CSS #1 lags while CSS #2 and all TF2 servers not

[Cr4z33]

As written in the topic I would like to sort out this stupid problem that came out only after the big CSS update.
I've got a very powerfull computer and my DSL line performance is doing well.
I did everything suggested in this forum + Steampowered.
I reinstalled, reset all CFGs, set rates & interp, disabled cloud, updated DirectX + GFX cards drivers.
I am going anyway for a hw upgrade (btw if someone please can answer in that topic...), but I cannot believe I'm suffering from very bad lag on CSS #1 while #2 looks OK no matter how many players we have atm.
TF servers are all smooth with all slots full and graphics everything max.
Heeelp!

[gandy]

Have you tried increasing the amount of allowed packets before windows starts to throttle them back ??

[KAL-EL]

Explain please mate

[lockwyn]

Whats your lerp cr4z?

[SHUTA]

same problem to me

[gandy]

Explain please mate

Windows by default throttles the net connection when there is 10 packets at the same time being received ( streaming media does not get throttled due to the way windows is set up ).

I will find the thread on it so you all can choose if you wish to use the registry change.


Edit found it
http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/s ... ostcount=1

For those who dont wish to read the thread in short this is the fix


Original post by naix1337

Hey guys,

I had the problem that my game felt very jerky and when there was much action on the screen my FPS was dropping from about 160 to 70-80 but it felt like 10-20 FPS.
This problem was fixed by disabling ALL sound devices in the device manager, but who wants to play without sound?

After many hours of googling I found out that this issue occurs only in Windows Vista and 7 and is related to the processing of network packets.
The network performance of your computer seems to be throttled to 10 packets per millisecond which causes stuttering and therefore has to be raised.
(Can be read here: http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=k...48066&x=5&y=16)


What you have to do is:

1. Open the Registry Editor. (Start>Run>regedit)
2. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Multimedia\SystemProfile\
3. Set the "NetworkThrottlingIndex" value to FFFFFFFF hexadecimal. (Default value is 10). Screenshot
4. Restart your computer.

The stuttering should be gone by now!
Pleasy reply if this solution could help you.

[Black Moon]

Noticed the same issue with me tbh...

[LuckyNV]

TF2 has upto half the players on the server, I'd love to see 64 players TF2 and compare the performance now that both are using the OB engine

as for the lag, its more to do with the number of players alive rather than anything else

pistol round is always butter smooth for me, after that once #1 has filled up beyond 45 or so then it'll be warpy at the start of each round

[PREDATORPANTS|UKCS|]

Dont worry guys, im sure its nothing major, we are having a few Spikes over in DoD:S as well, but most of us seem to think it maybe Valve Inching in another little hotfix of theres for one of the games on the orange box 2009 engine...

Only guessing tho :3

[meyenburg]

OMG gandy! That just fixed my lag, love you man!

[gandy]

I do have another fix for those who lag no matter how few people are on server but this fix is not a good one so i will wait before posting it to see if any one has the issue.

[Cr4z33]

Have you tried increasing the amount of allowed packets before windows starts to throttle them back ??

Sorry for the late reply everybody, but life is quite busy atm...
That's exactly what fixed my problem gandy and I found it out the other day 10 minutes later after posting this topic (doh!) while chatting with some players on an Italian server!
I can't believe a registry fix sorted out the stupid lag and Lucky, as I said, even with the same amount of players on CSS #2 or on a TF 2 server I got no lag at all.
Anyway it's done and thanks everybody for the help!

[meyenburg]

Please sticky your post gandy!

[nakata24]

Hi Gandy, is there any fix for windows xp? Still got serious warp/lags ingame.

[LuckyNV]

I applied the tweak just under a week ago and have been noting down observations since.

Overall large improvements on all maps across the board on server#1 with players upto 60-64, some maps like dust2 have zero round start warping regardless of how many players are spawned on round start.

Others like desert atrocity and pyramid has "slight" warping, and parthenon that I have observed serveral times with high player count still has quite bad round start warping sometimes making it a serious effort to throw smokes or even getting up the ramp near T spawn.

Crazee, I too have zero problems with #2 or TF2, but this is because neither servers can fit 50+ players which is where most of the warping/stutter kicks in. You should have noticed how it clears up once players start to die. CSS#1 did not warp (for me) under a certain number of players.
I have taken screenshots of what I mean with what to watch for on net_graph and player count. I'll post them up tonight. I do note the "in" rate still plummets far down around 11-13 at worst case (60+ players) but its back up to 60-66 with around 40-44 players i.e. no round start warping which is around #2 capacity and above that of TF2 servers hence why neither of those servers should be warpy in the first place.

I will concede that observations can vary since players will have different computer hardware, internet connections and location.

However, no idea why this is an issue after the OB update and why much of it can be relieved by a client side OS tweak...

[melipone]

Lucky do net_graph 4 and check the server FPS at the bottom left. I think the servers just get hammered more with the new update, or it needs more bandwidth per player. It was going under 10 (and red) on office server when I last looked. I don't know how you go about improving server fps except by reducing player numbers, but at a guess maybe try capping sv_maxrate at 30,000 as a test like on tf2 (its 100,000 now which is nice, although i have it at 60,000). You might get choke at 30,000 tho

[KAL-EL]

Sorry on late reply Gandy, mega busy etc, ill try this fix tonight im on Vista 64 hopefully ill find the registry and keep you posted.
As im getting constant 120fps on full maps ie 64 people, ive a good connection ie fibre optic. Good PC latest i7 etc. But i lag like its 20-30fps and people warping around. Lately im getting people killing me then i see there model appear.
Ill break dance naked in Manchester city centre if this fix works as this is the only thing ive not tried.

ps Lucky mate, have you uploaded those pics?

[LuckyNV]

No, I'm still at work, I'll get round to it later this evening, they only show the correlation between number of players at round start and the level of "in" rate from the server.

After the tweak, the "in" rate is unchanged but the start round player model warping is, in general, vastly reduced with exceptions that I have mentioned plus any additional "laggy" maps that I have not played yet.

Remember this difference only applies to start of rounds where there are more than 50-54 or so players that have spawned, 60-64 used to be horrendous no matter the map, but maps like dust2 and many others, the warping is pretty much non-existant.

This tweak isn't going to solve any other issues you or others may have, only the round starts with lots of players.

[KAL-EL]

cheers lucky, im also getting low in rate, at start im getting about 13 then it rises to about 60 near the end of the map. ill post a screene aswell.

[LuckyNV]

there is absolutely nothing you can do on your end to fix that, everyone and I mean everyone will see the same thing.

Its just that OS tweak greatly reduces the warping allowing you to move properly, throw stuff etc.... regardless of a low "in" rate