3 Commando Brigade

Optimising Multiplayer Missions

In the wake of some members encountering FPS and script issues with the Op last night, I was wondering if any experienced multiplayer mission builders out there had any hints or tips for the rest of us as how to get the best performance out of scripts and balancing ai numbers vs server performance. I'd appreciate any help for creating future missions. 

Thanks.

1) Create an Operations Repository which includes all of the files needed for that weekend's mission
2) BIKEY the server to prevent people running conflicting mods

99% of problems solved probably.
If I ever see Jamie again I'm going to push this suggestion!

It's almost certainly not your mission design that caused a few people problems last night Evrik, imho. If you took a poll of players I'd bet the majority had no significant problems at all.

AI numbers were about right, please don't reduce them. You could consider using EOS to dynamically spawn them. 
It would be interesting to see the effect on server FPS without enemy air vehicles though.

EOS? Remember, newbie to the mission making here...

I'd be interested to see the effects without air units as well. Also, I'd be interested to see what would happen if we ran things without the BTC revive mod as I think a few people are reporting that the medical checks were the first thing to go.

Additionally, not sure if this is possible (or easy to do), but instead of running scripts for weapons / uniforms equipment etc... could we not create a 3cb unit and group which can be placed in the editor (like downloaded units from armaholic) and each unit comes with the preset gear for their role? Just thinking out loud as to how we can reduce scripts.

Thanks Depro. I'll check that out when I get home from work.

I continually forget that this was your first mission Evrik - it was just so complex and well crafted it's hard to believe.

We used EOS in the Urban Locker campaign, link as provided by Depro. You set zones, define how many and what type of enemy unit will spawn. When players get within a defined range they magically all appear, do their stuff, and when players leave they de-spawn again. Kind of like how Alive does it, but not so clever - the AI aren't active unless spawned. Good if all you want is random ai patrolling/occupying etc, keeps frame rates high.

We also used a clean-up script to remove dead bodies.

Everything runs on scripts. A script is just a bunch of code that the engine can execute. That's all a mod is really too. Mission.sqm is a script. MCC is a bunch of scripts. So is @mas.
It's when there are errors in the code or conflicting scripts/mods that you get problems.

Mission designers need to run "show script errors" when doing their design and testing.

Server admins and players need to run only those mods required and all at the same version. This is what I believe went wrong last night, hence my suggestion that we bikey the server and create a repo for Op's nights.

However, regarding a template for the 3CB units, with British assigned clothes and weapons, well, watch this space (or a similar space somewhere nearby)...

Intriguing... I'll be watching.