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I've been playing SWG (RotW Expansion) for a little under a week. I'm currently an Imperial pilot in Storm Squadron (Tatooine starting locale) and am doing the missions that are required to earn Rank 3 on my skill trees. I am currently in a TIE Interceptor. I am stating this so that I don't get the instant response "Aim for the green targetting reticule." This information I already know.

MY QUESTION:

What I don't know is, why am I experiencing an extraordinary amount of random spurts of "lag" while in space?

Is there a massive server/client connection issue between me and my server? (Bloodfin). If so, why wouldSWG have this issue that I do not experience while playing World of Warcraft (Level 60 Undead Rogue) or Guild Wars (Level 20 Warrior)? I just want to know what my problem is, and all possible solutions to my issue with hitting my target.

Is there a client issue (my game on my machine) that is causing this?

IN DEPTH EXAMPLES:

Note: In all my examples, assume that my target is an NPC fighter, is not dodging/rolling, and is traveling in a relatively simple curve (or possibly even a traight line). I note this, because I do not want people to say that an NPC can move away from the spot that the reticule used to be aiming at.

If I am not experiencing the "lag" (be it from server/client connection, or an issue with my machine), then when I aim for the green targetting reticule I can hit my target with every shot that I fire, and I can take down an enemy within a matter of moments. This is the perfect state to be in, since the game seems to be working as intentionally designed to work.

Unfortunately, it is rare for me to be in this perfect state of "aim for green thing, shots hit". Normally, I am trying to find the sweet spot "phantom targetting reticule." What I mean by that is, aiming for the green retiucle that I see on my screen will not hit my target. Instead, If I aim a little bit behind the reticule (closer to the ship), it is only then that my shots will begin to hit. As the lag increases, this "phantom sweet spot" will move closer and closer to the ship (farther from the reticule that I SHOULD be aiming for) in order for me to hit my target. In some cases (sadly, more often than I would like), it gets so bad that I have to aim BEHIND my target... like directly after his rear end. This in and of itself is annoying to do, but possible. I can hit my targets, as you would note since I am in a TIE interceptor. But, the horridly annoying problem with this is the "phantom reticule" will shift positions on me so often that I never know where the sweet spot is to aim for. I can be in combat with the same target for such a long period of time that Escorts will be destroyed... times will elapse on missions... I'll get pummeled by a constant barrage of other enemies (including the "random spawn" enemy ships that I always seem to pick up)... I'll get multiple mission enemy spawns on me at the same time, etc. In effect, during the harder missions that I am getting, this "lagged shot" is making it closer to Improbable for me to be doing these missions that I know shouldn't be as difficult as they have become.

As an additional observation while under the influence of my "lag", an enemy can travel in some very bizarre and eratic flight patterns that shouldn't be able to be performed in a spacecraft. This unusual flight pattern can be described like an A-Wing is turning left... and then immediately heading right. It's just not possible. The targetting reticule is literally BOUNCING around on the screen. This tends to only happen when I am close to the enemy, and it is trying to get away from me. They normally don't try to "avoid" me quite as badly when they are farther away from me. And, as one would guess... this makes actually hitting my target literally impossible. Especially on A-Wings and Z95's (fast ships). The slower Y-Wing bombers and X-Wings... I can get lucky hits on those from time to time since they go so gosh darn slow.

INTERESTING SIDE INFORMATION:

My game runs rather smoothly while on planets. From my research into SWG lag (there were a lot of Google hits on this), people tend to only have lag issues while on planets. (This having to do with the way SWG handles its mapping, and how much it will try and store on the client so that it isn't constantly stressing the server to upload map information). I run peachy everywhere on planets. I used to have some "loading spurts" when moving into heavily populated locales, but I fixed that by downgrading some of the graphics options. I will occasionally have some minor combat lag, where when I try and execute a command, it may take a bit for it to execute. Also, I RARELY get the little bug where I have to have /peace with my target before I can deal damage to it. When I do get that bug, I have to use /peace on almost every target for awhile.

MY MACHINE SPECS:

1.256 GB of PC2700 DDR RAM.

2.8 GHz AMD Athlon XP Processor.

Shuttle AN35N Motherboard (nForce 2)

GeForce FX 5700 Ultra 128 MB DDR3

Sound Blaster Audigy 1

DRIVERS:

Updated June 1, 2005. All are 1st party drivers. (No "hacked" drivers)

OPERATING SYSTEM and USE:

Windows XP w/SP2. Windows Updates are current.

I am not running any "background" applications or services that could hinder my gameplay/connectivity... except for G-Mail notifier.

This means that Anti-Virus is not running (and yes, I do not have an Virii nor spyware/adware).

This means that the only things running under Taskmanager are Operating system tasks. I have 99% CPU idle when I launch SWG.

GAME:

Star Wars Galaxies -- The Total Experience

SPACE SIM EXPERIENCE:

I played X-Wing, TIE Fighter, X-Wing vs TIE Fighter, Alliance. (Basically, all of the LucasArts flight sims). Now, I know that SWG: JTL is an SoE product, but my statement is simply to once again state that I'm not asking my question without being informed first.

INTERNET:

512 upstream and downstream DSL connection. (http://www.bandwidthplace.com/speedtest/tests at 440).

World of Warcraft runs PERFECT. I can do 40-man instance runs into Molten Core and get no lag whatsoever running a plethora of UI mods installed. I can also do the new Alterac Vally 40-man vs 40-man (and a host of NPCs too) without slowdown.

Guild Wars (this game sucked so bad IMO, which is what drove me to get SWG in the first place): This game runs fine. Including the fact that I bought the game online and download content as I go (usually at 53kb/sec download rates for content).

CONCLUSION:

I gave a ton of info about me and my problem in hopes that someone(s) out there has a solution(s). I would LOVE to be able to fly in space without being weighed down with lag. I've always loved Lucas' flight sims, and I really want to be able to fly in SWG. (Aside: Rogue Squadron series does NOT count as a flight sim. )

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Padren Talisan - Starsider pilot
Padrig Talsani - Corbantis

While I am still new to the game I have noticed something odd. while I have experienced the lag like you have mentionedI found a way that works for me at least to lessen it some. Match your targets speed. I have had much better luck hitting my target when I match their speed. the greater the speed difference the further I have to aim away from the reticle.

Bailinor Krugar

Flurry