BC2 version R21

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Edge100x
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BC2 version R21

Post by Edge100x »

We're rolling out BF:BC2 version R21 now. Here is the changelog from DICE:
* There is a spam filter for text-chat: if someone sends 5 messages in 10 seconds, that player is muted for 60 seconds
* Text chat can be muted across the entire server
* Individual players can be promoted to “admin” (cannot be muted, spam filter does not apply) and “muted” (never allowed to text chat)
* All settings configurable via remote admin interface
* New textfile on-disk: textchatmoderationlist.txt [list of which players are admin & muted]

Updated docs; publicly available at http://static.cdn.ea.com/dice/u/f/bfbc2 ... trator.zip
We will also be working on integrating the textchatmoderationlist.txt into the "Easy setup" page here.
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Re: BC2 version R21

Post by Edge100x »

The easy setup page has now been updated to support the game's spam settings and player moderation list.
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Re: BC2 version R21

Post by abcclanadmin »

I'm really tired of my server getting restarted when it's full of people. Especially when it's to apply a useless update like this one. This has happened twice in the last two weeks.
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Re: BC2 version R21

Post by Edge100x »

We don't apply updates to any full servers unless DICE requires it (which they haven't, in the last few months at least). As all recent updates have been, this one was applied only to empty servers. Some servers didn't receive it for several days because of how busy they were, never emptying out.

These are the events that you'll find in the "Events log" in your control panel about the update:
DICE has released server version R21 and we have rolled it out to our base folders now. As with prior builds, we will also be rolling it to all empty servers; if your server wouldn't normally be empty and you'd like it applied immediately, usually restarting it or kicking all the players will lead the system seeing it and upgrading it automatically (within about 30 seconds).

R21's purpose is to add a spam filter. We talk more about this here.
Followed by (after the update was applied):
We have been applying server version R21 to all empty servers. Your server was empty at this time and we took this opportunity now.
Unless you've turned off email notifications, you should have also been sent emails about each of these events.

Communication is very important to us, so if you have any questions or comments about the update, please don't hesitate to contact us. For instance, if you see the posted event and *don't* want your server updated, even if it is empty, you let us know, and we will accommodate you within the bounds of DICE's requirements.
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Re: BC2 version R21

Post by abcclanadmin »

This happened the day before yesterday. I was in the server along with 31 others and everyone just lost connection. I checked the event logs and it said that the server was empty and the update was applied. The server was, in fact, NOT empty. But it applied the update and restarted the server anyway.
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Re: BC2 version R21

Post by Edge100x »

The script doesn't apply the update until a successful server query returns that the server is empty. If you all lost connection, this would have happened before it applied the update, and the fact that the server had no players then led to the update being applied. The script checks quite frequently and detects these in just a few seconds, so the timing can be confusing.

The most common cause of a server emptying out as you describe is a problem with the connection to Plasma (EA's back-end authentication and rank-tracking system). BC2 is extremely sensitive when it comes to Plasma.
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Re: BC2 version R21

Post by PowersGaming »

Edge100x wrote:
The most common cause of a server emptying out as you describe is a problem with the connection to Plasma (EA's back-end authentication and rank-tracking system). BC2 is extremely sensitive when it comes to Plasma.
I'd have to agree with this... When it comes to PC gamers, EA has dropped the ball on so many occasions it's ridiculous. Seriously. It's like they could care less about us. You don't see STEAM doing stuff like this. :roll:
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Re: BC2 version R21

Post by Redbeerd »

abcclanadmin wrote:I'm really tired of my server getting restarted when it's full of people. Especially when it's to apply a useless update like this one. This has happened twice in the last two weeks.
Aug 30 2010 11:59:26 AM PT
We have been applying server version R21 to all empty servers. Your server was empty at this time and we took this opportunity now.
Hey Edge,

Just an FYI, on Aug 30th, our server rebooted for the R21 update but the server was not empty. There were between 4 and 6 players in at the time. That was the only time that I know of that it rebooted while players were on the server.
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Re: BC2 version R21

Post by PowersGaming »

Redbeerd wrote: Hey Edge,

Just an FYI, on Aug 30th, our server rebooted for the R21 update but the server was not empty. There were between 4 and 6 players in at the time. That was the only time that I know of that it rebooted while players were on the server.
Is it possible to set the server to disable these particular "auto updates" so we can choose to do them ourselves ?
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Re: BC2 version R21

Post by Edge100x »

PowersGaming wrote: Just an FYI, on Aug 30th, our server rebooted for the R21 update but the server was not empty. There were between 4 and 6 players in at the time. That was the only time that I know of that it rebooted while players were on the server.
The script was very careful not to update any servers with players in them. The fact that I had it configured to check so frequently for empty servers made it immediately detect servers that were crashed, which made it seem as though it was causing those crashes. In the future, I will have it check less frequently.

I would never want my server to be restarted with players in it, not just because it can be so hard to fill up BC2 servers, but because unannounced maintenance events are not reasonable. I'd never want it to happen to customers, either.
Is it possible to set the server to disable these particular "auto updates" so we can choose to do them ourselves ?
Most of the time, DICE requires that we upgrade all servers within a few days of a new release. They've specifically mentioned upgrading servers as they empty out before, and I agree with them that it's the best way to go.
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Re: BC2 version R21

Post by PowersGaming »

I love it that you guys are so honest... We live in a world these days that's so full of Bull Squatchee it's ridiculous.

EA/DICE has really dropped the ball on this game; so many ppl here and in the UK forums are fed up with how they're "controlling" the servers. I would hope you're passing this info on to both companies; with Medal of Honor and BF:3 coming out perhaps there's still time for some much needed changes.
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