[kta]

Well, the NWN linux client and the dedicated server are two things when it comes to stability... You are generaly right about the slowdown of VM's but when you consider a dedicated linux nwn server will need no gui or any kind of the IMHO monsterous system resoures any windows (not counting NT :) requires it may be well worth the bargin. I see that since you are not very familiar with *nix OS's it would be a waste of your time to figure these things out, you better keep up the good work on the PW - so I make you a deal: when I find some time I'll put together a nice and smooth OS, no such install-from-a-disk linux but a custom compiled kernel (which is called Linux) and only the needed GNU system tools (which most people call Linux but confuse things...) also compiled to fit the VM's needs and make the NWN server run on it - fast as hell. I put all this into a VM image - which VM system are we talking about? - and all you need do is fetch it, load the module and run it... or something like this... when it works it works, if not I will have learned some things which I consider good.

KTA

[Balanor]

That would be very generous of you - thank you. :)

As far as VMs, I'm most familiar with Virtual PC and Virtual Server. If needed I could probably figure out VMWare, but I've never used it outside of just working in someone else's environment that was using it. If you have any other ideas of VM software though, I'd be open to...whatever.

[Balanor]

In an effort to try and fight lag a little bit, for the next module update I am removing the character save upon entering a new area. This wrote Hit Point and bleeding/death statistics to the database, saved the PC's location, and exported the character to the servervault. Even though this will no longer be occurring when a new area is entered, this information will still be saved every three minutes by the module itself.

While I think this will help with lag when transitioning areas, and possibly when entering the module, it will also come at a price. PC information may not be as current if the server crashes for one reason or another. HOWEVER, the server itself has been very stable and has not actually 'crashed' i quite some time, so I think the this may not be a big issue.

[Balanor]

I think we can close the case on what is/was causing 70-90% of the lag to-date -

Due to a scripting error in regard to saving and restoring map pins, they were being saved to a database file, rather than on the persistent item each PC has. Since I had never optimized the database calls in that script because I was intending to save map pins to the persistent item, the database itself has grown to a whooping 340 MB (it's amazing what you find out when you do a manual backup of files as opposed to automated backups). The next closest database to that size is for all the persistent storage in the module which is just a FRACTION of that number. So a call to that database, made every time an area is entered, was bringing the server to its knees at times - however I'm still not entirely sure why Serene was affected more than other characters.

I have deleted the database which I believe should virtually eliminate, or at least greatly reduce, lag on entering areas in particular. Unfortunately, this will mean that after the next module update, you'll need to replace any PC-specific map pins you may have placed up to this point.

[kta]

OHG! Serene had lots of map pins! Imagine: one pin for every transition in the sewers, pins for known homes, pins for special slaving grounds, pins, pins, pins...

KTA

[Jafin]

And that's why Serene was affected more than others :)

[kta]

Yes, I already got that, the question is: Is it now save to plant pins again, or will this make me the lagman again?

KTA

[Balanor]

You can start planting them again and they should no longer cause lag.

The map pin locations are now saved on the persistent item in your inventory which has much better read and write speed than the DB. And, if you remove one, it will actually shrink the amount of storage space it takes - unlike the default way the NWN database files work (which only ever increase in size - hence a 300+ MB database file).