Hard Light Productions Forums

General FreeSpace => Multiplayer => Topic started by: colecampbell666 on August 14, 2007, 08:23:50 am

Title: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: colecampbell666 on August 14, 2007, 08:23:50 am
If you are interested in hosting multiplayer games, read this (http://www.game-warden.com/forum/showthread.php?t=267), and then post your connection speed up and down, your CPU specs, and location, and then send me a PM. I will put your name down here (http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,49012.0.html) for hosting a game (or games!) at a time of your choice.

Ex:
Connection Speed: 1720kb/s down, 503kb/s up
Operating System: Windows XP
RAM: 512mb
Processor: Pentium 4 1.5ghz
Video Card: ATI Radeon 9550 Sapphire
Video Memory: 256mb

If your computer is incapable of hosting the maximum 12 people, include it in the PM.

Please post in this format.


-----Current Hosts-----

Host: colecampbell666
     Server Location: Nova Scotia, Canada

Host: CP5670
     Server Location: Maryland, USA

Host: BloodEagle
     Server Location: Florida, USA

Host: Shade
     Server Location: Denmark

Host: jr2
     Server Location: New York, USA

Host: Mayhem
     Server Location: Rhineland Palatinate, Germany

Host: Super Nova
     Server Location: Virginia, USA

Host: Freespace Damo
     Server Location: Unknown

Host: goldman22
     Server Location: Unknown

Title: Re: Miultiplayer server hosts
Post by: akenbosch on August 14, 2007, 12:06:59 pm
4526 kb/s down
759 kb/s up
usual ping for players in the northwest: 115
elsewhere: 200-500

(last two i caculated myself)
Title: Re: Miultiplayer server hosts
Post by: jr2 on August 14, 2007, 12:10:33 pm
1) Might want to also have ppl post their system specs, as you don't want someone running XP on 128MB of RAM hosting.
2) For US, www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/ , for US and elsewhere, www.speedtest.net/
Title: Re: Miultiplayer server hosts
Post by: Unknown Target on August 14, 2007, 12:33:38 pm
Moved to multiplayer :)
Title: Re: Miultiplayer server hosts
Post by: colecampbell666 on August 14, 2007, 12:50:16 pm
Anything else I should add?
Title: Re: Miultiplayer server hosts
Post by: CP5670 on August 14, 2007, 01:56:40 pm
The speeds that test gives you depend a lot on what location you select and aren't going to be consistent for everyone.

Connection: 3417 down, 988 up, 22ms (on the DC server)
Timezone: GMT -5:00 (EST)
Availability: 3:00pm-7:00pm and 12:00pm-4:00am, on almost all days until mid-September. I will typically only be around if something has been arranged in advance though.
Specs: See signature link.

I fixed the spelling in the topic title, by the way. :p
Title: Re: Miultiplayer server hosts
Post by: BloodEagle on August 14, 2007, 02:13:22 pm
System Specifications:

Windows XP Professional SP2
AMD Athlon™ 64 Processor 4000+ 1mB L2 cache - Running at 2400 mhz using 32 bit mode.
768mB PC2700 (@166mhz) - 2gB of both page file and virtual memory.
NVidia GeForce 7600GS (overclocked) 256mB GDDR3 - 16x PCIe of course.
Barracuda 7200.9 Ultra ATA/100 250-GB Hard Drive - 8mB cache buffer.


------------------------
Connection Speeds:

I don't trust that website, I'm getting strange results.

<50mi (right next to me) ≈ 1578kb/s up - 249kb/s down - 198ms latency.*

950mi (New York) ≈ 1577kb/s up - 253kb/s down - 80ms latency.

2500mi (other coast) ≈ 1106kb/s up - 251kb/s down - 144ms latency.


*I tested that four times, it's the best result that website gave me for the area.


Because I don't trust the website, I'm posting what my router tells me.

Downstream Rate  5024 (Kbits/Sec)
Upstream Rate  384 (Kbits/Sec)


-----------------

GMT -5
As for hosting, I'll probably be available every Saturday, but that isn't a promise.
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: Turey on August 14, 2007, 03:10:22 pm
I'm going to be changing residences soon, but I'll know by Sept. 10th or so.
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: Super Nova on August 16, 2007, 11:04:16 am
Connection speed: It's a crappy DSL that can handle up to 4 people and I'm surprised no one wants to kill me yet for hosting.
Download: 329 kilobits or about 40 kilobytes/sec - Upload: 209 kilobits/sec   - Latency: 68 ms
Time zone: -5 GMT
Times available: Random time from 10 AM EST - 9 PM EST (I can sometimes stay longer)

OS: Windows XP Media Center Edition
RAM: 1 GB
Processor: Something very fancy that is 2.80 GHz, and it's dual-core. It's also a Pentium.
Graphics card: GeForce 7300 LE(I know, it's bad) that's overclocked by 2 MHz(ya rly)
Graphics memory: 512 mb
My computer is about 1 year old.

I doubt anything else will have to do with hosting, except for the 1 GB multi.log.

I don't really know why I'm posting on this thread.(points at connection speed)



Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: colecampbell666 on August 16, 2007, 11:09:33 am
Once I get 5 decent responses I will try to coordinate something.
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: BloodEagle on August 16, 2007, 11:44:36 am
Download: 329 kilobits or 40 kilobytes/sec

329kbps = 41.125 kBps. Not 40. :P

I don't really know why I'm posting on this thread.(points at connection speed)

A fast computer can beat a fast connection any day of the week, besides, everyone has a low 'object update rate'. Speaking of which... does anyone know what the actual speeds for the 'object update rate' are?
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: CP5670 on August 16, 2007, 12:04:14 pm
No, a fast connection is more important for the host. However, FS2 doesn't require much in the way of either one. You're going to get some lag effects no matter what due to the FS2 netcode. Most of the people who posted here should be able to host at least three or four players comfortably.
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: jr2 on August 16, 2007, 01:12:32 pm
Athlon XP 3200+ w/ 2GB RAM running XP Pro, BFG nVidia 6200 OC 256 MB GFX card, speeds are in kbps (kilobits per second):

NYC:
9844 / 929
9820 / 965
9918 / 965

Chicago, IL:
9831 / 968
9806 / 964
9929 / 961

LA, CA:
5801 / 940
5752 / 944
5744 / 939

Dallas, TX:
6880 / 947
6715 / 947
6845 / 945

Washington, DC:
9764 / 962
9857 / 965
9848 / 965

San Francisco, CA:
5476 / 941
3690 / 939
2170 / 815

Atlanta, GA:
9827 / 961
9782 / 964
9799 / 964

Seattle, WA:
6029 / 944
5988 / 938
5992 / 940

Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: colecampbell666 on August 16, 2007, 06:45:58 pm
Whats the difference between kilobits and kilobytes?
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: BloodEagle on August 16, 2007, 07:54:06 pm
A bit represents a single 0 or 1. There are 8 bits to a byte. It takes 8 bits to make one ascii character.

Therefore, the above sentences use 106 characters at 8 bits (1 byte) per character.
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: jr2 on August 17, 2007, 06:32:31 am
bit = 0 or 1, a Binary digIT.  Byte = 8 bits.  Kilo = 1,000 or 1,024, depending.  Mega = 1,000,000 or 1,024,000, depending.

Ah, heck, just read the Wikipedia article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orders_of_magnitude_%28data%29).  EDIT: Read This one (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binary_prefix), too.
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: colecampbell666 on August 17, 2007, 07:46:23 am
bit = 0 or 1, a Binary digIT.  Byte = 8 bits.  Kilo = 1,000 or 1,024, depending.  Mega = 1,000,000 or 1,024,000, depending.

Ah, heck, just read the Wikipedia article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orders_of_magnitude_%28data%29).  EDIT: Read This one (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binary_prefix), too.
I know that... I just thought that kilobits were a different measure altogether. So you multiply kilobytes by 8 to get kilobits, and divide kilobits by 8 to get kilobytes?
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: jr2 on August 17, 2007, 08:36:12 am
:nod:
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: CP5670 on August 17, 2007, 11:11:33 pm
Network speeds tend to be measured in bits rather than bytes for some reason. Never understood why.
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: BloodEagle on August 17, 2007, 11:44:26 pm
Because 6000kbps sounds a lot better than 750kBps.  ;)
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: jr2 on August 18, 2007, 02:14:58 am
I have an idea!  Why don't they measure it in kbpm?  Then they'll look really good!!  :ick:
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: castor on August 18, 2007, 04:50:34 am
I guess bit is more convenient unit to use on many fields of telecomms, if you need to actually implement something on ground level.
For example, lets consider the presentation in these modulation constellations: http://cbdd.wsu.edu/kewlcontent/cdoutput/TR502/page52.htm
As these are directly related to the actual throughput rates acquired in rl data channels, its easy to see that using bytes would be just an additional annoyance in calculations etc.
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: Freespace Damo on August 18, 2007, 07:29:27 am
I have 1500/256kbps internet. Guessing enough for 4 players including me no lag. But the catch is.... I'm Australian. So it would be a no no for me or anyone else from another country to play on your or my server. It'd lag out so bad due to latency issues.

If any aussies here would like me to host a little co-op or something contact me on Xfire. My Xfire addy is "dukenukemgamer".

Also, hosting rig system specs:

Intel Core 2 Duo E6320 @ 1.86ghz
4GB DDR2 667 ram
Geforce 7600GT 256mb
Windows XP x64 edition
300GB Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 SATAII HDD
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: Polpolion on August 18, 2007, 07:42:37 pm
------AUGUST-----
****
20th - 5PM GMT  EUROPE GAME
Host: none
****
22nd - 10PM GMT NORTH/SOUTH AMERICA GAME
Host: CP5670
****
23rd - 11AM GMT AUSTRALIA GAME
Host: none
****
25th - 11AM GMT AUSTRALIA GAME
Host: none
9:30PM GMT N/S AMERICA AND EUROPE GAME
Host: none
****
28th - 7PM GMT EUROPE
Host: none
****
31st - 1AM GMT N/S AMERICA  *NOTE* GMT-7,6,5,4,3,2 causes this game to be on the 30th.
Host: none
****


I will not be in town next week (19th to 25th) so if someone wants to do this for the week, post here and then contact that person to have them put you as host.
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: Mayhem on August 20, 2007, 12:02:41 pm
Connection Speed: 5695 kb/s down, 523 kb/s up
Timezone: Europe (GMT+1)
Days: preferably week-ends, like saturdays and sundays, around 8pm GMT+1

Operating Sys: WinXP
RAM: 448 Mb
Processor: AMD Sempron 3000+
Video Card: NVidia GeForce 6100 nForce 405
Video Mem: 256 Mb
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: colecampbell666 on August 20, 2007, 01:00:22 pm
------AUGUST-----
****
20th - 10PM GMT  EUROPE GAME
Host: CP5670
        - 12PM GMT  EUROPE/N&S AMERICA GAME
Host: colecampbell666
****
22nd - 10PM GMT NORTH/SOUTH AMERICA GAME
Host: CP5670
****
23rd - 11AM GMT AUSTRALIA GAME
Host: none
****
25th - 11AM GMT AUSTRALIA GAME
Host: none
9:30PM GMT N/S AMERICA AND EUROPE GAME
Host: none
****
28th - 7PM GMT EUROPE
Host: none
****
31st - 1AM GMT N/S AMERICA  *NOTE* GMT-7,6,5,4,3,2 causes this game to be on the 30th.
Host: none
****
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: BloodEagle on August 20, 2007, 03:32:20 pm
RAM: 448 Mb

How in the world do you have 448MB of RAM?  :confused:
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: colecampbell666 on August 20, 2007, 03:36:10 pm
Check your messages.
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: Super Nova on August 26, 2007, 04:48:40 pm
Okay, I got a much internet connection today.

(http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/2391/comcastestlv6.png)

Since it's cable, though, it may become laggy at random times.
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: jr2 on August 27, 2007, 01:43:20 pm
@Super Nova:  You could use the "Forum" copy link, like this:

(http://i19.tinypic.com/6g48zeg.jpg)

Result:

(http://www.speedtest.net/result/177660389.png) (http://www.speedtest.net)
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: Shade on August 27, 2007, 02:26:24 pm
No fair, your internets have bigger tubes than mine :(
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: Shade on August 27, 2007, 11:09:26 pm
System stats, for when I get my schedule locked down and can start hosting:

Connection Speed: 4096kb/s down, 512kb/s up, in theory. In reality:
(http://www.speedtest.net/result/177941501.png) (http://www.speedtest.net)
And since that was right next door, here's one for a Washington, DC server:
(http://www.speedtest.net/result/177943956.png) (http://www.speedtest.net)
Operating System: Windows XP
RAM: 2gb
Processor: AMD X2 4600+
Video Card: GeForce 7800GTX
Video Memory: 256mb
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: Super Nova on August 28, 2007, 09:16:44 am
No fair, your internets have bigger tubes than mine :(

Well, sometimes those tubes shrink. :nod:
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: goldman22 on August 28, 2007, 04:23:36 pm
Goldman22


(http://www.speedtest.net/result/178376244.png) (http://www.speedtest.net)(http://www.speedtest.net/result/178376875.png) (http://www.speedtest.net)(http://www.speedtest.net/result/178378920.png) (http://www.speedtest.net)(http://www.speedtest.net/result/178380083.png) (http://www.speedtest.net)
Operating System: Windows XP
RAM: 768mb
Processor: Pentium 4 2.0ghz
Video Card: ATI Radeon 9600 Sapphire
Video Memory: 256mb
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: Shade on September 06, 2007, 07:33:16 am
Meh. On a clean install, I'm getting this message when trying to host a game: "You have selected a mission which is either invalid or unknown to PXO. Your stats will not be saved if you continue.". And I get that regardless of whether I pick a mission from the missions pack, or an original [V] mission.

I should specify that by clean install, I mean clean. FS2 installed from discs, patched to v1.20, and then SCP v3.6.9, launcher 5.5c and the validated mission pack dropped in on top along with the needed config files. Nothing else. I even deleted all of the data subfolders except /multidata, /players and /cache, as well as the now-useless /ereg and /mindspring from the main directory, so there's nothing lurking that might be causing this.

Has anyone else encountered this, and if so, do you know how to fix it? I need to hammer this out before I start hosting.

[Edit] Attached pic of the game and data folders. The "multimissions" folder only contains the mission pack from This Thread (http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,45919.0.html), since I run them as a mod due to hatred of anything non-official in my game directory.

[attachment deleted by admin]
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: CP5670 on September 06, 2007, 08:51:49 am
That message is fine. You can ignore it. The stats still save as long as you rehost after every mission.
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: Fozzy on September 06, 2007, 09:24:28 am
(http://www.speedtest.net/result/182433564.png)(http://www.speedtest.net/result/182434439.png) (http://www.speedtest.net)(http://www.speedtest.net/result/182434987.png) (http://www.speedtest.net)

Operating System: Windows Vista Home Premium 32Bit
RAM: 1023mb
Processor: Pentium Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU   4300 @ 1.8GHz 1.8GHZ
Video Card: ATI Radeon X1300
Video Memory: 383mb
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: colecampbell666 on September 06, 2007, 12:51:50 pm
If you could post your system specs in the format of the first post I'll be able to set something up.
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: Shade on September 06, 2007, 01:13:36 pm
Quote
That message is fine. You can ignore it. The stats still save as long as you rehost after every mission.
Ah, good. Had me worried, so glad it's nothing :)
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: karajorma on September 06, 2007, 02:04:18 pm
Is that bug in Mantis? I'll take a stab as squashing it if it is. There's no good reason you should have to rehost just to play more than one mission in a row.
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: Shade on September 06, 2007, 02:06:29 pm
It will be as soon as I'm done typing it...

[Edit] http://scp.indiegames.us/mantis/view.php?id=1493
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: taylor on September 06, 2007, 02:30:08 pm
Verify that it still happens with my Xt builds before starting to hack on this karajorma.  Most of the FS2NetD code was rewritten, for 3.6.10, and whatever this problem might be it could be that it's fixed already.
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: Shade on September 06, 2007, 02:53:49 pm
I'm afraid it happens on Xt builds as well, else I wouldn't have added it to Mantis.
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: taylor on September 06, 2007, 02:58:09 pm
I'm afraid it happens on Xt builds as well, else I wouldn't have added it to Mantis.
Check multi.log for anything that might indicate a problem.  I fixed the logging to make all of that stuff more useful when debugging things like this.
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: Shade on September 06, 2007, 03:01:00 pm
Actually I just found something interesting. It doesn't happen on Xt debug builds. Could it be something as simple as compiler optimizations?

Multi.log shows some supposedly validated missions as invalid (not many, and no [V] missions, only from the mission pack), otherwise nothing that springs to mind. My multi.log file for non-Xt builds is useless due to bloat (100mb+ from less than 1 minute of being connected to FS2Net).
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: taylor on September 06, 2007, 04:12:40 pm
Actually I just found something interesting. It doesn't happen on Xt debug builds. Could it be something as simple as compiler optimizations?
No, I think it's just the code.  My Xt builds have the FS2NetD v.2 code base, which is basically a rewrite of the client and server to be more cross-platform, fix a ton of bugs, and add modular table support.  The server side is largely the same (the v.1 server code was upgraded along the way too), except for validation and a couple of bug fixes that enhance compatibility with the new client code.  The v.1 and v.2 servers do use the same database for users, stats, and mission/table CRCs, but they are otherwise incompatible.  This bug is likely just something that I worked out in the new code, since most of the client code was either rewritten, or written from scratch.

EDIT: Crap, just realized that you might have meant that it did happen with release Xt builds, but not with the debug Xt builds.  In that case I suppose that it could be optimizations, but I'm pretty careful about avoiding stuff like that.  This wouldn't be the first time that MSVC6 kicked out bad optimizations though.   :rolleyes:

Quote
Multi.log shows some supposedly validated missions as invalid (not many, and no [V] missions, only from the mission pack), otherwise nothing that springs to mind.
It could just be that the missions aren't in the validation database.  The log should give you the CRCs it detected from the missions that it declared invalid.  Send me those mission names and the CRCs and I'll make sure that they get added to the database.
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: Turey on September 08, 2007, 05:03:30 pm
Yay moved into Dorm!

(http://www.speedtest.net/result/183044404.png) (http://www.speedtest.net)

ThinkPad T61
2.4Ghz Core 2 Duo
2GB RAM
nVidia Quadro NVS 140 (128MB)
Intel Turbo Memory 1GB
Windows Vista Ultimate
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: jr2 on September 08, 2007, 05:05:41 pm
...The question is, does your port UDP 7808 forward correctly?  (I can go multi with you and test if you want).
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: Turey on September 08, 2007, 05:29:29 pm
...The question is, does your port UDP 7808 forward correctly?  (I can go multi with you and test if you want).

Trying to test right now... get on IRC.
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: Shade on September 08, 2007, 05:59:31 pm
As requested, the mission pack missions that aren't passing validation:

Quote from: multi.log
09/09 00:51:11~   FS2NetD Mission Validation: SWR-21.fs2  =>  INVALID! -- 0x88b39e3f
09/09 00:51:11~   FS2NetD Mission Validation: SWR-20.fs2  =>  INVALID! -- 0xfc43303e
09/09 00:51:12~   FS2NetD Mission Validation: lucifer.fs2  =>  INVALID! -- 0xa6852b18
09/09 00:51:12~   FS2NetD Mission Validation: longroad.fs2  =>  INVALID! -- 0x6644fea0
09/09 00:51:12~   FS2NetD Mission Validation: inv-team05.fs2  =>  INVALID! -- 0xff7bea19
09/09 00:51:12~   FS2NetD Mission Validation: haftraning_m01_a.fs2  =>  INVALID! -- 0x04ac855d
09/09 00:51:12~   FS2NetD Mission Validation: fw2a-01a.fs2  =>  INVALID! -- 0x0c5b2f8d
09/09 00:51:12~   FS2NetD Mission Validation: dfall3b.fs2  =>  INVALID! -- 0xc84fa8ea
09/09 00:51:12~   FS2NetD Mission Validation: cet_mt01_a.fs2  =>  INVALID! -- 0x30421dea
09/09 00:51:12~   FS2NetD Mission Validation: cet_m02_a.fs2  =>  INVALID! -- 0x2f0688b8
09/09 00:51:13~   FS2NetD Mission Validation: bdhr.fs2  =>  INVALID! -- 0x71d05f00

[Edit] Or perhaps I should bloody well PM them as the post says, instead of posting them here where they might be overlooked. Reading comprehension++.
Title: Re: Multiplayer server hosts
Post by: Psychoo on September 16, 2007, 04:41:15 am
Hiyah!

colecampbell666 pm'ed me second time about my FreeSpace 2 hosting, so:

My computer specs:
256kbs download and upload...  It's radio connection, so it have it's own sense of humour. Sometimes it works better than it's technical specificaton says, but also sometimes loses signal in the worst possible momment ^^
Operating System: Windows XP
RAM: 1GB
Processor: CeleronM 1.7ghz
Video Card: ATI Radeon Mobile (Yes, it's notebook)
Video Memory: 256mb
My location: Poland

I'm hosting every day (or almost every day) around 19.00 GTM+1 and I'm playing till late night. Sometimes {303} Hippo is the host, becouse of his internet connection which is better than mine.

See You in Space,

{303}Psychoo