Jump to content

Improved stability and dedicated server


jers

Recommended Posts

Even if you are not trying to host a large MP server this applies to us that like to fly with a few friends. In other words anything more than SP.

 

These problems affect servers with just 2-3 players on them too. And I'm talking the most basic of issues never mind lag and such.

 

I think it is time for ED to give some serious time in fixing these issues after finishing adding cows to the game.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Claiming that multiplayer isn't popular when netcode, stability, and lack of dedicated servers all but ensure that's true seems like a classic case of self-fulfilling prophecy.

 

Most of us don't want to be using our limited free time reporting already-existing bugs or issues just to bump threads. Fixing things that are clearly broken shouldn't require a popularity contest first.

 

As someone who has taken a break from public multiplayer servers for reasons related to these issues, I implore you guys to give the issue due diligence.


Edited by ChickenSim
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Multiplayer in DCS is a big deal and it's nothing to scoff at.

 

 

I started a "dynamic mission" project about two years ago. I came to the conclusion that I felt that DCS was a gorgeous and very powerful simulator but lacked dynamic mission content.

 

 

 

I stepped away from DCS for almost a year to play other combat simulator games with amazing mission/scenario depth and I was determined to bring good gameplay to DCS with my TTI project.

 

 

I'm putting it out there that I'm no master programmer or did anything like that for a living. Sure, I do get to hang with devs/programmers all day everyday since I am involved in the gaming industry (audio) but I don't touch code.

 

 

I started literally from the bottom, watching ME tutorial videos and from there after months of trial and error, I created an open-world sandbox "RPG" style singleplayer experience that allowed players to choose their own aircraft and missions inside a single mission without switching miz files.

 

 

I learned a lot about scripting lua and a lot about scripting within the DCS engine.

 

 

 

I had seen that we had almost 20,000 downloads for these missions on ED User files, and decided to step into the world of MP.

 

 

Myself being a SP only guy, decided to take a "PvE only" (vs AI) approach and now we're up there with DDCS, Blueflag and 104th being the one of the most popular PvE only with some others.

 

 

With our logs, community discord, website and all that we have for our playerbase, we see almost 500 unique players on our server every month, maybe even more total, but we have a lot of data to show that even in our server alone MP is nothing to scoff at. Heh, we've even seen some of you ED guys on here having fun :)

 

 

 

That being said PvE is a different game when it comes to server scripting and stability. The missions have to be very dynamic, and have to handle a server with over 30+ clients on the SAME SIDE. We have to ensure there is enough to do for all airframe types and to ensure good gameplay balance along with keeping things fresh, fun and unpredictable. Sure if a PvP server has 50 clients, it's evenly spread out through red vs blue, but on PvE with 50 clients, well they're all on blue so highly dynamic missions and scripting everything to balance gameplay is a lot of work.

 

 

 

Through a year of surveying our players, logging stats and thousands of hair-pulling hours working through bugs, workarounds, fixing performance I can see why many successful server owners pulled out of the game soon before 2.5...

 

 

I'm 100% with Drexx; I can spend 4-8 hours per day working on scripting for our PvE server, I do need to get on top of the reporting bugs game more, but I've been so busy and concentrated on managing our server and community. I wholeheartedly believe that there is a huge majority of people that wouldn't play DCS unless great MP servers are available to them.

 

 

The kind of things we've had to hack together to get a stable server up and running is kind of insane;

 

- Powerful Gaming PC (better than most of our players' PCs lol..)

- Many changes to Windows REGISTRY

- Many script edits to start DCS into MP

- Server Admin tools (ban, log, auto-ban/kick)

- Automation scripts**

 

** Yeah so, we found that if a server starts up, and clients connect during load, it will usually crash so we have automation scripts that do the following:

 

-Start DCS MP Server Startup Procedure

-Block DCS Port/Internet Connection

-Start DCS into MP automatically

-Wait for mission to load

-Unblock DCS Port/Internet Connection

-Wait 6 hours (server life cycle)

-Close DCS automatically

-Shut down PC -------- (A restart is the only way we've seen FULL 6h cycles on our server without any hangs/crashes)

-Start PC

-Start DCS MP Server Startup Procedure again

 

 

Oof. Yeah it's kind of insane. This really should be more simple, but we love DCS and playing with others so we do it. It's really getting to the point that the MP community and server owners need to step up and let ED know that we're nothing to look over right now.

 

 

I've seen many people REALLY get into DCS through MP... and running PvE only through the year has really helped bridge the gap from SP to MP... Every other community member of ours always says that we really help people move on from SP and start getting more into MP and getting more modules as well.

 

 

I just wanted to come in here and say my peace. I think ED does do a good job at what they do, but we really need some attention to multiplayer, I hope they see that now.

 

 

Thanks to everyone in here voicing their concerns and thoughts.

  • Like 1

"Through The Inferno"

Endless, Dynamic, Open-World Experience for DCS World
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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, I haven't posted anything in years, pretty much since I only played SP. Since then I've moved to the a Discord with a bunch of like-minded people, and we all play multiplayer together. Or at least we try to. Our server owners and managers deserve the utmost praise for what they try to do, and sacrifice a lot of time and money into a hobby, a video game.

 

For you to just write off our concerns, because there wasn't enough attention to it in the thread (at the time of your writing) is absurd. Add my name to the list of people complaining about multiplayer, because we don't see any effort on your (Eagle Dynamics) part to fix it

 

Ban me, I don't care. I haven't bought any new modules or maps since the Harrier anyways, because I don't want to have to fight the netcode and multiplayer issues to have fun with my friends. Consumers vote with their wallets, and I'm sure everyone here in this thread is starting to get a little tired of our concerns being ignored and written off.

"Would you say we'd be venturing into a "Zone of Danger?"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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 just don't enjoy spending time on a forum to complain about every single aspect of the game that is broken or could be improved, that's it. We'd rather be playing than complaining. Specially when there's only, multiple complaints about every feature around, and it doesn't seem that complaining helps fixing them at all, since many of those complaints are the same in years.

 

@Drexx has a 100% valid point in one thing he said. We shouldn't need to complain. The 50 people that do, are speaking for the other 5000 that aren't doing that, because they just want to play a game, not be angry about it.

 

But yes stability is a real issue. Lots of freezing, stuttering, servers crashing due to bugs that are 1 year old etc.

 

On this topic, I can't say a dedicated server would do much for me at the moment, as I don't host any servers, I just play on them. But if "improved stability and dedicated server" are the features that are going to make my experience as a player better, I'm here to support it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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 good company should be able to satisify all its customers and make them happy so that they would continue dealing with that company, but the way u as a community manager are speaking, u mean that these stuff aren't important for u at all, I don't think that a community manager should have such an attitude, u must support us and try to fix any problem that we are facing or u will lose all ur customers.

 

 

U should support people like drex cause they both benefit u (ED) and us (the players), I am sure that most of the PG map sales that u had these days was just because of people willing to play MP on drex's new server, which means more profit for u.

 

 

Most of the gaming companies these days have got modern stuff and not the MP systems of the 90s, if u want to increase ur player base then u have to follow the interests of ur players and "at least" try to providetheir needs.

I can't understand how can people play against an AI all the time and not get bored, it is impossible and Idk from where did u get those statics that 95% of the players play SP.

 

 

Plz get open minded and rethink about the MP system that u have right now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

ED, you're seriously going to regret this moment 10 years down the line when your most loyal customers have completely abandoned you for your lack of care and consideration.

Add me to the complaint list. I'm sick of watching this beautiful multiplayer community slowly die in a never ending fight for survival. Your company is more concerned about adding cows into the game than listening to the unceasing complaints of your user base. What an absolute, pathetic joke of a company.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

MP needs to be modernized and polished. There are many core issues with DCS and they need to be fixed. To be brushed aside as people spend hundreds of dollars on a product is disheartening.

 

Fix the core, fix the MP.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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 own several SP campaigns, and I almost *exclusively* play MP. You're using a forum thread nestled 3 levels deep as a basis for gathering metrics for this reply of yours? I have no words.

 

Edit: MP NEEDS HELP. Felt like I should at least voice support directly to the OP, since so many replies are being removed as OT.


Edited by FixieRider
Link to comment
Share on other sites

There's 50 people actively viewing this thread right now, so there's probably more than 50 people invested in the future of DCS MP

 

EDIT: 91 actively viewing now

EDIT #2: topped out at 104 right after Wags posted


Edited by Gypsy

"Would you say we'd be venturing into a "Zone of Danger?"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The hundreds of dollars I have spent, and the hundreds each of my friends spent, have all been so we can play together in multiplayer. Whether it be on a hosted session on my second gaming computer, or on DDCS or TTI, everyone I know spends time on multiplayer. I would love to see dedicated servers and a multiplayer upgrade.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd like to chime in with my own personal experience: I haven't been able to play multiplayer DCS seriously for a while because of the absolutely incredible server instability. I got so frustrated after the 50th time ACG's server had crashed mid-sortie that I just went and played BMS because somehow P2P servers on a 20 year old game are more stable.

 

 

I will probably never play DCS singleplayer in any meaningful capacity and my sole interest in this simulator comes from content provided by the multiplayer community. My patience for the constant problems introduced in every update wore off a while ago and I'm left staring at the joystick in my closet.

 

 

 

Seriously, ED, I love you guys, but please, the multiplayer side of this game needs a serious overhaul.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

MP is the most amazing aspect of this wonderful simulation. Please take our urgency seriously, as we have taken your product very seriously and would love for it to be used at its full potential.

 

I am speaking on behalf of my own Squadron which is almost 25 people right now and is growing. I expect my Squadron will have 100 members or more by the end of this year. If my Squadron alone has these types of numbers and we are small, you should definitely look at the bigger picture and know that there are many, many more squads out there who want to do nothing but multiplayer. Thank you!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

 

Posting here to complain, add my name to the list. Others in this thread have said what needed to be said.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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 exclusively play multiplayer, as non-scripted singleplayer (campaigns) is a tedious mess. The AI cheats (in e.g. detection, situational awareness, flight model) and repeatedly demonstrates a lack of intelligence in flying. But more important than all of this, the singleplayer feels sterile in its interactions. I do not want to merely fly the airplanes, I want to pretend to be a fighter pilot, and this is fulfilled with other players rather than the current AI.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, my earlier post got deleted (for being OT even tho it was related in my opinion).

 

So I will just say to add me to the list.

Multiplayer NEEDS to be put back into shape.

I only play DCS online, and had my best experiences there with real people.

Wow, such landing, much no gear, so slide...

 

T.16000M FCS HOTAS

Owned : Flaming Cliff 3 | Mig-21Bis | AJS-37 Viggen | F/A-18C | F-5E | Mirage 2000c | F-14B | Ka-50 | JF-17

Wishlist : F-4 | Mi-24 | MiG-23 | F-15E | F-16

Dev. Wishlist : Tornado | Mirage F1 | MiG-25 | F-104 | Étendard/Super Étendard | Saab 35 Draken | JAS-39 Gripen A

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not playing multiplayer yet because I still cannot consistently land my aircraft (never mind not having picked a 'main' aircraft yet), but I want to throw my hat in and say that I too am interested in fixes.

Hardware: 3x 1920x1080 monitors, Puck Odyssey, Logitech X-56 HOTAS (v.2)

 

Main Planes: A-10C / F-14B / F-16C / F-18C / AV-8B

Wishlist : F-15SE / AH-64D / AH-1W/Z / UH-60 / RAH-66 Comanche

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • ED Team

Dear all,

 

No one is being ignored. We certainly recognize that DCS World network multiplayer needs improvement and it’s actively being worked on. In fact, we have a big announcement on this front for this week’s newsletter. We certainly agree that there is a lot of room for improvement, both in regards to stability/smoothness, GUI, and features. We hear you.

 

Much or our current network work is focused on the new carriers (like spawning) and cooperative multiplayer in the same aircraft (like the Yak-52 and other two seat aircraft). That’s not to say we are not trying to improve stability at the same time, we are. Our team is working network code VERY hard on several fronts.

 

However, please keep in mind that the server can also have a massive effect. Many factors can affect network play that range from server hardware, over-populated missions, bad scripts, too many clients based on the server hardware, connection ping/packet loss, etc. I am not saying that poor network performance only lays at the feet of the server, just that it can often be a factor in concert with needed network improvements on our end. This is why you often have some servers performing great and other so not great.

 

Moving forward, we are investigating “official servers” that will offer many benefits. One of the chief items will be that the server and missions must provide a quality online experience. We’ll be talking more about this later in the year.

 

So, moving forward, we have what I believe are some good plans to help improve the online experience (very important to us), but we also hope that you can understand that a large part of it is out of our control until we can institute some official standards for servers.

 

Thanks,

Matt


Edited by Wags
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...