rec.autos.simulators

Multiplayer games work fine when people inially join, we can all chat
fine and race together. However, sometimes the online chat fails to
work. We can still race eath other, but have to drop to MSN Messenger
to communicate.. this is beyond reasoning as far as I am concerned.

Also, when skipping to the next session or restarting the track, some
players tend to disappear (no "Player Verified" message) leaving
"zombie" players on my server that are unkickable.

Does anyone else have similar problems or a solution?

Thanks,
Andy

Lots of people have lots of problems with it

There are some protocols you can follow w.r.t. not chatting during session
changes - but generally - you takes yer chances with it

Doug

   Go to the GTR forums at Simbin and read through the Pinned thread about
multiplayer issues.  Elite covers it very well.  With 256 upload you need
to limit your field to about 5 or 6 tops.  After that your line will
probably be overloaded.  Upload rating is the key.  We use a 850kbs Upload
server for our CART league and still see some lag once in a while with 8
drivers.
   With everyone set to 56k, including the host, you might see some jitters
from other cars when they are turning, but if they are smooth on the
straights then you have a good connection.  The 56k setting limits the
amount of data transmitted and that, I beleive, is the reason for jittery
cars in the corners...However attempting to increase the data rate to ISDN
or higher severly impacts the ammount of data the host has to send to each
user and Big-Time lag usually results.  
   GTR changed their terminolgy for multiplayer, but most of the mods and
F1 2k2 use the 56k setting.  GTR's equivilant to 56k is  data rate =10

Very, very strange?!

: Well, every one in the game is on the same DSL ISP as me, and they
: seem silky smooth when racing. It's more like a "sync" issue, where
: players cant hear each other chatting and moving to next session
: looses them completely. i've even had one guy join back in and take
: control of his old car as well as his new one, having 2 cars going out
: to the track at the same time.
:
: Very, very strange?!

Best bit is the race starts where half the field starts in the spot - and
the race never starts!

It's very very buggy really

Doug

   That IS wierd.  The 'chat bug' where the practice session goes on and
eveyrone else keeps racing and chatting is a known issue.  Sorry I didn't
comment on that in the first reply.  There are two symptoms.  One you just
seem to loose the focus of the host.  In other words the lap times for
other racers either don't update or some drop completely.  You can still
run laps but your times and your chat don't make it to the host.  I'm don't
think there is a workaround for this, other than paying attention when
things get quiet and re-connecting.
  The 2nd issue is a disconnect when changing sessions.  The host has to
announce he's ready to move to the next session or race and tell everyone
to stop using the chat feature.  I have been testing leaving the chat
screen altogether and waiting for the host to advance the session while
viewing one of the setup screens.
  I have seen users who have been dropped because of the loss of focus re-
log on, the game still reports the old time and then displays a 2nd name
and time for the same person.  But I haven't seen the two cars for one
player item.  My guess for a solution there is:
  If a player suspects he's been dropped, he should disconnect and
reconnect to the session.  Then before driving leave again..warning the
other drivers, ESPECIALLY IF QUALIFYING HAS BEGUN, that you will be right
back and to not start a hotlap.(this saves hurt feelings when you rejoin a
2nd time--the screen pause while joining can really throw off a hotlap)
Once you leave properly and rejoin, the game should be able to keep track
of your single prescence again.
dave henrie

Eldred
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Homepage - http://www.umich.edu/~epickett
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Never argue with an idiot.  He brings you down to his level, then beats you
with experience...
Remove SPAM-OFF to reply.

Haha...that'll teach you for racing with aliens. : )

I still believe something is well flakey with the game protocols, as
everything is fine when he first joins (chat works, his .ini files are
verified and he sees session changes), the problems appearing into a
length of gameplay. I guess the router could be timing out a
connection and therefore ignoring subsequent transmissions from the
server, or the software is opening local ports for receiving data past
a certain amount of time..

Either way it's weirdness!
Cheers for the help,
Andy