Lag

Certain lag death in the disco.

Related Articles: Game problem fix strategies

Definition

(Original content by Vince, 'Wikia-Contributor-At-Large)

In COE, "lag" can best be defined as the delay between the execution of a melee (combat) command and the flash imagery update to your local machine. There are various contributing factors behind network lag, but it typically involves the large number of graphic requests processed simultaneously by the server.

COE's input parser will accept your commands as fast as you can type them. COE is not server lagged; that is, the COE command processor is not the issue, it is the massive amount of graphic command traffic being handled between the central MMO processor and each player's local client (machine). Think of it in this way: you've sent an email order to a company overseas (an instantaneous transaction) and they company ships you your order through the standard mail taking days, (if not weeks) to arrive.

Lag Combat Strategy

In order to circumvent debilitating COE netlag, you can simply "stack" your melee (combat) commands when you enter battle: COE's MMO processor is accepting them as fast as you can type them and processing them in order. What you won't see is an instantaneous visual reflection of your commands.

COE Melee Control Panel

To employ this stacking technique, use numeric melee commands instead of graphic, "point and click" methodology.

For example, if you type in the following command string.

1 3 1 2 1 2 ...

You are effectively issuing the following command sequence:

bite, drink life, bite, rend flesh, bite, rend flesh ...

The keyboard commands bypass the graphical handling routines, and are processed directly by the MMO central processing loop, thereby avoiding the netlag bottleneck.

In this manner, you can string together an unlimited number of commands in order to deal with longer rounds of melee. (Extra commands issued after the end of melee will be ignored.) By stacking your commands, you now have a better chance to survive battles with mobs (mobiles) during heightened periods of lag, especially those that deal secondary attacks like poison, disease and fire.

Future COE Solution?

The most effective way to deal with network lag is to offer multiple instances of each MMO zone. For a young MMO, the costs involved with additional server infrastructure can be prohibitive. A good example of the implementation of multi-instanced zones (called realms) can be found at Wizard101.com, a popular graphical MMO.

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