5-18-2003
Hello!
Its great to be back! I have annoyed the devs to gather info about what is going on. Many of you have questions about the VU and stuff.
Version naming
As the next update is a great architectural change compared to Project Entropia right now, the next VU will be called 5.0. The content part will be called VU 5.1.
ETA of next Version
VU 5.0 will come around the middle of the month, give or take. VU 5.1 will arrive roughly a week after VU 5.0.
What is in VU 5.0?
No content whatsoever. VU5.0 is an architectural change (or re-write, as some of our veterans may remember, as we changed the communication system between the servers last fall) in how the server actually behaves in regards to synching between client and server, how the priorities in data handling and how the server makes better use of its time. Previously several systems where affected by the simple fact that an Avatar was logging in, and this made the physics system (the system that takes care of synching positions, movement etc) freeze for up to a few seconds (other areas where also affected with these freezes, making rubberbanding a painful fact). The server was effectively "locked" from action while this happened. This is removed in VU 5.0. It was not an easy task to do, and there will probably be some initial bugs but the way it has been done, we can make updates quite fast (without any serious downtime), if needed. These "freezes" was the fact that made the rubberbanding an heavy issue when a server was full of Avatars moving around - the physics system did not have the time to make accurate updates. To summarize - the rubberbanding should be lessened by a great amount once VU 5.0 is applied. Minor areas that are also improved by this change is login and logoff time, as well as some transactions and database operations.
What is not in VU 5.0?
We have another area that causes "lag". That is the streaming of buildings, Avatars and items (like when you approach an Outpost, the harddrive is busy loading models and textures, and this causes “lag”). Another is when many Avatars are in your own surrounding, as they are also streamed to your client ("streamed" as in data loaded from your harddrive - not as streamed over the Internet). These areas has not been updated in VU 5.0. They are next inline for major updates, and the tech guys say that they should be ready by VU 5.2 (scheduled about one to one-and-a-half month after VU 5.0). By VU 5.2 many sources of the now infamous (and extremely annoying) CTD (crash to desktop) problems should be eliminated.
Bomb Reimbursement
While I was away the Bomb Reimbursement Programme was performed. This was the programme where a participant while mining blew up an entire stack of bombs instead of a single bomb. Nothing else. Probes has not been reimbursed yet, but will come. If anyone feels that they are affected by the above problem and has not been given their bombs back (check your Storage Terminal), please contact Project Entropia Support.
Random amount of PEDs, PECs, and ammo in the Storage Terminal
Once in a while you may find money or items in your storage terminal that you do not remember placing there. This is often due to lagginess in the loot system, and the items are then placed in your storage terminal.
The Merge bug on the 28th and 29th.
Those that lost ammo and other stackable items during the above time period due to the merging bug will get their items back as soon as the analyzis and Programme has been finalized. I have no ETA on this, though. It is a great amount of logs and database records that needs to be verified and cross-checked, thus it takes a lot of time. Please bear with us on this.
Ideas Forum
I will this week make comments on the ideas in the Ideas forum. I do read them, but I believe that the lack of feedback from us is frustrating. Therefore I will be more active in that board.
Auction problems - items invisible
There are instances where auction items are placed in the avatars inventory, but is not updated correctly, thus not showing to the participant. We are aware of this and an investigation is at hand. This is going to be corrected.
Regards
Marco Behrmann
Community Manager
MindArk PE AB
Hello!
Its great to be back! I have annoyed the devs to gather info about what is going on. Many of you have questions about the VU and stuff.
Version naming
As the next update is a great architectural change compared to Project Entropia right now, the next VU will be called 5.0. The content part will be called VU 5.1.
ETA of next Version
VU 5.0 will come around the middle of the month, give or take. VU 5.1 will arrive roughly a week after VU 5.0.
What is in VU 5.0?
No content whatsoever. VU5.0 is an architectural change (or re-write, as some of our veterans may remember, as we changed the communication system between the servers last fall) in how the server actually behaves in regards to synching between client and server, how the priorities in data handling and how the server makes better use of its time. Previously several systems where affected by the simple fact that an Avatar was logging in, and this made the physics system (the system that takes care of synching positions, movement etc) freeze for up to a few seconds (other areas where also affected with these freezes, making rubberbanding a painful fact). The server was effectively "locked" from action while this happened. This is removed in VU 5.0. It was not an easy task to do, and there will probably be some initial bugs but the way it has been done, we can make updates quite fast (without any serious downtime), if needed. These "freezes" was the fact that made the rubberbanding an heavy issue when a server was full of Avatars moving around - the physics system did not have the time to make accurate updates. To summarize - the rubberbanding should be lessened by a great amount once VU 5.0 is applied. Minor areas that are also improved by this change is login and logoff time, as well as some transactions and database operations.
What is not in VU 5.0?
We have another area that causes "lag". That is the streaming of buildings, Avatars and items (like when you approach an Outpost, the harddrive is busy loading models and textures, and this causes “lag”). Another is when many Avatars are in your own surrounding, as they are also streamed to your client ("streamed" as in data loaded from your harddrive - not as streamed over the Internet). These areas has not been updated in VU 5.0. They are next inline for major updates, and the tech guys say that they should be ready by VU 5.2 (scheduled about one to one-and-a-half month after VU 5.0). By VU 5.2 many sources of the now infamous (and extremely annoying) CTD (crash to desktop) problems should be eliminated.
Bomb Reimbursement
While I was away the Bomb Reimbursement Programme was performed. This was the programme where a participant while mining blew up an entire stack of bombs instead of a single bomb. Nothing else. Probes has not been reimbursed yet, but will come. If anyone feels that they are affected by the above problem and has not been given their bombs back (check your Storage Terminal), please contact Project Entropia Support.
Random amount of PEDs, PECs, and ammo in the Storage Terminal
Once in a while you may find money or items in your storage terminal that you do not remember placing there. This is often due to lagginess in the loot system, and the items are then placed in your storage terminal.
The Merge bug on the 28th and 29th.
Those that lost ammo and other stackable items during the above time period due to the merging bug will get their items back as soon as the analyzis and Programme has been finalized. I have no ETA on this, though. It is a great amount of logs and database records that needs to be verified and cross-checked, thus it takes a lot of time. Please bear with us on this.
Ideas Forum
I will this week make comments on the ideas in the Ideas forum. I do read them, but I believe that the lack of feedback from us is frustrating. Therefore I will be more active in that board.
Auction problems - items invisible
There are instances where auction items are placed in the avatars inventory, but is not updated correctly, thus not showing to the participant. We are aware of this and an investigation is at hand. This is going to be corrected.
Regards
Marco Behrmann
Community Manager
MindArk PE AB
