PBW network problems. [Archive]

Slaughtermeyer

January 7th, 2002, 11:51 PM

Will it be up to each individual game owner how to handle missed turns as a result of the server being unavailable? If a turn was scheduled to execute while the server is down, will the server execute or does the problem prevent the server from executing turns?

geoschmo

January 8th, 2002, 12:42 AM

I am not certain from my end whethere the server is actually down, or if it's just a network problem preventing us from accessing it. Either way though it will be possible to have some turns process because even if it's down it will kick them off once it's back up again.

If it happens talk to your game owner or post something in the admin forum. It is possible to redo a turn. If your game owner is saving the Last few turns on his pc as recomended, then he can do it without any help from the Admins. If not though we can help.

Geoschmo

jimbob55

January 8th, 2002, 12:58 AM

There appears to be a routing problem in or adjacent to the globix network
This effectively cuts off the pbw server from a lot of the world (maybe all of it).
The problem should be resolved either by the miracle of multiple redundancy inherent in the internet or by someone smacking the router around a bit in the globix tech support dept.

It's likely that the PBW server itself is happily auto executing turns.

Phoenix-D

January 8th, 2002, 01:45 AM

Unless they realized the problem and turned it off, assuming it is a routing problem. (wouldn't surprise me. One of the other websites I visit got DNS-swapped with a "critter porn" website the other day. Yuck)

Phoenix-D

Skulky

January 8th, 2002, 04:15 AM

maybe we could do some kind of notification system for PBW types who want to know if the server is down and when it comes on again. email might be too clumsy/privacy issues wiht the header displaying all adresses. maybe a dedicated thread here?

geoschmo

January 8th, 2002, 05:43 AM

I planned on posting here when I know it's back up. If someone sees it's up before me, feel free to post yourself. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Fyron

January 8th, 2002, 07:34 AM

As soon as the PBW server is back up, can one of the PBW admin please move the due dates for the turns of Adamant 001 and Adamant 002 forward by 2 days each? I own both those games, in case you are wondering. And if the turn for Adamant 002 has auto-processed, can you reset it back to the first turn (2400.0)? If not, I can upload it as a replacement turn tomorrow or whatever. Thanks in advance. I'd do this myself, but I am falling asleep right now and I can't wait for the server to come back up tonight. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif Thanks again.

mrflibble

January 8th, 2002, 11:52 AM

Any chance of an update on problem guys?

Thanks,
Mark

jimbob55

January 8th, 2002, 05:26 PM

The routing through globix still appears to be broken.

geoschmo

January 8th, 2002, 10:01 PM

Well, I talked to Admiral. His thought now is that the problem is a server problem and not simply a network issue as we first thought.

PBW will be down at least another day, possibly longer.

On the bright side this is a good opportunity for you to get reacquainted with your family. Hope nobody is suffering from the shakes too badly. Just think happy thoughts. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif

Geoschmo

eorg

January 9th, 2002, 12:33 AM

geo tell admiral to put server's clock 1 week back :-) or i'll tell him if i see him

'you need to login before you can post here' <-- this was stupid http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon8.gif

Puke

January 9th, 2002, 08:47 AM

the Last reachable hop from level3 is 209.11.95.7, which somebody forgot to setup an arpa zone for. im guessing that its either one of globix's peers or clients, but i cant be sure since ARIN is unreachable at the moment. its most likely a client, since the hop before it appears to be a DSL router or perhaps a DSLAM.

if that address is the admiral's border router or upstream router, the problem is most likely on his network. do you know if the admiral is hosting off of a DSL line, or if he is colocated? if he is hosted at a co-lo, then globix either has (1) some really screwy routing, (2) a truely assed up naming convention, or (3) both.

dumbluck

January 9th, 2002, 11:48 AM

I sure am glad YOU guys know what your talking about, because I doubt the rest of us do!!! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/confused.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/confused.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/confused.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/confused.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/confused.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/confused.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/confused.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/confused.gif

geoschmo

January 9th, 2002, 04:05 PM

You ain't the onliest one Dumbluck. All's I knows how ta do is mash the buttins and make it go.

All that stuff Puke is talking about is the magical fairy dust that keeps us flying. I don't know how it works, but as long as it does, I'm happy. When it doesn't, I'm as clueless as most of the rest of you. More so than some. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Geoschmo

Puke

January 9th, 2002, 05:44 PM

i can get to arin now, and that address definitly belongs to globix. i would guess that it is for a customer router, or else it would resolve to a dns name. thus it stands to reason that the problem is on the admirals server, or somewhere else on his own network. which you already suspected. so i didnt help.

Growltigga

January 9th, 2002, 05:50 PM

cripes, may be we should set up a separate forum for those speaking techo-language, gobbledygook or similar incomprehensible language (like French!)

does anyone other than Puke understand what he is saying?

mrflibble

January 9th, 2002, 06:21 PM

Nope, it's all greek to me! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Mark

tesco samoa

January 9th, 2002, 06:39 PM

I do and I can give you the stats on a vapour sword as well http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Growltigga

January 9th, 2002, 06:41 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by tesco samoa:
I do and I can give you the stats on a vapour sword as well http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif <hr></blockquote>

What on earth are you talking about? is this a case of oneupmanship? if so, I have a bulldog with a sore arse, lick that

: http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/confused.gif

1FSTCAT

January 9th, 2002, 07:13 PM

Hey, if the SEIV PBW admins need any help at all, please feel free to let me know. I would be happy to help financially, or with technical expertise. I know running a server can be expensive, especially when the hardware breaks.

Thanks for all your time and effort, this game (and your website) take an AWFUL lot of my time..

--Ed

jimbob55

January 9th, 2002, 07:14 PM

The magic that lets you talk to PBW was broken by an accident. The magicians among us have studied the colours of the fairy dust and discovered which part of the magic is most likely broken.

Puke consulted a higher authority in the magical realms than I did but his results were inconclusive.

The consensus of the council of the wise is that it's busted and we can't fix it.

Puke

January 9th, 2002, 07:17 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by Growltigga:

What on earth are you talking about? is this a case of oneupmanship? if so, I have a bulldog with a sore arse, lick that

: http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/confused.gif <hr></blockquote>

i think hes telling me that im blowing hot air.

Growltigga

January 9th, 2002, 07:32 PM

Jimbob - sad to say that I understood what you were talking about far easier than puke's cybernerd lingo http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon8.gif

LGM

January 9th, 2002, 07:52 PM

We (my friends and I) wish you good luck in getting the PBW server up again. SEIV PBW really works great. It is a service I would Subscribe to if it cost money. It really makes hosting games effortless once you get past the setup stage. If your host goes on vacation, the game can still continue. My friends who play SEIV really like PBW too. We might not be playing the game still if it were not for PBW.

Undertakr

January 9th, 2002, 08:07 PM

I agree, if the site doesn't come back I will cry like a little girl who's had her favorite Barbie grinded up into pulp by a garbage disposal.

Best of luck,
takr

Puke

January 9th, 2002, 08:33 PM

i probably would not still play SE4 if it was not for PBW. is the problem hardware, or with the database? if hardware, can parts / servers be replaced? if database, can it be restored from a backup and some game data lost?

I would gladly fork over $10/mo, which is about what most Online games cost, to play PBW. I think alot of other people would as well. if you think service charges would scare off players and spoil the community, i think the PBW gods would have good results if they took up a collection to purchase whatever hardware they need to fix the problem.

also, you might take the Last backup of the software and give it to MM to host on their hardware. I dont know why the heck i would buy SEIV-Gold if there is no PBW or other large, automated, easy-to-use system out there with a large base of players. i would guess there are alot of others that think the same way.

geoschmo

January 9th, 2002, 09:14 PM

Allright. No more talk about charging a fee to play PBW. People are going to start thinking this little shutdown was not an accident. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Again, I am not sure what the problem is. The hardware all belongs to the Admiral. He has told me on numerous occasions that it's not a significant financial burden for him. We just have to be patient because it is a volunteer thing and his real life business concerns have to take priority of course.

It'll be back, and it will still be free. It just may take a few days. As far as whether or not any data will be lost, I have no idea. That kind of depends on what actually failed.

Geoschmo

geoschmo

January 9th, 2002, 09:17 PM

Here's an idea, and a plug for Shrapnel. Try out the demos that came on the SEIV disk. Steel Beasts is pretty cool. Or download the Runesword II demo. I've been playing that the Last few days. Quite fun. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Geoschmo

Puke

January 9th, 2002, 10:39 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by geoschmo:
Here's an idea, and a plug for Shrapnel. Try out the demos that came on the SEIV disk. Steel Beasts is pretty cool. Or download the Runesword II demo. I've been playing that the Last few days. Quite fun. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Geoschmo<hr></blockquote>

everyone should checkout the demo for BCT, then read the featureset for the upcoming ATF, then go over to the ATF forum and tell all the military grognards there that we are real wargamers too, not just a bunch of silly space-gamers, and we would all shell out the cash for ATF in a second if they would finish it. not to rush them or anything, but man that game looks cool.

i played around a bit with Starships Unlimited, but I was let down. since MOO3 and Stars:SN are not out yet, im starting to get the shakes. i was trying to cut back on PBW, but now that its gone, i dont know what to do. what did i do before? i cant remember! I saw a java client for TradeWars:2002 somewhere.. but i dont want to get to know a new batch of internet gamers. I hardly remember how to play VGA Planets.. where do i go?

maybe i should try to finish Trade Empires. Darn that games hard.

rextorres

January 9th, 2002, 10:48 PM

The only reason SEIV is better - IMO - than other competing 4x games is because of PBW. The AI's are just way too easy to beat in any computer game. It would probably make sense especially for Malfador and Shrapnel et.al. to make it more robust so that stuff like this doesn't happen in the future. I know you guys are doing this on a volunteer basis, but I would second paying for the service if that meant not having to deal with breakdowns.

tesco samoa

January 10th, 2002, 12:50 AM

vapour sword is a +5 long sword from Dungons & Dragons.

I admit it was a poor attempt at humour http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Suicide Junkie

January 10th, 2002, 01:15 AM

You missed "Modding", AT http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif .
I've done more to SE4 than I have to Land of Devastation, and that game offered a C-like laguage and compiler rather than just text files.

Skulky

January 10th, 2002, 05:36 AM

The scenarios and PBW and the mods with the scenarios really make this worthwhile. I would not touch GOLD if it weren't for this great community, and of course PBW. Even TCP/IP will never ever ever make up for what PBW can offer, relaxed and very adictive SE4. I would pay, not too much, under $10 or exactly that per month. I think MM and Shrapnel should really invest some time into helping out you great guys at PBW. They really should be thanking you for giving their game so much support. Do people still play half-life for the story... hell no, its all about the CS and other mods and the scenarios (PCG the hunted ahhhhh) I'm thinking of making a cold war esque scenario, but could i convert a scenario file start into a PBW game? i don't know how to do this. Also, the original colonization (by Sid Meiers) is interesting. It has good ideas for gameplay and the AI isn't easy (although i didnt' get too into it). Great to see where the Civ series all started from. If Civ2 only had a PBW it would have been GOD in its own time (not that it wasn't already, just more so).

Enough of my ramblings.

Phoenix-D

January 10th, 2002, 06:15 AM

"but could i convert a scenario file start into a PBW game? i don't know how to do this."

Yes, it can. You need to have the players join in the proper order, however, and then email them the empire passwords. If they join in the wrong order, PBW will send them someone else's files, I think.

Phoenix-D

Skulky

January 10th, 2002, 04:28 PM

thanks, once PBW is going again i will try a test with some fake Users (ill just register two other ppl, or get some friends in on it) and see if it works.

jimbob55

January 10th, 2002, 06:04 PM

Just a little note to say that if you're not running antivirus software and get a 536k mail entitled :
Space Empires IV Play by Web User Registration

don't open it because it's carrying nimda virus.
It looks like someone is targeting PBW specifically because they got my mail from the PBW pages and now they're sending Messages intended to appear official.

Hmmmm. Puts the whole network downtime in a new light.

Phoenix-D

January 10th, 2002, 06:11 PM

Maybe, maybe not. Certain viruses are pretty sneaky, and will search mail lists to find a subject that's been used before, then use THAT when they send a message out.

Phoenix-D

capnq

January 11th, 2002, 12:06 AM

I got that same message, which my virus scanner identified as being infected with Win32.Nimda.E@mm

LazarusLong42

January 11th, 2002, 04:13 AM

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by capnq:
I got that same message, which my virus scanner identified as being infected with Win32.Nimda.E@mm<hr></blockquote>

Oh, good... that means it's likely not me. I got hit with Nimda.A the other day. Damned annoying... and now I'm wondering if perhaps it's not off my system yet. Hrm...

Eric <-- who needs to get a better virus scanner than the one he has.

LazarusLong42

January 11th, 2002, 04:19 AM

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by Skulky:
thanks, once PBW is going again i will try a test with some fake Users (ill just register two other ppl, or get some friends in on it) and see if it works.<hr></blockquote>

Skulky, if you want to register test Users, please let us know about it (admin@pbw.cc). We'd prefer you use usernames like SkulkyTestA, SkulkyTestB, etc.

Also, let us know when you're done testing so we can delete said Users http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Eric the PBW UI Guy

Phoenix-D

January 11th, 2002, 04:31 AM

Yes, Nimda is a pain. I got it by clicking on a message in Outlook E. The preview pane opened the message, and boof. Fortuntately I shut the network down before it hit the other machines. Mucho pain in the rear though.

Anyway, even without a scanner there are free programs out there to remove that particular problem. I'd give you the link if I still had it.

Phoenix-D

rja61

January 11th, 2002, 01:32 PM

Any new word on the site boys? My trigger finger is getting awfully itchy <g>

mrflibble

January 12th, 2002, 07:46 PM

shameless bump http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Undertakr

January 12th, 2002, 08:21 PM

I now know that all these years what we have been told is untrue! They say "People need food, water and shelter to live." WRONG!

"People need food, water, shelter and PBW to live!"

I believe we have found the meaning of life!

- takr the antsy to play

Aristoi

January 14th, 2002, 08:48 PM

I've read that it was a fried motherboard. Is it just the financial burden holding up the glorious rebirth of PBW? I'm sure that all of these junkies around here can get the money together to help out.

If it's a matter of free time, I completely understand and will say no more!

Aristoi

geoschmo

January 14th, 2002, 09:04 PM

Nope, we don't need any money, or want any donations. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif Admiral just needs some time to get it fixed. I can't be anymore specific than that cause I just don't know myself.

Geoschmo

Praetor

January 14th, 2002, 09:46 PM

Will you guys by any chance be sending out some kind of announcement so we all know when the server is back Online?

geoschmo

January 14th, 2002, 09:50 PM

You can count on it. Of course you could just listen for the Who's to all start singing again and you will know.

AJC

January 15th, 2002, 01:56 AM

AAAArrrrRGH.......

I'm not getting my meglomania fix....**starts looking for small country to conquor....

ARGHHH......

Praetor

January 15th, 2002, 06:47 AM

I can't wait for THAT:

My name is Ivor/
I'm an engine driver/
PBW's back Online/
So don't you feel blue

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Praetor

DocShane

January 19th, 2002, 09:54 PM

Does anybody know the number for "PBW Anonymous"?

I need help, really bad. In the Last 2 weeks, I woke up to discover my life is shamble. I mean, my REAL life. I found out I had been living with 5 other human beings, 3 cats, and 2 hamsters. My fingers ache, my arms tremble, my anxiety level only rises. I discovered I had a wife and she tells me that I have other interests, other activities that had given me joy. But I feel so empty and incomplete. My life revolved around a little MoBo in Admiral's keeping. Somewhere, out there, in the great SEIV PBW multiverse are two races lacking leadership. The Gremlins and the Pontine Lepers call out to me in my sleep. Help me Admiral, before I go completely insane! Aaaarrrrgggghhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif (incessant sobbing and weeping)

LazarusLong42

January 20th, 2002, 08:47 AM

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif Y'all are crazy... maybe we should have a network outage every six months or so so's everyone can see their families once in a while.

Just kidding. Seriously, though... we're currently working on a few options. I suspect it will be at least a week before the server is up and running, and I very much hope that we'll be able to get it running by 1 February. The server's motherboard is fried, and Admiral has spotty access to the data center where the server is housed.

I want to thank all of you for bearing with us while we get these problems resolved, and I suspect I speak for the entire admin team in that thanks. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Eric Snyder II
PBW UI Guy
for PBW Administration