Server Performance with High Player Count (80players)

[VoRtReX-uk]

Hello,

Just wanting to query a few things about the arma2oaserver.exe.

The server spec is:

Windows Server 2008
Intel I7 930 @2.8ghz (HT enabled)
8GB Ram
750 GB raid 0 HDD

Using start-up bat file for auto restart on crash:

TITLE XXX

SET port=2302
SET mods=;

SET rank_log=_ranking.log

SET cfg=_performance.cfg
SET config=_server.cfg
SET profiles=_profiles
SET WORKING_DIRECTORY=%cd% 

:Loop
cd "%cd%"
start /wait /HIGH arma2oaserver.exe -malloc=system -cpuCount=4 -exThreads=7 -port=%port% -mod=%mods% -cfg=%cfg% -config=%config% -profiles=%profiles%
GOTO Loop

We have had an issue on our server recently where we had around 80 players, all playing. The issue happened after about 1 hour 20 minutes. The best way to describe it from a player’s point of view is desync:

I was in a jeep as a passenger when we crashed through a fence. Using TS3 to speak to the driver I found that on his screen he was still driving down the road as normal. A few seconds later my screen froze with the engine sounds still running, I was able to look around (my game didn’t crash). I would say half of the people were still playing as normal and DID NOT have any issue.

After talking for a few minutes I disconnected from the game server, at which point I could not see the game server in question in the browser (after many refreshes).

I then logged into the server using RDP, the arma2oaserver.exe was running as normal with around 20% CPU & 1.1GB Ram being used, information was being updated in the game server console window. Yet it took 5 minutes for the server to re-appear in the game server browser, and when it did it took ages for people to connect.

Any idea what could have caused this? It’s the second time out of 9 games something like this has happened with around 80 players. The game is a private “war” so having this issue means we have to re-play the “War” again.

1. The arma2oaserver.exe only appears to use around 25-30% of the CPU capacity of the system (with 80 people on the server). Seems a bit strange that the game server should struggle with low fps in game when there is so much system resources left to use. Is this normal, and if so is this going to be fixed?

2. Once a map has finished and all players have left the game server, the memory usage stays the same. Infact when new players connect and start a new game the server doesn’t appear to release the unused memory. Has anyone else had this issue?


Thanks
Vortex

[.kju [PvPscene]]

a) What was the server fps (#monitor 1 - as admin)

b) What is your server.cfg
http://community.bistudio.com/wiki/server.cfg

c) What is your arma2oaserver.cfg/basic.cfg?
http://community.bistudio.com/wiki/basic.cfg

[VoRtReX-uk]

Hello,

None of the information below has been changed over the whole 9 weeks.

Server FPS with around 80 players was between 6-11 FPS.

The server.cfg below was being used:

// GLOBAL SETTINGS 
hostname = "XXX";	// The name of the server that shall be displayed in the public server list
password = "";						// Password for joining, eg connecting to the server
passwordAdmin = "";					// Password to become server admin. When you're in Arma MP and connected to the server, type '#login xyz'
reportingIP = "arma2pc.master.gamespy.com";		// This is the default setting. If you change this, your server might not turn up in the public list. Leave empty for private servers
logFile = "_console.log";			// Tells ArmA-server where the logfile should go and what it should be called



// WELCOME MESSAGE ("message of the day")
// It can be several lines, separated by comma
// Empty messages "" will not be displayed at all but are only for increasing the interval
motd[] = {
	"xxx"
};
motdInterval = 7;						// Time interval (in seconds) between each message

// =======================
checkfiles[] = {"dta\bin.pbo"};	
// =======================



maxPlayers = 100;						// Maximum amount of players. Civilians and watchers, beholder, bystanders and so on also count as player.
kickDuplicate = 0;					// Each ArmA version has its own ID. If kickDuplicate is set to 1, a player will be kicked when he joins a server where another player with the same ID is playing.
verifySignatures = 1;					// Verifies the players files by checking them with the .bisign signatures. Works properly from 1.08 on
//equalModRequired = 0;					// Outdated. If set to 1, player has to use exactly the same -mod= startup parameter as the server.



// VOTING
voteMissionPlayers = 1;  					// Tells the server how many people must connect so that it displays the mission selection screen.
voteThreshold = 0.33;					// 33% or more players need to vote for something, for example an admin or a new map, to become effective



// INGAME SETTINGS
disableVoN = 1;						// If set to 1, Voice over Net will not be available
vonCodecQuality = 5;					// Quality from 1 to 10
persistent = 0;						// If 1, missions still run on even after the last player disconnected.



// SCRIPTING ISSUES
onUserConnected = "";					// self-explaining
onUserDisconnected = "";
doubleIdDetected = "";
regularCheck = "{}";



// some ArmA specific stuff - signature verification
onUnsignedData = "kick (_this select 0)"; // unsigned data detected
onHackedData = "kick (_this select 0)"; // tampering of the signature detected
//onDifferentData = ""; // data with a valid signature, but different version than the one present on server detected
BattlEye = 0; //Server to use BattlEye system



// MISSIONS CYCLE (see below)
//class Missions {};

Performance.cfg

language="English";
adapter=-1;
3D_Performance=93750;
Resolution_Bpp=32;
MaxCustomFileSize=0;
MaxMsgSend=256;
MinErrorToSend=0.0020000001;
MaxSizeGuaranteed=1280;
MaxSizeNonguaranteed=128;
MinBandwidth=4194304;
MaxBandwidth=2097152000;
Windowed=0;

Also just found that Intel SpeedStep appears to be enabled on the server. Does anyone else run with this enabled? cpu speed is going up (2.2Ghz) and down(1.6Ghz) with just a few people on the server

[.kju [PvPscene]]

So you are talking OA 1.60 only?
What about beta patches (server or clients)?

Small fixes:
reportingIP = "arma2pc.master.gamespy.com";
=>
reportingIP = "arma2oapc.master.gamespy.com";

checkfiles[] = {"dta\bin.pbo"};
=>
checkfiles[] = {};

verifySignatures = 1;
=>
verifySignatures = 2;

+ check this thread:
http://forums.bistudio.com/showthrea...er-performance

[VoRtReX-uk]

Yes, Server is 1.6 OA only. No beta patches on the server. But the clients....... can you force it so if they are using the beta they cannot join?

I have ammended the issues you pointed out, thanks!

Its funny you put that thread up as we are currently hosting the game for BDR Sibolo (ATC4) as they have had more issues that us, and our servers are supposed to be identical!

[NeuroFunker]

it is even worse in arma 2 vanilla, when around 50 people are playing at same server, it gets quite unplaybe when your driving as a passenger in someones car, or flying chopper. Just after few meters, car runs into a building or fence and stucks there, engine sound is running, nothing happens, but driver who was with me talking via skype, said he was driving, when the car stuck in building for me. Same with passenger in a chopper - it looks like chopper is crashing in to the water or on the ground, but the chopper is still flying (for person who's a pilot in that chopper).

[Dwarden]

1. The arma2oaserver.exe only appears to use around 25-30% of the CPU capacity of the system

do we speak about utilization of single core or multiple cores?

because for A2:OA the primary concern is IPC (instruction per clock) on primary core
while the game is able utilize more cores (so dualcore is must, quadcore is worth it and 6 to 8 cores is nice bonus)
yet any gains beyond 6-8 native cores is negligible due to multicore sync

1.
also my suggestion is : try disable HyperThreading in BIOS

2.
change
MinErrorToSend=0.0020000001;
to
MinErrorToSend=0.001;

this value has new default since 1.60 build read http://community.bistudio.com/wiki/b...Tuning_Options


3.
add
MinErrorToSendNear=0.01;

this is new value since 1.60 (tho if missing then engine should use default anyway)
you may try increase this value (e.g. to double, to lower stress on server)

4.
as seen in other topics You might not need
minbandwidth entry
and You may change MaxMsgSend to lower value

this is up to tweaking tho

[VoRtReX-uk]

Hi,

Total CPU utilization was 30% using multiple cores. But each individual core never goes over 35% CPU utilization, AKA it isn’t even maxing 1 core out!

I just did a test using (AAS100) [C5] The Gauntlet, with 800 AI. Total CPU usage is 20% none of the individual cores have gone over 35% usage, and the server is running at 6-7 FPS.
Task Manager pic from the test below:


We are going to disabling HyperThreading. I have also ammended the config settings you suggested. The server has 100mb download and 40mb upload, so I hopfully set the min and max bandwidth accordingly!

Thx
Vortex

[VoRtReX-uk]

Right some info from tonights game.

83 Players, pictures below are after 1hour 20 minutes of play out of a 2 hour game.

Task Manager, Core Temp and Server window.


Ingame Server FPS.


Pretty much 2 fps for the last 40 minutes.

HyperThreading is the issue 100%

Vortex

[naizarak]

I can't answer your questions, but I'll just add that I've experienced this "desync" in 1 of my recent games, too. My ping to server was 100ms, average player ping was 120ish, but the game was very glitchy. On my screen, my humvee would get stuck in a tree while my driver said that we were moving the whole time. Outside of vehicles, other players teleport around and don't animate properly. Server only had 10 players, too. Arma 2 free 1.10