Dedicated G-Portal Server, no mods - server doesn't save, pause when empty is ON

[Bender24k]

Every time I login I restart in the pod in the air landing. G-Portal server, no mods, pause when empty is on.

Searched a fair bit - what am I missing?

Thanks.

[Rox]

It could be any of a number of things, you're best asking G-Portal support as it'll most likely be some inconsistency in their user interface that is confusing you. Also 'pause when empty' is an annoyance as it means you can't leave ore processing or assemblers running and reconnect later to find it's all happened... on a rented server it's saving nothing but the host's power usage.

[Bender24k]

Thanks - once I respawn, if I logout then log back in, I don't have to land again. We opened a ticket with G-Portal. I have found them to be ok in replying / fixing my Project Zomboid server.

[Bender24k]

It's the reboot that resets the save. I can log on and off all day long but 1 reboot and the world is gone. Still not getting anywhere. Bummed. My bud is the owner so I am not communicating with G-Portal directly, although I can FTP and admin the server.

Any suggestions appreciated. I asked my bud to copy-pasta me the ticket text.

[Rox]

It sounds like for some reason the server is configured to load the save from the wrong directory so it's not loading it after the restart... I've seen this before on some hosts where the server was initially configured in an odd way or the original save was one uploaded after the server had been initially configured and started and the base configuration file was not correctly changed to match.

[Bender24k]

Ah nice - thanks for the tips. I may open my own ticket but I will def look into that.

[Bender24k]

This is the G-Portal Message that has me confused. Where do I 'select the created world from the "World" option before you start the server again'. ???

Select existing WORLD. Where? LOL. Thanks for the help.

"After adding the world name and starting the server for the first time, the server will generate the world. If you stop the server, please select the created world from the "World" option before you start the server again. Otherwise, it will generate a new world every time the server is restarted, and you lose all progress. Mods also only work if you have selected an existing world."

[Rox]

It will show and should be the same name in two places...

in the primary server config file - SpaceEngineers-Dedicated.cfg with the full path to the save directory in the <LoadWorld> item, and the same in the file - LastSession.sbl in the "saves" directory in the <path> item

[Bender24k]

Thanks again for the clues. In the server file profile/saves/LastSession.sbl, I have this:
D:\home\sid_1099738\spaceEngineers\profile\Saves\Dorutera

BUT in the server file profile/SpaceEngineers-Dedicated.cfg I do not see any save / path at all.

Also, the world is not being reset on restart. But my character is. I can see GPS pings from halfway across the world for former silver nugget & old Drop Pod.

The plot thickens.

[Rox]

Originally posted by Bender24k:

... in the server file profile/SpaceEngineers-Dedicated.cfg I do not see any save / path at all ...

That's normal for some hosting services as they restrict access to that file or to some parts of it because of the mayhem it can cause if you mess it up...

Also, the world is not being reset on restart. But my character is...

in what way is it being reset ? in normal situation on connect you will not be alive but will need to select a spawn point, and hopefully if you have a ship or station with power and a survival kit or medical room that will show as an item there...

[Bender24k]

We are playing the System custom game, and I get the screen for selecting space, moon, earthlike planet < I'm choosing this.

It's a brand new save - no ships, no buildings nothing yet done because of the respawning issue. We haven't done anything except place GPS and dig a hole for visual reference but I can see old GPS signals from 75 km away.

I am not dying - I sit in the pod, logout normally by clicking Exit, then use G-Portal to reboot. Immediately log back in - forced to spawn in pod again.

If I don't reboot I log back in normally at the pod and everything is as it was.

Thanks again, this is a big frustration. I'm a tech support guy - how does anyone figure this out?

[Rox]

I think we're having a communication problem :) I've been a tech support guy for so many years... if the server is configured in the most usual way, if you restart the server when you were in a respawn pod, that pod will be deleted and you will have to start again.

[Bender24k]

Ah, ok - I'm so used to rebooting a Project Zomboid server daily or more that I couldn't imagine that was correct behavior.

I actually think my poking around made something work. I landed in pod, got out, dug a hole, got back in pod seat. Logged off normally, Rebooted server, logged back in - no respawn, was still by the hole. Did it again, same thing. <shrug>

Still can't get Client Can Save to work LOL. THANKS

[Rox]

Originally posted by Bender24k:

Still can't get Client Can Save to work

I don't think it will allow any client to work, only one with the highest admin permissions level, but I have not tried to do that in years, it may not work at all any longer, they did change some things that had been exploit vectors used by bad actors to wreck the servers in recent times

[Bender24k]

For ♥♥♥♥♥ sake. I had it - rebooting the server did not reset anything, I played 6 hours last night with my friends, everything went fine.

Now this morning - game updates. I login and everything is GONE. Old world loaded. 6 hours x 3 in the trash. Did a server restore from backup last night after we were done - same old world loaded.

I think I'm done with this nonsense. NEVER have I seen a game harder to make a dedicated server work properly.

[Rox]

I'm sorry you feel that way, but very many people start and manage their own servers all the time without the problems you've been having with G-Portal. It just seems like that company have some very messed up systems and support people from your descriptions of the troubles.