Lagging behind constantly in MPAs

[Shadowstarkirby]

This is starting to become problematic for me, to the point I bought a network adapter to help me ensure I'm getting a stronger wireless connection to my router. Usually the MPA starts off all right, I can get some damage in on a boss on fighting and so on, but as time drags on, I eventually start to fall behind everyone else, my damage stops appearing, my actives take ages to activate and and up failing me in a lot of cases, and then when the quest is over, everyone around me moves super fast and all the boss crystals are broken before I get a chance to even pull out my Umblla Stick. I've been using Proxy up to this point and reset to JP just this moment to see if anything improves, but I have doubts.

Using information I got off of speedtest.net, I get a consistent 170 Ping, but my download and upload speeds vary widely to the point that I'm not sure it's useful information, though I got 6-7 Mbps for download speed and 6 Mbps for upload speed most of the time.

I also run with shaders off and cap my FPS at 30 since intense graphics causes a lot of FPS slowdown which puts me behind the MPA, but this hasn't really been a problem except during PSE Burst particle effect spam from other players in MPAs.

If there's any help I could get to fixing my issues, it'd be appreciated.

[kiakan]

I've been having the same issue for months. I'm told it's a network issue, but I'm not sure how to fix it. I run the game with shaders around 30 FPS. I get no FPS drops or anything that seems like graphic lag, but people just get further and further ahead of me. Eventually, in some EQs, I'll get a 630. Friends in my group will say I die to nothing or keep fighting when there are no more enemies.

It's very strange and seems to be a growing problem. I really wish there was some way to fix this.

[Shadowstarkirby]

I've been having the same issue for months. I'm told it's a network issue, but I'm not sure how to fix it. I run the game with shaders around 30 FPS. I get no FPS drops or anything that seems like graphic lag, but people just get further and further ahead of me. Eventually, in some EQs, I'll get a 630. Friends in my group will say I die to nothing or keep fighting when there are no more enemies.

It's very strange and seems to be a growing problem. I really wish there was some way to fix this.

It could be a stretch, but I'd try and uncap your FPS to 60, my performance as improved since then, but definitely not the end all solution I'd like because you can definitely lag behind again if too much graphical effects happen on screen at once.

[Aeris]

Some people in the mpa might be using 60+ to unlimited steady fps with better hardware which is the reason why the game client takes a while to catch up if alot of action is going on your screen and your client can't keep up with everything.
This is the main reason why you see everyone move very fast around once the game client catches up, there is nothing you can do about that until you set it to 60+ or upgrade to better performance hardware so you don't get slowdowns and such.

[Houke]

Sounds like a result of latency compensation or a technique in networking game programming called Dead Reckoning which essentially makes characters/players "jump" between positions in the event the client is falling behind in network updates.

Basically, it's a problem that can only be fixed if you move to japan or somehow get the servers closer to you.

[JoycieC]

Hi there, United Kingdom resident here.
I thought I'd chime in with my similar situation and explain some in hopes of figuring this issue out. as for the past year now I have been experiencing something very similar to what the OP has stated.

For the record I am not using the PSO2 Proxy nor a similar alternative.
I am running a vanilla network environment.

Operating System: Windows 10 Pro Build 10586
Network Adapter/s: Wireless N capable network adapter / Wired 200mbps Ethernet Line over a Powerline Homeplug Adapter

SpeedTest result averaging



As you can see, with a ping of 18ms to a local UK hotspot there isn't much issue going on with my line. Even with a ping of something in the 100's I see no reason why I should be epxeriencing these issues yet they occur anyway.

During my last run of Profound Darkness with two friends, they had fought Persona, beaten Profound Darkness, broken the crystal and made their way back to the lobby.

At the very same time on my end I hadn't even reached Persona at that point.
You can imagine my frustration when I too have to put up with a good 15 seconds for my damage numbers to actually appear.
Do yourself a favour and never let that Photon Blast off, you'll be unable to do anything but spin on the spot for a good while.

This only occurs in MPA's of 12 or similar and is not limited to EQ's but also occurs in other areas as well. It is a frequent issue and I do not quite understand it because quite often during the EQ it appears my connection is downloading data fine, so I will see characters moving and attacking at normal rates, enemies will spawn also however when I attempt to join in I realise that I'm lagging behind, as if my data isn't being uploaded and reported back to me fast enough, but this just makes no sense really as PSO2 is not a network heavy game and the data I'm monitoring is nowhere near an amount that would warrant disconnecting every other device in the house to ensure a traffic-free environment.

Some of you say this could be due to frame caps, I'm on 60FPS cap right now by choice with all shaders and graphics turned up excluding blur and anti-aliasing.

I don't believe this is related to frames but related to the way SEGA is handling the peer-to-peer and server networking. Someone with more experience in such a sector might be able to shed some more light on this but I would also like to hear more of OP's experience and anyone else with this issue.

[Dragwind]

Your download/upload xfer rates shouldn't be the problem at all, unless you're under 5kbps. The game hardly transfers large packets of data, and this game can actually run quite fine on a dial up connection (I've spent a few months playing on a connection that literally remains at a constant 5kpbs stream). Your ping though seems a little high and could possibly be the case, but can't say for sure.

I can assure you though, it most likely isn't a cpu/gpu problem as I've had this particular problem happen to me at PD as well as other team members mentioning the same problem.

It's very possible it could be an issue within the game code. More updates and information on this would be nice if anyone has more to chime in.

@JoycieC
It seems you have a pretty optimal network configuration there. Especially at 18ms it makes me wonder what would be causing the problem, and further adds to my suspicion that it could be something to do with the game/files.

[Krysis]

hey Dial sounds like connection issue caused because of your ISP is probably limiting your Download and upload speeds, plus factoring your using a VPN (adding a middle man between yourself and PSO server isn't helping)

as hardware aspect, need some PC specs. Doubtful that is issue unless your systems really outdated but if it is, it could ISP/hardware both contributing factors to a general slow down. (check your task manager>performance when playing game monitor the CPU load when in a 12 party EQ mission if it maxing out constantly then you could have problem)

lastly recommend updating/repairing your Microsoft: .net frame work often too, game has corrupted mine before causing lag outs while loading.

last to note @JoycieC, on these speed test they are not really accurate to begin with b/c your testing to predetermined location that should be using similar hardware at certain time of day, these servers will never have as many clients connecting to them as PSO2 server, so associating results to directly PSO2 is kind of strange in itself, but change your server to one in japan, instead of London, for a better representation.

[Dragwind]

Keep in mind that ping and download/upload rates are two very different things. I've been experimenting with a 5kbps down/up stream connection which is essentially the same thing as dial up, and also using a VPN with it. PSO2 runs pretty flawlessly, and the ping is stays consistent around 50ms and under. Personally if my ping ever climbs past 60ms, that's when I start to experience issues- especially in an MPA.

I would focus more on your ping ms vs transfer rates for this issue, especially if the rest of your internet using experience seems fine.

[Shadowstarkirby]

I at first suspected that my ISP was the issue, but I'm certain that it was my ping instead.

At least that's what I thought until today's update, despite having graphical lag issues, I've not fallen behind in any MPAs so much as once. I like to think that it was the poor optimization of the game that made playing with 12 mans difficult.

EDIT: My specs are an Intel Core i7-4510U CPU @ 2.00GHz, 8.0GB RAM, Intel HD Graphics Family. I'm on a laptop and it's an integrated graphics card, so obviously not powerful, but I'm able to play fine the majority of the time at 60 FPS, though taking dips when particle effects happened in large amounts.