Wierd in-game problems..

[+SaiN+]

So I was playing today and I realized that I had a problem. My game runs smooth, with a decent ping but while I'm playing I would have momentary pauses that I don't seem to understand. Here are the details..

- During gameplay at semi-random times, I stop in place, jerk about for 3-5 seconds. The action around me, including players seem unaffected
- When watching my ping with the F6 key, my ping would SOMETIMES jump to the 1000ms or more.
- It happens to whatever server I go to.
- Nobody on my network is doing heavy downloading, and my Wi-Fi is secure with WPA-PSK encryption with password. I connect with cat5 cable to my router.



Here's what I've done so far..

- I've restarted my computer
- I've power-cycled my router and cable modem
- I made sure I, or anyone on the network is doing any heavy downloading.
- I cleaned server cache


I have done all of these and none have fixed the problem.. Does anyone have any idea what is the source?

[draegohn]

i am a bit curious, but have you tried a full wired connection from modem to comp as well as full wired of modem to router to comp and compare them to the tje current wifi setup? that is all i can suggest to see if there is an issue with the whole wireless thing.

i do know that on another graphical online program i go to, those with wireless connections often have little funky things happen, like double text posts and choppy back-forth movement

[[iX]AnnaBeaver]

Yah...I can't imagine that a wireless connection is to incredibly stable. Every wireless system I've been connected to tends to have a signal that isn't horribly stable. I actually don't know to many people that rely on a wireless connection as their primary access for online gaming.

What you can do, that is if you're familiar with the setup, is to check the settings for the wireless router and make sure that your pc systems wireless settings are correct.

Another thing you can do is go to dslreports website, they have numerous tools and tests that you can run on your connection to troubleshoot any possible problem areas

http://www.dslreports.com/tools

[TheMadDJ]

- During gameplay at semi-random times, I stop in place, jerk about for 3-5 seconds. The action around me, including players seem unaffected
- When watching my ping with the F6 key, my ping would SOMETIMES jump to the 1000ms or more.

I get it. I normally chalk it down to my CPU overheating.

[+SaiN+]

Thanks for everyone's advice. Here's what I've done so far, with no results.

- Bypassed router and went cable-modem->PC connection with same issue.
- Uninstalled UT2004 and reinstalled it again, making sure the old directory is COMPLETELY deleted from my computer before reinstalling again
- Cleared server cache
- Ran Anti-Virus (Kapersky Anti-Virus) and found nothing.

Some new things I noticed, and I must STRESS:
- I get an occasional OUT Packetloss of "2" on SOME occasions it happens.
- My ping does an INSTANT JUMP to 1000ms and BACK DOWN all in a split second, or an INSTANT JUMP from my ~60ms to 0ms or 20ms ..
- My character gets stuck in place for 3-5 seconds. The action continues around me, but I CAN'T MOVE. Regardless if I'm in the air or not, I stay frozen. Again, THE ACTION AROUND ME (players, etc) CONTINUE AROUND ME. I can also move myself, while I'm frozen with the translocator.

* A perfect example of my problem is as being hit with your own NULL ENTROPY gun and I stay stuck in place. I can't move. I can look around. I can also trans-locate and move around.*

Its very weird, almost as if I've been hit with some malicious software I can't seem to detect.

Responding to [iX]AnnaBeaver: I'm not on WiFi, as I've said I am on my Cat5 cable.. I never really game via wireless. I've also turned off my WiFi completely, since everyone in my home has finally gone wired, and I still have the same issues.

Responding to TheMadDJ: I don't think it could be heat.. I have a well-seated and big pure-copper fan and I recently cleaned all of my computer from the little dust it has since I clean it all regularly and carefully.. Not to mention I have a big, spacious server case with 3 fans (1 intake, 2 exhaust) and my case temperature stays around 27C(80F) .. and my CPU stays around a constant 35C(95F) temperature even during gaming.

My GPU is unknown, as I don't think my current GPU has an on-die temp diode (ATi Radeon x850 XT Pro) either.. But I keep the copper heatsink clean, and I don't notice any weird artifacts while playing a 3D game..

Needless to say here folks.. I'm at a loss. :\

[Archangel]

There should be NO DOWNLOADING at all while connected to the server. Plus, anyone else that is connected to the internet while your on the server will cause bandwidth spikes too, just like downloading does.

[+SaiN+]

There should be NO DOWNLOADING at all while connected to the server. Plus, anyone else that is connected to the internet while your on the server will cause bandwidth spikes too, just like downloading does.

My siblings keep their downloading at a bare minimum, if at all and I watch them, also. When they do download, however I'm largely completely unaffected. Maybe a ping climb from the 50ms range up to 100ms, but I don't feel anything.

I've also cut the router from my cycle and went straight PC -> Modem but it did nothing.. I still have the same problem.

[[iX]AnnaBeaver]

Your vid card isn't going to cause a change in your connection speed. If you've ruled your system out, downloading out, router out...then I would say it's your service provider. Are you dsl or cable? If your dsl service is the cheapest package they offer, then your speed isn't going to be that fantastic and will probably not be best suited for high bandwidth usage.

Lately though, I've noticed I've been having some lag issues with joeyz server, but I don't know where it's located. One way that I'm able to rule out my machine is to log on to my own server and play for a bit...but I've not run into any lag probs on my server..and it's located in Dallas and I'm in Calif. It may be any number of networks along that data path that can cause an issue like that as well.

I have gone through what you're dealing with, and I too took out UT and reinstalled but it wasn't the game itself. I updated all my drivers...video, audio, agp, network card etc. etc. and after a buttload of hassle and bs......I finally discovered that the dsl service they had was crappy. My parents don't read the fine print alot...when it comes to tech stuff.....but it was the dsl provider.

AT&T's service agreement more or less said....you've got our value service.....your speed cannot be quaranteed. Your speed may increase to the package maximum speed, it may slow down......and may even go out....depending on how many people were connecting to their value service at that time. It was absolutely awful!! I basically stopped playing online for about a year...cause my folks had a damn contract with them.

Anyhoo...it could be a ton of different stuff....but I wish you luck in your search to find out!!

[+SaiN+]

Your vid card isn't going to cause a change in your connection speed. If you've ruled your system out, downloading out, router out...then I would say it's your service provider. Are you dsl or cable? If your dsl service is the cheapest package they offer, then your speed isn't going to be that fantastic and will probably not be best suited for high bandwidth usage.

Lately though, I've noticed I've been having some lag issues with joeyz server, but I don't know where it's located. One way that I'm able to rule out my machine is to log on to my own server and play for a bit...but I've not run into any lag probs on my server..and it's located in Dallas and I'm in Calif. It may be any number of networks along that data path that can cause an issue like that as well.

I have gone through what you're dealing with, and I too took out UT and reinstalled but it wasn't the game itself. I updated all my drivers...video, audio, agp, network card etc. etc. and after a buttload of hassle and bs......I finally discovered that the dsl service they had was crappy. My parents don't read the fine print alot...when it comes to tech stuff.....but it was the dsl provider.

AT&T's service agreement more or less said....you've got our value service.....your speed cannot be quaranteed. Your speed may increase to the package maximum speed, it may slow down......and may even go out....depending on how many people were connecting to their value service at that time. It was absolutely awful!! I basically stopped playing online for about a year...cause my folks had a damn contract with them.

Anyhoo...it could be a ton of different stuff....but I wish you luck in your search to find out!!

I ran into someone in-game and said they had the same issue and it 'went away' .. I'm not sure if its my ISP or internet connection.. I've monitored my 'net activity and noticed nothing odd.. I have cable-internet, and I've never had any issues with my connection.. I have 15 Mbps download, and 2Mbps upload speed.

[ZombieSlayer]

Have you gone through the suggested ini file tweaks that are around?

http://www.tweakguides.com/UT2004_9.html

Have you changed your screen resolution setting to see if it made a difference?