Looking for temporary, free, test-server hosting.

[schadler17 36]

I'm creating a my own version of an Insurgency mission and have a very solid base for it so far. I'm looking for a temporary host that could host my mission for testing purposes. I'm not asking for anything major, just a box to throw my server on to test stability with multiple players, and on downtime (when I don't feel like scripting) to actually play/test certain features.

 

In time, I plan on renting a server with the hopes of keeping it dedicated and up 24/7, but for now, I'm not asking for anything special, just a test box.

Anyone interested in helping(script/server wise) can PM me or post here.

 

Mission features:

 

Mods:

 

 - All in Arma Terrain Pack

 - RHS(USAF/AFRF)

 - TFAR

 - CBA

 

Custom Scripts:

 

 - Player Loadouts (Based on player class)

 - Item Restrictions (Based on player class)

 - Commander/Squad Leader Support System (Work in Progress)

 - Custom Ammobox Loadouts

 - Mobile Headquarters

 - Squad Rallypoints

 - Safezone

 

Community Made Scripts: (Some will most likely be re-made/tweaked to meet my OCD needs)

 

 - Load/Save Loadout

 - Enemy Occupy System

 - Civilian Occupy System

 - Randomly Generated Roadside IEDs

 - Light Vehicle Respawn

 - Restricted Vehicles (Armor/Helis) [Deactivated for now]

 - Little Immersion Tweaks

 - Cupcake Medical System

 

To be done:

 

  - Configuring EOS/COS Zones

  - Random IED placement zones

  - GUI for Commander/SL support system

  - Player/AI Suppression System

  - Finding more Realism/Tactical Gameplay scripts.

  - Destroyable Caches

  - Civilian Interrigation

  - Random Intel Drops On Killed AI.

 

There will be more, but I'm the only one working on it, and I'm pretty new to scripting, so time will tell.

 

Note: If you don't plan on helping or providing insight towards the mission creation, please refrain from posting or your posts will be reported/removed.

[fn_Quiksilver 1633]

A TADST session should be plenty to host your work and have 2-3 people join.

 

There's enough performance understanding in the community that you shouldn't need to do a full test to see generally how it will go.

 

Keep your total AI under 100-125 (upper limit) and don't let more than ~50 of them get into Combat/Danger mode at one time ... That will keep the CPUs AI burden manageable in a mode like Insurgency.

 

Keep the script errors to a minimum and reduce your number of 'evaluations per second' in the scenario as much as possible while maintaining your desired standard of functionality and fun.

 

Stick a (diag_log str diag_fps) in a loop somewhere to monitor the FPS during development.

 

Keep total number of threads/scripts/FSMs as low as possible while maintaining the function and fun.

 

Keep an eye on the rabbit population to ensure they aren't ballooning to uncontrollable numbers, and if necessary, get a good cleanup script to keep rabbits under 200-300 population for good server FPS. Once they spread to the dense vegetation you do have a problem though. Snakes don't breed as often so won't have to worry too much about them.

 

And watch out for code calculated every frame, use that sparingly. Stuff like onEachFrame, Draw3D, addAction, are all performance-hungry UI commands.

 

 

[terox 316]

I'd switch from your requirement for Aia to CUP: https://forums.bistudio.com/topic/179326-community-upgrade-project-cup/

AiA is no longer supported

and you didnt mention which island, i would initially dev on Altis or Stratis until you have a proof of concept and then design the template for easy mod integration, weapon, vehicle, unit classnames etc

I'd also start on a much smaller project to get your feet on the ground. An Insurgency rewrite is going to burn you out if this is your first attempt at something like this.

 

Good luck though.

[schadler17 36]

All the scripts I've made for it are error free, I've tested on my own pc in a multiplayer session. Only errors are on community scripts which I'm trying to edit/fix myself. I think the main problem with them is the fact I'm using rhs insurgents which plan on changing later to a better set of insurgents.

Keeping unit draw distance down to around 200-300m, otherwise cache'd, so there should never be more than 100-150 unless multiple areas are active.

Is there a way to disable rabbits? I'd rather have performance over furry targets.

I do have an addAction menu for Commanders and SL's, but it's not running onEachFrame and there's not too many options, only Rally Points, Support and giving a strep to the commander. Commander has a team rally, support, and able to request sitrep from squads. Also MHQs have an addAction to deploy/pack.

I don't really plan on having any more. I plan on changing to a GUI menu when i learn how to make them, in due time. But for now they do what I need them to do, don't throw errors, almost all have cool downs and don't show any performance issues on my own multiplayer environment, but again, I'm testing and scripting it all alone.

Edit: Island is Takistan, I've made an insurgency mission for it before using community scripts, I'm familiar enough with scripting to implement the scripts/mods and to make them work right. I'm just new to actually creating them myself, but in my own opinion, I feel I'm learning it pretty quickly.

I've looked into CUP before, but it was a while ago and I haven't really checked on it since, so I'll definitely be doing that to think of a possible switch.

My mindset is stuck on Takistan Insurgency though, but will expand to multiple maps when it's done. The main part of converting it to a new map would mainly be creating e EOS zones and units. Everything else is just a matter of tweaking to fit that map.

I've also made missions for other mods, so creating the mission files and setting up the configs and everything is easy for me. It's just a matter of actually creating the scripts is what I'm new too. But so far I haven't had many issues, anything I have had issues with I've either asked on forums, or came up with a solution(sometimes better than my original script) mostly by myself.

[fn_Quiksilver 1633]

Good stuff!

 

Two things came to my attention in your post

 

Keeping unit draw distance down to around 200-300m, otherwise cache'd, so there should never be more than 100-150 unless multiple areas are active.

 

Performance will suffer to the extent you let total AI count go above ~100-125. I won't make absolutist statements about it though, just an observation.

 

I do have an addAction menu for Commanders and SL's, but it's not running onEachFrame

 

In fact, addAction is evaluated every frame. Read the 'condition' section of that hyperlink. 

 

Go into editor and local execute this:

 

player addAction ['Test Action',{systemChat "every damn frame";},[],0,FALSE,TRUE,'',' systemChat "Imma spam your chat"; true  '];

 

Re Rabbits & Snakes .. If you find a way to disable them without disabling environmental audio, let me know :)

[schadler17 36]

Well, having read that now, i'm gonna look into creating a GUI instead for the scripts I got running through addAction. I'll actually start on that tomorrow and try to get familiar with it all. Any tutorial links towards them would be helpful if you have any, if not google will be my friend for a few hours lol.

 

Using EOS, I've got settings set to low for now, not seeing too many AI, not nearly 100 atleast even on the larger cities. But its only me, so like said, the more players, more zones are gonna be active, with more AI spawned. But them adjustments come when the actual server goes public. Theres always tweaking needing to be done at that point, and that'll be part of it.

 

Implemented some more features for it though, I've got EOS up and working, along with some Random IEDs and working on civilian population.

I dont know what I'm gonna do, but I want a negative effect for killing civilians, that way players need to PID their targets and don't get away with killing them. Possibly the ability to get intel for caches that the players can destroy, along with some randomly spawned intel on certain dead bodies(insurgent officers/HVTs) and in building.

[fn_Quiksilver 1633]

If its your first project, try to keep the scope manageable as Terox said.

 

Time is your most precious resource. If your addActions are functioning fine, then perhaps set aside plans to replace it for after your project is released and stable. Even if your methods are a little 'messy', in my opinion getting your work stable and playable are more important than the optimization. That can come later, if necessary. The weight of a few actions isn't significant enough to warrant spending a lot of time working around, IMO.

 

GUIs are a can of worms and probably will take you some time to learn. If you have a timeframe for your project, learning these systems may blow out that timeframe. I'm not the best person to ask about GUIs... Always leave them to last, and consequently, never get around to doing them :) Have done a few but only when necessary. Find there are plenty of BI GUIs to rely on, and do lean on the action menu when necessary.

 

The rabbits are not disable-able without addons.

 

'enableEnvironment FALSE;' will hide them from the scene on that machine, but will also stop the nice environmental audio.

[schadler17 36]

I don't really have a timeframe for it, just a personal project for right now to do when I'm bored, which is pretty much all day lol. Script in new things for it keeps me busy. Right now I'm not working, so pretty much as long as I'm home and don't feel like playing any games, I'm trying new scripting methods or making new features for my script. I do actually plan on waiting until I get called back to work to release/upload the script onto any real server for playing reasons, unless someone decides to host it for me for free until then, which is kinda unlikely.

Like said though, I've already got a solid base for it done. The insurgency mission it's self is good to go. It's just a matter of implementing more features that I want to be added.

I probably will put off actually implementing a gui for it for now, but I'll be working on one in the meantime for sure just to try to get used to things.

I kinda script how English teachers ask for certain school projects. First I'll make a rough draft of what I want and check to make sure everything actually works to begin with. Working out some of the flaws comes next, at least till the scripts throw no errors. At that point, I normally have a good idea of exactly what I want the script to do, and at that point it's just a matter of editing and testing it till each of the features is working correctly and without issues. Once that's done, I upload it and implement it into the script.

In other words, I make sure it's 100% functional before I actually put it in. I don't like unfinished work, like said, I'm very OCD and even the way I set my scripts up, you'll see that lol. Not only does it have to work right, it has to look right also.

As for bunnies, they'll continue to be targets until there hopefully a way to remove them and not the environment.

[terox 316]

Okay i have been following your thread, you seem pretty serious.

Contact me via PM or come find me on our teamspeak server

teamspeak.zeus-community.net.

 

I have an established coop community and addon servers that run what you want and more.

Check the addons tab on this google doc spreadsheet for more info on what we run (Takistan is in there as part of CUP)

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1V76V-deh5vqH8ohq7zt1Ij_118hQTY1R_FUt3lVmpbc/edit?usp=sharing

 

Providing we can work together, and you have a thick skin and a sense of humour, we may be able to help you develop your mission

The community can be very hard on mission design, so they will push you.

 

I dont have much time to support you in coding, but i can answer some questions on how to's and best practices for you.

 

Take a look at this, it should give you some indication as to my knowledge:

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?176096-Zeu-Debugging-Tutorial-amp-Foundation-Template

[schadler17 36]

Right now I'm working on tweaking some of the EOS zones before I decide to create a test environment. I'm currently using another players marker/EOS config just for testing purposes right now until I create my own. Once that's done, it's on to the testing phase and I'll definitely be contacting you then. I dont want to use someone else's layout on something I'm calling my own. Mainly it's just the positions of markers on the map that I need to do myself, which I plan on starting in the next day or so. After that comes tweaking the zones for suitable enemy levels per city.

But all in all, it's coming together nicely, not throwing ANY errors on the RPTs in a dedicated enviroment, and all scripts are working as they should be for now.

[schadler17 36]

Anyone looking to host what I've got so far, message me and I'll be happy to throw you a copy of the mission. EOS Markers are finished and added IG, just working on configuring the actual EOS system with more units/vehicles/etc that EOS supports. Feel free to configure it yourself for zones if wanted until I complete it (will be working on it for the next few days, over 500+ markers/grids to tweak.)

Right now, all grids are set to 1 patrol group, 1 house group, no vehicles just as placeholders. Civilian Occupy is coming next, along with random IEDs and possibly a script to implement random roadblocks and possible enemy fortifications in some cities/markers.

If you want a copy of it, like I said, still a work in progress, but you can see where the game-mode is going towards. Any issues or suggestions can also be PMed to me if you do happen to play a copy on a server.

Will be making a post in user missions once the EOS and Civs are done.

[Capwell 16]

Hi, schadler17.

 

 

Anyone looking to host what I've got so far, message me and I'll be happy to throw you a copy of the mission. EOS Markers are finished and added IG, just working on configuring the actual EOS system with more units/vehicles/etc that EOS supports. Feel free to configure it yourself for zones if wanted until I complete it (will be working on it for the next few days, over 500+ markers/grids to tweak.)

 

I have a server; 26 slots, hosted in US.  (I live in the United Kingdom, and the ping is not so bad (Max of 120 Min of 100) )

 

Come join our Teamspeak if you are interested.

 

ts.futuristicgameservers.com

[schadler17 36]

Forgot to post here, but the project is currently on hold. Started working, but I'm working swing shifts, so my schedule is all screwed right now. I'll still be coding a bit here and there for it, but I really don't have the time to dedicate towards it at this minute. Only work seasonal, so it'll resume once I get laid back off.

[Capwell 16]

Okay, that is fine, just let me know when you want to start back and you can have access to the server.

[Zergot 0]

I can purpose to you my dedi server. Intel Xeon 16gb Ram. Its free.