I have a counter-proposal that uses most of this:
Is it possible for TU to write a permission or script that could do some auto-detection (not reporting) of fatal error crash dumps / network disconnects?
If they could detect the fatal error reporting, it could cause the game to open a window asking for the dumps and pull up a pop-up that could direct players. That way players who are constantly complaining about them have to take affirmative steps to avoid reporting them or helped by being able to see how to report them. I had to learn how to get here to do it. The detection would also be an automatic workaround to the ban automatically unless there was a certain threshold limit over time (like, 5 FCs in an hour or whatever). It would still give the players the option not to share the crash dump but give them the easier opportunity to. It would probably increase compliance and help the devs do more debugging.
If it could detect network disconnects, it would also serve the purpose of keeping bad hosts from eroding public trust in the game. New players, especially, do not realize that the disconnects lie with the server–the host–as HotelMoscow pointed out. When you host a game, you become the server. When you’re new to the game, you probably haven’t read everything in the forums to download all this information–you’re here to play the d* game. Hardcore players get it (mostly). But this could also have a similar upper threshold where if someone’s computer registers frequent disconnects, they can’t host publicly for a set period of time. I imagine this would be helpful for people who (like me) live in a windy place where Comcast / Xfinity just cannot be bothered to secure wiring but are the only ISPs.
I am not sure how you would detect other crashes as an automatic workaround. As David O’Daugherty said with his app “Yodlr”–that’s for the nerds to work out. However, someone who is having so frequent of crashes and frustrating the players is going to erode trust in the game. If not for the players who don’t understand how the hosting works but for the players who do understand and think TU isn’t doing anything about it.
I was told by MrPlaid that host migration is in the pipeline. This is NOT a slam on the devs, but they’re trying to get capital outlay through Patreon. They need currently players to want to help. Current players can only bank on the future for so long. New players can only get guided by current players. You don’t want it to become a game of attrition where the newbs are unwelcome if their computers don’t meet super-elite standards of the ones left, but you also don’t want 12-year-old Steven running a chipset dictating the here and now.
"Hello there!
Are you sure you want to close this game?
Closing games frequently as a Host will temporarily revoke your privilege to host them!"
I would want the player to actually have to put in a reason–I don’t even care if it’s a drop down. “Mom’s in the room.” “I’m in an unsafe situation.” "I’ve fing had it with these poggers." Whatever, don’t care. The use of the “Other” box should be an automatic redflag. If you are playing so close to an event or whatever you know you’re going to have to leave, you should have the bs to say so so that people who are joining–particularly where they are joining late–aren’t left wondering why. That kind of situation will only be remedied when Mutations comes out and you limit the amount of time and number of rounds, obviously, or playing with the people you know so that the public trust isn’t constantly eroding. Maybe the devs could also consider adding a feature that doesn’t allow people to late-join so that when the server procs and the first round goes, everyone will have access to the server statement of “I’m leaving in 10 minutes.” Based on the amount of times I get vote-kicked out of minigolf for showing up late to a public game (or showing up to a public game where the host is complaining that anyone but him is joining), maybe a forced tutorial on how to host would not go amiss, either, so that people know how to name their F*ING ROOMS or do private-only for this kind of situation if they know it in advance.
Regardless of the reason that you disconnected, I think there should be a minimum time limit for hosting. If the error reporting / detection thing doesn’t work or the automatic workarounds are not triggered, there should be a minimum 1-hour ban for public hosting. Do what you want to your “friends” but don’t keep dragging the rest of us into it. And if you get three hours of ban in a day, you should be kept from public hosting for a day. And the bans should be stacking. If you disconnect within a certain period of time of the “probation” or “cool-off” you should have to re-do that time x 2. So, if the original ban was 1 hour, you disconnect within 5 minutes of coming off the ban, now you have to wait two hours. You disconnect within 10 minutes of the second ban, now you have to wait four hours. You disconnect within 20 minutes of the four hours, you can’t host for a day. You disconnect within a day of coming off the 1-day, you should have to do 2 days. Within a day of the 2 days, 4 days. Within 2 days of the 4 days, 8 days. Let them build up their own tolerance for the BS they want out there. Friends will understand. Half the people who play this game are not native–if speaking at all–in English.
This only really works, though, if there is a good way to detect the reasons. HOWEVER, I would argue TU should already be gathering statistics from their hosts on public games ANYWAY to know how the game is being used.
Now, I understand that the counter-argument is that, “Well, TU can’t afford servers to do the host migrations and so they are dependent on their community to be understanding as well as resilient.” You’re not going to alienate your core base easily but it can chip away overtime. However, the majority of the core base paid $10 4 years ago into it. The rest of us paid up to $20 into it. That’s it. Without grants or Patreon, the costs are going to exceed (if they haven’t already) the outlay so you constantly need new people–people who are not going to understand most of this unless they get to the long-term experience. You’re not going to get new players if the current players can’t recommend it or justify buying it as a gift to play with the people they want to play with. You’re not going to get new Patrons who spend most of their day educating the other players.
Yes, this is a very inclusive community that is incredibly tolerant and incredibly understanding. But–and this is huge–you have people who don’t understand what is going on so there needs to be some behind-the-scenes corrective action that is accessible and easy. (I’m sorry, Nath! You’re super nice and I’m trying to overload you even more!) Most of your players are upset that other players don’t have better equipment but they’re blaming PixelTail so PixelTail needs to find a way to correct the situation so that they can avoid the blame. Not everyone is an Umbre. Not everyone can understand that you can have big-brain computers and s* internet that is going to ruin your own gameplay on top of the other issues with the host or other players: I can hook up my Note 8 to the Hadron Collider to play Space Invaders but if it 404s, it doesn’t matter; people can play with me but if New Mexico attacks with wind it’s going to be super-effective. Not everyone can understand you can have big-brain internet and a s* computer not capable of processing the information and traffic: I can hook up my Note 8 to the Federal servers and not be able to launch a nuke from the PEOC; or I can play with Space Cadet running half the computer I am. Not everyone can understand that distance between countries will change your gameplay: I can hook up my Note 8 to a spoofer but it doesn’t mean I can play BBC Three at bearable speeds; or I can play with Mike who has high ping but fewer lag spikes. (I could digress on lag spikes ALONE.)
I agree with the OP: this is a reasonable workaround until host migration gets here and it should be prioritized over host migration if host migration isn’t going to be coming out by the end of the quarter. Let the ban keep them from going public, let them do whatever they want in private, or just let them join games.