Connection lost weird thing

[Astyl]

When me and my friend play together, be it on our own server (no matter which one of us hosts) or while joining another person's server, there is a high, seemingly pattern-less chance that either him or me will get connection lost and yeeted from the server. The frequency seems to shift randomly with time and ranges from once in a while to several times per session back to back.

Neither of us use a VPN or anything similar while playing DRG, it wasn't an issue on any other game in the entirety of each of our lives playing games. The issue doesn't arise when either of us is playing with anyone else that does not include the other one of us.

What could be the cause and how would I go about fixing it?

[Ettanin]

The game uses peer to peer, therefore the ability to host and/or join depends on the individual player's internet connection.

Do this regardless of whether you have a dedicated IPv4 address or not:
* Set Steam Networking to always share your IP address for a faster connection. This will prioritize direct connections if they are possible.

Do this ONLY if you have a dedicated (also called public) IPv4 address (either static or dynamic) AND CAN open ports on your network:
* Forward UDP ports 27014, 27015, 27016, 27017, 27018, 27019, 27020, 27021, 27022, 27023, 27024, 27025, 27026, 27027, 27028, 27029, 27030, 3478, 4379, 4380. Otherwise, direct connections would be attempted by using STUN UDP hole punching which may or may not work (depends on the router).
* Do not use "Port Triggering". Port Triggering only applies if an outgoing connection is commenced beforehand, which does not work with how most peer-to-peer games perform netcode as a host. Port Triggering is intended for protocols that require server-to-client callbacks, such as FTP. Most peer-to-peer games as a host only accept incoming connections and do not perform callback connections.
* Forwarding ports will have no effect on connections that use CGNAT or Dual Stack Lite, because incoming connections will be dropped by the ISP due to their ambiguity.

If you have a dedicated IPv4 address AND forwarded the ports (see above):
* You can host without issues for other players. They can join you without using SDR whether they have a dedicated IPv4 address or not.
* You can join any game without issues, even if the host has CGNAT or Dual Stack Lite. Steam Networking will attempt a connection reversal, which means the host connects to you instead.

If you are behind CGNAT or Dual Stack Lite or cannot open ports on your network:
* Avoid hosting unless you KNOW that the players you play with all have a dedicated IPv4 address and forwarded the ports, otherwise SDR (which is buggy) is necessary.
* Avoid joining hosts that also have CGNAT or Dual Stack Lite because this makes SDR (which is buggy) necessary.
* Playing with randoms with this kind of connection flawlessly is hard. It hinges on a lot of circumstances. Ideally, you might be better off just joining and hoping that the host did the above steps.

[Astyl]

Originally posted by Ettanin:

The game uses peer to peer, therefore the ability to host and/or join depends on the individual player's internet connection.

Do this regardless of whether you have a dedicated IPv4 address or not:
* Set Steam Networking to always share your IP address for a faster connection. This will prioritize direct connections if they are possible.

Do this ONLY if you have a dedicated (also called public) IPv4 address (either static or dynamic) AND CAN open ports on your network:
* Forward UDP ports 27014, 27015, 27016, 27017, 27018, 27019, 27020, 27021, 27022, 27023, 27024, 27025, 27026, 27027, 27028, 27029, 27030, 3478, 4379, 4380. Otherwise, direct connections would be attempted by using STUN UDP hole punching which may or may not work (depends on the router).
* Do not use "Port Triggering". Port Triggering only applies if an outgoing connection is commenced beforehand, which does not work with how most peer-to-peer games perform netcode as a host. Port Triggering is intended for protocols that require server-to-client callbacks, such as FTP. Most peer-to-peer games as a host only accept incoming connections and do not perform callback connections.
* Forwarding ports will have no effect on connections that use CGNAT or Dual Stack Lite, because incoming connections will be dropped by the ISP due to their ambiguity.

If you have a dedicated IPv4 address AND forwarded the ports (see above):
* You can host without issues for other players. They can join you without using SDR whether they have a dedicated IPv4 address or not.
* You can join any game without issues, even if the host has CGNAT or Dual Stack Lite. Steam Networking will attempt a connection reversal, which means the host connects to you instead.

If you are behind CGNAT or Dual Stack Lite or cannot open ports on your network:
* Avoid hosting unless you KNOW that the players you play with all have a dedicated IPv4 address and forwarded the ports, otherwise SDR (which is buggy) is necessary.
* Avoid joining hosts that also have CGNAT or Dual Stack Lite because this makes SDR (which is buggy) necessary.
* Playing with randoms with this kind of connection flawlessly is hard. It hinges on a lot of circumstances. Ideally, you might be better off just joining and hoping that the host did the above steps.

Is there any solution that does not require having a PhD in routers? Is it a steam issue, is it a DRG issue, is it a combined issue?

[Ettanin]

It is mostly a Steam issue. Steam Datagram Relay is meant to bridge players by adding a VPN-like connection between them, but cannot handle MTU issues, which is the cause for the frequent disconnects.

Therefore, the methodology is to avoid using Steam Datagram Relay by performing the settings above.

Unless Valve finally picks up on the issues with SDR, or until Ghost Ship Games adds IPv6 support (never going to happen), there is no other solution to the problem at hand.

[Astyl]

Originally posted by Ettanin:

It is mostly a Steam issue. Steam Datagram Relay is meant to bridge players by adding a VPN-like connection between them, but cannot handle MTU issues, which is the cause for the frequent disconnects.

Therefore, the methodology is to avoid using Steam Datagram Relay by performing the settings above.

Unless Valve finally picks up on the issues with SDR, or until Ghost Ship Games adds IPv6 support (never going to happen), there is no solution to the problem at hand.

You seem to know alot about both internet and DRG, why did they not add IPV6 support? The overwhelming majority of games support it as far as I know.

[Ettanin]

Originally posted by Astyl:

You seem to know alot about both internet and DRG, why did they not add IPV6 support? The overwhelming majority of games support it as far as I know.

While that is true for most Client-Server oriented games and MMORPGs, this is seldom the truth for peer to peer actually.

[Astyl]

Originally posted by Ettanin:

Originally posted by Astyl:

You seem to know alot about both internet and DRG, why did they not add IPV6 support? The overwhelming majority of games support it as far as I know.

While that is true for most Client-Server oriented games and MMORPGs, this is seldom the truth for peer to peer actually.

Hmmm, didn't know that. It's difficult to implement or something?

[Ettanin]

Originally posted by Astyl:

Originally posted by Ettanin:

While that is true for most Client-Server oriented games and MMORPGs, this is seldom the truth for peer to peer actually.

Hmmm, didn't know that. It's difficult to i plement or something?

most indie devs don't implement their own netcode but use libraries or network services of the major companies.

For the Steam version, DRG uses Steamworks Networking which includes Steam Datagram Relay. This doesn't support IPv6 by itself. Another game that uses Steamworks Networking is Vermintide 2, which in addition has direct IPv6 connectivity as an alternative to SDR, but that's as far as I know not part of SDR.

For the XBox/MS Store version, it's XBox Live which uses Microsoft Teredo relays to give IPv6 connectivity to CGNAT connections if a direct IPv4 connection fails.

For the Playstation version, it's the Playstation Network which does not offer any kind of relay at all.

[Astyl]

Originally posted by Ettanin:

Originally posted by Astyl:

Hmmm, didn't know that. It's difficult to i plement or something?

most indie devs don't implement their own netcode but use libraries or network services of the major companies.

For the Steam version, DRG uses Steamworks Networking which includes Steam Datagram Relay. This doesn't support IPv6 by itself. Another game that uses Steamworks Networking is Vermintide 2, which in addition has direct IPv6 connectivity as an alternative to SDR, but that's as far as I know not part of SDR.

For the XBox/MS Store version, it's XBox Live which uses Microsoft Teredo relays to give IPv6 connectivity to CGNAT connections if a direct IPv4 connection fails.

For the Playstation version, it's the Playstation Network which does not offer any kind of relay at all.

Ah ok. Thanks for the info.

[POOTISMAN]

Originally posted by Ettanin:

* Playing with randoms with this kind of connection flawlessly is hard. It hinges on a lot of circumstances. Ideally, you might be better off just joining and hoping that the host did the above steps.

I had absolutely no issues playing with a dedicated IP during season 1&2. I had no lag and a stable connection. The random disconnects started with season 3 and got more frequent. Now the game is unplayable for me in multiplayer.

[DREAD-Brain Dead Society]

Originally posted by Barnacell:

Originally posted by Ettanin:

* Playing with randoms with this kind of connection flawlessly is hard. It hinges on a lot of circumstances. Ideally, you might be better off just joining and hoping that the host did the above steps.

I had absolutely no issues playing with a dedicated IP during season 1&2. I had no lag and a stable connection. The random disconnects started with season 3 and got more frequent. Now the game is unplayable for me in multiplayer.

Same here my man, before it was not a problem, but it came with some seassion and is persistent problem for me, sadly i cannot play this game anymore ...