Dedicated Server basic.cfg

[kadinx 12]

I would like a helping hand if one is available, Gentlemen.

I have a 20406 kbps Down - 9593 kbps Up bandwidth

I have entered the following lines in a file: basic.cfg which gets excecuted in the server shortcut target box with parameter -cfg=basic.cfg

MaxMsgSend = 192;

MaxSizeGuaranteed=512;

MaxSizeNoGuaranteed=128;

MinBandwidth=6144000;

MaxBandwidth=8192000;

MinErrorToSend=0.008;

The server runs on a Intel Dual Core E8500 with 2 GB of RAM using Arma 1.16 and ACEmod 1.07

Four of us are using the server: Me on LAN and three on WAN.

We play primarily Coop with ~50 AI and Deathmatches with at least 24 AI

I get some stuttering in close range and I have been busting my head to figure out why. At far range, motion of AI looks smoother.

I have experemented with pretty much all of the above parameters but I am probably missing a combination. What should I be looking when I use the #monitor command to optimize the connection for 4-5 human players?

Any light on the issue would be most welcome :)

regards

[Auss 208]

MinErrorToSend=0.010

[kadinx 12]

Well, thanks, I will try it... but I am afraid that the far AI will skip and hope with that setting. As seen through the scope or binoculars.

I will come back with the outcome.

[.kju 3244]

#monitor 1

=> 10+ FPS perfectly fine

=> 5+ okay

< 5 start getting trouble

< 3 in trouble

[kadinx 12]

Well the MinErrorToSend=0.010 did not do the trick. I still get the close stuttering and a far one. I tried 0.05 and some other settings up and down but the results vary little. The stuttering is not consistent. It does happen more frequent when the AI want to run and it is never there when they move slowly but it is never the movement I see when in single player or when I am a server/client in mission design. Maybe I am asking for too much but I thought with this bandwidth and at least at LAN level there should be some parameters I could tweak to get there.

BTW, the #monitor 1 gives consistent 46-47 fps with occasional 35-37 when missions is loading. The bandwidth usuage is minimal.

Still open to suggestions.

[fabiantronc 0]

Try to launch your server without mods.

[mr.g-c 6]

#monitor 1

=> 10+ FPS perfectly fine

=> 5+ okay

< 5 start getting trouble

< 3 in trouble

Correct when playing with AI. Having had the same/similar observations here.

AI gets really more stupid when getting below 10FPS (they start flank less and so on) but its "OK" as long as you are above 5 FPS.

When playing pure PvP its OK down to 2 FPS according to our long-term observations with Sahrani-Life, however it might happen that Lags occur then more often.

At least it was like that with pre-1.15b game versions, as the whole bandwidth management was broken/taken from the FPS from the Rendering Subsystem, which is of course non-existent on a Dedicated Server.

It was fixed with 1.15b.

Well the MinErrorToSend=0.010 did not do the trick. I still get the close stuttering and a far one. I tried 0.05 and some other settings up and down but the results vary little. The stuttering is not consistent. It does happen more frequent when the AI want to run and it is never there when they move slowly but it is never the movement I see when in single player or when I am a server/client in mission design. Maybe I am asking for too much but I thought with this bandwidth and at least at LAN level there should be some parameters I could tweak to get there.

BTW, the #monitor 1 gives consistent 46-47 fps with occasional 35-37 when missions is loading. The bandwidth usuage is minimal.

Still open to suggestions.

"MaxSizeNoGuaranteed" down to 64, makes it much smoother but more bandwidth is required.

Are you sure the basic.cfg is even loaded with your shortcut? try it with some extreme values in one and the same mission with the same amount of player to test.

[.kju 3244]

Yep PvP (no AI or only client side AI) is a very different matter.

As long as you are >3 FPS, you should do fine.

Only for air units <10 FPS might cause bit more warping.

No verified observation though.

:bounce3:

Edited May 4, 2009 by kju

[kadinx 12]

Thanks guys for your input

I am afraid, Mr. g-c that the answer is Yes. The basic.cfg is loading alright. I though about it too and tried all short of values just to make sure I see difference before I came here to ask for help. I see the difference in numbers through the # monitor 1 command and the totals on pressing the V key.

On a side note I am trying the MaxSizeNoGuaranteed=64, I tried it before but did not give it much attention. I am also trying to start commenting out parameters one by one and see if something is having more effect that others.

My goal would be to get a smooth in-city AI movement in LAN sessions, like I see on my PC during the design and test of missions, and then take it from there for WAN.

Ok, let me regroup and ask this question.

Let's assume the size and the quality of the bandwidth is no issue (e.g LAN on gigabit router/adapters), what would be the highest parameter values one should set to have the most optimized performance.

MaxMsgSend = ;

MaxSizeGuaranteed=;

MaxSizeNoGuaranteed=;

MinBandwidth=;

MaxBandwidth=;

MinErrorToSend=;

I really appreciate everybody chip in :)

[mr.g-c 6]

These are our Values:

MaxMsgSend = 512;
MaxSizeGuaranteed=1024;
MaxSizeNoGuaranteed=64; 
MinBandwidth=768000; 
MaxBandwidth=100000000; 
minerrortosend = 0.005;

Absolutely lag-free since 1.16b, its really amazing... was flying a co-pilot with a helicopter from a guy of Australai with 350+ Ping and it had (almost) no beamings at all....

[kadinx 12]

Well, Mr.g-c

not as smooth as single player but I definetely see a consistent improvement on AI foot soldiers. I will make your settings my default/starting point.

Much appreciated. Thank you

PS: and I though the MaxSizeGuaranteed=512;(default) setting should be left alone, not that I did but your specific combination along with the reduced MinBandwidth did improve the settings. I will keep testing and improvising and report back if I see the "light".

I would definetely like someone to give me the most optimal numbers for an ideal LAN connection. I gather the "more is better" consept does not appy here. (well, reverse for MaxSizeNoGuaranteed)

Thank you again

[deady 0]

MaxSizeNoGuaranteed=64;

You missed an N :)

[kadinx 12]

Indeed, I better go check the .cfg file. Thank you much

[kadinx 12]

I was hoping it was just a misprint here but no. I had the missing "N" in all my settings, commented or uncommented.!!!

So I guess all my testing on changed settings were conducted with the default MaxsizeNonguaranteed =256, which is the default, correct?

Thank you so much again for your keen eye.

[deady 0]

Yeah 256 is default.

Remember the defaults are pretty much setup for hosting on your home connection, so they're incredibly conservative. If you have a proper hosted server at a datacentre you can be quite drastic, although really i've never noticed much difference whatever the settings are. Up until 1.14 the server has never used more than 2 megabits regardless of if theres 10 people or 60 people on a server, which seems to be a software limitation in the arma server. The red chain when new players connect is certainly a limitation of the software and nothing to do with your basic.cfg - although I believe Suma found the problem and its fixed in 1.15 and above.

I'll be interested in your findings however :)

[kadinx 12]

After alot of experimentation I have come up with following settings for LAN or "near" LAN connection:

MaxMsgSend=512;

MaxSizeGuaranteed=1024;

MaxSizeNonGuaranteed=4;

MinBandwidth=6144000;

MaxBandwidth=12256000;

MinErrorToSend=0.008;

These settings have given me and those connected (up to 4 players) the smoothest play on mission settings and bandwidth I mentioned earlier. Mostly CQB settings in urban enviroments.

All participants have latency <40ms

I also notices some big numbers in bandwidth use. Stanby on that, though. I will conduct a little more thorough test over the weekend.

So far on me connected on LAN alone, I saw up to 400Kb in upload while<#monitor 1> and through the <P> key numbers up to 2500 (I am assuming it is Kilo bits per sec also).

...

[dum3d0 11]

After alot of experimentation I have come up with following settings for LAN or "near" LAN connection:

MaxMsgSend=512;

MaxSizeGuaranteed=1024;

MaxSizeNonGuaranteed=4;

MinBandwidth=6144000;

MaxBandwidth=12256000;

MinErrorToSend=0.008;

Tnx KadinX, I've tried your setting yesterday night in a 4 players LAN, everything is fine; I wonder how did you find those parameters..

Just a little question, i put those lines in arma.cfg in the folder profile of the dedicated server; the folder profile is specified in the command line; this is my command line

D:\game\ArmA\arma_server.exe -config=server.cfg -port=2302 -profiles=d:\game\arma\aaserver\profile -mod=@ace -cfg=arma.cfg

is this right? i mean do i need to write

-cfg=arma.cfg

or the -profiles command load the arma.cfg automatically?

Tnx,

=DuM3D0

8)

[kadinx 12]

I came with those settings by getting a helping hand from the kind gentlemen in this forum and experimenting using as much of a controlled environment as possible.

In any case, your guestion is a good one. I am under the impression that your arma.cfg (my basic.cfg) for the Server is suppose to be in the root folder Arma\ and not under Arma\...\profiles.

The parameter in the command line actually creats the sufolders and file as follows: Arma\...\Profile\Users\YOURNAME\xxxxxx.profile

This file loads stuf about the server and AI. I don't think the "-profiles=" command loads anything else that might exist in that subfolder but I would like a comfirmation for the forum on this one. Maybe there is a priority where the server looks first.

So my response is that you have it correct. You need to separately add the parameter -cfg=arma.cfg (basic.cfg, for me) in the command line.

I am not sure about the path though. I wonder if you have other files with the same name from the Arma\ down the tree line which one does the server use? Does the "-cfg=" take a path? Should you change the name?

Now, we both need a helping hand...lol

[dum3d0 11]

I don't think the "-profiles=" command loads anything else that might exist in that subfolder

No read this

-profiles is a startup option allowing you to choose an alternate location for the user profile files, such as downloaded missions and .cfg files.

and .cfg files.

but all .cfg files? or only arma.cfg or basic.cfg? not server.cfg because -config= load only from Arma root (i hope).

here is explained the basic.cfg

The real name is determined by the -cfg command line option when launching the dedicated server. By default it's called ArmA.cfg.

so the -cfg= command specify just a different name, otherwise the game use ArmA.cfg and the only place u can find this file is in the profile, and u can specify the profile different path with the -profiles= command.

So i think that using -cfg=basic.cfg and have basic.cfg in the ArmA root just don't work, you had to have the basic.cfg in \documents and settings\etc..etc..\profile folder of the server or in the folder specifyed by the -profiles= command.

..and so I don't need -cfg=arma.cfg now I think it load automatically

Hope I'm right..

=DuM3D0

8)

[kadinx 12]

Well, it looks that we both have the same source of information.

My question is why I see changes in the gameplay of the server when I make changes in my \Arma\basic.cfg? Something must be affected.

I am going to move my basic.cfg file from the root to the profiles folder and see if it still loads with or without the -cfg= parameter. That should be easy to check.

Be back soon.

[dum3d0 11]

...yes, but different interpretations.. i just modified arma.cfg in profiles folder, you use basic.cfg in root, and both work?

mmm.. I don't like it..

[kadinx 12]

Well, maybe not. I think I figured it out.

We are both correct.

Here is what I found out.

You are correct on not using the -cfg= parameter ONLY if you keep the name arma.cfg and location under Arma\...\profiles\users\yourname. Both files there, arma.cfg and xxxx.Armaprofile will load by default.

On the other hand, if you use the -cfg= in the command line, you actually telling the game to go to a specific file in a specific location!! The parameter DOES take a path. So when I have -cfg=Basic.cfg the game is looking in the root for that file and if it does not find it, it actually creates a default one with that name. If I change the command to -cfg=profiles\users\KDN\Basic.cfg, the game creates a Basic.cfg file next to the xxx.ArmaProfile.

So the small mystery is solved.

On a side note, I am wondering if the same goes for the -config=server.cfg pameter. I will check it out.

I can bet you that the Arma people will be reading all these and crack up on our cluelessness...lol

Edited May 16, 2009 by KadinX

[kadinx 12]

Nope, the -config=xxxxxx.cfg has to be in the root. You are also correct on that :)

[dum3d0 11]

I can bet you that the Arma people will be reading all these and crack up on our cluelessness...lol

ehehe.. Yes, please guys don't think we're off topic, it seems, but we're not...

:bounce3:

=DuM3D0

p.s. Great work KadinX

[Reezo 45]

Thanks for the great findings! Getting here and reading the whole thread is a real treat!

Respects for the time and efforts you guys put in this. Much appreciated.

-A