ED Server / Servers Down problems discussion thread

[AnnuverScotinExile]

It wasn't explained.

But there are far more experts on the subject on these forums than in the Frontier offices, so you will undoubtedly be told lots of facts. Many of them contradictory. And some of them even true.

 

[VR Mr Teatime]

ED uses both P2P and Client-Server dependant on the type of modelling required.

Generally speaking persistent stuff e.g. the market = client-server

Transient stuff that is also required in localities which could be anywhere in the galaxy e.g. hit detection in combat = P2P

Given the size of the galaxy and in order to give as much freedom to players about where they go and how they travel, P2P for transient data was the only option.

 

[Aleksej]

As far as I have understood this was done due to costs. I think it is too late to change anything. Too much to redesign.

 

[Phil^]

As far as I have understood this was done due to costs. I think it is too late to change anything. Too much to redesign.

I suspect they could run a 'peer' on the servers themselves and from there its a minor modification to the netcode to ensure that peer is always the controller of the session, instead of one of the players - surely?

 

[Zplintz]

I suspect they could run a 'peer' on the servers themselves and from there its a minor modification to the netcode to ensure that peer is always the controller of the session, instead of one of the players - surely?

I think they are already thinking about having a server system to hold host instances to get around the poor connection and end process Players.

I don't know for sure about the full reasons but I think Peer 2 Peer was not just an initial startup cost saver but to make the ongoing costs less too. It alleviates pressure to charge a subscription and/or to try and bleed the player base with Pay 2 Play.

 

[Aranbaal]

Server

Everywhere I look and read it says the game is on one shared server. Yet being in the same place at the same time as friends we see very different universes. An can not find each other to fly around together.

What is the current deal with servers is it some weird shard system, if so how do we switch to the same shard as friends?

 

[Angus]

What is the current deal with servers is it some weird shard system, if so how do we switch to the same shard as friends?

From the man himself:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3bVeRpvctQ

Its all good stuff, but specifically from about 5.20

 

[Aranbaal]

Ah so there is currently no way to go and help a friend should they need it. As I have found. Really needs a way to force it to take you to the same shard as someone else. Getting very annoying already that we can not meet up and help each other in fights and such like. In around a hundred attempts to get into the same place we have managed to meet once.

 

[azdour]

I'm hoping that the friends list and alliance mechanisms make it easier to locate a friend who has called for help.

I'm hoping that when the call comes in I can easily make it to them on the correct server without having to play about with logging in and out until I am on the same one.

You would still need to be relatively in the same part of space to be able to get there in time. There will be no easy way to cover vast distances quickly to your friend like some MMO's offer.

That's why one of the my commander slots will be specifically to play with my friends so that they stay in the same part of the galaxy together.

And remember this is still premium beta. We will have to wait until friends, inter-ship communication and alliances are introduced to see how easy Frontier are going to make it to get together with friends or help them out.

 

[tooterfish]

Really needs a way to force it to take you to the same shard as someone else.

That would be what the friends, alliance and grouping systems are for.

http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5653

 

[Graill]

just hoping they put a server in the states. connection to the ones overseas just blows compared to some flawless action I have seen in videos. I would like to experience some of it. I have a great connect, still it sucks compared to many videos, really tired of playing disappearing station and Simon says 20 landing pads.

 

[Aranbaal]

That would be what the friends, alliance and grouping systems are for.

http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5653

As it says in the above video and in that post. You will be more likely to be together. Not being in a group will mean you "are" together. You could still end up not being able to help your friends when they are in need. Or trying to fly around together may just fail completely, you could fly into an area to look fr a target and then suddenly find you are no longer with your friends.

What we need is a way to make sure you are in the same place, to be able to be certain you can get to the same zone as your friend in need and not just have a high chance, with no guarantee.

 

[tooterfish]

As it says in the above video and in that post. You will be more likely to be together. Not being in a group will mean you "are" together. You could still end up not being able to help your friends when they are in need. Or trying to fly around together may just fail completely, you could fly into an area to look fr a target and then suddenly find you are no longer with your friends.

What we need is a way to make sure you are in the same place, to be able to be certain you can get to the same zone as your friend in need and not just have a high chance, with no guarantee.

Firstly, you're totally welcome!

Secondly, "high chance" means that if the session hasn't reached the player limit, then you'll get put in with your friend. If it has, then how are you going to guarantee you get put in with him? You're asking for the impossible there.

 

[OriginalBadBoy]

You would still need to be relatively in the same part of space to be able to get there in time. There will be no easy way to cover vast distances quickly to your friend like some MMO's offer.

Is hyperspace not quick enough for you then? :smilie:

Are you actually asking for a 'quick travel' game mechanic here, because that really isn't going to happen, and well we have hyperspace already, so as above.

 

[Aranbaal]

Firstly, you're totally welcome!

Secondly, "high chance" means that if the session hasn't reached the player limit, then you'll get put in with your friend. If it has, then how are you going to guarantee you get put in with him? You're asking for the impossible there.

This could be done pretty much the same way as every other game that uses shards deals with these issues. Soft caps, not hard caps. Atm from what I have seen this game keeps filling a region till it cant take anymore. Rather than stopping at a percentage of theoretical max and sharing players out. That way pretty much always leaving room for groups to meet together, with player caps being based on max party size percentages. Is a must in a pvp based game so friends can come to the aid of others rather than someone being stranded when a friend could literally be seconds away. Many allocate extra resources to areas when pop spikes so it can continue to allow group members to meet or come to the rescue of friends.

Variations of this method are used in many games and it ensures parties always end up in the same region as the rest of their group. Rather than just having a chance. So it is far from "impossible".

 

[thewzdoc]

CTD and Docking issues seem worse since the server patch

I used to get 1 CTD per day max....now it's every 30 minutes or so. I'm starting to get paranoid so every time I get a couple bounties save and exit....

The ATC (maybe it's STC) in the stations have gotten really bad....did they fire all the veterans and now only have the newbies running the place!? 5 "oops wrong" pad messages....preceded by "LOITERING WARNING!!!!"

I know this is "Beta" but it seems worse....

Still having fun

 

[Asp Explorer]

In the time it takes for a ship to be shot to pieces, unless you already have your friends with you - it's immaterial.

You can't hit a panic summon button and expect all your mates to suddenly appear to help you out.

 

[ubermick]

I think at the moment they're stress testing servers. Someone pointed out in another thread that they used to note the servers they would join on, and it's gone from four or five to just two (***.123 and ***.97). Have to agree though, the past two evenings in a row I've actually had some time to get in there and mess about, but both times (especially last night) I had far more crashes and all-round bugginess than my entire PB experience combined. I even had FOUR blue screens of death while playing, which had only happened once before.

 

[WasteOfFire]

Sorry what is CTD?
Also my biggest issue with docking is when for whatever reason I don't get rotated with the station. The precision landing is definitely difficult when you have the station constantly moving without you
Whenever I get too many issues with it sending me to another pad last second or timing out on requests I just supercruise out and then right back in and it usually fixes it

 

[Severian]

Sorry what is CTD?

Crash to desktop.

Also my biggest issue with docking is when for whatever reason I don't get rotated with the station. The precision landing is definitely difficult when you have the station constantly moving without you

You might have switched of the rotate with station option on your right hand panel?

Whenever I get too many issues with it sending me to another pad last second or timing out on requests I just supercruise out and then right back in and it usually fixes it

You can also save exit from the game menu, then reload, it's faster.