Doesn't make sense.

An idle player is probably in a safe place, thus causing less network traffic than a player who's actively persuing missions (only ships flying by, not getting shot at, etc.). This should take more server attention than someone waiting @ the char. selection screen.

As for being idle on the char. selection screen, I doubt that would do much to increase the server load, as the player isn't interacting w/ the server at all until they log in. I really doubt the server regularly checks to see if they've logged a player yet or not, as it SHOULD be just holding the spot until the client sends the player login info....

If someone has hard info about this, please share, as I'm assuming they didn't do too many stupid things when programming this game, and my comments reflect this belief ... : )

I have encountered this issue in the past when a player will be idle at the character selection menu. In the chat menu their system location will show up as ???? . Server load has read upwards of 200 prior to my kicking the player from the server. After they are gone load has dropped to less than 30. So I have requested at various times that when a player needs to take a break that they disconnect and take their chances of being able to get back in.

thx Raw thats what I thought, but couldnt remember the details

How do you check for a person who's in game, but docked for hours, or not doing anything? Is there a way to do this with FL Admin? or...

-Z

well having 5 ships I can be just about anywhere fairly quickly. But if someone is in the Character selection screen they show as in ????? system, so no need to check.

But now with the character editor it can tell you if there docked or not, so say your in orbit above Manhattan and a player is idling there and they stay showing as docked then you get the idea.

But that requires full VPN or VNC access to the server as you can't do that via Telnet, well not yet.