Polite request: Dedicated server

[SpiffyFoxOne]

I just realised that i would like to set up a dedicated server and have it running 24/7 just for myself. Having things like autotrading and research ticking on while i try to be civil with the other people in the house... for a few minutes. Or working. XD Of course... i could have the game running but it does make more noise than if it was just a tiny engine and database. No graphics to calculate.

I suspect the topic of multiplayer has come up once or twice since 1999. Does anyone know if there anything in this X4 that would allow sending and receiving of network traffic of that magnitude?

There are "online features" in the menu... kind of empty there though. I have hopes.

[SamuraiProgrammer]

There is something in the works called Ventures. I am unsure, but I think it has something to do with sending a ship or fleet into someone else's universe. It does not appear to be enabled yet.

[Mordikan]

Yeah, I don't think it's co-op exactly. The Venture system seems to be like a mission type where you could send your ships to interact in a persistent X-verse. I'm not sure how that would tie back to your game (outside of rewards for online/offline currency, etc). That's at least based on two lua functions I saw:

function menu.getVentureMissions()
	menu.ventureMissions = {}
	if OnlineHasSession() then
		if IsUIVentureMissionListReady() then
			menu.ventureMissions = GetVentureMissions()
			table.sort(menu.ventureMissions, Helper.sortName)

			return true
		elseif not menu.updateMissionsTime then
			menu.updateMissionsTime = getElapsedTime()
		end
	end

	return false
end

function menu.sendShips(missiondata)
	if (#menu.ventureplatformdata.errors == 0) and OnlineHasSession() then
		local result = StartVentureMission(menu.ventureplatform, missiondata.id)
		if result ~= "success" then
			DebugError("Failed to start venture: " .. result .. " [Florian]")
		end
		menu.refresh = getElapsedTime() + 1.0
	end
end

SOURCE:
\ui\addons\ego_detailmonitor\menu_venture.lua (08.dat)

[SpiffyFoxOne]

Ooooo... this is very exciting. :D So there is some form of network transaction going on (in the future). Im very curious to what this venture platform entails.

Thank you both for the information. It looks like I also should take a gander into the lua code some day.

[SpiffyFoxOne]

That could explain the visitor001 -> visitor100 in the save game file.

[Tilen]

If you want it easy, you can just edit your save file.

[powergfx]

Hmm, having an optional dedicated server for the local lan would be nice. I mean, doing multiplayer over internet would not really work. There is so much that needs to be synchronized between the players. Well, and there is the SINZA problem. It's exactly the same reason Elite Dangerous kicked the time dilatation drug and Fallout 76 ♥♥♥♥♥♥ up VATS.

[Mordikan]

Originally posted by powergfx:

Hmm, having an optional dedicated server for the local lan would be nice. I mean, doing multiplayer over internet would not really work. There is so much that needs to be synchronized between the players. Well, and there is the SINZA problem. It's exactly the same reason Elite Dangerous kicked the time dilatation drug and Fallout 76 ♥♥♥♥♥♥ up VATS.

Multiplayer would also not work because I would enter their X-verse and flood the market with cheaply produced high quality spaceweed. I would create an epidemic.

[SpiffyFoxOne]

I understand the limitations and potential breakdown of the economy in MP. We are back to a private dedicated server for my own amusement and use. I could edit the save, as suggested, but i try to limit my "innovative enhancement and creative maneuvers" like editing the save. :D

In all seriousness i would even accept a mod that calculates the time i had been away and "forwards" the events such as trading and station building. But since i havent found a "time compression" mechanism in the game i suspect it would be easier to go with the dedicated server. I could be wrong. I can always be wrong :D

[First5trike]

Originally posted by Silverback Gorilla:

I just realised that i would like to set up a dedicated server and have it running 24/7 just for myself. Having things like autotrading and research ticking on while i try to be civil with the other people in the house... for a few minutes. Or working. XD Of course... i could have the game running but it does make more noise than if it was just a tiny engine and database. No graphics to calculate.

I suspect the topic of multiplayer has come up once or twice since 1999. Does anyone know if there anything in this X4 that would allow sending and receiving of network traffic of that magnitude?

There are "online features" in the menu... kind of empty there though. I have hopes.

There is zero confirmation of any actual multiplayer at this point, let alone dedicated servers.

There has been an indication of some kind of venture system which would be an extremely limited form of multiplayer in the sense you'd be sharing a small amount of mission data.

Outside of save game sync via Steam the game has zero network traffic.

[SpiffyFoxOne]

Aaaaw... Thank you for clearifying that. Then i guess scripting is the only way to go. I saw this in @sigmoid.n0de's post above

menu.updateMissionsTime = getElapsedTime()

and

menu.refresh = getElapsedTime() + 1.0

It will be interesting to see what time it calculates in the ventures thingy. It could mean anything at this point since we dont know much about venture.

[Mordikan]

If you extract and read through that lua script, it seems like it would probably work similar to Kenway's Fleet in Black Flag:
http://blog.ubi.com/en-GB/assassins-creed-iv-black-flag-kenways-fleet-faq/

[SpiffyFoxOne]

Aaaaaaah! I got ya! Thank you for that information @sigmold.n0de. I guess i will have to rethink how to approach the "main" game since the venture seems to be a kind of metagame.

[iMonters]

I like the OPs idea. Reminds me of the days that I'd be working and have EVE Online Alt-Tabbed in teh background, so I could mine. Those were the days...