[Weather Module] Synchronize overcast

[Cyruz143]

As discussed with Ruthberg. ACE2 port where setOvercast wasn't a command so this needs adding to current weather module.

[ulteq]

Step 1:

• [ ] Verify that the vanilla game does not sync overcast

Step 2:

• [ ] Implement overcast synchronisation

[shadez95]

Maybe use "BIS_fnc_setOvercast". According to the BI wiki the overcast value distributes evenly across the network but does not for JIPs.

[shadez95]

https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/BIS_fnc_setOvercast

[shadez95]

"0 setovercast 1; (serverside) ForceWeatherChange; (applied afterwards on server)

--> syncs weatherstate from server to clients including simulweatherchange.

to be checked: JIP and nextweatherchange values in MP (seems still strange)"

From http://feedback.arma3.com/view.php?id=14296

[kymckay]

I don't know if this is the best idea, wouldn't proper synchronization require using skipTime a bunch (as setOvercast has to compute the volumetric clouds over a period of time) and simulWeatherSync which takes a second to compute?

[Cyruz143]

I agree it's a pain, at the moment we're skipping back 24, then forward again.

But without it you're not really synchronizing weather properly, hopefully someone has an idea about how to progress with this.

[nicolasbadano]

But without it you're not really synchronizing weather properly,

Well Arma 3 weather system is completely broken; maybe syncing overcast is simply beyond what's feasable without access to the engine.

[Cyruz143]

Just had a quick play. Started a mission at 0 overcast, ran

if (isServer) then {[1] call BIS_fnc_setOvercast;};

This updated on both clients connected, I dc'd, reconnected, had the correct overcast levels. Then fully closed arma to make sure it wasn't being cached anywhere and joined again, still the correct values.

Perhaps BI fixed this?

[shadez95]

Can someone try and replicate what @Cyruz143 did on their server. If someone is able to replicate and it is indeed fixed, a note needs to be made on the BI wiki.

[ViperMaul]

Keep in mind the following recent test reports on setOvercast for MP and other commands/features as noted here Source: 0018237: Weather desync issues [PRIMARY REPORT]

[whiztler]

Don't forget to up-vote: http://feedback.arma3.com/view.php?id=18237#c94352

[Cyruz143]

Today's dev branch had some weather sync fixes in, no specifics though, will see if further information can be found.

Edit: The target was this issue: http://feedback.arma3.com/view.php?id=3028. Some more details:

• Apply weather synchronization update message instantly when connecting to a mission
• Fixed error calculation
• Apply overcast change immediately when also the time is changed

[PabstMirror]

1.48 said it added some weather synchronization Has anyone tested this?

[Cyruz143]

If the ticket in my previous post is to be believed it looks like post 1.48 the following now works correctly.

• Fog
• Overcast
• Lightning

Nothing about rain and the following things don't sync at all:

• Gusts
• Waves
• Rainbow

Will try and find some time to do proper testing on this.

Edit: Currently we've disabled ace_weather_syncWind due to a nasty bug (https://github.com/acemod/ACE3/issues/1708) and ace_weather_syncMisc as it seems to remove fog from the clients even when set on the server.

[Cyruz143]

Did some quick tests on this tonight with the following settings:

class ace_weather_enableServerController {
    value = 1;
    typeName = "BOOL";
    force = 1;
};
class ace_weather_useACEWeather {
    value = 0;
    typeName = "BOOL";
    force = 1;
};
class ace_weather_syncRain {
    value = 0;
    typeName = "BOOL";
    force = 1;
};
class ace_weather_syncWind {
    value = 0;
    typeName = "BOOL";
    force = 1;
};
class ace_weather_syncMisc {
    value = 0;
    typeName = "BOOL";
    force = 1;
};

BIS_fnc_setOvercast works on mission start and for all clients (inc JIP) when changed mid-mission (executed server-side only)

BIS_fnc_setFog works on mission start and for all clients (inc JIP) when changed mid-mission (executed server-side only)

Both of these have a slight variation between clients (around 0.00005 difference).

Not sure if having the weather controller running will impact this when values are set to zero for the specific sync classes.

[PabstMirror]

Tried playing with this, vanilla overcast sync in 1.54 is still not good. http://feedback.arma3.com/view.php?id=18237 The simple version is that the client will set their overcastForcast to the server's current instead of server's forcast, so they will always lag behind. Worse, the client has a maximun rate of change lower than the server.

Setting the slider from 0 to 1 in 30 min, will have a rate of change of about 1/1800 seconds. Clients can barley do half that so their overcast values diverge pretty quickly.

0 setovercast 0.5;  
forceweatherchange; 

Has perfect effects and sync, but introduces a stutter that is very noticable, so is impossible to use.

TBH, this is something BIS should fix, I don't see anyway to script this. And it is a real shame because overcast is used in things like temp calculation.

The interim solution is going to be for mission makers to limit the rate of change of overcast;

[Mike-MF]

Closing due to age, inactivity or already solved. May be re-opened if the issue is still present, even better just open a new up-to-date Issue.