Open Conflict - Server Information

[Mirknir]

Loading Optimization Attempt

 

So even if the server don't render the 3D part of the game, it still loads all the textures and all the shaders.

Of course, all of this take system and video memory but it can also make the server stutter when it loads a new aircrafts or assets.

 

Caucasus Map Textures by Starway gave me an idea to try to increase server performances: texture mod!

I created a mod with only ONE texture to replace them all.

It's a simpler mod than the one I did for my Time-Lost video so it's easy and fast to try.

 

I know this will accelerate the server loading by a great margin.

But I also hope this will help with some server-related stutter.

 

Here are some sexy screenshots of the mod before the 3D rendering is deactivated:

Edited June 2, 2016 by Mirknir

[pepin1234]

Hi Mirknir you have created a great server congra.

 

I have some constructive feedback.

 

1- Both side blue and red have targets message distance in nautical miles. The Russian hardware don't use nm, also most of the countries use metric units. Please set red side with km units.

 

2- you set east map for general confrontation and targeting and west map for duels. There are two problems here:

 

- The moderns fighters get advantage and take air targets first over Mig-21. Sometimes I am trying with Mig-21 to shut down a Tu-22 and a 4Th generation figther use BVR missiles to take my targets first.

 

- the duel area is not often used.

 

Maybe you can take some air and ground target from east to move to the east side or duel area and make this area a battlefield for weaker aircraft like Mig-21 or F-86 whatever. Then they have their own battlefield Era.

 

Thanks

Edited June 3, 2016 by pepin1234

[Mirknir]

Hi Mirknir you have created a great server congra.

Thanks

 

Thanks :thumbup:

 

 

1- Both side blue and red have targets message distance in nautical miles. The Russian hardware don't use nm, also most of the countries use metric units. Please set red side with km units.

In the message popup, it's explained how to change the unit system:

type '-opt unit' in chat.

 

Plus, the server is not red for russian and blue for usa.

Each side has most of the planes.

 

The moderns fighters get advantage and take air targets first over Mig-21. Sometimes I am trying with Mig-21 to shut down a Tu-22 and a 4Th generation figther use BVR missiles to take my targets first.

 

Bombers and recons respawn every 5 min so you should have plenty of occasions to kill some. ('-aa' in chat to track them)

Even flying a su27, I've had AI or player kills stolen from me by another player.

That's ok, that's part of the multiplayer environment like a helicopter searching for a target for 10 min to see it blown up by a maverick.

At the end, it's a kill for your team :)

 

Maybe you can take some air and ground target from east to move to the east side or duel area and make this area a battlefield for weaker aircraft like Mig-21 or F-86 whatever. Then they have their own battlefield Era.

 

I am actually trying to embrace the diversity of DCS and make a server for everyone to have fun and participate to the conflict.

I think that part of what makes this server community cool is having a lot of different aircrafts flying together, helping each other, killing each other :P

 

In my su27, I've had some memorable dogfights with mig21, gun fights with F86 or P51 and not always with the outcome you would think.

I've seen huey on rescue mission hunted by F15 player, L39 doing bomb runs in the conflict area and RTBing in one piece, even pro WWII planes clearing some of the lightly defended objectives.

I want to see more of this ; I don't want to divide the server mission per aircraft type or era.

 

I also can understand people wanting to fly within an era and there are already dedicated WWII or Korean war servers that does a far better job that I would do.

 

 

the duel area is not often used.

 

The duel slots are here as a 'in case people want to'.

I've seen people go there to do some hardcore duels or just sometimes to do private training.

That's ok if they are not used a lot.

It's actually a good sign people have more fun in the common area.

[acdelta57]

I knew you liked watching us Huey's be hunted! Haha. There are some epic moments on the server the way it's set up with basically free for all in the conflict zone. I admit having watched a huey fly to a rescue that's blatantly defended by SAMs and AA but I say nothing and just spectate the fireball in the F2 view:music_whistling:

 

I have also learned my lesson with the "warning message" now. I was flying high and careless just a few miles out from the hospital and saw a missile split second before my

Huey was turned into an expensive chaff display! :doh:

 

So excited to come back and fly with the new changes! Looking awesome

Mirk! :)

[Mirknir]

I knew you liked watching us Huey's be hunted!

 

Yea I know, it's a bit creepy sometimes but part of improving the server is watching people play and react to the content.

It's really important to understand the different players motivation and source of fun, especially when the game is so diverse and people so passionate about it.

This and also reading/answering the thread.

 

I am just a baddie that only fly one plane ; of course, it's the best fighter in the world ; but still. :music_whistling:

 

And for the watching huey part, I just want to see a F15 get killed by a huey but you guys always disappoint me :lol:

I guess the next feature I have to script for huey is passenger with stingers.

[pepin1234]

Thanks :thumbup:

 

 

 

In the message popup, it's explained how to change the unit system:

type '-opt unit' in chat.

 

Plus, the server is not red for russian and blue for usa.

Each side has most of the planes.

 

 

 

Bombers and recons respawn every 5 min so you should have plenty of occasions to kill some. ('-aa' in chat to track them)

Even flying a su27, I've had AI or player kills stolen from me by another player.

That's ok, that's part of the multiplayer environment like a helicopter searching for a target for 10 min to see it blown up by a maverick.

At the end, it's a kill for your team :)

 

 

 

I am actually trying to embrace the diversity of DCS and make a server for everyone to have fun and participate to the conflict.

I think that part of what makes this server community cool is having a lot of different aircrafts flying together, helping each other, killing each other :P

 

In my su27, I've had some memorable dogfights with mig21, gun fights with F86 or P51 and not always with the outcome you would think.

I've seen huey on rescue mission hunted by F15 player, L39 doing bomb runs in the conflict area and RTBing in one piece, even pro WWII planes clearing some of the lightly defended objectives.

I want to see more of this ; I don't want to divide the server mission per aircraft type or era.

 

I also can understand people wanting to fly within an era and there are already dedicated WWII or Korean war servers that does a far better job that I would do.

 

 

 

 

The duel slots are here as a 'in case people want to'.

I've seen people go there to do some hardcore duels or just sometimes to do private training.

That's ok if they are not used a lot.

It's actually a good sign people have more fun in the common area.

 

Thanks for the quick response.

 

Just tell you was far better the way you set the message with km and nm together. We don't use nm so after the last server update you made the change to full nm distance, such is very bad for russian pilots need to convert on the fly. If you can please set back like before. nm and km together, was great

 

About the competition between 2Th, 3Th vs 4Th gen fighter killing targets. If you think is right like that, No problem. Just wanted to say you could be better setting apart by two battlefield areas Mig-21/F-5 from Su-27/F-15.

Edited June 3, 2016 by pepin1234

[Mirknir]

Just tell you was far better the way you set the message with km and nm together. We don't use nm so after the last server update you made the change to full nm distance, such is very bad for russian pilots need to convert on the fly. If you can please set back like before. nm and km together, was great

 

Again, you can choose what unit you have displayed.

I pilot the su27, I switched to metric system, my options are saved on the server and now, the popup are always in km for dist and m for altitude.

You have the information in the unit you want, the popup is clearer and less overloaded...

I don't understand how it's so terrible :)

 

About the competition between 2Th, 3Th vs 4Th gen fighter killing targets. If you think is right like that, No problem. Just wanted to say you could be better setting apart by two battlefield areas Mig-21/F-5 from Su-27/F-15.

 

It's an all-planes-general-warfare server so I won't start creating separated areas for each generation of planes.

In addition to bringing more performance problem by extending the mission, this is not the purpose of this server even if I understand why people would like to only fly within 'their own era'.

 

However, if I had the resources and time, I would gladly host additional dedicated servers for each era and even maybe one night time for the aircrafts with NVG.

[decipher]

there might be a language barrier problem here with pepin. maybe a translation is needed?

 

everyone can change from imperial to metric with the skynet script, it is clearly written i think even in the log-in welcome message.

 

open multiplayer chat window, say hello to your team, type -opt unit - enjoy metric or imperial display in skynet script!

 

...........

 

i love flying the mig21 and it really can be frustrating when you are constantly just getting shot down by BVR missiles from modern fighters that you never even saw on the radar or anywhere, but i don't think one server should try to offer a specific setting for everything. that is the beauty of having a "dedicated" server list. you can have specific servers for ww2, or aerobatics, etc.

 

the more i come back to open conflict the more different things i like to try, but sometimes, when i just want to fly without weapons i will rather join the virtual aerobatics server (for example).

then i come back to open conflict and practice bomb / rocket and gun runs with the f-86, while the A-10 pilots laugh, or i switch to the huey and rescue some pilots who got reckless!

 

big part of the charme of open conflict is the community. mostly nice guys, very skilled veterans paired with eager beginners, always fun.

 

........

 

i wonder how interactive skynet can be. i was thinking about how i would like to call in a CAP, while i delivered parts to the field hospital. maybe there is a way to automate this? like... would it be possible to request CAP so that it appears maybe in the "air targets" menu, or a new menu "CAP". like i tell the script my starting and target location, or my task and it will generate a dynamic new menu entry for fighter pilots to see with a description of the area, etc. hmmm. just thinking out loud here :)

Edited June 3, 2016 by decipher

[Mirknir]

there might be a language barrier problem here with pepin. maybe a translation is needed?

 

I can explain in French and English but that's about it :smilewink:

 

i wonder how interactive skynet can be. i was thinking about how i would like to call in a CAP, while i delivered parts to the field hospital. maybe there is a way to automate this?

 

For performance and general design purpose, I don't want to flood the server with air AIs and by this, I mean meaningful AIs, not the practice non offensive AIs.

I don't want AIs to replace players in protecting the conflict zone.

 

However, each side still have a warden AI CAP of 2 modern aircrafts that will offer a minimal protection of their side of the conflict zone as well as some basic aggressive targets for the opposite faction.

I've recently added the feature to be able to influence your AI CAP respawn timer to slightly increase this minimal protection. (release notes)

 

I might add more factors to influence this number but by design, the conflict zone is supposed to be dangerous if you don't have player support.

Edited June 3, 2016 by Mirknir

[acdelta57]

That is an interesting thought decipher has which gave me a similar idea, what if when a player a rescue is open, what if there was a way for the rescuing pilot to make an F10 menu call to all players on their team requesting either CAP or CAS? I know we have the text box, but something similar to the ejection alert. That alert system is so perfect for grabbing players attention and for me personally makes me really excited and ready to get the rescue going. What if there was a similar type of request or alert box that can be asked through the F10 menu to supporting aircraft? Maybe players in Sus or the dreaded F15s will see the emergency request and divert from their current tasking to help support the rescue? Idk just thinking out loud myself. Lots of spare time at work this trip lol

[Mirknir]

That is an interesting thought decipher has which gave me a similar idea, what if when a player a rescue is open, what if there was a way for the rescuing pilot to make an F10 menu call to all players on their team requesting either CAP or CAS? I know we have the text box, but something similar to the ejection alert. That alert system is so perfect for grabbing players attention and for me personally makes me really excited and ready to get the rescue going. What if there was a similar type of request or alert box that can be asked through the F10 menu to supporting aircraft? Maybe players in Sus or the dreaded F15s will see the emergency request and divert from their current tasking to help support the rescue? Idk just thinking out loud myself. Lots of spare time at work this trip lol

 

Yea an easy com system could be nice to declare your intention / ask for help.

 

Still, would need some spam controls ; some people like to draw attention :lol:

 

[ame]

[/ame]

[acdelta57]

:megalol: very true

[pepin1234]

there might be a language barrier problem here with pepin. maybe a translation is needed?

 

everyone can change from imperial to metric with the skynet script, it is clearly written i think even in the log-in welcome message.

 

open multiplayer chat window, say hello to your team, type -opt unit - enjoy metric or imperial display in skynet script!

 

...........

 

Nop. I understood very well that if we are Russian we must change to km by ourself. If he changed to nm by default he should has his own reasons, probably server performance, no idea...

 

.......

 

i love flying the mig21 and it really can be frustrating when you are constantly just getting shot down by BVR missiles from modern fighters that you never even saw on the radar or anywhere, but i don't think one server should try to offer a specific setting for everything. that is the beauty of having a "dedicated" server list. you can have specific servers for ww2, or aerobatics, etc.

 

 

I think you don't get the point. If I am requesting a specialized battlefield for weaker aircraft. First this is because I found Open Conflict server enjoyable and I don't find some of his features in other servers. And second because been with same era fighters mean more real, more fair. I understand Mirknir want to care the server performance doing this.

 

Just one question for you server makers? More terrain area with units, make more memory usage for players?

Edited June 3, 2016 by pepin1234

[Mirknir]

Nop. I understood very well that if we are Russian we must change to km by ourself. If he changed to nm by default he should has his own reasons, probably server performance, no idea...

 

You change it once then your preference is saved on the server.

[decipher]

For performance and general design purpose, I don't want to flood the server with air AIs and by this, I mean meaningful AIs, not the practice non offensive AIs.

I don't want AIs to replace players in protecting the conflict zone.

 

However, each side still have a warden AI CAP of 2 modern aircrafts that will offer a minimal protection of their side of the conflict zone as well as some basic aggressive targets for the opposite faction.

I've recently added the feature to be able to influence your AI CAP respawn timer to slightly increase this minimal protection. (release notes)

 

I might add more factors to influence this number but by design, the conflict zone is supposed to be dangerous if you don't have player support.

 

oh yeah i actually meant player fighters, not AI. like acdelta57 said kinda.

 

so that a bored player in a fighter will check "air targets" menu in skynet and see "[CAP1] CAP request from [player] X press F4" or something.

 

basically just like asking in chat, just... integrated in skynet as a proper mission.

[cosmicdoubloon]

Hi Mirk,

I've had a couple of occasions in the Gazelle where I've been shot down by fighters using IR missiles. Normally this doesn't bother me because... well.. war, but I never received the warning from skynet about the proximity of an enemy fighter. Is the warning applied to the gazelle? or just the Mi-8/Huey/legacy planes? can any other gazelle pilots confirm?

[Mirknir]

Hi Mirk,

I've had a couple of occasions in the Gazelle where I've been shot down by fighters using IR missiles. Normally this doesn't bother me because... well.. war, but I never received the warning from skynet about the proximity of an enemy fighter. Is the warning applied to the gazelle? or just the Mi-8/Huey/legacy planes? can any other gazelle pilots confirm?

 

Yea, the warning is, for now, only applied to transport and legacy aircrafts.

 

I can extend it to the more advanced helicopters like ka50 and Gazelle even if they have a RWR since they are still an easy prey for fighters.

 

The warning range is still low so you still have to fly covertly so I don't really mind to extend it to these helicopters.

Edited June 4, 2016 by Mirknir

[acdelta57]

Lol maybe extend it too all aircraft and turn labels on and have a warning when missile is fired at players too ! :smartass:

[RightStuff]

I can extend it to the more advanced helicopters like ka50 and Gazelle even if they have a RWR since they are still an easy prey for fighters.

 

The warning range is still low so you still have to fly covertly so I don't really mind to extend it to these helicopters.

 

Would be nice if you could implement this.

I'd call it an AI AWACS. IMO that's not a "cheat" and would bring Skynet one step ahead.

[SpeedStick]

Hey! Great server as I've posted before. Any chance you might go and enable Ciribobs new Standalone Simple Radio?

 

https://github.com/ciribob/DCS-SimpleRadioStandalone/releases/tag/v1.0.0.1

 

I dont know why this is not a bigger thing? Enable in-sim-radios without TS. Its awesome.

All cred to Ciribob

[Mirknir]

Hey! Great server as I've posted before. Any chance you might go and enable Ciribobs new Standalone Simple Radio?

 

https://github.com/ciribob/DCS-SimpleRadioStandalone/releases/tag/v1.0.0.1

 

I dont know why this is not a bigger thing? Enable in-sim-radios without TS. Its awesome.

All cred to Ciribob

 

First, I think people like team speak because it's actually not related to any game and when you download the client, you have it for every games you wanna play.

Installing a voice program per each game can be troublesome for some people.

 

Then, server wise, you need to know where the network load of the voice over IP will go.

When you host or rent a teamspeak server, the load is on the teamspeak server machine and I think, sometimes it will be distributed amongst clients.

 

The Open Conflict server machine and internet connection is dedicated to DCS and the rented Teamspeak server doesn't affect the game server as it's hosted somewhere else.

 

I took a quick look at your link and didn't find a documentation giving information about bandwidth requisite, compression options, load repartitions between server and clients, performance impacts...

Maybe I'll do more research later but yea, server performance is a big problem for me atm so I prefer to be cautious.

[SpeedStick]

No I get that. Its used all over the place, obviously. It's just that radios and communication is such a big part of the sim and it hardly gets the love is deserves. And this is the most immersive and easiest solution, except an integrated system in to DCS itself yet! (!IMHO!).

 

I mean just look at all the plug-ins for TS, universe radio and what have you.

 

Didn't mean this as criticism or anything. Just got excited by Ciribobs excellent new work, and simply wanted to recommended it for your server because it seemed to fit. Cant get more information at the moment.

[Mirknir]

No I get that. Its used all over the place, obviously. It's just that radios and communication is such a big part of the sim and it hardly gets the love is deserves. And this is the most immersive and easiest solution, except an integrated system in to DCS itself yet! (!IMHO!).

 

I mean just look at all the plug-ins for TS, universe radio and what have you.

 

Didn't mean this as criticism or anything. Just got excited by Ciribobs excellent new work, and simply wanted to recommended it for your server because it seemed to fit. Cant get more information at the moment.

 

No problem, I am always happy to increase the server features like I did with rescues.

But adding a voice over server on the same weak-sauce-machine and not-that-bad-connection as my DCS server... I need more information first :lol:

[Mirknir]

In Masterscript: Skynet v2.5.2

 

 

• Tweaked: Radio menu
  
  • Less all caps , more fancy characters
    

   

 

• Tweaked: Fighter in vicinity warning
  
  • Warning is now active on all helicopters
    
  • Warning can now be deactivated with an option for hardcore gamers that wants more AIM120 in the face
    
    • Warning is active by default
      
    • Can be changed in radio menu -> options
      
    • Can be changed in chat -> -opt fwarn (for 'fighter warning' or 'freaking warning' depending on the day)
      

     

   

 

• Added: Weapon Release Announcements
  
  • I wanted to test this to see if it would be fun
    
  • Your pilot can now announce some weapon fired/released with NATO codewords
    
  • For now, only Air to Air missiles are announced (Fox1, 2, 3)
    
  • Only you will hear your pilot sounds
    
  • It's an option
    
    • Deactivated by default
      
    • In radio menu -> options
      
    • In chat -> -opt fox
      

     

   

[Mirknir]

In Masterscript: Skynet v2.5.3

 

Fighter Unbalances

 

So the AI CAP morale feature is working well so far.

Helicopters and ground pounders can now decrease their AI CAP respawn timer and thus increase by a small factor this minimal air protection.

 

Before taking any more actions, I am going to provide quick information about team composition to help players with their coalition choice.

 

• The server status pop-up will now display the number of players in modern fighter slots for each side
  
  • In chat: -server
    
  • Radio menu -> Server -> Status
    

   

 

• When a player join the server, he will receive the same information thru a private chat message
  
  • This will help him better choose a slot if he wants to balance teams
    

   

 

• Duel Slots are excluded from these counts
  
• Ex: ▶ Players in Fighter: 2 blues ↔ 5 reds
  

Edited June 5, 2016 by Mirknir