=VG= SemlerPDX

edited: The duplicate name possibility of 2 Vipers is not an issue aside from confusing a new player - there is no performance conflict and it's been that way in BMS for years. The callsign has been changed to 'VG SERVER' I don't use Flash based speed tests for the server, so upload speed tests are expressed in megabits per second (mbps) and are based on the packet size I choose for the test. BMS seems to send 6-9 megabyte (MB) packets if I am interpreting the data correctly (I am NO pro) and the tests are configured for this to give a real world representation of the upload capabilities of the server as they apply to hosting BMS. Results are commonly around 35mbps - if I were to use some generic Flash based speed test, it would give a misleading result of ~65-80mbps. So many things can interfere with a clients connection to the server, and it's physical location is South Central USA, so international users may experience issues depending on how far they are from there, or the number of hubs they'd need to get there (Aussies, lookin at you - you're the most brave to connect as packets go through Hong Kong before touching West Coast USA) derk_axelrod LAN_WROTE ... Sorry to have to keep reporting issues. I appreciate your continued effort to provide us a fun/free multiplayer area. No need to apologize - we are so grateful for all of you continuing to fly on the server and reporting here to us!! Even when it's a bit of info that doesn't pan out, or gets ruled out in subsequent discussions, every little bit helps - don't worry about posting up a theory or hypothesis - better for us to put all our minds together on an idea to determine if it's helpful. The crash last night that was reported saw the server indeed on a crash window, with Win7 asking to terminate the program. So it was 'CTD' instead of 'Crash to Map' and it was restarted to Day 1 with no config changes. I believe it was up for a few days. I think it might be best to know where everyone is in the world, obviously Cobalt is from the UK. I'm in West Coast US (so probably have one of the faster connections to the server when I fly). We should make note of who has dropped textures and how often, as well as how far they are from the server just for the added metric in our testing and understanding of the server's issues. !hi EDIT: ***this morning the server was crashed to desktop not 12 hours after the last crash. Restarted to day 1.

Okay - I've double checked the configs again. The server was indeed sitting in the 2D map again, was not KIA or MIA (still 0 deaths in logbook). I've restarted the campaign with a few minor config changes. I'd advise that all players hoping to help us troubleshoot this and get a good SOP for flying a mission on our server should "uncheck the Config 'AWACS Required' option" in the config. If it is a full workaround and fixes this issue, we will make it part of the SOP for joining. For now, let's see how this next round of testing goes from this day. Server should at least be stable for 2-3 days, but I am in the middle of a large home construction project and am unavailable to play (my desk is moved out of the way, I can barely play simple games and watch netflix right now) It's up to you dedicated players to help us out with the feedback to make this server great. Again, thank you all very much for your patience and your input! !hi

The whole problem with the AWACS thing is that it is not dependent of an actual AWACS flight at all! That is a specific option in the config that is NOT set for this very reason - it's a 24/7 Campaign, people fly at all times, and we don't always know that an AWACS flight would be available (or if not, if a new player was playing and didn't know how to frag one) therefore AWACS calls are allowed without needing an AWACS flight. So this is a rather serious issue. Though it breaks realism to have AWACS always answer as if they were in the air, it's better for the game. So why is it not working? That is the million dollar question.

Again, good question - but I just have no answer, as I cannot watch it 24/7, no errors are thrown up when it happens, and he is certainly not MIA or KIA when that happens (last time, there was a promotion to Captain window hiding behind the bogus debrief window) so your guess is as good as mine... Also, as we all know, taxiing aircraft have no physical model, AI just drives right through parked planes when it doesn't avoid them (which it usually does)

Good question - I'll try to contact the original server admin to see why that option is not used. I do know that the Server Pilot has never died, ever - the DPRK never hit Kadena, and if they ever did, they never hit the Server Pilot. So "danger" is not a factor, for sure. Will post up when I have an answer.

Win7 is the way to go, easy and familiar UI, drivers work, large knowledge base for issues online.... Windows 7 handles SSD's just fine - not sure what you're on about keed... some kind of SSD optimization? Would appreciate a kb link or whatever to that info, could be useful for us Win7 users with SSD's... I've not done anything in CMD for my SSD's and their read/write times are as stated by the manufacturer - lightning fast and impressive boot times. Of course with Win7, you may want to remove the Windows 10 Upgrade Promotions and stop all the bullshit Telemetry data being sent from the PC to Microsnoop.

We had been having stability problems, and when we didn't we had problems with the campaign ending (or just being void of any fun/cool/important missions) on day 2 early morning, so we turned of HQ fragging of flights out of Osan, and players could use the F-16 block 40's there with the new toys - we also have turned off HQ fragging at Kunsan in order to allow the DPRK a snowball's chance in hell. I've done a ton of stability tweaks to the server this morning, along with the increased bandwidth, and I hope we will see how the campaign actually plays out. !cp If not, don't be shy about posting up here if there's any issue or any crashes. And we are more than open to adding extra aircraft to Seosan so that players don't need to use another airbase, but I'd like to get some new tests with the same setup we've been running to see if anything I did today helps.

Woke up this morning not 10 hours from last restart, and server is crashed again at the desktop. Going to take down the server this morning to do maintenance and try to figure this out - first step, removing all the stupid Windows 10 crap they keep trying to shove down everyone's throat... UPDATE: Server back up, hoping it runs better now that BMS is the only thing it should be "doing"; also, server bandwidth has been raised significantly; Please keep an eye out for concurrent campaigns launched by pilots - I will as well - I do want to make sure any new players know they can only run a TE or play on the Campaign already running. !hi

no worries - anytime it flops, drop it here. server restarted. !hi

Sinu LAN_WROTE ... Can you confirm what bandwidth setting we are supposed to be connecting with? Players should connect with a bandwidth of 500 - info on TS3 and website that is contradictory will be changed this weekend when I get some time. !hi

Well, it's day 2 or three now - gonna restart to day one to fix this issue. Will make sure there are no active flights first...

Sorry, those issues went under the radar. Will update the TS info and site links here. *but contractor is at the house today and tomorrow is thanksgiving - I've added a note that 'the info is expired/see home page BMS posts', and I will get all 4.32 items updated at my earliest convenience. Thanks for the heads up! !cheers

@Sinu - thank you for your post. This can happen, and if I get busy around the house, I have no way of knowing unless some players bring it to my attention. Thanks - and feel free to post up anytime there is an issue or if the server is just down like this, we are grateful for the reports! !hi

Server restarted, server bandwidth is capable, so let the server start with it's default setting (2048) - I'd like players to connect with no less than 500 and let's see how this works out. **I'll note that this morning (should be day 3) the Campaign was either finished or the AI Server Pilot's dummy mission was completed somehow, but the screen was back to Mission Schedule and a Blue Debrief screen was displayed for the server dummy pilot (a KC-135) - normally "he" sits on the tarmac in the parking area of Kadena. Not sure if this indicates the Campaign finished or some other issue. Restarted to Day 1, going out of town today (was only able to get packed yesterday), back very late/early tommorow. !hi

I think we may need to try that higher bandwidth setting. There are a few pilots online right now, I will check back each hour and will restart the server with a few proposed changes, including the 1024 bandwidth setting. You input is very helpful; I've been reading about the different problems people are having hosting a BMS 4.33 server, hope this helps. !hi

The server underwent a large update and cleanup yesterday, it had been having CPU usage issues that may have caused spawn issues and such before yesterday. Moving forward, know that things should be better. Please report any issues that pop up after yesterday's cleanup - I'd like to know if it solves the issues we were having with frozen AI aircraft in the sky, and airbases and other ground textures not spawning or being empty or blank. !hi

***UPDATED POST: VG Falcon BMS Server is BACK UP from maintenance. Please review the connection guide if you plan to use IVC as the process for connecting and joining has changed: http://www.veterans-gaming.com/vg-plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?39754.last !hi

I just restarted it, it had crashed. This is the second time now it has happened in less than 24 hours. Not sure what is happening, but gonna need to keep a close eye on it to find out why, otherwise we'll be restarting to day one every morning like this...

How to connect to the VG Falcon BMS 4.36 Server Campaign with IVC Enabled NOTE: The Minimum Client Bandwidth Requirement is now 1500 as of March 25th 2018 NOTE: Our IP Address has changed! As of September 2017, the new VG BMS Server IP is: 205.161.30.10 ALSO NOTE: The server will now be 64-bit Version -- All players must launch with 64-bit BMS! IVC is the amazing comms system used by Falcon BMS. It functions in game very similar to the UHF and VHF Radios onboard many modern aircraft, has preset channels covering specific frequencies, and allows for custom channels to be set for private communications. The COMMS Hat on the Throttle Quadrant of the F-16 has a UHF and VHF Transmit button, altogether working in a familiar way like Push to Talk on a VOIP Server like TeamSpeak 3. It has been around for awhile, and many players have gotten used to it - so much so that TS3 isn't even needed (being mostly modeled with the in-game comms system). Things have changed slightly for IVC use in Falcon BMS 4.34, for complete audio device selection options, IVC should be launched prior to launching the game if setting custom audio input or output, and the IP must be entered in-game under the Comms tab for the Server IVC prior to joining the Campaign Server as shown below. If you use Default Windows Audio Device for IVC (and BMS), you do not need to launch IVC prior to launching BMS. Refer to the BMS Manual for complete details on new features such as IFF and ATC, etc. Jeffu has highlighted many new features in his blog post here: Connection Instructions, with pictures to help bridge the language barrier Current Server Version: 4.36.3 *Bypass Step 1 if you are using Windows Default Audio Device for both IVC and BMS: go to Step 2 Step 1:* Launch the 4.36 IVC Client Software via the BMS 4.36 Main Launcher or the application found in the folder shown -You do not need to enter the IP here, or your Nickname -Ensure your Audio Devices are properly set as desired -DO NOT CLICK CONNECT on the IVC Window!! You can just minimize the IVC window *images shown use my file path for a 2nd hard drive on older version - use the proper file paths for your PC Step 2: Ensure 64-bit is selected in the BMS 4.36 Main Launcher, and click Launch at the top: *images shown use my file path for a 2nd hard drive on older version - use the proper file paths for your PC Step 3: Click on COMMS along the top, and create an entry for VETERANS-GAMING just like the image below. -Enter IP into 'Connect to IP Address': 205.161.30.10 -Connection Bandwidth must be 1500 -IVC Enable and IVC Automatic Gain Control must be green (active) -Dedicated IVC Server IP must be entered here -Click SAVE to add the entry to your COMMS Book. -Click CONNECT when finished Step 4: Once connection is established, click on CAMPAIGN along the top -Click ONLINE -Click on VETERANS-GAMING http://i.imgur.com/QVk5cK6.jpg Step 5: Select the Airbase on the map on the right - click the one circled, Seosan Airbase. (fly here, or fly at busy airbases at your discretion, see list below) -Ensure 120th Squadron is highlighted in green -Click COMMIT ONLINE on the bottom right http://i.imgur.com/q3NeiFbl.jpg Step 6: Do not change anything on the RULES OF ENGAGEMENT Window, just click OK at the bottom right http://i.imgur.com/xD5F3Zvl.jpg Step 7: You are now in the server, your physical location is Seosan, South Korea and you are required to assign yourself your own mission(s). You can even task AI Flights to support you, or attach yourself to an AI Flight or Human Flight somewhere in the world. At the top of the screen, the COMMS Tab will show you any other pilots on the server - you can text message here or once in game you can press Shift + T to text chat (useful for IVC setup and troubleshooting). As the Fragging of Flights is a subject all it's own, you will need to watch tutorial(s) on YouTube for instructions if you do not know how. Special Note: You can see now that Falcon flight packages can be assigned to do most anything in the digital war, but remember: This is NOT Command & Conquer or Wargame! DO NOT frag AI flights to accomplish player goals! You may frag AI flights to support you on your specific mission, within reason (do not assign 12 AI aircraft to protect you on a deep strike just for extra cover, for example). The complex way that the AI frags it's own flights to support the proper flow of the online campaign depends on us not messing with it too much. The VG BMS Campaign is an attempt to balance the AI war with needed Human interaction, we have specifically grounded certain AI squadrons to allow players to take on a more active role in certain parts of the war. Please respect these rules on our server and thank you for flying with us! http://i.imgur.com/CLgt8FBl.jpg Either of these tutorials will give you the skills you need; watching both may benefit you by covering bits here and there that the other one may have missed or glossed over, and may give you a better understanding of the entire concept. How to Add a Package and Frag Flights from the Mission Schedule Screen of a Campaign: (by BloodBane611) (by Krause)

Server restarted to Day 1 - this time, to try to make it last longer, I've removed fragging from 3 total airbases: Seosan, Kunsan, and Osan. Let me know how it goes. Will look into the desktop resolution at some point soon, but at least it doesn't effect server performance, so it can go to the back burner.

Thank you for your tips and advice Brian - I also think a TV session is no longer needed, nor meeting in TS3, so don't bother hanging around in TS3 just for me (so busy with a home construction project I haven't even got to enjoy a flight in 4.33 yet) too busy to know when I'll be available right now. Yes, I have been creating these changes in Day 1 save files so it can be reset easily. Let me know if the lack of HQ fragging at Kunsan works out, or if it should go back to HQ fragging, or if this "second airbase for humans" would be better at a different airbase (i.e. Osan as mentioned above). Checked the server this morning, was start of Day 2, and server was stable. Again, I did a manual quicksave, but I will implement the autosave option to give a more frequent reset point for those invested in the progress of the Korean Campaign (I also do not like resetting to day 1 on crashes - ruins the accomplishments of those trying to effect the outcome of the war over the course of a week or so) Thanks again for all the advice, I was rather unfamiliar with all of this before this thread, and I feel more confident "managing" the campaign instead of just being a "maintenance tech". !hi Any ideas on how to get the game window to be resizable? Last little thing I don't know, the startup params are set to -window but this only keeps the window small during the menus, once I launch the campaign and the server is sitting in the pit of a KC-135 at Kadena, the window fills the desktop and I cannot make it small. Maybe it's different than 4.32, or maybe my Google-Fu is rusty, but I cannot find out how to adjust the window of the launched game (GFX options in game only allow 1280x720 and no other smaller options, FYI)

Update: We've turned of HQ fragging of flights from Seosan, and for a test, we've also turned off HQ fragging at Kunsan as well. We're still checking in manually a few times a day and manually creating the save files, and will be loading from them upon server crash - so long as the campaign finally starts lasting more than a day. We'll see if the fragging changes at Kunsan and Seosan work... if not, we'll try some other ideas. Good luck, and thanks for sticking with us! !cp

Brain LAN_WROTE ... Server back up for about 12 hours (looking at campaign time), 120th still fragging SEAD and CAP. DPRK already lost almost all AA on the FLOT and airpower is a joke, making these missions rather boring and pointless. So, unless one cancels AI flights (which is forbidden) or plans a flight hours ahead of time there is no way a human package can be created. Consider this: Set autosave and time in Falcon BMS.cfg, start a new campaign, set up squadrons for humans, save, restart as server, load, double check settings, done. All you got to do after a crash is reload the autosave. I'd suggest setting all squadrons at Kunsan to humans instead of the 120th. It's 3 squadrons less to fly SEAD early in the campaign making things more interesting, US Block 40s are in the mix and there is less conflict with AI flights (which behave strangely sometimes). We have an old friends who knows all about this stuff, unfortunately, he is busier than I am these days, and I would need someone experienced to show me how to set up the campaign in these ways. Brian, you sound like you know what you are talking about - any chance you and I could hook up and work on this together? I have scoured google, looked through most all setup screens and config files on our server, and I just cannot "figure it out for myself". I am retired (medical) and will be available whenever you are, so send me a PM or reply to this thread with a good time to meet you on TeamSpeak or something, and I'll be there; we could share a teamviewer session so we could both move the mouse, and kick these changes out. !hi

Yes - we are on it, great suggestions - things are just a bit different, please bare with us. And keep the suggestions coming! Any other issues that you can tell, let us know. !cp Sorry for the transition period here - and thanks for your patience!

Pastrami - cool pic!! I like 'em both! Ya know what, and I bet BLuDKLoT will agree, they're both great and since so many people already like the first one, we'll leave it up for a few weeks and then swap it for Pastrami's... and if we get any more we like so much, we'll try them out as well. nice response from your fans...