GPL: VROC "Opening Night" Success!

VROC's "Opening Night" was a great success, with dozens of racers in the chat room and a number of hosts with high speed connections. At one point we had five or six races available, all on high speed digital connections (cable modems or ISDN Router), many with 10 or more players. One host was on a T1 line and had 20 racers in his practice session! With that many users, we did uncover some issues, and we will be working hard over the next few days to resolve these. I have a long list of bug fixes and enhancements, but right now I see as my top priority adding the ability for a host to limit the number of racers who can join the host's session. We had a lot of disconnects last night as too many people tried to join for the available bandwidth. Here are some rules of thumb for the maxiumum number of players in a GPL session. If the host is on a: P2-400 on a T1: up to 20 players. Cable modems, ISDN routers and ADSL: 8 to 12 players, depending on the speed of the host's CPU. Faster CPU allows more players. ISDN through a serial port: up to 6 or 8, depending on the speed of the host's CPU and its DUN and FIFO buffer settings. 28.8/33.6/56k connections: 2 or 3 players at GPL's default bandwidth, or 4 or 5 if everyone uses the 84-3 core.ini on my Web site. Until we implement a way for the host to limit the number of racers, I request that people self-limit. If you see there are more than the above numbers in a race, or if you keep getting booted from a race that already has a number of players in it, please don't keep attempting to join. Instead, look for another race, or host your own. Also, if you are hosting, you could put the maximum number of players you can handle in the Comment field. Something like this: MaxPlyrs: 12 Whenever you run VROC Setup, remember to select your connection type again, as currently VROC Setup does not remember this. Thanks! The other major issue we encountered last night was a large number of people who could not get the status on races being hosted, and therefore did not get a [Join] button. The reasons were three: 1. The user had not enabled cookies in Netscape. 2. The user had not performed VROC Setup and set the path to their GPL folder properly. 3. The user had not downloaded the VROC software, gping.exe, and placed it in their GPL folder. All of these items, except #1, are mentioned on VROC's main page, and also in the installation notes. I will be adding #1 to the main page and installation notes today. Please, please read the instructions and follow them! We plan to add more error checking to help catch oversights like this, but until we do, you really need to RTFM! :-) Thanks! Alison

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>The new Virtual Racers' Online Connection, a Web-based facility for >finding other GPL online racers, is now operational! >This new facility is targeted at GPL racers who would like to find other >racers via the Internet, and join them in online races. >VROC supports hosting and joining GPL races, automatically launching GPL >when you choose to host or join. VROC also incorporates a chat mechanism >which you can use to discuss possible race venues or whatever you wish >outside of GPL, thus eliminating the need for third party chat >facilities. >VROC has performed successfully in an open beta test. GPL races hosted >via cable modem have successfully supported as many as 18 human players. >GPL makes it easy to "advertise" races you host to other racers, and >easy for other people to join your race. Over the last two weeks, the >beta team has launched and participated in many races hosted through >VROC. >While we do plan many enhancements, including automatic scren refreshes >and Microsoft Internet Explorer support, VROC is simply too useful >already to keep it under our hats any longer. >See the new VROC in operation at: > http://gpl.gamestats.com/vroc/ >Be sure you note the prerequisites and follow the instructions >carefully. >See you at the track! >Alison

Alison

>VROC's "Opening Night" was a great success, with dozens of racers in the >chat room and a number of hosts with high speed connections. At one >point we had five or six races available, all on high speed digital >connections (cable modems or ISDN Router), many with 10 or more players. >One host was on a T1 line and had 20 racers in his practice session! And let me say that I *almost* had as much fun hosting (and watching) as I would have driving. Seeing the darn near full grid at the start was neat, knowing they were all non-AI drivers. One thing I'd like to see is some way to exchange e-mail addresses (at least in these early days of VROC) so that those of us who are hosting larger races can try to gather some information about *why* connections are being dropped...is it warping badly from CPU overload, bad latency, or just line noise on the player's connection to their service provider? Or are the drivers just getting frustrated from too much "agricultural racing" and dropping out? I'd like to see the drivers at least use chat to let the host know they are *voluntarily* leaving the race, so we don't count them as a "dumped" connection. At the least, I'd like to see more drivers back in chat following a race so race hosts can collect their comments...it helps us who do host to know what our limits are. I did receive some good comments from those who were on last night...many said it was the best connect they'd seen so far and the only one who replied to my inquiring about warping with anything was a gentleman in New Zealand, who said it did warp a bit, but wasn't unplayable. (I'm in Tennessee.) Er...mine was a T-1 with a P-II 233 w/64 meg. and a Voodoo I. Since I can't race (broken pedals), I shut down all the checkboxes (except driver arms) and ran video at 512x whatever, so as to minimize the CPU hit. With this setup I was able to have 20 cars on for practice, and we had 18 take the green flag. (We had a full 20, but one is my car sitting in the pits w/o any time on track, so GPL never gridded mine, and another driver who was having bad dumping problems (he says he was getting an error message of some sort) got dumped at the countdown to the start hit like 5 seconds. By the time the race was 3 laps old (of 9 at Spa), we were down to 12 drivers, but I don't know if all were dropped, or just dropped out, as a few of them were already a lap down (more agricultural racing?). We lost two more by race end for a total of 10 finishers out of 19 starters. I'll be hosting again as my schedule allows, and once I get my pedals fixed.... <g> Regards to all, and thanks to the whole VROC crew for making it happen! Doc Wynne Technical Support & Network Services Support Engineering/dickson.net http://www.dickson.net -- Never a late apex, never a dull moment.

Thanks for all your hard work Alison, I was finally able to host a race with more than 4 or 5 people on my ADSL connection (previously the most racers I was able to round up at one time), also it looks like people are sticking to races being hosted where they have better connections, so it looks like this will reduce the number of warping players. VROC worked very well and I will be hosting races with it often. Great job to you and the whole VROC team. Seeyas on the track. --John (Joao) Silva >VROC's "Opening Night" was a great success, with dozens of racers in the >chat room and a number of hosts with high speed connections. At one >point we had five or six races available, all on high speed digital >connections (cable modems or ISDN Router), many with 10 or more players. >One host was on a T1 line and had 20 racers in his practice session!

Doc, I was one of those who voluntarily dropped after some agricultural farming! ;-) I actually was experiencing a weird warp that seemed like clock smashing between my computer and yours. What would happen is I would be racing right behind someone and then wham they would appear about 200 yards in front of me. Things would go ok for another 30 seconds or minute and then wham they would be another 200 yards in front. It became frustrating becuase I was turning fast laps but these people would pull away with each warp. In practice I did not experience those problems it was only in the race. I also had the VROC chat running in the background by accident so that may have been a problem. During practice it was awesome!!! You have a great server and I will be looking for it every time I hop on VROC!!!!!!!! I actually think you had more than 20 when I joined!! Thanks John

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>>VROC's "Opening Night" was a great success, with dozens of racers in the >>chat room and a number of hosts with high speed connections. At one >>point we had five or six races available, all on high speed digital >>connections (cable modems or ISDN Router), many with 10 or more players. >>One host was on a T1 line and had 20 racers in his practice session! > And let me say that I *almost* had as much fun hosting (and >watching) as I would have driving. Seeing the darn near full grid >at the start was neat, knowing they were all non-AI drivers. >>With that many users, we did uncover some issues, and we will be working >>hard over the next few days to resolve these. >>I have a long list of bug fixes and enhancements, but right now I see as >>my top priority adding the ability for a host to limit the number of >>racers who can join the host's session. We had a lot of disconnects >>last night as too many people tried to join for the available bandwidth. > One thing I'd like to see is some way to exchange e-mail >addresses (at least in these early days of VROC) so that those of >us who are hosting larger races can try to gather some >information about *why* connections are being dropped...is it >warping badly from CPU overload, bad latency, or just line noise >on the player's connection to their service provider? Or are the >drivers just getting frustrated from too much "agricultural >racing" and dropping out? I'd like to see the drivers at least >use chat to let the host know they are *voluntarily* leaving the >race, so we don't count them as a "dumped" connection. > At the least, I'd like to see more drivers back in chat >following a race so race hosts can collect their comments...it >helps us who do host to know what our limits are. > I did receive some good comments from those who were on last >night...many said it was the best connect they'd seen so far and >the only one who replied to my inquiring about warping with >anything was a gentleman in New Zealand, who said it did warp a >bit, but wasn't unplayable. (I'm in Tennessee.) >>Here are some rules of thumb for the maxiumum number of players in a GPL >>session. If the host is on a: >> P2-400 on a T1: up to 20 players. > Er...mine was a T-1 with a P-II 233 w/64 meg. and a Voodoo I. >Since I can't race (broken pedals), I shut down all the >checkboxes (except driver arms) and ran video at 512x whatever, >so as to minimize the CPU hit. > With this setup I was able to have 20 cars on for practice, and >we had 18 take the green flag. (We had a full 20, but one is my >car sitting in the pits w/o any time on track, so GPL never >gridded mine, and another driver who was having bad dumping >problems (he says he was getting an error message of some sort) >got dumped at the countdown to the start hit like 5 seconds. >By the time the race was 3 laps old (of 9 at Spa), we were down >to 12 drivers, but I don't know if all were dropped, or just >dropped out, as a few of them were already a lap down (more >agricultural racing?). > We lost two more by race end for a total of 10 finishers out of >19 starters. > I'll be hosting again as my schedule allows, and once I get my >pedals fixed.... <g> > Regards to all, and thanks to the whole VROC crew for making it >happen! >Doc Wynne >Technical Support & Network Services >Support Engineering/dickson.net >http://www.dickson.net >-- >Never a late apex, never a dull moment.

I was on your race at silverstone last night (GMT+1). I was disconnected after a few race laps :-(. The reason I think was in my settings in internet explorer. It disconnects the dial up connection after 20 minutes of no activity. My guess is that it does not see the GPL traffic as activity, just as when I use WS-FTP. So every one using dial up networking and internet explorer should go to Internet Explorer - Menubar - View - Internet options - Connection - Settings and uncheck the box that says Disconnect after xx minutes. I suggest mentioning this in the FAQ and in the VROC help. Regards Bart Westra 'John' Joao Silva heeft geschreven in bericht

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>Thanks for all your hard work Alison, I was finally able to host a race >with more than 4 or 5 people on my ADSL connection (previously the most >racers I was able to round up at one time), also it looks like people >are sticking to races being hosted where they have better connections, so >it looks like this will reduce the number of warping players. >VROC worked very well and I will be hosting races with it often. >Great job to you and the whole VROC team. >Seeyas on the track. >--John (Joao) Silva >>VROC's "Opening Night" was a great success, with dozens of racers in the >>chat room and a number of hosts with high speed connections. At one >>point we had five or six races available, all on high speed digital >>connections (cable modems or ISDN Router), many with 10 or more players. >>One host was on a T1 line and had 20 racers in his practice session!

% Thanks for all your hard work Alison, I was finally able to host a race % with more than 4 or 5 people on my ADSL connection (previously the most % racers I was able to round up at one time), also it looks like people % are sticking to races being hosted where they have better connections, so % it looks like this will reduce the number of warping players. I spent quite some time on Joao's server yesterday (he's in Seattle, WA & I'm in Portland, OR). While I had experienced better latency numbers with a couple of other serves in Northern, Central California, Joao's server provided the "cleanest" connects I've experienced. Don't recall ever getting disconnected (though some of the faster drivers may have wished I was <G>). Never had the problem I experienced with other servers (not lap times for any of my practice laps). On a rare occasion I did experience some "slow downs" this was probably due to the number of connects and the fact that it was a Monaco Destruction Derby meet. % VROC worked very well and I will be hosting races with it often. % Great job to you and the whole VROC team. I wholeheartedly agree!!!!!!! -- **************************** Michael E. Carver ************************* Upside out, or inside down...False alarm the only game in town. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=<[ /./. [- < ]>=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Glad to hear you get a good connection here, actually I hosted all day yesterday and only saw 1 or 2 definite warpers (one I even began calling the Klingon warping Eagle, because it warped and would not move over heh), and I think these warpers were actually connected from another continent on 28.8 modem so it is understandable. Overall I am very very pleased with the GPL online code, I had some extremely *close* racing with a couple of drivers yesterday including Alison, and no lag induced contact. Also, don't worry about being ontrack and slower, that's how I am learning the tracks myself, by hosting 2 hour practice sessions before the races, I just use my mirrors to stay out of the way when the screamers come through it isn't a problem, besides I can recall you being very fast at at least a couple of the tracks especially Monza. That one Monaco race I hosted yesterday was part of learning the track :-) Today I plan on hosting races with long practice sessions at Kyalami and Mexico maybe even the 'ring since I don't know these tracks very well. Gotta prepare for the GPL F2 online league. No better way to learn than when there are real people on track IMHO. Seeyas on the track. --John (Joao) Silva

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>I spent quite some time on Joao's server yesterday (he's in Seattle, WA & >I'm in Portland, OR). While I had experienced better latency numbers >with a couple of other serves in Northern, Central California, Joao's >server provided the "cleanest" connects I've experienced. Don't recall >ever getting disconnected (though some of the faster drivers may have >wished I was <G>). Never had the problem I experienced with other >servers (not lap times for any of my practice laps). On a rare occasion >I did experience some "slow downs" this was probably due to the number >of connects and the fact that it was a Monaco Destruction Derby meet. >% VROC worked very well and I will be hosting races with it often. >% Great job to you and the whole VROC team. >I wholeheartedly agree!!!!!!! >-- >**************************** Michael E. Carver ************************* > Upside out, or inside down...False alarm the only game in town. >=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=<[ /./. [- < ]>=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Thanks to everyone who's been hosting on VROC, especially those with high speed connections. Some of these folks have been devoting significant chunks of time every evening so the rest of us can race. Also, thanks to everyone who has given us feedback about VROC. It's great to know that VROC is so useful and so appreciated! Your explanation of problems and your ideas for improvements are also very helpful. I'm making notes of things to add to my Online FAQ, and features that I'd like to add to VROC when I can. John and I are working *** some significant enhancements to VROC which we *hope* to have ready by this weekend, although I can't be sure we'll have them done by then. These changes should help reduce disconnects by allowing the host to limit the number of players, and should also greatly reduce the amount of time it takes to refresh the race list, particularly when there are a lot of races in the list. I've been running in a couple of races on VROC every evening, to see how things are going - and to have a little fun. John has been doing some racing too. It's very exciting to see all the activity going on at the VROC site already! The other night I had a superb battle with George Sandman and Ken Eisler in an Int Short race at Silverstone. We battled wheel to wheel and nose to tail for virtually the entire race, with several passes, and no one touched another car, or took anyone out. It was fantastic! The hope of having that sort of experience has been a big part of my motivation in building VROC. See you at the track - on VROC! Alison Remove the spam blocker NOSPAM to email me. http://www.simracing.com/~alison [address restored]

Vroc is awesome. I hosted my first race today with my cable modem, an intermediate short Monza race. I had a blast, and even managed to win the race! -- Don Burnette Palmetto Racing Dburn on Ten AOLL Iroc Administrator >>VROC is the perfect forum to enable some on-line racing to happen. Very >>clever and I love it.

> >VROC is the perfect forum to enable some on-line racing to happen. > Very > >clever and I love it. > >Great! I have to agree Alison, I tried VROC for the first time last night, and it was great. I only had two practice sesiions as the races were at tracks I'm not yet familiar with (Rouen & Kyalami) so I just had a coast around each circuit and watched others practising, but it was great anyway, and I didn't get thrown off at all (only using a 33.6 modem, and all the way over here in the, rather cold, UK) I' definitely gonna be on-line again, on a regular basis......as soon as I've learnt all the *other* circuits!!! (I'm still trying to master Monza & WG?) Keep up the great work.... 8-) *Peter* 8-) (NB: remove asterisk to e-mail)