Bridgewater-Brunel game no. 3

[Ranran(retired)]

https://github.com/Ranran-the-JuicyPork/simutrans-extended/commit/54290198039d2ce8f2011bcad4a74b44804acf9a
I found what seems to be a merge error in network_file_transfer.cc. Near the 160th line. I hope you can see if this has any effect.

[jamespetts]

https://github.com/Ranran-the-JuicyPork/simutrans-extended/commit/54290198039d2ce8f2011bcad4a74b44804acf9a
I found what seems to be a merge error in network_file_transfer.cc. Near the 160th line. I hope you can see if this has any effect.

Thank you for this - now incorporated.

I have been spending some time trying to deal with this problem - it is still unclear what the cause is; latest investigations seem to suggest that what was happening at least at one point was that, when the server was restarting automatically, without the "-load [savegame]" in the command line, it was failing with a segfault, whereas, when I gave the "-load server13353-network.sve" command explicitly, it would work. I have therefore managed to get the server running again by adding "-load ../server13353-network.sve" to the script - I am not sure whether this will work over the long term, but I should be grateful if people could report the result.

[freddyhayward]

I have been spending some time trying to deal with this problem - it is still unclear what the cause is; latest investigations seem to suggest that what was happening at least at one point was that, when the server was restarting automatically, without the "-load [savegame]" in the command line, it was failing with a segfault, whereas, when I gave the "-load server13353-network.sve" command explicitly, it would work. I have therefore managed to get the server running again by adding "-load ../server13353-network.sve" to the script - I am not sure whether this will work over the long term, but I should be grateful if people could report the result.

Though I can't recall any specific cases, I vaguely remember having segfaults in the past when trying to start servers without specifying -load [savegame], and that adding -load [savegame] fixed them.

[freddyhayward]

After a fairly good run for several hours after today's reset, an improvement on previous days, the server has now been down for nearly 2.5 hours.

[jamespetts]

The Simutrans-Extended instance was running on the server, but was unresponsive for reasons unknown. Now restarted.

[Matthew]

Bridgewater-Brunel has not run since the nightly restart

[jamespetts]

Bridgewater-Brunel has not run since the nightly restart

It seems to have entered a frozen state - I have now restarted it.

[Matthew]

It seems to have entered a frozen state - I have now restarted it.

Thank you for fixing this, James! 

[Matthew]

Sorry to sound like a stuck record, but the server has frozen again for the last 3 hours.

[jamespetts]

I have restarted it again.

There seems to be a persistent problem causing the server to get stuck in an infinite loop on occasions. It is not a thread deadlock, as there is high CPU usage. The trouble is that it is very difficult to think of any way of reproducing this. If anyone can find a reproduction case for an infinite loop/freeze, please post it in the bug reports forum. Thank you.

[freddyhayward]

The server has now been down for over 8 hours. I wonder if you could add a script that automatically restarts the server if the log file has not updated for 2 hours, for instance?

[jamespetts]

The server has now been down for over 8 hours. I wonder if you could add a script that automatically restarts the server if the log file has not updated for 2 hours, for instance?

I have now restarted the server. The freezes do need to be identified and fixed: the suggested script is not a permanent solution. The process can only be terminated with the kill -9 command in this state. In any event, terminating the server if the log has not been updated in 2 hours will not be sensible, since this stat will occur if nobody has played on the server for the last 2 hours.

[Vladki]

I have tried to connect to B-B, but after (long) loading the game it said that the save is incompatible, and dropped me to demo.sve. And probably crashed the server...

I run self compiled binary because the nightlies have too fresh libraries for debian. But I have no problem connecting to S-S which is on ubuntu 20.04. I suspect the libzstd to be the culprit?
Debian: libzstd1:amd64 1.3.8+dfsg-3 Ubuntu: libzstd1:amd64 1.4.4+dfsg-3

[jamespetts]

If you are self compiling, make sure that you enable zstd otherwise you will not be able to connect.

[zook2]

After decades of lying dormant, the venerable Rolls Royce factory in Maltbere openend its gates for business again in February 2009. Production of the legendary British limousines commenced - a milestone in British industry development. But with great regret we announce that, after only five months of low-level production, the factory has closed again - this time forever, we're afraid. The Class I listed historic buildings have already beeen torn down, to make room for hovels.

Only thirty Rolls Royce cars of the much anticipated 2009 model were ever made. There are no more car makers in the UK now.

Of course the last production car will be donated to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Buckingham Palace announced that Her Majesty is greatly pleased to "finally dump the Toyota".

[jamespetts]

I notice that we are now quite far into the future (2041, I believe). What are people's views on when it would be optimal to bring the current game to a close and start afresh?

[Mariculous]

Ohhh noooo!
In my opinion, opposing to stephenson-siemens game, there's still very much that can be done on the current bridgewater map offering fun for at least another 50-100 years.

[jamespetts]

Ohhh noooo!
In my opinion, opposing to stephenson-siemens game, there's still very much that can be done on the current bridgewater map offering fun for at least another 50-100 years.

Interesting! I shall be interested to know others' views on the topic.

[freddyhayward]

There are only three remaining active players: Freahk, zook, and myself. We clearly still enjoy it and there is more to do, but I would welcome restarting the game if it rekindles interest for former and new players.

[jamespetts]

There are only three remaining active players: Freahk, zook, and myself. We clearly still enjoy it and there is more to do, but I would welcome restarting the game if it rekindles interest for former and new players.

I should be interested to know why those who have retired have done so; is it purely for personal reasons, or does it have anything to do with the state of the game itself, and, if so, what?

[Matthew]

I should be interested to know why those who have retired have done so; is it purely for personal reasons, or does it have anything to do with the state of the game itself, and, if so, what?

I explained my reasons on the Discord channel:

Earlier in this channel I said that I would probably retire from managing Central Trains, Cambrian Trains etc. when B-B reached the present day. I have brought that forward to now and I am going on hiatus (as explained here: https://forum.simutrans.com/index.php/topic,20807.new.html#new), though I will still have notifications for this channel turned on.
The company is available for takeover and I have attempted to remove the password. @Zook as you are the newest player I would like you to have right of first refusal on the company. If nobody wants it, I would be happy to log on again to Withdraw all the profitable vehicles in the hope of making the company go bankrupt as quickly as possible (it has 'only' £300MM in the bank, so I guess it's not totally impossible).(edited)
By the way, this does not mean that I am in a hurry to start the next B-B game. I intend to spend some time thinking about things other than trains and if (more likely, when) I come back from hiatus I hope to make some contributions to improve the next round. I hope you all have a long and enjoyable 21st century! 

I would be unlikely to join a new game at the moment as I am currently preoccupied with other interests (ancient DNA and the new rugby league season). So if others are happily playing that suits me too. 

[jamespetts]

Thank you - that is helpful. Ancient DNA is an intriguing topic - do enjoy your researches in that field! No doubt Simutrans will still be here whenever you feel like returning.

[jamespetts]

I notice that this server seems to have been down for the last 2 days, but that nobody has reported this. I also notice that we have now reached 2059.

Do we think that it is perhaps time to archive this game and start with a fresh map?

[Mariculous]

I didn't play for a few weeks now and it's quite unlikely I'll continue playing the current or join a new game for the next one or two months.

Feel free to restart, if anyone is interessted in a new game.

[jamespetts]

I didn't play for a few weeks now and it's quite unlikely I'll continue playing the current or join a new game for the next one or two months.

Feel free to restart, if anyone is interessted in a new game.

Thank you for confirming. I will hopefully be able to set up a new game in a week or two.

[jamespetts]

This game has now come to an end. The server is offline for setting up the new game, which should be available shortly.

In the meantime, here is the archive of the end point of this game, which had reached the in-game year of 2059.

I do hope that everyone who played it found it interesting - thank you all for contributing to the delight that is the Simutrans-Extended online game, and especially to those who reported bugs and implemented new features/fixes.