Starting a ded-server

[shadow 6]

I'm going for the first time to use a dedicated server this weekend in a LAN playing OFP (ofcourse).

Which versions do the good guys here recomend (1.46 or 1.6) ?

How does this work? Do I start the server with "ofpserver.exe" (small table pops up) and just connect with a client to the server's IP, then "#login" in the globalchat ?

Did I get that right or do I have to make a 'server.cfg' ?

We are only going to be 2-4 players playing alot of different missions all the time....

[Mister Frag 0]

Look here: The OFP Dedicated Server FAQ. There are tools to create and update the configuration file for the dedicated server, that's probably the best way to go until you learn the ropes.

As far as the version number is concerned, if you are playing on a LAN where bandwidth isn't critical, I'd stick with an official version of the server, because the network code is more stable and thoroughly tested. If the players are remote, give the MP Beta Test versions a try.

[shadow 6]

Thanks, but I've read all that and it tells me pretty much nothing on how you actually use the ded-server. anyways I'll see if I can figure out the secrets of the server.cfg in about 5 minutes (when I'm off work)

[suchey 0]

Dont use 1.46 dedicated server...there was a newer version server side only patch numbered 1.49 available here on the forums...its fixed some issues with choppers crashing the game, etc. Use that version of the dedicated server. Clients will still use 1.46.

In order to run the server, you will need to run the stand alone server exe via a command line

example:

OFP_SERVER.EXE -config=server.cfg

the server.cfg is where you will define server specific variables such as maximum # of players, mission rotation, message of the day, administration password, etc etc...the readme that comes with the stand alone server download does a good job of explaining these...this cfg file can also conatains items such as:

MaxMsgSend=xxx;

MinBandwidth=xxxxxx;

which are used to tweak the connection...(you may want to look for what the best setting should be for a LAN in order to get the best performance)

In regard to administration of the server (ie mission switching, etc durring your lan game) simply type:

#login <<administration password you set up in your config goes here>>

to switch missions once you are logged in use:

#missions

(list of admin commands are as follows):

#login <password> Login as server administrator

#logout Logout, but stay connected as a normal user

#init Reload server config file loaded by -config option.

#kick <player_name> Kick given player

#kick <player_number> Kick player with given number

#restart Restart mission

#reassign Go back to side selection screen

#mission <mission_name> Select mission with known name

#missions Select mission

#shutdown Shutdown server

#userlist Display list of all users

#monitor <interval_in_sec> Start server monitoring. Server CPU load and bandwidth usage is displayed in the global chat channel. The default interval is 10 seconds. To stop monitoring type monitor 0.

Good Luck....hope this helped a bit!

[shadow 6]

Thanks for telling me about the version numbers, Suchey

I completely forgot about it as I've never used a OFP ded-server before.

I've been testing all kinds of settings when it comes to the max/min bandwidth etc...

I got 3 (1 server-2clients) computers running on 100 Mbit LAN.

The server:

P-III 1GHz, 512MB SDRAM, Ultra160 SCSI drives, WinME

The clients:

P-IV 1.8, 512MB RDRAM,GF3&4, one with ata100 ide and one with u160 drives, WinME

This is what I put into 'flashpoint.cfg':

MaxMsgSend=512;

MaxSizeGuaranteed=2048;

MinBandwidth=50000000;

MaxBandwidth=100000000;

This is what I get (#monitor) in OFP:

almost constant 50fps (sometimes drops to 43-44), mem used:~70. In/out varies from 20Kbps to 400Kbps (mainly around 180Kbps on 'out' and 40 on 'in'

Seems to me I'm far from 100Mbit

At the beginning of each mission all units lag (warp) alot. After 5-10 seconds everything seems fine, but on occasion I do get a slight lag here and there. As you can see; processing-wise my server is up to par as it usually stays on 50fps at all times.

Any suggestions on what numbers to try in 'flashpoint.cfg' ?

sidenote:

I tried all the settings I've experimented with in both 1.46 and 1.6 . My experience concluded with that 1.6 lags alot more:

When this is in 1.46:

50fps,mem used:70,in 300kbps-out 100kbps

I would get this in 1.6 :

42fps,mem used 60,in 80kbps-out 30kbps

Understandably I get alot more lag in 1.6 with these numbers, but why does'nt 1.6 transmit as much data as 1.46 when they are both running with the same settings ?

[shadow 6]

Can anyone from BIS comment on this?

I bet you know what numbers would be perfect in a 4 to 5-player 100Mbit LAN

I'm in a hurry in 3 1/2 hours me and my buddys are going to embark on the longest (hopefully) and 100% lag-free (again hopefully) OFP-journy

I've already bought 10 liters of coke and tons of cheez doodles (and a few drops of vodka hehe)

[suma 8]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">When this is in 1.46:

50fps,mem used:70,in 300kbps-out 100kbps

I would get this in 1.6 :

42fps,mem used 60,in 80kbps-out 30kbps

Understandably I get alot more lag in 1.6 with these numbers, but why does'nt 1.6 transmit as much data as 1.46 when they are both running with the same settings <span id='postcolor'>

1.6 MP Test is beta and it contains many bugs that cause its performance to be less than optimal. We hope most of them is fixed for Resistance upgrade.

There is particulary a bug in 1.60 sockets implementation that causes performance on very fast networks (ping under 10 ms) to be very bad (bandwidth is underestimated, ping overestimated, usually reported as 800 ms or more). This is fixed in soon-to-be-released Resistance upgrade.

I think it might be worth trying to run 1.60 in DirectPlay mode on LAN.

Another advice for server configuration: I would strongly recommend to use Win2K or WinXP for dedicated server. Network performance of Win9x-based OS, especially WinME, is often not as good as it should be (and sometimes it can be very bad).

[suma 8]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Shadow @ June 20 2002,23:24)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">MaxMsgSend=512;

MaxSizeGuaranteed=2048;

MinBandwidth=50000000;

MaxBandwidth=100000000;<span id='postcolor'>

I think your MaxSizeGuaranteed is quite high and may increase lag. I would use default setting for this one instead, unless you are sure it helps you.

I would recommend using settings like this instead:

MaxMsgSend=256

MinBandwidth=768000

Using very high MinBandwidth can easily increase you lag. Usually there is no use setting MaxBandwidth, as it is infinity by default.

See this thread for related discussion.

[shadow 6]

1K thanks for the feedback, Ondrej

I read the thread you directed me to.

Hopefully you have saved my weekend

Looking forward to trying it out.

[shadow 6]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Suma @ June 21 2002,14:53)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Another advice for server configuration: I would strongly recommend to use Win2K or WinXP for dedicated server. Network performance of Win9x-based OS, especially WinME, is often not as good as it should be (and sometimes it can be very bad).<span id='postcolor'>

I know about the bad ethernet-utilization of WinME, but I doubt Win2k/xp would make a big deal of difference when as few as 5 clients connecting.

I will install WinXP afterwards, but I just needed a computer as a OFP-server for this weekend so I have'nt had the time to install a different OS.

[Placebo 29]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Suma @ June 21 2002,13:53)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">1.6 MP Test is beta and it contains many bugs that cause its performance to be less than optimal. We hope most of them is fixed for Resistance upgrade.<span id='postcolor'>

Suma will Opf:R work with Kyro2's? Cos 1.60 doesn't

[suma 8]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (placebo @ June 21 2002,19:41)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Suma @ June 21 2002,13:53)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">1.6 MP Test is beta and it contains many bugs that cause its performance to be less than optimal. We hope most of them is fixed for Resistance upgrade.<span id='postcolor'>

Suma will Opf:R work with Kyro2's?<span id='postcolor'>

Is not this question a little it offtopic for network performance thread? Anyway, here is the answer:

I do not know. It is very likely Codemasters performed standard compatibility test on wide range of video cards, with Resistance, and as they did not report any problems, I assume there are no - but I cannot positively tell it works.

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Cos 1.60 doesn't <span id='postcolor'>

I afraid I did not see this reported during beta-testing 1.60. I did not therefore check it with this particular card.

I am afraid for final verdict on Kyro2 we will now have to wait and to see. We made some specifical compatibility adjustments in pixel shaders and specular highlighs handling based on ATI 8500 feedback from 1.60, and it is now very likely it will work with ATI 8500.

[ALDEGA 0]

Kyro2 doesn't have T&L, nor pixel shader support, so users with that videocard won't be able to use pixel shader effect, and the sun-on-water reflection. It only works when running the game in T&L mode, right?

[Placebo 29]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Suma @ June 22 2002,07:08)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"><span id='postcolor'>

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Is not this question a little it offtopic for network performance thread? Anyway, here is the answer:<span id='postcolor'>

Yes it is/was, but as I wasn't sure how serious an issue this was (1.60 being a beta test and all) I didn't feel it right to start a completely new thread, I thought I'd throw it in here as I knew you were monitoring it.

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I afraid I did not see this reported during beta-testing 1.60. I did not therefore check it with this particular card.<span id='postcolor'>

It was reported in here, and I Emailed the "context.bin" and "Flashpoint.rpt" to you guys.

Opf and all the betas up until 1.60 worked just fine, so I cannot understand how it can suddenly not be compatible with the Kyro2.

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I am afraid for final verdict on Kyro2 we will now have to wait and to see. <span id='postcolor'>

So when the game arrives it either works or I have Å20 of plastic with a pretty picture on the front? Not overly promising. I don't have the money for a new card so I guess if you guys no longer support Kyros then I'm buggered

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">

We made some specifical compatibility adjustments in pixel shaders and specular highlighs handling based on ATI 8500 feedback from 1.60, and it is now very likely it will work with ATI 8500.<span id='postcolor'>

Yay for people with ATI's

[shadow 6]

Suma: The settings you recommended are absolutely amazing. I got alot less traffic (broadcast-storming) and alot less lag.

I got one question concerning the virtual FPS on the server.

In the readme.txt it says; below 15fps is concidered server-overload. Well how come I got 3fps on the server at start and after a while it went up to 10fps and I had no lag what so ever ?

That was the massive mission I made (the one I mentioned in another thread about problems loading it). The official ones I tried (Desertambush,Lostsquad and Shadowkiller [i hate that name;)]) I got approx 42-50 FPS at all times on the server. They all went smooth without any lag at all.

I love this game. I must say OFP-MP really goes to the next level when you give it a dedi-server. -Alot more freedom in mission-editing (amount of moving and non-moving objects)

[kegetys 2]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Shadow @ June 24 2002,11:11)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Well how come I got 3fps on the server at start and after a while it went up to 10fps and I had no lag what so ever ?<span id='postcolor'>

Small fps on the server does not seem to cause lag, but rather warping (especially on the AI controlled units) and it also seems to sometimes cause the AI to act differently.

[Peekee 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (placebo @ June 21 2002,19:41)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Suma @ June 21 2002,13:53)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">1.6 MP Test is beta and it contains many bugs that cause its performance to be less than optimal. We hope most of them is fixed for Resistance upgrade.<span id='postcolor'>

Suma will Opf:R work with Kyro2's? Cos 1.60 doesn't <span id='postcolor'>

I have a Kyro2 chipset card and 1.60 works fine... the only problems related to my card that I have ever had with OFP was when I had the drivers that came with the card... Could well be the case that you just need the latest drivers..

[Placebo 29]

I have the latest drivers, for XP, perhaps we use different OS'?