EOF Error - Possible Reason

[CerberuS]

I've been investigating the EOF error today - basically because I wanted to know why I have to shuffle my custom siege maps around all the time :rolleyes:

I think I have found out the reason for this error and how it can be avoided for MBII maps :)

My theory is that the number of (unique) .team files installed in the JKA Base folder determines whether this error occurs or not. (To be more precise, it's the number of class definitions specified within those files that causes the error but as most Siege Maps use 6 classes for each time, that does not really matter imo).

It basically turns out like this:
basejka includes 12 .team files in the assets01.pk3.
If you have more than 6 (additional, different from the default ones, unique) custom .team files in your Base folder, you get the EOF error.
If you have more than additional 12 (additional, different from the default ones, unique) custom .team files, you get a "recursive error" and JKA won't even start (it freezes on the blue loading screen).

Reasons for these assumptions:

Whenever I use the term "custom Siege map" in the following I mean a Siege map not made by Raven that is not included in basejka and has 2 completely unique .team files (examples: siege_warehouse_raid, siege_yavin4, h3hsiege, eternal_lair). This does not include mb2_jabba, mb2_tantiveIV, mb2_dust2 and siege_destroyer.

1) It doesn't matter whether siege_destroyer is installed on your system or not - it does not add to the overall number of Siege maps you can have.

You can have 3 custom Siege maps (= 6 custom .team files) installed - everything will work.
You can have those 3 maps and siege_destroyer - everything will work.
You have those 3 maps and another custom map (= 4 all together, or 8 .team files), you get the EOF error.
Why is this? siege_destroyer does not include any team files.

2) mb2_jabba and mb2_tantiveIV only count as 1 map (instead of as 2) when calculating the overall number.

You can have 3 custom Siege maps (= 6 .team files) - everything will work.
You can have 2 custom Siege maps and both mb2_tantiveIV and mb2_jabba (= 6 .team files) - everything will work.
You have 3 custom Siege maps + mb2_tantiveIV or mb2_jabba (= 8 .team files) - EOF error.
Why is this? Because mb2_jabba and mb2_tantive use exactly the same (custom) .team files.

3) mb2_dust2 does not add to the overall number of Siege maps as well.

You can have 3 custom Siege maps (= 6 .team files) - everything will work.
You can have 3 custom Siege maps and mb2_dust2 (= 6 .team files) - everything will work.
You have 4 custom Siege maps (without mb_dust2) (= 8 .team files) - EOF Error.
Why is this? mb2_dust2 uses copies of .team files that are already included in the assets01.pk3 - they are not different or "new"/custom.

Solutions for MBII:

Afaik MBII does not need the .team files as the MBII classes are hardcoded. Removing the need for them (and the files themselves from the map .pk3's) would completely eliminate the possibility of MBII maps causing an EOF error. (using 0 additional .team files on the user's system)

Another possibility would be to do the same thing with all MBII maps as DarthHunter did with his dust2 map - just use .team files that are already included in the assets01.pk3. (using 0 additional .team files on the user's system)

The third possibility would be to use the same .team files in all MBII maps (the way it is in mb2_jabba and mb2_tantiveIV). This solution would not be as good as the two other solutions though because this way you would still use 2 additional .team files on the user's system (out of 6 he can have).


Basically wrote this down because I hope this can be helpful for the MBII team. If you need the more detailed results of my tests, just notify me :)

[TehJumpingJawa]

I'm so glad I don't mod for jka - sounds like a complete nightmare - hardcoded limits on extra vehicles/class types/models/hilts/blah blah.
It sounds like a huge hak - amazing that it ever got to completion :S

[eGL|Darth.Hunter]

Yeah, modding for JKA is sure not an easy part. The map editor is buggy, the compiler is slow and even more buggy, the engine has way too many restrictions...
Very good investigation, Cerberus :)
Completely removing the need for .team files is not possible as far as I know. There are many things in those .team files that will set several properties for the MB 2 maps in the next build. So you will need these files.

I don't think your investigational results are correct. I once installed Warehouse night raid as the only custom Siege map. When I wanted to load MB 2, JKA crashed with the recursive error. And this was only one custom siege map, I didn't have any others. The conflict must be somewhere else...

[CerberuS]

I don't think your investigational results are correct. I once installed Warehouse night raid as the only custom Siege map. When I wanted to load MB 2, JKA crashed with the recursive error. And this was only one custom siege map, I didn't have any others. The conflict must be somewhere else...
I didn't say that having more than 12 custom .team files is the only reason that can cause a recursive error. But it is reproduceable that you will get a recursive error if you have more than 12 custom .team files in your Base folder ;)

Also, I was primarily talking about the EOF error and not the recursive error. The finding about the recursive error was only a by-product of the investigation of the EOF error.

What you mentioned does not prove any of my findings wrong. :rolleyes:

Be assured, I would not have posted here if I had not thoroughly checked my theory.

[CerberuS]

Did another little test to back up what I said.

1) Removed all custom pk3's from my Base folder to make sure any of them doesn't interfere with the Siege pk3's. only pk3's left were the assets.pk3's and the official bonus map pack.

2) Placed 3 custom Siege maps (siege_bastcastle, siege_warehouse_raid, eternal_suess) in the Base folder -> as expected, no EOF error when starting a Siege game.

3) Added a 4th custom Siege map (siege_yavin4) -> as expected, EOF error when starting a Siege game.

4) Opened the siege_yavin4.pk3 and deleted the .team files. saved back into Base folder. nothing else changed in comparison to step 3. -> no EOF error when starting a Siege game.