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        Arimaa >> Site Discussion >> Bot timeout problem
        
(Message started by: tremor on Feb 8^th, 2007, 5:33am)

Title: Bot timeout problem
Post by tremor on Feb 8^th, 2007, 5:33am

http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/8386/arimaays5.jpg

While I'm writing this post client timer still counts. Game I was playing disappeared from 'My Games'. It was counted as bot win by timeout while client displays that my last move has been sent to server.
I had no problem with connection or delays in this game so far:

--- r3h770484.gs1.arimaa.com ping statistics ---
20 packets transmitted, 20 received, 0% packet loss, time 19005ms
rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 140.487/155.850/195.831/16.522 ms

So this is almost 100% not network connection problem.

My guesses:
1. gnobot2005fast has bug - not always follows time rules and game controller has a bug too - counts that situation as human timeout (it would be really strange though).
2. flash client problem. I don't know what could it be - as you can see at screenshot, that my move was counted and bot turn has begun. This is done probably by some handshake with game controller so it knew that I've done my move already. Maybe some protocol constraints? Client waited for bot movement but timeout was encountered game server expected something from it?

Title: Re: Bot timeout problem
Post by chessandgo on Feb 8^th, 2007, 9:54am

This is unfortunately not uncommon, Tremor. It has nothing to do with the bot, but somehow you got disconnected from the game while your interface thinks you are still in ... We all have been frustrated a few times with such problems, but well, I hope it won't decrease your pleasure to play arimaa ;)

Title: Re: Bot timeout problem
Post by PMertens on Feb 8^th, 2007, 1:59pm

ah well ... the interface ...

It is usually a good idea to reload the game window when your opponent takes longer than usual ...
I would be more than willing to offer my prizemoney for a stable and reliable game-client.

Title: Re: Bot timeout problem
Post by Fritzlein on Feb 8^th, 2007, 2:13pm

on 02/08/07 at 05:33:11, tremor wrote:

My guesses:
2. flash client problem. I don't know what could it be

Yes, it isn't Gnobot, and it is almost surely the client, although I have no more specific insight. Thanks for having the patience to ask what is going on. I fear many people quit Arimaa silently when they encounter frustrating interface problems, so we don't even know for sure the extent of the problems.

Title: Re: Bot timeout problem
Post by 99of9 on Feb 8^th, 2007, 3:01pm

I am fairly convinced that this problem occurs in the following situation:

A brief internet disconnection between the player and the server sometime early on in the bot's thinking time.

The client fails to reconnect when network is restored.

you can reproduce the problem by pulling the cable out of the back of your computer for 10 sec during an opponent's move.

Title: Re: Bot timeout problem
Post by tremor on Feb 8^th, 2007, 8:06pm

My point is not to moan. For me issuing bug reports is the most straightforward thing under the sun.
And I like flash client. Movements arrows is a very good idea - they're really comfortable. It needs only 'lost connection detection and reconnection' feature. This could be realized by extending protocol by 'I'm alive' control signals or by additional control connection. Probably sending even meaningless data every 30s would prevent disconnection which happens when bot thinks longer than 2 mins or so. Physical disconnections are rare these days in my opinion.

BTW. I'd like to have volume control in flash client ;).