+ Distributed Solar / Server System Management - The C.U.R.E

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+ Distributed Solar / Server System Management - The C.U.R.E

Post by MineCrak » Tue Jan 08, 2013 9:46 pm

This is a post/thread I made in the original Forum. I want what I said back in the early days to remain available as a reference in this new Forum. I have not modified this post in any way from it's original content, this does not mean that I necessarily believe that every part of this (or any part) still applies to what will come with this project, but I believe that it may still be of some value. Thank you.
Subject: + Distributed Solar / Server System Management - The C.U.R.E. +
Tue Oct 16, 2012 7:49 am


Perhaps a ( C.ore U.niversal R.egistry E.nforcer ) would be the CURE for managing Allowed MMO Assets. ^-^

It would be an aspect of Unimatrix 0, er, the Core MMO Server which would in some way manage the consistency of and verify permission status of solar systems which connect to the Core Universe.

Since it looks like the infrastructure will be Core server dependent as well as dependent on / allowing externally hosted solar systems to connect with and be a part of the MMO universe; I think the following processes may be necessary:


1. Any system (Server Solar-system) that wishes to become a part of the shared MMO Universe will need to undergo a Registration process. The entire Solar system and it's assets will need to conform to the then present allowed Standards and pass an Inspection (A copy of the entire system 'start-state' being delivered to an approved designee of the C.U.R.E. for secure scanning.)

Once a system is deemed acceptable for entrance into the 'Universe' a process will occur by which the location of that system within the Universe is decided. This will need to be done with care as the position of that system will become permanent regardless of it's future FTL accessibility (See point # 3).

In the initial 'Scan' of a new system some sort of hash or means of resource and asset measurement and recording must be done. After that, at the very least, some sort of consistency check must be performed every time a system attempts to connect again. It doesn't really matter how long the check takes, the system will not be a part of the universe until it passes a complete return check.

A system can only return to the universe in the exact same state in which it left the universe, regardless of how much time has passed. This will be chalked up to the nature of the 'WARP' (See point # 3). This is the only consistently 'Fair' mechanism that can be easily used by the MMO and the CURE. If possible, a 'Margin-of-Error' can be built in to allow for connection-data-loss, but huge buffs of fleets or planetary resources should be instantly noticeable in the check.


2. Any system connecting to the MMO would have to be designated as and vetted as an MMO-Only system by the C.U.R.E. and could not continue on as a Single-Player system and then return as MMO again later. The system owner could of course play an SSP version of a copy of their solar-system if they want, they just wouldn't be able to connect that version of it to the shared MMO.


3. An in-game explanation of and way of dealing with the fact that external systems can drop off-line from time-to-time or permanently:

- A Warhammer 40k type explanation (Periodic WARP-Space (Hyperspace) chaotic (unpredictable) storms and disturbances which make FTL travel between certain systems temporarily impossible by any means, sometimes permanently).

This is a solid mechanic for retaining believable in-game consistency which not only seamlessly deals with the real-world problem of server unpredictability but also becomes a fundamental strategic aspect of the game itself. People will then need to always account for the fact that access to or transport of assets in or from any particular system (solar system) may be cut off or lost at any time due to the turbulent nature of FTL travel.

It may seem harsh but people would just have to accept that any of their resources in "off-line" systems are just unavailable until those systems are "on-line" again. The game as a whole goes on in "real-time" regardless as it must.

** However; an Emergency game-mechanism can be invoked when a system has been Offline for a determined amount of time where-by all C.U.R.E. recorded relocatable assets in that system belonging to a player can be 'sent' from that system to the (at that time) nearest online system at sub-light speeds.

It will take a long while in game time for these assets to return to the FTL grid, but at least it will be possible to regain these assets again after a server permanently goes offline. This will only be possible because of the C.U.R.E. and its record of all assets. - This can be an automatic server action after a certain length of time or a wholly player initiated one, this will need to be decided.

++ Players should always retain the ability to self-initiate an Emergency Fleet Recall while the system is still in FTL-Block status (Offline). Once initiated though it cannot be reversed. They will have to wait for their fleets to arrive at the nearest FTL accessible system at sub-light speeds (whatever those speeds are decided to be).



Hopefully these few and rough guidelines show how it can be possible for a multi-server MMO Universe/Galaxy of the sort described for this Mod / Total-Conversion may be possible.



4. Solar/Server System Acceptance: [System Hosts/Lords]

Hosting an entire Solar/Server System in the main Futurecraft MMO Universe and having it be given a permanent set of coordinates should be considered a serious enough of a matter that only people who have shown themselves to be reliable and providing a reasonably stable server (performance, connection and up-time) should be considered as candidates for System Hosting.

Perhaps there could be a "Test-Universe" where applicants will be required to host a copy of their system map (Or a pre-made Test-Map, probably better so that people can't pre-scout a world before it goes live) for a period of time first to allow performance and up-time statistics to be gathered. Once approved the original system map as provided during Registration will be the one added to the Main universe, not the version used in the Test universe.


For the sake of long-term continuity; each 'System-Lord' (System Host) should consent to allowing their solar system to be hosted by someone else in the event that they will become unable to continue suitably hosting it themselves, or if they are found guilty of Gross-misconduct of some kind. They should be willing to provide the final (before Off-line) system-map to the C.U.R.E. Administrators for system reallocation. A Maximum Time-Offline for initiation of this process should be decided on. Ideally a System Host will initiate this as soon as they are aware that they will not be bringing the system back online themselves.

In the event that C.U.R.E. Administration is not able to obtain the final (before Off-Line) system map, an option should exist by which a roll-back, or partial roll-back of that system could occur so that the galaxy doesn't become permanently filled with Warp-storm FLT blocked systems everywhere.

- This would be accomplished by bringing the system back online with an available host using the initial system-map given to C.U.R.E. Administration during it's Registration process (See point # 1). This system will be considered/labeled in-game as having suffered a "Warp Distortion", causing a permanent hyperspace time distortion bubble around the system where-by anyone entering it from the present will be effectively going into that local spaces past, and returning to the present time when leaving that bubble (Or something like that, "Time distortion" is enough of an explanation really).

- The "partial" version of the roll-back option could be for a "Minor Warp Distortion" in which data from the initial Registration system map is merged with current C.U.R.E. Resource and Asset data (Including Ship and Fleet info). This might not perfectly restore the systems final state block for block but it would be far better than losing everything. * Having this option would also help take the teeth out of a system host "destroying" his own system for overall strategic game advantage (by destroying certain fleets etc) or pay-off or just Rage-Quit.

* If the full roll-back "Warp Distortion" is used then players should be given a fair warning in advance of the systems status change from just being in an FTL-Blocked Warp Storm (offline) to undergoing a full on Warp-Distortion (roll-back). This will allow them to initiate an Emergency Fleet Recall (See point # 3). Or this process could be automatically initiated by the Core server for all relocatable fleets recorded by C.U.R.E. as being in that system. - If the 'Minor Warp Distortion' is chosen instead then all resources can be left in that system as they will be available for FTL again as soon as the system is brought back online.

++ Players should still always retain the ability to self-initiate an Emergency Fleet Recall while the system is still in FTL-Block status (Offline). Once initiated though it cannot be reversed. They will have to wait for their fleets to arrive at the nearest FTL accessible system at sub-light speeds (whatever those speeds are decided to be).


Hopefully these methods, protocols and options will make it possible to maintain as stable a distributed MMO universe as is possible and maintain the greatest in-game continuity as is possible.

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Re: + Distributed Solar / Server System Management - The C.U

Post by cats » Tue Jan 08, 2013 11:02 pm

We're gonna need more FC moderators.
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Re: + Distributed Solar / Server System Management - The C.U

Post by MineCrak » Wed Jan 09, 2013 12:01 am

catsonmeth wrote:We're gonna need more FC moderators.
There will have to be a management system. We haven't even come close yet to having to deal with the issues that will arise once this system begins to come online. My musings above attempt to outline some of the meta issues that will need to be dealt with in order to make it all work smoothly and believably.

Hopefully some of it will be helpful once the time comes.

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Re: + Distributed Solar / Server System Management - The C.U

Post by Dr. Mackeroth » Wed Jan 09, 2013 5:22 am

I don't remember what I said last-time you posted this, but this is what I'm saying now:

I only did a brief read-through, and there is only one problem as I see it. That is that of the emergency recall. It isn't possible to travel between systems sublight. Around each system will be a large area of space several days travel at sublight speeds, and that will be the boundary. Essentially, there's no way to directly hit the edge of space unless you are trying to (like reaching the edge of the map in MInecraft) This just makes things easier on the server (I think).

Also, Minecrak, It's good to see you again!
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Re: + Distributed Solar / Server System Management - The C.U

Post by MineCrak » Wed Jan 09, 2013 1:36 pm

Thanks Doc!

The Emergency recall issue:

Yes, it would take a lot of time for the ships to make it to another system at sub-light. The important thing to understand though is that the entire emergency recall would be just an administrative issue, the fleets doing it would not actually be "playable" during that time. It would just be the server saying that such and such assets have left system 1 and will arrive at system 2 at such and such a time.

The owners of those assets would not actually be able to see those assets or their environment during that time, so there wouldn't be any "actual" observable travel or simulated travel of those assets in reality, so there would not have to be any kind of 3D simulated space between the systems at all. Just a simple piece of code that sends a message about the fleets transit status then makes it all available for real at the appropriate time and in the appropriate system. That would be about the easiest part of the entire package to code, I could do it in 8bit BASIC if needed. ;)

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Re: + Distributed Solar / Server System Management - The C.U

Post by Dr. Mackeroth » Thu Jan 10, 2013 4:45 am

Okay, that's comforting to know. However, I think it might just be easier to teleport the fleet back to the nearest friendly server if the server its on goes offline.
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Re: + Distributed Solar / Server System Management - The C.U

Post by Dux_Tell31 » Thu Jan 17, 2013 11:10 am

Would the recovered assist be protected from piracy once they arrived in the closest system?
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Re: + Distributed Solar / Server System Management - The C.U

Post by fr0stbyte124 » Thu Jan 17, 2013 1:16 pm

What's the fun in that?

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Re: + Distributed Solar / Server System Management - The C.U

Post by Professor Fenway » Sat Jan 19, 2013 6:54 pm

I'm supposing that the server would be notified of the incoming assets, but the server owners not known. Once it arrives, precise coordinates are given to the player who initiated the recall. They will find the ships there, completely disabled. This means that it is literally undetectable to radar, and it would be on the edge of the system. Meaning, only random chance would allow Pirates to find it.

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Re: + Distributed Solar / Server System Management - The C.U

Post by Tunnelthunder » Sat Jan 19, 2013 7:05 pm

Professor Fenway wrote:I'm supposing that the server would be notified of the incoming assets, but the server owners not known. Once it arrives, precise coordinates are given to the player who initiated the recall. They will find the ships there, completely disabled. This means that it is literally undetectable to radar, and it would be on the edge of the system. Meaning, only random chance would allow Pirates to find it.
Well, now I want scouts in every system.... Yeah, the cost of that is way to high to be practical. Only way to track that is watch server listings and hope for the best.

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