man this is getting fucked up somethimes it looks like its bether but it isnt and indeed i shoot at wall bullets come to late and i shoot at the enemy and my bullet pff seems just not to hit or something and then i get that weird lagkick or something very strange it cant be network man i dont now i have dual core 5800 amd since i bought this one i got the problem so hmm should the problem be the dual core ?? i extualy dont think so i think its the hardrive or videocard i have 8800 GT but it says it must work on windows vista but windows vista sux so i have windows xp proffesional and when i use speedfan i can seee my 12VOLT line is working @ 8.19 VOLTS a couple friends say this is bad because the 12 VOLT line is working with your motherboard and videocard etc… can that be the problem ?? sorry for bad english (need help) 
Enemy Territory gets mysterious lag (with dual-core)
Reflex, do you have the Dual-core optimizer installed? It should help atleast something. For me it didnt solve the problem but I still keep it installed. It doesn’t hurt there, I think.
If you 12V line is really that low it may cause some serious problems. If you know how to, check the voltages from Bios as software are always more unreliable. Even your gfx card does work in Vista it doesn’t mean it wouldn’t work in Xp. It just won’t be able to use DirectX10 under windows Xp.
that power problem could very well be the cause, some older atx pwr supplies had limited 12V availability, newer atx2 supplies “should” have 2 12v lines available, 8.2v isn’t enough imo
make sure you’ve attached both power cables to your 8800 as well
It’s basically impossible for this to happen without some kind of network lag, or something very strange happening to timing (which should in any case show up much like network lag)
Muzzle flash and firing sound are the same event, so they will always be predicted together. Hit sounds and bullet marks come from the server, in roughly the same way, so they should always be together as well.
If there is a delay between the predicted effects and the actual effects from the server, this is either caused by the network (in which case it should show up in the ping/lagometer), or the clients idea of time going wack (which it really shouldn’t, and in at least some cases would still show up in the lagometer). Positive timenudge would have the effect you describe, except it would also show up in the lagometer.
Then, if I watch the demo it’s a bit different. There’s only one major difference, actually. When I shoot at the wall, the whole package is in sync. so that means:
- Muzzle flash and firing sound are in sync
- Smoke puff on the wall + sound from the hit to the wall itself are in sync
- The lag seems to be gone as there’s no noticeable delay between the firing and the moment the bullet hits the wall.
This is expected in demo playback, since the demo shows you what happened, not what was predicted.
But when I look the demo, the parts I shoot at the players, it’s different again (like in-game) and that means:
- Muzzle flash and firing sound are in sync
- Hitsound + the sound which comes when the bullet hits the player are in sync
- BUT, the hitsound comes with a big delay after the firing.
There is no difference between shooting a wall and shooting a player, except that you also get a hitsound when shooting the player. Watching your demo, I didn’t notice any difference between the wall shots and player shots. Given that I can’t think of any conceivable way this would be different on different systems, my conclusion is that you are mistaken about the demo playback results.
Don’t think this in a complicated way. It’s rather simple afterall.
The problem is, what you describe seems technically impossible. So people try to look for other interpretations.
Well, ReyalP, it doesn’t seem it’s technically impossible afterall as I’m experiencing it. It’s just that we both don’t know what it actually is as the best way for you to see would be to be in the place and observe the things that happen.
I think we should start from the things we can be sure of… I have noticed that I have totally no network issues, with ET or with any other game either. Never had any problems with my ISP (if we don’t count repair jobs causing some sh*t and such). Lagometer shows clean graph, that’s something I really can read clearly. No red/yellow spikes when shooting, moving or standing still. Ping is also as fine as it can get on servers close to me. I actually even did some tracert tests with the different IP’s (random, google for example, my nearest ISP router etc) and saw nothing out of ordinary. So unless you got any more ideas for that, I’d say network isn’t causing this unless it’s something weird about the server or my client that does not show up in ping or lagometer. I can actually provide you with a screenshot of my lagometer in-game. The following one was captured while I was on a Finnish server (in order to get the best ping possible) : http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/3416/lagometereb2.png
Sorry if the picture is a bit dark, for some reason paint (long live paint!) made it look like that. I would have taken a direct screenshot with the /screenshotjpeg command but it appeared to bee too fuzzy to see clearly. In that one there’s every pixel visible. Well, it looks like rather clear to me (I’m not a lagometer expert, don’t get mad if there’s something “I should have seen”. But I’m wondering… In both the blue and the green lines, there’s some empty spots in them. Is that normal? If not, it could be a partial reason for this problem, eh? I made my own conclusion about the green line as my ping was low enough for the lagometer to register some spots with a graph too small to be seen in the meter. Correct me if I’m totally wrong or something.
There is no difference between shooting a wall and shooting a player, except that you also get a hitsound when shooting the player. Watching your demo, I didn’t notice any difference between the wall shots and player shots. Given that I can’t think of any conceivable way this would be different on different systems, my conclusion is that you are mistaken about the demo playback results.
I’m sorry if it doesn’t fit the technical facts or make any sense to you but it’s just how it goes. It may feel like absurd but believe me, that’s the best way I can describe it. By the words of one wise man: “If the facts don’t fit the theory, change the facts.” Err… maybe not, but maybe, just maybe, this time this is an exception. And what comes to the different computers having different results, my best guess still is the processor causing it. Here’s a quote from AMD’s official site about the Dual-core optimizer and what it should do. Maybe that will shed some light…
The AMD Dual-Core Optimizer can help improve some PC gaming video performance by compensating for those applications that bypass the Windows API for timing by directly using the RDTSC (Read Time Stamp Counter) instruction. Applications that rely on RDTSC do not benefit from the logic in the operating system to properly account for the affect of power management mechanisms on the rate at which a processor core’s Time Stamp Counter (TSC) is incremented. The AMD Dual-Core Optimizer helps to correct the resulting video performance effects or other incorrect timing effects that these applications may experience on dual-core processor systems, by periodically adjusting the core time-stamp-counters, so that they are synchronized.
And I’d like to note again, the most accurate measure of time I can see myself having the lag problem for the first time is when moving from a single-core system to a dual-core system. Here’s another ‘testimonial’ just from the same thread here, I’m quoting Reflex@Aka Sven now:
i have dual core 5800 amd since i bought this one i got the problem so hmm should the problem be the dual core ??
If it would be about the processor as I highly doubt it would be a kind of ‘external’ cause to this - not being either the game or my network…
But if you need any additional information or demonstration, I sure can hand them to you. You mentioned something about cl_avidemo but doesn’t it only give you footage with no sound? And you also mentioned cl_wavefilerecord, that’s a totally unknown thing for me. I assume it records some game audio in to a file that I could send here, right? Tell me what do you want me to record with them and I’ll do it.
/show_framecount 1
/cl_avidemo 25
Then post the first frame where the muzzle flash is visible (from when you get one of the headshots), and the first frame where the smoke puff from the same headshot is visible.
That should at least prove that you’re not mistaken about demo playback being different on your system, though it may not get us any closer to the solution.
Also, have you tried disabling hitsounds or tried etmain online (not just a local server)?
FWIW, I just upgraded to a dual core AMD system. I haven’t noticed any “bullet lag” yet, with or without AMDs dual core optimizer. But I haven’t played much yet.
Irra
I’m not trying to belittle your problem, or say that it is not real. However, I’ve spent a fair bit of time with the et and etpro code, so I have a reasonably good understanding of how it actually works. I’m having trouble fitting your descriptions with that. That doesn’t mean you are wrong, just that some part of the picture is missing.
The empty spots can happen in two cases. Either if your whole system freezes for a moment, or your ping is low enough, that part of the graph is zero pixels high. It might also happen if the server hitches.
If you have the capability, it might be interesting to find out if you get the same problem under linux.
Yes, I’m doing my best trying to describe the problem in the ways I happen to see it. And no, I’m not trying to say you’re wrong here either. I really appreciate you taking the time and effort to try to solve a problem that isn’t your own - and it’s great you happen to know a lot of the game’s code.
I’m wondering what would trying under linux help? To see if it’s in the OS? Anyway it’s a rather big load of work just to test one game… To download a Linux image, install it and do all the required stuff to get it roll with Xp untouched. I know I could do it, but it’s not something I’ll be trying right now.
What comes to the demo, again, try to forget what I said about the demo being a lot different than the actual gameplay. Last night I did a lot of experiencing and it seems it’s mostly identical both in the demo and when in the game itself.
So, what should I do now? Try the tip sauron gave me; to take cl_avidemo with framecount on and send two screenshots, first showing the muzzle flash and the second showing the smoke puff on enemy? I tried taking some video with fraps (yes it sucks for the most part) but the sound was very weird, like muffled somehow and it was very barely audible. But that kind of video would show you nicely what’s it all about as ET’s demo records don’t give sound by default, right?
I guess it’s just that you need something more concrete than one demo file to properly see what could be causing this.
Edit: what kind of system do you got now? Could you share the specs with me? And I’d like to know the exact model of your mobo / the chipset. I’m trying to find some kind of pattern here with these things 
It would eliminate most of the possible non-et software causes. You might be able to use a livecd, and just download the linux et stuff, either onto the livecds ramdisk, or somewhere on your windows disks. If you run from ramdisk, you can slink the .pk3 files to your windows install to save a bunch of ram.
What comes to the demo, again, try to forget what I said about the demo being a lot different than the actual gameplay. Last night I did a lot of experiencing and it seems it’s mostly identical both in the demo and when in the game itself.
So you are saying that when you shoot, both in game and in the demo, there is a significant lag between the shooting sound/animation and the hitsound/wallmark ? Note that the game does have some delays built in, but these have been there since RTCW, and don’t depend on your system/settings.
Edit: what kind of system do you got now? Could you share the specs with me? And I’d like to know the exact model of your mobo / the chipset. I’m trying to find some kind of pattern here with these things
MSI K8 Neo4 (MS-7125) Mainboard. This is an Nforce 4 board.
Athlon 64 4200x2 (939 socket). Previously had a 3000
6600gt, latest official drivers.
SB Live value, latest official drivers.
XP Pro SP2, up to date.
i’m having the same problem as you :\
havn’t been on etpro in 3 or 4 months due to the lag. yes i get it in all mods and servers no matter how many are on but etpro players know how to shoot so thats where its really noticeable.
i’ve done everything you mentioned plus more. all hardware tests show nothing wrong too. 2 different operating systems plus new mobo and psu and same problem.
i couldnt find anything that went along with the problem till i turned my fps down to 43. (always at 125 cuz it’s horrible when it’s lower…skipping of fps is more noticeable)
with my fps at 43 i noticed either little yellow spikes or just skips in the blue bar about 3 or 4 times a second that go EXACTLY along with the lag.
this is not noticeable on the meter at 125 and why it took me 3 damn months to find this problem.
I did the lil raziel pick a post and strafe side to side keepin ur crosshair on the post with it at 43fps to find this out. seems to skip a few frames or something at the same time i get those lil “spikes” i’m gona call them.
here’s a screen shot i just went and took. dont even have a cfg set up for pro its been so long
http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/6908/20070523050634frostbiteuh9.jpg
So you are saying that when you shoot, both in game and in the demo, there is a significant lag between the shooting sound/animation and the hitsound/wallmark ? Note that the game does have some delays built in, but these have been there since RTCW, and don’t depend on your system/settings.
Yes, simply said this is the thing. Sometimes it feels a lot more than other times, but it’s constant and bad enough to highly effect the gameplay And it’s not about the “built-in” delays as I think you can believe me it’s in totally different levels than the usual small delays. I have played for almost 3 years so I got this touch of how ET should feel like and this sure ain’t it. Ping effects this only a very small amount, but the lag feels like it would be added on top of the ping and the usual delays. There’s no cvars you could think of that could alter the delay…?
Hmm, you also got Athlon Dual-core processor (different socket, though) and a Nforce chipset (I got a bit more recent one) but no other connecting things.
Just started to wonder this problem is only in ET, no other game has a single similar problem so that could mean it’s not about my hardware afterall. Or then there’s something very weird about the hw that causes this to show up only with certain games… Maybe something particular in the way the ET engine works. I’ll give a fresh ET install yet another try when I got the time (last exams before summer holiday, gotta study something) and see if the demo I recorded earlier behaves in any different way. Doing this because I have done some tiny modifications to my system (drivers etc).
I had these problems for more than 3 months.I had very low fps and always had the same lagspikes on my lagmeter.
After installing this windows patch (WindowsXP-KB896256-v4-x86-ENU.exe) the lagging and low fps were gone.
i read somethign about a windows patch yesterday that i’m guessing is the same one you just posted. said after the processor is run at 100% the power management to the processor gets messed up. only on dual cores cpu’s on games that only use a single cpu. i’m gona download that update from windows and see what happens.
asus a8n32-sli deluxe
bfg7900gtx oc
2gigs corsair pc3200
amd dc 4400
also Irra try turning ur fps to 43 and doing the “raziel” thing i mentioned and tell me if it seems to skip a few fps at the same time’s as the little lagometer glitch’s. i’m guessing bullets fired at the same time as the glitch’s arn’t going where we think they are.
pff man rly no one is finding a solution to this ?? it keeps bugging harder and harder and still i dont have a new power supply i’ve been realy thinking is my 12 Volt line that works on 8.19 volt realy the lagg ?:( i dont now give me some answers plz thx
bought a new power supply…didnt fix anything.
anyone else try those updates that nellie12 posted? it makes sense but didnt do anything for me.
my friend had the same problem and fixed it thou…all he had to do is buy all new hardware. wish he woulda put it together one piece at a time and solved this problem for everyone thou.
i dont understand … Buy new hardware ??? just everything new ??? new motherboard new proccesor ? new video card ?? thats weird man no i didnt replace my 12 volt line the shop was closed yesterday today going back
he was due for a new computer anyway.
mobo and power supply are the only things i got the chance to switch out. did absolutely nothing. i’ve been meaning to upgrade from a dualcore 4400 to an fx…maybe i’ll be able to do that soon. also want a 2nd 7900gtx and i got a lifetime warranty on the one i got now. just dont wanna throw anymore money into this thing till i have a good idea of what’s causing this damn laggish/fps skipping bs.
if anyone with these problems has the ability to change out ur vid card or cpu please do and let me know. i gota buy anything i want changed out 