This is mostly for MOBers since I know otheres won't or can't read. You guys get asked all the time on the server about lag and it is a very tricky thing to deal with so there is no real good answer. First I pay by user for our server. Based on the current number of paid users (20) we get a server with quad (4) Xeon processors and 4 gig of RAM. For those of you computer illiterates that is a really big ass server. It is running on an OC-48 internet connection which is the equivelent to about 1250 people putting their cable modems together! We share this server and line with two other groups so we have 1/3 of the horsepower available which is still 10 times more than most people have. That is why I pay a premiem price since most folks use another hosting company which is half the price of ours. Based on the horsepower we have there is NO WAY that 20 users is going to even think about stressing this server so it makes no difference in lag when we have 5, 10 or 20 people. I have been on when we have had 20 people and EVERYONES ping was under 75 so I know the box and line can handle it.

SO why then the lag? Simply the design of the game is such that users with high pings coming on to the server effect everyone. This is an inherent design flaw in the game and can not be changed so we have to find ways around it. The best I have found is Crow Kings autokick which is what I have running on a laptop 7x24 at my house monitoring the server. This program is customizable but I have found the BEST setting to be a top end ping of 150 and three passes of the scanner set to 15 seconds. With these settings we are kicking between 200 to 500 people a day which to me is unbelievable. The program does not kick one at a time and in fact I have seen it kick as many as 7 offenders at once if necessary since it scans all IP addresses at the same time, but you have 45 seconds to put up with lag which in the gaming world is a long time. SOP you say why not make it kick as soon as someone hits 150? well I have done quite a bit of monitoring on this and can tell you that it is not uncommon for 5 or six people on the server to spike up to 150 for 10 seconds or meaning any additional settings would cause us to kick probably 3 times as many people as we do now.

All of this long discussion leads me to a question to you all. Do you want me to change the tolerances even tighter? That would mean less lag, but also means some of YOU will get kicked. Comments......

I hope this helps you all understand lag....

I can't speak for everyone but I have never been kicked before for high ping. And if you make it tighter, it will kick about 3 or 4 of the MOB members. Just remember that it's just a game and we are all here to have fun. Lag does however hinder that, but that goes with all the server. If it's going to lag, let it lag here.

Lately I can't even get in! I have never had a problem before but becuase my cable company is screwed.. I'm fucked. Who knows when I'll be able to get in again...

Please dont set the ping any lower as I have enough difficulty staying on now. I can see no rhyme or reason for the ping levels and so I cant always be on. Today is good, not bounced once! and hey I broke the 50 kill barrier lol. Would it make a difference to go to the IP number direct rather than through gamespy?


RAVEN

leave it like it is. thanks for the detailed explaination and we'll have to deal with it. it's not that big of a problem for me i was just wondering if we could do anything more. thanks again

man raven we miss gaming with you we got to figure something out.

Clan

I'm not sure if this is part of lag problem but it may be. I ran a few traces to your server and I'm getting massive packet loss on the last hop off the ATT network onto PNAP network where your server is. It's possible several people are getting stuck on the same bad hop. If enough people are going though the same bad hop as me it could lag everyone, even if everyone has a good ping.
Out of curiousity you may want to have a few people download this free Ping Plotter. Just to see if they are having the same problem. Bad news is if it is this, there is nothing you can do about it ( hopefully ATT is fixing it ). Good news is, you will know for sure that its not a issue with your server or the network its on.


Druid

well damn thanks Druid. I will get Fag to check on that today. It might be that artofwarcentral.com web site is down so that might contribute to it. But I check on yours. Thanks

Clan

After you get booter from the server is it possible to get back in?
Was suprised when I was booter on entree today, I'v never been booted from high ping before but I could not get in agian when I tryed, said I server disconnected everey time b4 I got into the game.
Anyway hope to see you out there soon mob)

Nice seeing you again Shelby. Hope you get on tonight.

Sadly I am working a bit tonight, but will try all I can, You know that I can't let down on oppertunity to become an oppression led magnet)

Shelby