dedicated server - either not working or bugging mission

[slimSpencer]

Hello,

i'm trying to set up a local dedi (CO+BAF+PMC installed, v89647) just to test my mission for MP-compatibility. However, either i failed or there's a general problem out there:

To be short, i tested the dedi with 3 different missions and it fails in a different way, depending on the mission:

1) official MPE1_LaserShow.Takistan:
------------------------------------
hangs forever in "waiting for host"-screen

2) own test-mission (only 1 "player" + 1 "playable" unit on map)
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same as 1), hangs forever in "waiting for host"-screen

3) official MPE_SteelPanthers.Takistan
--------------------------------------
basically works - but:

• on unit selection screen, at least 1 out of 5 blufor is always "active", even when i remove myself from av. units
• i can not select the first av. unit under 1-1-L
• when on debriefing screen & clicking continue, it takes ages (~60sec or more) til the game starts

When i host these missions in-game, everything works fine. Also the flaws from mission 3 are gone: (0-5 blufor, can select every av. unit for myself, game starts immediately).

I also noticed that the dedi is always listed twice in MP-browser. Dunno if this has any special mean for my problem or not.

ArmA2 CO cmdline
Spoiler:

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"C:\Spiele\ArmA 2\Expansion\beta\arma2oa.exe" -mod=Expansion\beta;Expansion\beta\Expansion;@cba -malloc=tbb4malloc_bi -nosplash -showscripterrors -window

Server.exe cmdline
Spoiler:

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"C:\Spiele\ArmA 2\Expansion\beta\arma2oaserver.exe" -config=server.cfg -profiles=server_test -name=test -mod=Expansion\beta;Expansion\beta\Expansion;@cba -malloc=tbb4malloc_bi

server.cfg (placed in A2 root)
Spoiler:

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// GLOBAL SETTINGS
hostname = "ToD_test";			// The name of the server that shall be displayed in the public server list
password = "";						// Password for joining, eg connecting to the server
passwordAdmin = "123";					// Password to become server admin. When you're in Arma MP and connected to the server, type '#login xyz'
//reportingIP = "armedass.master.gamespy.com";		// For ArmA1 publicly list your server on GameSpy. Leave empty for private servers
//reportingIP = "arma2pc.master.gamespy.com";		// For ArmA2 publicly list your server on GameSpy. Leave empty for private servers
reportingIP = "noreport";		// For Arma2: Operation Arrowhead
logFile = "server_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[] = {""};
motdInterval = 5;					// Time interval (in seconds) between each message


// JOINING RULES
checkfiles[] = {};					// Outdated.
maxPlayers = 64;					// 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 = 0;					// Verifies .pbos against .bisign files. Valid values 0 (disabled), 1 (prefer v2 sigs but accept v1 too) and 2 (only v2 sigs are allowed). 
equalModRequired = 0;					// Outdated. If set to 1, player has to use exactly the same -mod= startup parameter as the server.
//requiredBuild = 12345					// Require clients joining to have at least build 12345 of game, preventing obsolete clients to connect


// 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 = 0;					// Quality from 1 to 10
persistent = 1;						// If 1, missions still run on even after the last player disconnected.
timeStampFormat = "short";				// Set the timestamp format used on each report line in server-side RPT file. Possible values are "none" (default),"short","full".
BattlEye = 0;                           // Server to use BattlEye system


// SCRIPTING ISSUES
onUserConnected = "";					//
onUserDisconnected = "";				//
doubleIdDetected = "";					//
//regularCheck = "{}";                                  //  Server checks files from time to time by hashing them and comparing the hash to the hash values of the clients. Causes heavy I/O, uncomment to disable feature


// SIGNATURE VERIFICATION
onUnsignedData = "kick (_this select 0)";		// unsigned data detected
onHackedData = "ban (_this select 0)";			// tampering of the signature detected
onDifferentData = "";					// data with a valid signature, but different version than the one present on server detected


// MISSIONS CYCLE (see below)
class Missions
{
	class test
	{
		template="test.Utes";
		difficulty="regular";
	};
};

If you need more information, pls just tell me.

I've read the doc about dedicated servers on BI-wiki but i just can't find out what's wrong.

I would appreciate any help - i really want to test my scripts for MP-compatibiltiy. Thanks in advance.

br

spencer

[.kju [PvPscene]]

1) Most BI missions are not working on dedicated servers - you can only play them with a hosted server
2) Either remove the entry in the mission cycle or log in as admin
3) Post the rpt of the server and client please

[slimSpencer]

thanks for your reply.

I found the error - my test-mission simply was placed in userprofile\arma2\mpmissions instead of arma2-root\mpmissions. That way, of course, i could select it when hosting game thru client but not when hosting thru dedi. Never found out because i always tried to directly start mission thru server.cfg...

What i still find strange about MPE1_LaserShow.Takistan & hosting it thru dedi: When attempting to start directly with server.cfg -> "waiting for host" forever. With empty mission-rotation in server.cfg and selecting it thru dedis mission-browser -> works.

I didn't investigate further because you informed me that there are problems with official missions & dedi. But just for interest, is this a community-findout or official info from BIS?

br

spencer

[.kju [PvPscene]]

What i still find strange about MPE1_LaserShow.Takistan & hosting it thru dedi: When attempting to start directly with server.cfg -> "waiting for host" forever.

What code did you use? I guess it was not the correct one.
As BI missions are inside addon pbos and not mission pbos, they are defined a bit different I think.

Most BI Coop missions, besides warfare, have a special parameter to lock the host to the first slot.
For the dedicated server this is faulty in terms of the mission design.
In other words BI should have hidden them from DS or designed the missions very different.

[slimSpencer]

...i tried to start it like this

class Missions
{
	class test
	{
		template="MPE1_LaserShow.Takistan";
		difficulty="regular";
	};
};

Here it states that the class can be anything, so i always used "test". However, in example mission-rotation, they named the class COOP_LaserShow.

Maybe that was the reason - will try it out tonight.

br

[.kju [PvPscene]]

Try MPE_LaserShow

[nomad_man]

no "." at the end ofcourse.

[slimSpencer]

...works without the "1" - thanks gentlemen! DS also was already extensively used to test various scripts.