Performance Opportunity Sweep

Performance Opportunity Sweep

This page ranks source-backed performance opportunities found in the Chernarus source mission. It separates quick low-risk wins from higher-value fixes that are already bundled with security, correctness or gameplay behavior.

Ranked Opportunities

Priority	Opportunity	Source evidence	Why it matters	Implementation shape
P0	PVF dispatcher lookup	Server/Functions/Server_HandlePVF.sqf:14, Client/Functions/Client_HandlePVF.sqf:22, Common/Init/Init_PublicVariables.sqf:43-50	Every PVF dispatch recompiles the sender-chosen function string even though init already compiles CLTFNC* and SRVFNC*. This is also DR-1 security hardening.	Use the PVF dispatch playbook: validated namespace/allowlist lookup, keep Spawn, log rejects.
P1	Hosted server FPS loop sleep/consolidation	Server/GUI/serverFpsGUI.sqf:1-11, Server/Module/serverFPS/monitorServerFPS.sqf:1-8, Server/Init/Init_Server.sqf:577-595	Both loops sleep only inside isDedicated. On hosted/listen server they can spin forever. Dedicated servers also run two near-identical 8-second FPS publishers.	If hosted mode matters, either exit immediately when !isDedicated or move sleep outside the branch. Consider one shared publisher for both SERVER_FPS_GUI and WFBE_VAR_SERVER_FPS.
P1	Supply mission command-center scan narrowing	Server/Module/supplyMission/supplyMissionStarted.sqf:37-45	Every active supply mission checks every nearby object class with nearestObjects [..., [], 80] every 3 seconds, then filters with isKindOf "Base_WarfareBUAVterminal".	Change the scan class array to command-center terminal classes or the base Base_WarfareBUAVterminal class if OA inheritance behaves as expected. Keep the 3-second cadence unless smoke data says otherwise.
P2	Duplicate Skill_Init and non-idempotent Soldier AI cap	Client/Init/Init_Client.sqf:547, Client/Init/Init_Client.sqf:571-572, Client/Module/Skill/Skill_Init.sqf:39-49	Client init runs Skill_Init.sqf twice. For Soldier class, that multiplies local WFBE_C_PLAYERS_AI_MAX by 1.5 twice. With the default 16, the local cap can become 36 instead of the intended 24. This is a balance/perf multiplier.	Compile/init skills once, then call WFBE_SK_FNC_Apply separately. Or make the Soldier cap adjustment idempotent by storing base cap / applied flag.
P2	Factory queue broadcast churn and soft-lock	Client/Functions/Client_BuildUnit.sqf:167-207, Client/Functions/Client_BuildUnit.sqf:364-365, Client/Functions/Client_BuildUnit.sqf:467-469	Queue token is low-entropy random, queu is broadcast on each mutation, and empty-vehicle exit skips the later local queue decrement. This is both player-facing correctness and network churn.	Use the existing factory-queue-cleanups backlog: decrement on every exit path, use unique queue tokens, reduce public queue writes where UI allows.
P2	WASP marker dialog busy-spin	WASP/global_marking_monitor.sqf:57-73, WASP/global_marking_monitor.sqf:80-81	Double-click map marker naming disables user input and then spins until display 54 appears or a 2-second timeout expires. The same file already uses a throttled waitUntil {sleep 0.1; ...} pattern for display 12.	Replace the inner while {time < _this} with a throttled wait loop that always re-enables input. Smoke map double-click marker naming.
P3	Cleaner/restorer wide scans	Server/FSM/cleaners/crater_cleaner.sqf:14-49, Server/FSM/cleaners/droppeditems_cleaner.sqf:14-45, Server/FSM/cleaners/ruins_cleaner.sqf:9-28, Server/FSM/restorers/buildings_restorer.sqf:10-26	These use very wide class-filtered nearestObjects scans, but run on long timers, sleep between per-item work, and already emit PerformanceAudit records.	Do not patch first. Use RPT audit rows to prove actual cost, then consider smaller terrain-aware centers/radii or tracked-object lists.

What Was Read

Source files:

• Missions/[55-2hc]warfarev2_073v48co.chernarus/Server/GUI/serverFpsGUI.sqf
• Missions/[55-2hc]warfarev2_073v48co.chernarus/Server/Module/serverFPS/monitorServerFPS.sqf
• Missions/[55-2hc]warfarev2_073v48co.chernarus/Server/Init/Init_Server.sqf
• Missions/[55-2hc]warfarev2_073v48co.chernarus/Server/Module/supplyMission/supplyMissionStarted.sqf
• Missions/[55-2hc]warfarev2_073v48co.chernarus/WASP/global_marking_monitor.sqf
• Missions/[55-2hc]warfarev2_073v48co.chernarus/Client/Functions/Client_BuildUnit.sqf
• Missions/[55-2hc]warfarev2_073v48co.chernarus/Server/Functions/Server_HandlePVF.sqf
• Missions/[55-2hc]warfarev2_073v48co.chernarus/Client/Functions/Client_HandlePVF.sqf
• Missions/[55-2hc]warfarev2_073v48co.chernarus/Common/Init/Init_PublicVariables.sqf
• Missions/[55-2hc]warfarev2_073v48co.chernarus/Client/FSM/updatetownmarkers.sqf
• Missions/[55-2hc]warfarev2_073v48co.chernarus/Client/FSM/updateteamsmarkers.sqf
• Missions/[55-2hc]warfarev2_073v48co.chernarus/Client/Client_UpdateRHUD.sqf
• Missions/[55-2hc]warfarev2_073v48co.chernarus/Client/Module/Skill/Skill_Init.sqf
• Missions/[55-2hc]warfarev2_073v48co.chernarus/Server/FSM/server_town.sqf
• Missions/[55-2hc]warfarev2_073v48co.chernarus/Server/FSM/server_town_ai.sqf
• Missions/[55-2hc]warfarev2_073v48co.chernarus/Server/FSM/cleaners/*
• Missions/[55-2hc]warfarev2_073v48co.chernarus/Server/FSM/restorers/buildings_restorer.sqf

Wiki/docs:

• AI, headless and performance
• Feature status register
• Hardening roadmap
• Arma 2 OA external reference guide
• agent-hardening-backlog.jsonl

Notes By Area

PVF Dispatch

Init_PublicVariables.sqf:43-50 compiles each listed client/server handler into CLTFNC* / SRVFNC* globals and installs PVEHs. But Server_HandlePVF.sqf:14 and Client_HandlePVF.sqf:22 still do Spawn (Call Compile _script) per incoming message.

This is the most valuable performance-adjacent fix because it removes avoidable runtime compilation and closes the DR-1 arbitrary handler-string trust boundary. Do not treat it as a micro-optimization only; it belongs in the P0 hardening branch.

Validation:

• Source-only: every registered _clientCommandPV and _serverCommandPV resolves to CODE after init.
• Dedicated smoke: one server-bound PVF and one client-bound PVF still work.
• Negative smoke: bogus command string is rejected and logged without executing.

Hosted Server FPS Loops

serverFpsGUI.sqf and monitorServerFPS.sqf both run while {true}. Their only sleep 8 sits inside if (isDedicated). On non-dedicated/hosted server, the branch is skipped and the loop has no sleep.

This is a small, low-risk patch if hosted/listen mode is supported. On dedicated servers, the current behavior is not a CPU spin, but there are still two publishers broadcasting closely related values every 8 seconds.

Validation:

• Hosted/listen source smoke: loop exits or sleeps when !isDedicated.
• Dedicated smoke: both HUD/status consumers still receive server FPS at the expected cadence, or documented consumers are migrated to one shared variable.

Supply Mission Scan

supplyMissionStarted.sqf:37-45 loops while the supply vehicle is alive. Every 3 seconds it scans all object classes within 80 meters and checks each result for Base_WarfareBUAVterminal.

This is a contained low-risk improvement because the code already wants one class family. The Arma 2 OA external reference guide flags broad nearestObjects scans as review targets, and the supply mission cleanup playbook already calls this out.

Validation:

• Source-only: broad empty class array is gone.
• Dedicated smoke: supply completion still detects command centers for both sides and PR #1 supply helicopter/truck variants.
• JIP note: completion detection is server-side; cooldown JIP behavior should remain pull-based and unchanged.

Duplicate Skill Initialization

Init_Client.sqf runs Skill_Init.sqf at :547, selects default gear based on WFBE_SK_V_Type, then runs Skill_Init.sqf again at :571 before WFBE_SK_FNC_Apply.

Skill_Init.sqf:49 mutates WFBE_C_PLAYERS_AI_MAX for Soldier class by setting it to ceil (1.5 * current value). Because there is no guard or remembered base value, the double init compounds the cap. With default WFBE_C_PLAYERS_AI_MAX = 16, first init gives 24 and second init gives 36.

This is an opportunity because it can inflate per-player AI counts and affect server/client load. It is also a balance bug if Soldier was intended to get only one 1.5x boost.

Validation:

• Source-only: Skill_Init.sqf runs once, or the Soldier cap mutation is idempotent.
• Local smoke: Soldier sees the intended AI cap; non-Soldier classes keep their normal cap.
• Respawn smoke: Client_PreRespawnHandler.sqf can still call WFBE_SK_FNC_Apply.

Factory Queue

Client_BuildUnit.sqf:167-172 uses varQueu, then immediately changes varQueu to random(10)+random(100)+random(1000). Queue changes are broadcast with _building setVariable ["queu", _queu, true] at :172, :191 and :207. Empty vehicle purchases can exit at :365 before the local queue cap is decremented at :467-469.

This is already in the hardening backlog as factory-queue-cleanups. Treat the soft-lock first, then reduce token/broadcast churn. Because the queue is visible to clients, do not silently remove network publication without checking UI consumers.

Validation:

• Repeated crewless empty-vehicle purchases do not soft-lock the local queue.
• Two simultaneous buyers cannot collide on the front token.
• Queue UI remains correct with reduced broadcasts.

WASP Marker Dialog

global_marking_monitor.sqf:57-73 disables input, spawns a 2-second window, and polls findDisplay 54 without sleep. The same file uses a better waitUntil {sleep 0.1; !isNull (findDisplay 12)} pattern at :80.

This is not a server-wide disaster because it is one player action and time-bounded. It is still a friendly low-risk cleanup because the code already has the desired idiom.

Validation:

• Double-clicking the map still opens marker creation and prefixes marker text with player name on Enter.
• Escape still clears handlers.
• Input is always re-enabled, including timeout/no-dialog cases.

Not First-Patch Items

Town And Town-AI Loops

server_town.sqf and server_town_ai.sqf use per-town nearEntities scans, but both already have cooperative per-town sleep 0.05, a sleep 5 between full cycles, and PerformanceAudit records with scan/detected/cycle metrics.

Patch only after RPT evidence shows these rows dominate. Changing detection cadence or class filters risks gameplay behavior: capture, town activation, despawn and patrol behavior depend on those scans.

Client Marker Loops

updatetownmarkers.sqf now caches marker names/text, delays closed-map refreshes, and records skipped text writes. updateteamsmarkers.sqf updates only when map/GPS/Warfare UI is visible, throttles AI leader updates to 1 second, and records marker operations.

These are not first-patch targets. Use PerformanceAudit output before touching cadence.

RHUD

Client_UpdateRHUD.sqf sleeps 1 second, caches display/control state, and avoids redundant text/color writes. It should stay measurement-led.

Cleaner And Restorer Wide Scans

The whole-map cleaner/restorer scripts have wide scans, but they are class-filtered, low cadence and instrumented. Their sleep 0.5 per item intentionally spreads deletion/restoration work. Treat them as audit-first candidates.

Suggested Patch Order

1. PVF dispatcher lookup, because it is both P0 security and performance.
2. Hosted server FPS loop sleep/consolidation, if hosted/listen mode still matters.
3. Duplicate Skill_Init idempotency, because it can inflate AI caps.
4. Supply mission scan narrowing, bundled with the supply mission authority cleanup playbook.
5. Factory queue cleanup, because it fixes both soft-lock and network churn.
6. WASP marker dialog wait cleanup.
7. Audit-led cleaner/restorer or marker-loop tuning only after RPT evidence.

Handoff

For Codex:

• Keep this page linked from dashboard/status/context/backlog.
• Avoid scattering performance notes across subsystem pages unless they are implementation-ready.

For Claude:

• Good contradiction checks: prove whether the double Skill_Init call is intentional or historical accident; inspect whether any UI path consumes every broadcast queu update; verify exact class inheritance for Base_WarfareBUAVterminal in OA before a scan-narrowing patch.

For a future code owner:

• Smallest code patch: hosted FPS loop sleep/exit.
• Highest value patch: PVF dispatcher lookup from the existing playbook.
• New cleanup package: client-skill-init-idempotency.

Continue Reading

Previous: AI, headless and performance | Next: Hardening roadmap

Main map: Home | Fast path: Feature status | Agent file: agent-context.json