Linux user, disconnecting from server within minutes of joining

[Legacy_PseudoNymX]

               So far I have had zero luck in solving these problems, but what the hey, I'll give this a shot...

Okay, so the issue is that while connected to a certain multiplayer server, I suffer erratic, spontaneous drops. That is to say, I lag out - the game world becomes unresponsive to interactive things (I can still move around, but I can't interact with anything. If I open my inventory, nothing shows up in it. Chatting doesn't work. Can't go between areas) for a short while, and then I am brought back to the main menu screen, with the message "Server response timed out. You have been disconnected." There is no kind of error log or other indication of anything going wrong. At best, these disconnects happen within 20 minutes of me playing on the server. At worst, they happen within a minute. It SEEMS like they happen sooner when I'm in heavily populated areas, or with other players, but I can't be sure if that's coincidence or just my perception.

The following things have been tried to fix the problem (and failed):

- Toying with graphics settings (turning off everything, all settings lowest, etc.)
- Downloading all the server haks and 3rd-party stuff again, checking to make sure they aren't corrupted
- Removing all other 3rd-party files
- Reinstalling the game from scratch
- Reinstalling video drivers
- Using my SDL libraries instead of the libraries shipped with the linux client
- Using the video drivers provided by nVidia for my card
- Using the video drivers provided by my distribution for my card
- Adding "export MALLOC_CHECK_=0" to the nwn launch script
- Closing all other applications while it runs
- Running nwn as root (stupid but I'm at my wit's end)

I have played with no issues whatsoever on this server before. I don't know what might have happened between then and now that would change it. This is the only server thus far that gives me these problems.

I use the linux client, latest version of NWN, with HoTU and SoU installed. The server uses a bunch of community and custom haks, including PRC. Nobody else seems to have this issue. Here's my uname -a:

Linux Thanatos 2.6.32-gentoo-r7 #12 SMP Sun Aug 15 18:02:59 EDT 2010 i686 Intel® Pentium® 4 CPU 3.00GHz GenuineIntel GNU/Linux

(Thanatos is my computer's hostname)

Obviously I use Gentoo. I installed the linux client via the usual way as outlined on BioWare's site. My window manager is XFCE.

I ran numerous traceroutes while playing on the server, including during crashes, and there is little to no packet loss between myself and the server. Even during crashes. I am connected via ethernet on my desktop computer. My router is a dlink WBR-1310. My ISP is MNSI, I'm connected via PPPoE. My connection mode is set to "Always On". "Gaming Mode" is selected in my router configuration. There are no firewalls or application rules of any sort that would interfere with NWN, be it on my router or my computer.

I've uploaded the output from "strace ./nwn", from initial launch to closing the application after one of these such crashes. You can find it here: http://paste.pocoo.org/show/252455/

I've also uploaded the output from "dmidecode", which should give you all the information you need about my hardware: http://paste.pocoo.org/show/252455/

 I am more than willing to perform more diagnostics on my machine if you think it will help.

I am going out of my freaking mind trying to get this problem solved. This problem has been off and on for the past year or so and I never seem to be able to figure out how to fix it. It seems to resurface after server updates (though not always), and I THOUGHT it seemed to go away after messing with my haks enough (thought it was due to inconsistencies between my haks and the server's) but I'm literally pulling them from the same SVN repository as everyone else, checking each and every file for consistency, and finding no problems with them whatsoever, so I'm thinking that's not it (at the very least, not this time).

Any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated. I'm about to blow my head off, I'm going so crazy trying to figure this out.

The server I'm playing on can be connected to via themoonsea.servegame.org

The forums for the server can be found at: http://deepingdale.proboards.com/

You can find information on how to download all the haks necessary to play there in this thread, if it will help (or hell, if you just feel like checking it out): http://deepingdale.p...lay&thread=6788

Thank you very, very much for any assistance. You're saving me from torment unimaginable just by offering help. It keeps me sane.
               
               

               

                     Modifié par PseudoNymX, 24 août 2010 - 03:15 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_PseudoNymX]

               Here is all my system information in the format recommended:

Game Version: Latest NWN, Platinum Edition (1.69.8109, SoU and HotU)
Game Language: English
Retail or Digital: Retail DVD
Processor Manufacturer: Intel
Processor Type: Pentium 4
Processor Speed: 3.00 GHz
Operating System / Service Pack: Gentoo Linux, kernel version: 2.6.32-gentoo-r7
System RAM: 3 GB
Video Card Manufacturer: nVidia
Video Card Model: GeForce 6800 Ultra
Video Card RAM: 512 MB
Video Card Driver Version: 195.36.31, as provided in the Gentoo repositories under the package "x11-drivers/nvidia-drivers". I have also used version 256.44 as provided by nVidia for my card, from their site (http://www.nvidia.co....44-driver.html) with no change.
Sound Card Manufacturer: Creative Labs
Sound Card Model: SB XFi
Sound Card Driver Version: (Not sure, I don't know if I even use the thing. No problems with sound, though.)
CD/ROM Type: DVD-ROM
 
               
               

               

                     Modifié par PseudoNymX, 20 août 2010 - 03:55 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_PseudoNymX]

               Even if you don't think you can be of much help, mere speculation would be a breath of fresh air. I'm addicted to this game like freakin' crack, and these issues absolutely render playing on the server I know and love an impossibility. Words of encouragement alone would be fine. I'm losing my mind, here.



Thank you very much.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_HipMaestro]

               

PseudoNymX wrote...

Even if you don't think you can be of much help, mere speculation would be a breath of fresh air. I'm addicted to this game like freakin' crack, and these issues absolutely render playing on the server I know and love an impossibility. Words of encouragement alone would be fine. I'm losing my mind, here.

Thank you very much.

Be patient.  Take deep breaths. Sadly, the full contingent of veterans from the legacy forum hasn't made it over yet. Hence,  response time will be significantly longer in this venue, generally speaking.  Combine that with the fact that Linux users are in the severe minority and your persistence will surely be tested.  There are a few Linux users around, but they have somewhat unpredictable schedules so just keep your fingers crossed that one will pop in

I would suggest inserting the keyword "Linux" into your topic title to help alert those scanning the list (yes, believe it or not, on THESE boards you can even edit the topic title).  The more specific the title, the faster it seems to get addressed.

Incidentally, have you perused the Linux-only forum over on the legacy boards for possible solutions?

Anyway, best of luck resolving your issues. I can sympathize with the experience of "having the plug pulled".

Hip
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_PseudoNymX]

               Thank you very much. I'll edit the topic to be more linux-specific.I did use the old linux forums a while back for this exact issue, but it seemed to be resolved (it has been off and on, now it seems decidedly on), so I left it. I appreciate the response. Looks like I have terrible timing when it comes to asking for help, new forums and all. x_x
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_PseudoNymX]

               UPDATE: Gentoo released a major update to the nvidia drivers.



Unfortunately this update doesn't seem to affect my crashing at all. Still having the issues.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Skildron]

               Well, this is odd. As you already tested and ruled out networking issues, and as nobody else on this server has the same issues than you do, I am at a loss, too. I never played much online, anyway, I prefer single user playing and leave multi user to pen and paper. Did you check your nwnplayer.ini and nwn.ini for suspicious entries? That's all I can think of ATM.

Hope you can solve it soon.
Greetings
Skildron
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_PseudoNymX]

               I did, and furthermore I got rid of everything in my nwn directory and reinstalled multiple times.



I hope this can be solved, too. Thanks for the response.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_PseudoNymX]

               Update: I recently ran a checksum on all the NWN installation files and replaced any that did not match. I now can confirm that every file is as it should be.



No change whatsoever.



Even bad suggestions are welcome, at this point.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_kalbaern]

               

PseudoNymX wrote...

Update: I recently ran a checksum on all the NWN installation files and replaced any that did not match. I now can confirm that every file is as it should be.

No change whatsoever.

Even bad suggestions are welcome, at this point.

Check the actual haks in your HAK folder. Do any of them that are required for this PW use capital letters? If so, I think that might be your issue. It would also explain why it happens only on this particular PW.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_PseudoNymX]

               Thank you for the reply.



That was suggested as a possibility on the forums of this PW and so all the haks were switched to lower-case. I think some of them might contain special characters still (like ~) but I'm not sure.



Could you elaborate as to how this might cause the problem?
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Lord Sullivan]

               Have you tested online play in other NWN servers that are more or less populated the same as that particular one?

Have you entered the a nwn port entry in your Linux firewall? and/or your external (Router) firewall?
see--> nwn.bioware.com/support/techfaq.html#03
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_PseudoNymX]

               The server population varies widely and the problem persists whether it is at top capacity (roughly 25 people) or at nobody but me. I have tried other servers and I do not encounter the issue.



I don't use a firewall on my computer or my router



Thank you for the help.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Lord Sullivan]

               

PseudoNymX wrote...

The server population varies widely and the problem persists whether it is at top capacity (roughly 25 people) or at nobody but me. I have tried other servers and I do not encounter the issue.

I don't use a firewall on my computer or my router

Thank you for the help.

Then with my savy computer knowledge and my own logic, the problem is at the server's end. You can not, not have
a problem elsewhere and have a problem at one place thinking the problem is on your side of things... it just doesn't add up.

The issue on the server side could be the use of badly made or badly set custom content of which you end up
using on your end in order to login and play on the server's module.

I can't see any other issue aside the small possibility that your internet provider's route to that server's zone in the world is terribly screwed, though it's highly unlikely.
               
               

               

                     Modifié par Lord Sullivan, 06 octobre 2010 - 10:11 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_PseudoNymX]

               Alright. Thanks for the help.