problem with Dom3Minions server

[Gandalf Parker]

Ok there isnt a problem that I know of.
It just seems as if the other "problem with" server threads get the type of heads-up information from the players that Id like to get if there are problems on my server I need to know of.

AS FAR AS I KNOW the public games are running fine. Daily I seem to need to open more of them so Im sure they are getting use. The private games also must be running fine.

Im guessing that the other Dom3 people with accounts on the server in order to run their own games are also not having any problems.

If anyone is interested in direct connect games (mp games that play more like a solo game than the pbem games do) then check out
Dom3Minions.com
http://www.Dom3Minions.com
Hosted Open Games on D3M
http://www.dom3minions.com/HostedGames.htm
Hosting a Game you want to start
http://www.dom3minions.com/HostingGames.htm

And PLEASE use this thread or PM me to report ANY problems you might have so that I can be aware of them.

Gandalf Parker

[Gandalf Parker]

These games are created in batches.
I try to keep 6 open games (2 in each era) at all times in each type.
These games are good for either a "turn a day" game, or for getting together and doing turns like a solo-game trying to finish it in one day. If you do not wish to join and just wait for others then I recommend reading the "How to Organize a game on the Dom3Minions Server" thread on Shrapnels Dominions 3 forum.

quicky game-list
http://game.dom3minions.com/bin/waiting_chk.cgi
can be used for a quick view of what games on my server are open or looking for more players.

BLITZ's:
Standard game for 2 to 4 human players on a 50 province (medium sized) map.
http://game.dom3minions.com/bin/blitz_chk.cgi

vsAI:
A game of players against computer players. For 1 to 4 human players against 3 computer players who are allied against you. This is played on an 80 province (small map) map.
http://game.dom3minions.com/bin/vsAI_chk.cgi

SRAND:
This is also a game of players against computer players. For 1 to 4 human players against 3 computer players who are allied against you. This is also played on an 80 province (small map) map but it has been processed thru the SemiRandom program to place surprise provinces into the game.
http://game.dom3minions.com/bin/srand_chk.cgi

CHAOS:
This is a game best played by people who feel they have the game all figured out, and they would like some surprises. It is for 1 to 4 human players, 3 allied computer played nations, and 2 more active "Special Monster" nations. It is played on a randomly generated 80 province (medium sized) map with surprises everywhere. Play carefully.
http://game.dom3minions.com/bin/Chaos_chk.cgi

CBM:
This is a game for those who prefer to play with the Conceptual Balance mod which can be particularly good for blitzed duels. The present version of the CBM mod also includes with it the Worthy Heroes mod. These games are for 2 to 4 human players on a 50 province (medium sized) map. Remember that all players must have the CBM mod installed, and should have used it for creating their god, in order to play these games.
http://game.dom3minions.com/bin/cbm_chk.cgi


Other games can be hosted here upon request. Please check the "Hosting Games" link on the main page of www.Dom3Minions.com Games can be as small as two players (in case you just want an impartial non-playing person to host it) or can be as large as 94 Players and AIs on 1500 province maps. Any mod can be used, even one you create. It can be direct connect or play-by-mail or text-message turn alerts, even in the same game with each player choosing as they wish.

[Gandalf Parker]

OK There was apparently a problem with the BLITZ and CBM games after a recent restart of the server. I need to look into that. The CHAOS, SemirRand, and VersusAI games were apparently ok.
Anyway I am generating new BLITZ and CBM games now.

This would have happened much sooner if someone had let me know there was a problem.

[Gandalf Parker]

ATTENTION
People who are running games on Dom3Minions server who are not receiving backups. Not the little quicky games but the larger multiplayer games. Some of you contacted me long long ago to set the game up using PMs here. Ive had to clean that box out a few times since then.

With various rumblings about some of the servers, and some scary "CPU Overheating" notices on mine, Id like people to contact me again for those old games. Some are above a hundred turns and/or over a year running. I can see that they are not stale. Some of you have already setup for zips of the game to be emailed out by preexec or postexec. For those who are not getting backup copies of their games emailed to them, consider it and contact me. I can also set it up to do it every 10th turn, or some other number.

Id hate to have such long-running and active games fall out if (knock on virtual wood) something happened to the server.
This will also be posted to the other forums and newsgroups since I know that only a portion come from here.

EDIT: come to think of it, if any of the longer running little quicky games want something like a copy of the map or a backup of the game or turning on the view of AI files then feel free to contact me also.

Gandalf Parker

[Gandalf Parker]

I have GOOD news and I have BAD news...

BAD: the server crashed this morning

GOOD: I was sitting next to it at the time and noticed

BAD: seems to have been an overheating problem

GOOD: my son and I dismantled it, cleaned it out, and turned it back on. The problem may be temporarily at least fixed.

BAD: it did not reboot automatically the way its supposed to

GOOD: I was able to research the problem and put in a fix so that the next time it will reboot itself. It also automatically sends a text message to my cell phone now.

BAD: the games all shut down

GOOD: the MUD restarted automatically using a @reboot cron. And I finally got to test a "restore all Dom3 games" script which seems to have worked well. I might give it a @reboot cron also

If the overheating CPU problem is indeed gone (I will watch it over the weekend) I might restore some lost functions such as daily generations of maps in various unique types. And possibly add some more game types. As always, PLEASE let me know here or by private message here if you have any problems.
Or suggestions.
Or questions.

[Gandalf Parker]

ANYONE PLAYING A GAME ON MY SERVER:
Its time for patch updates.
If anyone wants their game to continue using the present Dom3 version 3.23b then let me know.
Otherwise, in about a day, all games will be switched over to the new Dom3 versaion 3.24

[Gandalf Parker]

We are presently up to 72 of the little public games, with 43 of those started.
Also 12 larger private games with 2 more due to start soon.

No one has any problems to bring to my attention? I do understand that many of those are from other forums and groups but I thought Id ask here. Also keep in mind that with the new interest we have returned to offering Dom3 DEMO games also in cast you want to try and get your friends hooked on this wonderful game.

[Gandalf Parker]

POWER GRID BLINKED
My apologies to all. The power in my neighborhood blinked off and back on restarting the server.
Domains and Emails restored :within 10 minutes
Worlds and MUDs restored: within 20 minutes
Dominions 3 personal games: 20 of them, within 45 minutes
Dominions 3 quicky open games: 76 of them, still happening. I am spreading the restart of those so that the server isnt impacted by so many games on the same timer.

Altho it did spark an idea on how I can rewrite the ReBooted.sh to recognize the difference between quicky games that have started from those that were waiting for joiners. Maybe by the time this happens again I can have the quicky games abit more prioritized on their restarts.

We recently passed 100 concurrent Dom3 games running 24/7 for connection on this server. Something that originally only a PbEM server could achieve but a number of excellent patches over the years have helped. I happily reported this landmark to Johan. Im eager to see how the next patch with the "Improved performance and window resposivness of the 'AI thinking' host stage" in it will improve my server load since on some of these games I DEFINITELY see that stage of the hosting process impacting the system.

This thread exists so that people can post if they have any problems on the server. None?

If you have any questions, or want to tell me that one of the games can be closed, I am usually in the Chat. Hit the Chat link up top of the page by the Forum Rules.

[Gandalf Parker]

POWER GRID BLINKED again
It appears that summer brownouts might not be unusual this year. Blame global warming.
Domains and Emails restored :within 5 minutes
Worlds and MUDs restored: within 10 minutes
Dominions 3 personal games: 19 of them, within 15 minutes
Dominions 3 quicky open games: 72 of them, still happening. Ive decided to wait an hour. There are so many games on 24 hour timers that I dont want the great big personal games trying to host at the same time that 50 quicky games are hosting. So Im afraid that the little quicky games will have to wait before I start restarting them.

This is one of the few real benefits of pbem games. Most apparent benefits are just differences between what the most common pbem server (LLamaServer.net) and the most common direct-connect server (Dom3Minions.com) choose to make available. Very few are actually differences in what can be done in direct or pbem.

But this is one. Since the pbems dont run continually the fact that the server reboots is not the same impact on timers. But if direct connect game are on times like --hours 24 which are very popular, then restarting the server also restarts the timers. Fixing the times is a major pain.

ON THE OTHER HAND, if any of the hosted games on Dom3minions would like to make use of the other timer functions that the game supports then I would be grateful. Something like Sun, Wed, Fri at 1am? The pro is that it is not susceptable to these timer changes, and easier to schedule around other heavy-load server actions. The con is that it does not play well with quickhost

[Gandalf Parker]

Well still less problem posts than any other Dom3 server but Im catching up.
Unfortunately this one was the previously discussed runaway logging. And just when I finally get the reboot recovery times into commercially acceptable limits.

Should I give up logging the games? I dearly love the logs altho I dont really use them AS logs anymore. more for things like displaying the game counter and turns uploaded in a webpage so that people dont have to log into the game to see those. Plus the log is only an indicator of the problem. If I killed the log Id have to come up with another way to see that a game has gone into a runaway loop and restart it.

Should I rewrite all the scripts so that all logging occurs on the non-boot drive where filling it wouldnt have "just some games" impact the servers true functions? (not my quotes, its from the complaint of users on the system). I cant really have games causing so much hassle. But if I move the logs out of the savedgames/thisgame directory then cleanup becomes even more of a headache than it is now.

I keep bit-and-piecing fixes. Im really surprised to still be doing this so many years into the game. Its just about the only project I havent been able to get someone else to take. Come on people! Some old retired computer loaded with free linux sharing a home dsl can be 10 times the dedicated server that Dom3Minions is.
http://www.dom3minions.com/ServerInfo.htm
You know you can do better than me so do it! we have only had 5 or 6 try it. Take a stab at it.