please open your ears towards those people who spend tons of hours developing multiplayer for DCS. Drex might not be the first who's done incredible stuff, but the effort and skill/knowledge he puts into this is one of a kind.

Crowdsourcing is real nowadays. Ignoring Multiplayer in Gameplay is just having your eyes closed, and the past few years that I've flown DCS I can only say: ED has grossly ignored Multiplayer as if it was a lesser sidekick of singleplayer. Have a look at what made money in Gaming the past decade. Hint, it's not singleplayer. People love to fly together, not alone.

I've said it before, my opinion has been flagged extreme but I stand to it. If you would improve Multiplayer you would see the numbers turn rapidly from SP to MP. It is just so much more engaging than flying alone. DCS excells in simulation and graphics. But as with every simulator the gameplay implementation is not worth mentioning and IMHO the biggest flaw DCS has, yet it gets the least attention.

I only see 50 or so posts in this thread, some by the same people, I guess that is not a lot of people complaining about multiplayer either.

There are some major issues with stability and performance on Mplayer servers, rubber banding still happens even on the best servers.

This is a combination of no dedicated servers, server authoritative lag compensation/security. I would add to drexx list as well that some core systems of how an aircraft is spawned is a horror for mission makers and Mplayer interface which is laggy as well.

Aircraft should be spawned from a list "AKA select airport > select aircraft > select load out" is a much more stream lined system. attach to it possible cost as well, cost for the armament as well further gives mission makers some really powerful options.

I think the Mplayer hosts and ED can have a talk, there is so much potential here.

Well, since ED seems to base whether or not it delivers a workable experience for those in the community dedicated enough to host servers based on the number of people who reply in a (to put it nicely) strictly moderated forum thread, I guess I'll chime in.

 

 

In lieu of an actual dynamic campaign, multiplayer is by far the most engaging, dynamic, and challenging environment to play DCS. There's so much potential for DCS here if people like Drex or the hoggit admins didn't have to spend hours a day just maintaining their servers and working around months-old bugs, let alone improving them. Of course you're going to have a lot on your plate, but online play often forces players to be sneaky, clever, and competent with their aircraft, and if properly supported would easily outshine the default singleplayer experience.

 

 

Even as I type this, there are 40 people connected to DDCS in the middle of a weekday, at least in NA. Routinely the server is filled in the evenings because the server can't handle more than 50 people online at once. There's a really strong case to be made that buggy multiplayer with obscene loading times and routine freezes after loading with a barebones lobby, briefing tab, map, communication, and GCI system in is the reason for your reportedly low percent of people who actually play online.

And that said, drex is literally just scratching the surface of what can be possible. Really all we are longing for is some commitment by ED, instead of having their community managers say not enough people complain about it, yet ban them if they loose contenance and then get replies like these. Sorry Nineline, I am still puzzled by the words you chose. They are so descriptive about how we feel about how ED stands towards Multiplayer.

This is a general complaint about the situation that in 2018 we have a single threaded game engine that requires graphics capability to run a server.

Business Intelligence delivered right to your doorstep.

I only see 50 or so posts in this thread, some by the same people, I guess that is not a lot of people complaining about multiplayer either.

I am a somewhat new player but I have to say seeing this kind of a response from a community manager does not really encourage me to put more money into modules.

You see, I used to play a lot of Single Player Flight Sims. A lot. I daresay DCS is my first venture in flying Multiplayer - and I got kinda hooked. Partially it was due to a lack of content, first and foremost it was due to the helpful community who came with suggestions, flew missions and designed scenarios where I could jump in for a fun fight.

Do please take these considerations seriously, especially when you do not even have to design the actual missions or dynamic experiences - just make sure I can change plane without crashing and that my mates are still there after 30 minutes flying to a waypoint.

MP works fine for me most of the time. But that's because I only play on a couple servers using missions that have been meticulously groomed to avoid game breaking issues.

It would certainly be nice if we could do more in mission making without it causing warp, lag, etc.

It would also be nice to know ED is working on this, public outrage or not.

And that said, drex is literally just scratching the surface of what can be possible. Really all we are longing for is some commitment by ED

I agree completely. MP could be so much better than it already is, and if people like him were put in a position by ED to actually use their time, skill, and passion to create rather than work around dozens of bugs it'd be a sight to behold.

I agree completely. MP could be so much better than it already is, and if people like him were put in a position by ED to actually use their time, skill, and passion to create rather than work around dozens of bugs it'd be a sight to behold.

Amen!

Please Nineline, I've invited BIGNEWY as well, come to the dynamic DCS server, play a few hours with us. Experience why we think MP needs improvement, and why the work Drex puts into this is unpayable for ED and DCS. Don't just join for 15 minutes, spend a solid evening, and you will understand why MP is so different to SP.

Right now, only ~160 people play MP publicly. That's not "a lot of people".

That's because we have OpenBeta and stable, some people use OB some use stable. So it's spread out between these two.

Some weeks ago I was talking to NineLine and I showed him a screenshot of the MP list where you could see 700+ people online, the hosters were included but the actual players were in the order of 450-600 players online. But I can see 350+ people online quite easily.

DCS is in fact growing and that makes me extremely happy.

However, the MP problems are in fact a thing, they do exist and there are a few...

I suffer a lot from MP issues and I simply GOT TIRED of complaining and explaining how difficult MP really is. So I just don't post anything.

Right now I see 465.

Yeah have absolutely no clue why ED is not actively invested into things like DDCS or Blue Flag. These sort of servers are directly responsible for selling modules and maps.

Currently multiplayer stability/performance feels like its barely keeping itself together at best, often being responsible for straight up ruining the MP experience. People like Drexx are working magic with the game, making it do things most people had no idea it could.

Supporting them more, giving them a more direct line to ED or anything, can only be good for the game.

I only see 50 or so posts in this thread, some by the same people, I guess that is not a lot of people complaining about multiplayer either.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

@Vitormouraa

This is not topic, we can open new topic to discuss this but:

Since today, both open beta and stable are same.

There are no 465 public players there. You need to subtract number of servers and locked servers.

Right now I see ~300 public players.

"Originally Posted by NineLine View Post

I only see 50 or so posts in this thread, some by the same people, I guess that is not a lot of people complaining about multiplayer either."

So i just saw this post and had to make my first post to forums....WOW just WOW

Nineline your logic is backwards... there are alot more possible reasons for more people not posting and it doesnt mean that it's cause multiplayer isnt popular... Striking how a company doesnt even understand how their consumers use and enjoy the product.... pls pls pls get with it and enter the 21st century, it would benefit us all; you as a company in increased users/players and thus profits... and us players with something fresh everyday instead of stale reptitive sh&t

only thing i and most of my friend use single player is to learn the module or get repititions for practice, so i can go PLAY in multiplayer

sincerely GrumpyFinn

@Vitormouraa

This is not topic, we can open new topic to discuss this but:

Since today, both open beta and stable are same.

 

There are no 465 public players there. You need to subtract number of servers and locked servers.

 

Right now I see ~300 public players.

Roger. But you get it, there are quite a bit of people playing DCS, sometimes not a whole lot but sometimes there are a couple of hundreds of players.

MP needs a re-work since forever. Is it so hard to see?

It’s kind of insulting to be treated as a lunatic by a “moderator”.

You pay for their products, but have no right to complain when something is unfinished. Pure malarkey.

I only see 50 or so posts in this thread, some by the same people, I guess that is not a lot of people complaining about multiplayer either.

A lot of us do our best not to constantly b*tch and moan to you guys, because we know you get enough of it, but since you're apparently asking for it here...I'll weigh in.

Add one to be count of people who see a glaring need for drastic improvement in MP stability. I'll spare you the long winded details, etc, as I am sure others will have covered my complaints previously...but I haven't seen any "complaints" that I didn't agree with.

Is it me or do I think this thread will blow up soon?

Look I want ED to work on the Online part of the game like the rest of everyone here. But please guys tone it down. Try to keep this constructive and help ED on what people would like to see. Maybe have like a Post where someone takes everyone who has a valid point and put it on the first post with some type of organization.

Ranting and bashing ED and members opinions about the online portion is not the right way to handle this. Constructive post pointing out issues and ideas goes a long way.