Come on Tripwire, fix the server browser problem already

[Caractacus]

Another patch comes and goes, and I'm still unable to play multiplayer due to the server browser screwage.

Looks like there are thousands of us, the 0 server sticky thread has had 18000 plus hits, and those 'workarounds' in there DO NOT WORK. Also I guess that the vast majority of those 18000 only have problems with RO2 and not any other game.

I'm one of the ones who has it really bad, in that RO2 kills my internet completely when attempting to connect to an RO2 server.

I really cannot fathom why they don't simply use the same server browsing and connection system that RO1 had? That works perfectly.

Come on TW - PRIORITIES PLEASE! No more fannying around with maps and balance issues until we can all actually play the game. Thanks.

 

[jigglywiggly]

If the server browser crahses your router that means your router sucks ***. Seriously, any good router should not crash on any load unless it's being like DDOSD from hell.

 

[frazz]

If the server browser crahses your router that means your router sucks ***. Seriously, any good router should not crash on any load unless it's being like DDOSD from hell.

Thats simply wrong.

 

[PUTZ]

It's not far from the truth either.

We can help the situation, but we know for a fact that there are certain routers that have faulty rules which shut off the internet when it gets connections on a certain set of ports.

 

[frazz]

It's not far from the truth either.

We can help the situation, be we for a fact that there are certain routers that have faulty rules which shut off the connection when it gets connections on a certain set of ports.

You dont consider steams handling of priority traffic a problem?

 

[PUTZ]

We can't fix steam. (and of course we consider it a problem)

 

[frazz]

We can't fix steam.

So instead blame peoples hardware .. GG

 

[PUTZ]

So instead blame peoples hardware .. GG

Steam blames peoples' hardware as well (on this very issue). It's a simple fact. We can't fix faulty routing tables.

 

[frazz]

Steam blames peoples' hardware as well. It's a simple fact. We can't fix faulty routing tables.

Faulty routing tables.., ok so how do you account for the fact that ive used 3 different modems? Those "Faulty" rules as you call them are firewall config rules to stop ddos no?

I find it ridiculous that steams servers in effect ddos your connection, your router is doing its job fine and holding it back. To suggest this is faulty? i dunno sounds a bit weak. I will concede that "some" routers are **** in their execution of stopping ping/request floods without the hardware capability (mem/cpu) to just drop these requests if too many are sent. Lets face it any router on the internet is open to this sort of thing.

How come i dont get any problems WHATSOEVER with ANY OTHER GAMES OUTSIDE OF STEAM?.., 10+yrs of gaming, never had a problem like this.

I suppose my router likes them better, cant say i blame it, steam is satans seed.

 

[PUTZ]

Faulty routing tables.., ok so how do you account for the fact that ive used 3 different modems? Those "Faulty" rules as you call them are firewall config rules to stop ddos no?

Thompson make's alot of router/modem combos. Chances are you've had more than 1.

And they aren't ddos rules, there actually is bug in the routing table that will shut off the internet if it receives *any* connection on a specific set of ports.

 

[frazz]

Thompson make's alot of router/modem combos. Chances are you've had more than 1.

And they aren't ddos rules, there actually is bug in the routing table that will shut off the internet if it receives *any* connection on a specific set of ports.

So Thompson yeh i tried one of those, I also have a zyxel AND a D-Link..., are telling me im one of the unfortunate ones that has 3 modem/routers with broken commands?

Again..., how come i dont have any problems with multiple server requests from other games master servers that dont use steam?

 

[PUTZ]

I misspoke about specifying Thompson, but yes. There are several out there that have this issue.

 

[frazz]

I misspoke about specifying Thompson, but yes. There are several out there that have this issue.

Not trying to troll you but i simply dont accept this. What are the odds that i have 3 routers that dont work? and AGAIN how come i dont have this problem with server requests outside of steam? I have NEVER in 10+ yrs of gaming had a problem like this outside of steam.
<edit>
As an added thought.., i wonder if we could get a look at the "faulty" code/w/e your calling it? Or at the very least throw us a telnet fix?

 

[Caractacus]

Hmmm. So you seem to stand by just blaming the router, even though I have DOZENs of Steam games and NONE of them (INCLUDING RO1) have any problems.

Well I'm not going to buy a router just to play this, so can I get a refund please?

 

[PUTZ]

If you can't wait to see if we can alleviate the situation, contact steam support. Though, I believe their policy is no refunds...

 

[Mercurial]

I've a slight variation on the 0 server 0 filtered issue.

I have an XP install of RO2, apart from downloading the master server files it has worked near faultlessly since Beta, serverbrowser wise.

However my Windows 7 install, still displays the issue, even after applying all fixes listed and disabling firewall in Windows and router, removing antivirus reinstallation of RO2 etc. You get the picture, I have tried almost everything barring a fresh install of Windows. The Steam server browser displays active servers but will not connect.

This is on a dual boot box, obviosuly accessing the 'net throught the same router (BT HomeHub3 (I'm in the UK)).

Any ideas?

 

[jay35]

It's not a hardware fault when all other games manage to have server browsers that don't flood out routing tables. It's the fault of sending more simultaneous requests than most routers are spec'd to handle, causing them to become unresponsive.

There was another game that had this problem a few years back and they managed to fix it. I don't remember what it was, but it's such a unique symptom i do remember it.

For what it's worth, I haven't had this problem as of a few patches ago. Maybe it was even the launch version of the game that seemed to fix it for me. I use one of the most popular routers of the past few years, a Linksys WRT-54GL, well known for its flexibility and ability to run complex versions of firmware like Tomato or DD-WRT. It's a quality piece of kit. Your game's browser managed to turn it unresponsive for most of the beta if I did anything other than quickly join a server as soon as the server browser started its auto-refresh upon entering it.

You could fix the server browser so that it doesn't automatically refresh upon opening it. Make that optional. That would help reduce the occurrence of this problem. Anytime a user wants to open the browser to go modify their filters, that causes at least two full refreshes of the browser list. One upon opening, one a moment later after they've modified the filters. If the user could opt to control refreshes manually via the Quick/Refresh button(s), they could do all of their configuration and only THEN elect to do a refresh.

That would cut down on wastefulness and the likelihood of packet flooding other routers that are still having issues. Just a thought.

 

[Caractacus]

Thanks for the comments guys.

If this is now known, accepted, and on the 'to do' list by Tripwire then I'm content to wait for a patch down the line. However, the impression that had been given was that Tripwire were only interested in passing the buck rather than acknowledging and fixing he problem.

I'll go back to lurking for now.