Blair Fraser Blair Fraser

Multiplayer Crashes

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Multiplayer Crashes

from Sins Forums

I apologize for the MP dumps. I've addressed this multiple times in other threads but they've been buried so it isn't because we are ignoring it or trying to hide it - its just impossible to comment on it everytime it reappears in a new thread. Tech support has also been in email contact with a variety of people (including some in this thread).

The MP bug is 1 of 2 major bugs we are aware of and its a sync bug. Statistically, it is very rare which is why it is so difficult for us to track down (we have yet to see it ourselves but we have something going out soon that will help us find it from those who do get it). Also, any multiplayer fixes are scheduled to go out in 1.1 not 1.04. They are in seperate code paths and completely seperate systems being worked on by completely seperate people. This isn't a matter of just throwing the fix into 1.04 and 1.04 development is not slowing down 1.1's development so don't feel we are wasting time on 1.04 (balance + misc) when the *real* bug is in 1.1 (multiplayer).

Now, to save you all a lot of headaches - the nature of the sync bug is that once you've had a game where it happens it is very unlikely you can recover from a MP save game. If you load the MP save game and continue to play you will crash again. You will then load a more recent save game and crash again. The crashes will come more and more frequently. If you see this behavior just start over as its very probably that its the sync bug and the crash is nothing to do with your machines, network, or drivers. If you don't see this behavior, its likely a driver problem or you are running out of memory or you are running a bad mod (at least based on the data we've collected through tech support).

As soon as 1.04 is out I am going to make a post looking for volunteers. I have a special 1.04 build that will track the synchronization info we need to track it down. Since we can't recreate it we need to have a few players who it happens to regularly to play 1.04 with this build and then send us their logs when it goes out of sync.

P.S Minidump is the generic term for a general crash - it could be anything and is not caused by any specific problem. We can decode the minidump to get useful information on the true nature of the crash.

technical
123,579 views 205 replies
Reply #51 from Sins Forums Top
Glad you're getting closer to a resolution. Good luck!

-HM
Siege of Centauri
Reply #53 from Sins Forums Top
*I'm restricting this thread to only information regarding tracking the bug. The data is getting confusing.
Reply #54 from Sins Forums Top
I will be running a few games tonight and tomarrow called SinsSyncFix with the sinssyncfix released by ironclad for public testing. Please feel free to join me.

before the game starts I will provide an email that everyone can send me the data so I can zip it up and send it to ironclad as one single unit zip.


my online name is Lord Edix
Reply #55 from Sins Forums Top
Its really wierd, my son and I have played many many games and never got a minidump error until we loaded the 1.04 update. Now we both get them on every multiplayer game.
Reply #56 from Sins Forums Top
I will be running a few games tonight and tomorrow called SinsSyncFix with the sinssyncfix released by ironclad for public testing. Please feel free to join me.before the game starts I will provide an email that everyone can send me the data so I can zip it up and send it to ironclad as one single unit zip.my online name is Lord Edix


Loading a game on IC right now using the SinsSyncFix right now. CST 12:27 PM

Plz read and do everything asked by IC posted on this form before using the SinsSyncFix.

I'm also in the sins channel on SDC
Reply #57 from Sins Forums Top
Blair Fraser,

Report: On a 1v1 medium random map the SinsSyncFix seams to work. I didn't get any errors. I replayed the same person on the same map and settings without the sinsyncfix and got a minidump about 15mins in to the game.

I would like to get a larger game going something like a 3v3 or bigger to test it some more. But preliminarily results looks good.

If anyone would like to get a larger game going using the sinsyncfix to test it out go to this thread and leave your availability such as timezone and when you can play ETC.

Like me for instance:

Lord Edix
CST
weekdays 7pm-12am
Weekends 12pm-12am
Reply #58 from Sins Forums Top
Very happy to see the support given by Ironclad. I think it is nice to see a company finally helping it's customers with bugs, unlike some other companies (Currently giving EA a scowl) so keep it up and thanks.  :CONGRAT:  :)  :D 
Reply #59 from Sins Forums Top
Blair,

We were able to get an 8 player (3 human, 5 AI) FFA in over the weekend using the SyncFix build. I am extremely happy to say that the game not only didn't crash, but it ran the smoothest it ever has! Our one successful game does not constitute declaring the patch ready for general release, but this same game (players, settings, map) crashed repeatedly last week while using the de-synch debug build (no logs created).

Here are some points of interest from our experience:



All graphics/effects options maxed
Map was Large Random (Multi Star)
Large Fleet Size enabled
Modified Autosave frequency to every 5 minutes
Game length was near 5 hours
All 3 races were represented by humans in-game
Largest single battle contained roughly 700 ships with perhaps as many as 200 strike craft (the game definitely slowed down during this battle, but it was still playable)



Whatever changes IC made definitely helped without question. A sincere and well deserved THANK YOU to all of IC!

Now, nerf Vasari's Returning Armada and we'll be square! ;)
Reply #60 from Sins Forums Top
Ditto, we played a good big multi and could not get Sins to crash once with the syncfix and prior to that we crashed every time. Thanks to all for the response and fix! Time to enjoy the game ;)
Reply #61 from Sins Forums Top
You mean it's time to actually APPLY this patch. I downloaded it, but I still can't use it since I can't find any games online using that version. It needs to be mandatory to update, so that everyone has the same version... the one that works!
Reply #62 from Sins Forums Top

You mean it's time to actually APPLY this patch. I downloaded it, but I still can't use it since I can't find any games online using that version. It needs to be mandatory to update, so that everyone has the same version... the one that works!

It will be once a I get a few more confirmations.

Reply #63 from Sins Forums Top
if this fixes the mini-dumps i will stop bitching and start playing hich will make me happy ( just long enough for me to complain about needing faster gamplay ranks, and better school lunch)
Reply #64 from Sins Forums Top
Blair, I haven't really seen many confirmations besides myself/Damon (who are both playing together) are you getting many others saying it's fixed?
Reply #65 from Sins Forums Top
if this fixes the mini-dumps i will stop bitching and start playing hich will make me happy ( just long enough for me to complain about needing faster gamplay ranks, and better school lunch)


they never claimed that it will fix all minidumps, only the ones associated with the synch bug issue.. if your hardware is substandard, or your drivers are out of date, or you are trying to run it under a windows simulator on a commodore 64, or with a bunch of radical mods, or ummm etc? you will probably always see minidumps, if this si the case, you should please always send them into [email protected] along with your serial number, and including a copy of your dxdiag report is always helpful.

Just sitting around complaining and expecting them to hire a psychic to figure out what is wrong with your particular system that it crashes is beyond silly. On the other hand, if you send them the minidump files, they may eventually figure out what is not working and modify the program to work for you :)
Reply #66 from Sins Forums Top
Blair, I haven't really seen many confirmations besides myself/Damon (who are both playing together) are you getting many others saying it's fixed?


And me. ;)


BTW when do yall play I want to join and play yall with the SinsSyncFix!
Reply #67 from Sins Forums Top

We get confirmations via email as well and some of you are on both :)  Just a couple more needed!

Reply #68 from Sins Forums Top
Just out of curiosity Blair, why do some people get it so much more than others? I've played online with friends quite a bit and we've never run into this bug.

Glad it seems to be working though. This is a great sign!

-HM
Reply #69 from Sins Forums Top
Edix, we play usually around 10pm on Friday or Saturday till about 4am. We haven't really been playing online due to us getting together physically on a LAN (3 players) and the fact that prior to this any online multiplaying crashed every time.
Reply #70 from Sins Forums Top
Sorry to be a spoilsport, but my 2v2 game just crashed after about 5 minutes into the game. We had nearly just got started, and I was skirmishing with another player over an asteroid; the first new colony of mine. I had an Akkan and 5-7 cobalts, he had a Kol with two cobalts.

It may not be the same problem though. Would you care to have the minidump?
Reply #71 from Sins Forums Top
It could be this problem or it could be something else. The best way to be sure is to download the exe from this thread, follow the instructions in this thread, and if it crashes again, you'll know if it's the sync bug or something else.

-HM
Reply #72 from Sins Forums Top
Well, I would, but now I've installed the special executable noone is around to play with; all else have the regular one... ;p
Reply #73 from Sins Forums Top
Sorry to be a spoilsport, but my 2v2 game just crashed after about 5 minutes into the game. We had nearly just got started, and I was skirmishing with another player over an asteroid; the first new colony of mine. I had an Akkan and 5-7 cobalts, he had a Kol with two cobalts.It may not be the same problem though. Would you care to have the minidump?


Are you saying it crashed using the SinsSyncFix exe or using the 1.04 exe?

Need to clear this up.

Also, i have posted my availability for testing this. If you want to play a game using the SinsSyncFix send me a PM and tell me when you will be on and I will join ya.
Reply #74 from Sins Forums Top
I switched back to the regular one and successfully played a 6 player game over several hours, so it may have been a one-time thing.

We can perhaps try saturday evening. I'll try to be on from 2130 CET, if it suits you.
Reply #75 from Sins Forums Top
Hmm, we can no longer edit our posts on the forum?

Anyway, the crash was with the regular 1.04 exe. That's what prompted me to go here in the first place.