Constant stuttering and lagging

[Capped]

Ok, so I took a picture of my netgraph and thought I would describe what's going on there to try and figure out why the performance is so bad since the update.

http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/7294/cssl.png

Starting at the top left, fps goes from 7 to 200 or so, changing many times per second. In, directly underneath, goes from 100 to several thousand (highest I saw was 6xxx), changing so frequently it's difficult to read. All the other numbers stay fairly uniform, but you can notice the graph has some incredible jumps and hiccups.

My game stutters so much as to be completely unplayable and occasionally completely locks up for ~1-5 seconds. This behavior is exactly the same with multicore rendering on/off, video settings at lowest quality for everything, highest quality for everthing, and many combinations in between. Before the update I would get a consistent 90-120 fps, almost never going outside of that range. It would be really nice to get some kind of feedback for this as right now it feels like I paid for a game (6 years ago) that I no longer get to play through no fault of my own. Which is flat out ridiculous.

cpu: core2Duo e8400
video: 9600gt

Plenty of hardrive space, 4 gigs of ram, if you want to know anything else ask away.

edit: Should probably mention that all other games with the newer engine run fine. TF2, protal, L4D all run solidly.

[siren]

I'd like to know what this is possibly caused by as well. I'm suffering the same problems as Capped. My system is slower in performance than Capped's I believe, but I know it should be able to run this game.

[C4Chaos42]

Enable mutlicore rendering in video options
Disable vsync
check your gfx settings for the game (my nvidia settings had to be reverted to default)

cl_interp 0.03
cl_interp_ratio 0
cl_updaterate 100
cl_cmdrate 100
rate 35000

try it :S

[Capped]

Ive played with all the rates and they did nothing. This is a little more complex than that c4chaos.

[hisham.albeik]

I'm not an expert, but can you tell us how many people where on that server? The light green graph is about "other players", and the red is "entities". There are too much stuff going on than your computer can handle. Try reducing video settings, or enable multicore rendering.

Edit: I'm aware your PC should be able to handle this. And your problem is not with networking.

[Capped]

I believe I said in the OP that I tried enabling multicore rendering as well as reducing video settings (to the minimum even), please thoroughly read it before commenting a fix that was already tried.

That particular server had 24 players on it, but I was getting this exact issue on a server with 10 players as well as my own server with 1 player (me).

[hisham.albeik]

I believe I said in the OP that I tried enabling multicore rendering as well as reducing video settings (to the minimum even), please thoroughly read it before commenting a fix that was already tried.

That particular server had 24 players on it, but I was getting this exact issue on a server with 10 players as well as my own server with 1 player (me).

Sorry, I did read it, but I guess reading the other posts made me forget. I'm gonna go and get me some coffee..

How about defragging CS:S files through steam? Verify file integrity?

Also, humor me and try this. cl_forcepreload 1

[Capped]

I tried defragging and verifying file integrity, neither helped.

I just did cl_forcepreload 1 and played for a couple minutes. The average fps seemed a bit higher (5-10 tops) but it didn't help the stuttering and the framerate still jumped around substantially.

[blunt1]

im getting this also with a similar rig but using a 1950xtx

im dying a little each side as i play competetively and its causing no end of greif in clutch situations

[flea8me]

http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1322910

Heres my fix.

[Groger]

http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1322910

Heres my fix.

CONFIRMED this does really work

[Capped]

http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1322910

Heres my fix.

Tried this, it did not work. This really seems like some kind of coding issue with certain hardware or drivers or something, I don't know if simple rates and interpolation can fix it.

[AnAkIn]

Enable mutlicore rendering in video options

cl_interp 0.03
cl_interp_ratio 0
cl_updaterate 100
cl_cmdrate 100
rate 35000

try it :S

cl_updaterate and cl_cmdrate are max 66 (tickrate 66 servers).

[NotSoCoolJ]

Everyone stop for a second.
Most of you are on the right track but you are forgetting one thing.
His FPS is only 29! There is a reason it is in the net graph. Your updaterate and your cmdrate should not be higher than your min FPS. You need to set them to 25. Set your rate higher so more information is being exchanged. It wouldn't hurt to go up to 45k if your net can support it.

Finally, if you have screwed with any of the deeper netcode settings or the mat_quemode, it's best to remove them from your autoexec and use the launch option -autoconfig to start CS one time and clear out your settings. Take -autoconfig out once you have opened and closed CS and when you reopen the game you can set all of your settings through the menu.

I wouldn't use a cl_interp value lower than .033.

[Capped]

My fps being 29 in that image is exactly part of the problem. Regardless of my graphics settings, regardless of multicore rendering, my fps jumps between numbers lower than 29 and over 200. This is completely inexplicable that the graphics settings have little to no effect on the framerate.

NotSoCoolJ, as well as everyone who is focusing on rate issues, is completely missing the point. The framerate should never, ever be as unstable and unpredictable as mine is. It jumps between 20 to 200 when sitting in a corner staring at the wall. It occasionally freezes for several seconds when moving back and forth staring at the wall. It's pretty clear that there are plenty of people who have worse gaming setups than I do and still maintain a respectable and fairly consistent framerate, so why is mine (along with several other peoples) so remarkably inconsistent through so many different scenarios and settings? There's a deeper coding issue with this update that is a legitimate, serious flaw that has effectively broken the game for a decent number of players. Unless someone has a deeper insight than what amounts to "fix ur rates," I think this has to go on hiatus until Valve decides to look into it. Which sucks a lot for some of us (enough perhaps to stop buying products from valve), but I don't see many options left here.

[NotSoCoolJ]

My fps being 29 in that image is exactly part of the problem. Regardless of my graphics settings, regardless of multicore rendering, my fps jumps between numbers lower than 29 and over 200. This is completely inexplicable that the graphics settings have little to no effect on the framerate.

NotSoCoolJ, as well as everyone who is focusing on rate issues, is completely missing the point. The framerate should never, ever be as unstable and unpredictable as mine is. It jumps between 20 to 200 when sitting in a corner staring at the wall. It occasionally freezes for several seconds when moving back and forth staring at the wall. It's pretty clear that there are plenty of people who have worse gaming setups than I do and still maintain a respectable and fairly consistent framerate, so why is mine (along with several other peoples) so remarkably inconsistent through so many different scenarios and settings? There's a deeper coding issue with this update that is a legitimate, serious flaw that has effectively broken the game for a decent number of players. Unless someone has a deeper insight than what amounts to "fix ur rates," I think this has to go on hiatus until Valve decides to look into it. Which sucks a lot for some of us (enough perhaps to stop buying products from valve), but I don't see many options left here.

Is it everyone's fault that you don't know how to optimize your PC? I have this game running on a three year P4 DELL laptop with a crappy Nvidia GForce go card in it. I can even play TF2 which is the same engine as new CS but is even more demanding.

TL;DR Your computer fail is not Valve's fault.

[Da R&APER]

Is it everyone's fault that you don't know how to optimize your PC? I have this game running on a three year P4 DELL laptop with a crappy Nvidia GForce go card in it. I can even play TF2 which is the same engine as new CS but is even more demanding.

TL;DR Your computer fail is not Valve's fault.

Hello, dear ret.ard

I'm not sure if you actually realized, but his FPS was fine before the update, it has nothing to do with PC optimization if he can play other games, lots of users are having FPS issues after update...
So, why don't you remove that huge fanboyism ♥♥♥♥♥ from you ♥♥♥, as it's obviously affecting your mental capacity

--Edit--

LOL, "FAN.BOYISM" has been replaced by "Hammer Legion Memberism"

+respect to Valve, that's simply awesome

[hisham.albeik]

Hello, dear ret.ard

I'm not sure if you actually realized, but his FPS was fine before the update, it has nothing to do with PC optimization if he can play other games, lots of users are having FPS issues after update...
So, why don't you remove that huge Hammer Legion Memberism ♥♥♥♥♥ from you ♥♥♥, as it's obviously affecting your mental capacity

--Edit--

LOL, "FAN.BOYISM" has been replaced by "Hammer Legion Memberism"

+respect to Valve, that's simply awesome

Just FYI. What you did the quotes and the dot is bypassing the word filter, and can get you banned. Just informing you to edit it out before a moderator sees it.

[Echo]

If you turn off quad core rendering in advanced options, does it help?

[wetnap]

My fps being 29 in that image is exactly part of the problem. Regardless of my graphics settings, regardless of multicore rendering, my fps jumps between numbers lower than 29 and over 200. This is completely inexplicable that the graphics settings have little to no effect on the framerate.

NotSoCoolJ, as well as everyone who is focusing on rate issues, is completely missing the point. The framerate should never, ever be as unstable and unpredictable as mine is. It jumps between 20 to 200 when sitting in a corner staring at the wall. It occasionally freezes for several seconds when moving back and forth staring at the wall. It's pretty clear that there are plenty of people who have worse gaming setups than I do and still maintain a respectable and fairly consistent framerate, so why is mine (along with several other peoples) so remarkably inconsistent through so many different scenarios and settings? There's a deeper coding issue with this update that is a legitimate, serious flaw that has effectively broken the game for a decent number of players. Unless someone has a deeper insight than what amounts to "fix ur rates," I think this has to go on hiatus until Valve decides to look into it. Which sucks a lot for some of us (enough perhaps to stop buying products from valve), but I don't see many options left here.

its always explicable, the problem wit pc's is you don't know what the users done to their computer, how much malware or cr@pware they have running in the background. generally graphics settings don't change fps beyond a certain point as the game engine is heavily cpu dependent.

[LightOfDarkness]

cap your fps

fps_max 80

[geniusreddy]

cap your fps

fps_max 80

Capping the fps does help a little...still glitchy but helps quite a bit...but why shud I have to cap my FPS to play this game?

[LightOfDarkness]

Because then your hardware will work at maximum capacity to deliver maximum FPS, which IIRC can shorten hardware lifetime, and also creates unstable FPS. If you have 100+ FPS you should cap it, under and you should be fine. I still cap mine at 60 though (monitor refresh rate)

[Capped]

Is it everyone's fault that you don't know how to optimize your PC? I have this game running on a three year P4 DELL laptop with a crappy Nvidia GForce go card in it. I can even play TF2 which is the same engine as new CS but is even more demanding.

TL;DR Your computer fail is not Valve's fault.

I suppose I should add that I run TF2 and portal around 100fps solidly and they run the same engine. I'm also about 95% sure I know far, far more about computers than you do but go ahead and keep raging against all of us who have legitimate issues since everybody must be stupid and there's no way, just no chance, that valve could ever have buggy code or strange issues. It's not like that is a legitimate part of the software engineering process or anything.

Please don't return to this thread. Thanks.

its always explicable, the problem wit pc's is you don't know what the users done to their computer, how much malware or cr@pware they have running in the background. generally graphics settings don't change fps beyond a certain point as the game engine is heavily cpu dependent.

I'm going to direct you to the above paragraph as well.

If you turn off quad core rendering in advanced options, does it help?

Do you mean "multicore rendering?" Just want to check that there aren't two settings associated with the same thing. If you do mean multicore rendering, then yes I have tried it on and off with a variety of settings as mentioned in the OP and elsewhere in the thread.

Ok so I cleaned out and reinstalled video drivers and system drivers, reinstalled css and tried a bunch of graphics adjustments. Some settings got the fps to show as being 70-100 even though it was still stuttering very heavily. I might just have to wait for another update and hope for the best. Although I am open to other ideas if someone has a creative solution.

[ninjowned]

I've had high ping/lag spikes since the update also.

I have -high in my launch options. Someone said taking -high out worked for them.

It has also worked for me (as far as I know). I haven't played as much since removing it, but when I have I no longer get lag that made the game unplayable.

[dimice]

i have the exact same problem as capped except that my fps only jumps around from 5 fps to about 120 fps and i've tried all the previously mentioned "fixes" but none have worked.

[MeTaL_666]

When I disable multicore rendering (I have Core2Duo E4500) the stuttering is not that bad as before, the game run more smoothly and in the video stress test with AA 4x obtain solid 40FPS increase. But the stuttering is there anyways, sometimes with people on a server and most evident when turning quickly the weapon still jittering.

[bloodypalace]

Have you updated your drivers, windows, etc?

[sper09]

i have the exact same problem as capped except that my fps only jumps around from 5 fps to about 120 fps and i've tried all the previously mentioned "fixes" but none have worked.

Same problem here, I have mine capped at 68, which it stays at 90% of the time, but if it drops at all, it stutters bad (player models, movement, etc.). I think, if you can recall changing cl_interpolate 0 and the jitteryness it gave, it is quite similar.

[necrophyte]

i think i have the same problems, still... although i already fixed lots of them. sometimes it just stutters obviously (visible on the weapon movement for example, far too much recoil, not-registered hits, sound stuttering etc. > @ loss & choke 0!), although fps are at constant 100-119 (fps_max 120) and my ping is stable and low as before the update (25-45). also, the hand grenade movements are extremely stuttering! player movement is very good (with both cl_smooth on and off), and destroying props also looks perfect, no stuttering, but gandgrenades lag as if i had 10fps and/or ping 250+.

but sometimes the ping goes up to 100+, especially at the beginning (yes, the beginning, not the end, like described in the possible fixes thread) of a round, and sometimes just randomly.. does this steam cloud sync happen when exiting the game, or at the end of rounds, or in regular periods, or when?
i also make sure that my servers window is closed and that its not been refreshing before i closed it.

and yes, i use the most recent drivers and my system is perfectly clean and the disks are defragmented and i also tried every possible combination of tweaks using cvars and of course, before the update everything was perfect.

[flea8me]

Cap your fps and if that does not work. Try disabling steam-community ingame in steam options (you know the steam UI overlay{shift-tab}), and play if for a while and see if that helps.
I noticed that the UI overlay sometimes screws with performance.
Is your computer dusty inside? Clean it out maybe.

[gpnewroads]

mat_queue_mode 1, trust me, it works.
Cheers

[Capped]

mat_queue_mode 1, trust me, it works.
Cheers

wow this made it go crazy, complete freezeup for 2 or 3 seconds every 7 or 8 seconds. This was a good reminder of how bad it could be.

Have you updated your drivers, windows, etc?
Yes, as said several times in the thread.

Cap your fps and if that does not work.
done this repeatedly, right now I have it capped at 80.

Try disabling steam-community ingame in steam options (you know the steam UI overlay{shift-tab}), and play if for a while and see if that helps.
I noticed that the UI overlay sometimes screws with performance.
This helped a little

Is your computer dusty inside? Clean it out maybe.
No.

I have -high in my launch options. Someone said taking -high out worked for them.

I don't have -high in my launch options.


The game has gotten much more playable after all of these little changes and the last little update helped some too. It does still randomly get some big stutters, although its more like a drop from 100fps to 40 then back up to 100, all within a second or two. It's not perfect, or even really great performance, but it is better than it was.

[NotSoCoolJ]

I'm also about 95% sure I know far, far more about computers than you do

LOL, I needed a laugh thanks. Now, I'm 95% sure your an epic moron, but I still tried to help. I guess we are both victims of our own folly.

Good luck.

[gpnewroads]

I've also had people say that their games run better with mat_queue_mode 0 set, try that. Also if you are running singlecore try -2 and -1. The settings for this command are -2, -1, 0, 1, and 2. 0 and 1 make my game run perfect, the others make me stutter. I'm running a quad core btw.

[Capped]

LOL, I needed a laugh thanks. Now, I'm 95% sure your an epic moron, but I still tried to help. I guess we are both victims of our own folly.

Good luck.

i was only a phd candidate what do i know. second time, please dont come back to my thread thanks

I've also had people say that their games run better with mat_queue_mode 0 set, try that. Also if you are running singlecore try -2 and -1. The settings for this command are -2, -1, 0, 1, and 2. 0 and 1 make my game run perfect, the others make me stutter. I'm running a quad core btw.

Yeah I tried all 5 when you recommended it before, nothing was as bad as 1 and I didn't get much help from any of the other values.