Host a server and play on the same computer.

[DevilBlackDoom]

Hi everyone,

I am trying to host a server for me and a friend over the internet. So I configured the whole thing and set the launch options accordingly to the discussions I have found here. I set up a password and so on...

But when I launch the server, I see my server in the LAN section (sv_lan is set to 0, cf. config hereafter) and when I try to connect to it I get a "Steam validation rejected" error, which I get on no other server on the web. Here are my dedicated server launch options :
+maxplayers 32 -console -port 27016 +map siege_coop

and my config file :

"hostname"							 "DBD's server"
"rcon_password"					             "13051992"
"sv_password"							     "13051992"

"mapcyclefile" 		                     "mapcycle_cooperative.txt"
"mp_friendlyfire"								        "1"
"mp_tkpunish"									"2"
"sv_hud_deathmessages"							"0"
"sv_hud_scoreboard_show_kd"						"1"
"sv_hud_targetindicator"						        "1"
"mp_timer_pregame"								"7"
"mp_timer_preround"								"7"
"mp_timer_postround"						      "10"
"mp_timer_postgame"						      "15"
"ins_bot_quota"									"0"
"sv_deadvoice"									"1"
"sv_deadchat"									"1"
"sv_deadchat_team"								"1"
"sv_lan"										"0"
"log"										      "on"

Whenever I try to add the -ip launch option with y public IP or local IP after it, the error gets away, but the connection fails after multiple retries. (stuck at "Connecting to server" step).

Any idea what I should change?

Thanks in advance guys ;)

[Todd333]

Thank you for posting this question. I've encountered the same issue. Over the years, I've run dedicated servers for several games (Insurgency1, Red Orchestra2, Tactical Ops) and have always been able to run the dedicated server and a client on the same computer system. However, for Insurgency2 I am not able to and encounter the same issues you just described above. I did see a post by "Johnny" dated Jan. 6th and entitled "Dedicated Server Questions" asking a similar question. The guy who aswered him said something about taking a game folder and moving it out of the Steam. I tried what he suggested, but this didn't work for me. If there is a solution out there, it would sure be nice if someone would share that with us. When a person has a machine with the capacity to run both the dedicated server and a client simultaneously, it's a shame to let those computer resouces go to waste.

[Arc]

I have unusual config: server files are merged with game (beacuse i have only 60GB SSD), and still no problem whatsoever. Running 2 coop servers and playing the game on those, obviously, same PC is in use. Also files are inside custom steamapps folder (Steam client installed on another disc).
If it do not working for you, it's problem at your end and not the game/server itself.

Also be sure you are running server WITHOUT Steam client (otherwise steam detects Ins server as a game and causing some troubles).

Post your startup BAT and be sure that server is connected to a Steam master server (= assigned ID)

[DevilBlackDoom]

Yeah sorry I did not update that. Well, Insurgency like most modern games has a bad habit of giving unclear messages about something that is not right because if I remember right it was one of the maps in the cycle that was causing trouble. More specifically I had the map in my custom folder in Insurgency but I ALSO had to have it in the custom Insurgency folder ;)

To sum it up I ended up with the following launch options :
+maxplayers 32 -stringtables -console -port 27015 +map "siege_coop"

Normally a well set up config file (which I actually had) with maps in both custom folders (and in your clients custom folder... :( ) with these commands should work :)

It's weird that almost no game now makes clients download the required maps/mods to play on a server. Well even then transfer rates were super low, the good idea would be to run a temporary FTP background server from the a dedicated thread from which people would get the mods, god that's not even hard to implement =/ Well modding, network development and some other basic important thing to implement FIRST in an engine are much overlooked now... (yeah because this is not NWI's fault, it's more like Valve's fault with Source, which honestly a rather weird netcode at times)

[Arc]

Originally posted by DoDDevilBlackChicken:

It's weird that almost no game now makes clients download the required maps/mods to play on a server. Well even then transfer rates were super low, the good idea would be to run a temporary FTP background server from the a dedicated thread from which people would get the mods, god that's not even hard to implement =/ Well modding, network development and some other basic important thing to implement FIRST in an engine are much overlooked now... (yeah because this is not NWI's fault, it's more like Valve's fault with Source, which honestly a rather weird netcode at times)

AFAIK "-stringtables" changes map file (BSP), so you got version mismatch

also idk what you are talking about in the second part: If you mean that your server have custom maps/mods and it's downloaded from your server with low upload speed:
sv_allowdownload 1
sv_allowupload 1
sv_downloadurl "url_to_external_server"

[DevilBlackDoom]

Wel nice! I didn't know about the external download URL ^^ Quite nice feature, but I don't think many servers use it considering at which speed you download maps and mods on servers online (or maybe the game doesn't allow a dedicated download thread on client side). Well anyway good to know that ;) Btw if you give no external server URL, downloads are processed by the dedicated server?

[Arc]

Originally posted by DoDDevilBlackChicken:

Btw if you give no external server URL, downloads are processed by the dedicated server?

yep

Also basic set of cvars are all the same amongst all SRCDS variants (ins, CS:S, CS:GO, TF2, etc.) so it's up to admin to have set this properly.

[DevilBlackDoom]

Yep I was aware of the shared basic cvars but thanks anyway ^^ Plus some people reading this topic might not know it :P Well thanks for all the info that will help me set up my next server !

[Arc]

Also, NWI don't bothers to release changelogs for server, some cvars are sometimes changed (like mp_coop_max_bot_difficulty -> ins_bot_difficulty), sometimes they add new cvars, delete unused ones, etc.
If you want to stay informed, generate cvarlist always after each update (= do not copy any cvars from guide or cvarlist which you can find on the internet).

[DevilBlackDoom]

Well which developer actually bothers :P CS:GO changelog don't always include all new cvars (though they try to so not too shabby ^^)

[Arc]

Originally posted by DoDDevilBlackChicken:

Well which developer actually bothers :P CS:GO changelog don't always include all new cvars (though they try to so not too shabby ^^)

it's like: They do not release changelogs so why would we ?
It's their responsibility, not mine...

In this particular case when there is no proper up-to-date guide how to host server, not even for basics, and certainly not for advanced systems like Theaters (which is by the way one of the most stupidiest system in this game). Game missing some core guides (rules explanation) for gamemodes, those on loading screens are just not enough. Pointlessly many gamemodes with no explanation whatsoever makes them hard to learn for newcomers.

Yea sure, we have some (and only some) of basic core functions of the server from it's core infrastructure (it's still SRCDS) already explained on the Internet, but with only this, you can't make proper setup.

I see some coop servers have default values like ~15 minutes/round, yet mp_roundtime is not round time at all. It's time till next objective is captured (yet not explain on any guide or cvarlist itself), coupled with mp_coop_min/max_bot_difficulty, yet another obsolete nonfunctional cvar, as an example in server_cooperative, Spectator mode is low priority so it's not properly functional since they broke it by latest major patch, and so on.

Not releasing changelog is like throwing an oil into the fire (can't remember proper words, but i think you got the point). + there are known problems with rented servers (or i should say, companies that run them), some do not have admin panel, in the others you must put support ticket if you want to change startup batch file, badly sorted files...


You see, it's not only unreleasing changelogs, it's coupled with other problems which can be easily fixed by Developers if they properly care. (and bs like Devs have their own jobs and Ins is hobby: Do devs charging money for this ? yes ? so it's their responsibility and their job, not mine or any other player, i'll support them as much as i can but still can't take responsibility for their faults)

[DevilBlackDoom]

Originally posted by Arc:

Originally posted by DoDDevilBlackChicken:

Well which developer actually bothers :P CS:GO changelog don't always include all new cvars (though they try to so not too shabby ^^)

it's like: They do not release changelogs so why would we ?
It's their responsibility, not mine...

In this particular case when there is no proper up-to-date guide how to host server, not even for basics, and certainly not for advanced systems like Theaters (which is by the way one of the most stupidiest system in this game). Game missing some core guides (rules explanation) for gamemodes, those on loading screens are just not enough. Pointlessly many gamemodes with no explanation whatsoever makes them hard to learn for newcomers.

Yea sure, we have some (and only some) of basic core functions of the server from it's core infrastructure (it's still SRCDS) already explained on the Internet, but with only this, you can't make proper setup.

I see some coop servers have default values like ~15 minutes/round, yet mp_roundtime is not round time at all. It's time till next objective is captured (yet not explain on any guide or cvarlist itself), coupled with mp_coop_min/max_bot_difficulty, yet another obsolete nonfunctional cvar, as an example in server_cooperative, Spectator mode is low priority so it's not properly functional since they broke it by latest major patch, and so on.

Not releasing changelog is like throwing an oil into the fire (can't remember proper words, but i think you got the point). + there are known problems with rented servers (or i should say, companies that run them), some do not have admin panel, in the others you must put support ticket if you want to change startup batch file, badly sorted files...


You see, it's not only unreleasing changelogs, it's coupled with other problems which can be easily fixed by Developers if they properly care. (and bs like Devs have their own jobs and Ins is hobby: Do devs charging money for this ? yes ? so it's their responsibility and their job, not mine or any other player, i'll support them as much as i can but still can't take responsibility for their faults)

I hear you ! More specifically when at least 50% of the CVARS (existing or added) don't have a self-explanatory name... Yeah I go the point :P The rented server issue remind me of a recent issue I have observed with some website hoster who do not let you modify AT ALL the php.ini (even through a ticket -_- like seriously? I can't customize my config? really?).

Well o top of that it's no more a hobby, now they created a proper company where they do actually work. I think devs today forget about minor easy-to-implement but over important features. For example being able to add a comment for a cvar which can be shown in the game's console and so on, this way they would do it immediately if smart enough, and then the player at least know what to do with it.

[Sagara Sousuke]

When i have the dedicated server running, with or without Steam. And then i enter insurgency, with or without steam, i cannot connect to any server, including mine.

[dware]

You need to change your port forwarding rules. The server and the game use the same port. Whichever you open first, server or game, will use the default 27015 (if you havent changed settings). The 2nd you open will you the next available port 27016.

However, I have still had problems getting port forwarding rules to work correctly when running both. The solution for me was making my computer the DMZ host. You can do this in your router setup page.

Another trick that works for me on srcds servers is to exit steam, start the server, start steam and then start the game FROM STEAM.

Good luck

EDIT: It looks like you are using the dedicated server from your tools library. Those tools don't really work anymore. You need to download and run the server with SteamCMD.

[Arc]

Originally posted by dware:

EDIT: It looks like you are using the dedicated server from your tools library. Those tools don't really work anymore. You need to download and run the server with SteamCMD.

yea they don't work, except i ran that since i bought the game after Molotov Spring update till now ? yea man ;-)

Steam/SCMD equals, they do not have influence if server works or not, they're just download tools.

[dware]

Originally posted by Arc:

Steam/SCMD equals, they do not have influence if server works or not, they're just download tools.

It is well documented that there are issues when downloading and running a srcds server through steam tools and not steamcmd. Maybe you dont use sourcemod or maybe you are just lucky. Either way you shouldn't be trying to deter people from doing things the correct way.