[634] Main thread events

**clem585** · 07-01-2020, 11:02 AM

I'd like to confirm the order in which events should be executed in the main game thread. Here's what I have right now:

Code:

package com.rs.tasks;

import com.common.Settings;
import com.common.engine.GameEngine;
import com.common.utils.misc.GameTime;
import com.common.utils.logger.Logger;
import com.rs.game.World;
import com.rs.game.entity.list.EntityList;
import com.rs.game.npc.NPC;
import com.rs.game.player.Player;
import com.rs.net.NetworkHandler;
import com.rs.net.game.decoders.IngoingGamePacket;
import com.rs.net.game.encoders.game.LocalNpcUpdatePacket;
import com.rs.net.game.encoders.game.LocalPlayerUpdatePacket;
import lombok.Getter;
import lombok.Setter;

import java.util.List;

/**
 * Created by clem585 on 2018-06-03.
 */
public class WorldThread extends Thread {

    // ...

    @Getter
    private long lastCycleTime;
    @Setter
    private boolean running;

    // ...

    @Override
    public final void run() {
        while (running) {
            long start = GameTime.currentTimeMillis();
            try {
                GameEngine.tick(); // tick tasks

                // so you don't skip steps - creates a copy of the current players/npcs
                EntityList<Player> players = World.getPlayers().clone();
                EntityList<NPC> npcs = World.getNpcs().clone();

                for (Player player : players) {
                    try {
                        player.processEntity();
                    } catch (Exception e) {
                        e.printStackTrace();
                    }
                }

                for (NPC npc : npcs) {
                    try {
                        npc.processEntity();
                    } catch (Exception e) {
                        e.printStackTrace();
                    }
                }

                for (Player player : players) {
                    try {
                        player.getEncoder().write(new LocalPlayerUpdatePacket());
                        player.getEncoder().write(new LocalNpcUpdatePacket());
                    } catch (Exception e) {
                        e.printStackTrace();
                    }
                }

                for (NPC npc : npcs) {
                    try {
                        npc.resetMasks();
                    } catch (Exception e) {
                        e.printStackTrace();
                    }
                }

                for (Player player : players) {
                    try {
                        player.resetMasks();
                    } catch (Exception e) {
                        e.printStackTrace();
                    }
                }

                // flushes the buffer for the clients connected and the game clients connected
                NetworkHandler.sendPackets();
            } catch (Throwable e) {
                Logger.handle(e);
            }
            lastCycleTime = GameTime.timeElapsed(start);
            long sleepTime = Math.max(50, Settings.GAME_TICK - lastCycleTime);
            try {
                Thread.sleep(sleepTime);
            } catch (InterruptedException e) {
                Logger.handle(e);
            }
        }
    }

    // ...

}

Essentially it's:

1- Game tasks. Stuff like castlewars timer ticking.
2- Process player. This processes logic packets, then continue on with what the player was doing (ex: fishing).
3- Same stuff with NPCs
4- Send players/npcs local update. This sends the masks for each player/npc
5- Reset masks for next tick of local update
6- Flush session to send the OUT packets that were written

I just wanted to know if that was the correct structure. Should there be a way to handle tasks after the player is processed as well (between 2&3)? And does anybody have a list of logic packets? What about non-logic packets like chat message, how are they processed? On receive, but limited to 1 per tick?

**Kris** · 07-01-2020, 01:34 PM

Switch player and NPC processing, NPCs get processed first.
All delayed tasks should be handled at the top.
There is no such thing as a "list of logical packets", all packets are handled in the first block of player processing. Nothing should be handled directly on the network threads. The rest of the structure looks good, although you really could flush all the players' packets out in the player/npc local update block, no need to re-iterate players multiple times.

Edit:
I'd also like to add that this is bollocks:

Code:

long sleepTime = Math.max(50, Settings.GAME_TICK - lastCycleTime);

Because.. 1) You're restricting it to sleeping a minimum of 50ms even if the tick takes longer than 600ms, in which case it should be trying to catch up, you should never slow it down further.
and 2) The overall mechanic will result in your average tick taking 600.5ms, not the 600ms you should be aiming for. I suggest using a single thread scheduled executor to achieve this, the scheduleAtFixedRate method takes care of the time fluctuating, so your ticks will be more in lines of.. 600ms, 600.5ms, 599.5 ms etc. It will correct the previous tick's leftovers - or shortgoings with the next tick.

**clem585** · 07-01-2020, 10:57 PM

Originally Posted by Kris

Switch player and NPC processing, NPCs get processed first.
All delayed tasks should be handled at the top.
There is no such thing as a "list of logical packets", all packets are handled in the first block of player processing. Nothing should be handled directly on the network threads. The rest of the structure looks good, although you really could flush all the players' packets out in the player/npc local update block, no need to re-iterate players multiple times.

Edit:
I'd also like to add that this is bollocks:

Code:

long sleepTime = Math.max(50, Settings.GAME_TICK - lastCycleTime);

Because.. 1) You're restricting it to sleeping a minimum of 50ms even if the tick takes longer than 600ms, in which case it should be trying to catch up, you should never slow it down further.
and 2) The overall mechanic will result in your average tick taking 600.5ms, not the 600ms you should be aiming for. I suggest using a single thread scheduled executor to achieve this, the scheduleAtFixedRate method takes care of the time fluctuating, so your ticks will be more in lines of.. 600ms, 600.5ms, 599.5 ms etc. It will correct the previous tick's leftovers - or shortgoings with the next tick.

Thanks!

Now I'd just need to know how processEntity() should work. What are high/medium/low priority commands and how do they queue? Like poison behind an interface for example.

**Makar** · 07-02-2020, 01:04 AM

Originally Posted by clem585

Thanks!

Now I'd just need to know how processEntity() should work. What are high/medium/low priority commands and how do they queue? Like poison behind an interface for example.

Jagex actually has a very precise and accurate Nanotime based FPS manager in the client used to ensure that each frame is 20ms. You can use to ensure your ticks are always being executed at the precise time they should be and keep the server in sync.

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

I would also like to confirm the order events should be processed to especially to fix things like objects and region based events. (IE: Net trapping and other various hunter objects spawning automatically animated objects and those animations not being synced with the client's pulses properly).

These objects are being replaced with the animated ones on the world tasks. Sometimes the anims are synced sometimes not.

**clem585** · 07-02-2020, 02:16 AM

Originally Posted by Makar

Jagex actually has a very precise and accurate Nanotime based FPS manager in the client used to ensure that each frame is 20ms. You can use to ensure your ticks are always being executed at the precise time they should be and keep the server in sync.

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

I just used what Kris suggested for this, I think Java's Executors does the same thing behind the scene so less code to write. Thanks for the suggestion though

Originally Posted by Makar

I would also like to confirm the order events should be processed to especially to fix things like objects and region based events. (IE: Net trapping and other various hunter objects spawning automatically animated objects and those animations not being synced with the client's pulses properly).

These objects are being replaced with the animated ones on the world tasks. Sometimes the anims are synced sometimes not.

This isn't something we can fix though right? Has to do with how client handle these animation events and how the server sends these updates only once every tick.

**Makar** · 07-02-2020, 02:48 AM

Originally Posted by clem585

I just used what Kris suggested for this, I think Java's Executors does the same thing behind the scene so less code to write. Thanks for the suggestion though

This isn't something we can fix though right? Has to do with how client handle these animation events and how the server sends these updates only once every tick.

I have not once seen that issue happen in the real game though. There is definitely SOME way to synchronize the client with these ticks somehow so that the animations are on time.

Also Java's executors don't do that behind the scene unfortunately so that doesn't work as a solution.

Java scheduled executor service:

Code:

1593651161231
1593651161832
1593651162432
1593651163034
1593651163635
1593651164236
1593651164838
1593651165439
1593651166041
1593651166642
1593651167243

Constant increasing time that never corrects itself.

Jagex's nanotime sleep:

Code:

1593651211199
1593651211799
1593651212399
1593651212998
1593651213598
1593651214198
1593651214798
1593651215398
1593651215998
1593651216599
1593651217198
1593651217799
1593651218398
1593651218998

Always corrects itself and has support to correct for missed ticks if somehow that happens.

**clem585** · 07-02-2020, 03:19 AM

Originally Posted by Makar

I have not once seen that issue happen in the real game though. There is definitely SOME way to synchronize the client with these ticks somehow so that the animations are on time.

Also Java's executors don't do that behind the scene unfortunately so that doesn't work as a solution.

Java scheduled executor service:

Code:

1593651161231
1593651161832
1593651162432
1593651163034
1593651163635
1593651164236
1593651164838
1593651165439
1593651166041
1593651166642
1593651167243

Constant increasing time that never corrects itself.

Jagex's nanotime sleep:

Code:

1593651211199
1593651211799
1593651212399
1593651212998
1593651213598
1593651214198
1593651214798
1593651215398
1593651215998
1593651216599
1593651217198
1593651217799
1593651218398
1593651218998

Always corrects itself and has support to correct for missed ticks if somehow that happens.

I will try to see what I can do for object animation but I have no idea what it could be. Apart from that, Java's Executors does correct himself, depends which method you use:

Code:

[09:16:12 PM] 1593652572159
[09:16:12 PM] 1593652572760
[09:16:13 PM] 1593652573360
[09:16:13 PM] 1593652573961
[09:16:14 PM] 1593652574559
[09:16:15 PM] 1593652575159
[09:16:15 PM] 1593652575759
[09:16:16 PM] 1593652576361
[09:16:16 PM] 1593652576961
[09:16:17 PM] 1593652577560
[09:16:18 PM] 1593652578161
[09:16:18 PM] 1593652578759
[09:16:19 PM] 1593652579359
[09:16:19 PM] 1593652579959
[09:16:20 PM] 1593652580559
[09:16:21 PM] 1593652581161
[09:16:21 PM] 1593652581759
[09:16:22 PM] 1593652582359
[09:16:22 PM] 1593652582959
[09:16:23 PM] 1593652583560
[09:16:24 PM] 1593652584160
[09:16:24 PM] 1593652584759
[09:16:25 PM] 1593652585359
[09:16:25 PM] 1593652585960
[09:16:26 PM] 1593652586559
[09:16:27 PM] 1593652587161
[09:16:27 PM] 1593652587760
[09:16:28 PM] 1593652588359
[09:16:28 PM] 1593652588961
[09:16:29 PM] 1593652589560
[09:16:30 PM] 1593652590161

**Makar** · 07-02-2020, 03:23 AM

Originally Posted by clem585

I will try to see what I can do for object animation but I have no idea what it could be. Apart from that, Java's Executors does correct himself, depends which method you use:

Code:

[09:16:12 PM] 1593652572159
[09:16:12 PM] 1593652572760
[09:16:13 PM] 1593652573360
[09:16:13 PM] 1593652573961
[09:16:14 PM] 1593652574559
[09:16:15 PM] 1593652575159
[09:16:15 PM] 1593652575759
[09:16:16 PM] 1593652576361
[09:16:16 PM] 1593652576961
[09:16:17 PM] 1593652577560
[09:16:18 PM] 1593652578161
[09:16:18 PM] 1593652578759
[09:16:19 PM] 1593652579359
[09:16:19 PM] 1593652579959
[09:16:20 PM] 1593652580559
[09:16:21 PM] 1593652581161
[09:16:21 PM] 1593652581759
[09:16:22 PM] 1593652582359
[09:16:22 PM] 1593652582959
[09:16:23 PM] 1593652583560
[09:16:24 PM] 1593652584160
[09:16:24 PM] 1593652584759
[09:16:25 PM] 1593652585359
[09:16:25 PM] 1593652585960
[09:16:26 PM] 1593652586559
[09:16:27 PM] 1593652587161
[09:16:27 PM] 1593652587760
[09:16:28 PM] 1593652588359
[09:16:28 PM] 1593652588961
[09:16:29 PM] 1593652589560
[09:16:30 PM] 1593652590161

What method corrects itself? I have used a ScheduledExecutorService and all of the schedule methods within it and none of them correct themselves.

**clem585** · 07-02-2020, 03:34 AM

Originally Posted by Makar

What method corrects itself? I have used a ScheduledExecutorService and all of the schedule methods within it and none of them correct themselves.

From Kris:

Code:

ScheduledExecutorService ses = Executors.newSingleThreadScheduledExecutor(ThreadFactory f);
ses.scheduleAtFixedRate(thread, initialDelay, period, timeunit);

**Makar** · 07-02-2020, 03:37 AM

Originally Posted by clem585

From Kris:

Code:

ScheduledExecutorService ses = Executors.newSingleThreadScheduledExecutor(ThreadFactory f);
ses.scheduleAtFixedRate(thread, initialDelay, period, timeunit);

Hmm, on my linux system, it works, on my windows system it doesn't.

Thread: [634] Main thread events

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