NPC Lag - Input Needed

[Llir 2911]

Hello all,

 

We've recently been experiencing lag spikes. These are certain times when a game-tick stalls, leading to a typically 1-2 second freeze of our server, but sometimes up to 5 on higher loads. These seem to occur every minute or so, and although our TPS (average game speed - ticks per second) is usually able to keep up, when we get loads of higher than 200 our performance starts to fall behind, sometimes as low as 5 TPS with 250 people on.

 

We have isolated this issue to our NPC plugin, and tests have shown TPS increase drastically and the lag spikes stop when we temporarily disable it. The caveat to this is that, as one may expect, NPCs don't appear. We are currently using a method to display NPCs with a third party disguise plugin that was not designed to handle the large amounts of active playermodel disguises we are displaying. This used to be lag-less, though recent changes to the disguise plugin (and Minecraft) have greatly impacted it's performance. We plan to move to a lag-free packet based solution, but it will be some time, 2-3 weeks at the very least, until we can properly recode the way our NPCs are handled. When we finish this, old NPCs will reappear, the data will not be lost.

 

Given this we are considering the option of disabling NPCs to counteract the hit to performance, though we want community input on if this temporary trade-off is worth it. Note: Banks and auctioneers will still be usable though /bank and /ah at their locations, signs can be placed down in the place of the NPCs.

 

Cheers,

The Tech Team

[Suicidium 449]

Remove NPCs for the sake of server performance please.

[JokerLow 992]

remove 'em

[ScreamingDingo 6177]

if libs disappears so does the banlist

[๖ۣۣۜ҉𝔘nwillingly 2261]

The removal of SCPs wont be a huge detriment to RP especially if temporary please remove 

[Dry Crackers 110]

Could NPC display be tied to the existing server load thresholds?  Turn them on for convenience when player load is low but disable them when need be?

[Bhased 1425]

make ooc opt in while you're at it please I beg @Telanir

[nickrocky213 411]

@ScreamingDingo nah its just disabling our npc plugin, you guys can still use libs 

[WestCarolina 333]

To feed off of @Bhased, please fix how we're randomly put into #shout too ;-;

[Ryloth 1047]

Thank you for consulting the community with a vote. +1

[BimboBudgie 32]

I don't think NPCs should be removed, considering that we paid real money for them. At least not unless VIPs get perks to replace them, either that or the possibility of a refund.

[snoopie12 719]

Hmmm. Honestly a tough one. I would say just remove them temporarily, however I am worried about Tuturial Island. Now established players don't have a lot with this, but for newly accepted players it's the first they see. And the entire island consists out of NPC's to explain certain topics. 

[BenjiBot_ 128]

Remove them please. I'm sure the player base will survive without NPC's. Fairly sure.

[Ryloth 1047]

Just now, PlagueDocling said:

I don't think NPCs should be removed, considering that we paid real money for them. At least not unless VIPs get perks to replace them, either that or the possibility of a refund.

 

Disagreed. You're not losing it forever. I'm telling you that as an Aether VIP if it means anything- you'll get it back with time and, unfortunately, sometimes bugs happen. VIP is a donation anyway, and isn't for all intensive purposes supposed to be something to provide you benefits. Just a shiny tag and a higher slot on the tab list. I'm honestly surprised we get anything.

[Kaiser 1000]

Piggybacking off chase and carol, can we get rid of the bug where it takes money out of my bank after 500 minas?

 

 

.... wait what....?

 

REALLY?