 Ping Ping Ping
When Playing any on-line game getting the best ping is very important. Its a balancing act between making the game playable and achieving the best possible ping. Quake 3 has many adjustable variables making it very tweakable. The most important variables are.
Most Important Variables
- Rate.
- cl_Maxpackets.
- cl_packetup.
- Snaps.
- cl_timenudge.
I am assuming that that you have tweaked/adjusted the graphics so Quake 3 Arena runs smoothly capped at 125 frames per second. see Basic Tweaking
Setting The Rate
General
Never set the rate to high if your using ADSL its the sending rate thats as important as the the receiving rate .If your using a modem setting the rate to high will result in major graphics lag ISDN users should use only a single channel 64k as using both channels is a waste.
Modem Rate
Hopefully you`ve followed the modem connection tweaks. As I`ve mentioned above don`t set your rate to high try 5500 and reduce as necessary. Join a server you have a good ping on get one of your mates to stand still while you side step side to side in front of him. If the lagometer lags (lots of yellow spikes) reduce the rate setting but no lower than 3300 (assuming your using a 56k modem). Reduce it in 50s untill it levels out and record the final setting. Now try a server with a few players on. Spectate the match and watch the lagometer if it lags seriously when alot of players are on the screen reduce it buy 50 if that does not work don`t worry about it leave it at at that setting. Modems suck and you`ve done all you can with the rate setting. Each server is different and you will find some you lag on and some you don`t.
ISDN/BT Midband/Home Highway Rate
Its a jump from a modem to ISDN welcome to a better ping. In the UK ISDN normally comes via a BT Home Highway box or Midband. You only need use a single channel or 64k connection for playing on-line games using the other channel is a waste of bandwidth and won`t lower your ping. Hopefully you`ve followed the ISDN connection tweaks and your using a terminal adapter. Your ISDN ping should be between 38-50. Setting the rate is easy when using ISDN try 8000 and reduce it untill your lagometer is steady pick a server you ping well on with a few players using it. Just because your using ISDN don`t expect to ping well on every server my ping sucks on wireplay servers but is great on Jolt and Barrysworld.
ADSL Rate
Hopefully you`ve followed the ADSL connection tweaks. Your going to have a great ping that if its 512 ADSL and not 256k ADSL its up rate that counts as well as down rate. Set your rate between 10000 and 25000. 10000 is what is normally used but you could set your rate higher if the server will allow connections at a higher rate. To find the highest rate a server will let you connect at use the all seeing eye server finder click on the server you wish to play on and look at the rate setting in the server info window and adjust your`s to match. You should ping 15 - 50 on most UK servers.
 Setting cl_maxpackets
General
This is number of game world updates sent to you from the server setting this higher than standard rate makes the game feel smoother but you need an ISDN or Cable/ADSL connection to use a higher setting than standard.
Setting Modem cl_maxpackets
The standard setting for this is 30 and I would leave it at that or if the server is laggy reduce it to 25 or 20.
ISDN cl_maxpackets
Most ISDN players tend to set there maxpackets between 30 - 100 most use 60 the higher maxpackets the smoother the game runs to a point don`t set it to high or the game will stutter and or you will suffer packet loss.
ADSL cl_maxpackets
Most ADSL players set there maxpackets to 100-125 but anything above 100 can lead to packet loss so I use 100.
Setting cl_packetup
General
Cl_Packetup resends the lost packets to the game server its default setting is "1", packets resent once. The maximum setting is "5" packets resent 5 times.
Modem cl_packetup
Set this to "1" your more likely to lose packets using a modem.
ISDN cl_packetup
Set it off but turn it on if needed off = cl_packetup "0"
ADSL cl_packetupLeave it off if you can but if the game starts to jerk about turn it back on.
 Setting cl_timenudge
General
Love it or loath it time nudge is used by alot of Q3 players. Don`t believe me well join an O.S.P server with a few players on type "\players" at the console and enter, this will display players setting maxpackets/snaps/rate/timenudge values. What does it do ? Timenudge allows you to simulate lag setting a timenudge value of say 150 will be like playing on a server with a ping 150. What use is timenudge you may ask some players find that setting a negative value helps reduce the effects of lag. Do not use cg_smoothclients if your cl_timenudge is set negative.
How To Set Timenudge
At the top of the lagometer you will see a thin blue line try and make the blue line as thin as possible by setting timenudge at between -5 and -20 anymore is silly the blue line should be thin with as few yellow marks or blobs as possible.
Modem/ISDN/ADSLSet timenudge between -5 -20 see above for details.
Setting Snaps
General
Snaps are the number of updates sent to the game server from you most players use a setting of between 20 to 125.
Modem SnapsUse a setting of between 20 and 30 use 20 if the server your playing on is lagging badly.
ISDN SnapsMost players use a setting of between 20 to 60 any higher than 60 and the game will stutter and lag.
ADSL SnapsMost players use a setting of 40 to 125 depending on how good the connection to the server is.
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Lowering Ping