"Pause Empty Game" Server setting

[Scoob]

Hey all,

So, the "Pause Empty Game" server setting...does it actually work as I'd expect? I.e. the world is PAUSED when no players are online? Is there some sort of delay from when the last player logs off before the server actually pauses?

I'm asking this for a couple of reasons:

1) A number of times, after logging back in, things are not *quite* how we left them. A damaged turret here, a few missing blocks there suggesting something happened.

2) Testing myself, I set a small grid to automatically patrol an area - just shy of 5km route. I exited the game as it approached me. However, logging back on, the small grid was several km away, the extreme *other* end of the patrol route, yet its speed is limited to just 50.

So, this is why I think stuff can still go on, if only for a short while, after the last player exits the game. I do generally shut down the server if no one is about - we're pure co-op and log in together on purpose - but I'll leave it on, but us logged off, if we're just nipping away for a few minutes.

[Dreams of Fury]

The pause happens after nothing happening for a couple minutes, unsure what the actual time is but it dosent happen instantly.

[Scoob]

Originally posted by Dreams of Fury:

The pause happens after nothing happening for a couple minutes, unsure what the actual time is but it dosent happen instantly.

So there is a bit of a delay? We exclusively exit when there's nothing going on. We return to base, enter a cryopod then log out.

Not a huge deal, just wanted to understand. It'd be good if the console window for the server said something like "no players, server paused" so there's no doubt.

[Jack Schitt]

From what I noticed it loads where the last backup save happened. It doesn't actually pause it reloads the last auto save that happened before last person that was on left. Example: if we have backup saves set to 10 minutes and the server became empty 2 minutes after the last save happened we don't lose much, if it becomes empty 9 minutes and 59 seconds after the last auto save we lose 10 minutes of gameplay the next time someone joins.

it starts from the last auto save, it doesn't actually pause.

[Rox]

Originally posted by Jack Schitt:

... starts from the last auto save, it doesn't actually pause.

Interesting, that was certainly not the case in the past, but the main disadvantage of stopping the server when not connected is that all processing is frozen, so ores are not refined, batteries are not recharged, and components are not assembled. How much impact that has on players depends on play style. There isn't any significant benefit gained other than a small reduction in energy use by whoever is hosting the service.

[Jack Schitt]

I noticed this with the server I was running not too long ago. I don't think it's possible to pause a server. Not being able to actually pause a server is another reason I *think* it loads from the last auto save when we have the Pause When Empty setting enabled.

When we have that setting disabled it doesn't load from the last backup save it just keeps going. It reverts back to the last save with the setting enabled so it seems like it paused.

[Jack Schitt]

It wouldn't act like it's shut down.

Pause when empty Disabled: server keeps running.
Pause when empty Enabled: reverts to last save when someone joins.

[Rox]

Originally posted by REALRACE:

... same for both servers? the vanilla and "torch" (iirc?)

Servers running under Torch are usually much worse from the players perspective, as if their ship/station is isolated and not close to anything owned by an online player, it is frozen completely even when there are other players online. (subject to the Torch plugins and settings, but this is the usual on busy servers) ... the other side of the coin is better performance for those who are connected and playing.

[Rox]

Originally posted by REALRACE:

... from a shutdown, i expect a save, then off ...

Yes, that would be nice. It is possible to force that if it's done manually, however, it will depend on the hosting service if it is done via simple command or their interface... not all hosting companies do things in a nice way.