The full version of FC Volume III is now released

[LukeFF]

https://il2sturmovik.com/news/835/update-5201-flying-circus-voliii-release-cg-4a-gli/
 

 

[Ghost666]

??

[No.23_Starling]

Thanks @LukeFF! Looking at the release notes do you know what’s changed with the DII FM? Also, has anything changed on the DXII nose up issue? I think the DII has been displaying the same behaviour.

Edited December 19, 2023 by US103_Rummell

[LukeFF]

9 minutes ago, US103_Rummell said:

Thanks @LukeFF! Looking at the release notes do you know what’s changed with the DII FM? Also, has anything changed on the DXII nose up issue? I think the DII has been displaying the same behaviour.

 

The updates to the Albatros were a late addition to the update, so I'm not sure what exactly was changed there. 

Nothing new to report on the D.XII. Sorry I couldn't bring better news about this one.  

[JGr2/J34b_Matthias]

I think we have a problem...

Every Western Front mission we run post update (even with resave and a reset of Terrain preset data to make sure we have the right height map/texture file/etc.) looks like this on DServer:

 

That's also not just on the actual "server" with zero people.  That's also running the missions on a local box too.  Server overload warnings constantly and unplayable lag warps.

 

Actively investigating this evening and will post as we try more things.

 

Update 2300 EST.
We've had several files posted for testing with various forms of partial mission modifications.  All we've been able to determine is that the cycle seems recursive.  So the mission starts (seemingly normal) and then within the first 2 minutes server load builds at verying rates from linear to exponential towards a continual overload - this is similar in many respects to sympoms of a memory leak that keeps consuming more and more resources.  There has been one singular exception to this pattern - a single Western Front mission from September of 2023 set in the Verdun sector which has recieved no updates or resaves since that time.

Edited December 20, 2023 by JgII/S27b_Matthias

[JGr2/J34b_Matthias]

@LukeFF I have an update for you guys on this situation and I believe I have located the generalized root cause (at least as far as I am capable of tracking it for you) of these issues.  There IS a problem with the update related to AI for aerial units (balloons and planes).

 

Here's another track of the DServer from our most recent test below.

 

In this example there are 2 sections.  The first section labeled "1" is the same map running from the post above - but with 6 Balloons removed (and the associated code controlling their winches and flare signaling and raising and lowering) and 6 AI planes in a dogfight zone still in the mission.   You'll see how the track has changed from what is shown in my post above with all AI assets running simultaneously.  The cascade is there and escalating but not just the absolutely bonkers CPU spikes from before.

 

The second section (labeled 2) is the result of the section with the 6 planes being removed entirely from the mission in addition to the 6 balloons.  Look at the massive difference and this cascading pattern of cpu use now suddenly stops entirely.  Here's another graph snapshot I just took after taking approx 15 minutes writing this post and taking care of other associated comms:

 

This confirms that the server is now completely stabilized like it was pre-update (minus the 12 AI and their code we removed.)

 

SUMMARY: 12 AI assets which were not an issue running with 25-30 or less players pre update now cause some sort of cascading something (memory hole or cpu logical loop?) that destabilizes the same server with 0 players.

 

We tried running this map with just the ballons removed and just the AI dogfighters removed.  Neither was sufficient by itself.  Both groups required removal for the solution to work.

 

Edited December 20, 2023 by JgII/S27b_Matthias
added image

[LukeFF]

Thanks, I'll let the team know. 

[JG4_Moltke1871]

Is the RE8 gunsight broken? It’s a German that doesn’t really work 

[LukeFF]

10 minutes ago, JG4_Moltke1871 said:

Is the RE8 gunsight broken? It’s a German that doesn’t really work 

 

Yes, it looks like it. I'll post a report about it.

[BMA_Hellbender]

A little disappointed that the problem with the Hanriot’s propeller not windmilling in the air after switching off the engine hasn’t been addressed. This was mentioned at release two patches ago.

[J99_Sizzlorr]

8 hours ago, LukeFF said:

Thanks, I'll let the team know. 

Can you tell them to have a look at ww1 tanks, either Central or Entente?

[JGr2/J34b_Matthias]

@LukeFF

Further narrow down for you.

- Sizzlorr found removing some tanks fixed it on one of his missions? 

I completed a much more surgical removal and was successful in again getting the mission to run right with the EXACT following removals detailed below:

 

- 6 active and 18 inactive AI planes in a dogfight area set at approx 1500m

- 6 balloons with 6 hooked up winches

- 8 infantry units and 4 MGs spawning in a new boulderfield/treestump area in the mud

FINAL UPDATE:
AND THE WINNER WAS.... The boulder and tree stump field.  Took out a whole server because 10 units just happened to spawn in it...  By the way you can't see those fields unless you scan for them in 3D view mode because they're a layer like forests.  *Sigh*

 

Alright mission builders if you're having issues... now you know where to look.

 

1C.. PLEASE fix..  If 10 units touching a forest don't crash my server neither should this.  Also the collision is so weird... it's above and around the individual stumps and rocks, blocking bullets from infantry firing through the field...

 

Edited December 20, 2023 by JgII/S27b_Matthias

[No.10_Ace_Ivo]

I can confirm this problem as well for the Knights of the Sky server, tick delay and SPS start to get spikes back and forth all of a sudden. We were flying for around an hour just fine tonight and then these spikes started acting up. A hotfix would be really appreciated.

[J99_Sizzlorr]

It looks like as soon as units spawn in the boulder field, the server starts to increase tick delay and SPS. As Matthias said, tanks first fixed it for me on one mission but not on the other. Turns out some AA MGs on the frontline are sitting in a boulder field and when they spawn, the server acts up...

Edited December 20, 2023 by J99_Sizzlorr

[WWBiker_]

On 12/20/2023 at 12:50 PM, J99_Sizzlorr said:

It looks like as soon as units spawn in the boulder field, the server starts to increase tick delay and SPS. As Matthias said, tanks first fixed it for me on one mission but not on the other. Turns out some AA MGs on the frontline are sitting in a boulder field and when they spawn, the server acts up...

confirmed the boulders are on some of the MG in our missions when guns were removed issue left, stupid rocks. Please hotfix this really don't want to edit 33 missions. 

Edited December 21, 2023 by WWBiker_

[Martin077]

Before this release we were told to finish our ww1 campaigns, so i did.

After the release i played a new career.

unfortunately all members of my flight use the number 3. in every sortie.

this was not the case before the update.

can you look after this please?

and can you make the tactical number/ used camo be saved in career? not only in mp?

[LukeFF]

What date and what squadron?

[Martin077]

jasta 2

21.01.1917.

 

But it was all the time from the beginning

[Hellshade_68]

Wonderful news.  I have all three FC volumes and I think it's all great.   Any news on if they plan to do a FC vol IV?  

[Trooper117]

They didn't mention it on the dev video, which was a look at all achieved in 2023, plus a look forward into 2024... 

[Avimimus]

On 1/1/2024 at 2:22 AM, Hellshade_68 said:

Wonderful news.  I have all three FC volumes and I think it's all great.   Any news on if they plan to do a FC vol IV?  

 

The roadmap published last winter (in 2023) showed the remaining land-based aircraft from Rise of Flight (with the exception of the Sikorsky S-16 and Ilya Muromets) being released as Collector Planes. This would seem to imply than a Flying Circus IV is not planned at this time. There are still enough interesting aircraft unmodelled that I'm sure it could be created, and we still lack a Channel Map, but it seems less likely.

 

So we have every indication that we will get more aircraft, but there doesn't seem to be any plans for a new map (or floatplanes/seaplanes) at this time.

[RNAS10_Mitchell]

Sure hope they see the light, and produce the channel map with float planes, a Nieuport 24, and some early war 2 seaters.

[kendo]

Will AQMB missions be added to the FC map? Was expecting them to come with the last update.

 

Currently my favourite way of playing the sim.

[Justicier]

On 1/7/2024 at 4:49 AM, Avimimus said:

 

The roadmap published last winter (in 2023) showed the remaining land-based aircraft from Rise of Flight (with the exception of the Sikorsky S-16 and Ilya Muromets) being released as Collector Planes. This would seem to imply than a Flying Circus IV is not planned at this time. There are still enough interesting aircraft unmodelled that I'm sure it could be created, and we still lack a Channel Map, but it seems less likely.

 

So we have every indication that we will get more aircraft, but there doesn't seem to be any plans for a new map (or floatplanes/seaplanes) at this time.

 

Still a bit perplexed why they decided on the aircraft set they did for FC vol.3. Most of the aircraft chosen make sense, aside from two issues. First... the two variations of the Nieuport 17 counting as two entirely different aircraft, and second... why have two different early recon planes for the Entente instead of one Entente and one Central? If the Noop 17's were both 'counted' as one aircraft in the set, as has been done in the past, then maybe the Sopwith Pup could have happened. In addition, no Roland C.IIa is very odd and disappointing. I'm interested to see just how much these WW1 collector planes will cost...

[RNAS10_Mitchell]

Still hoping a Nieuport 24 will offered as a collector. Instant buy.