Dedicated Server issues are being ignored

[Otoha03]

I'm not expecting a response to this thread from any devs since they've ignored all of the other similar posts. But maybe if i use the 'R' word *cough* refund *cough* I'll get their attention.

I have been trying to host a dedicated crossplay server from my PC with Xbox play anywhere, as they so thoroughly advertised i could. Except i actually can't. As soon as the server goes up it will be joinable for anywhere from 1 minute to 1 hour, but then it becomes unjoinable. I have quite a few players wanting to enjoy this server, But we simply can't because whenever someone wants to get on we have to empty the entire server and reset it just so they can.

I have done EVERYTHING i can to fix this issue, including purchasing a copy specifically for the account hosting the server so it's not sharing a license with my main account. I've went over and over my PC settings, and nothing is wrong there the firewall isn't an issue and i maintain an OPEN NAT. My internet connection and associated devices are all high speed and i get every megabyte i pay for. In all my research it is definitely a common issue, one that has been around almost as long as the game itself with no action by developers. But they want us to believe they aren't pushing people to pay server rental fees instead. Yeah right.

If i cannot at least get some acknowledgment that the devs are aware and working on this in an upcoming patch, me my family, and my circle of friends all trying to use this server are going over to Conan and not spending another dime on this IP. I'll also be contacting Microsoft for a refund of my recent purchase of an additional copy of this game, since i can't feasibly use it for it's intended purpose

[Luke3107]

+1

It seems to me, every time I try to get into this game, something blocks me. I played Early Access only to repeatedly be forced to start over due to servers filling up and stopping me getting back onto ones I had established myself on. Then Wildcard decided to release DLC on an unfinished game which, quite frankly, was the nail in th coffin for a while.

Soon after, due to peer pressure, I tried playing again. Firstly on a PvP server. But overzealous tribes with high level gear made that experience a miserable one. The PvE servers that are popular have nowhere to build a decent sized base because of the "Pillar Claim" system that everyone seems to adopt (It's my understanding that this is supposedly being worked on, but either way it's still a current issue afaik). Yet the quieter servers offer no trading opportunities with other tribes owing to them being either offline or simply anti-social (hence they chose to play on a quiet server).

So what to do? I know, I'll play on a server exclusively open to friends.

Except there's a problem. A big one.

Servers become 'unjoinable' after an arbitrary period of time, forcing the host to close it down and reset it in order for players to join. Which is fine if the host is say, next door, or if there was only a couple of us. But unfortunately for me, the host lives overseas with a 6 hour time difference and there are 7 of us (So far). So if I want to be online, I have to hope the host is at home and awake to refresh the server. I have to hope that other players get the message there's about to be a refresh, and that they are in a position to allow one. If they're all pottering around their base and refilling crop plots that's easy done, but if someone is taming a Giga, or Theriznosaur (sp?), that means I have to wait. Potentially for an hour or two.

Yet, I hear we can apparently rent a server out which suffers none of these issues? *Insert impolite explitives here* NO!!!

I refuse to play WoW because it's a game you pay upfront for, then pay monthly to access it. PLUS you have to buy the expansions... So... Considering Ark doesn't offer the questlines, loot variety, NPC interaction, or indeed MOST of the content WoW provides, WHY would I pay a monthly fee to access it?

Sure, I COULD play solo. But then, I don't get the interaction with other players, thus negating the online aspect of the game.

This unjoinable dedicated server is NOT an issue to be ignored. I neither have the funds to pay for a rented server, nor the willingness to do so. If you don't want privately hosted servers, remove the ability to host them and admit you just want people to pay for them. That way I'll know you don't actually care about consumer retention, and just want that sweet sweet £$£$£$.

Tl;Dr :- Privately dedicated servers become unjoinable after a while, negating the point of hosting one. This issue has not been acknowledged by either Microsoft OR Wildcard, with both companies pointing the finger at each other. However this is unnacceptable since both companies could simply talk to each other and actually find the source of the issue. I urge you to do so ASAP.

[Otoha03]

Boy if this thread doesn't just totally prove my point. That's ok though i contacted a prominent video game journalist who is an aquaintence of mine to see if he's interested in a story about shady business practices in the gaming industry, and hes scary interested, and right before another paid DLC release... Oh well

[Guest DJRone89]

Try using the search bar as there’s a fix for this buried in either this section or the bugs/support section.

[Otoha03]

You really think i haven't tried that? I've searched every inch of the internet for a fix. What you're claiming doesn't exist, or YOU could just link it instead of being entirely unhelpful. But when my friend, an IT professional with an extensive degree in such matters, tells me there's no fix I'm inclined to believe him and his degree over some pleb with 'use the search  bar' as an answer.

[kemosavy]

It is really annoying. I paid for this game on xbox and I want to play it. but I cant. The game crashes all the time and servers that iv been on cannot be found.  I should be getting my money back as they have sold me a faulty product. 

[Luke3107]

Quote: DJRone89
"Try using the search bar as there’s a fix for this buried in either this section or the bugs/support section."

I've tried that. Searched multiple different variations of "Private Servers Unjoinable" and flicked through over 30 pages (out of the 1000's of results) but nothing displays a fix to the problem. Other websites have given fixes but they're all temporary band-aids, and rarely do they last over a day or two assuming they last longer than a couple of hours in the first place.

If you could link us a permanent fix, or even a word from the devs that this is an issue they're working on, it would be much appreciated.

I can't pretend my patience wasn't thin with Wildcard before rejoining, and an attempted fix to this issue has caused the entire server to lose around a months worth of progress which has only caused me to lose any motivation to play again. Fortunately for Wildcard I have some friends who seem keen to restart anyway, which has made me willing to push for an answer. So here I am, trying to get answers. Preferably the answer will be better than "Find it on the search bar" because I'm not a moron, that's the first thing I did. Unfortunately our Internet has millions of answers to every question, and 999,999 are usually wrong in some way. A link to the best answer would be infinitely more helpful.

[Guest DJRone89]

10 hours ago, Luke3107 said:

Quote: DJRone89
"Try using the search bar as there’s a fix for this buried in either this section or the bugs/support section."

I've tried that. Searched multiple different variations of "Private Servers Unjoinable" and flicked through over 30 pages (out of the 1000's of results) but nothing displays a fix to the problem. Other websites have given fixes but they're all temporary band-aids, and rarely do they last over a day or two assuming they last longer than a couple of hours in the first place.

If you could link us a permanent fix, or even a word from the devs that this is an issue they're working on, it would be much appreciated.

I can't pretend my patience wasn't thin with Wildcard before rejoining, and an attempted fix to this issue has caused the entire server to lose around a months worth of progress which has only caused me to lose any motivation to play again. Fortunately for Wildcard I have some friends who seem keen to restart anyway, which has made me willing to push for an answer. So here I am, trying to get answers. Preferably the answer will be better than "Find it on the search bar" because I'm not a moron, that's the first thing I did. Unfortunately our Internet has millions of answers to every question, and 999,999 are usually wrong in some way. A link to the best answer would be infinitely more helpful.

I’m not going through a bunch of threads to find the comment you need. Maybe try thinking outside the box instead of the “private servers unjoinable” because it definitely wasn’t even close to that title.

I’ve seen it recently on either this section or the bugs.

[Luke3107]

On 7/4/2018 at 6:33 AM, DJRone89 said:

I’m not going through a bunch of threads to find the comment you need. Maybe try thinking outside the box instead of the “private servers unjoinable” because it definitely wasn’t even close to that title.

I’ve seen it recently on either this section or the bugs.

Your ability to be helpful without actually helping astounds me...

I did specifically state that I "Searched multiple different variations of "Private Servers Unjoinable" and flicked through over 30 pages". Such phrase choices include (but are not limited to):
Private Servers Unjoinable
Private Server becomes unjoinable after a while
Fix for unjoinable private server
Fix for private server issue (unjoinable)
Friends server prevents access without refresh after a while

and my personal favourite:
OMFG the goddam server is unjoinable despite being permanently open so seriously how do I stop the server goddam closing the hell off to outside access without refreshing every few hours...???

Yeah ok, I made that last one up, but I tried it right now and guess what? No luck. Unless the advice means to change the keywords which are Private, Server and, Unjoinable, I don't know what else to try. But changing the keywords suggests changing the problem. Which defeats the point...

Either help, or stop replying. Your unhelpfulness is... Well... Not helping...

[Guest DJRone89]

6 minutes ago, Luke3107 said:

Your ability to be helpful without actually helping astounds me...

I did specifically state that I "Searched multiple different variations of "Private Servers Unjoinable" and flicked through over 30 pages". Such phrase choices include (but are not limited to):
Private Servers Unjoinable
Private Server becomes unjoinable after a while
Fix for unjoinable private server
Fix for private server issue (unjoinable)
Friends server prevents access without refresh after a while

and my personal favourite:
OMFG the goddam server is unjoinable despite being permanently open so seriously how do I stop the server goddam closing the hell off to outside access without refreshing every few hours...???

Yeah ok, I made that last one up, but I tried it right now and guess what? No luck. Unless the advice means to change the keywords which are Private, Server and, Unjoinable, I don't know what else to try. But changing the keywords suggests changing the problem. Which defeats the point...

Either help, or stop replying. Your unhelpfulness is... Well... Not helping...

I even told you that it’s in the recent topics, your inability to check the topics astounds me.

[JohnnyWaffles]

I think you guys should be in a tribe together.

[Luke3107]

49 minutes ago, DJRone89 said:

I even told you that it’s in the recent topics, your inability to check the topics astounds me.

I did check the topics, I found several posts that echo the same issue, none of which provide more than a temporary fix to the joining issue.

Of course, the fact that you insist there's an answer there, which is apparently immediately available, yet you can't provide a link...  Either you're being deliberately obtuse or accidentaly ignorant. Dealers choice.

 

Quote

I think you guys should be in a tribe together.

Are you telling us to get a room? ?

[Khilandros]

Please stop the bickering and stay on topic.

[Luke3107]

Apologies Khilandros.

If there is anyone who is willing to help find a permanent fix to this issue, could you please provide a link to the solution. Or at the very least the search phrase you used to find the fix as I have exhausted my imagination for various ways to express the issue.

I followed DJRones advice, even before he gave it, and I found many topics discussing 'fixes' that all end up being temporary solutions. So either there's something majorly wrong that Wildcard and/or Microsoft should look into, or there's something we haven't tried in which case suggestions are welcome. Things we've tried include (but are not limited to, as this is from memory):

1. Resetting the server last thing at night/ first thing in the morning. (We had joinable sessions lasting from 2 hours to 2 days, but it was NEVER permanent)

2. Disabling firewalls

3. Setting up a profile specifically to host the server

4. Purchasing a copy of the game specifically for the host account

5. Roping in a friend who works in IT and has a Degree in computing. (His conclusion was that the issue is on either the game devs side or Xbox Live, either way not something fixable by us)

6. Uninstalling and reinstalling the game (Which is what caused the loss of months of playtime as uninstalling the game unexpectedly erased the save files associated with the server. Nonetheless, restarting the server after a fresh install did nothing to prevent the server becoming unjoinable after a random period of time)

The fact that the time it takes to render the server unjoinable makes it all the more confusing and frustrating. If it was an issue that occured every 6 hours for example, we'd set a timer and alert people to a possible refresh every 6 hours. But we never know when it'll close itself off. So when someone joins, they are beholden to a real world form of RNG over how long they can play for because the server might need to be refreshed in 15 minutes to allow others to join.

To stress the point, the issue is not restricted to certain people. We have no issues with the server when it works, people can come and go without issue and, apart from some occasional server lag which freezes the game for a couple of seconds every now and again, everything runs smoothly. What happens is that, for no explicable reason, the server simply closes off the option for players to join. Normally, players can use the account dedicated as a host, select 'Join Game' and you'd be in. Just like if you were dropping in onto your friends Minecraft server or Halo match. However, after 'x-hours' the server simply greys out the option and invites either don't send or the player is given a 'Server no longer joinable' error message. This affects everyone, as in order to get them in, players must log out and wait for the server to be refreshed. Fine when one or two people are simply fertilising crops, not so fine when 5 players are taming a Giga...

Learning that we can purchase a server from Nitrado has leant some feelings that, whether true or not, any issues with private hosting that are voiced will be ignored because privately hosting eats into their profit margins. Maybe I'm being paranoid? I'm definitely being cynical. But that we still have no response to either this thread, or the support ticket, does nothing to quell the idea.

I politely request that responses limited to the phrase "The answer is in the forums" not be posted. I've searched the forums. WE'VE searched the forums. If we'd found the answer, this post wouldn't be here. Either be more helpful, or don't help. Again, a link would be most benificial, a search phrase and/or signposts to the appropriate thread would be appreciated.

Thank you for your time.

[Juggernaut]

On 7/25/2018 at 2:23 PM, Luke3107 said:

....
Thank you for your time.

Search my posts and you will see the same story only it was a few months ago, I eventually gave up because I couldn't babysit the server 24/7. The best I ever got in terms of some stable server hosting using the windows store version was using windows insider builds. The issue seems to be mostly related to microsoft/xbox service and some of it is probably wildcards fault. It is true they have basically ignored the windows 10 store version of ark, day 1 bugs present in that version still exist and nothing has been really patched on it to make server hosting feasible or as smooth as steam hosting. If you want cross-play sadly, you will need to rent nitrado servers as their setup is identical to steam hosting (in terms of tools/capabilities) while the windows 10 store version will always been gimped. 

If you want to keep going down the windows 10 store hosting rabbit hole, watch your windows event viewer errors, that is what I was doing and some of the errors were later fixed in new windows insider builds. I was able to have my server joinable and run 24/7 for about a week at time before it would randomly become unjoinable, just freeze, or throw windows error code. Which then you have to reset the server and wait again for it to appear on the server list. 

[Luke3107]

Thanks Juggernaut

Sadly it's stuff like that going on that has me feeling the Privately Hosted Servers are being deliberately ignored in order to drive customers to Nitrado.

What should be happening is that Nitrado ought to be a service utilised by those without the space or disposable income to create their own servers. They should then be working on providing a better service to those who do have the ability to host their own, in order to tempt them to opt for that route regardless. Maybe by providing backup files or tech support 24/7 (I dunno what they do offer tbh).

What appears to be happening instead is options are being deliberately withheld, broken, and/or unsupported in order to make Nitrado seem more and more like the better option. Akin to how mobsters claim protection money by vandalising properties. You only need Nitrado, because the services provided elsewhere don't meet a reasonable standard.

I stress again though, I'm probably being paranoid and definitely being cynical. I also restress that I've seen nothing to change my mind. I sincerely wish someone would do so though. Any takers?

[Guest DJRone89]

7 hours ago, Luke3107 said:

Thanks Juggernaut

Sadly it's stuff like that going on that has me feeling the Privately Hosted Servers are being deliberately ignored in order to drive customers to Nitrado.

What should be happening is that Nitrado ought to be a service utilised by those without the space or disposable income to create their own servers. They should then be working on providing a better service to those who do have the ability to host their own, in order to tempt them to opt for that route regardless. Maybe by providing backup files or tech support 24/7 (I dunno what they do offer tbh).

What appears to be happening instead is options are being deliberately withheld, broken, and/or unsupported in order to make Nitrado seem more and more like the better option. Akin to how mobsters claim protection money by vandalising properties. You only need Nitrado, because the services provided elsewhere don't meet a reasonable standard.

I stress again though, I'm probably being paranoid and definitely being cynical. I also restress that I've seen nothing to change my mind. I sincerely wish someone would do so though. Any takers?

What brand tinfoil do you wear?

No seriously, while I’ve had this argument with other people they seem to forget that the issues that player dedicated server hosts face have been in place way before the idea of rented servers was conceived.

Dedicated servers should never have been implemented in the first place without proper support from the devs. I started console hosting back in summer 2016. I raised tickets because of the issues I had back then and guess what they told me, “sorry we cannot help with your request because it’s not official”. Right, so you’re happy for people to buy a secondary console at their own expense because it’s the only way to host a dedicated server, but you wont provide any support for when things go wrong?

I suffered 6 months of corrupted saves, and it took the devs 2 months to resolve the issue, only for it to break again when Ragnarok launched (fully released game at this point) and have since failed to fix the issue almost 8 months on.

Do you remember the headache of the rented servers implementation to Xbox? It took 3 months to be put on place and it almost didn’t happen at all. I’d say it’s too far a stretch to say they are pushing people to Nitrado.

One more thing unrelated to the topic but not to unofficial servers, the sessions list has a cap on the amount of servers it can display at once, I think it was around 4500 with the servers always appearing randomly. Even Nitrado don’t agree with this system and I found this information from an official source of theirs.

[Luke3107]

BacoFoil is a good brand. Keeps the Delta Waves out =P

But seriously though, the fact privately hosted servers became a thing before Nitrado isn't evidence there's no 'push for profits'. It's just evidence that they failed to support it because it's effort for no profit. Something Wildcard seem to be wholely intent on getting. I could go on about their seriously extended 'Early Access'. The release of DLC before the game was lablled finished. The fact that, when they did eventually come out of Early Access, basically nothing had changed... But I digress, if I genuinely thought beyond a shadow of a doubt they were engaging in bona-fide mob tactics, I wouldn't be whinging on a Forum post about it. I'd be contacting the Trading Standards Authorities and any other authority that I could.

That said, it doesn't change the fact Wildcard have done nothing to earn the benefit of the doubt thus far. So I may as well keep saying it because, well, they don't seem to care if these sorts of rumours are spread, so why should I?

The fact that they've failed to acknowledge these issues, never mind fix them, is exactly why this thread is here in the first place, and why it feels like there's some behind the scenes shady tactics on the go. Deliberate or not, there's no arguing that customers who would otherwise host their own servers privately are being steered towards renting Nitrado Servers instead simply by Wildcards ignorance towards the issues that have been loudspeakered since Day 1 and before.

[Luke3107]

Given that this post is now around 3-4 months old, and still has no solution, I don't anticipate this issue being resolved any time soon. However I feel the following needs to be said on the off chance someone else may come along and be able to point to a viable permanent fix. The group I used to play with (before the unfortunate complete server reset) have been discussing going back to Ark. (Not sure why myself, given its habit of completely nullifying our efforts and hindering our progress at every possible step through out of game means). So I put forth another call for help.

If you scroll up you'll get the full story but a brief(ish) synopsis is below.

We have an account that owns the game on its own licence. My friend has used his high end PC to host the server using this licence while we connect to it from our Xbox One. General running of the server has no large issues. An occasional frame rate drop and rare server freeze that prevents any interaction with in game objects are basically the limit to the issues, except one MAJOR problem we have consistently.

While the server remains up permanently, it's joinable state does not. This happens regardless of player count, last log on, last refresh, or indeed any noticeable pattern that we have determined. Best way for me to describe it would be to compare it to someone switching the game from 'Open' to 'Private' at random intervals. The only way to restore it is to have everyone currently playing, leave the server and allow the host to refresh it. This has been known to cause minor rollbacks in progress, only being a huge side effect if someone was in the middle of taming a creature.

This might appear to be a minor nuisance on its surface, but our group contains people from both the Mid-West states in the US, and others from the UK, with the server host being from the US. So when one of us is playing for a couple of hours and another player wishes to join, we have to contact the host and hope they're not at work/sleeping/otherwise unavailable and we then have to coordinate the reset to avoid damage by rollback. Keep in mind this could be necessary for every player joining the server, no matter the timescale between joins.

Any solution that leaves a joinable state intact would be greatly appreciated, if a solution is available on a web page then please provide a link.

[SaltyMonkey]

I’m not sure you would have the same argument (Wildcard push) if Xbox had other options over Nitrado. PC and PS4 have similar issues but they have other server providers to choose from.

[SubjeqtZero]

17 hours ago, Luke3107 said:

Any solution that leaves a joinable state intact would be greatly appreciated, if a solution is available on a web page then please provide a link.

I've not been able to find a solution, or the thread that DJRone was referring to, unfortunately.

It seems to me that this is an issue with how the game interacts with XBL.  When my server becomes unjoinable, the XBL popup usually doesn't appear when I hit Invite Friends from the admin console on the server host.

My solution has been to restart the server session everyday by hitting Return to Main Menu from the admin console on the server host, then starting it again.  I have remote access set up and my server isn't hugely populated, so I usually check it from work during known slow times and wait for a time when there isn't anyone on.  I also backup the Maps folder before starting the server session.

[Luke3107]

On 10/14/2018 at 5:15 AM, SaltyMonkey said:

I’m not sure you would have the same argument (Wildcard push) if Xbox had other options over Nitrado. PC and PS4 have similar issues but they have other server providers to choose from.

Maybe, maybe not. It's pure speculation and I say it mainly to express my frustration at the lack of response to an issue that, as far as I've seen, has existed since the days of Early Access. Even then though, paid server providers is still not something people should be forced into if they have the means to host their own. That, to me, is just crappy for the consumer.

On 10/14/2018 at 3:19 PM, SubjeqtZero said:

I've not been able to find a solution, or the thread that DJRone was referring to, unfortunately.

It seems to me that this is an issue with how the game interacts with XBL.  When my server becomes unjoinable, the XBL popup usually doesn't appear when I hit Invite Friends from the admin console on the server host.

My solution has been to restart the server session everyday by hitting Return to Main Menu from the admin console on the server host, then starting it again.  I have remote access set up and my server isn't hugely populated, so I usually check it from work during known slow times and wait for a time when there isn't anyone on.  I also backup the Maps folder before starting the server session.

I appreciate you having a look nonetheless. Maybe someone will find the thread they were referring to, I know I've tried searching, as well as several members of my group.

I expressed my concerns over on the XBL forums also, to no avail. The thread didn't even get a response from a potentially helpful forum member, never mind a Mod or XBL Employee. Mind you, I suspect the response would just be "Contact Wildcard, it's their issue"...

This was common practice when we got started, once we noticed the unjoinable state was happening regularly our Host began a routine of daily resets before they went to work. Unfortunately, as mentioned, the length of time the server remains joinable seemed to vary constantly, leading to further refreshes being requested thoughout the day. With a Server that contained 7 members (with more potentially joining), this was already a fair headache to maintain.

Backing up the save files will definitely be done if/when we get around to starting a fresh attempt.


Thank you both for the responses, I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

[SubjeqtZero]

It may be worth noting that this also happens whenever my internet connection is reset with the server running. Any time my internet has a hiccup or my router gets reset, my server becomes unjoinable.

[Nitricike]

I had a dedicated server running for about a month with a bunch of players regularly on it. After an update, nobody could join. Still nothing, and WC hasn't responded or fixed the issue. I did everything I could find to fix it (NAT, ports, firewall, etc) and it didn't work. It's now essentially useless. D I L O Wildcard? 

[Luke3107]

On 10/26/2018 at 9:34 PM, SubjeqtZero said:

It may be worth noting that this also happens whenever my internet connection is reset with the server running. Any time my internet has a hiccup or my router gets reset, my server becomes unjoinable.

Yeah, this happens to us too and we kinda just accept it as a result of the internet break. However the server will close off even if the connection is completely uninterrupted, which it is 99% of the time.

On 10/28/2018 at 1:24 PM, Nitricike said:

I had a dedicated server running for about a month with a bunch of players regularly on it. After an update, nobody could join. Still nothing, and WC hasn't responded or fixed the issue. I did everything I could find to fix it (NAT, ports, firewall, etc) and it didn't work. It's now essentially useless. D I L O Wildcard? 

Sounds pretty much par for the course then.


Thanks again both of you! ?