Improved stability and dedicated server

[jers]

I want to keep this respectful as possible and I'm going to attempt to do this without whining, but we're trying to run a online community here at Hoggit (and I'm sure many others) and it's really difficult to do that with the anemia around the multiplayer side of things. I know there's a huge singleplayer base and but I'm trying to make the case here for the online communities who are trying our best to keep your product up and running (and more importantly keeping interest in more of your modules)

 

The two biggest issues are we desperately need dedicated server software that can run on Linux. It's prohibitively expensive to run dedicated Windows hardware to support dedicated servers.

 

The second problem is stability is a joke. For years and years we've put up with desync and crashes for all but the most trivial of missions.

 

We have a community of 14 thousand people that want to play online and most of them have given up, and I can't blame them. We try to give them better mission experiences with things like scripting and complex missions but anytime a mission reaches any amount of complexity at all it grinds to a halt after just an hour or so.

 

Are we just not driving enough interest in your sales to be worth it? With decent multiplayer our community would probably *triple* and with that comes sales of modules old and new. I'm basically begging at this point to get some kind of definitive answer out of Wags or someone. Even a strongly worded "It's not going to happen" would be better than this limbo.

 

Thanks for taking the time to read this, maybe we'll get some kind of response. Maybe not, but I'm begging you here guys.

[JonathanRL]

To me, it seems that Eagle Dynamics did not anticipate the popularity the game would have in multiplayer. That however needs to be corrected. I am a new player having just got in through the Summer Sale but what hooked me was the multiplayer possibilities. I am sad to see that they are not in a stable state and supports Jers in wanting it to have improved stability.

[Scooternutz]

I dislike that I have bought all the pay theaters twice so I can host on dedicated server. I did it but I hated it.

[CrimsonGhost]

I second everything that Jers has mentioned above. DCS has been around long enough now that there should have been some form of attention given to this sorely neglected side of DCS. I also agree that while the majority of the player base may lie in the Single Player side there are many of us that much prefer to fly with other human beings. I think most would agree that the AI leaves much to be desired.

 

 

 

I for one am very thankful for the guys at Hoggit as well as all the others, who take their time and hard earned money to host these servers for all of us to enjoy. It should not be as difficult as it is for them to do what they do.

[JonathanRL]

I dislike that I have bought all the pay theaters twice so I can host on dedicated server. I did it but I hated it.

 

One would think Eagle Dynamics would find a solution that did not force server hosters to such a solution. You should imho be able to run a server without having any copies of the theaters.

[RaceFuel85]

This really deserves more attention than it’s getting...

[mvsgas]

Are you guys ready for a monthly subscription? Otherwise, how will they maintained servers?

[KungFu]

Are you guys ready for a monthly subscription? Otherwise, how will they maintained servers?

 

Not asking for ED to host/maintain servers, just that ED provide a stable MP experience for community run servers and their players by fixing their software.

[Acidictadpole]

Are you guys ready for a monthly subscription? Otherwise, how will they maintained servers?

 

We are completely happy to run our own servers out of our own pocket. It's part of running a multiplayer community. The difference with DCS is that the servers that are required to host any kind of reasonable mission that isn't a one-and-done kind of deal is unreasonable for a user of a video game to fork out.

 

You can rent a linux server capable of running the DCS specs in all but the Windows Requirement and GPU requirement for 20-50 dollars per month. As soon as you add the windows licensing and the gpu requirements it becomes verging on thousands of dollars per month.

[jared9191]

+1 This is a very important issue that ED needs to at least acknowledge. It shouldn't get brushed aside anymore.

[StandingCow]

As someone that plays mostly MP with his friends I agree. I know ED has a LOT on it's plate right now but this is very important to a lot of the community.

[NineLine]

Guys, we understands the struggle of people hosting, and especially now with all the different maps and such. So stay tuned for more news soon. It's coming, just hold on a bit longer.

[ouPhrontis]

Guys, we understands the struggle of people hosting, and especially now with all the different maps and such. So stay tuned for more news soon. It's coming, just hold on a bit longer.

 

Appreciate the nod, NineLine, it's encouraging.

 

This is certainly something that crops up outside of the forum on a regular basis, I've asked others if they've found a workaround, tricks to fool a headless box etc, dummy-loads on outputs, but it's all rather clunky. Something stripped down, Linux friendly without resorting to VMs etc, and headless by design from ED would be really rather splendid.

[NineLine]

Yeah, the big thing with the dedicated server was always going to be getting the core stabilized, I mean even just how DCS handles multiple maps needed to be cemented before something like this could be pushed forward, if that makes sense.

[KamiraHusky]

Throwing my voice in here too, been a long time DCS player and in the last year or two been getting into the online, but stability is just not there, not to mention the issues community members are having hosting/buying multiple copies of modules to host etc.

 

If DCS were to focus some attention onto MP, we could see this product, platform and genre into a new era, imagine a DCS with the capabilities and community of a similar level to ARMA.

This will of course take a lot of time and effort and won't be a quick thing, but maybe get the community involved in these things, poll us, survey us, find out what matters to the community at large and put together a plan to address these items, even if it's a two, three, heck even five year plan, so long as we're included, I'm sure there will be plenty of good will and even offers to help.

The DCS and flight sim community is uniquely positioned in that it has some immensely intelligent people, let's all pull together!

[33-DFTC]

Just a quick message to support jers's query.

[alfredo_laredo]

just here to support improvements in MP...

[MrRogers]

Definitely going to be following this thread.

+1 for the dedicated servers!

[FatboysLimb]

I'm here to support improvements to MP and implementation of a Dedicated Server tool that works on Linux boxes. We are trying to start a community too, and, while I can't say that performance has slowed us down any, if we continue to grow and get better at what we do, it will inevitably start to cause us issues.

 

The nod from NineLine does bode well.

[larsony99]

+1 for MP enhancements and/or dedicated servers.

Great product, ED. I've already spent many hours on the game!

[Raven (Elysian Angel)]

Guys, we understands the struggle of people hosting, and especially now with all the different maps and such. So stay tuned for more news soon. It's coming, just hold on a bit longer.

That's some good news, Nineline. Cheers!

 

Hopefully we won't have to wait too much longer. I can't even remember when ED first announced a dedicated server application would be coming. Was it 2012, something like that?

I do understand a solid framework needed to be built first, but with 2.5 it seems we do have that now :-)

[CoBlue]

MP definitely needs attention.

 

 

I can't even remember when ED first announced a dedicated server application would be coming. Was it 2012, something like that?

 

 

Yes it was you can read it here: https://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=1636830&postcount=101

[NineLine]

Would have made no sense to do it before the game was in its current state, they would have been chasing their tails with a toll like this, it ended up being better to wait for the game to solidify and stabilize.

 

MP is always being considered, the answers and fixes arent always as fast as anyone wants them though.

[sze5003]

When I first got into dcs I never touched online because I didn't think I was good enough. Thanks to the hoggit server it has calmed me a bit since everyone there is very friendly and helpful. Looking forward to to any news about improving multiplayer for everyone. Many times I've been on it has frozen or lag spiked and I figured it was my connection, but then I got gigabit fiber and it still occurred.

[Baco]

+1 Squads are the soul of the community and Squads fly ON LINE ;) Grate to know its on the radar...