Impact of server tick rate on latency compensation mechanisms in online first-shooter games
Kieu, Son (2026)
Kandidaatintyö
2026
School of Engineering Science, Tietotekniikka
Kaikki oikeudet pidätetään.
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe20260819118354
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe20260819118354
Tiivistelmä
This thesis examines the impact of server tick rate on latency compensation mechanisms in online first-person shooter (FPS) games. In multiplayer gaming environments, network latency can significantly affect gameplay quality and competitiveness, leading to issues such as delayed actions and inaccurate hit registration. As competitive online gaming continues to grow, understanding how to mitigate these effects has become increasingly important.
The study focuses on analysing how different server tick rates influence the behaviour of latency compensation techniques, including client-side prediction, interpolation, and server reconciliation. A simplified multiplayer FPS prototype was developed using Unity game engine to simulate various tick rates (30, 64, and 128 Hz). Controlled experiments were conducted under simulated network conditions, including latency and packet loss. Key performance metrics such as synchronization accuracy, hit registration consistency, CPU usage, and bandwidth consumption were measured and analysed.
The results indicate that higher tick rates generally benefit synchronization accuracy and reduce inconsistencies in hit registration. However, these improvements come at the cost of increased computational load and network bandwidth usage. The findings highlight a trade-off between performance and resource efficiency, suggesting that optimal tick rate selection depends on system constraints and application requirements. This study provides practical insights for game developers in designing more responsive and efficient multiplayer systems
The study focuses on analysing how different server tick rates influence the behaviour of latency compensation techniques, including client-side prediction, interpolation, and server reconciliation. A simplified multiplayer FPS prototype was developed using Unity game engine to simulate various tick rates (30, 64, and 128 Hz). Controlled experiments were conducted under simulated network conditions, including latency and packet loss. Key performance metrics such as synchronization accuracy, hit registration consistency, CPU usage, and bandwidth consumption were measured and analysed.
The results indicate that higher tick rates generally benefit synchronization accuracy and reduce inconsistencies in hit registration. However, these improvements come at the cost of increased computational load and network bandwidth usage. The findings highlight a trade-off between performance and resource efficiency, suggesting that optimal tick rate selection depends on system constraints and application requirements. This study provides practical insights for game developers in designing more responsive and efficient multiplayer systems