Online bug that really needs fixing

[HaTaX]

I'm thinking I'll poll stats from the user every 15 seconds or so, and when the poll time is reached it will request stats 5 times, if it returns 0 of these requests, they'll get kicked. Otherwise as long as one of the 5 requests comes back then things continue on.

I might even make it so it just checks once every 15 seconds, and if it doesn't get a response 2-4 times in a row, they get kicked.

Should be pretty easy, I've got my development environment setup and it really doesn't look hard to do from a coding perspective. This is my first time delving into UT Script for UT3, but I'm sure it will come back to me when I used to do it with UT2K4...

[BlueCloud]

If you're not picking my head off with a sniper rifle, you're in here egging me on huh?

Alright! So does anyone in here run a server that they would be willing to try out this mutator on? I've dug up some basic info on what's needed and it looks like everything I need is already in predefined functions, so it should be fairly easy.

I'll look into this and hopefully there's someone out there that's willing to test this out on their server.

I can help you test this on the pub clan Warfare server. However be wary of packet loss. What if someone is on a slow wireless or a connection that drops 0.1% of packets. Then your mutator would kick them.

I would say do something like ping them and wait for reply for 5 seconds, if no reply then ping again. If no reply, ping a third and last time and then kick them. I am sure 30 seconds delay in kicking is definitely tolerable while making sure that you don't kick players with a little bad connection.

[coolcat22]

stop crying about how the game is and have fun whit the game
maybe there are way,s too too fix this game better too make it
with a communality patch
i dont no how
look a t ut99 how that turn out
pll still make maps for it or gametype s
the even made a community patch

get some ppl together
that can make a communality patch
for ut3
maybe even epic is willing too help



better idon t no how becous i am not a coder

[BlueCloud]

This problem actually wasn't so bad in the earlier versions and was introduced in one of the patches(2.0 or 2.1?).

Patch 2.1 actually created other problems like the no orb on mini map bug. We had to make a LOT of noise on this forum to get it fixed, but other bugs still remain.

One main issue all along was the WAR servers lagging real bad as player count went up. I help run the pub clan WAR server and you can see the cpu usage spiking on one core while 2K4 ONS servers with 32 players would run butter smooth with 8% CPU usage. Epic never cared to fix this bug even though many people, including me, were posting about it here. There are some basic features missing like going to spec while playing, lack of ingame server browsers which never got added in 5 patches. Instead we got pretty videos in the campaign mode(which about 0.1% players played) and the Titan pack.

[Nono]

You're not helping.

With all due respect, how's it working out for us? Where can we download the patch a softly-softly approach has given us?

The fact is, UT3 is still Epic's current and latest UT game. Every other time when patch support has ended, either a new UT was in development or a new one had been released. If this was the case now, there'd be no patch complaints here.

You may say, "They gave us titan, didn't they"- but Titan felt like something designed mainly to placate console players and most PC players find it a cumbersome, boring addition. Undoubtedly the best games I've had didn't feature Titans. Most PC WAR players would have taken 5-6 new official WAR maps over Titan any day.

I'm sorry if you don't like complaints and see them as counter productive, but if you're a major company and you cannot or won't support your latest product, that's not a subject fans who've bought all things UT, including any collectors editions, should have to tiptoe around.

[KingToot]

y so srs
Utinam coniurati te inforo interficiant!

[ctr2yellowbird]

...almost on cue.

The PC version of UT3 is treated like the red headed stepchild of the Epic family. Players shouldn't have to create mutators to fix game spoiling issues. There are development Studios with turnovers that are a fraction of a fraction of Epic's, yet these still bother to tweak and patch their older games.

The fact they can't devote any time whatsoever to THEIR OWN EPIC labelled game, and are prepared to simply leave problems unfixed, speaks volumes.

Just keep in mind that these things are best handled internally through PMs and private chats, lest someone goes over the top with some empassioned diatribe or otherwise unnecessary comments.

Q.E.D.:
abbr.
Latin quod erat demonstrandum (which was to be demonstrated)

You're not helping.

[Nono]

The PC version of UT3 is treated like the red headed stepchild of the Epic family. Players shouldn't have to create mutators to fix game spoiling issues. There are development Studios with turnovers that are a fraction of a fraction of Epic's, yet these still bother to tweak and patch their older games.

The fact they can't devote any time whatsoever to THEIR OWN EPIC labelled game, and are prepared to simply leave problems unfixed, speaks volumes.

[HaTaX]

If you're not picking my head off with a sniper rifle, you're in here egging me on huh?

Alright! So does anyone in here run a server that they would be willing to try out this mutator on? I've dug up some basic info on what's needed and it looks like everything I need is already in predefined functions, so it should be fairly easy.

I'll look into this and hopefully there's someone out there that's willing to test this out on their server.

[ctr2yellowbird]

Well, Silly, you know what to do then, so stop talking about it and do it! If you can code it "easily," then send Flak, our forum moderator and Epic's server admin, a PM to find out what can be accomplished. My own experiences have been positive: if you don't ask for something unreasonable and are willing to work within Epic's restrictions, then, in my experience, you will receive a reasonable response. Open up a dialogue and work together. Just keep in mind that these things are best handled internally through PMs and private chats, lest someone goes over the top with some empassioned diatribe or otherwise unnecessary comments.

[HaTaX]

Yes, a community "patch" will probably never happen in terms of patching the underlying files causing the problem. However, it is possible that a mutator could be made to help with the issue fairly easily, one like I spoke of that monitors a heartbeat of sorts from the server to the client would work.

Honestly, it would be great if it was something that could be built into UTComp easily, but I don't think we'd get server wide adoption with such a large modification being used. If it was a standalone mutator that ran server side only, Epic may be willing to place it on the official servers...

[Nightmare85]

sounds like a perfect job for a community patch.

Will never happen...
I had that idea about a half year ago (created a thread), and I don't think it's realizable unless Epic decides to share their source code, which will never happen either.

Cheers!

[Nono]

How about the reason you crashed?

Even after all this time the duplicate login issue still hasn't gone away.

Another thing I sometimes get, is a steady build up of sync errors(more hit detection problems) until the inevitable dropped connection happens. It's odd because UT2004 is solid in regards of all this stuff.

The network issues generally, from overly high pings when the game first came out, to hugely increased ping/ lag as player count increases. It hardly created a good environment to persuade players playing UT2004 to switch over to UT3.

[HaTaX]

I would be willing to do this from a coding standpoint. I'm sure it wouldn't be that hard to get a "heartbeat" mutator working. The problem would be getting buy in from Epic to put it on their servers and qualify it under accepted "pure" mutators. Not sure they'd put forth that effort.. But from a coding standpoint I'd think it could be done quite easily from the server side, just request data from the client every 15 seconds and kick them if it can't communicate.

On another note, it matters HOW you crash. I've noticed if I dump back to windows then I can't rejoin the game in progress and sometimes I just change my CD key so I can get back in (if it's a tight match and my team actually needs me). If the game completely freezes (rarely, but it's happened a few times), and I need to reboot, then I can always get right back into the match.

Still a PITA even though the timeout has been changed to 10 minutes on most servers for idle kicking...

[-=Reclaimer=-]

sounds like a perfect job for a community patch.