Decreasing area AI priority

[Baaleos]

So I have just moved my server to a new server infrastructure that offers burstable performance.
Eg: when my cpu usage is below 20-30% I gain credits, which can then be used when the cpu usage is above 20-30 to give full access to a 3ghz processor.

I am trying to fine tune my server to make full use of this, I've been using the nwnx profiler to try and identify causes of cpu cycle consumption but it's not really narrowing it down for me.

My symptoms are as follows

Before anyone logs in, CPU is quiet 10-15%
When someone logs in 20-30, occasional spikes to 50%
When logging out back to 10-15ish

If however a rift spawns in the server ( a rift is a semi random event that spawns monsters in areas) then even after the rift is gone, and the player leaves, the CPU persists at 30-35% which although isn't high, it's not low enough to gain CPU credits. This CPU level would drain all CPU credits in 8 hours etc.
(the idea is that idle server accrues CPU credits, then uses them when players are on for increased performance)

My theory is that once combat occurs in an area, that area gains a flag giving it higher priority for hb's etc
If this is the case, I'm just wondering if there is anyway to return CPU priorities back to starting levels)
Has anyone got any idea on how to fix my CPU issue here?
Profiler doesn't highlight any bad scripts
Everything that gets called looks genuine and the call count is usually higher than the Ms count- suggesting an efficient script
Eg 4000 calls equating to 100ms is good vs
100 calls equating to 4000ms

[elven]

Can't you just softlimit the process to 5% of wallclock time while no players are online? Should be enough to keep the hb scheduler happy, unless there is anything important going on while no one is there?
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silm.pw, a player-driven Forgotten Realms NWN1 persistent world for tinkerers.

[Baaleos]

Im not sure how I would do that in windows.
Most OS's don't have the power to refuse CPU cycles to applications.
The applications themselves have to govern their cpu cycles.

What I have been doing so far is putting

[Baaleos]

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/71257/suspend-process-in-c-sharp


It seems we are both right.

OS's don't generally allow you to limit CPU, infact- you cannot limit CPU.
CPU is just used when its needed.

What you can do however, is suspend threads or full processes at rapid intervals in order to slow a process down.

I am using such an application now - which is called BEX - Which can set an upper limit for your cpu usage per process.
I am going to study its source and try to port to C# and then make it adaptive so it adjusts for player count.

[elven]

[virusman]

Try nwnx_optimizations
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In Soviet Russia, NWN plays you!

[Baaleos]

is nwnx_optimizations around for windows?

[Baaleos]

[elven]

[Baaleos]

Strangely enough - it looks like my server has suddenly become more efficient in regards to its heart beats etc

I was using that BES application to limit the CPU usage to 70 of normal, but even with it turned off now - it seems that I am getting passive / idle CPU Usage at around 6-9%

Normally after 2-3 hours, when the heartbeats and events start spawning on the server, the CPU would spike to 60-80% even without players online.

I guess the check I added in for
if(GetFirstPC() == OBJECT_INVALID){return;}

Is having a positive impact.