Dedicated Server Setup Woes

[-DH-]

:?: Hoping someone can help...below are my machine specs and shortcut for Dedicated Server Launch, my Config File and the result from the Load Initialization... Thanks In Advance... :?:

DH

Windows XP Home
MOHAA Version 1.11
AMD Athlon 1.4 GHZ
384 MB RAM
32 MB Geforce2 GTS
20 GB HD

Shortcut on Desktop
"C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\MOHAA\MOHAA_server.exe" +set dedicated 1 +set ui_console 1 +set g_gametype 4 +set sv_maxclients 14 +exec server07.cfg

server07.cfg file
seta g_motd "Welcome to -*{OCP}*- Clan Server"
sets "Config File" "server07"
seta sv_hostname "-*{OcP}*- Clan Server"
sets "Admin" "DH&SlickerD"
sets "Admin E-Mail" "ocp_clan@attbi.com"
sets "ICQ" "6794919"
sets "Location" "MN"
sets "URL" "http://www.ocp10.tripod.com/"
sets "Server Spec" "Cable"
sets "Hours" "24"
sets "IRC" "None"
sets "Clan" "-*{OcP}*-"
seta g_password ""
seta rconPassword "*****"
seta sv_privatePassword ""

seta sv_maxclients "14"
seta sv_privateClients "0"
seta g_respawnInvulnerability "3"
seta g_respawnInterval "5"
seta sv_maxPing "300"
seta sv_minPing "0"
seta sv_maxRate "5000"
seta sv_fps "20"
seta sv_reconnectlimit "8"
seta g_maxGameClients "14"
seta g_minGameClients "0"
seta sv_zombietime "60"
seta g_allowjointime "60"
seta g_inactivity "0"
seta sv_timeout "200"
seta g_inactiveSpectate "200"
seta g_inactiveKick "0"

seta g_allowvote "0"
seta sv_allowDownload "0"
seta sv_allowAnonymous "0"
seta g_doWarmup "1"
seta sv_floodProtect "1"
seta g_teamdamage "1"
seta g_teamForceBalance "0"
seta g_teamAutoJoin "0"
seta g_synchronousclients "0"
seta g_adaptrespawn "1"
seta g_smoothClients "0"
seta sv_padPackets "0"
seta sv_gamespy "1"
seta g_forceready "1"
seta g_forcerespawn "1"

// Master Servers
seta sv_master1 "mohmaster.2015.com"
seta sv_master2 "master0.gamespy.com"
seta sv_master3 "master1.gamespy.com"
seta sv_master4 "clanservers.net"
seta sv_master5 ""

//Logging
seta logfile "3"
seta g_log "MOHAALog.log"
seta g_logSync "0"

// Movement
seta sv_timeout "320"
seta sv_walkspeed "150"
seta sv_runspeed "250"
seta sv_crouchmult "1"

seta dmflags "0" // 8 (no falling damage) 16 (fixed FOV) 32 (no footsteps)

//Game Limits
seta fraglimit "0"
seta timelimit "0"
seta roundlimit "0"

//----------------
//#### THE FOLLOWING KICKS THE SERVER INTO GEAR ####
//----------------

seta sv_maplist "obj/obj_team1 obj/obj_team2 obj/obj_team4"
Map obj/obj_team1

// Additional Configs



//-- Commandline Information --//
// ZoneMegs = 16
// HunkMegs = 28
// SoundMegs = 16
// IP =
// Port = 12203
//-- --//

//EOF

Startup of Dedicated Server
--- Common Initialization ---
Medal of Honor Allied Assault 1.11 win-x86 Mar 5 2002
----- FS_Startup -----
Current search path:
C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\MOHAA/main
Cut all PK3s to not waste space
----------------------
21237 files in pk3 files
execing default.cfg
execing menu.cfg
execing newconfig.cfg
Config: unnamedsoldier.cfg
execing configs/unnamedsoldier.cfg
couldn't exec localized.cfg
execing autoexec.cfg
...detecting CPU, found AMD w/ 3DNow!

------- Input Initialization -------
Initializing DirectInput...
Couldn't set DI coop level
Falling back to Win32 mouse support...
------- Input Initialization Complete ------- 20
You are now setup for easy mode.
Winsock Initialized
Opening IP socket: localhost:12203
Hostname: db
IP: 192.168.0.4
--- Common Initialization Complete --- 2477 ms
Working directory: C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\MOHAA
execing server07.cfg
------ Server Initialization ------
Server: obj/obj_team1
^~^~^ Box data is corrupt for
'models/human/allied_pilot/allied_pilot.skd'
^~^~^ Morph data is corrupt for
'models/human/allied_pilot/allied_pilot.skd'
^~^~^ Add the following line to the *_precache.scr map script
'cachemodels/statsweapons/flak88turret.tik'
DUPLICATE ALIASES: sdkfz_snd_idle and sdkfz_snd_idle
**************************
ERROR: SV_FindIndex: overflow max 512 create1 name
sound/weapons/explo/exp_interior_02.wav0
*************************
----Server Shutdown----
--------------------------------

[General_Death]

Everything seems to look good...its as if you have a corrupt custom pk3 giving you troubles.

Try this....move all your custom pk3 files (everything except pak0.pk3-pak6.pk3 and entdefs.pk3) out of your main folder and then try to run your server again. If it works fine then its one of the custom pk3 files.

[-DH-]

Thanks General....I will give it a shot and let you know how I make out... :) ...another question on Max Rate...if I have a 1.5Mbps connection, feasibly can I setup a 16 player server and set the max rate to 8000 or should it be something lower? Also does set sv_fps 20 really affect anything?

Thanks Again!

DH

[General_Death]

To answer your both your questions I dont know...I had some weird probs with my server and set rate to 0 and seemed to help but im not sure.

In theory you want your fps to be low but if its dedicated it should not make a diff right?

That error looks like a sound mod. R u running any custom sound mods? If so move them as well.

good luck

[-DH-]

Thanks for the suggestions guys...removing all the custom PK3s made it work...now I suppose I will add them back..one by one until it crashes again...then I will know which one...heh heh...now I just need to get CK Autokick and Dogtags setup...and I should be good to go...

Thanks Again!!!

DH :D

[F_K]

In reference to setting the maxrate for clients there is no real firm information on this. The subject has been knocked around for some time in many of the MOHAA forums and I have yet to see any clearcut answers from EA.

That said I have been running a server for 8 months and have experiemented quite alot with this setting in an attempt to see what actual (not theoretical) difference it makes and here is what I have found so far.

1) Most hosting companies cap your max rate at 8000/9000 which is the default. Several companies will let you go over it but you have to first ask, and then place the correct setting in your config file to raise it above default.
2) If you are running stock MOHAA maps the default is plenty and I have yet to see ANY improvement in increasing the max rate on stock servers.
3) Maps with HIGH texturing, or lots of scripting and details (such as some user made maps) will give you problems if you use the default settings. I run mostly custom maps on my server and had all kinds of ping spike issues until I increased my max rate so I know this has an effect.
4) It remains to be seen if some Spearhead maps will benefit from a higher max rate but I would imagine some would.
5) Max rate settings only allow a client to take the bandwidth not force it so the actual amount of bandwidth each client gets is determined by the setting they chose on their personal workstation (not to exceed the cap).
6) Excessive bandwidth settings can destabilize your server so the answer is not always to set real high.
7) The game is coded to allow for client bandwidth in the following amounts; All modem connecions are set to 9000, ISDN and Cable is set to 20,000, XSDL is set to 25,000, and LAN is set to 30,000. That means when the client chooses those settings in their Multiplayer options they will take up to that amount of bandwidth under the max rate setting of the server. Based on this a setting over 30,000 is worthless since no client will consume more than that.
8) I have found the optimum to be between 15,000 and 20,000 which will allow for full bandwidth consumption with DSL or Cable modem users without destabilizing the server.
9) I am not an employee of EA so if any of this information is not totally accurate... don't flame me..... it's all my opinion.

Hope this helps someone out there......

[-DH-]

Thanks for the detailed Max Rate information F_K...I would suggest that in your reference to hosting companies...your server is run by a pay to host service? I am trying to run a dedicated box from my home behind a router...the server is up but so far I haven't been able to experiment with MaxRate because of lack of peeps...you stated between 15 to 20K for maxrate...would that also hold true for running a dedicated server from a cable modem or would I need to throttle that down? previously when I just ran a server directly out of the game I normally had good luck with around 8K but I am not sure if the same is true for a dedicated box...I know I am a noob at this stuff but if you could provide further insight it would be greatly appreciated.

TIA

DH 8)

check out the guides section on how to calculate your make rate by using your upload speed.

Link:
http://www.mohadmin.com/nuke/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=18

[SNYPE]

F_K --I would defininately check out the Guide that Rude is referring to. The maxrate settings on the server and the client are 2 different things. Since youre talking about a server you need to test your bandwidth and then apply the formula in the guide.
I know there has been a lot of misinfo about maxrate but its not really that difficult if you read the guide. A pipe is a pipe whether you are talking about a data pipe or a water pipe, it only passes so much stuff at a certain speed.
BTW here is a great article about game servers and networking:
http://www.gameadmins.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=25

Rude you might want to put up alink to this or get the article from the author (GameAdmins.com also has some other great server articles on that site).

[-DH-]

Just a word of thanks to all of you that replied, it would appear that my upstream bandwitch is approximately, 384Kbps, so I would guess I have a number of options at my disposal regarding Max Rate depending on my preference, I could feasibly do the following:

16 Clients at Max Rate of 3000
12 Clients at Max Rate of 4000
10 Clients at Max Rate of 5000

and so on....

:?: Now for another question, what Max Rate based on your experience with running dedicated servers would you consider being acceptable to someone with a Broadband Connection DSL@640K or a Cable User at 1.5Mbps so as not to appear laggy to them :?: or am I asking too much:?:

DH

[SNYPE]

Check my reply in this post:
http://www.mohadmin.com/nuke/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=179&highlight=maxrate

[F_K]

I think some of you are missing my point. This information was given to those running a hosted server not one from your home. There are plenty of guides to set up a server on a cable modem as Rudedog has pointed out.

Snype you are incorrect however when you say a pipe is a pipe when you are refering to hosting companies. Most major companies have HUGE pipes that they split up amongst the servers they host. There are 2 ways these companies go about providing bandwidth to users.

First they configure their network switches to QOS mode and allocate a set amount of bandwidth per user. This manages the bandwidth based on the incoming connection and caps that amount. In this case setting ther max_rate on either the server or workstation is pointless since the bandwidth is capped on the network.

The second way is all bandwidth is allocated to one or more trunks and servers are attached to that network. In this case the bandwidth limit is set in the server configuration file with the default being 8k per user. If a person increases the setting in his/her server config file the amount of actual bandwidth per user will increase to the setting they have on their workstation. Most hosting companies don't worry about it because people will not normally change the settings and will usually use the default.

The bottom line here is when using a hosting company you need to know what their policy is, and how bandwidth is allocated. This is the main reason why some companies charge 5 bucks a user while others charge 10 bucks. Again this is usually only important to you if you are running custom maps.

[SNYPE]

Look F_K you missed HIS point, he said hes running this server from HOME!!!
Therefore he doesnt need the info on hosting companies because it doesnt apply here.

DH--I have run a server on cable and usually about 6 players is all you can expect to have a decent running game. If you have a T1 you can get about 20 with the maxrate set to the default (9000).

[F_K]

Easy man don't shout. I know this does not relate to his issue but many other people read this forum and I was talking about a general discussion on max_rate. I realize this has gotten off topic but it is important information to some people who are either hosting or looking to host.

The bottom line is your upset because I corrected you but since others will read this I wanted to make sure people did not get the impression that "a pipe is a pipe" because that advice only applies to people running a server from home.

Anyone who has a hosted server needs to really understand what is going on so they can get what they are paying for as well as having a stable server.

Getting corrected from time to time is the price you pay for giving advice. It happened to me before and it will happen again. I don't want to start getting in to a chest bumping contest with you since both of us can work together to give advice and make this community better. In the future when I say something wrong, please correct me... and I'll continue to do the same.
This community will only remain strong when people have a place to go to get help and correct information.

[F_K]

And finally I think you have great experience and information on home servers since you have one yourself so I'll yield those questions to you from now on.

I run 3 hosted servers including a dedicated colocated server and have done business with 3 different hosting companies. I wish when I started this 8 months ago I could have read a post like mine in some forum as it would have saved me a bunch of time and money.

And thanks go to people like you who actually take time to respond and try to help people out. Keep it up.