30 PPS mod

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Tebo
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30 PPS mod

Post by Tebo »

Some might have noticed VEX-Server running mods with names ending in 30.
These mods force D3 to run at 30 packets per second, instead of the usual maximum of 12.
Provided ping is relatively constant and the connections isn't at its bandwith limit, this gives notably smoother gameplay (and a much more accurate vauss).

The mods are available here.
Thanks to D.Cent there now is a linux version (except instareap, which isn't linux compatible).

I'm not sure how stable the mods run in games with many players, a few times there was an unusual number of disconnects.

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Krom
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Post by Krom »

Ok that is pretty cool if it works (a 60 PPS mod for LAN/1v1 games could be a big hit too I bet).
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Do_Checkor
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Post by Do_Checkor »

Vortex does now support auto downloading of these MODs, too.

Further infos about this: http://www.descentforum.de/forum/viewto ... 8030#58030
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AlphaDoG
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Post by AlphaDoG »

Cool!
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d3jake
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Post by d3jake »

Wow! That's awesome!

I wonder how it works... Does the mod force the sending of additional position packets?
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Post by D.Cent »

Yes, it does. Basically, it sets the wanted PPS and then loads the original mod-DLL/-SO :)
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Neo
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Post by Neo »

Does this mean observer mode won't be choppy anymore? :P
Tebo
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Post by Tebo »

Way less choppy, but still not perfect.

The number 30 is a compromise, because without the sources for all the mods, there is no good way to allow the server to change the pps.
So a mod with 60 pps would definetly be possible.
There might be more problems, when the pps get in the range of the framerate of a player.

In games with many players, there sometimes are a lot of disconnects and in the entropy last tuesday everything got choppy (I think the server ran out of upstream bandwith).
Maybe there will be less disconnects, when/if the mod works with AC, which could be soon.

Anyway, imho it's a clear improvement in small games.
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Post by Burlyman »

I could never test if this worked because I could never find people who wanted to play there.
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Re: 30 PPS mod

Post by Do_Checkor »

Once more: You can download the MODs if you are in Vortex: right click a server with a 30 mod (Anarchy30, CTF30, and so on) and select "download mod". This will install the whole set of related mods.

Also: the Guidebot in the irc.descentforum.net #descent channel will link to the mod homepage if you simply type stuff like "?? Anarchy30" or let's say "?? Hoard30"...
Hippox79
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Re: 30 PPS mod

Post by Hippox79 »

Very cool mod.

I'd like to see a 60 FPS version released, too, for LAN. It's easy to have two installations of the game. One with the 30 FPS mod, and the other with 60 FPS mod for LAN play. :)
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Re: 30 PPS mod

Post by Behemoth »

Sorry for the necropost guys, but I wanted to put my buck behind this mod. I've used it on both LAN and online with several players and the difference is extraordinary. 30 pps mod games like Anarchy30, Entropy30 and so forth are a testament to how skilled our community is and worth downloading and playing on if any of you get the chance.
Also, I wish we could get the source code. I remember the guys, (Overload creators, aka Descent developers) saying they would either work on fixing the issues in D3, or release the code finally (one or the other or both). but maybe someone forgot along the way? I think we should ask them if that would be a possibility because I'd love to see D3 with less bugs and more mods, maybe even graphical upgrades. again sorry for the long necropost, just felt like sharing my two cents.
-B
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Re: 30 PPS mod

Post by Krom »

I believe one of the snags on releasing the D3 source is that almost every entity involved in its ownership has been dead for close to a decade now and just tracking down who currently holds the rights is a major challenge. The people who actually wrote the majority of the code are fully on board with open sourcing it, but sadly they can't make the call alone. Multiple parties are involved and many of them are corporate vultures who are picking at the bones and won't give up even the smallest scrap without extracting a ridiculous sum of money in exchange.

Also holy ★■◆●, how have you been man? It's been ages! Good to see you haven't forgotten this mostly dead internet forum. :P
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Do_Checkor
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Re: 30 PPS mod

Post by Do_Checkor »

It might be uncommon for a mod / admin of any forum to not mourn about necro but I don't care. Please just not let us start a thread about the source code in this thread.

Behe: I'm happy you like it! So am I! Good you, as one of the most relevant players left, left your two cents about it here! I totally agree (even though I found some lacks in games with MANY players)!

However: I am completely with you, guys!
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Re: 30 PPS mod

Post by Behemoth »

Krom wrote: Sat Feb 08, 2020 4:49 pm I believe one of the snags on releasing the D3 source is that almost every entity involved in its ownership has been dead for close to a decade now and just tracking down who currently holds the rights is a major challenge. The people who actually wrote the majority of the code are fully on board with open sourcing it, but sadly they can't make the call alone. Multiple parties are involved and many of them are corporate vultures who are picking at the bones and won't give up even the smallest scrap without extracting a ridiculous sum of money in exchange.

Also holy ★■◆●, how have you been man? It's been ages! Good to see you haven't forgotten this mostly dead internet forum. :P
I've been really busy lately bro, but I'm glad to see some of you guys are still around! I'd like to get back into it but if I do it'll take me forever to get my setup going but I'd like to
Its a shame we have to jump through hoops to try and see if they'd be able to give us the source because if we did, we could revitalize d3 as well, which along with retro and overload would be awesome. Hopefully somewhere down the road we can get it done.

AND checkor, of course! As soon as I realized what the mod was for I started using it almost exclusively for 1on1s and small anarchist or an archives with anyone who had a good enough connection me, baha, birds, zero etc. Apparently I'm missing out on the overload fun lately though so I should be more worried about that than I probably am, I'm just glad there's still people who play d1 2 3 and OL
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