Mod map multiplayer crashing Poll

squipple · Post by **squipple** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 8:35 pm

Singleplayer on mod maps works perfect every time, but I'm trying to determine why I and some others are having multiplayer crashing issues.
Specifically I'm talking about Non-PC Dedicated serving with any mod maps released by anyone. Your feedback may help pinpoint the issue.

Leave your descriptions along with your vote stating what maps, your session setup options, if you're serving/joining, what modes, what eras, or any other relevant info.

Thanks!

---

Hey squip, get a new PC, right? Yeah, I thought of that. It's hard to think it's something to do with the computer it's played on when I've experienced crashing on 4 separate systems, all with different video cards, sound cards, and all around different setups. PCs as well as laptops. Well, then it's gotta be the network connection, right? Well, I thought of that too, but when playing in multiplayer mode, nobody even has to have joined my server and I get crashes.
A while back I thought Epena had solved my issue. And, for a moment he did. I found that if you delete your folder from a previous version of a map, and then re-unzip (if thats a word) it to your add-on folder, that a few maps worked...briefly. After I found that some maps that hadn't previously been working now were, the next time I played, the maps crashed again. No alteration to my addon folder was done at all.
I've tried updating video drivers, sound drivers, having others set up the session, messing around with the session, video, and sound options, and shutting down all possible programs on the system before playing. Seemingly nothing is working. Some maps work great every time, and some I just can't play. And of course it's always the ones I really like that crash. :p

Here are my known multiplayer crashing maps. I'll note that absolutely all my crashes either happen right after the loading screen, before you see the spawn screen OR right after the countdown, when you're actually spawning. If I get refined data on these I'll edit this post.

- Yavin 4: Arena, any mode/era consistantly using non-dedicated, any mode/era consistantly using the dedicated server software, and it seems to work ok in conquest using in-game dedicated server, but the other modes crash.
- Kamino: Tipoca City, any mode/era inconsistantly
- Bespin: Platforms, any mode/era consistantly
- Desert Showdown, any mode/era consistantly
- Geonosis: Spire, any mode/era inconsistantly. This one sometimes is solid for the person serving, but anyone who joins, their game will crash.

Emraz · Post by **Emraz** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 2:41 am

My own map-- The Siege worked perfecly single and multiplayer. Then I created a new side to put in a modified Tie Bomber. The map worked perfectly for me on single bt would get constant crashes only for people joining on multiplayer.

I am now very suspicious of te stability of new sides on multiplayer as the crashes only occured after I introduced the new side.

Post by **[RDH]Zerted** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 5:48 am

I've been able to host custom maps (about 4 different maps) with a dedicated server. I have yet to come across any problems. I haven't tried useing a non-pc dedicated server so I can't say about that, so I didn't vote.

I had a BFG training map up for about 3 hours with 6 people on it. It never crashed. The mode was g_con, but its a tournment training map so the mode doesn't really matter. The map was the only one in the addon folder at the time.
I had a different custom map running for about 4 hours without stopping. The mode was g_tag. (I was working on making custom game modes.) I never released the map, so I was the only one on it. I lost 4 rounds then lets the bots fight it out while I watched a movie

. (you try playing aganist 60 elite bots on an open field and never die. You'd lose too.)

PC specs:
2 Athlon XP 2400+
756 MB ram
I2 net connection
DVD version

Stager00 · Post by **Stager00** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 11:12 am

With multplayer crashing..heres my experiences. I modified the standard JEDI_Knight_03 to be able to enter vehicles on one of my maps...and the stabilty instantly diappeared. Just that simple of a modification, where it read it from dc:\\side instead of standard. I have since made those Jedi locals...so the need for the DC:\\ was no more...and problems went away.

So I agree...most of the multi-player crashes are caused by modified sides for some reason(in my opinion).

Emraz · Post by **Emraz** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 8:45 am

I have made 2 maps for test they do not have adjusted sides ar anything and just use the standard sides as well as having no lego or even any BF1 resources.

They play just fine on single player, PC server and have been tested over a 36 hour period running on a Dedicated server with absoluitely no trouble at all.

Add in an adjusted side and the ded. server sometimes just wont take them. Add in lego, sides and swbf1 resources and ur screwed.

I think this thread deserves a high importance with the map pack coming out soon where maps will be tested just on single player and when guys d/l the pack to put on their dedicated servers it be very bad for half of them or more not even able to work.

I think the maps tested for inclusion should also pass the dedicated server test as well or basically its not really a fully working map. At least seperate the pack into single player and multi player maps.

squipple · Post by **squipple** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 10:00 am

Emraz, I agree with you about delivering a mappack with the maps not being able to work on servers, and I think we're on our way to narrowing down the issue with everyone posting their past problems and how they overcame them.

What's interesting is how a map like Cloud City can be solid and others aren't. There's modified sides on the most recent version and it's obviously got BF1 content, and it's solid as ever in all modes/eras in single and multiplayer (for me anyway). There's no vehicles in that map, so I thought maybe that might be worth a look as Stager00 suggested. Although, Dune Sea seems to be pretty solid, but I haven't done extensive testing on that one yet.

I'm steadily approaching the time for testing with my map. It has 80% or more new models in it, so I'll get to see if it's due to models, although Bakura: Town Assault works great, and it uses some of the lego pack models. It also does not have vehicles in it. I won't be modifying sides other that changing which jedi from the shipped pool of jedi will be on the map. Nor will I have any vehicles (it's an indoor map). I've got about a third of it laid out in ZE, and it's tested good so far.

Post by **Teancum** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 11:59 am

Yavin 4: Arena works fine for me running a dedicated server. That's why I did the server test. So I know Hero Assault works because GT members actually played on the server.

It may related to custom content (sides), but I wouldn't pin it on that. Because a side either works or it doesn't. It may be, however, related to improper memory storage/maxing out memory or CPU usage. MP (I assume) takes up more memory. If you play the Galactic Senate Lagtest by Bandu in SP it works fine, run it in MP then hit CTRL+ALT+DEL and look at CPU usage. It's maxed out.

No solutions, I just thought I'd share what I know.

squipple · Post by **squipple** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 3:18 pm

That's what's so wierd...how yours works fine and some others have issues. Were you using the dedicated server software, or using the dedicated server option when you set up that test? I didn't personally join that test, but one of my friends did and said it worked fine. I know you don't want to dedicate more time to modding or testing, but do you have another machine somewhere that you could try the map on sometime?

I tested Yavin 4: Arena and Bespin: Platforms on an in-game dedicated server session last night and Yavin continued to run fine on the server, but anyone who would join would crash. If you joined during platforms, you could play up until the next Yavin map loaded, then the client would crash again.

CPU has always immediately maxed out after you launch BF2, before you even get to the logo and title screens. One of the machines I test on I have dual monitors, and I'm using samurize so I can monitor CPU, memory, and network activity on the 2nd monitor. CPU continues to be at 100% until you shut down the game.

Rpe7 · Post by **Rpe7** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 5:41 pm

Yavin (when qued up) is the only one I had crashing so far. I ran a non-dedicated server a couple of hours ago with Tatooine: Dune sea conquest => Kamino : Tiposa City conquest => Bespin : Cloud city 2-CTF => Kamino Tiposa City : hunt => Tatooine : Dune sea 2-CTF.
We ran through it twice without experiencing any problem. Nobody joined though. Only the 4 players that started.

Post by **Teancum** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 6:10 pm

I'm wondering if mapinfo.txt will help. I need to check into it.

Rpe7 · Post by **Rpe7** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 6:26 pm

Teancum, I don't know if you know this already, but I really feel like I should tell you Yavin IV : Arena behaves exactly the same way in single player. It also crashes when it's qued up. When i start it immediately it behaves perfectly normal. So maybe it has nothing to do with MP ?

I went back to my game to doublecheck and put all your maps in serie in single player. Everything conquest clone wars with minimum reinforcements. Tatooine : Dune sea => Kamino : Tiposa City => Bespin : Cloud City => Bespin : Platforms => Yavin IV : Arena. And guess where I crashed to desktop ... Indeed, Yavin IV : Arena. I really think it's NOT a multiplayer problem.

Post by **Teancum** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 8:03 pm

Okay, you confused me. When does it crash? You were running Instant Action and Yavin was the last in the map?

squipple · Post by **squipple** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 8:50 pm

YES. The mapinfo.txt worked for me for Yavin4: Arena. For more info see the Yavin 4: Arena thread

DeathRow · Post by **DeathRow** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 8:51 pm

When I start a custom map on multiplayer, it loads up fine thhen after about 3 mins of gameplay it crashes

squipple · Post by **squipple** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 8:58 pm

Did that happen when you were on my server Darth?

Post by **Teancum** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 9:35 pm

squipple wrote:YES. The mapinfo.txt worked for me for Yavin4: Arena. For more info see the Yavin 4: Arena thread

VERY good to hear!!! I'll be sure to put one of those in each map. Oh BTW Squip, I fixed the 2-Flag but for Bespin Platforms.

squipple · Post by **squipple** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 11:03 pm

Ugh..

Well, although more stable, I'm still getting crashes even with the mapinfo.txt files.
- Yavin 4: Arena crashes the client (not the server) sometimes on load. You can re-join the server, but that initial load crashes it.
- Kamino: Tipoca City crashed my dedicated server (one of the flag maps, I don't remember which one). Conquest worked fine.
- Geonosis: Spire crashed the client during the game, but not on load.

I'll continue testing, I just wanted to let you know these intital ones.

Post by **Teancum** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 11:29 pm

Make sure your clients also have the mapinfo.txt file for Yavin 4: Arena. That might make a difference.

DeathRow · Post by **DeathRow** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 11:30 pm

squipple wrote:Did that happen when you were on my server Darth?

No... It didnt while I was on your server

Rpe7 · Post by **Rpe7** » Sat Apr 08, 2006 11:36 am

Teancum wrote: Okay, you confused me. When does it crash? You were running Instant Action and Yavin was the last in the map?

So I went into single player, added all of your maps in the list so that when you finish the first, the 2nd loads immediately without returning to the menu. And they all worked fine except for Yavin. Everytime Yavin is qued up it crashes right after loading. Which is exactly the same problem in multiplayer (the bug everyone is talking about). If you put Yavin only (or first in the row) it works fine, but if you put a map before yavin, the game crashes right after Yavin arena has been loaded, this appears not only in Multi player, but ALSO IN SINGLE PLAYER, that is why I think it's not a MP-only Bug.

Mod map multiplayer crashing Poll

Do your mod maps crash serving non-pc dedicated multiplayer games?

Mod map multiplayer crashing Poll