Tick 100?

[iLight]

So I've put -tickrate 100, put what I need in the server.cfg.

Launched srcdsfpsboost.exe.

 

Still 66 tickrate on 22 slots server... Can someone help me ?

[cobra]

well, tickrate is set by adding the -tickrate 100 (for a tickrate 100 server) in the command line start up parameters. Tickrate cannot be changed on the fly via console, HLSW or rcon, it can only be changed in the commandline and the server must be restarted for the change to take effect.

 

If you want your tickrate changes to have any noticeable benefit you must change a few other server variables as well as change the Windows Kernel Timer Resolution (pingboosting)

 

To change the Windows Kernel Timer Resolution (pingboost a server) all you need to do is run Windows Media Player. It does not need a file open, it just has be running in the background, if you do not do this, your servers fps will be limited to around 64 frames a second.

 

You can also use a little app that somebody wrote, which you can find here: srcdsfpsboost.zip

 

The file now includes the source code so you can compile it yourself if you wish and I can confirm that the version is safe. When compiling you must link this to libwinmm.a.

 

Thank you needforspeed for the source code Thanks to trog for compiling it.

 

The servers fps can be seen by issuing the stats command in console or via HLSW or via the RCON STATS if you are logged in via rcon on the server.

 

The server fps is regulated by the fps_max command (default is 300) which ends up producing around 256 fps in RCON STATS. Don't ask me why, I've asked Valve, but the next step up is to run your fps_max at 600 so you then get 512 fps in RCON STATS. It can be set somewhere between 512 and 600 via console or HLSW and permanently by adding the commandline parameter +fps_max 600, but if you set it at 511 or lower you will see that your FPS according to RCON STATS will still sit at 256 fps even after a map change, so you must set your fps_max higher than what you actually want, to achieve the desired affect. fps_max 512 produces strange results on ping boosted Windows based SRCDS, where as fps_max changes on Linux SRCDS is affected by many variables, such as, Kernel Version, Kernel Timer, and Hardware so the rules for fps_max that apply to Windows SRCDS has minimal relevance to Linus SRCDS. DO NOT take my word for it, test it yourself! The reason for running a high server fps, is to ensure that when a server does run a tickrate calculation, that it is using the most up to date information available.

 

So you have a high tickrate, your server is pingboosted and is running at high fps, none of this is of any use to your clients (the players) if you do not change your servers rates, specifically the sv_maxrate and sv_maxupdaterate variables.

 

sv_maxrate (default is 0, maximum = 30,000 ). I personally have found that the sv_maxrate 0 setting is detrimental to server performance (purely subjective opinion, but there you go, feel free to ignore it until your clients start complaining about stupid lag and player warping issues that don't correlate to any actual network or cpu usage or over usage issues as the case may be) then set your sv_maxrate to 20000 or if you have player numbers in excess of 20 use sv_maxrate 30,000

 

sv_maxupdaterate (default 60) setting must be changed to start using all this server generated data more effectively and get the data out to your players who want to run 101/101/20000/10000 cl_cmdrate/cl_updaterate/rate/cl_rate (yes I know cl_rate is defunct but some people can't be told so I humour them and leave it in) settings, thus you need to change your sv_maxupdaterate equal the tickrate. You only have to do this if you run a tickrate higher than 50. eg for tickrate 66 run sv_maxupdaterate 66 or even 100, for tickrate 100 run sv_maxupdaterate 100. If you do not do this, your clients will NEVER see the full benefit of your tickrate changes, and even then, because of server load the clients will not see the full sv_maxupdaterate or tickrate reflected in a net_graph 3. (See below for more information about net_graph 3)

 

Do not run tickrate higher than 100, Valve have admitted that there will be issues if you push the tickrate too high. In fact as of 09January2006 players will have problems on 100 tickrate servers, with doors that won't open and get stuck in spots that will not get them stuck on 66 tickrate servers, e.g. Crouched hard up against boxes on angles.

 

Make sure you have the bandwidth and CPU to cope with SRCDS running with these settings. If you don't have at least a 10Mbps Full Duplex link , you probably do not have the bandwidth to see the full benefit of following the above instructions. This is aimed at people with servers in dedicated data centres with appropriate high speed Internet connections. Most home users will not have the necessary bandwidth or hardware to take full advantage of ALL of these settings. You may though be able to increase your end users overall experience, just by pingboosting your server and increasing the tickrate and fps_max whilst leaving the sv_maxrate and sv_maxupdate rate settings low.

24, 32 & 40 player servers should be run with a tickrate of no more than 66 and sv_maxupdaterate of 100. I've tried higher but you get strange issues for the clients if you do. Well you can if you want, but you need A LOT of CPU dedicated to a single SRCDS process.

 

The fps_max setting of 600 does not appear to hit the CPU as hard as other settings I have mentioned here do, your mileage may vary, but try reducing this back to default of 300 if your clients get strange lag issues and you have tried reducing the other server variables mentioned here. i.e. Change this one last! NB: Your servers fps will not exceed the kernel timer resolution, which varies depending upon what Operating System is being run and how it is setup.

 

For competition servers, or any server at the 18 player or less mark, then you should be able to use a tickrate of 100 and an sv_maxupdaterate of 100 successfully without any issues, so long as you have the bandwidth and CPU to cope!

For changes to take affect, the settings must be changed in the server.cfg file (except tickrate & fps_max which should be command line variables) and the server restarted, or if done via RCON, a map change must be done.

 

This information is for Windows Source Dedicated Server only, do not ask me about LINUX, I cannot help you.

This was written on the basis that your SRCDS is a default SRCDS Installation with no Mods/Plugins or Non-Standard anything else, such as sounds, skins, maps etc on the server. Using them (Mods/Plugins) will increase CPU utilisation and thus limit the final result. Obviously you need to monitor these for your particular situation.

Finally, you need to actually play on your server for several hours with all SRCDS processes full to see if there are any issues that do not show up by normal performance monitoring tools, to ensure everything is running ok. Subjective in game experience can deviate significantly from Objective Server Statistics, thus you will not know there is a problem unless you are on the server playing at the time it happens.

Sample SRCDS Command Startup Line:

 

C:\srcds\srcds.exe -console -game cstrike -tickrate 66 +fps_max 600 +maxplayers 18 -port 27015 +exec server.cfg +map de_dust2

 

 

 

 

Clients must have their STEAM Internet Connection Settings setup correctly for their Internet connection. See here for explanation on how to do this.

 

The clients rate should = the servers sv_maxrate

 

The clients cl_updaterate should = the servers sv_maxupdaterate which equals the servers tickrate

 

Thus a server with sv_maxrate 20000 tickrate 100 sv_maupdaterate 100 the clients though run the following settings:

 

* rate 20000

* cl_updaterate 100

* cl_cmdrate 100

* cl_interpolate 1

* cl_interp 0.1

* cl_smooth 0

 

These settings will provide the best client experience so long as your server & network can cope with running with a high tickrate and the rates required to take advantage of them.

[iLight]

Did all of that, still not working. I'm using windows server 2003 PRO 32 bits. Where's the problem? Should I go 64 bits? I think the problem is the time kernel...

[wondorae]

can you post a copy of your command line for us to see

[iLight]

srcds.exe -game cstrike -tickrate 100 -console +ip 94.23.8.181 -port 27016 +maxplayers 16 +exec server.cfg +map de_dust2

 

SERVER.CFG :

 

// server cvars

mp_friendlyfire 0

mp_footsteps 1

mp_autoteambalance 1

mp_autokick 0

mp_flashlight 0

mp_tkpunish 1

mp_forcecamera 0

sv_alltalk 0

sv_pausable 0

sv_cheats 0

sv_consistency 1

sv_allowupload 1

sv_allowdownload 1

sv_maxspeed 320

mp_limitteams 2

mp_hostagepenalty 5

sv_voiceenable 1

mp_allowspectators 1

mp_chattime 10

sv_timeout 65

 

// round specific cvars

mp_freezetime 6

mp_roundtime 5

mp_startmoney 800

mp_c4timer 45

mp_fraglimit 0

mp_maxrounds 0

mp_winlimit 0

mp_playerid 0

mp_spawnprotectiontime 5

 

// bandwidth rates/settings

sv_minrate 0

sv_maxrate 0

decalfrequency 10

sv_maxupdaterate 60

sv_minupdaterate 10

 

// server logging

log off

sv_logbans 0

sv_logecho 1

sv_logfile 1

sv_log_onefile 0

 

// operation

sv_lan 0

sv_region 255

 

// execute ban files

exec banned_user.cfg

exec banned_ip.cfg

[iLight]

Found the problem, missing cfg and I have to launch WMA..

[wondorae]

can you not run srcdsfpsboost as it uses less system resorces than wma?

[Guest louise]

Dont say things like that his head will explode

[iLight]

I have srcdsboost but I didn't really try it yet. So just gonna try in in few hours when I come back from the datacenter.

[Drakar]

I want to begin with CSS too and I have some questions, I haven't experience with CSS.

 

And have srcdsfpsboost any problem other games like Call of Duty and so on running in the same machine?

 

Is the performance bad without srcdsfpsboost?

 

Have anybody .cfgs for tick 33, 66 and 100 or could I use the same variables and only alter the command line -tickrate?

 

Thank you.

[DougK94]

No problem with any other games that I have run across.

 

Without using it, or something similar on windows there is no way to adjust the tickrate.

 

Yes on your configs, just add the tickrate into them.

[iLight]

Without srcdsfpsboost, your server's tickrate is restricted to 60. You MUST have it if you want to have 100 tick.

Also, no problems with other games. I'll try to find you the game configs but it's not really necessary if you put the right -tickrate 33 66 99 (33 by default) You just have to put 66 or 100 CFG

[Drakar]

Thank you very much. I am going to try it.

 

Do I use the default tcadmin cfg that I have in CSS or have anybody a better cfg?

[Drakar]

Besides the cfg, which are the mods that you leave to the people to install?