Server Gameplay Runtime Atlas

Server Gameplay Runtime Atlas

Upstream-history note: Miksuu commit clusters show that server runtime changes around town AI, JIP and performance often need follow-up fixes. Read Developer history and upstream lessons before altering long-running server loops or wakeup logic.

This atlas maps long-running server gameplay loops and runtime surfaces that future owners should treat carefully. Paths are relative to Missions/[55-2hc]warfarev2_073v48co.chernarus/.

Runtime Loops

Runtime surface	Source anchors	Notes
Town capture loop	Server/Init/Init_Server.sqf:510; Server/FSM/server_town.sqf	Server-owned capture, supply value changes, camp side updates and performance audit rows.
Town AI loop	Server/Init/Init_Server.sqf:512-514; Server/FSM/server_town_ai.sqf	Defender/occupation activation, town AI delegation, static defense operation and despawn behavior.
Resource loop	Server/Init/Init_Server.sqf:531; Server/FSM/updateresources.sqf	Side supply/player funds/commander funds. Economy and AntiStack changes can alter income behavior.
Victory loop	Server/Init/Init_Server.sqf:528; Server/FSM/server_victory_threeway.sqf	Winner inversion/double-fire hazards live here; route through DR-11/DR-36 before patching.
Supply mission tracking	Server/Module/supplyMission/supplyMissionStarted.sqf; Server/Module/supplyMission/supplyMissionCompleted.sqf	Client-stamped cargo/reward state remains an authority cleanup lane; completion calls ChangeSideSupply, so rewards hit the DR-44 wfbe_supply_temp_<side> final mutation channel. Scan narrowing is docs/source propagated; use Current source status snapshot before making stable-master or release claims.
HQ killed processing	Server/Construction/Construction_HQSite.sqf:89,91; Client/Init/Init_Client.sqf:500-503; Server/Functions/Server_OnHQKilled.sqf:46-81,96-114	Mobile-HQ killed EHs can fire from multiple owning-side clients; Server_OnHQKilled.sqf currently has no processed-once guard before score awards, messages and HQ marker/state broadcasts. Canonical finding: Deep-review findings DR-20.
Server FPS publishing	Server/GUI/serverFpsGUI.sqf; Server/Module/serverFPS/monitorServerFPS.sqf; Server/Init/Init_Server.sqf:578,595	Current docs/source exits both publishers on !isDedicated; Arma smoke and branch-scope proof still decide release status. Canonical finding: Deep-review findings DR-19.
Side radio/message pipeline	Server/Init/Init_Server.sqf:32; Server/Functions/Server_SideMessage.sqf; callers in server_town.sqf:199,230,233, Server_BuildingKilled.sqf:92 and Server_ProcessUpgrade.sqf:85	Server-owned HQ-radio/kbTell messages for towns, bases, strongpoints, construction, commander votes and upgrades. Keep this separate from LocalizeMessage chat/PVF effects. See SideMessage pipeline shape.

Mini-scout follow-up 2026-06-04 mapped the startup cluster around Server/Init/Init_Server.sqf:507-626: town runtime, town AI, victory, resources, garbage and empty-vehicle collectors, cleaner/restorer workers, server FPS publishers, Performance Audit, AFK kick, AntiStack loops, player-count monitor, commander vote workers and day/night control all start from this hub. Runtime edits should therefore be reviewed as a worker set, not as isolated scripts.

SideMessage Pipeline Shape

SideMessage is a server-compiled radio wrapper, not the same path as client LocalizeMessage. Server init compiles it from Server/Functions/Server_SideMessage.sqf (Server/Init/Init_Server.sqf:32). The handler reads the side, message key and optional parameters (Server_SideMessage.sqf:3-5), resolves the side radio HQ speaker/receiver/topic from side logic (:7-11) and then calls kbTell through a compact switch (:13-64).

The payload shape is message-family dependent:

Message family	Expected shape	Representative callers
Town object messages	[_side, "Lost" / "Captured" / "HostilesDetectedNear", _townLogic]	town lost/captured uses server_town.sqf:230,233; town-AI activation uses server_town_ai.sqf:134.
Nearby strongpoint/town messages	[_side, "LostAt" / "CapturedNear", ["Strongpoint", _townLogic]]	camp side changes use server_town_camp.sqf:127,130; handler expects select 0 as a spoken label and select 1 as the town logic (Server_SideMessage.sqf:23-30).
Base or town attack/construction messages	[_side, "Constructed" / "Destroyed" / "Deployed" / "Mobilized" / "IsUnderAttack", ["Base", _structure]] or ["Town", _townLogic]	construction/HQ paths use Construction_SmallSite.sqf:115, Construction_MediumSite.sqf:130, Construction_HQSite.sqf:35,88; base damage/kill/HQ kill use Server_BuildingDamaged.sqf:13, Server_BuildingKilled.sqf:92, Server_OnHQKilled.sqf:53; town attack uses server_town.sqf:199.
No-parameter radio topics	[_side, "VotingForNewCommander" / "NewIntelAvailable" / "MMissionFailed" / "NewMissionAvailable"]	commander vote uses RequestCommanderVote.sqf:20; upgrade completion uses Server_ProcessUpgrade.sqf:85.
Parameterized mission/extraction topics	[_side, "MMissionComplete" / "ExtractionTeam" / "ExtractionTeamCancel", [spokenText, dubbingClass]]	handled by Server_SideMessage.sqf:61-62; source-check the current caller before adding one.

Do not collapse this into LocalizeMessage. LocalizeMessage is registered as a client PVF (Common/Init/Init_PublicVariables.sqf:32) and its client handler can show chat/title text or mutate local funds for some tags, for example Teamkill, SecondaryAward and HeadHunterReceiveBounty (Client/PVFunctions/LocalizeMessage.sqf:49,53,57-68). SideMessage is the server-owned radio/dubbing path. If you add radio lines, dubbing classes or new side-message keys, smoke each payload family in Arma 2 OA and inspect both the side radio output and the adjacent LocalizeMessage path if the same gameplay event also emits chat/economy feedback.

Current Runtime Risks

Risk	Status	Owner route
Hosted/listen FPS busy loop	Docs/source propagated; stable/release branch status and Arma smoke decide shipped state; DR-19	Hosted server FPS loop sleep, Current source status snapshot and Deep-review findings DR-19
Supply command-center broad scan	Docs/source propagated; stable/release branch status and Arma smoke decide shipped state	Supply mission scan narrowing
Supply reward/cooldown authority	Open hardening; includes DR-44 final side-supply mutation channel	Supply mission authority cleanup
Victory double-fire/winner inversion	Open correctness	Deep-review findings DR-11/DR-36
HQ-killed duplicate processing / score exploit	Open correctness; DR-20	Deep-review findings DR-20
Direct PV authority	Open hardening	Public variable channel index
Side-message payload shape	Source-cited runtime surface	Use SideMessage pipeline shape. SideMessage takes different parameter shapes for town, strongpoint, base/construction and no-parameter radio topics; keep it separate from LocalizeMessage before adding radio/dubbing or changing message text.
AntiStack/database loops	High-sensitivity	External integrations and AI, headless and performance
Dormant maintenance hooks	Init_Server.sqf:36 comments UpdateSupplyTruck; :567 comments groupsMonitor; :65,88-92 retain older commented AFK/server-FPS/MASH compile remnants.	Keep disabled hooks documented as historical or deliberately revive them with owner-scoped smoke.

Safe Runtime Rules

• Do not remove sleeps or change scan cadence without measuring gameplay and performance effects.
• Keep Arma 2 OA hosted/dedicated/headless differences explicit; do not import Arma 3 locality/JIP examples.
• Treat publicVariable handlers as lacking a trusted sender identity unless source proves a server-owned anchor.
• When gameplay code is requested later, patch source Chernarus first and propagate generated Vanilla Takistan through LoadoutManager.

Continue Reading

Systems: Gameplay systems atlas | Performance: Performance opportunity sweep | Current truth: Current source status snapshot