Mission list overhaul

[Masaq]

I've spent a happy 90 minutes or so with my fingers in the Mission Editor. I've touched its dark recesses and made it quiver - as a result, the following has occured:




All mission files on the T&T server have been renamed to provide a standardised naming format: no_v_no_mission_name_in_full_vX_maker. Eg: 14_v_14_frontline_patrol_v2_masaq. This should make it easier to a) type out the maplist, things should look standardised. b) work out where to give credit for maps c) work out where we're duplicating or where missions have become too small.
All mission files on the T&T server should now have a mission briefing.
All mission files on the T&T server have been opened and saved to the correct path "RoFInstallPath\Multiplayer\Cooperative\filename.mi ssion". This means that the localisation files are now correct, and that correct binaries have been created for them.
All the revised missions have been placed in the Multiplayer\Cooperative\ folder and the old files have been copied into a backup folder to reduce duplication etc.


As a result, the following now occurs:


Mission briefings are now viewable, and should be on all maps
Missions will now automatically download rather than require a zip update.


In turn, this means:


Following each patch I (or someone else) will need to load each mission and recomplile the binaries.
All submitted missions will need to be renamed and saved to the "Multiplayer\Cooperative\" folder, to ensure that the .LIST .ENG and .MISBIN are all created correctly.


In short = server should be pretty much sorted for the near-term. I can easily knock up certain kinds of missions; bog-standard CAP types and whatnot. Should help with missions getting stale etc.



We have 10 missions on the rotation for now, and I shall be updating the mission list into a logical order tomorrow :)

[Sensenmann]

Thank you for that effort, sir.

Glad to hear the file download error has been sorted out.

Can't wait to get online and put it all to the test.

[Masaq]

*Grin* your work is not done though, sir! A few people have reported that more or less all the German side got dropped from your latest version of Goose Chase all at the same time - any chance you could just check you haven't made the kind of slip-up with vanishing planes as we did on the Train mission?

The current set of missions, so you can view how I've set them up etc - are viewable at http://www.christies.org.uk/pr/RoF/revisedmissions.zip

All four files - MISSION LIST ENG MISBIN seem to be required for seemless operation, and all need to be initially (originally, by whoever's saving the mission in the ME) saved to the "\Multiplayer\Cooperation\" subdir - then they can be simply copied direct into that folder on the server. Otherwise, we have to repack them, it seems.

Oh, and all the missions will now display the creator in the server selection screen :)

Mas

[Sensenmann]

:punch: DOH!!!

Think I know what this is but unfortunately I am not at my computer (on my laptop and not at home) at the moment and probably wont be able to get to it until later today. Most likely not until the evening. Sorry about this.

Is it possible to disable it from the server until I get it repaired. Once I can get a look at it I am pretty sure it'll be a quick fix.

[Masaq]

Yeah no worries, I'll comment it out on the maplist. If you can identify the problem (or lead me to the source) via here or PM, I'll attempt a fix at my end if you want?

[Sensenmann]

What I suspect is the problem is the Mission Begin Timer is not targeting the Non-player Check Zones that you will find placed on each plane. To fix it you need to find the Mission Begin Timer (it is near the top, center of all the MCUs) and have it target all the Non-player Check Zones (you can do this manually by moving to each one and using <shift+T> to target them, or you can double click on the targeted items list in the Timer properties window and select them there - my preferred method)

Otherwise I will handle it later. I am thinking it might be better if I do it anyway as there is another possible tweak I could make to streamline the processes even more and further reduce potential lag and errors.

Let me know what you decide and how it goes.

[Masaq]

Tell you what - you make the fix at your end, along with any other changes you want to make. Drop me the file when you're done.

I'll load up the current mission at my end, also play with the MCU and see if the change I'd make matches yours - consider it a learning opportunity for me :)

Then I'll re-save and upload your fixed version onto the server at my end?

[Sensenmann]

K... here is what I hope to be the final major revision of this mission. From here on out I hope any changes will be simple amendments to the plane set, textual info and other benign issues.

[Cecil A Lewis]

Thanks again for your hard work guys much appreciated.

Oh btw the server is running at the moment but shows as emtpy, and if I try to join it kicks me after showing the mission loading screen.

Current mission shows as 14v14 dawn train raid v6 MadTommy

[Masaq]

Yeah thanks for that - it's been restarted, appears to be connecting fine now.


It'd run without any problems since the last restart though, which was a good 72 hours ago now. Not too shabby considering the general performance issues of RoF :)

[Cecil A Lewis]

Thanks Masaq :) yeah 72 hours is very good considering !

It just crashed out again about 4:10am UK, saw a few people joined (about 7 -8 players) the mission after the train mission. Took off then it popped me out of MP and server is gone again now. Checked 20 mins later still down.

[Winkle]

Did this today on the Train Mission at about 16:30 est. I thought the mission was ending because everyone disappeared out of thier cockpit like the mission was ending.
But it just hung up....

[epoch]

Most of our servers (e.g. BF2, ArmA2 etc) have automatic crash recovery.

Unfortunately, the RoF dedi server program isn't very user friendly, and I can't find a way of getting it to start AND load the config automatically. If I could do that, in most cases we'd be able to have it automatically restart after a crash.

Seems the devs are more interested in releasing new planes than addressing the fundamental problems with the multiplayer experience.

[Masaq]

New planes are a doddle to include, and don't require the coders to get involved. Improving DServer.exe is a tad trickier, I'd imagine.

Got a spot of news tho mate, I'll PM you.

[Cecil A Lewis]

TBH Neoqb should pay you guys for the great job you are doing keeping the MP scene going almost single-handedly :) !

[Winkle]

Hey Masaq,

Have you looked into those tools from over at homedrome? For server stats and the plane paints? I don't know if you guys are interested at all.

[Masaq]

Not aware of them mate - got a linky? Might be interesting...

[Winkle]

http://rof-tools.de/

There you go.

[Masaq]

Hmm, had a look at the server watch tool but it's german-language only at the minute and I'm struggling to test it on my home machine. It's also locked up a few times whilst I've been trying to test it so I'm not going to put it on the dedi server until it's clear what it does and how to make it do it!