Large Scale Dedicated Server Testing?
by Henry Todd · in Torque 3D Professional · 12/23/2009 (4:26 pm) · 28 replies
I think the dedicated server model probably doesn't get tested frequently enough. I'd like to take a moment and run some general gameplay tests on a real-world dedicated server setup with a decent number of players, and so I'm volunteering to provide a remote server for this purpose. It's hosted by Speakeasy on a pretty standard box players might rent to run their games in the wild, so it should be a relatively realistic test.
If enough people respond, we'll sort out a date/time and run a stress test of the basic multiplayer FPS demo included in stock 1.1. The goal is to isolate common multiplayer bugs like ghost animation failure, poor netsync, events that can crash the DS, bad lag compensation/prediction, etc. We're in an alpha right now, so it seems like an appropriate time to get these kinds of reports in.
Anyone interested in participating? Has this already been done to death and I'm just not aware of it? Let me know.
If enough people respond, we'll sort out a date/time and run a stress test of the basic multiplayer FPS demo included in stock 1.1. The goal is to isolate common multiplayer bugs like ghost animation failure, poor netsync, events that can crash the DS, bad lag compensation/prediction, etc. We're in an alpha right now, so it seems like an appropriate time to get these kinds of reports in.
Anyone interested in participating? Has this already been done to death and I'm just not aware of it? Let me know.
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Recent Threads
#22
So, to remove any responsibility from myself, I've gone ahead and started up a server running DB Desert (which you can also find by going to query master under the name T3D 1.1B3 FPS Example DS):
71.195.205.64:28000
I will allow it to run until we either manage to get around to doing a decent test or I lose interest and forget about this idea for another 8-10 months. It can handle about 5-7Mbit upstream on an average day, which should be sufficient.
I am using stock Beta 3 FPS Example, however I have made 1 small change to the server-side scripts (I have removed a check for "$ZoomOn" when selecting weapons which broke multiplayer weapon swapping -- see THIS thread).
Because inventory.cs is a server script, there should be no need for you to make this change on your end in order to join the server. Your stock FPS Example should be fine.
I'm terrible at setting up schedules for stuff like this, so hopefully by simply having the server running constantly we'll be able to use this thread to get a few people on at the same time. I'd really appreciate it if someone else wanted to take charge of getting some testers together.
10/03/2010 (10:58 pm)
I'm bumping this nearly year-old thread because I'd still like to do some stock DS testing regardless of my blatant inability to follow through with organizing something.So, to remove any responsibility from myself, I've gone ahead and started up a server running DB Desert (which you can also find by going to query master under the name T3D 1.1B3 FPS Example DS):
71.195.205.64:28000
I will allow it to run until we either manage to get around to doing a decent test or I lose interest and forget about this idea for another 8-10 months. It can handle about 5-7Mbit upstream on an average day, which should be sufficient.
I am using stock Beta 3 FPS Example, however I have made 1 small change to the server-side scripts (I have removed a check for "$ZoomOn" when selecting weapons which broke multiplayer weapon swapping -- see THIS thread).
Because inventory.cs is a server script, there should be no need for you to make this change on your end in order to join the server. Your stock FPS Example should be fine.
I'm terrible at setting up schedules for stuff like this, so hopefully by simply having the server running constantly we'll be able to use this thread to get a few people on at the same time. I'd really appreciate it if someone else wanted to take charge of getting some testers together.
#23
10/04/2010 (1:19 am)
well nobody on there at the moment, gonna leave mine logged in though over night.
#24
I've added a vehicle spawn command you can use if you feel you need a buggy to drive around, just open your console and put this in:
commandToServer('spawnCar');
-Spawns a car that belongs to you. If you spawn another one, your original will be deleted.
While pointing at a nearby spot on the terrain.
*Update: As much as I intended to just do a stock stress test, I keep feeling like the server needs more fun testing commands, so I've also added this stuff:
commandToServer('spawnBot');
-Spawns an AIPlayer that belongs to you, just like the car.
commandToServer('botGoto');
-Your bot runs to wherever you're aiming.
commandToServer('botAim');
-Sets your bot's aim object to the Player/AIPlayer object you're currently pointing at.
commandToServer('botFire');
-Your bot fires 1 shot. Only bot command that doesn't require you to aim at something.
These bots have no AI scripts whatsoever, so they'll only do what you tell them to. Raycast range for spawn commands is 30m, 120m for aim/goto.
I suggest binding these commands to your keyboard by adding lines like:
No changes have been made to any actual aspects of the game or assets from stock FPS Example aside from the weapon swap fix I mentioned.
10/04/2010 (2:33 am)
I'll be doing the same unless my system explodes or otherwise fails horribly. I've added a vehicle spawn command you can use if you feel you need a buggy to drive around, just open your console and put this in:
commandToServer('spawnCar');
-Spawns a car that belongs to you. If you spawn another one, your original will be deleted.
While pointing at a nearby spot on the terrain.
*Update: As much as I intended to just do a stock stress test, I keep feeling like the server needs more fun testing commands, so I've also added this stuff:
commandToServer('spawnBot');
-Spawns an AIPlayer that belongs to you, just like the car.
commandToServer('botGoto');
-Your bot runs to wherever you're aiming.
commandToServer('botAim');
-Sets your bot's aim object to the Player/AIPlayer object you're currently pointing at.
commandToServer('botFire');
-Your bot fires 1 shot. Only bot command that doesn't require you to aim at something.
These bots have no AI scripts whatsoever, so they'll only do what you tell them to. Raycast range for spawn commands is 30m, 120m for aim/goto.
I suggest binding these commands to your keyboard by adding lines like:
moveMap.bindCmd(keyboard, "3", "commandToServer('spawnBot');", "");
moveMap.bindCmd(keyboard, "4", "commandToServer('botGoto');", "");
moveMap.bindCmd(keyboard, "5", "commandToServer('botAim');", "");
moveMap.bindCmd(keyboard, "6", "commandToServer('botFire');", "");to your scripts/client/default.bind.csNo changes have been made to any actual aspects of the game or assets from stock FPS Example aside from the weapon swap fix I mentioned.
#25
10/04/2010 (4:27 am)
i'm parked in here as well, lets get some sitters rolling! 
#26
10/04/2010 (7:14 pm)
in and lingering as well. 
#27
My bad about the stupid $ZoomOn thing... in one of the early betas that had the old FPS Genre Kit I was asked to disallow weapon changing while zooming and just stuck that in there "temporarily" (read: dirty hack until something better was implemented). That actually should've gotten taken out a year ago -- I'll try to sneak into the repo sometime and remove that little check ;)
10/04/2010 (7:35 pm)
I should be able to get in there from time to time in the afternoons/evening (Eastern time) -- cool initiative there Henry :)My bad about the stupid $ZoomOn thing... in one of the early betas that had the old FPS Genre Kit I was asked to disallow weapon changing while zooming and just stuck that in there "temporarily" (read: dirty hack until something better was implemented). That actually should've gotten taken out a year ago -- I'll try to sneak into the repo sometime and remove that little check ;)
#28
But isn't that what game design is all about!? ;)
10/04/2010 (9:54 pm)
Quote:
read: dirty hack until something better was implemented
But isn't that what game design is all about!? ;)
Torque 3D Owner Jack Davidson
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