What is a good server tick rate?

Answer 1

The "tick rate" of a server refers to how frequently the server updates a game state. A higher tick rate can lead to more responsive and smoother gameplay, especially in fast-paced, competitive online games. What constitutes a "good" tick rate depends on the type of game and the priorities of the server's administrators. However, here are some general guidelines:

1. **First-Person Shooters (FPS) and Competitive Games**: These games typically benefit from higher tick rates because they involve rapid movements and require precise timing. A common target is:
- **60 Hz (ticks per second)** – This is generally considered the minimum for competitive play.
- **128 Hz** – Used in high-end competitive environments and professional gaming.

2. **Multiplayer Online Battle Arenas (MOBA)**: These games can often operate effectively at slightly lower tick rates, as they involve more strategic and less real-time decision-making:
- **30-60 Hz** – This range can offer a good balance between performance and server load.

3. **Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) Games**: These games often have a significant amount of networking overhead due to the large number of players and NPCs:
- **10-30 Hz** – This range is common as it balances the needs for frequent updates and server performance.

4. **Real-Time Strategy (RTS) Games**: Similarly to MOBAs, these games often don’t require extremely high tick rates:
- **15-30 Hz** – Suitable for most real-time strategy games.

### Considerations
- **Hardware and Network Infrastructure**: Higher tick rates demand more from the server's CPU, memory, and network bandwidth, which can be costly.
- **Player Experience**: Higher tick rates generally improve player experience by reducing latency and making actions more immediate.
- **Scalability**: As tick rates increase, the server's ability to handle more players can decrease, necessitating more powerful infrastructure or more servers to distribute the load.

### Conclusion
A "good" tick rate is one that meets the demands of the game's mechanics and provides a smooth experience for its players while balancing the hardware and network resources available. For most competitive FPS games, aiming for at least 60 Hz is a good benchmark, with 128 Hz being ideal in professional contexts. Other game types can often operate well with lower tick rates, but should be tested to find the optimal balance for that specific game.