FastHit.Net Zombie Server Lag

[jigme]

Hi Soldaters,

The server I'm referring to is FastHit.net Zombie Chainsaw 116.50.19.235 port 23074.

I work at a webhosting company FastHit.net and have convinced them to supply a me with a linux VPS to run as a gaming box.
I am a long-time lover of soldat, so soldat is my first choice.

We hooked up 4 servers. DM, CTF, INF and a 'chainsaw zombie' server.

The way I've setup this is changing Admiral.bot to this.

Code: [Select]

[BOT]
Name=a zombie
Skin_Color=4612421
Main_Color=$000000
Pants_Color=$000000
Hair_Color=$C0C0C0
Favourite_Weapon=Chainsaw
Secondary_Weapon=Hands
Friend=
Accuracy=70
Shoot_Dead=0
Grenade_Frequency=10000
Camping=100
OnStartUse=255
Hair=2
Headgear=0
Chain=0
Chat_Frequency=7
Chat_Kill=BARHAH!
Chat_Dead=
Chat_Lowhealth=
Chat_SeeEnemy=BRAAIINNNSSS!!!
Chat_Winning=
This is the only bot file I keep in there, and instantiate 15 "random bots" on the Bravo (blue) team.
It's fun, much fun and the carnage is unbearable.

As you can see (if you joined the server listed above) that some of the bots have a 0 ping, and a bunch have 4250.
Now, I'm wondering if this is actual lag (it can't be, as they don't seem to be lagging 4+ seconds as that would be horribly obvious) but some people have, and I have myself noticed that the bots act laggily.

This VPS is running at (with 10 players, plus 15 chainsaw zombies) under 10% for RAM and CPU is Approx 60%.
That percentage is purely for 'guaranteed' limits but note, these are burstable levels so if they're exceeded, it can use the entire box. (It's never burst them though).

My question is, does anyone know for sure the problem is? I'm sure that server strength is ruled out, and bandwidth is -no- problem as I'm running on the backend of a 10 megabit (outbound) connection so I will respond with lols and rofls if someone suggests this isn't fast enough.

This is a linux dedicated VPS based in Perth, Western Australia.

I am happy to provide anymore information. Feel free to email me at smurray@staff.fasthit.net.au.
Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Sam Murray
FastHit.net Gaming Intrepid Adventurer. 

[mxyzptlk]

Well, first of all, you need to change the secondary weapon. It has to be a number, 0, 1, 2, or 3. If it is anything besides that, the game will freak out, IE, stand still, shoot erratically, ETC.

That might be your problem.

[jigme]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply.

I have changed the bots secondary weapon.

Admiral.bot now looks like this.

Code: [Select]

[BOT]
Name=a zombie
Skin_Color=4612421
Main_Color=$000000
Pants_Color=$000000
Hair_Color=$C0C0C0
Favourite_Weapon=Chainsaw
Secondary_Weapon=3
Friend=
Accuracy=70
Shoot_Dead=0
Grenade_Frequency=10000
Camping=100
OnStartUse=255
Hair=2
Headgear=0
Chain=0
Chat_Frequency=7
Chat_Kill=BARHAH!
Chat_Dead=
Chat_Lowhealth=
Chat_SeeEnemy=BRAAIINNNSSS!!!
Chat_Winning=
Please note: the ping remains 4250.
I didn't note any erratic behavious with it set to "hands" for secondary weapons.

[EnEsCe]

Also, VPS is extremely unreliable for hosting game servers. I used to host servers on a VPS, and it would crap out with just 10 players, even with 3.0Ghz CPU and 1GB ram on a 100MBit line.

[jigme]

Also, VPS is extremely unreliable for hosting game servers. I used to host servers on a VPS, and it would crap out with just 10 players, even with 3.0Ghz CPU and 1GB ram on a 100MBit line.

Hi EnEsCe.
Thanks for that info.
I would expect this to be a problem if there were multiple VPS' on the one machine but I am one of 3 on this box and the other 2 aren't doing anything.
When you report 'it would crap out', what are you referring to? Just to further clarify, this is bot lag, and not player lag that the server is experiencing.

I have noticed on other threads, also regarding 'zombie' bots that the ping is stuck at this exact figure "4250" which would indicate it's something other than server load.

Any further thoughts?

Date Posted: September 20, 2007, 02:03:15 amI have solved this issue.

I replaced the bot files with this.

zombie_chainsaw.bot

Code: [Select]

[BOT]
Name=A Chainsaw Zombie
Color1=$001B1BCD
Color2=$00CCCCCC
Skin_Color=$33554431
Hair_Color=$00000000
Favourite_Weapon=Chainsaw
Secondary_Weapon=0
Friend=Zombie
Accuracy=100
Shoot_Dead=1
Grenade_Frequency=999
Camping=0
OnStartUse=255
Hair=1
Headgear=0
Chain=0
Chat_Frequency=1
Chat_Kill=BARHAH!
Chat_Dead=
Chat_Lowhealth=
Chat_SeeEnemy=BRAINS!!!
Chat_Winning=
zombie_hands.bot

Code: [Select]

[BOT]
Name=Zombie
Color1=$001B1BCD
Color2=$00CCCCCC
Skin_Color=$33554431
Hair_Color=$00000000
Favourite_Weapon=Hands
Secondary_Weapon=0
Friend=Zombie
Accuracy=100
Shoot_Dead=1
Grenade_Frequency=999
Camping=0
OnStartUse=255
Hair=1
Headgear=0
Chain=0
Chat_Frequency=1
Chat_Kill=BARHAH!
Chat_Dead=
Chat_Lowhealth=
Chat_SeeEnemy=BRAINS!!!
Chat_Winning=
It seems it may have been the huge ammount of chainsaws running at once that caused this. But I can't verify this. I also changed the "show real lag" setting to '1' in the soldat.ini although I'm pretty sure I tinkered with this earlier to no avail.

In short, the server is now picking 15 bots out of 2 bot files and the bots are all running with 0 ping with no lag issues.

Thanks for your suggestions.