Cataclysm lags and crashes explanation

[XpLoDWilD]

Hi all,

So I've tested some different things, and ended up with two possible reasons :

1) It's Blizzard's way to avoid us to look at some new zones (Stranglethorn, Tanaris, Moonglade, and some new "filling zones" in Eastern Kingdom, that Blizz never talked about)

2) It's simply a big bug in the game, with untested new features that are normally inaccessible in the official F&F Alpha Servers (like you get teleported some meters back because the zone is "under construction").

I really think it's the first reason. These zones are maybe inaccessible in the F&F Alpha servers and in order to avoid leaks of new zones, they've put a "crash" flag in the maps.

Just my $0.02

[MaiN]

No, you crash because you do not have an updated server.

[whitekidney]

Kind of fail @ OP.

Update your sandbox and no more crashes.

[theKarn]

Kind of fail @ OP.

Update your sandbox and no more crashes.

I'm using WoWCore r2290 and still getting crashes- Is there a newer sandbox that I don't know about?

[XpLoDWilD]

Okay I checked again. In fact yeah, it crashes randomly, newer sandbox or not (r2290 is latest atm). It should be some kind of engine issues.

[WeedSter]

Missing map files, if you're fast enough you can even see the map screwing up, just create a logout macro, when it starts lagging just logout and log back in straight away, lags gone.

[XpLoDWilD]

I don't think it's missing maps, because after restarting the game, if you go straight to where you crashed, it works. Again, it's an engine issue (probably shared memory problem).

[theKarn]

I don't think it's missing maps, because after restarting the game, if you go straight to where you crashed, it works. Again, it's an engine issue (probably shared memory problem).

from what i hear mangos has less of the crashing problem but still experiences it when entering certain zones (like 1k needles). We're just going to have to make do with the .go command to enter areas. (it really would help if the .w command wasn't screwed up in r2290 though)

[XpLoDWilD]

Back from some testings, it IS related to the client itself AND NOT the server. It has to do with some terrain system enhancements and modification that screws up threaded loading. I played with "WoW.exe -console" and graphics settings. Setting farclip to something low like "10" (even if I think there's a "near far limit" set to approx 100), the lags hurt less when it occurs, I slow down to like 5-10fps, and I can clearly see that terrain textures are blinking textured/blank, before finally crashing the client.
So it definetely has nothing to do with the server, just that people had more luck while playing on one server or one another.

[DrakeFish]

I think those crashes have different reasons all due to server/client comunication. The lags happen when you enter a new zone or approach a WMO like Skysomething.WMO. This is probly due to some packet the server is supposed to send you in the new expansion (thats also because of the new phases system). The reason could simply be that the client has been compiled with some bugs unfixed that they were planning to fix soon.
This is not only due to you loading the WMO because using .go to get in the zone won't crash you and going to it by yourself by flying can disconnect you.

[XpLoDWilD]

If it would be due to client/server communication, then it would crash all the time (why the game would only get phase informations sometimes?). Since it doesn't crash all the time (for example, you can fly to Stormwind, Westfall, Stranglethorn and crash near Booty Bay, and fly from Westfall directly to Booty Bay without any crash), it definately client-engine related (terrain paging or so). As a 3D MMO Lead Developer, I know what I'm talking about

[Azbulldog]

After reading bits of the official alpha forums while I could, this seems to be happening to the official testers on the official server as well.

[DrakeFish]

If it would be due to client/server communication, then it would crash all the time (why the game would only get phase informations sometimes?). Since it doesn't crash all the time (for example, you can fly to Stormwind, Westfall, Stranglethorn and crash near Booty Bay, and fly from Westfall directly to Booty Bay without any crash), it definately client-engine related (terrain paging or so). As a 3D MMO Lead Developer, I know what I'm talking about

I don't say i disagree with you, my point was that in some zones, the client could've wanted to request the server on what to load or what to do, and wouldn't get any answer and crash.

[XpLoDWilD]

Mmmh maybe, but imagine you're lagging a bit and the client doesn't get the desired informations (on live servers), I don't think Blizzard want its client to crash.

[XatoA]

lollolololololol