Multiplayer (lobby) bugs

[rundll.exe 12]

Hi,

Since Arma 1 there are some very obvious bugs in the MP lobby, mission selection and admin commands. At least, the few games I play online always have one or more of the following issues:

1. #restart or #reassign commands lead to init and JIP bugs and others: (http://dev-heaven.net/issues/12846, http://dev-heaven.net/issues/12854, http://dev-heaven.net/issues/3309)
   
2. When someone is still loading the mission and the admin does #reassign or #missions, the loading client is stuck in "wait for host" or loading mission. (edit: http://dev-heaven.net/issues/12855)
   
3. Gear selection in briefing randomly does not work at all. (edit: http://dev-heaven.net/issues/16421)
   
4. A player joining in progress while the mission is in briefing has initialisation and JIP bugs
   
5. Markers made by players do not sync on JIP (http://dev-heaven.net/issues/6337)
   
6. "Stuck" in debriefing until timer hits zero even though all players hit "I'm ready".(http://dev-heaven.net/issues/13653)
   

Now there are some workarounds for all of these issues:

1. Always use #missions and select the mission again.
   
2. The client has to reconnect
   
3. Do not click "continue" in the briefing when you're not admin
   
4. Do #missions after the player connected. (see 1)
   
5. Re-create the markers if someone joins
   
6. Wait
   

However we didn't have to do all this if it wasn't broken in the first place. So Its time to fix this!

I have the feeling that almost everyone knows about this bugs and has learned to live with them. Is that true? Can you confirm any of these points?

Yes?

Then it's time to put them to the CIT, however some of the problems might be difficult to reproduce, since It might involve connection lag/desync, and the init bugs can be random it seems.

So before littering the CIT, I want to find out what you have experienced with these points, and maybe we can find a good repro for each.

Edited February 23, 2011 by rundll.exe

[mosh 0]

Yes I have seen them all, but learned to live with them...

I think they are all valid points though (6 not so much, just wait, but if easy fix then do it). If I come up with any worthwhile reproductions I'll share here and report on CIT as well.

[.kju 3244]

All are in the CIT. Except 3) maybe.

[Fireball 16]

We have a ticket for 3) http://dev-heaven.net/issues/16421 - Gear selection not working reliably

Edited February 5, 2011 by Fireball

[mosh 0]

All are in the CIT. Except 3) maybe.

Yeah i see that now... and already had voted.

[rundll.exe 12]

Ok, that is nice, but I can't seem to find the other issues. Can you link them please?

[nobrainer 0]

I think bug #1 is the most "critical" for me.

It makes the admin job worse

[rundll.exe 12]

unfortunately this is also the hardest one to create repro steps for :(

If anyone has an idea how to do this, feel free to discuss :o

[nobrainer 0]

oh....

I haven't tested it for 2 months now, because every time we did it something wrong happened.

Everything from clients just "left behind" in the lobby, people not loading the mission again an ended up playing solo.

But I can test again and see if it any better after I hopefully fix some other "bugs" that are manmade.... (by me)

[-=seany=- 5]

Ya good call, no harm in giving this area some attention. You have my votes. Right about repos though, will be tough for some.

Edited February 10, 2011 by -=seany=-

[rundll.exe 12]

Added some more CIS ticket links after some searching. Please vote them!

That leaves only #4 to find a repro for.

for #1 I have the feeling there is more to this: It seems the server mixes up data from the previous game with the new game. Duplicate players is only a sideffect of this I think.

[SWAT_BigBear 0]

For the #1 issue, seems I remember some of these would always have the #reassign/#restart bug of.. not all playable spots would show back up.

Example= co08 on reassign would only have a couple of playable spots.

They are some great missions though.

[Osku 0]

For the #1 issue, seems I remember some of these would always have the #reassign/#restart bug of.. not all playable spots would show back up.

Example= co08 on reassign would only have a couple of playable spots.

They are some great missions though.

Not only with Sander's missions. This happens with all missions that do not have a revive system. If any of the playable units are killed, they will disappear from the lobby. And #reassign/#restart doesn't restart the mission, those commands just bring you back to the lobby and shows the units that are still alive and selectable. Players joining in progress see the unit list exactly same way too.

[likertj 10]

how do you use #mission for completing the campaign co-op? When clients join my host after the initial load, say we have to restart, the clients no longer have any waypoints, markers, intel, etc? I don't know how to work around it...

[rundll.exe 12]

Hi likertj, Do you host the game on your own computer? (no dedicated server)

In that case, you cant use the #missions command, but you should be able to go back to the mission select screen by clicking "back" in the lobby.

On the other hand, this confirms this is not only a problem on dedicated servers.

[rundll.exe 12]

Created a repro for nr 3.:

http://dev-heaven.net/issues/16421

[.kju 3244]

good job!