lerp-value always yellow

[BehaartesEtwas]

When I run a CS:S server with > 1000 fps (e.g. using my BEpingboost-lib that modifies only the usleep function or a similar lib), the lerp-value in the net_graph is virtually always yellow when I join the server. Sometimes it gets white when I respawn (mp_restartgame or normal round restart) or after map change. But sometimes it also gets back yellow that way.

I also noticed that the server fps shown in net_graph 4 are frozen on that server. they only show some random number (e.g. the fps of the server I was last connected to).

Does someone have any idea what causes that? I am pretty sure that this has no implications on the game play. But on the one hand this sometimes irritates other players (they quite often believe that the server is bad and that their hits do not get recognized) and on the other hand it disables basically a nice diagnostic tool.

And please no comments about the sense of running servers at fps > 1000. I have my reasons even though I also believe it does not increase the quality.

[Terrorkarotte]

I played around with obox (dods) and your pingboost lib when it came out. The second you reach server fps that are not possible without it like 999+ it will show you a random number. If you use a value like 990 or 995 it is displayed correct. I guess this is because the sv value is limited to 3 numbers?!
The lerp color is also related to your netsettings.
Try:
cl_inter_ratio 0
cl_interp 0
and you will have a white 0.0ms lerp all the time. But I recommend against playing with this values
Also the color does must not mean your server is bad.
With cl_interp_ratio 1 try out cl_interp values in 0.001 steps on other servers and you will see there are values where the lerp is yellow.

My point is: Play aournd with those two CVARS and you will find values where you have a decent gameplay and a white lerp even if you use a lib.

[BehaartesEtwas]

no, sorry I should have said that. it does not have anything to do with cl_interp or cl_interp_ratio. I can set there what I want, the lerp value stays yellow.

and btw: I do not want to have a lerp-value of 0, because that means no interpolation. interpolation is a good thing, because it makes sure the server-side hitboxes are where the client displays the model. that is not the case with a lerp value of 0... I use cl_interp 0.1 which is valve default and should result in a white lerp value on all servers.

edit: can someone explain what exactly a yellow lerp-value means? I mean what is the condition when the lerp-value gets yellow (on normal <=1000 fps servers)?

[Terrorkarotte]

Directly from the valve developer page:

Code:

The Source netgraph now includes "lerp" indicator which shows the actual interpolation amount (usually 100 msec unless the server or user is forcing non-default settings). The indicator will turn yellow if the server's framerate (actual framerate on the remote machine) drops below this interval. This can be used to figure out why all of the objects in the world are no longer moving smoothly. In addition, the indicator will turn orange if the user or server has tuned the ConVars such that the interpolation amount is less than 2 / updaterate. This indicates that if there is any packet loss (or possibly choke if the choke is occurring for long periods of time due to large packets being sent over a low bandwidth rate setting) that the player will likely see sluggishness in the game.

Because sv displayes a random number below your interpolation interval you get a yellow lerp.

On normal servers this means:
If the lerp changes its color often to yellow the server is unstable and most likely not worth playing on

If it is constant yellow server is either totally crap cause it does not reach a higher fps amount (100+), or the admin limited it to reduce cpu usage.
If sv is constant and either greater or equal to the tickrate keep on playing.

[BehaartesEtwas]

ah ok. but that cannot be fully true, where did you get that from? I get (on a <=1000fps server) also a yellow lerp-value when I lower cl_interp below a certain value. If I lower it further it gets orange, then red. maybe the yellow color has a double meaning?

does anybody know why the fps are not displayed correctly in the net_graph when the server has > 1000 fps? can that be changed somehow?

[Terrorkarotte]

My guess, as I already wrote, is that valve limited it to three characters since they limited fps_max to 1000 knowing that it will result at best with 998-999.
For the color: I got the description directly from their developer Page.

My guess for red: It means your interpolation interval is too low for your updaterate.
For yellow: I can confirm that it turns yellow on unstabel and fps_max < cl_interp*1000 servers
Maybe the second meaning is that you are getting close to a value that will leed to an orange lerp?

[BehaartesEtwas]

(07-15-2010, 10:00 PM)Terrorkarotte Wrote:  Maybe the second meaning is that you are getting close to a value that will leed to an orange lerp?

yes probably...

thanks anyway.

[nullified0]

you guys just dont understand how interp works

in the net graph, if it says your ping is 40, type cl_interp 0.04, and the lerp will stay in white.

yellow/orange means you tuned it wrong.

[Terrorkarotte]

Have you read the VALVE Developer wiki? I guess not. Otherwise you would know that valve says orange is no problem at all, as long as you do not get to much choke.
I play DoDs and orangebox for a longer time now. My lerp is always orange cause I use cl_interp_ratio 1; cl_interp 0 as Valve recommends and never had any problems hitting someone.

Also scoreboardping is not like net_graph ping. If you are talking about a "ping" you should first say which you are meaning.

Have you ever tried changing updaterate and server fps and watched the impact of the lerp? Most likely not otherwise you would not have posted.

I guess what you are referring to is the behaviour of ex_interp from HL1. Welcome to Hl2 and orangebox engine things are different here.

Ps:
cl_interp 0; cl_interp_ratio 0 and you will have a white lerp of 0.0ms

[nullified0]

have you read the how to not sound like a complete tool on the internet wiki?

the ping that shows on the top of netgraph... you can configure your interp (lerp) to match it and it stays white, yellow is bad, orange probably the same.

all I'm saying is, if your netgraph ping says 40... type in cl_interp 0.04 and it will be white (in sync), this is not complicated... and this is how interp works.

if you have any further flames to try and confuse how interp works, whatever, I don't really care.

[BehaartesEtwas]

lerp/cl_interp and ping have nothing to do with each other. lerp/cl_interp must be at least the actual updaterate*2. that is true even if the ping is much higher than that.

but this is completely off-topic. I was asking for a solution of a totally different problem. In fact I now believe there is no real solution for this.

[Monk]

Try to not run those LD_PRELOAD libs that modify usleep and see if that fixes it.

[Terrorkarotte]

The first post was like if I use such a lib to get >1000 I get a yellow lerp without not.


We also posted that it is most likely that the net_graph 4 can not handel fps > 999 because it must be limited to use three characters at maximum.


The modified usleep is not the cause. I tried it with such a lib and set it to 500. There everything is ok. > 999 and it is not.

[BehaartesEtwas]

Monk, do us all a favor: next time if you did not read the question, do not answer it.

close please.