Thread: Server questions.

Sorry if this should be in the "Computer Hardware/Tech" area but it is sort of about the CSS server(s).

I've always wanted to know what makes a server good as far as smooth gameplay and registration. Since the no AWP/Auto server switched I can't hit anything unless I use the shotgun, I think a lot of it is due to my 60~ ping, but I still notice people with around the same ping getting a lot of hits/reg.

There is another server that I play on occasionaly where it seems that I land almost every single shot with about 30(+/-) ping. I coppied down some info about the server from the motd and just want to know what it means and how TPG compares:

Location: Chicago
Hardware: Dual E5620's (16 CPU's) / 12G RAM / GigE NIC
Network: Route optimizing network over 6 backbone providers

It also claims to have "Unlimited FPS_MAX" and you can set your rate to 100,000 (or maybe it was 1,000,000 I forget).

Is this standard for most CSS servers? Cost estimation? Does the hardware make that much of a difference once you go past a certain amount of CPU's/RAM/etc?

Im not trying to advertise for the other server in anyway, I've been banned a few times because the admins think I hack which has taught me that its a very poorly run server, but the smooth gameplay/fluidity I think is what helps step up my game.

Who owns the box,how many game servers on that box or is the GSP itself renting the box from another company? Just do a whois on the ip maybe .. I`m not really a tech head but I`ve rented many game servers in the past (wasted a ton of money) and I have learned to steer clear of those homebrewed game server providers .
Mainly the guys who rent a dedicated box and overload it with virtual private servers saling game servers cheap rarely give you the stats of the physical box itself.
It`s always funny they advertise cheap pricing and sure your server runs great for awhile until all the users of that 1 dedicated box is active.
I find the best game servers are from those who rent Boxes from the source or from premium hosting companies like Hypernia for example.
A good way to check the host is to see how many well established companys also use that host not just for game servers. I think the hosting companies that focus on renting out boxes themselves in general are usually better that hosting companies that primary focus on renting servers just for gaming.


I`m sure alot of gsp advertise max this max that making the deal look amazing but you have to consider what will you actually need. I think the common fps range for css users is what between 40 and 150 fps. My max is set at 250 but thats way more than I actually need specially when my fps on my moniters are only 60.
So alot of these gsp advertise this crap knowing damn well it will never be used but to the customer they think they are getting something wonderful.
for example gsp saling servers at 10,000-5,000-2,000 fps claiming they are so elite lol ,come on get real.All that shit is and will ever be is just glamour and sales pitches.

That info you listed up there sounds like someone saling game servers off that box thats listed.They can put anything there to make the sale look great specially when you have no idea who else is using that box and what the actually physical stats of the hosting box is.
Now if that is the info for a single css server hosted on that box than damn .Spending 400 plus a month is not practical for a single css server. I wouldn`t touch them but thats my opinion.

In all truth its just easier to join a nice community like TPG and not worry about the server side details,donate a few bucks to the cause,rent a slot and get your game on with a nice group of friends.
Stress free

Great response.

There are 3 things that contribute to a quality server:

1. hardware specs (and the utilization of those resources)
2. internet connection
3. Server configuration...

#3 is what you can tell immediately and adjust for somewhat on your end.

Check out the ticrate for servers...

These are 33/66/100 in CSS. You'll want to adjust your settings for each server you are on to get the best reg.

For example, I believe TPG is 66 ticrate.

You want your settings like this for TPG:

Code:

cl_smoothtime "0.01"
cl_interp "0.01"
cl_interp_ratio "1"
cl_smooth "0"
cl_cmdrate "67"
cl_updaterate "67"
rate 30000

The smoothtime, interp, ratio, and smooth are all OPTIONAL. I like them the way I have them set and it gives me a proper LERP. You may prefer something else. What is key is the cmdrate and updaterate.

Maybe your settings are for a 33 or 100 tickrate server?

Since the OB update to CS:S, there are no more 100tic servers. Everything is 33/66tic.

You could essentially run 100tic (doing work-a-rounds)... but the fact is, it's nearly stupid to do it with the size of the server we have. It would just make it worse. 66tic is the ideal tick rate for our player size.

Originally Posted by VinDeagle

I've always wanted to know what makes a server good as far as smooth gameplay and registration.

That is a pretty big question to answer. As you have to look at not only the server, but server defined client limits, locale of the population/server, size of population, and #of instances on server.

TPG does use sv_competitive_minspec 1 , which allows some limitations that help prevent anomalous lerp/rates to have heavy impact on gameplay. But also hinders any real specific tweaking you may need based on your ping/fps/etc. This in itself could account for some difference on a 30ms vs 60ms ping, but not enough to render you useless without a shotgun.

Originally Posted by VinDeagle

Network: Route optimizing network over 6 backbone providers

Flow control is common amongst upstream providers, so this basically says they're on a network with multiple edge routes. Not uncommon, and softlayer has data-centers spanning the country. The current location of the servers is part of a very dense cluster of providers (Dallas/Houston).

Originally Posted by VinDeagle

Does the hardware make that much of a difference once you go past a certain amount of CPU's/RAM/etc?

For scalability sure. How many instances a host wishes to provide on one box will be limited by these specs. However after so many instances you'll start to exceed performance thresholds on other things like the unit's buses and network controllers. Source Dedicated servers actually utilize a rather small amount of processor/RAM, so although important for a large number of instances, these specs aren't usually the problem.

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With all that said, although I don't always see the performance as smooth, consistent, and stellar as I would like on TPG, I think this is more about prime-time not only on the servers, but amongst the general traffic increases on the various links that lead us to the server (ISP, cloud, softlayer). So naturally a closer locale to the server will decrease these occurrences.

Thanks for the replies. It seems to be a "goldie-locks" type of situation if you're looking for max everyting(server and client side?), but that you don't need everything to be top notch to run a smooth server. Not much of a computer tech guy so I think I'll have to do some reading to understand some of what's been said, although I do understand the majprity of it fairly well, thanks!!!

Question - I can't seem to get my shots to reg after the server move. Ping seems fine. 10 choke fairly frequently. in/out bogs down to 59 sometimes instead of the nice smooth 66'ish. Probably just me, but thought I'd throw it out there.