URGENT: 64-Man pubs are KILLING the game

[hockeywarrior]

I stopped playing 64 man servers weeks ago, and I can't imagine going back.

My performance issues go away if I'm playing ~40 man servers. The maps don't feel as horribly cramped and claustrophobic, and you have room to maneuver and be tactical. The pace slows down a bit, as you aren't running into a dozen guys every time you turn a corner, and there's generally more cooperation and teamwork on smaller servers.

So yes, more small servers, please.

The problem is that there aren't that many 40-50 man servers to choose from. In fact, there aren't that many TOTAL servers to choose from to begin with. The player numbers have really dropped fast for this game, which I expected, but not this quickly.

 

[Sensemann]

I don't know if it fits the topic but anyway: yesterday I couldn't play at all as all servers in my browser had pings between 300 and 1000 (!). The funny thing is that when I went on a 300 ping server to check if it's true, the ping actually was somewhat in the 450 ping section.

So no gaming for me last night...

 

[Floyd]

Most of the popular 64 man servers are on top of the line equipment and many are dedicated boxes that are not rented out by GSP's.
It is noted that some maps do cause more performance issues than others.

We've found that some of our members and regular players have computer hardware and connections that just can't seem to comfortably handle more than 40 or 50 players. While many of us have no trouble, they just simply can't enjoy the game because of their equipment not the server's.

To accommadate them, we've taken our very 64 man capable server and scaled it back to 52 players. Seems to be win/win. When campaigns become an option, we may take it back up to 64 players for weekend playing of campaigns.

 

[Sifer2]

So, just how long have you known these thousands of people?

Just simple observation. When was the last time you played a SL and had all the guys in your squad following you asking for orders and a smoke for a coordinated assualt? When I play one I notice my squad spread all over the map. My smokes just help who ever happens to be nearby an notice it lol.

 

[vbloke]

i only have 3 servers in my faves - all 64 man - dont really have much problem with lag - only occassionaly.
my ping is always 70-180.

 

[Actin]

Although I know a number of 64 player servers with issues, since I found one with no issues and playing like a 40 player server, I am never leaving that one again

Maybe TWI just made the minimum for 64 players too low. Although they did say that it was hard on the server. So was to be expected

 

[Crumplecorn]

No issues with 64-man servers here, performance-wise or lag-wise.

 

[Gudenrath]

I frequently experience ping soaring for all players going up to 400-500 on 64 player servers (showing the problem to be on server end, not player equipment). Recently I have simply abandonded playing on 64 player servers.

But then again I exclusively play Spartanvoka, Grain Elevator and Apartments. None of which are balanced for 64 players anyway. 32-48 are perfectly fine.

 

[crockett]

This is soooo true.. I gave up on 64 player severs because they all seem to lag.

7th Cav was my fav over all server but it's just impossible to play on it with the crap performance. Yet when the server is down to about 50 it's smooth as hell and runs very nice.

For myself I typically get decent game play up to around 50 and was only able to play in the 64 server when the game was still beta and b4 the patches that added the lag. Even then it was laggy when arti hit on the 64 player servers.

 

[vyyye]

I only play on one server because my server list is bonked still, but I haven't suffered any of that. Old Gits if anyone is wondering.
Was bad a while in beta (like a few days) but sorted out quite nicely. I do get slightly higher pings when there are 64 players on but it's still sub 80.

Guess I'm lucky I stuck that one to my favourites, probably wouldn't play the game if the only server I could play on lagged like ****.

 

[powerbits01]

thats the reason why we went to 48 , we have punkbuster streamed on medium and the game plays nicer also

 

[Verluste]

I only once played on a full 64 player server. The maps are not made for it. Not to mention the chaos, teamkills and deathmatch feeling you get from it.

It is horrible.

 

[Arkhell]

had 64 servers that worked fine, had 32 servers taht didn't work.

last night it didn't matter what server i joined it all lagged like mad (my fav server was empty )

 

[Anunzi]

7th Cav was my fav over all server but it's just impossible to play on it with the crap performance. Yet when the server is down to about 50 it's smooth as hell and runs very nice.

See this is what strikes me as just plain odd. I live in the UK and i play on 7th Cav alot (i preffer playing with Americans as they tend to be alot more talkative the us Euro's and that makes for better teamplay i find) and i n2ver get any lag. Last night i was on the with a ping of 200+ played with no issues. Never felt any lag at all. Weird thing tho, RL mate who lives 2 doors away from me.... laggy as **** on the same server. Odd eh?

 

[NME]

I also play on Old Gits, never noticed any lag issues, despite the difficulty of joining with the blue "paused" on first join.

 

[Crumplecorn]

I also play on Old Gits, never noticed any lag issues, despite the difficulty of joining with the blue "paused" on first join.

That's the server I play on mostly too. So obviously servers which can handle 64-man do exist.

On a somewhat unrelated note, if anyone is having 'performance issues' (i.e. fps drops), that is obviously your machine, not the server, being unable to handle 64 man.

 

[G_Sajer]

Although most servers indeed lag ALOT, it's not common to all of them. There are a few servers that are actually quite stable with 64 players online.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Indeed. What a lot of folks dont realize is that the performance of servers, like our
gaming computers, can vary widely depeding on the cpu family, mobo, and chip sets. Ours are a later design which can handle a number of 64 man servers without strain. We also have focused on locating one of them centrally in the country to
diminish ping turnaround for most. I think the assertion that all 64 man servers suffer from this problem is pretty breathtaking. We had our 64 man apts server stuffed to the rafters during prime evening hours without a hint of trouble. I am absolutely sure that there are 64 slot servers out there well enough designed not to be a problem in this area. You must make a small effort to acquaint yourself with one.