Unplayable MP Lag Steam Version Arma 2

[cj31387 10]

Hi i just got Arma 2 today on steam. I played single player scenarios and it doesn't seem to lag. But then i tried playing online and like every server i play on before i join my ping is below 80ms but when i get in game everyone is skipping around its totally unplayable. I read try turning off vsync and i did that and mouse smoothing but people still skip around. I'm on cable internet all other games run fine just not this one. My max download is like 2.5MB/s and upload like 400kbs. My system specs are fine i know its not that, its something to do with my internet, any help would be appreciated. My CPU is Q6600 Quad @ 2.40ghz, Vid card is Geforce Gtx 260 896 mb ram, Ram 3 gigs, OS windows xp pro SP3, i do have 4 gigs of ram in but only 3 useable cause of 32 bit. I have the same exact problem in Operation Arrowhead, they are both unplayable online. Thanks In advance

Edited April 29, 2011 by cj31387

[walker 0]

Hi cj31387

Can you log on to the DAO Valhala server and see if you still have your Lag problem.

Correct your server view by ordering on number of players!

Be aware that the default view in the ArmA Multi Player Game Browser is incorrect as it shows low player number servers at the top and includes all the personal servers people are running from their homes ;) Many of these home servers are very slow and not suitable for more than 8 players in some cases.

Solution

Select number of players as ordering method until the server select screen orders by highest to lowest. That way you will find the better public servers at the top. In other words the public servers with 32 to 100 plus players on them.

Popular servers tend to be the ones that are both better run and configured and are thus faster and more fun.

DAO's Public vanilla Valhalla PvP server is good place to start

I recommend DAO's Public vanilla Valhalla server for beginners as pings for us here in Europe are between 15 and 50 and even US players get pings in the 100 range. DAO runs public servers in the 40 to 80 player range and occasionally if there is demand 100 player servers. Most evenings you will find 50 to 70 players there. Valhalla is a PvP form based on Capture and Hold (C&H) where two opposing teams attempt to capture and hold various geographic zones. Players get individual points for being in a capture zone when it is captured or for holding it as well as kill points these are given as money to buy weapons and vehicles with.

Numbers of player varies through the day and the week. For Europeans Wednesday and Thursday evenings are big as are Saturday and Sunday Afternoon and Evening.

You can get accurate player numbers on servers here:

http://arma2.swec.se/server/list

Biggest Servers are around 100 players

As this page points out the largest ArmA2 servers run 100 plus player missions though the average for larger public server is around 48 to 32 players:

http://arma2.swec.se/game/list

Again select players as your ordering field you will see many missions being played with 100 plus players.

Join a community

For the better private servers that use lots of MODs you need to join a community that plays your preferred game type. Unlike other games ArmA is not limited to just plane DM CTF and Coop. Many of the private/hidden servers have very large memberships, for some of the bigger servers, membership and access is invite only :( sorry but it has been a long held method of keeping out the riff raff. These communities often run a public server as a recruiting tool and as a method of harvesting numpties IDs for ban lists but there are always communities that are recruiting just check the relevant forum section:

http://forums.bistudio.com/forumdisplay.php?f=90

Kind Regards walker

[cj31387 10]

Yeah every game i play on the server browser i always check for the most people with like a couple spots left with a good ping, but with this game like every server i try everyone skips around a lot, i just tried one called tfb and it was a little better it was a 36 person server but they still skipped a bit. Your DAO server i cant join because it says I'm missing some dlc. I just got arma 2 and OA no dlcs.

[Kochleffel 10]

u dont have combined ops,

u need ArmA 2+ Arrowhead.

[RSF TheCapulet 59]

u dont have combined ops,

u need ArmA 2+ Arrowhead.

I just got arma 2 and OA

He clearly has both. He's probably just not running them as CO.

[cj31387 10]

oh oops yeah ill run as CO and try now.

---------- Post added at 06:35 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:56 PM ----------

Ok i tried the DAO server it doesn't lag at all but only like 15 people were playing. But then i tried another server it had 36 people and it lagged a bit. I don't know if maybe CO is working right for me now, or if DAO is modless and the other servers have mods i need and it lags cause i don't have them or something? They all seem like dedicated servers they have a lot of players they shouldn't lag. But they do. But yeah CO lags a lot less compared to JUST Arma 2 servers and OA servers I've tried. and DAO server doesn't lag at all.

[RSF TheCapulet 59]

Here's a good explanation of typical lag causes written by Jaynus.

http://unitedoperations.net/Thread-Why-we-Desync?page=2

[cj31387 10]

Only solution i see from that is looking into what MTU is. I don't have any mods installed i just have arma 2 and OA

[RSF TheCapulet 59]

Well, the issue is... there are alot of public servers that don't 'require' mods, but they also don't disallow them. With that in mind, there's a lot of client cross-compatability issues cropping up causing lag. Most server admins, and really quite a few mod developers, are totally unaware of this issue.

[cj31387 10]

well they need to disallow mods or something, cause shooting at something then it teleports a few feet away is unplayable. Ill stick with the DAO server for now seems pretty cool, but im such a newb i'll probably play single player first till i know how to play.

[RSF TheCapulet 59]

Better than being such a noob that you give up and sell your copy on Ebay for 5 bucks. That's the kind of thing I have to deal with, with my ADD clanmates.

I think the best idea is to join one of the many communities that go out of their way to require a certain modset, and disallowing anything else. It seems to be the best server performance, and it's a great way to get much more out of this game than you could with SP or pubs.

[cj31387 10]

Yeah i just said ill play single player for now till i learn the game. DAO server is the most lag free server I've played so far and when i know the game I will probably play there for a bit. The Airplanes and Helicopters really interest me they seem like they would be really fun online when you know how to properly fly them.

Edited May 3, 2011 by cj31387