III./JG27 Server - Reports, Feedback, Issues

[_79_dev]

~S~

Great job mate, those missions looks fantastic, screenshots are really nice... TeamSpeak server would be nice addition for the server...

[SNAFU]

_79_dev, the screenshots are quite old now and we came a long way from that beginning. Unfortunately we are currently not in the position to provide a public TS3, maybe in the future. The missions you can load yourself in the menu are based on the daily reports mainly of the RAF diary but also on other sources. So due to the rather long range missions and the number of planes taking part (scaled down from the real numbers of course, but still around 30-40 planes clashing into each other at some points) the missions are not made for the solitary pilot and are rather suited for organized player groups. Getting bounced by a channel patrol (9 or 8 single engine fighters) or triggered intercept squadron is not always amusing for the single-online player.

We recently introduced a scoring system for the teams, based on shot down aircrafts, their types and destroyed ground units and their types. Together with side effects of the scoring (one team receives less planes, less experienced pilots) and the menu we plan to introduce a kind of "upgrade and order" system in which you can exchange points for new planes, an AI wingman or a whole squadron. (Your team will start with E1, He111P2, BF110c4, HurricaneDh5 and Spit1 and will advance to later planes, based on the scoring level of the team.) Someday in the future a kind of semi dynamically/historically campaigne is feasable, reaching from Kanalkampf (what we are currently working on, but have only 12 full-missions - each lasting 1 hour- so far) to later phases.

But currently I am trying to reactivate the penalty - system for leaving the plane in flight and try to make the channel patrols a little smarter.

We heavily depend on feedback and bug reports by players, due to the fact that I spend most of my sparetime, testing scripts, repairing and tinkering on missions to build up this system.

[_79_dev]

~S~

I like that idea with exchange of your points to aircraft or armament etc. So far I have't noticed major lags on the server even with plenty contacts and aaa around me, last time I was missing menu on the red side buy you know that already... I noticed plenty of ghost objects though...

[SNAFU]

Thanks for your feedback _79_dev.

I was able to find the bug in the custom menu yesterday and it should be fixed now for the red side. Yeahey, took me 3 days to find the problem and even had to bother Mr.C# alias FG28_Kodiak.

For the ghosts, well, I hope they find a new way for calculating the AI movements rather sooner than later, otherwise our approach for realism is not possible on the long term and we end up in small scale PvP one-man-shows too.
You can avoid the ghost experience by sticking to a mission from the start. If you f.e. start close to an AI group and keep them in sight range, they are constantly calculated and the lag is not there. Same if you fly CAP, you will experience less ghosts, if you stay in a certain area and give the game time to refresh all the AI movements. You will experience the most ghost`s if you change the area you are in fast and cover long distances and therefore cross a lot of AI routes. Worst is if you reach an area, where a large battle took place some time before and another human players were involved. Then you are likely to see all the dots the other human player saw the last time he/she was in around and where the AI were calculated the last time.

So for the time being I would recommend to stick with the mission goals, this should be the best way to give the system time to calculate and refresh the positions and therefore avoid ghosts. If you just entered and come into an ongoing battle, well,...

Due to the fact, that this is no problem for the host or in singleplayer I assume this is a problem with the netcode, which we can only avoid by not using AI at all (you see the same problem with AI tanks, ships, bicycles everthing). With worldwide 30 CoD players, online play would be limitied to the above mentioned unfortunatly.

PS: We are currently working to extend the system of mission control and implement smaller missions, also based on diaries of the days, just including small number or planes - typically recon-missions. Then you can choose in starting a squadron mission (for 6 or 8+ players each side) or small missions (2 players each side).

[SNAFU]

Friday and waiting for the weekend, therefore time for a little update:

-We overhouled all missions and adjusted them to the introduced scoring system
-I dramatically reduced the number of AI planes spawned by events, triggers and missions ( now only 3 Hurricans will take-off as interceptors of the former 9 and 2 of the former 8 Bf109 - if one team has 10 AI or more in the air no more will be created on triggers as interceptors or patrols)
-the penalty system was reactivated (currently tested live)
-limited plane system implemented (currently tested live)
-RDF added to the map
-shipping reduced
-AI partols now depend on the number of players the opposing team has
-custom menu now works for Red players too during ongoing missions
-custom menu extend with further options
-scouts added to the patrols, which will recconnoiter for shipping in the canal
-Mission 12 implemented
-updated information, explanation and description in the first post

The sever will switch to the actual patch in due course of the weekend.

Greetings
snafu

[SNAFU]

Ok, thy. Didn´t know that.

As I see it, there are in average 30 CoD players online, barely enough to fill one server. Bliss and his ATAG Team is doing good job with his server and the design for every players fun. So is Repka. We should not split our little community over several servers, all basicly having the same concept or design. Then everyone has less fun.

Eventually our server is rarely visited and mainly used by ourselves, I don´t see a real need for a TS. We needed a server for our squadron purpose, which is rather focused on historical immersion in a team, than competing skills 1vs1. Both is fun and both should have its chances. So I think, being more focused on squadrons which are similar minded, a public TS is not a real necessary for our purpose.

But it is good to know, that its free now and if there are people asking for it, we will think about opening our TS3 server. (Actually we are still using TS2 - it just sounds more like an old radio )

[csThor]

Well, SNAFU, it's not that everyone is seeking this 1vs1 thingy ... I mean like I said over at sturmovik.de I'm no longer interested in joining a virtual squadron (let alone able to dedicate the time to it), but your server concept comes very close to what I have been looking for for quite a few years now. I do agree that the makeup may drive away the sportive-minded players, those that prefer duels to historical mission-style teamplay, but like you said so rightly there are other servers which cater to them. I'd have joined the server by now to fly a few times if it hadn't been empty - since the missions are tailored towards team-flying lone-wolfing looked pointless so I chose to spend my time offline instead. With a solidly structured TS-server and - ultimately - a sound website to provide a central place to go for all those interested it may spark the impetous for building a solid community which is interested in historical accuracy and realistic missions.

[SNAFU]

Hey csThor, I hear you. But anyhow, we are and will always be a minority seeking for that kind of experience. I like both side. When I am in the mood I just go for the next shooting-it-out.

I cannot speak for the III./JG27, I am just a member, but everyone interested and asking (kindly ) is of course welcome in our TS. But as I said, it is actually not public. But we can make a public TS, if required. Concerning the HP, well, have got enough work at hand, so feel free, if you`ve got experience with Webdesign (I´ve none).

[csThor]

I used to make websites a few years ago, but none of them had any trace of PHP or similar stuff in them - just old-fashioned HTML. This may be interesting for sites with mission details, but I can't imagine a modern website for a server not being built on ready-made portal structures, even if it's only for incorporating a TS viewer or/and a statistics section.

Perhaps I can provide a bit of graphics support and add my historical knowledge, but unfortunately I never learned PHP or similar languages.

[SNAFU]

You are all welcome.

Currently I am using the time for deeper tests, but over the weekend, I will try to update to latest patch and hotfix.

And csThor, you knowledge and assistance will be required any time soon, watch out.