Lag

[Raist]

Stating the obvious to state a case.
This game is lagging a lot.

I've resorted to using third party programs to enhance DNS Route / Ping. The results show that there's massive packet loss.

Any packet loss will cost you a wipe. I've attached some results as well as my Sub 10% wipe that we were unsuccessful in, and probably my most solid group yet. We had to deal with so much lag and tried to predict lag to beat the fight. To no avail, we were not able to.

Please fix this lag. I'm asking nicely because I actually like this game and what has progressed of it. You've turned the game 180 and you need to do something about the server structure to increase quality of life. Thank you.

A bandwidth test to Atlanta, GA (<50 miles from your GeoLocation) shows nothing against the latency/packet loss to Montreal, Canada. Even if you were testing against a server in Montreal, unless it was falling under 1Mbit/sec down, it really wouldn't mean much of anything either. This game should be fine at even the DSL Light level of service....provided latency is consistently low and there isn't a problem with packet loss.

THAT is what is at issue here--inconsistency in latency and dropped packets, which is often simply the end result of ISP's overselling their upstream bandwidth capacity to the top Tier ISP's they partner with (groups like TATA, Cogent, Level3, and Telia). Normal game traffic consumes less than 256Kbps bandwidth--enough to sustain 25,000-30,000 bytes/second transfer rate after various overhead factors kick in. The only time it should pass this point is when there is a massive influx of players and such, like when zoning a new area or maybe the zergfest at a hunt. But even then, you don't need 20Mbit service, and the demand drops considerably after the initial loading of that data. Watch your S/R numbers periodically and multiply that by 8 to see the actual bit rate you are consuming (those S/R numbers in the corner are the number of bytes sent/received--8 bits =1 byte, 1Mbit=1,000,000 bits or 125,000 bytes).

The problems arise because far too many people are consuming more bandwidth as a whole for a mix of services along the segments you are getting routed through. It's not just FFXIV traffic, but all internet traffic for all web services from a mix of many ISP's using that third party's network for peering/transit to another company's network. They don't connect directly to SE's network. For example, I go TWC to Cogentco to Ormuco to SE--the problems potentially occur between TWC and Ormuco, before SE gets involved.

Those peering/transit arrangements are things that your ISP is responsible for setting up, maintaining, and adjusting as needed. If it were something happening at SE's end, then running a VPN would NOT improve it---the VPN's routing potentially bypasses your ISP's policies that are negatively impacting your throughput to Montreal when you connect normally through your ISP's assigned routes. Note the word used there...potentially. I say potentially because, depending on where you connect with the VPN, you could still wind up on a failing Level3 segment in NY just the same you do with your ISP's routing. Which brings us to another point:




Have you tried connecting to a different VPN location? As noted in the threads I linked to earlier, there are some VPN locations that are exhibiting congestion problems (the same kind that you may be experiencing without the VPN service). One solution noted there was to use a different endpoint (there was also an issue with allowing UDP traffic for some, but this game uses TCP). I demonstrated this in earlier post with a VPN I have. Connecting to the New York VPN that night was more stable than connecting to the Montreal VPN through the same VPN service. This all shows once again that it is highly likely there is a routing issue and not something at SE's end causing issues for a lot of people.


An important note that needs to be brought up for those of you that have tried a VPN service and have seen a change in your gameplay---especially if it showed improvement:

You guys have a GOLDEN opportunity to go after your ISP's to fix your routing issues. It is a shining example that the routing they have chosen is not sufficient and needs to be addressed. The VPN does not change which SE server you connect to---your destination remains constant. What you have changed is the parameters of the route you take to get there. Those parameters are set by your ISP's policy.

Rub their noses in it. And if the person refuses to acknowledge the facts that you can clearly demonstrate for them on demand and/or will not escalate your complaint, demand to speak to a higher tiered support team or a supervisor until you find someone that will. This is something they CAN and SHOULD address for you... as it is an issue with the service you have purchased from them.