srcds.exe cs:s max

[Spifft]

Hi,

I run a server that is 32+ slots on cs:s. If I understand this right, srcds.exe is only single threaded. So if I have it running on one core (out of 3), I find that as I reach the peak of that cores cpu% usage, by slowly expanding the player slots, no other core can step in to help can it?
I am really interested in running more slots and any tips or info that you can give to at least put me in the right direction would be appreciated.

If I were in need of a faster set of cores, are these available at all?

Thanks

[Edge100x]

Orangebox is slightly multi-threaded. You might try experimenting with these cvars:

Code: Select all

host_thread_mode
net_queued_packet_thread
sv_parallel_packentities
sv_parallel_sendsnapshot

You could also try editing the command line and adding "-threads 3".

Mostly we use one type of processor, but if you open a support request, we can check to see if a different machine is available at your location with a CPU that runs at a higher clock speed.

[Spifft]

Orangebox is slightly multi-threaded. You might try experimenting with these cvars:

Code: Select all

host_thread_mode
net_queued_packet_thread
sv_parallel_packentities
sv_parallel_sendsnapshot

You could also try editing the command line and adding "-threads 3".

Mostly we use one type of processor, but if you open a support request, we can check to see if a different machine is available at your location with a CPU that runs at a higher clock speed.

I could not find much information on the cvars and since my server is almot always populated I didn't want to disrupt the players with rolling restarts.

As for -threads 3 would this even do anything? I keep reading that it has no efect. I will try it after this weekend just to be sure I guess.

Last question. How do you guys go about running a 52-64 slot server? Doesnt it begin to pin the core? Or do you use faster processors for them?

[Edge100x]

-threads 3 is something that Valve mentioned as a troubleshooting step for a different problem with the game. It may or may not do anything, but wouldn't hurt to try, from what I've heard.

We run very few large CSS servers, to be honest. We put the ones that we do run onto the fastest machines that we have available, but we have noticed that even the fastest machines have difficulty with them -- FPS dips tend to be common. The game just isn't designed to run well with more than 32 slots (and even 32 can be a struggle, especially with certain maps and settings in TF2).

[Edge100x]

Also, I just reread your reply and saw that you mentioned restarts. You shouldn't need to restart the server to apply new cvar settings, but you would need to restart to apply a new -threads value.

[Alex]

I just want to add, try running at lower FPS if you haven't already. +fps_max 300 instead of +fps_max 500.

[Edge100x]

That's true. You could even go as low as your tickrate (fps_max 66), without likely noticing a problem.

If you're not running srcdsfpsboost.exe in the background, make sure to also turn that on.