DarkflameServer/dSimClient/README.md

DarkflameServer SimClient

A simulation client for testing and load testing the DarkflameServer.

Overview

The SimClient is a headless client that can simulate multiple player connections to test server performance, stability, and functionality. It's designed for:

• Load Testing: Simulate many concurrent users
• Performance Testing: Measure server response under load
• Regression Testing: Automated testing of server functionality
• Development Testing: Quick connectivity and feature testing

Features

• Multiple Client Simulation: Spawn many simulated clients
• Configurable Behaviors: Movement, chat, random actions
• Network Statistics: Track packets, bytes, connection stats
• Flexible Configuration: File-based and command-line configuration
• Different Test Modes: Basic, load, stress, movement, chat tests
• Real-time Monitoring: Live statistics and status updates

Building

The SimClient is built as part of the normal DarkflameServer build process:

mkdir build && cd build
cmake ..
make SimClient  # or build SimClient target in Visual Studio

Usage

Basic Usage

# Run with default settings (1 client)
./SimClient

# Run load test with 10 clients
./SimClient -n 10 -t load

# Run with verbose logging
./SimClient -v -n 5

# Connect to remote server
./SimClient -a 192.168.1.100:1001 -w 192.168.1.100:2000

Command Line Options

• -h, --help - Show help message
• -c, --config <file> - Configuration file (default: simclient.ini)
• -n, --clients <count> - Number of clients to simulate
• -a, --auth <ip:port> - Auth server address
• -w, --world <ip:port> - World server address
• -v, --verbose - Enable verbose logging
• -t, --test <type> - Test type (basic, load, stress, movement, chat)

Test Types

• basic - Single client connectivity test
• load - Multiple client load test
• stress - High-load stress test (2x client count)
• movement - Movement simulation test
• chat - Chat functionality test

Configuration File

Create simclient.ini to configure default settings:

# Server Settings
auth_server_ip=127.0.0.1
auth_server_port=1001
world_server_ip=127.0.0.1  
world_server_port=2000

# Simulation Settings
client_count=5
spawn_delay_ms=2000
tick_rate_ms=16

# Behavior Settings
enable_movement=1
enable_chat=0
enable_random_actions=1
action_interval_ms=5000

# Test Accounts
test_account_1=testuser1:testpass1
test_account_2=testuser2:testpass2

Simulated Behaviors

Movement Simulation

• Random movement within zones
• Configurable movement patterns (random, circular, linear)
• Position updates sent to server
• Collision-free pathfinding

Chat Simulation

• Predefined message sets (normal, spam, roleplay)
• Configurable chat intervals
• Multiple chat channels support

Connection Management

• Automatic reconnection on failures
• Graceful disconnection handling
• Connection state tracking
• Error reporting and recovery

Statistics Tracking

• Packets sent/received per client
• Bytes sent/received per client
• Connection success/failure rates
• Real-time performance metrics

Use Cases

Load Testing

Test server performance under various loads:

# Test with 50 concurrent users
./SimClient -t load -n 50

# Stress test with 100 users
./SimClient -t stress -n 50  # Will actually use 100 (2x)

Development Testing

Quick testing during development:

# Basic connectivity test
./SimClient -t basic

# Test movement system
./SimClient -t movement -n 3

Automated Testing

Integrate into CI/CD pipelines:

#!/bin/bash
# Start server
./MasterServer &
./AuthServer &
./WorldServer &

sleep 5

# Run automated tests
./SimClient -t basic || exit 1
./SimClient -t load -n 10 || exit 1

# Cleanup
killall MasterServer AuthServer WorldServer

Performance Monitoring

Monitor server performance over time:

# Long-running load test with statistics
./SimClient -t load -n 25 -v > load_test_$(date +%Y%m%d_%H%M%S).log

Architecture

Components

• SimClient - Main executable and command-line interface
• SimConfig - Configuration management
• SimWorld - Simulation coordinator and statistics
• SimUser - Individual client simulation
• SimBehavior - Behavior patterns and actions

Network Protocol

The SimClient implements a simplified version of the DarkflameServer client protocol:

1. Authentication Flow

   • Connect to AuthServer
   • Send login credentials
   • Receive session token
   • Get world server info

2. World Connection

   • Connect to WorldServer
   • Send session validation
   • Load character/world data
   • Enter simulation mode

3. Simulation Loop

   • Send position updates
   • Process server messages
   • Execute configured behaviors
   • Maintain connection health

Error Handling

• Automatic retry on connection failures
• Graceful degradation on partial failures
• Detailed error logging and reporting
• Recovery strategies for different error types

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Connection Refused

• Ensure servers are running and accessible
• Check firewall settings
• Verify IP addresses and ports

Authentication Failures

• Verify test account credentials
• Check database connectivity
• Review auth server logs

High Memory Usage

• Reduce client count for available RAM
• Monitor for memory leaks
• Use 64-bit build for large tests

Performance Issues

• Adjust tick rate and spawn delays
• Monitor server resource usage
• Check network bandwidth limits

Debugging

Enable verbose logging to see detailed operations:

./SimClient -v -n 1 -t basic

Check log files in the logs/ directory for detailed information.

Contributing

When adding new features to SimClient:

1. Follow existing code patterns
2. Add appropriate error handling
3. Update configuration options
4. Add command-line parameters as needed
5. Update this documentation
6. Test with various scenarios

Future Enhancements

Potential improvements for SimClient:

• Protocol Coverage: Support more game messages and features
• Behavior Scripting: Lua or Python scripting for custom behaviors
• Performance Profiling: Built-in server performance monitoring
• Web Interface: Real-time web dashboard for monitoring
• Distributed Testing: Coordinate multiple SimClient instances
• Recording/Playback: Record real client sessions and replay them