Not really sure whats going on here.
I finaly got the server listed on game tracker but if it is empty for a while then it says its offline.
But people can still connect to it and it is online. when some one connects to it i can scan it again and it says online.
but when its empty it says offline..

This is not a good thing if i hope to have new players join.

The server in your favorites is not showing any player online, but it is showing the server as online. Can you post a link to the server that you are noticing the issue with? I can monitor it to determine if it is actually reporting anything back to GT during those times.

burn wrote:
The server in your favorites is not showing any player online, but it is showing the server as online. Can you post a link to the server that you are noticing the issue with? I can monitor it to determine if it is actually reporting anything back to GT during those times.

it is that 1 it says offline again now..
i wont connect to it so it still says offline. but it is online.
you can verify with
connect shamserver.no-ip.info:9459

here is the page:
http://www.gametracker.com/server_info/shamserver.no-ip.info:9459/

i tried the hibernate cvar on 0 and 1.. makes no difference..

I think if some one joins then leaves it shows up as dead but it could just show up as dead after a set time of no one being on the server too.

At the moment, the server is down right now because it is not reporting a player list. GT requires the player list to be present in the response.

well thats the thing.
I just tried to make a video but hypercam does not record the game when i open it.

it says offline but it is actually online.
if i connect to it (or any one els does "although thats difficult to do when it says its offline")
i can go back to game tracker and scan the game again and it will report online again.

here is my server.cfg

the relevant server commands are at the top. and the ones i have added later to try and keep it online are at the very bottom.

[code]
//Server stuff
hostname "ShamServer"
sv_search_key "ShamServ"
sv_steamgroup "8057890"
sv_allow_lobby_connect_only "0"
motd_enabled "0"
sm_cvar mp_gamemode "coop"
mp_disable_autokick "1"
sv_alltalk "1"
sv_consistency "0"
sv_contact "shambles1980@gmail.com"
sv_voiceenable "1"
sv_region "255"
sv_log_onefile "0"
sv_logbans "1"
sv_pure "0"
sv_cheats "0"
mp_gamemode "coop"
z_difficulty "hard"
sm_cvar mm_dedicated_allow "1"
sm_cvar l4d_maxplayers "16"
sm_cvar sv_visiblemaxplayers "8"


//Survivours
sm_cvar z_survivor_respawn_health 90
sm_cvar survivor_friendly_fire_factor_normal 0
sm_cvar survivor_friendly_fire_factor_hard 0.035
sm_cvar survivor_friendly_fire_factor_expert 1
sm_cvar sb_allow_shoot_through_survivors 0
sm_cvar sb_survivor_friendly_fire 0
sm_cvar z_friendly_fire_forgiveness 1

//Guns ammo and damage
sm_cvar z_shotgun_bonus_damage_multiplier "15"
sm_cvar z_shotgun_bonus_damage_range "80"
sm_cvar z_head_damage_causes_wounds "0"
sm_cvar ammo_assaultrifle_max 460
sm_cvar ammo_autoshotgun_max 90
sm_cvar ammo_huntingrifle_max 300
sm_cvar ammo_shotgun_max 90
sm_cvar ammo_smg_max 750
sm_cvar ammo_sniperrifle_max 300
sm_cvar z_non_head_damage_factor_easy "0.45"
sm_cvar z_non_head_damage_factor_expert "0.45"
sm_cvar z_non_head_damage_factor_hard "0.45"
sm_cvar z_non_head_damage_factor_normal "0.45"

//Zombies
sm_cvar z_mega_mob_size "140"
sm_cvar z_mega_mob_spawn_max_interval "360"
sm_cvar z_mega_mob_spawn_min_interval "260"
sm_cvar z_mob_spawn_max_interval_hard "120"
sm_cvar z_mob_spawn_min_interval_hard "60"
sm_cvar z_mob_spawn_max_size "75"
sm_cvar z_mob_spawn_min_size "55"
sm_cvar z_vision_range "1000"
sm_cvar z_health "70"
sm_cvar z_spawn_mobs_behind_chance "15"

//Special zombies
sm_cvar z_special_spawn_interval 35
sm_cvar z_spitter_limit "2"
sm_cvar z_boomer_limit "2"
sm_cvar z_hunter_limit "2"
sm_cvar z_jockey_limit "2"
sm_cvar z_smoker_limit "2"
sm_cvar z_hunter_limit "2"
sm_cvar z_minion_limit "8"
sm_cvar z_vomit_interval "8"
sm_cvar z_witch_allow_change_victim "1"
sm_cvar z_tank_health "9000"
sm_cvar tank_burn_duration "170"
sm_cvar tank_burn_duration_expert "190"
sm_cvar tank_burn_duration_hard "180"
sm_cvar z_witch_damage "100"
sm_cvar z_witch_damage_per_kill_hit "35"
sm_cvar z_witch_flashlight_range "1000"
sm_cvar z_witch_health "1600"
sm_cvar z_witch_personal_space "400"
sm_cvar z_witch_speed "800"
sm_cvar z_witch_threat_hostile_range "1000"
sm_cvar z_female_boomer_spawn_chance "20"
sm_cvar z_gas_health "500"
sm_cvar z_hunter_health "500"
sm_cvar z_jockey_health "700"
sm_cvar versus_witch_chance_intro 0.5
sm_cvar versus_tank_chance_intro 0.5

//other server stuff
//misc possibly un needed
sm_cvar host_info_show "1"
sm_cvar host_players_show "1"
sm_cvar sb_all_bot_team "1"
sm_cvar sv_hibernate_when_empty "0"
[/code]

I have tried sm_cvar sv_hibernate_when_empty "0" and "1"

i did about a million different things today.
And i hope its fixed it..
I know my steam group is back now.
And i can now join using a steam link.

Just wating for the tracker to update again now so i can see if it reports the server alive and empty or dead.

A few of the things i did if any one is wondering was to re install the dedictaed server to a different folder.
Added hartbeat cvars to the cfg file. (forcing the heart beat and then setting a timer for them)
this was after i copied over my game cfg and sm addons folder from the old install.

So far it seems to be working. although game tracker does seem to think i am still in the server when i have not been for quite a while now.
HOPEFULLY when it refreshes it will show online 0/8 like it should. and if it does i will then check on it intermittently to make sure it does not claim it is offline..

to be honest i cannot pin point what the problem would be.
the old folder was f:\l4d2serv and the new 1 is f:\l4ds
the configs were copied from the old server directory after i re downloaded the server files.
the only way the directory could be an issue i guess is if you need less than 8 letters for it, but i do name things using the 8.3 file system whenever possible.
Possible corrupted game file verify integrity could not spot?

Heartbeat cvars did it?
No idea really. i just hope its fixed.

edit 2

seems to be fine now. I have to assume that i had to add the heartbeat cvars manually, but it does not really explain the steam groups thing as i should have seen that as a lan game at the least. but when it dissapeared i couldnt even see that..
Any way all fixed now.
just hope to see some players enjoying it soon.