[KoMiKoZa]

Update 2021: Follow the changes suggested by Lux or try MasterMe's settings.


Set nb_update_frequency to 0.01 to improve smoothness and hitreg on Common Infected. However, be warned that it's pretty demanding on server hardware, even more so if you have bigger hordes on yours. It also creates a variety of different issues for CI, but the value of frequency set to 0.01 seems to be optimal. If not, try experimenting. But remember that higher frequency may make things jerkier because sv_client_max_interp_ratio is set to 0 in the config.

After all's set up, it is night and day difference after default 30 tickrate servers.

OP hidden because outdated.

Spoiler

Hello,

I've recently, for the first time, rented a 100 tick server expecting a smooth and fluid gameplay, way too different from the default 30 tick.

What I got in the end was not up to my expectations and I'm trying to figure out if it's my or my server provider's problem.

Now I'm a L4D2 Versus/Realism Expert player of almost 4 years, and was hardcore into the competetive russian versus scene, so I quickly got familiar with tickrates and interpolation values.

I played on 100 tick servers back in the day and it was a whole new world discovered after having played on the default 30 tick ones.

But I'm a total 0 when it comes to server modding or understanding how servers work in general.

This is why I'm here. I got my 100 tick server (High Performance Game Server even), supposedly boasting top-notch hardware and such, BUT its performance is nowhere near the competetive servers I played on back in the day. It's not fluid at all.

I've only written the recommended (optimal for 100 tick) values in the server.cfg:

//Server Rates
sm_cvar sv_minrate 60000
sm_cvar sv_maxrate 100000
sm_cvar sv_minupdaterate 60
sm_cvar sv_maxupdaterate 101
sm_cvar sv_mincmdrate 60
sm_cvar sv_maxcmdrate 101
sm_cvar sv_client_min_interp_ratio 0
sm_cvar sv_client_max_interp_ratio 2
sm_cvar sv_client_predict 1
sm_cvar nb_update_frequency 0.1
sm_cvar sv_unlag 1
sm_cvar sv_maxunlag .5
sm_cvar fps_max 600
sm_cvar net_splitpacket_maxrate 120000

I surely did expect the server to be as fluid as those others after that. But it didn't happen. And I can see that by how the CI (common infected, commons) move.

And I want to ask for your help to possibly define the source of this issue.

This server has SM+MM+TickrateEnabler (1.3)+L4DToolZ installed. It's also on 100 tick as the net_graph 4 shows. Windows dedicated.

Do I need to optimize it further in the .cfg or it might be the server itself not being able to handle the rates?

Here's a short video demonstrating the choppiness/jerkiness of the commons. Watch from 2:16.

Notes: it was recorded when the server had different 100tick values (set by the ServerProvider CEO), which didn't allow lerp to go lower than 10ms. The thing is, even with the optimized values (which I showed in the code tab) it's the same choppiness.

My CompetetiveLerp bind alternates between cl_interp_ratio 2 ; cl_interp 0.066 and cl_interp_ratio 0 ; cl_interp 0. The latter is supposed to provide smooth gameplay on any 100 tick server while also optimizing the gameplay for competetive action. Which doesn't happen on this server.

Thanks for the help in advance,
Komi

[Spirit_12]

Choppy common infected is common on 100 tickrate sever. I’m on my phone but there are a few values that can help. Also setting your lerp lower will cause the same effect on stock server as well.

It could be that you are running out of resources. I would check the overall load on the machine.

[KoMiKoZa]

Originally Posted by Spirit_12 Choppy common infected is common on 100 tickrate sever. I’m on my phone but there are a few values that can help. Also setting your lerp lower will cause the same effect on stock server as well. It could be that you are running out of resources. I would check the overall load on the machine.

It's not common for me. All russian 100 tick servers are smooth/fluid in CI movement (hell, not just competetive, even COOP ones). Much easier to land hits on them and less crap like missing melee/shots not going through happen. And that all is on 0 lerp value with its ratio on 0 as well. I can send you the server IPs so you can check it yourself.

That's the point. Stock is 30, this is 100. It should behave differently.

It's barely loaded. So I just don't know.

I guess it wouldn't hurt if you posted those values. I can wait, not like I have a choice. : D

[Lux]

//Server Rates
sm_cvar nb_update_frequency 0.01 // if you want to play on lerp of 10ms set this value to 0.01 (this will stop laggy zombies) or 0.0 to match server tickrate
sm_cvar net_splitpacket_maxrate 100000 //always match this to the server tick rate nether higher or clients will get loss math (tickrate * 1000)
sm_cvar net_splitrate 2 //also recommend putting this to 2 don't go higher than 2

[KoMiKoZa]

Originally Posted by Lux //Server Rates sm_cvar nb_update_frequency 0.01 // if you want to play on lerp of 10ms set this value to 0.01 (this will stop laggy zombies) or 0.0 to match server tickrate sm_cvar net_splitpacket_maxrate 100000 //always match this to the server tick rate nether higher or clients will get loss math (tickrate * 1000) sm_cvar net_splitrate 2 //also recommend putting this to 2 don't go higher than 2

This fixed the problem. Thank you a lot.

[cravenge]

I think I remember enabling "sv_client_predict" will cause issues on clients who have average to high ping.

[qwejax]

Originally Posted by Lux //Server Rates sm_cvar nb_update_frequency 0.01 // if you want to play on lerp of 10ms set this value to 0.01 (this will stop laggy zombies) or 0.0 to match server tickrate

was looking for 3 days for the problem with my zombies, they get stuck wherever he can and push each other when climbing over the fence \ wall, and this behavior bile just awful
the only plus is the command, that they did not twitch at low lerp
I do not recommend to use this command
https://youtu.be/I26hnQmrQEk
https://youtu.be/rniORU5IAUc

[KoMiKoZa]

To finish this one once and for all.

The only cvar that has to be changed to fix common infected being janky is nb_update_frequency.

I've also updated the OP with best netcode settings that I've ever played.

Originally Posted by qwejax was looking for 3 days for the problem with my zombies, they get stuck wherever he can and push each other when climbing over the fence \ wall, and this behavior bile just awful the only plus is the command, that they did not twitch at low lerp I do not recommend to use this command https://youtu.be/I26hnQmrQEk https://youtu.be/rniORU5IAUc

I had been trying to figure that one for a long long time. I did find a solution in the end.

The following cvars have to be tweaked in order to have commons running at nb_update_frequency 0.01 with minimal issues. I use these values on my server:

PHP Code:

sm_cvar z_max_neighbor_range 16 //def. 200 - how close can CI stack with each other

sm_cvar nb_friction_forward 0 //def. 3 - how often CI will try to lunge back 


Notice that I say "minimal" because the commons will still have troubles climbing over cars or small fences. I can't seem to fix that.

At the cost of that, however, you get much better hitreg on higher tickrates and smoother common infected.

[MasterMe]

Thanks a lot for posting all the updates and settings KoMiKoZa, just applied both net settings and the nb_update_frequency and it's really nice.

[Lux]

I guess you have no idea some of these settings do?

Originally Posted by KoMiKoZa sm_cvar sv_alternateticks 1 sm_cvar sv_maxunlag 0.1 sm_cvar sv_minrate 100000 sm_cvar sv_maxrate 100000 sm_cvar sv_minupdaterate 100 sm_cvar sv_maxupdaterate 100 sm_cvar sv_mincmdrate 100 sm_cvar sv_maxcmdrate 100 sm_cvar net_minroutable 1000 sm_cvar net_maxroutable 1100 sm_cvar sv_client_min_interp_ratio 0 sm_cvar sv_client_max_interp_ratio 0 sm_cvar fps_max 0 sm_cvar net_maxcleartime 0.001 sm_cvar net_splitrate 4 sm_cvar net_splitpacket_maxrate 256000 sm_cvar sv_parallel_sendsnapshot 1

These settings will completely butcher the network and cause clients to get overflowed with packet splits if you are going way above MTU limit.



100tick settings.

sm_cvar sv_alternateticks 1 Kinda pointless
sm_cvar sv_maxunlag 0.5  // 500ms -> Maximum lag compensation in seconds default is 1.0, 0.5 i safe bet, anyone playing above 500ms latency will have shitty time anyway, but this is whatever you want it to be.
sm_cvar sv_minrate 100000 //don't really do anything with net_maxcleartime @ 0.0001
sm_cvar sv_maxrate 100000 //don't really do anything with net_maxcleartime @ 0.0001
sm_cvar sv_minupdaterate 100
sm_cvar sv_maxupdaterate 100
sm_cvar sv_mincmdrate 100
sm_cvar sv_maxcmdrate 100
sm_cvar net_minroutable 1000 //pointless sending clients huge amounts of pointless data and if you have network compression just wasting resources compessing shit anyway, leave it default @ 16.
sm_cvar net_maxroutable 1200 //default is 1200 should keep it that way unless your network provider's MTU limit is smaller.
sm_cvar sv_client_min_interp_ratio 0
sm_cvar sv_client_max_interp_ratio 0
sm_cvar fps_max 0
sm_cvar net_maxcleartime 0.001
sm_cvar net_splitrate 2 // 4 is asking for players to get dropped from the server when network is getting hammered with data being sent, 2 is the maximum if you not want to have catastrophic issues.
sm_cvar net_splitpacket_maxrate 100000 // I always say (tickrate * 1000) to be safe, however theoretical max limit should be (tickrate * 1200) if you go above can cause loss and full updates sent to clients leading to shitty time.

sm_cvar sv_parallel_sendsnapshot 1 // enabled by default and linux cannot change this at runtime like windows

Just wanted to post if you want maxminum performance that is stable, conditions may be different if you are running out of somthing e.g. CPU, upload bandwidth ect.