Brad3439 Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 First of all, I have to say that I am a huge fan of this game. It is my #2 of all time even as an early release. The only thing that I have qualms about is the multiplayer system. I hate the way a server has to be set up, and in my experience, it can only be set up on a Windows computer. Mac seems to have no support. I can't even find the file to open my own server. I hope in time the server creation will be in the game itself. But, my issues do not end there. When I am finally able to play online, it is so laggy, it is unplayable. Parts of the map refuse to load! Regardless of all that, it seems the concentration of developing this game has primarily gone to NPCs, combat, and aesthetics. While these are all perfect things to improve on, the multiplayer has been neglected for too long. There needs to be a whole new revamp to it. As I said before, I am a huge fan, I would just love to play online, hassle-free. JensTheViking 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rathlord Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 For what it's worth, server hosting works fine for Linux, OS X, and Windows equally well. I've even written a script for the OS X version that makes it easier to launch than a windows server; even if you don't have it, though, it's still as simple as following the instructions. Unfortunately, netcode is hard. Making a magical "host server" button just isn't very feasible in the short term. There are simply too many things that have to be configured manually. Sure, there are some games that can work it out, but they generally have more than 4 coders on staff (like we do, roughly) and have people who actually just do netcode. Further, I think it's a bit off to say that it's been "neglected for far too long" as it's only just been added in the last couple months; it's not like it's been in since the start of the game development, and it's being improved constantly if you read our patch notes. The lag either comes from the server being short memory or internet bandwidth or you being short one of the two. Unfortunately, again, there's not a whole lot we can do about that. Try to find a server hosted near your physical location in the world. However, you have hit on one truth with your post, and that's that multiplayer is not the focus of Project Zomboid. Since the first day the devs have made it clear that the focus of PZ is and always will be singleplayer. Multiplayer is something secondary and not the primary focus of the game at all. It's there, and they're going to support it, but the majority of resources shall always go to improving the gameplay of the game and the experience. We do appreciate your feedback- if you'd like a copy of the OS X server script I wrote I'd be happy to get it to you, just reply in thread or shoot me a PM. I hope my explanation helps you understand the situation a bit better, and know that we definitely take your feedback into account. Whittos 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad3439 Posted August 9, 2014 Author Share Posted August 9, 2014 If I came off as unsatisfied, I didn't mean it that way. I am extremely grateful to have Zomboid to play. I do understand how difficult and tedious coding can be, believe me. On another topic, I never expected any of these changes to be short-term at all. But I have been unable to set up a server. I simply do not have the batch file. No matter how many downloads, re-downloads, and searches I do, I can't seem to find it. Could you provide a step-by-step specifically for Mac? I would be so grateful! And I already have the ports open, so no need for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rathlord Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 I'm at my other job right now, but I'd be glad to give you a quick walk through. If you'd like feel free to add me on Skype (Rathshock) or Steam (Rathlord) and I can give you real time instructions. If you want to go ahead and try it, look in the stickies post titled "OS X users wanted" in the general PZ discussion forum. Download the one that's a zip file if you'd like the easiest route. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperJack Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 Honestly, As setting up my own server for private use, I had difficulties myself. Running it on windows.The Help section was usefull, but didn't quite make it clear enough. The Main problems that I had where: Port-Forwarding: Turns out I had to forward the steam port aswell as the ports for PZ Sandbox: The file when created is called SandboxVars.lua, and to get the server to work with it, I had to name it to servertest_SandboxVars.lue Which didn't exactly make it clear where I had to place this file. But, I do know that Multilayer is a recent and secondary objective, so right now I am Happy with the way it works,. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirrus Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 You shouldn't have had to have port forwarded the steam port, the gameserver doesn't use the steam services at all currently. Rathlord 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperJack Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 Tried it without, didn't work. Tried it with, it did work. Unless I accidentally did something else! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Cox1911 Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 Honestly, As setting up my own server for private use, I had difficulties myself. Running it on windows.The Help section was usefull, but didn't quite make it clear enough. The Main problems that I had where: Port-Forwarding: Turns out I had to forward the steam port aswell as the ports for PZ Sandbox: The file when created is called SandboxVars.lua, and to get the server to work with it, I had to name it to servertest_SandboxVars.lue Which didn't exactly make it clear where I had to place this file. But, I do know that Multilayer is a recent and secondary objective, so right now I am Happy with the way it works,.That´s because PZ is still shipped with an outdated PZServerSettings.exe. NasKo posted a newer one somewhere on this forum. The newer version creates the file with the right name and defaults to the right directory. But I can understand the startpost. Especially if there are more than 10 players online it get´s real choppy (even with a i5 and 10gig RAM assigned to the server with a 100Mbit connection). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperJack Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 I understand their was a new version, but didn't know why it isn't shipped out with the rest of PZ. But I do agree on the Lag. I hope their will be away to improve it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirrus Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 Multiplayer was only put into the game a few months ago, remember guys! Patience! The game isn't complete, MP will get some more love, but when it'll get love is up to the devs. No-one likes spending 100% of their time on one horrifically complex task, it'd get boring, brains start screaming. The same with the devs. They've some incredibly awesome complex code under dev right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rathlord Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 For running a server on OS X. Download this file. Unzip it. Double click on the .command file that comes up. Double click the .command. You may have to download the Java Development Kit (JDK). If you do need to, a link will pop up in the command box that shows you where to download it. Other than port forwarding, that's all you've gotta do! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JensTheViking Posted October 1, 2014 Share Posted October 1, 2014 The lag either comes from the server being short memory or internet bandwidth or you being short one of the two. Unfortunately, again, there's not a whole lot we can do about that. Try to find a server hosted near your physical location in the world.I tried searching for a topic regarding the lag issue but couldn't find one so I'll ask here...Are a lot of players experiencing high pings during MP? Is it something that can easily be fixed by joining a server close to your own location or is it something that is noted and under development? Just yesterday I tried multiplayer and it shot my ping up after few minutes all the way to 800ms and some player told me that it happens "all the time" and the solution is to re-log an it should fix the problem for a while. Do you think this is because the too long distance between the players - servers or is it an issue appearing regardless of it? Btws where exactly does it state the location of the server host? I can and will look it up when I get home but just asking if it's in a sneaky spot or something... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rathlord Posted October 1, 2014 Share Posted October 1, 2014 Your best bet is probably just looking up the IP. I believe there was a specific problem with one of the build 29 hot fixes, so if you're using one of those that could be the problem. Otherwise, yes, physical location can be quite important. To test, you can try a simple command line ping to non-local IPs versus local ones and note the difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmy101 Posted October 1, 2014 Share Posted October 1, 2014 My life is having my arms tied to two thick pieces of rope and being pulled one way by a mob of multiplayers and pulled another by a mob of NPCers. We're always neglecting somebody. I think the NPC camp may consider the multiplayer camp fortunate. We'll get to improving MP but as already said in this thread its tough and we only have so much time. syfy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chaz Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 I must say, I haven't experienced any lag issues, nor do I feel although multiplayer has been neglected at all, in fact I feel like it's been given as much attention as needed. Thanks IS. Rathlord 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RumbleBunny Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 I recently starting hosting a server on my dedibox based in France, and I think the only time my ping jumps up from being say 20-30 is when someone joins, jumps up to maybe 200 for about 10-30 seconds max then goes back down, no errors in the command box that seem related and the network certainly isn't near it's limit. Doesn't seem to cause an issue really though, can still hit zeds as normal, they just might rubberband a teeny bit. I found the server really easy to set up to be honest did it in about 10 minutes, but then again I'm used to setting up servers for Arma and Minecraft with mods and custom scripts which can be amazingly infuriating! The only things I'd be happy to see is a kind of Rcon tool one day or something along those lines. Unless there is and I've missed it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rathlord Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Thanks for posting RumbleBunny and good news- the lag on player entry may be resolved with the next update as well. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertJohnson Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 I recently starting hosting a server on my dedibox based in France, and I think the only time my ping jumps up from being say 20-30 is when someone joins, jumps up to maybe 200 for about 10-30 seconds max then goes back down, no errors in the command box that seem related and the network certainly isn't near it's limit. Doesn't seem to cause an issue really though, can still hit zeds as normal, they just might rubberband a teeny bit. I just fixed than in the latest build 29.3, but no public server run it for now.. We'll prob see the improvement once it goes public Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deprav Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 I recently starting hosting a server on my dedibox based in France, and I think the only time my ping jumps up from being say 20-30 is when someone joins, jumps up to maybe 200 for about 10-30 seconds max then goes back down, no errors in the command box that seem related and the network certainly isn't near it's limit. Doesn't seem to cause an issue really though, can still hit zeds as normal, they just might rubberband a teeny bit. I just fixed than in the latest build 29.3, but no public server run it for now.. We'll prob see the improvement once it goes public I thought I'd make a thread to explain a point, but your post introduce it pretty well There are TOO FEW IWBUMS SERVERS. Players and hosters tend to forget the game still is early access and TIS needs us, the players, to try, test, bug-hunt, and help them improve & fix their game. Which they can't do as efficiently as they would if we had less servers running the stable versions and more iwbums ones. Even if we don't chase the bugs actively, at least playing on the experimental version to give feedback would be the thing to do.Sure there are a few risks when playing on the unstable one, losing your character because of a glitch etc... but don't complain about multiplayer being "neglected" if we, as a community, don't play the version TIS needs us to play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RumbleBunny Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 I recently starting hosting a server on my dedibox based in France, and I think the only time my ping jumps up from being say 20-30 is when someone joins, jumps up to maybe 200 for about 10-30 seconds max then goes back down, no errors in the command box that seem related and the network certainly isn't near it's limit. Doesn't seem to cause an issue really though, can still hit zeds as normal, they just might rubberband a teeny bit. I just fixed than in the latest build 29.3, but no public server run it for now.. We'll prob see the improvement once it goes public Oh nice, I'll be sure to upgrade to that when it's available for servers and post feedback about it! I have no problem trying unstable/test builds, I mean how else are you going to fix problems and even discover them to begin with? I haven't played this game for very long but I already love it, so happy to help out with testing stuff for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rathlord Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 It's available now- check the IWBUMS thread if you're interested in using it. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RumbleBunny Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 Excellent, I'll update to it now and get it setup! Rathlord 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soerena Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 For running a server on OS X. Download this file. Unzip it. Double click on the .command file that comes up. Double click the .command. You may have to download the Java Development Kit (JDK). If you do need to, a link will pop up in the command box that shows you where to download it. Other than port forwarding, that's all you've gotta do! Hi, With Java SE Development Kit 7u71installed, I tried running this script and it gave me this in the terminal: srens-MacBook-Pro:~ sorenandreasen$ /Users/sorenandreasen/Downloads/OSX_Server_Script.command ; exit;/Users/sorenandreasen/Downloads/OSX_Server_Script.command: line 8: syntax error near unexpected token `('/Users/sorenandreasen/Downloads/OSX_Server_Script.command: line 8: `echo ‘YOU WILL NEED JAVA DEVELOPMENT KIT TO RUN THE SERVER. DOWNLOAD IT HERE: http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/jdk7-downloads-1880260.html (Make sure to accept the license agreement please!)’' logout And nothing happens. I'm on OSX 10.9.4. What could be the issue do you think? Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rathlord Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 I need to fix the script, an OS X update broke it. Will sort it tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soerena Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 I need to fix the script, an OS X update broke it. Will sort it tonight. Fantastic, looking much forward! God damn osx updates. If there's anything I should do in advance let me know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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