View source for Planetary Annihilation Server Sim Performance / Time Dilation / RAM Usage

= Server Sim Performance / Time Dilation / RAM Usage =

<blockquote>REPLACED BY: https://planetaryannihilation.com/support/server-performance/</blockquote>

The following is archived content. 

{{Cross Platform Client Server Networked OpenGL Application}}

A high spec dedicated server with multi-threading enabled will always out perform an Uber public shared server: https://planetaryannihilation.com/guides/hosting-a-local-server/

== Client Performance Does Not Impact Server Performance or Other Clients  ==

The performance of individual clients has no impact on servers or other clients. ie a player with a low spec computer has no impact on the server or other players.

Also see: [[Unit_Freezes / Unit_Jumps / Stuttering]]

== Sim Performance / Time Dilation ==

When the sim is under pressure the sim rate will slow down causing time dilation. ie the sim time is slower than real time (this is not lag).

Sim performance depends on:

* map
** number of planets (sweet spot is under 8 unless they are tiny with MAX_PLANETS = 16 defined in media/server-script/sim_utils.js)
** radius (recommended maximum size is 800 - 1000)
** CSG (more CSG = more complex pathing and navigation)
* number of armies
* number of AIs
** increase the difficulty before adding more
** increase their eco modifier before adding more
* number of units
* number of unit interactions
* number of projectiles
* play style
** hoarding units
** area patrolling a large group of units
* CPU
** number of cores
** single thread performance: https://www.cpubenchmark.net/singleThread.html
* network usage (see below)

Games with large systems containing many big planets with lots of CSG and many players that horde thousands of units are not going to perform well on any server.

The multi-threading improvements in build 99377 or newer are only available on local / LAN / custom / dedicated servers.

Each shared team is considered to be a single army in the sim so a 5v5 shared is only two armies and will impact the sim less than a 5v5 unshared or 10 FFA.

Moving large groups of units will impact the sim with planet wide area patrol having the most impact.

Servers do not require a GPU.

== Sim Network Throttles ==

The sim currently throttles to maintain each history viewpoint at a maximum of 4 Mbps (megabits per second).

Each PIP is a separate viewpoint connection multiplexed into a single TCP connection.

The maximum bandwidth per client TCP connection or socket is 16 Mbps (megabits per second).

32 players might use up to 512 Mbps (megabits per second) of outgoing bandwidth on a server.

== Server RAM Usage ==

Server RAM usage depends on:

* system (see sim performance)
* history
** game time
** number of units created / killed
** number of unit interactions
** number of projectiles

Large systems containing many big planets with lots of CSG will require more initial RAM during loading on both the server and clients.

RAM usage will continue to grow over time based on the number of units created / killed and unit interactions.

History is very compressible so memory compression in latest macOS, Windows 10 and Linux will help to limit RAM usage as the history grows.

== Free PA Shared Public Servers ==

{{Free Uber Shared Public Servers}}

== Connection To Server Lost ==

This is typically a local network issue and you should be able to reconnect from the start menu or by restarting PA.

Dynamic IP address changes by your ISP may drop network connections losing your connection to a server.

Multiple conflicting unit server mods can also cause crashes.

== Client Stalls or Units Jump During Game ==

This is typically a network transit issue.

See [[Unit Freezes / Unit_Jumps / Stuttering]]