BalanceServerSeeders (4.0.0.4 - 21-April-2014): Distribute server seeding players

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by EBassie*:

 

Hey Flyswamper,

 

running 3.2.0.0 since yesterday and all looks good! Thanks for the update mate!

 

Happy new year,

 

EB

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by pharbehind*:

 

Yeah, working great. Thanks!

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by cobracdn*:

 

Not sure what I'm doing wrong here, but I'm still getting kicked (Idle too long) as the lone seeder. I've disabled Insane Balancer until I get this figured out.

My plugin settings are:

BSSsettings1.png

 

It does see me as a seeder, but I still get disconnected after about 5 minutes. I assume it's just the settings as others have it working.

Log:

[14:06:19 37] BalanceServerSeeders: Player count 1

[14:06:19 38] BalanceServerSeeders: Player list: ACC_Marcel

[14:06:19 38] BalanceServerSeeders: Checking player list for seeder ACC_Marcel

[14:06:19 38] BalanceServerSeeders: Checking for name match. (player , seeder): ACC_Marcel , ACC_Marcel

[14:06:19 38] BalanceServerSeeders: Seeder: ACC_MarcelTeam: 1, Current Score: 0,Minutes since last activity: 9.772158935,, status: Inactive

[14:06:19 38] BalanceServerSeeders: Checking player list for seeder SeederSoldier2

[14:06:19 38] BalanceServerSeeders: Checking for name match. (player , seeder): ACC_Marcel , SeederSoldier2

[14:06:19 39] BalanceServerSeeders: Player count - Team 1: 1, Team 2: 0, Team 1+2: 1, All:1

[14:06:19 39] BalanceServerSeeders: Counting inactive seeders for team 1

[14:06:19 39] BalanceServerSeeders: ACC_Marcel is inactive seeder on team 1

[14:06:19 39] BalanceServerSeeders: Counted 1 inactive seeders on team 1

[14:06:19 39] BalanceServerSeeders: Counting inactive seeders for team 2

[14:06:19 40] BalanceServerSeeders: Counted 0 inactive seeders on team 2

[14:06:19 40] BalanceServerSeeders: Inactive Seeder count - Team 1: 1, Team 2: 0

[14:06:19 40] BalanceServerSeeders: Real Player count - Team 1: 0, Team 2: 0

[14:06:19 40] BalanceServerSeeders: Mode is NOT rush. Using balanceMethod: 1

[14:06:49 78] BalanceServerSeeders: ---------

[14:06:49 81] BalanceServerSeeders: Player count 0

[14:06:49 81] BalanceServerSeeders: Player list:

[14:06:49 82] BalanceServerSeeders: Checking player list for seeder ACC_Marcel

[14:06:49 82] BalanceServerSeeders: Checking player list for seeder SeederSoldier2

[14:06:49 83] BalanceServerSeeders: Player count - Team 1: 0, Team 2: 0, Team 1+2: 0, All:0

[14:06:49 83] BalanceServerSeeders: Counting inactive seeders for team 1

[14:06:49 83] BalanceServerSeeders: Counted 0 inactive seeders on team 1

[14:06:49 83] BalanceServerSeeders: Counting inactive seeders for team 2

[14:06:49 84] BalanceServerSeeders: Counted 0 inactive seeders on team 2

[14:06:49 84] BalanceServerSeeders: Inactive Seeder count - Team 1: 0, Team 2: 0

[14:06:49 84] BalanceServerSeeders: Real Player count - Team 1: 0, Team 2: 0

[14:06:49 84] BalanceServerSeeders: Mode is NOT rush. Using balanceMethod: 1

 

Also is there a limit to how many Seeders you can have in the list?

 

Cheers

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by Flyswamper*:

 

Hey Cobra,

 

It looks like you have my plugin setup to give you the following kick reason

 

"You were kicked because you were idle and the server is populated"

 

Can you verify that this is the EXACT message you are getting when you get kicked? If so, then it probably is my plugin. If not, then it is probably some other plugin or server setting that is causing the kick.

 

As long as you have debug level set to 1 or higher, it should write a message to the plugin console telling you that my plugin is doing the kicking. I don't see any such message in the log section you posted. Perhaps next time you are on there alone, try setting the player-count and time limit down to something very low (like 1 minute and 1 player) and force my plugin to kick you to verify you see the correct reason and plugin-console messaging. Then set it back up to normal times/values and see if the behavior is the same or different.

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by cobracdn*:

 

I did have the debug level at 10, so it seems the plugin did not kick me.

 

I'll try another test in the morning, we may have had another instance of ProCon running at the time of the above test by another admin in our clan. I've got everyone to shut theirs down so I can retest in the morning. I'll try your suggestions and report back.. Thanks for your reply.

Cheers

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by pulpbiggles*:

 

Wow, nice one. I've put insane balancer (0.0.10) on in the meantime as that seems to operate an idle kicker with a whitelist though at the moment I cannot seem to get the whitelist to work. However something that is a standalone idle kicker with whitelist functionality would be a massive win for me. If you need any support testing please just let me know. Thanks.

 

pulpbiggles:

Myriades was the guy that wrote an idle kicker that I used for a while. If you search his profile and posts he made in the plugins section you should find it. I think it was called CIdleKicker or something very close. I found it yesterday and read through the forum posts on it. The good news is that the plugin exists. The bad news is that it looks like some bugs were reported that might have never been addressed and Myriades hasn't been online for a year or more here.

 

So.... I was feeling industrious last night and started writing my own somewhat simple idle-kicker utiltity. I can re-use much of the code in my current plugin and adapt it I think. With any luck I'll get something out in the next few days. My intent is to publish it as a separate idle-kicker and NOT integrate it into the BalanceServerSeeders plugin.

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by cobracdn*:

 

Hey Cobra,

 

It looks like you have my plugin setup to give you the following kick reason

 

"You were kicked because you were idle and the server is populated"

 

Can you verify that this is the EXACT message you are getting when you get kicked? If so, then it probably is my plugin. If not, then it is probably some other plugin or server setting that is causing the kick.

 

As long as you have debug level set to 1 or higher, it should write a message to the plugin console telling you that my plugin is doing the kicking. I don't see any such message in the log section you posted. Perhaps next time you are on there alone, try setting the player-count and time limit down to something very low (like 1 minute and 1 player) and force my plugin to kick you to verify you see the correct reason and plugin-console messaging. Then set it back up to normal times/values and see if the behavior is the same or different.

Tried again this morning. Set Player count to 1, set #of mins for seeder idle to 1. No other plugins running.

 

[05:55:54 13] BalanceServerSeeders: Player count 1

[05:55:54 13] BalanceServerSeeders: Player list: ACC_Marcel

[05:55:54 13] BalanceServerSeeders: Checking player list for seeder ACC_Marcel

[05:55:54 13] BalanceServerSeeders: Checking for name match. (player , seeder): ACC_Marcel , ACC_Marcel

[05:55:54 13] BalanceServerSeeders: Seeder: ACC_MarcelTeam: 1, Current Score: 0,Minutes since last activity: 5.59973695333333,, status: Inactive

[05:55:54 13] BalanceServerSeeders: Checking player list for seeder SeederSoldier2

[05:55:54 13] BalanceServerSeeders: Checking for name match. (player , seeder): ACC_Marcel , SeederSoldier2

[05:55:54 14] BalanceServerSeeders: Player count - Team 1: 1, Team 2: 0, Team 1+2: 1, All:1

[05:55:54 14] BalanceServerSeeders: Counting inactive seeders for team 1

[05:55:54 14] BalanceServerSeeders: ACC_Marcel is inactive seeder on team 1

[05:55:54 14] BalanceServerSeeders: Counted 1 inactive seeders on team 1

[05:55:54 14] BalanceServerSeeders: Counting inactive seeders for team 2

[05:55:54 14] BalanceServerSeeders: Counted 0 inactive seeders on team 2

[05:55:54 15] BalanceServerSeeders: Inactive Seeder count - Team 1: 1, Team 2: 0

[05:55:54 16] BalanceServerSeeders: Real Player count - Team 1: 0, Team 2: 0

[05:55:54 16] BalanceServerSeeders: Mode is NOT rush. Using balanceMethod: 1

[05:56:10 54] BalanceServerSeeders: Seeder ACC_Marcel set to offline

[05:56:24 48] BalanceServerSeeders: Updating team scores. Team 1 Score: 90, Team 2 Score:90

[05:56:24 56] BalanceServerSeeders: ---------

[05:56:24 56] BalanceServerSeeders: Player count 0

[05:56:24 57] BalanceServerSeeders: Player list:

[05:56:24 57] BalanceServerSeeders: Checking player list for seeder ACC_Marcel

[05:56:24 57] BalanceServerSeeders: Checking player list for seeder SeederSoldier2

[05:56:24 57] BalanceServerSeeders: Player count - Team 1: 0, Team 2: 0, Team 1+2: 0, All:0

[05:56:24 57] BalanceServerSeeders: Counting inactive seeders for team 1

[05:56:24 57] BalanceServerSeeders: Counted 0 inactive seeders on team 1

[05:56:24 57] BalanceServerSeeders: Counting inactive seeders for team 2

[05:56:24 57] BalanceServerSeeders: Counted 0 inactive seeders on team 2

[05:56:24 58] BalanceServerSeeders: Inactive Seeder count - Team 1: 0, Team 2: 0

[05:56:24 58] BalanceServerSeeders: Real Player count - Team 1: 0, Team 2: 0

[05:56:24 58] BalanceServerSeeders: Mode is NOT rush. Using balanceMethod: 1

[05:56:39 93] BalanceServerSeeders Disabled =(

 

Just seems to show me going offline.

 

Procon Event list shows:

05:49:41 ACC_Marcel joined the server

05:51:20 killed ACC_Marcel [Death]

05:51:20 ACC_Marcel was moved to another team/squad by an admin

05:56:10 ACC_Marcel left the server

 

Battlelog shows "Game disconnected: you were idle for too long."

 

So it seems that the server is kicking me at the game servers setting of 300secs. All the plugin seems to be doing is moving me to squad 0 after the idle time (1min).

 

Cheers

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by Flyswamper*:

 

cobra,

 

I think you are correct. It seems pretty clear that it isn't my plugin that is kicking you for being idle. From what you've posted I don't think we can tell if it is the game server itself of another plugin that is doing it. Obvious things to do are to double check the server settings, then if that isn't the problem to start checking/disabling other plugins until you find the source of the kick.

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by Flyswamper*:

 

pulp and anybody else that might care....... I've taken my first stab at that idle kicker. It's version 1.0.0.0 so a bit of buyer beware is in order. I did manage to do a fair bit of testing/watching it on a couple of different servers. It seemed to be working as expected, but I'd suggest watching it carefully for a little while after first activating it. Definitely run it in simulate_only mode for a few minutes first...

 

www.phogue.net/forumvb/showth...0-31-Dec-2012)*

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by CaptCourage*:

 

I have started using this plugin and followed the steps mentioned yet when I look at battlelog my 4 seeders do not show up as in-game players...Have I done something wrong...Isn't the idea to reflect that players are on the server when there really aren't any.

 

[15:28:41 34] BalanceServerSeeders: Updating team scores. Team 1 Score: 480, Team 2 Score:480

[15:28:41 54] BalanceServerSeeders: ---------

[15:28:41 54] BalanceServerSeeders: Player count 0

[15:28:41 55] BalanceServerSeeders: Player list:

[15:28:41 55] BalanceServerSeeders: Checking player list for seeder ********

[15:28:41 55] BalanceServerSeeders: Checking player list for seeder ********

[15:28:41 56] BalanceServerSeeders: Checking player list for seeder ********

[15:28:41 56] BalanceServerSeeders: Checking player list for seeder ********

[15:28:41 56] BalanceServerSeeders: Player count - Team 1: 0, Team 2: 0, Team 1+2: 0, All:0

[15:28:41 57] BalanceServerSeeders: Counting inactive seeders for team 1

[15:28:41 57] BalanceServerSeeders: Counted 0 inactive seeders on team 1

[15:28:41 57] BalanceServerSeeders: Counting inactive seeders for team 2

[15:28:41 58] BalanceServerSeeders: Counted 0 inactive seeders on team 2

[15:28:41 58] BalanceServerSeeders: Inactive Seeder count - Team 1: 0, Team 2: 0

[15:28:41 58] BalanceServerSeeders: Real Player count - Team 1: 0, Team 2: 0

[15:28:41 59] BalanceServerSeeders: Mode is NOT rush. Using balanceMethod:1

 

Does this plugin rely on the names on the reserved slots list?

tnx

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by Flyswamper*:

 

CaptCourage,

 

You appear to be mistaken. This plugin does not magically "create" the appearance of seeders on a server when they aren't really there. What it does do is to make sure that any seeders you really do put on the server are "balanced" so that they don't all end up on one team and make it even harder for your empty server to get populated.

 

This plugin does not rely on the reserved slots list. It has it's own list of players that you wish to designate as server seeders for balancing purposes.

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by CaptCourage*:

 

CaptCourage,

 

This plugin does not magically "create" the appearance of seeders on a server when they aren't really there.

Ok....I am new to all of this kinda thing so please help me understand.

When you say seeders in the above quote...did you mean to say players?

Also could you please tell me how this plugin will attract players to your server. if your selected seeders do not show up as players in battlelog then how can it be effective?

Or is this plugin a kind of whitelist so that players nominated as seeders do not get kicked from the server. Sort of like kick idle player

 

Cheers

CC

 

P.S.

Does my plugin log reflect any errors ( the asterixes are really player names)

[15:28:41 34] BalanceServerSeeders: Updating team scores. Team 1 Score: 480, Team 2 Score:480

[15:28:41 54] BalanceServerSeeders: ---------

[15:28:41 54] BalanceServerSeeders: Player count 0

[15:28:41 55] BalanceServerSeeders: Player list:

[15:28:41 55] BalanceServerSeeders: Checking player list for seeder ********

[15:28:41 55] BalanceServerSeeders: Checking player list for seeder ********

[15:28:41 56] BalanceServerSeeders: Checking player list for seeder ********

[15:28:41 56] BalanceServerSeeders: Checking player list for seeder ********

[15:28:41 56] BalanceServerSeeders: Player count - Team 1: 0, Team 2: 0, Team 1+2: 0, All:0

[15:28:41 57] BalanceServerSeeders: Counting inactive seeders for team 1

[15:28:41 57] BalanceServerSeeders: Counted 0 inactive seeders on team 1

[15:28:41 57] BalanceServerSeeders: Counting inactive seeders for team 2

[15:28:41 58] BalanceServerSeeders: Counted 0 inactive seeders on team 2

[15:28:41 58] BalanceServerSeeders: Inactive Seeder count - Team 1: 0, Team 2: 0

[15:28:41 58] BalanceServerSeeders: Real Player count - Team 1: 0, Team 2: 0

[15:28:41 59] BalanceServerSeeders: Mode is NOT rush. Using balanceMethod:1

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by Flyswamper*:

 

CaptCourage,

 

"Seeders" are indeed real player accounts that someone has logged into and connected to your game server. They are put there simply to help get the server started. Often/usually they may sit idle but connected to the server for extended periods of time (i.e. they are AFK much/most of the time).

 

Although this practice might help your server get started because it's player count is now a non-zero number, if the AFK players all end up stacked on one team it can have the opposite effect. If you have 3 AFK players on Team A and 3 "live" players on Team B the players on Team B will quickly get frustrated and leave.

 

This plugin simply makes sure that if you have 3 AFK players that are desginated (in advance) as seeders that they won't be stacked up all on one team. So when others join they are more likely to have a fair/interesting game environment.

 

In essence, it is a very narrowly focused team balancer (it only balances pre-designated players and only when they are AFK)

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by CaptCourage*:

 

Now that is a good explaination...Thanks heaps....I think I have got it..

CC

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by Jaythegreat1*:

 

Just curious if there is a way to have different seeding methods based on player count for rush.

 

Say

> 16 players : defender gets the extra seeder

 

Seems like rush rounds go too quickly especially if you have an odd # of seeders. So it would make more sense to me to put the extra guy on attacker to make it harder for them to cap mcoms. Once you gain players... it should get progressively harder to defend.

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by Flyswamper*:

 

Just as an off the cuff thought (i.e. I haven't looked at the code again before I say this) it seems like this wouild be pretty easy.

 

Before I would actually work on something like that, I'd like to solicit more of thoughts/ideas on how this might work. Should it be implemented EXACTLY as you said? Or rather, what is the most appropriate/flexible way to accomplish the same idea but do it in a way that maximizes flexibility and usefulness to all.

 

In other words, I'm in the mood to do this..... would just like help figuring out the best approach and what to actually do!

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by Jaythegreat1*:

 

Understandable.. Conquest tends to do better when the extra seeder is on the higher ticket counts team. Of course on that setting, on Rush, the extra seeder always gets placed on defender, which isn't bad at say 32 players. But very low counts usually means a quick game.

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by Flyswamper*:

 

I seem to recall someone requesting that for Rush mode the extra seeder should always goto the defender. I think the idea was that when there is only 1 seeder and 1 real player it gave the real player something to do. Of course, the part I don't like about that is that it kinda facilitates a wee bit of stat padding depending on player counts to start the server.

 

Hmmm.... what is needed here?

 

Maybe a method #3 where you specify 3 variables/settings?

 

-- Variable 1: Player count threshold

-- Variable 2: Where admin wants extra seeder to go when player count is below threshold (team 1 or team 2 are the choices)

-- Variable 3: Where admin wants extra seeder to go when player count exceeds threshold (team 1 or team 2 are the choices)

 

Not sure I like this, but maybe that works__?

 

On second thought, that might work for a Rush mode only server, but I think it would have to detect rush mode (which it is already doing) and work differently for Rush only..... I need some kind of logic chart I think....

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by Flyswamper*:

 

How about something like the following for user-inputs (with available choices in parentheses)....

 

 

Rush Mode Balancing Controls

- Player count threshold (0-64):

- Which team to put extra seeder below threshold population (Attackers/Defenders):

- Which team to put extra seeder above threshold population (Attackers/Defenders):

 

Non-Rush mode Balancing Controls

- Place extra seeder on team with (Higher ticket count/Higher player count):

 

Perhaps that would add just enough flexibility and also make it a little more obvious what logic is being used?

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by Jaythegreat1*:

 

I think that could work, I could understand the argument that the attacker needs something to do... but with 4 player start limit, that theory is kinda irrelevant since they get 0 points. Also say you only have 1 seeder, he's put on defense. So when the server goes live, the next player that joins more often than not joins attacker.. so then you have 3v1 until a 6th player joins.

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by Flyswamper*:

 

When I last had a server at my disposal, you could still start the server with just 1 player. I thought I read that they changed that, but I haven't faced it for some time now.

 

So.... should I run with the above idea? Or do you need additional/more flexibility?

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by dyn*:

 

Personally, especially when at low pop, I would rather have a seeder on the attacker team. I want that game to last a long time to hopefully increase population. If, however, there are seeders on defender the attackers can plow over the defense and win easily thus ensuring a short round.

 

Dictating where to put the seeder account would be ideal.

 

Thanks!

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by Jaythegreat1*:

 

Fly,

 

Yes with Server Patch R34? I believe.. they made it you need 4 players for the server to start recording points. If it goes below 4 players.. it goes back into pre-round status.

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by Flyswamper*:

 

Thanks for the info. Amazing how fast you get out of touch of certain details if you aren't living the server-owner life everyday anymore.

 

I did start on the coding last night but ran into some bug that I couldn't figure out (and the trial and error way of debugging plugins isn't helping me find). Hopefully I'll get that figured out quickly and get something out. I do have another/new thought about possible logic for Rush mode.

 

Option 1) "Probably the simplest option"

Admin selects whether extra seeder goes to attackers or defenders for all rush mode situations

 

Option 2) "Possibly more complex than needed option"

Admin selects a server-population-count (lets say 10 players is selected). Admin can select whether extra seeder goes to attackers or defenders when player count is below this population. Admin can also select whether extra seeder goes to attackers/defenders when the player count is higher than the threshold. This seems more flexible (and a wee bit more complex to code) but it feels like it might be unneccessary complexity that wouldn't get used.

 

Option 3)

Admin selects where extra seeder goes when there is 1 or less real (non-seeders) players on the server: attacker/defender (default being defender)

Admin selects where extra seeder goes when 2 or more real players ARE present on the server: attacker/defender (default being attacker)

 

 

Any thoughts?

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by Jaythegreat1*:

 

I would go with option 1 first. By the time our all maps server fills up, it should in theory be switching to Conquest.

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by Flyswamper*:

 

Okie dokie then.... I've implemented option #1 as mentioned above.

 

New version uploaded and available in the opening post of this thread and the following was added to the changelog

 

3.3.0.0 4-Jan-2013

- Add ability for admin to select extra seeder going to attackers or defenders for Rush Mode

- Changed user input to be more intuitive (Player_Based or Ticket_Based, instead of method 1 or 2)

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by Ike*:

 

I just now tried to do a little testing on the test server that Morpheus setup. Managed to connect and monitor it with ProCon but my copy of BF3 can't seem to stay connected to the server for more than a few seconds at a time. Not sure if it's my limited lodge/hotel internet or just that the server is in Aussie-land (or both). But... looks like I'll need to test on Pharbehind's server if that is ok...

Server is in Germany. :-)

 

Sent from my Nexus 7

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by Jaythegreat1*:

 

Nice, testing it on all 4 now.

 

Rush - Attackers

Non-Rush - Tickets

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by Jaythegreat1*:

 

So far so good, course it's hard to start a server when Origin is failing.

[ImportBot]

Originally Posted by Flyswamper*:

 

Just realized that I uploaded version 3.3 but I failed to change the title of the opening post on this thread. So some people may have opened the thread and think they have the latest (when they don't).... No biggie... just fixing the oversight. If you got version 3.3.0.0 you have the latest/greatest...