Operation "Blue Flag" - 24/7 PvP Campaign - ROUND 9

[Ciribob]

We will eventually provide a complete list of changes, but not tonight due to time. I will list a few below though :)

 

In effect, this is a complete rewrite of the BlueFlag engine so everything is different, including how CTLD & Bombers are integrated in.

 

As much as possible is now event driven to hopefully reduce lag but we have also massively increased the amount of units and capturable bases from 32 to 50 (!) so we might have just undone all the gains.

 

We've just sorted the PAK settings for each base and we will eventually tweak the PAK lines as the list is now quite long!

 

The major changes worth mentioning are capturing and the fact there are no AI interceptors.

 

For capturing - only dropped troops can be used and at least 2 or more must survive. The base cannot be captured if red infantry troops still exist within the zone.

 

Fuel is important again - a base can have slots temporarily blocked by destroying a fuel bunker (if present)

 

Fuel is going through a revamp still as mentioned - There will be supply bases that auto supply fuel every 5 minutes but can be destroyed to cut supply lines. This is not quite finished but should come later in the week.

 

Fuel is taken away on takeoff based on the actual fuel in the aircraft and returned when your life is returned.

 

Repair & Refuel crates - Repair crates instantly repair a destroyed group for a base and also top up fuel.

 

Life Return - THIS IS NOW USER DRIVEN - You must land in a friendly airbase, Roadbase or farp and use the F10 menu to get back your life and drop back unused fuel. We will experiment with the shutdown event as an alternative.

 

Life Groups - Lives are now grouped for sets of airframes, running out of one does not stop you using another life group. This system will have the groups and numbers tweaked!

 

The most important thing - This is alpha, at best... If it works we will be very happy but as a warning it may not :P

 

The really really most important thing - Have fun, give constructive feedback and try not to rage too hard at us :D

 

The round will be live soon (tonight) :)

 

Edit: repair times are longer too and different depending on base type :)

Edited May 30, 2017 by Ciribob

[Jugdriver]

You Guys Rock!

 

JD

AKA_MattE

[kobeshow]

We will eventually provide a complete list of changes, but not tonight due to time. I will list a few below though :)

 

[AWESOME CHANGES]

 

 

[Ciribob]

we're nearly there...

 

1,500 Units

200 Aircraft Slots

50 Capturable Areas

 

The lag will be real :P

[microvax]

we're nearly there...

 

1,500 Units

200 Aircraft Slots

50 Capturable Areas

 

The lag will be real :P

 

Compile time optimism lol. :D

[lemoen]

Anyone ever overclock a server rack before?

[microvax]

Anyone ever overclock a server rack before?

 

What for question is this, a server rack in general has no oscilating parts. Ideally.

[lemoen]

What for question is this, a server rack in general has no oscilating parts. Ideally.

 

The computer chip on the motherboard that is screwed to the server rack :-)

[microvax]

The computer chip on the motherboard that is screwed to the server rack :-)

 

Well, yeah you can overlock most chips somehow but in general if you are really using hardware intended for server usage the main focus is reliability.

One can base frequency overclock xeons but thats like, yeah doesnt really give you a lot and has more implications then multiplier overclocking in general.

 

So meh well, you can declare anything a server and overclock it and people did and do it but the gains to be had in a engine like DCS 1.5 are probably small and probably not worth the time.

[Ciribob]

OK, its up.... shortly

 

Lots more tweaking to do. (seriously, a lot! )

 

Password is kraken

 

Mission up shortly.

 

Please dont all join and crash it at the same time :P

 

Edit: slightly longer than shortly - sorry

Edited May 30, 2017 by Ciribob

[gregzagk]

Current version issues:

- Only a few airbase aircraft slots are available. Adding more as we go.

- All areas have targets but their types and position need a lot of tweaking. Please be patient.

- Helicopter bases are not ready. Some helicopter slots are available though.

 

Greg

[M460]

The lives script is subtracting from the player pool rather than from every player. so... 23 players will run everyone else out of lives.

[kobeshow]

Yeah, shared lives for red side currently.

But it is something to think about, would it be possible to have an overall lives pool in addition to the individual lives that get reset? Throw all aircraft into the same category, or give them different values and treat these like tickets, if a side goes down to zero it loses.

[AbortedMan]

Yeah, shared lives for red side currently.

But it is something to think about, would it be possible to have an overall lives pool in addition to the individual lives that get reset? Throw all aircraft into the same category, or give them different values and treat these like tickets, if a side goes down to zero it loses.

 

Lots of potential for sabotage and trolling if this is implemented.

[Dino Might]

Interesting idea with the road bases. You know, the F5 can land and take off on roads... *wink wink*

[Thrud]

Blue Vulcan on the road blocking road takeoff and landing at Ambrolauri

[Cisco]

Anyone ever overclock a server rack before?

 

What for question is this, a server rack in general has no oscilating parts. Ideally.

 

I laughed out loud in the office. This is now an inside joke at the office.

 

The computer chip on the motherboard that is screwed to the server rack :-)

 

No, the CPU that blueflag runs on cannot be overclocked. The motherboard does not support it either.

 

Well, yeah you can overlock most chips somehow but in general if you are really using hardware intended for server usage the main focus is reliability.

One can base frequency overclock xeons but thats like, yeah doesnt really give you a lot and has more implications then multiplier overclocking in general.

 

So meh well, you can declare anything a server and overclock it and people did and do it but the gains to be had in a engine like DCS 1.5 are probably small and probably not worth the time.

 

Today blueflag runs on GPU server that is meant for big data/GPU computing. Therefor the specs are not the best for single thread DCS server. If ED ever where to come out with a propper Linux binary (or widows) that do not rely on GPU (DX11) then we could move to a server with much higher single thread performance.

 

The performance impact of having 1/2 the cores at less than 3/2 of the single thread performance is however very debatable.

Edited May 31, 2017 by Cisco

[Ciribob]

The lives script is subtracting from the player pool rather than from every player. so... 23 players will run everyone else out of lives.

 

Fixed now :)

 

Thanks for reporting!

 

Yeah, shared lives for red side currently.

But it is something to think about, would it be possible to have an overall lives pool in addition to the individual lives that get reset? Throw all aircraft into the same category, or give them different values and treat these like tickets, if a side goes down to zero it loses.

 

With the new scripts, its relatively easy to do airframe limitations as a form of tickets which is something we've thought about. (not doing this any time soon though)

 

I.e Destroy or capture a certain base - cuts off spare parts (or whatever) for the aircraft of a certain area.

 

Logistics and having interlinked bases & supplies is something we'll be working on

 

Thanks all for testing, we're pretty happy its working at all although we've not seen a capture yet? :)

[jackmckay]

Beslan airport has a problem:

 

[gregzagk]

Yes, the mission needs unfortunately much tweaking. Sorry for that.

It should be ok in the following days.

 

Most important for now is to test if everything works as intended (spawn sequence, performance etc).

 

Greg

[BitMaster]

Would it be possible, if money was raised through some kind of public engagement, to put a CPU_MoBo_RAM_NVME into one of those racks ?

 

I would donate some if this was possible.

 

i7-7700k-32GB RAM ( fast ), 960Pro NvME, upper class Asus Z270 board, maybe a Corsair 2x140mm WC.

 

How about that idea ?

[lemoen]

I think you need a lot of money to put stuff into a server rack. Those server computer parts are expensive. Not cheap like gamer parts ;-)

[BitMaster]

I manage a few servers, 1 and 2 Socket Xeons by Dell and self-made ones etc.. I am explicitly NOT talking about that Hardware as it is far too slow in IPC and RAM latency is inferior compared to "Gamer's Hardware". I really know what I am talking about here.

 

For example: The server I just clicked&configured as aproposal for a client at Dell's has a 16c/32t Xeon CPU with 2.6GHz, you definitly would NOT want one of those, regardless it's overall I/O is beyond what a desktop can do, when it comes to IPC my 7700k will smoke it in 1st gear! Nor do I need multiple SAS SSD's for 2700€ a piece, 1 NvME for 250€ will do the job, and I dont need a ServerBoard with 2 Sockets and countless RAM slots etc...

Though IPMI functionality would be handsome but is only available on X99/X299 boards..and those CPU's are lesser in IPC again.

 

I talk about the option to hand over the parts to Cisco as he seems to have a good relation to the hoster and build a one-of-a-kind rackmount there with DESKTOP parts tailored for IPC. That would be a 7700k, 32GB 3600MHz RAM, NvME SSD and a Win10 Pro license, that is basically ALL you need to run a dedicated gameserver. No one needs a full blown enterprise machine for 15k+€

 

It makes zero sense to aim for any Xeon. They are too slow, their RAM is too slow and they have no iPGU which would mean you need a 4HE Rack and a ded. GPU just to get the DX11 hooked.

 

As long as they ( hoster/cisco ) could provide the Chassis&PSU with ATX mounts it would really only be CPU-RAM-MoBo-NvME and maybe a Win10Pro license.

 

edit* forgot the cooling: either a 2HE and Watercooling or a 4HE and a FAT aircooler. Still to be determined IF this is possible.

Edited May 31, 2017 by BitMaster

[Alpenwolf]

Got an issue here on the Red side:

 

When trying to take the following slot (Malot SU-25T No11 #009) spawning on the ground as it says my game simply crashes. Tried that 3 times. No problem with many other slots at various bases that I've tried.

 

So far Red can spawn in northern bases only even if southern bases like Sochi, Gudauta, Kutaisi, Tibilisi etc. are captured and vice versa for the Blue team. I suppose the work's still not finished rather than disabling that option for both teams? Just wanna make sure.

[Alpenwolf]

Would it be possible, if money was raised through some kind of public engagement, to put a CPU_MoBo_RAM_NVME into one of those racks ?

 

I would donate some if this was possible.

 

i7-7700k-32GB RAM ( fast ), 960Pro NvME, upper class Asus Z270 board, maybe a Corsair 2x140mm WC.

 

How about that idea ?

+1