"Lag" question

[MATTHEW'S_DAD]

I want to understand lag, so help me out. For starters, my ping is always good. I get a spike whenever my kid joins a game from the PS3, but otherwise I"m usually pretty clear. But I do notice that sometimes my block works less than 50% and then other times it's close to 100%. I also notice my characters seem to move faster than normal and the saber swing is very fast on certain occasions. I have to say that it's pretty fun when I have "fast" Luke. I've always assumed it's in my head but then I noticed something when wook bombing the bar the other day. My last bomb would go off as I exited the cantina, whereas normally I am almost back to my ammo droid before it goes off. This is measurable, so what gives? Is my laptop just concentrating on the game? I have DSL, no landlines in our house and I'm operating from the Bellsouth wireless router. I'm always in the same spot in our house. I close every window except what's needed for the game.

I don't generally care to dissect a video game like this, but it just really peaked my curiosity when I noticed the wook bomb thing.

[CommanderOtto]

you know, it's always hard to tell. You have to answer a few questions first:

1. What processor do you have? What graphics card do you have? How much ram do you have?
2. What is your internet speed? (I recommend you use the internet speed test. Just type in google and you'll find it)
3. Did you close your anti virus? That sometimes helps.
4. Do you use any programs like Dropbox? These programs are always syncronizing and downloading all the documents you have in the "cloud". You click on the X but that doesn't mean it has closed. You have to go to your taskbar and find the symbol to the far right, right click and close it for good. Other programs like Spotify don't download anything but if you close it, it will still remain logged in. You have to close the symbol at the far right of your taskbar.

those are the only reasons that can cause lag (that I can think of right now).

and let me add, you said you are always in the same spot. If your internet is wireless you should sit close to the router. Sometimes the distance or the walls can diminish the quality of the signal.

[ProfessorDreadNaught]

Lag is a two way street. An un-laggy server spits out packets of game data information at Rate X. A number of factors can make X an uncertain number instead of the mathematical constant it is supposed to be. That being said lets say that the "un-laggy" server spits out the packets at close to peak performance. Every device between your computer and that server (on multiple routes across the Internet) receives the packet, stores it in buffer memory and re-transmits on a different network segment on it's way to you. An amazing amount of duplicate data is sent and when received by a device that already heard that data (cause it got there on a different route faster) is discarded. (*Sonnet Ring backbone tech). Eventually that stream of data packets get to your router and your computer. Unfortunately, (or fortunately depending on your point of view) many of the packets get lost and never make it to you. Some come out of order. Hopefully a sufficient amount of packet arrive in tact that the original value of X (which we hope the game designers and the server provider throttled up high enough to allow for loss) is not so far diminished that 80 fps (SWBFII max) or more worth of data can be processed by your PC in time to block an incoming saber throw. Not enough data or your PC thinks something else is more important at the moment and your looking at a 15 second spawn timer.

Also, the type of packet data we are talking about is called UDP. It is designated as one of the lowest priority packets or chores for a network router/switch/modem to handle. Because of the notion that there is another packet coming right behind this one timeliness or any delivery at all is up in the air. Times this by the hundreds of stops a packet makes on its way to you, and you can see why distance ers.

[Tiburana203]

I also notice my characters seem to move faster than normal and the saber swing is very fast on certain occasions. I have to say that it's pretty fun when I have "fast" Luke.

i get the same thing sometimes. all of a sudden, Luke can swing 50 times per second and seems to move faster. i almost don't want to use him for fear of being accused of cheating.

i understand the posts so far about what causes lag, but i want to know whats happening on these other occasions. it just the opposite of lag, almost like a turbo boost.

[LowfatCriminal]

When I have characters that move faster than normal its usually because I lagged and though my character may be somewhere, say in the cantina, my computer hasnt showned that yet, it shows that im still outside, so suddenly ill shoot inside as my computer tries to catch up with whats actually happening. My computer may be a split second behind whats actually happening so it appears as though the characters are moving fast because my computers trying to catch up to whats really happening.

[MATTHEW'S_DAD]

When I have characters that move faster than normal its usually because I lagged and though my character may be somewhere, say in the cantina, my computer hasnt showned that yet, it shows that im still outside, so suddenly ill shoot inside as my computer tries to catch up with whats actually happening. My computer may be a split second behind whats actually happening so it appears as though the characters are moving fast because my computers trying to catch up to whats really happening.

When I say fast Luke, I mean it goes on for several rounds and I'm almost unbeatable. I almost feel bad when it happens because it's so dominant.

I have another question though regarding lag. Let's say I'm standing on the cantina rooftop and I get hit with a lag spike and that I don't touch my controller at all. When the lag spike ends, I'm standing on the ground somewhere near the cantina. Shouldn't I still be standing on the cantina if I don't move my controller? Or is this the packet loss Dread was referring to?

[WD-40]

Lag is a two way street.

...and all the rest of Dread's quote is spot-on.

Most of the time, a fast computer (and service) helps, since so many players use them, and sometimes it hurts when you encounter someone with a slow processor or slow internet service. And then there's times when one of my daughters starts video chatting with her boyfriend...Lukily I can figure out when she's streaming pretty quick, because I'll get that repeated 'lost signal' icon in the lower right corner....I may as well not play at that point since my speed craps out or game freezes. That's an example of when I have survived an initial assault (or my attacks do no damage) because I don't send/receive the info packets telling my processor that I just took a missile up the ass or shot someone else, but then I cannot move correctly, lose control of my Avatar, and end up getting wacked by someone else when my computer catches its breath.

Regarding the sudden movement MD, I've experienced that too, where I'll move my mouse, or key a direction, and nothing happens. That's a lag attack. Then my computer receives the info suddenly, or it will receive corrupted data from the server without me doing anything, and I'll shoot across the room or fall off something. What others actually see from their perspective, I'm not sure.

[(SWGO)Johnny]

Is it possible to control this lag for your own advantage?

[crazyperson]

Is it possible to control this lag for your own advantage?

Yes.

Get a better computer than everyone else.

[WD-40]

Is it possible to control this lag for your own advantage?

Yes.

Get a better computer than everyone else.

Actually, that's not true. See above. What Dread said basically says is that it's NOT just the strength of the Computer you use. It's many variables that you cannot control. In other words...[poo] happens.