Just happened again.
Got first in a tournament, and it took al long time saving;
[IMG]http://i875.photobucket.com/albums/ab318/Victor_O/BTGTD_saving.jpg[/IMG]

After that, it showed me as NaNth place, although you can see from the screenshots im placed first (which it does 'know' apparently, but does not save)

[IMG]http://i875.photobucket.com/albums/ab318/Victor_O/BTGTD_NaNth_place.jpg[/IMG]

hmm phpbb does not work, doh :P

Btw, i do have some internet probs at the time ( as in, a constant ping to this website or any other, gives a time-out once every 20 to 30 pings or so), but other game sites do not have problems saving my score, like kongregate, casual collective, etc. etc.

Ok, I'll make fixing this issue my high priority.

If it IS an issue ofcourse :)
It could be just the game mechanics, as you said, it checks every so much seconds if there is a connection. But it only seems to bug out on me at the end though, at submitting time.
I'll keep a ping to this website next to this screen while im playing, to see if i notice a hickup during saving or anything.

never mind, not ping-able :P

ya, i don't think anyone is able to ping beatthegeek.com (firewall doesn't allow it).

Anyways, how the game works behind the scenes is this :

- You join a game, it creates an entry in the database letting me know you joined a game

- Your game then sends a message to the server at regular intervals. The message basically just says "I'm still playing"

- if the server see's no updates from you within 5 minutes, it assumes you've disconnected

- assuming all is well up to this point, when your game ends it then updates that original entry in the database with your score/etc.


I checked the database and there is an entry in there around the time you sent your message. That game claimed you disconnected. Is that the game that gave you the issue? or did you disconnect from a game (in the same tournament) around the same time?

I just need to narrow down where the issue lies....

If that was in fact the game, then the server didn't receive a message from you for 5 minutes for whatever reason.... OR, it did receive messages from you but there was an error on my end causing it no not update your "i'm still playing" time.

I will work right now on adding a ton of error checking and logging to that part of the code so I can narrow down the issue.

I do apologize for this. I know it can be frustrating playing a game only to see the score didn't save.

I posted this message right after the game.
Well, right after.
I made the screenshots, saved them, uploaded them to photobucket and then posted this message :)
But did not disconnect from a game right before that.
Did use back in the browser after a bad start some games before, but that was at least 15 minutes before that particular game.

No need to apologize.
Maybe its something weird in my browser or whatever. I'll try some things too, like disabling addons, using different browsers, etc.

How long do you wait on the second screen shot - does it sit there forever?

I see this screen and eventually it updates with my place.
From your screen shot I see that there is still communication happening (Loading in the tab)

Sparticus - you might want to bump up Socket.timeout from its default of 20 seconds?

Just happened again.

http://www.beatthegeek.com/games/TowerDefence/tournamentResults.asp?tournid=402

Game took bit more then 7 minutes, so that would be 1 "Still playing" check.
The submitting score thingie stays there for a while (didnt time it, but more then 10 seconds at least), then goes to the NaNth place thingie. Back in tournament screen it shows me as still playing. Think it will be disconnected by now.

As said before, have had some internet-issues (provider is getting a lot of angry phonecalls lately), so will keep looking into things over here.

(this was with addons and plugins disabled in firefox btw)

Hmm.

@alchemist, I don't use sockets to communicate with the server. The game just sends a http request occasionally to let the server know they are still there.

Ok, if your game took over 7 minutes to complete and when you game finished it still shows you as playing, that means it is receiving messages from your game (other wise you would have been considered disconnected already).

I am getting close to figuring this out. I think somethign your game is sending to the server is causing an error in the code that saves your score. If the code has an error, it just stops running, and therefore can't send you your place in the tournament and save your score.

It's quite weird that it only happens to you... as far as I know anyways.

Now that I'm narrowig it down I'll add extra logging to the save score code and hopefully I can figure this out soon.

Let me know if/when it happens again and if you could give me the time it happened that would be best :)

Okay ill keep an eye on the time.
Not in the same timezone though i think :)
On GMT+1 here.
But still, will note it down in case it goes bad again.

And again;

http://www.beatthegeek.com/games/TowerDefence/tournamentResults.asp?tournid=426

Finished around 8:22 AM (GMT+1)
"Saving Score..." dialog took a bit longer, after that, NaNth place.

Ok, getting even closer to solving the problem. For some reason that first database entry that is supposed to be created when you join a game isn't happening for you. I have now added a ton of logging to that file as well.

Once again, let me know if/when it happens to you next.

Ok i'll play some games and let you know when it happens :)
Tried to play some at my work to see if it also happens there, but did not have a chance :/

played some games, and it didn't happen again!
My connection is still buggy (grrrr), but no more 'hanging' score thingies.
Dunno if you changed something, but thanks :D