Topic: *Sigh*

[Braxton_RIP]

You guessed it.... crashed again.

[KAT Chuut-Ritt]

up currently.

[Farfarer]

Down 0939 AST Monday

[Bonk]

So, as I expected, it is not the # of missions per move setting.

We still need to remove the EEK missions and serverside donors
so software firewall users wil not crash the server on failing
to receive mission AI. (every mission script is a separate executable
from StarFleetOP.exe, which also depend on the directplay helper)

This will also keep the db clean.

It is the only way to go. Its a shame people insist on using
software firewalls. That is the only explanation I have, as these
missions work perfectly for me.

I will check in later today to see if we have an agreed course
of action.

[Farfarer]

By a software firewall do you mean Norton etc. ?  My Macafee asked my if I wanted to allow OP and there were no problems - my AI show up all the time.  Are there firewalls that stop the Missions?  Why would you run such a thing - at least more than once?

[Bonk]

By software firewall, I mean any software firewall, regardless of the producer. Just do not use them. Have you given every executable mission script explicit permissions in your software firewall? Have you given the directply helper the necessary permissions? Even if you have how do you know it actually works? I have proven to myself beyond any doubt,. in applications outside of SFC as well, that software firewalls simply cannot be trusted.

Also, we'll need to pull the new TG scripts as they are affected as well. We can use the ones she made for DH's shiplists and they should work, but that would require a download.

[el-Karnak]

We still need to remove the EEK missions and serverside donors
so software firewall users wil not crash the server on failing
to receive mission AI. (every mission script is a separate executable
from StarFleetOP.exe, which also depend on the directplay helper)

It's better to tell people to just shut off their software firewalls in the campaign rules. Most people have to do this just to play PvP anyway.  

This game is just too limited in functionality without all the EEK stuff in there.  One reason I am not doing any new EEK mission stuff is that I am still waiting for the Server Kit  functionality to catch up and be fixed.  There's no point in doing new stuff until the Server kit is brought up to date.

Where's my fixed SQL Server kit, BTW?  

[Bonk]

I agree, but poeple are just too paranoid and the firewalls cannot be detected.

Re SQL: We'll never know until we can get players to show up for a stock test. Note that this flatfile server is crashing as much if not more than the SQL server we ran; i.e. SQL was not the problem something else was. More and more I think it is the players with software firewalls who do not show up for testing. If they will not turn them off then we're forever stuck on the DH model server (not that its that bad, just limiting).

[Dizzy]

Server status thread , my reply: http://www.dynaverse.net/forum/index.php/topic,163361071.msg1122635959.html#msg1122635959

[el-Karnak]

I agree, but poeple are just too paranoid and the firewalls cannot be detected.

Re SQL: We'll never know until we can get players to show up for a stock test. Note that this flatfile server is crashing as much if not more than the SQL server we ran; i.e. SQL was not the problem something else was. More and more I think it is the players with software firewalls who do not show up for testing. If they will not turn them off then we're forever stuck on the DH model server (not that its that bad, just limiting).

I'm not buying the software firewall argument cuz EEK worked just fine on SS2 and SG3 and they had much less complicated donor-less shiplists; and, there were a lot more people on those dynas than what are on SG5.   The evidence appears to be pointed at the donor shiplists used in conjuction with certain mission types causing server issues.

Just don't use donor shiplists.  For server robustness reasons, I am never a big fan of trying to do things that are way off the Taldren norm.  The game was built with Gorn, Rom and Lyrans as the only PF races.  The envelope was pushed and it does not look like it's going work out. So, just stick with using the Empire races slots of Gorn, Rom and Lyran for PF carrying sides.

I certainly won't need donor shiplists for Andro Invasion servers.  Never want to sacrifice server robustness for it when I can just use an empire race slot for Andros and still keep all the EEK stuff.  I am going to use the Roms as the Andros race slot since all the bonafide Rom players are gone.  More mission variety is what the  servers badly need.

[FPF-DieHard]

You can make the donor shiplist work, I've a few more tricks up my sleeve

[el-Karnak]

You can make the donor shiplist work, I've a few more tricks up my sleeve

Well, OK. But, if it does not work out (ie. make it through a production dyna) then I am just gonna pick and choose what I like and put them in a Gorn/Rom/Lyran race slot.  In fact, to stop all the potential future arguments, I may do it anyway so I know that the EEK missions have a stable shiplist to work with.  Something, they have not had since GW2, I think.

[KBF-Soth]

Except for getting my arse kicked in under 3 min in alien invasion I haven't had any problems with any missions.I've only had 4-5 host left all server.

[KBFLordKrueg]

Same here...Even last night when most of the players would suddenly drop, I never did...have only seen Host left a couple times, and only in missions with 3-5 players at once.

[Capt_Bearslayer_XC]

As Krueg can verify from last night, I was one who didn't drop also.

And I have been running Zone Alarm for about 6-7 years now

[Wraith 413]

 I never had a problem before with running Zone Alarm at the "Medium" setting during SG3 or 4, I was able to draft and be drafted. It wasn't until the last 2 servers, counting SG5, that I have had problems drafting. Of course, I was playing on GSA alot back then, maybe a setting I used there has an influence on these latter servers.

                                                                      Wraith 413

             

[Bonk]

I never had a problem before with running Zone Alarm at the "Medium" setting during SG3 or 4, I was able to draft and be drafted. It wasn't until the last 2 servers, counting SG5, that I have had problems drafting. Of course, I was playing on GSA alot back then, maybe a setting I used there has an influence on these latter servers.

                                                                      Wraith 413

             

ZoneAlarm cannot be trusted to work consistently. Period.

Also, it provides you with a false sense of security.

[Wraith 413]

 So you're saying only a hardware firewall is secure?

                                             Wraith 413

[Braxton_RIP]

Haha.  Don't even start saying how software firewalls are insecure, because I have seen software firewalls that will out perform any hardware firewall.  All I use are software firewalls, I never shut them down, and I haven't had a problem playing OP, SFC3, NWN, BF2, WOW, and the multitude of other games I find time for.

[Bonk]

Haha.  Don't even start saying how software firewalls are insecure, because I have seen software firewalls that will out perform any hardware firewall.  All I use are software firewalls, I never shut them down, and I haven't had a problem playing OP, SFC3, NWN, BF2, WOW, and the multitude of other games I find time for.

Do you experience lag and player drops in SFC missions?

Are you running the windows firewall and Zonealarm simultaneously?

Have you ever tried to run a reliable server behind said firewalls?

Software firewalls are highly unreliable. A router and secure OS setup are far more reliable.

Also, stay off the porn sites and you'll find your machine the subject of way fewer attack attempts...