WIP, wish i hadn't started this

it's important that people are told they are warping because the driver may have no idea it's happening.

here are a few thoughts on warping and a few things to check.

first off, the BUDE servers run silky smooth, so if you see something warping it will most probably be client side not server side.

Warping shouldn't ever happen with modern broadband connections, you can still get it depending on distances, but in general it shouldn't happen.

it comes down to this, if any packet of data (incoming or outgoing) is held back in a buffer for almost any length of time for any reason then an object is going to warp.


So IMHO, Wireless and USB modems just don't work, measuring through put doesn't measure lag and i can't see how wireless with all it's security (coding & uncoding) and error correction can cut it, i don't think it would take much to induce lag in a wireless device, it might just need someone to turn on a wireless device within the range of your wireless device and it to start scanning for a network and finding your network and it's also totally out of your control.



IMPORTANT - kill Qos Packet Scheduler
check your network settings and untick it

About QoS
The default system behavior is that all 100% bandwidth is available, however, if there is a running application that indicates to the OS it needs to send high priority/real time data, then as long as it has the socket open, Windows XP will restrict “best effort” traffic to 80% of the bandwidth so that high priority traffic can be accommodated. Basically, applications can make this request to the operating system for QoS support using the QoS application programming interfaces (APIs) in Windows and this only applies if a specific app is requesting QoS.

SO TURN OFF QoS or uninstall it

minimum network services




how much data does your client transfer when racing online, well not much, ok there are a lot of packets moving about but they are mostly empty !, download a free bandwidth monitor/recorder and see for yourself.


spare capacity and resources
Just because you can run you SIM at full resolution off-line, doesn't mean you can do the same when on-line.





so what is Warp, well lets have a look at what is happening when your playing any collision based games online.


Data Packets - Traffic

A Constant stream of Position Data Packets are sent from your local machine to the server and from the server back to your local machine.


Client
Your machine is sending your Position Data to the server.

Server
The server is sending you Data packets on the location of all the other cars (including your own, if the position data you are sending to the server doesn't tie up with where the server has you, you will become out of the sync with the server and see the message “server re-sync” and the server will move you to the position that your machine says you are at)


if on the other hand your machine doesn't send any positon data to the server then it doesn't update your position on the server and you appear to have stopped in the middle of the track, on your screen nothing appears to be wrong and you drive alone as if nothing has happen.


warp old school 1, client graphics, when your computer can't draw an object quick enough before another position is given

warp old school 2, client network, when the position locations are so far apart that the car leaps through space to catchup or slow down.



lets see if we can work out how much lag would create a warp


so how far would someone warp if data wasn't sent to the server for 25 ms if both people are doing 120 mph with a ping of 100ms.

warper, packets dropped or not sent for 25ms, packets don't reach server, then restarts sending packets

server, 50 ms later notices lost packets

server, stops the warp car in the track

viwer, 100 ms from the warpers dropped packets sees the car has stopped on track

server, starts to get packets from warper, 75ms after first event and the car is now 25 metres up the track.

server, moves the car 25 metres up the track

viewer, the warpers car jumps forward 25 metres.


at 120mph you travel 12.5 m in 0.25 sec, so i'd estimate that your outgoing data is being held back by f*ck knows, but it being held back




Client
sending : missing packets : other see you warp
receiving : missing packets : you see everyone warp




anyway

Hi Gogs,

thanks for the hints!

I tried disabling Qos but it did'nt help. I left it disabled anyway.

My game settings are OK, I think.

My connection doesn't seem to lose packets any more like it did during last weeks. Probably my ISP had some faulty device on the the network or undercapacity (The fault was mostly noticed at 4 PM to 9 PM (GMT+2)), but now the connection seems stable at all times.

Yesterday I tried pinging www(N).altbierbude.de servers with both direct CAT6 cable and wireless 54M style. CAT6 worked stable giving times like 40-50 ms. Wireless gave about same ping times, but every 60 seconds there was just one ping giving 800-1800 ms. I tried to figure it out by logging every package sent or received. In the log existed ARP hardware requests at the time of delay. Probably they have something to do with polling status of other devices on the network. I couldn't find any setting from either wireless base station's (Apple Airport Express) or PC's wireless network card (D-Link AirPlus DWL-G510) configuration that would explain that 60 second cycle. I also have Apple iMac computer on the same wireless network and it doesn't show that same delay once every minute. So I think it has something to do with Windows XP alone.

But anyway, I hope that tonight I have time to do some races and test that direct CAT6 connection style. Have to ask other drivers how they see me then. If that helps I have to buy a switch or HUB (My cable modem has only one RJ-45 slot) and use CAT6 for PC connecting Internet and use wireless only for iMac connecting Internet and/or PC. While playing online I also have to disable that wireless network from PC, I suppose.

I post this same message to the forum too, if someone there has better knowledge what this "once a minute" thing could be.

I'm terribly sorry for any unconvenience my bad connection has caused while playing online and promise to do everything I can to make it work well.

Best regards,

Timo