Users can only join my server when it has no caves

Hey @Solmyr81, another player seems to have experienced the same thing you did in this Bug Report but they haven't reported back yet. So I'll be suggesting the same thing for you. Snippet below:

I'd like to confirm a few things first. Are you starting the server in-client or through other means (steamcmd OR steam tools)? Are you running mods with your server? If yes, what are they. Sometimes mods crashes a server, and since the caves couldn't work then it could mean one of the mods is causing the cave portion to crash and thus can not generate but the game would work if the caves are disabled.

Can you attach the server_log.txt files to your next reply?

If you're running an in-client server, the Server Slot # you are using would comply with the Cluster_# folder in Documents\Klei\DoNotStarveTogether. So if you were attempting to generate the world on the 3rd Server Slot in the Host Game Screen, the server_log.txt files you should attach would be in Documents\Klei\DoNotStarveTogether\Cluster_3\Master AND Documents\Klei\DoNotStarveTogether\Cluster_3\Caves. The server_log.txt in the Caves folder would be really important cause the issue doesn't happen if the caves aren't enabled for the server.

If you're running it through other means (steamcmd OR steam tools), then you should find the server_log.txt in which ever folder you made as your dedicated server folder in Documents\Klei\DoNotStarveTogether\.

Hi @Zillvr, thanks for your reply. To answer your questions:

1. I am starting the server in DST by going to "Host Game" and launching a New Server. This is the method that always worked in the past.

2. I did try creating a fresh world with no mods and with caves, but still experienced this issue. However, typically I like to play with three server mods (Global Positions, Ice Fling Range Check, Wormhole Marks) and four client mods (Combined Status, Complete Your Map, Geometric Placement, Minimap HUD). 

It's not that the caves crash. The world operates fine and I can enter the caves. The issue is that no other user can join the server when caves exist.

3. I attached two server logs from my only remaining server (Cluster_4) that I know people cannot join. I renamed them so you can tell which is which. Admittedly this server was generated 1-2 months ago. However some friends and I put almost 100 days in, so we'd love to get back and continue.

Thanks for your thoughtful reply, and I look forward to learning more. Basically if it's my computer's fault that I can't have anyone join, then I can understand that. My question then is: Why did it work during Early Access?

Otherwise I'll be happy to take any action you recommend to make my servers joinable. Thank you very much Zillvr.

server_log - Caves.txt

server_log - Master.txt

Edited May 9, 2016 by Solmyr81

@Solmyr81 thanks for the fast reply. Based on the logs, it didn't seem any attempt of other players to join the server was made and only you were listed as the only client that attempted to join the server. Did you have your friends attempt to join the server, before you took the server_log.txts from the folders? I haven't run a server that had people join it since I usually play on other people's servers so I don't remember how the game logs a different player's attempts to join my server.

Have you attempted the option of using Steam's Invite To Game feature yet?

To do so, with the server online and with you already in-game on the server (try this with the server that give players "server not responding) you open the Steam Overlay and View All Friends then right click your friends and select Invite To Game. This would let them join directly to your server without having to go through the server list at all. Might or might not work. Worth a try.

Lastly, with your friends attempting to join the server but getting "server not responding", can you get at least one of them to make the game say that again. Then ask for the client_log.txt in Documents\Klei\DoNotStarveTogether and attach it to this thread, cause that would show what's happening with the game client wise when they get the "server not responding".

@Zillvr Thanks. I have already tried the Invite To Game feature you recommended. I asked people to try every conceivable way of joining a game, whether it's my inviting, them joining my game, or them joining the server via Browse Servers. Some users I had try 7 or 8 times because we wanted to play so badly.

I don't know when I'll be able to produce someone else's client_log.txt for when they try to join my server. I'll have to work on that and get back to you.

@Solmyr81 Have you guys tried to use the console to connect to the server yet? Your friends would have to enter the following command while the server is up and running with you being able to access it:

c_connect("IP address", port, "password")

To find your server's IP, try the dstservers.jacklul. Worth a try, just so we can rule it out.

@Zillvr  You gave me a lot of good ideas! I appreciate your time and effort helping me out. Here's my progress update:

1. I was able to have a multiplayer friend provide me a client_log.txt file. It contains data from when I invited the person twice to my server (with caves), and they got the "not responding" message. This user also tried to "Join Game" but got the same error. This user's log is attached (client_log_Sumwan.txt). 

client_log_Sumwan.txt

2. A game update came out right after I did #1. So I tried again and followed your advice to use a command. This produced a different error, which might be relevant. I used https://dstservers.jacklul.com/findmyserver to look up my IP. Attached are two screenshots from that site (showing my server details), and a second client log (client_log_Sumwan2.txt) from when my friend tried to join again. When that user tried to join, a different error message was displayed.

Here is the command I gave my friend to try based on your suggestion (I left out password because server had no password):   c_connect("50.151.25.166", 10999)
Here is the new error message seen on her side:   "The server is not responding. If only yelling louder would help..."

Additionally, the jacklul site says that this is a Dedicated Server, but in reality it's not. I'm just hosting a server through the vanilla game UI on my laptop.

What do you think of all this? Any advice on what I can try next? As I said I used to be able to host cave servers before the full release. I just haven't been able to get anyone to join a caves server since April when Early Access ended. Thank you for any further guidance you can offer.

 

client_log_Sumwan2.txt

Edited May 13, 2016 by Solmyr81

@Solmyr81 in the log you attached there was only one instance of:

[00:15:01]: Received ID_DST_SHARD_SILENT_DISCONNECT

The only things I can think of right now are as follows: I'd like for you to try and disable your firewall before you invite your friends to the server. And have you also attempted to use other port numbers in the server.ini's of the master and caves?

Try those two things separately first. Otherwise I'm completely stumped on this one at the moment. I'll post again if I find something new.

@Zillvr Interesting. My master server.ini is Port 10999, which is what we tried. Caves server.ini shows Port 10998.

Does this syntax look right?     c_connect("50.151.25.166", 10999)

And should I have my friend try entering that twice, with one as 10999 and one as 10998? Or is there something else to try?

@Zillvr Update:

Here is the master server.ini:
Solmyr: [NETWORK]
server_port = 10999

[SHARD]
is_master = true

Now ... here is the caves server.ini:
Solmyr: [NETWORK]
server_port = 10998

[SHARD]
is_master = false
name = Caves
id = 1642117980

[STEAM]
master_server_port = 27017
authentication_port = 8767

---

I wonder if we should be trying 27017?

@Solmyr81 I'm not entirely sure why it says dedicated server for you while there are other servers on that site that aren't dedicated server (which means it's run from the in-client host screen), I'll have to get back to you on that one.

With regards to the syntax, since the Master's server.ini is 10999 then it's correct. 

Lemme try and join your server. Is it up right now?

@Zillvr Yes it's up now. My DST username is Solmyr. My profile photo is a burning phoenix.

@Zillvr Also I just tried using Windows Firewall to create new inbound rules to open ports 10999 and 10998 (choosing UDP, and not TCP). I then closed DST and restarted the program. My friend was still not able to join after that.

@Zillvr Please friend-request me on Steam so we can just chat there while you're trying to join. Thanks. Again my username is Solmyr and my picture is a yellow flaming phoenix.

Edited May 13, 2016 by Solmyr81

In case anyone's lurking in this bug report, Here's the client_log.txt of the friend that wasn't able to join before. 

Fortunately the latest DST update seems to have fixed any issue they had. The friend that wasn't able to join before but is now able to. Solmyr will update the thread later on when they fully test things out since the friend is currently busy at the moment.

Hopefully everything goes well, cheers.

OK we've stumbled upon a partial solution!

HUGE thanks to @Zillvr and Sumwan for working with me over the course of three hours, and trying out different tests, configurations and scenarios. Thank you very much!

Here's the solution scenario that we found:

1) Sumwan could not join my Caves world at all (via Join Game, Invite, or "Browse Servers" list)

2) Zillvr could only join by finding my world in the server list. He could not join when I invited him, or if he clicked on me to Join Game.

3) With Zillvr successfully in the world via browsing server list, Zillvr invited Sumwan. That worked! Sumwan was able to join my world only by using that method. 

4) Sumwan then exited the world, then loaded the Browse Servers listing, and found my world listed! It was not appearing there before Sumwan joined my world.

 

Possible other bug?

And then -- the shocking twist! Stay with me here ... During all this testing, I invited a Steam friend of mine, EpicFace, to join my world. He said he got a "server not responding" error message when tried to accept my invitation. 

Then, approximately 30 minutes pass. I'm testing things and chatting with Zillvr and Sumwan. I'm in the world at the moment only with Zillvr.

Suddenly, EpicFace joins the world out of nowhere. He is just as shocked as us, because he didn't take any action to join this world. In fact, he said he was in another world, working on something at his base. Suddenly the screen changed to a loading screen, as if a rollback was occurring. Then he saw a "Connecting" message, and was then in my world. This was about a half-hour after he accepted my invite and was given a "server not responding" message. That's messed up!

 

In conclusion:

If you are hosting a DST server with Caves, and your friends can't join due to a "server not responding" error message, then you can try these steps:

1) Launch your world, then ask another user ("User X") to find your world in the "Browse Servers" section, and join via that interface specifically. You might need multiple users to try this before you'll find one that can actually join.

2) Once User X has successfully joined your world, then ask User X to invite the other friends you want to join. Once those other friends join, they should be able to see the world in their "Browse Servers" section (even if it wasn't appearing there before).

 

Possible other bug? Part 2

After all this happened, I tried to replicate our positive scenario. I launched the world and asked Sumwan to join again. Sumwan did not see my world under the "Friends Playing" filter" ... but DID see it under the "Previously Visited" filter, and was able to join. This is odd behavior.

Overall Klei released TWO game updates today, which is really out of the ordinary (I think) and might be exacerbating all my issues. We'll see what happens when the dust settles after a few days. 

Assume everything is fixed if I don't post any more. But if I continue to have issues, I'll post again in this thread.

Edited May 14, 2016 by Solmyr81