STCC Licence System

[Becky Rose]

As has been mentioned in a few different threads the STCC licence system is down. It appears something has gone wrong with the last update launched with LFS V3.

Something is wrong with the SQL database. There are 3 factors here, the database itself, the API through which my software talks to the database, and my software. All of this is updated since the last version. We have a backup so if there are problems there is no panic.

Today I plan to migrate the SQL database to my own server still on soak test here at my house, this will be an interim measure and also involves updating of our SQL API software (not written by myself).

If that fails I will be turning attention to the software itself.

In short I shall be running some live tests later today and the system may fall over. If worse comes to the worse we'll be going back to the backup.

That's the state of play. We'll be moving to LFS V4 during this process as well. Currently i'm not sure exactly what is wrong and cannot give an ETA to the completion of the works being carried out.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

[FOGlegsy]

Thanks for the update:thumb:

[keithano]

Wish you the best luck to solve all the problems. We'll wait for you. Thanks !

[N I K I]

So till then no points :( ?

Let us know when its all ok ;)

[A.Ulleri]

Thanks for the update...thank god I got my Silver licence yesterday just before the problems. :)

[james12s]

v5 now

[Becky Rose]

I significant problem has been identified and hopefully resolved. An error in this case, in new sections of my program. The fault was causing SQL connections to remain open after retreiving information which eventually was using up all available connections to the SQL database after around 1-2 hours. I think i've fully trapped this error now.

Additionally the servers are now using LFS V5 which solved another less important issue due to a small insim glitch.

For now the system is still running on debug mode on my machine, when i'm sure it is stable i'll be restoring it to the server. Until then messages may appear out of order (2nd line before the 1st etc) and some packets may get dropped by the internet, but there should not be any major issues running this way.

[RevMonkey]

i was just doing some racing, it was good stuff becky, thanks for the hard work!

[Swiss_Tony]

Seems to have settled in OK now.

[Becky Rose]

A further problem was found in the API which was preventing new users from creating a new licence record. This problem is now fixed so new drivers can join the STCC again :).

I think, and hope, that the update is now complete. Any lost records have been restored from backup - we may have lost a few races for some drivers but I dont think too much has been lost (correct me if i'm wrong please :) ).

[N I K I]

sorry if I'm boring but server again doesn't count points! :(

[MartinMc]

I went from 80% gold to silver :( and licence page is no longer there? :schwitz:
Is there a problem with the server? I hope I haven't lost my pionts :shrug:

[Töki (HUN)]

Yep, there is something with the server, it doesn't work for me either:shrug:

[maddmaff]

hi there just wondering if anyone else as lost there licence,,i have gone from platinum to silver overnight,,, and is there any way of getting it back,,thanks

[DANDAMAN05]

it seems that the UKCT server is having some troubles. i cant conenct to the site or TS.

ill notify a server admin.

[Becky Rose]

No points where lost. The manager is back up and running with a jury rig, the licence lookup from web page is still down. I've reopened the servers as they do work now - it's only supporting web stuff that is down now.

[flagmen]

what's problem?? I have my gold license and i can't drive any car in sivler and gold liscence please help me!!!:shrug:

[N I K I]

BIG PROBLEM

No one can join race! Server automatically kicks you in spectate!

And says: Your license does not permit you to drive this car

[Becky Rose]

Somebody's undone the fix I did this morning.

Fixed.

[DANDAMAN05]

all issues with the server should be resolved now :)

[Neil777]

I've just looked at the license lookup page and am fairly certain that the total doesn't include the points I scored this morning.

[Becky Rose]

'fraid not. The problem on the server meant that my software was unable to connect to the database to lookup or store licence information.

[The Moose]

I've just looked at the license lookup page and am fairly certain that the total doesn't include the points I scored this morning.

I cant even see the licence lookup page.

[Becky Rose]

http://www.simtouringcarcup.com/lookup.php
Works fine for me, but as the problem was a DNS issue it may not for others.

[SamH]

I've just looked at the license lookup page and am fairly certain that the total doesn't include the points I scored this morning.
It probably doesn't :(

Rather embarassingly, the UKCT domain briefly expired this morning, thanks to registerfly's completely useless auto-renew function. Becky's licence system talks to the MySQL database using a UKCT subdomain and so the hook was temporarily lost. We solved the problem using the hosts file, and then someone who will remain nameless (JohnUK89) prematurely removed the hosts file edit before domain re-propagation had fully taken place. The problem was solved shortly after, but some points will have been dropped. Apologies.. nothing we can do :(

[The Moose]

http://www.simtouringcarcup.com/lookup.php
Works fine for me, but as the problem was a DNS issue it may not for others.

Nope, definitely not for me, i put my name in,click it , and get a sponsored link's page:shrug:

[Dark Elite]

My situation is the same as The Moose's - the lookup page is working as normal, but when any name is entered I'm getting a sponsered links page. UKCT.net expiring would make sense with this scenario, so it seems the domain is still out of the control of the STCC... The in-game system is working fine, however, except for a short blip in which it classified me as Silver (that'd be nice) - this lasted only a couple of minutes, and then it reverted to normal. That matches SamH's explanation.

Here's to sorting it out soon :)

EDIT - Everything as it should be now.

DE

[Becky Rose]

When you do a licence lookup it will be using your own or your ISP's domain name lookup, which could take a while to propogate back to the way it should be. It's solved on the server by means of a host file at the moment.

[Dru]

Sholud the look up page also tell you your progress apart for the licence? forinstance mine only says 'Silver' i can not see where on the page it tells me i'm x% towards Gold?:shrug:

[SamH]

At the moment, only the licence look-up on the UKCT server gives you that info.. http://licence.ukct.net/licence.asp?lfsUser=Dru.

[Damo74]

Sholud the look up page also tell you your progress apart for the licence? forinstance mine only says 'Silver' i can not see where on the page it tells me i'm x% towards Gold?:shrug:

Just click on the "Personal Licence Page" bit just below the picture of your licence, and hey presto up comes your progress bar.

[faster111]

Ok am getting tired of doing bronze racing becuase if i get hit i don't earn points yet i should and the one who hit me don't earn the points.

[mikey_G]

Ok am getting tired of doing bronze racing becuase if i get hit i don't earn points yet i should and the one who hit me don't earn the points.
That's called racing, shit happens...

[faster111]

That's called racing, shit happens... yeah but i got one race with 7 points for my 1st time ever after that i had to more races with points 0 why?

[Jakg]

because you didnt finish high enough up the grid to recieve points?

Either way you get 1 point for taking part provided you do the full race distance

[faster111]

because you didnt finish high enough up the grid to recieve points?

Either way you get 1 point for taking part provided you do the full race distance

i knew about the one point thing but didint know about fishing higher up the gird can someone tell me how it works with what place you are and how many points you get.

[Neil777]

Look at the yellow box, thats as much information as your going to get http://license.ukct.net/

[Swiss_Tony]

I'm glad it's that way, otherwise there would be endless debates about how points should be allocated.

[Jakg]

i knew about the one point thing but didint know about fishing higher up the gird can someone tell me how it works with what place you are and how many points you get.you dont actually earn points until you finish about fifth on a full server, although the exact points are secret

[Becky Rose]

You do get a point for taking part, BUT... A later calculation is a modifyer for the race length and if the race is under 10 minutes that single point becomes a fraction just under 1 (ie: 0.9), as the final result is rounded down it results in 0pts. If you score points by another means - ie: Setting a remotely competitive lap time or finishing well, then that 1pt is added to your other points before the race time so it still has an influence. In races over 10 minutes the 1pt registers.

[kompa]

I don't remember exactly how, but just recently I managed to get about 130 points by joining mid-race and driving just the few last laps. It was the Silver & Up server I think.

[sam1600]

You were probably in the XRT (4x points multiplier) and you probably set a quick best laptime.

[mcintyrej]

I've been seeing this alot lately in the Silver+Gold server, but people are manipulating the system into thinking they drove the race. They start off, do a fast lap then park up right before the finish line. As soon as the winner crosses the line they do to, which gives them points for both the fast lap and being in the race. This totally kills the system of STCC. This came to my attention after a certain driver (will not be named) gained the top license. Do something about this?

[faster111]

I've been seeing this alot lately in the Silver+Gold server, but people are manipulating the system into thinking they drove the race. They start off, do a fast lap then park up right before the finish line. As soon as the winner crosses the line they do to, which gives them points for both the fast lap and being in the race. This totally kills the system of STCC. This came to my attention after a certain driver (will not be named) gained the top license. Do something about this?

mmm a bit of cheating going on mmm becky what u going do?

[SamH]

A replay of an example of this would be hugely beneficial to us. Can anyone help?

[Becky Rose]

Standing on track is against the rules and 'dangerous' to other competitors, it also devoids the spirit of the STCC.

The imaginative ways people have of cheating are a perenial problem, I have since this system went live invested a great deal of time in dealing with cheaters.

People who do this I would very much like to penalise properly, so please report them.

In the meentime the system will be adjusted to award points based on percentage of race complete, however I cannot do an update just yet because the program source is migrated to offer a range of new features from the new STCC server which goes live soon and i'd have to undo all of that work to make this change.

In the meentime please please please report people you see cheating the system in this way.

Thank you.

[Becky Rose]

I launched an emergency patch tonight which scales your points down by percentage of the race you have completed, so now if you only do 5 laps out of 10 you get half points.

Please let me know if this causes any problems at all, because it had to go live without much in the way of testing.

I had some problems doing the update so I appologise to those on the server at the time who may have had some minor disruption in the system whilst the update was performed.

[GT Touring]

I do like the system, but the progress seems agonizingly slow...ofcourse it help using the XRT vs. the Rb4 and such...any plans for the big GT's for the platinum levels?
I am racking up points but phew lots of work.
how do i get my liscence label in my sig?

[SamH]

I do like the system, but the progress seems agonizingly slow...ofcourse it help using the XRT vs. the Rb4 and such...any plans for the big GT's for the platinum levels?
;)
I am racking up points but phew lots of work.
how do i get my liscence label in my sig?
mini/GT_Touring

[U4IK ST8]

I'm not sure if something's up with the system but I just did 10 laps of Westhill, came 7th and wasn't lapped:D , and got 0 points?:shrug: I'd usually get some points but got none this time round.

[SamH]

We've made some changes this evening to the licence system. How many laps was the race, in total?

[U4IK ST8]

It was 10 laps, I finished on the same lap as the leaders, ~1min behind.

[SamH]

Ack.. you should have got points, I *think*. I'll flag for Becky to investigate.

Just to explain a little, we've (I keep saying "we", and while I'm involved in the whole thing, Becky's the brains) kinda lunged into the next phase of STCC development, which ("we") reckon will get everyone excited and enthusiastic all over again. However, while developing, it's become apparent that some urgent issues exist with the current race manager.

Tonight's changes have been a bit of a retrograde from the current stage of development in order to meet these immediate needs. We didn't have time to properly test it this evening - I was in for one race, to make sure that the server didn't crash at the end, and to make sure that points were not given where they shouldn't have been. It's possible that a little extra tweaking is necessary. Please bear with us.. it will be worth it! :D

[U4IK ST8]

Yeah I thought so, I realised Becky launched an emergency patch and thought this might have had something to do with it. Just posted here to let you know something was wrong.

It's not a big deal, to me anyway, not to get points. I enjoy the racing, license progression is a bonus.:D

I understand some issues still need to be sorted to get STCC into the 'next phase' and if not getting a couple of points is the consequence, well so be it. It will all be worth it in the end.:D

Cheers to all, for the help and work being put into the STCC, it's a great place to race, long may it last.:thumb:

[SamH]

I'd never run the RB4 on WE1R before tonight, I don't think.. gotta say, it's a lovely track config to drive on! :)

[dawesdust_12]

Sam, maybe we need to yell at Becky about a final round changeyness? :P

[SamH]

Sam, maybe we need to yell at Becky about a final round changeyness? :P
;)

[Becky Rose]

Question please, is it registering 0 points for every race now, or did the problem just effect one race?

I ask because we had serious problems downgrading the software to the earlier version and had to relaunch the manager several times until i'd sucesfully removed every reference to the new stuff that was incompatible with the current server.

I'll give a hint. The existing server can't run a 3D application... Now why would a server manager need to be 3D? :D

Hehe, anyway, as long as the server is awarding points now then it's no panick and i'm sorry for the one race loss - it was probably just a problem as we rolled out the patch.

[FOGlegsy]

I'll give a hint. The existing server can't run a 3D application... Now why would a server manager need to be 3D? :D


Sounds interesting..:smileypul

[The Moose]

I am racking up points but phew lots of work.

It is a lot of work, but hey, nothing comes easily. The harder you work at it the more rewarding it is imo.
I just made it into the top 50 after 7 weeks, driving the lowest point scoring car (FXO)..and i feel I've really achieved something.
But by god I've lost any social life i had:razz:

Still, when i reach titanium i might take a wander out into the real world again:D

[FOGlegsy]

I am currently gold with 35% still a long way to go till platnum:schwitz:

[U4IK ST8]

Question please, is it registering 0 points for every race now, or did the problem just effect one race?

Well I only ran a couple of races last night, the first one I got kicked when I crossed the finish line and the second was when it came up that I got no points. I should have raced again to see if it was a once off but it went up to 14 laps and my hand was sore from doing then 10 laps.:schwitz: I need a wheel.:nod:

[AndreABG]

I've had this 0 point bug today for several times (finished 2 x 3rd on BL GP with 1:34.30/.80 or so, ~15secs behind the leader, 12laps)

[U4IK ST8]

0 points again.

20+ laps of FE Club, came 5th, 1 lap behind, got my PB too for that track, don't know if you give points for that?

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b350/u4ik_st8/LFS.jpg

Nobody else said anything about it so not sure if it's happening to everyone.:shrug: This was my first full race today. I'll go for another race, see what happens.:D

[patoufet]

Same problem here....
run 24 laps (all the race) on Fe1 finished 3rd 0 point :shrug: ....

AKA KromE aslo on the file above

[Becky Rose]

0pt issue fixed. I temporarily removed the emergency patch and will address it properly very soon.

[GT Touring]

how is the STCC point system not official
the racing is generally better here than anywhere else among the precious metal racers... folks on the way to bronze and copper are still a little rough...
but its great and it rewards, good laps and solid finishing versus wrecking about.. thanks Becky and STCC team you made LFS more fun than ever.

[Becky Rose]

how is the STCC point system not official
Well, the STCC point system is the official point system of the STCC... Or to be pinnickity, the SRA. It just has nothing to do with Scawen & co, although Victor does have a licence, he's got 0pts, I think he watched one night... That's about as close to official as we have got, lol :)

[MaraZ]

I lost all the points since last visit to stcc server (had platinum, about 60% if I'm not mistaken). What's more, I can't even join "new & bronze" - it says "host connection refused". What might have happened? My lfs name is maraz.

[Becky Rose]

Despatching PM

[MaraZ]

Since I can't reply to your PM (I can't even defend myself or what?), here is my reply:

I checked your licence notes and they say the following:


09/04/2007: -36154. Banned for cheating.
MaraZ - XRT
13:11, 01 Apr 2007 - Westhill Interntl Rev - 5 laps
1. 0:53.520
2. 0:47.210
3. 0:47.020
4. 0:46.870
5. 0:47.680
0

This implies that you have a lifetime ban for exploiting LFS to produce unreasonable lap times on April 1st. The result of which caused serious disruption to other racers at a later date when everyone racing got kicked for being too slow because of your fake lap record.

I assume it's some kind of April Fool's Day joke and that there is no way that you would believe I didn't do anything wrong in that 5 lap race?

Ok, here is what happened on that day: I just installed patch W and went to the stcc server. There was map change and it showed "Westhill Club". Great! New track in W! Well, to my (and others) biggest disappointment, we found ourselves on FE Club (look at the times - those are NOT times for XRT on Westhill and qstomek was even faster than me on lap 4 in that race). Did you ban for life every other driver who happened to be on the stcc server that day? Or maybe I'm the only one who experienced this? Anyway giving lifetime ban without throrough investigation is really ridiculous...

[Becky Rose]

Thank you, at last it seems we can start to piece together what actually went wrong. Until now we just had 5 people who when they had contacted us just screamed abuse, in amongst your rantings I can finaly see what the problem is.

The problem will be resolved soon.

[Becky Rose]

Features & Fixes announcement: http://www.simtouringcarcup.com/talk/viewtopic.php?id=548

[The Moose]

Features & Fixes announcement

Looks great Becky:thumb:
Thanks for all your hard work in making the STCC servers the best in LFS:nod:

[mcintyrej]

Rally :thumb:

I can't wait for all those new features. They all sound very good, great job so far with the STCC+SRA Becky + associates.

[FOGlegsy]

Features & Fixes announcement: http://www.simtouringcarcup.com/talk/viewtopic.php?id=548


Great news! keep it up

[SamH]

Since I can't reply to your PM (I can't even defend myself or what?), here is my reply:



I assume it's some kind of April Fool's Day joke and that there is no way that you would believe I didn't do anything wrong in that 5 lap race?

Ok, here is what happened on that day: I just installed patch W and went to the stcc server. There was map change and it showed "Westhill Club". Great! New track in W! Well, to my (and others) biggest disappointment, we found ourselves on FE Club (look at the times - those are NOT times for XRT on Westhill and qstomek was even faster than me on lap 4 in that race). Did you ban for life every other driver who happened to be on the stcc server that day? Or maybe I'm the only one who experienced this? Anyway giving lifetime ban without throrough investigation is really ridiculous...
We're in a situation where both the licence system and the LFSW information both show impossibly fast laps. The presumption was that you had found a system exploit (there are people who DO find these things) and had used it to gain these times. When the STCC system shows such things, we DO do a thorough investigation. That's when we visited the LFS "mecca", LFSW, and LFSW appeared to confirm the exploit.

We're now assuming that there is a bug within LFS, and are reporting it to the Devs accordingly. Your points have been restored, and you're now unbanned from the STCC.

By way of an apology, we hope you'll all accept the significant points bonus you all received that day for kicking seven bells of pooh out of the lap record for WE1R ;)

[GruntOfAction]

Hey since I come on STCC (when the points system is working) does it keep track of my points everytime I come or does it purge it when I leave?

[Becky Rose]

http://licence.ukct.net/licence.asp?lfsUser=GruntOfAction
4.66% progress :)

You can get userbar codes here
http://www.simtouringcarcup.com/lookup.php

:)

[GruntOfAction]

http://licence.ukct.net/licence.asp?lfsUser=GruntOfAction
4.66% progress :)

You can get userbar codes here
http://www.simtouringcarcup.com/lookup.php

:)


Alright thanks.

4.66??? lol guess that suits me for being in 5th and 4th place like 3 times last night XD.

Let me tell you though:Endurance races are murder on your feet when U use a racing wheel set!!

Feet started slipping after lap 8/16 lol.

[MaraZ]

By way of an apology, we hope you'll all accept the significant points bonus you all received that day for kicking seven bells of pooh out of the lap record for WE1R ;)
Thanks and sorry if I was "ranting" too much, but you can imagine how I felt after receiving "lifetime ban" for doing nothing, especially on April 1st :)

[SamH]

you can imagine how I felt after receiving "lifetime ban" for doing nothing, especially on April 1st :)
Definitely! :)

It's a huge relief for us as well as you.. given the option, we'll always prefer to believe that everyone in the STCC servers is one of the good guys! So it's a good day for us too :)

I'm sure Scawen won't be overly happy.. if there's a pattern (I think this is the 2nd, possibly the 3rd time we've found this.. thus a pattern begins to emerge, and it's not just a fluke any more) then there's some bug in the LFS code, and it's always a pain to find those. :(

[animal1313]

Becky, Sam,

I had something similar happen many weeks ago when everyone was still on the V patch. After a track change there were two of us. My connection display showed the other player, but I didn't see his car on the track. The race started and everything seemed fine except that there were no barrels where I normally expected to see them.

As the race progressed, I saw that the other driver was turning in Fastest Laps. He also lapped me but I never saw his car. After about 2 laps I say his car flying through the air. It wasn't from a crash; the car appeared to brake and turn normally, but it was up in the sky. The other driver saw the same thing.

I figured it was just a server screw up. After disconnecting/reconnecting everything was fine. I didn't grab a MPR and didn't think of mentioning it since the problem fixed itself.

[SamH]

Yep, what you're describing is the same thing. I'm posting in the Bugs forum now.

[GruntOfAction]

Hmmm seems servers are having an error....

[himself]

I'm new to STCC licence system and find it very interesting giving a lot to LFS gameplay. Anyway. Today I was racing on Copper and Bronze server with other guys (about 10 players) and it appeared everyone of us got 0 pts for the race. i was 2x 4th and got 0pts. The guy who winned both races I was in also had got 0 pts for the race. I am sure the "formula" for number of points is well thought (:x) however it seems too restrict.

[Becky Rose]

Hmmm. The only change to the scoring in several months is a fairly recent 'ratio' calculation which multiplies your score by the percentage (/100) of the race complete, so if you do half the race you get your points multiplied by 0.5.

Could you tell me how many laps the race was if the circuit had just changed number of laps at the end of that race, and how many people started the race please?

Thank you.

[himself]

AFAIR there was no change of number of laps. Both races were 4 laps long. On first one there were about 4 players. On second one (track changed due to END RACE vote) there were from 6 (start) to 8 players (end).

[Becky Rose]

With so few players you would not get points for position, only for your lap time.

[himself]

Could we please get to know the formula for number of points? It would solve many problems.

And 8 players driving on 14 players server is about enough for a good and competetive race i think.

[JohnPenn]

Could we please get to know the formula for number of points? It would solve many problems.

What problem will that solve?.

Now maybe It's is just me But I get nothing from points or shiny badges , I race on the STCC servers because the racing Is great!, the cleanest racing going and its not just the fast guys, new drivers many seconds off the pace show great race craft and respect.

best reward you can get:)

[himself]

This is why I want to race on that servers. However being limited to UF1 and XFG, when in the past when i couldnt buy S2 licence I was driving XFG for long hours, isnt so much fun :x. Thats why I want to earn some points and race other machines on best servers so far.