New BF42 Server feedback

[[JiF]Brick]

We need to raise the ticket count urgently and drastically.

One of the things that Shell, Gib, and I (map committee) have on our agenda is to review and adjust map ticket counts.
We will look at each map and try to make(and track) adjustments.
We will try to make moderate adjustments, see how they play, and readjust as necessary.

I think we need to be careful that we don't push the ticket counts to high, as I believe some are in many of the BG42 maps.
In some of those, neither side can ever win before time expires.

We'll add the maps you listed to the top of our list, thanks.

[[JiF]Mike]

With the old server lowering the player count was the way we fixed some problems because we were using older hardware on the server. That is not the case with this server, we are paying for a 32 player server now and I think it's been working very well. BF42 is notorious for crashing though, there's nothing I've read that is a magic fix for that. All we can do is try to keep track of what maps it crashes on and remove any from the rotation that seem to cause a lot of crashes.

As far as client side issues, I don't think you can really blame the server for those! When the server crashes and restarts everyone will get booted, and the map will restart. If something else happens on the client side I don't see anything I can do on the server to change that. You might wanna check out your system to make sure nothing is wrong. Run a defrag, scan your registery, just do some basic checks. Lowering the player count may reduce the stress on your system a little, but I think 32 player servers draw more players and since we have the power to run 32 now we should probably stick with it. I would like to know how many people this is happening too and what the specs are on these pc's. Maybe there is something in common. Definitely something to keep an eye on, maybe we can figure out what is causing these problems.

What [JiF]Brick said with regards to map tickets. The "committee" is working on new rotations and map configs to really dial things in and make the games the best they can be.

[[JiF]Brick]

Also for some reason, a few times a day, the server kicks everybody, and restarts the map. It's also causing player's games to crash to desktop fairly often, and in some cases (including myself) it crashes the player's operating system and causes the computer to reboot without warning. The old server was notorious for crashing too, but this one is causing mayhem on the user side lol
Perhaps, lowering the server slots to 24 instead of 32 may help.

I experienced a few desktop crashes last week when I was loading a couple of the BG42 maps that I have never played before (while nobody else was on the server)
Please try to keep notes on what maps are running when the crashes occur, so we can investigate and/or remove them from the rotation.

Is Battle of Britain running better on the new server still? It was notorious for crashing on the old server.

[[JiF]Mike]

Is Battle of Britain running better on the new server still? It was notorious for crashing on the old server.

I've seen a few people mention it was running ok.

[[JiF]rix]

Some observations now that the server has settled down into a working routine:

We need to raise the ticket count urgently and drastically.
With a large proportion of the maps, if you don't get a flag withing the first 5 minutes, it's game over!....

Good idea WT.

I think the ticket-setting for the rotation we had om the "original" server was ok. Maybe we can reuse the old settings and trim them again if needed.
I guess this is something for the new map-rotation-department (Gib, Shell and Stinky?) to handle/investigate. (btw, a lot of peanuts will leave my account for a hansom trio if Mimo is twice in one rotation)
/rix

[[JiF]Sgt Shellshocked]

Some observations now that the server has settled down into a working routine:

We need to raise the ticket count urgently and drastically.
With a large proportion of the maps, if you don't get a flag withing the first 5 minutes, it's game over!.
For example Omaha: the allied tickets run down to zero tickets within 5 minutes if they don't capture the first clifftop flag within those first 5 minutes.
Berlin too, if Allies are struggling for the first few minutes, game over. Market Garden, El Alamein, Kharkov etc etc. Some maps are over in five minutes, some in ten.
...

Excellent observation WT I have asked Mike to raise the Global Server setting for Tickets and he has now implemented this.
Please feedback because we may need to tweak it a little to get it optimal.

-Shell

-- Tue Sep 06, 2011 5:30 pm --

We have had quite a lot of problems with our bf1942 server over the past few weeks.
Sometimes it has refused to start or not connecting to gamespy and therefore not being seen in the in-game browser or looking as if the server is dead on gametracker also inconsistent bfrm acccess and general wierd stuff.

This erratic performance is not only irritating people but is also damaging the jif reputation and turning newcomers away.
Maybe we should consider switching to another hosting partner, what do folks think?