Reason: Multiplayer Drop-To-Desktop Bug

[DMA57361]

You all know the multiplayer bug where one or more uses drops to the desktop? There has been many a question about it in this forum over and over. If you don't the general gist is that for no apparent reason one random machine in the game either locks up or drops to the desktop with no errors, and the game continues for the other players with a "Played XXX has left" message.

I have a theory on what is causing it. The automatic game saving feature.

Why do I think this? Well . . . me and my sister decided to play a game since we've not tried in ages, I was hoping the bug was hardware or OS linked or something and would have gone away. No such luck. A short while in the game locks on my sisters computer, so we restart the game and reconnect the multiplayer. I remember that the game autosaves . . I hope into the load screen and load the most recent one. I get a "Cannot load, other machine doesn't have matching save" error, which is odd. But the second oldest autosave works perfectly . . and is about 5-10mins back in the game. We loaded that one game a few times and with a surprising amount of regularity it crashed after about 5-10mins each time. Each time the newest autosave failed with the 2nd working. The computer that locked or dropped to desktop varied, and so did the computer as the host.

If the newest autosave is only on one of the computers that would imply the other fails while, or just before, making it - since they are made in sync with one-another to be loaded later on!

Can someone else confirm my little test for me?

And if we agree this could be the problem could you nice Muckyfoot people tell me how to disabled the autosave? (Since that'll be easier than you releasing a bug-fix patch or whatever.)

[MunkeeChum]

Interesting......

I can't test it out for you though. I have never been able to even connect to a Multiplayer game. I hate GameSpy Arcade...

[Overmind]

Don't we all.

Curse GameSpy, curse it I say,
It stops Multiplayer in every way!
Hard to use, hard to install,
You hate GameSpy? Don't we all!

Curse GameSpy, curse it I say,
It stops Multiplayer in every way!
GameSpy really does not stand tall,
It's partly responsible for StarTopia's fall!

Well, that and not enough advertising. Thank goodness for the Yetucyun Guild, that's all I say.

Interesting theory, mind. I'd check it personally, but I can't (see above!).

EDIT: The above rhyme does not in any way apply to real life in general, but only to my own experiences with GameSpy itself. The quality of the program, the user-friendliness and the usefulness are not solely represented by my opinions, and have no bearing on how the program operates.

That should do it. If you'd rather I delete this post, Dhama, let me know.

[MunkeeChum]

Brillant. I'd like to commision you to produce a book of Startopia Inspired Verse.

[dhama]

Originally posted by Overmind
......It's partly responsible for StarTopia's fall!

Whether it be true or not is not for us to say on these forums. please think about any implications that might arise over something said here. If you are unsure, please read the TOU.

[MunkeeChum]

We've discussed "the sequel" and lack thereof many times here - without opposition or intervention.

[DMA57361]

No one with a home based LAN to test this?

Anyone know how to turn off autosave and I'll test that way, but for the life of me I see no entry in the ini, registary and can't find any cmd line switches . . .

Any help?

[Overmind]

Originally posted by MunkeeChum
Brillant. I'd like to commision you to produce a book of Startopia Inspired Verse.

Thanks, but I have my work cut out with the Yetucyun Guild already. 11 missions, each with its bit of lovingly crafted storyline, are resolutely not being written because I haven't finished the first bit yet. I've got some ideas, though, so don't panic!

Originally posted by Dhama
Whether it be true or not is not for us to say on these forums. please think about any implications that might arise over something said here. If you are unsure, please read the TOU.

It was naughty, I know. Sorry, Dhama.
EDIT: There, I've tried to meet you halfway. I have no wish to break the TOU, and will preserve my membership of these forums in any way I can... But I draw the line at giving you my contest prize!

[DMA57361]

I'm going to winge every day from now on until someone tells me if it's possible to disable autosaving.

*smiles at the MF staff*

Please?

[DMA57361]

No help?

Come on, someone must know!

[Hand-E-Food]

Write protect your save game directory. I have no idea if it works. It'll probably crash the game. Give it a go!

[DMA57361]

Now that sounds like a good idea . . .

I'll test what happens once I'm back from work this evening . . .

[DMA57361]

How do you write-protect a directory!? (Windows XP btw)

For the life of me I can't work it out. Kinda worrying me . . .

Bet's it's really obvious.

[Hand-E-Food]

I don't know about a directory, but if you write protect the Autosave Alpha/Beta/Gamma.sav files in your profile, the autosave can't save over them. To be honest, I'd expect this to crash the game, but give it a go.

[Hand-E-Food]

Oh, and to do it, right click the files, select Properties... and check the Read Only box down the bottom.

[DMA57361]

I know how to write-protect files.

Not folders thou.

I'll have to get some autosaves made then I'll write protect them and try testing it.