Regarding b267 server changes, consistency check, etc.
Vindaloo
Join Date: 2012-12-04 Member: 174127Members, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow
Join Date: 2012-12-04 Member: 174127Members, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow
I have couple of questions:
1. How does default consistency check looks like? (We might need custom one for competitive servers.)
2. I didn't see custom tickrate, interp, mr in the changelog, is that postponed to b268?
3. Could we get kinda indepth explanation how these work and tie in together? (I see NSL mod changing interp and mr, but not sure how it affects the server, still dieing behind the corners.)
4. Are there any server optimization thoughts in the CDT hivemind? Or from different POV, how much custom interp, tickrate, mr affects performance?
Thanks for any answers.
1. How does default consistency check looks like? (We might need custom one for competitive servers.)
2. I didn't see custom tickrate, interp, mr in the changelog, is that postponed to b268?
3. Could we get kinda indepth explanation how these work and tie in together? (I see NSL mod changing interp and mr, but not sure how it affects the server, still dieing behind the corners.)
4. Are there any server optimization thoughts in the CDT hivemind? Or from different POV, how much custom interp, tickrate, mr affects performance?
Thanks for any answers.
Comments
1. This gist includes both configs (vanilla and the by the nsl rules defined one)
As you see the vanilla just ignores a few things more than the nsl one.
2./3. We debated about those commands alot lately internally:
To use them correctly you have to be totally aware of how the spark network module works.
Also those things are totally experimental, so even we don't know exactly how they affect the game performance and balance.
Using these commands in a wrong way can cause more issues than it can improve the performance using them correctly.
So it was decided that, as all those ppl who are so tech savy enought with ns2 and the spark engine to use them are either allready in contact with or will contact the cdt, to not publish them to the pubic for now.
We might publish something about those things to the public in the future after we gathered more data etc.
4. Be sure that i as mostly server sided focused dev always have my thoughts focused at server performance and optimization. But atm the main issue ns2 has is not the server perf overall but the client perf.
All i can tell you about custom network settings setups atm is that increasing the mr adds the most extra cpu load and is the worst way to improve the server perf. from a cpu load/performance gain pov .
I have several servers and I would be happy to use one for testing this. I have read as much as I can about this on the forums but still don't understand it well enough to come up with settings for testing.
I understand that I do it at my own risk and I won't blame the CDT for anything.
That's the hole point there are not those one settings working at all servers. But we will figure something out via pms later for your servers
2./3. Not so perfect.
4. Good, good.
Ah, ok.
So its not good that all ENSL Servers are running with an higher mr of 50, i understand.
If you do not make it public, please make sure that people like dePara have access somehow to those features. Many people (I speak for HBZ-server players mainly here) have been looking forward to experiment with different settings.
But we should also think of the larger public audience. There have at times been some servers that operated very poor, and when people played on those, and didn't know better, they might have blamed the game. So if all settings were free to everyone, I would fear that CDT would have to explain why many servers had horrible performance after their patch. By keeping more restrictions, and making sure that they are in touch with those that experiment, there is less risk of a negative public opinion.
2GB+. The tooltip actually says to choose the one closest to your VRAM, we're already accounting for not all of that to be actually available, so you'll be fine. If you experience unusual hitching then you can try with 1.5GB, but you should be safe with 2GB+.
Cant count conversations like that:
- "The server is unplayable, 4 ticks and rubberbanding"
- " It runs fine for me, upgrade your hardware"
- "EVERYONE has rubberbanding cause the server cant handle the game"
- "If you dont like the server just leave"
Im sure we have "funny" admins who going rise the rates on servers that cant handle 266 after the patch, wich end in more rubberbanding.
But:
Would the players descibed above noticed this extra rubberbanding/lag?
Im not sure.
And im not sure that this "choosen-admin" concept work in the long term.
But we will see.
There is no perfect solution to this. But in my opinion what we need is to make it really clear when the performance problems are the server (or network) fault and when it's the client's fault. Something like "CONNECTION PROBLEM" with whatever reason is causing issues when detecting certain deficiencies instead of the ambiguous red/yellow plug (these don't even apply to tickrate which is one of main issues with bad server perf). But that is a discussion for the future.
1. The admins
Why is someone hosting a NS2 server? Whats his intention?
Well, my intention is and always was for example: best possible performance and game experience.
But there many Admins out there who dont care about these things, they fire up a server and thats it.
Unlocked rates in the hand of these admins would be really bad. Thats the point i understand from the CDT-view.
2. The players
Why is someone enjoying a 4 tickrate rubberband fest or didnt see the rubberbanding?
Well, this is something i will never understand.
Maybe a ingame warning under 10 ticks could open the eyes for some players. Or an short ingame video that descibe what happen if a server reached this rate.
For me the unlocked rates are the most exciting part of the patch and im looking forward to push my server to the limits, wich mean:
Good become better, welcome to the HBZ server
By hosting NS2 servers on machines that cant handle the game? And setting up the wrong slotammounts on these machines?
http://ns2servers.devicenull.org/servers/273546/66.151.138.182:27085
http://ns2servers.devicenull.org/servers/1380250/87.102.213.48:27015
The interisting part here is the green line (Servertickrate).
The rubberbanding normally starts around 15 ticks.
Good servers have constant 30 ticks (The zero spikes from time to time comes from tracking and isnt part of the real serverperformance)
I know what you mean, just being nit-picky.
You mean the moderators?
Best not be nitpicky.
Badges+ is about to say there's a difference, some have a "M" and some a "A". lol
But i'm pretty sure he was talking about the admins who do not have full access to their server, depending of the host they chose. Moderators are out of subject here...
Does 2GB+ setting in Build 267 actually use more than 2GB if you have more? Build 266 is basically stuck at 2GB and less (have checked VRAM usage and it never goes beyond 2GB). But i have a HD7950 3GB and would prefer to use the extra 1GB that i have available.
MSI Afterburner was reporting a bit over 2000MB of VRAM usage (which is still below 2GB = 2048MB) in my case. That's why i was asking about it, since it's so close to the actual 2GB hard limit.
Reminder: This option is set to OFF as default.
NS2 is pretty but there are plenty of low-res textures, and while of course this was essential to keeping VRAM low and to run on the widest range of hardware, it would be fantastic if UWE could release original-source textures to CDT, and an optional official Workshop mod could enable them.