This thread was inspired by those numerous ignorant people who don't seem to understand exactly what is lag - and more importantly what isn't.

I'll keep this short. Lag is a delay or packet loss between you (client) and the server. Issues with framerates or slow local application response is not considered lag. I cannot stress this enough: Low frame rate does not equal lag! That just means you're running the game at too high settings or your computer just can't handle the load.

Consider yourself educated. Do not ever tell someone to lower their graphics settings when they say they're experiencing lag. I don't want to see such a thing in these forums again!

I'm sure most of you readers do know the difference but this is for those who don't.

Huh. So if I'm lagging, I need to add more memory SIMMS?

Originally posted by Quirhid

This thread was inspired by those numerous ignorant people who don't seem to understand exactly what is lag - and more importantly what isn't.

I'll keep this short. Lag is a delay or packet loss between you (client) and the server.

Wrong.  You are confusing latency and lag.  Latency is a delay between you and the server.   Lag can be latency, or it can be a slowdown of your computer, or it can be a slowdown of the server. 

Sorry, but I was under the impression that lag is anything that causes a slowdown between your key and mouse inputs and their corresponding actions in-game.

I was also under the impression that lag came in two forms, server side and client side. Latency and lag seem to have become interchangeable but someone running graphics setting too high and bogging down their computer can very easily cause lag issues as the key strokes get caught up in slowed hardware.

Much like Kleenex (tm) became a generic term for tissue paper, lag encompasses a lot more than the OP's definition. I don't understand why this is even an issue.

Originally posted by Grayseven

Sorry, but I was under the impression that lag is anything that causes a slowdown between your key and mouse inputs and their corresponding actions in-game.

 

I was also under the impression that lag came in two forms, server side and client side. Latency and lag seem to have become interchangeable but someone running graphics setting too high and bogging down their computer can very easily cause lag issues as the key strokes get caught up in slowed hardware.

 

Much like Kleenex (tm) became a generic term for tissue paper, lag encompasses a lot more than the OP's definition. I don't understand why this is even an issue.

I think i gotta take this guys side.

Lag isn't a very descriptive word.  Usually I encourage people to say latency or performance, to differentiate network performance (latency) and system performance (perf.)

But I actually lean towards the OP's version of things, as lag is much more strongly associated with latency for me than with other things.

Cant believe this actually needs to be done....

Part 1:

lag 1 (lg)
v. lagged, lag·ging, lags
v.intr.
1. To fail to keep up a pace; straggle.
2. To proceed or develop with comparative slowness: The electric current lags behind the voltage.
3. To fail, weaken, or slacken gradually; flag.
4. Games To determine the order of play in billiards by successively hitting the cue ball against the end rail, the ball rebounding closest to the head rail indicating the player to shoot first.
v.tr.
1. To cause to hang back or fall behind.
2. To shoot, throw, or pitch (a coin, for example) at a mark.
n.
1. The act, process, or condition of lagging.
2. One that lags.
3. A condition of slowness or retardation.
4.
a. The extent or duration of lagging: "He wondered darkly at how great a lag there was between his thinking and his actions" (Thomas Wolfe).
b. An interval between events or phenomena considered together

So theres your definition... and heres part 2:

In online gaming, lag is a term used to describe delays between the action of players and the reaction of the server (and vice versa). Although it is commonly used to refer to delays caused by high latency, it is occasionally used to describe delays caused by insufficient processing power in the client and/or server.

So as you can see, it can be used as both a reference to client side performance or latency issue sbetween the server.... the word "lag" is not a newly conceived word for the purpose of the internets, it basically means slowing/delaying.. which can be caused on either end in the gaming world. anyone who insists it is only latency, or only performance is an idiot. it simply refers to the game being bogged down in some way or another, regardless of the reason.

Originally posted by svann

Originally posted by Quirhid

This thread was inspired by those numerous ignorant people who don't seem to understand exactly what is lag - and more importantly what isn't.

I'll keep this short. Lag is a delay or packet loss between you (client) and the server.

 

Wrong.  You are confusing latency and lag.  Latency is a delay between you and the server.   Lag can be latency, or it can be a slowdown of your computer, or it can be a slowdown of the server. 

Took the words out of my mouth.

Originally posted by Quirhid

This thread was inspired by those numerous ignorant people who don't seem to understand exactly what is lag - and more importantly what isn't.

I'll keep this short. Lag is a delay or packet loss between you (client) and the server. Issues with framerates or slow local application response is not considered lag. I cannot stress this enough: Low frame rate does not equal lag! That just means you're running the game at too high settings or your computer just can't handle the load.

Consider yourself educated. Do not ever tell someone to lower their graphics settings when they say they're experiencing lag. I don't want to see such a thing in these forums again!

 

I'm sure most of you readers do know the difference but this is for those who don't.

Well to be fair to some users,low frame rates,although yes you need to turn your settings down,can also mean a poorly coded game,and poorly constructed zones/maps.The latter is actually a real concern,it is not an easy task and would mean a developer has to spend/waste a lot of time to optimize a game perfectly.I would bet not one developer is willing to put in the effort needed to optimize a game to it's potential.

I look at it this way,with the power of PC's nowadays ,we should be running games at full with over 200 fps,but we are not,something is seriously wrong.The whole idea of Dx10 and beyond was to remove the bottle neck witch was total bandwidth,we have not seen this optimized at all.

The majority of people with good systems are running average graphic games around 30-60 fps,that for the year 2009 is garbage.I think we have a very hard time to get developers to give us the needed content in games,so to spend resources on optimizing,i think would be on the back burner.I think they consider doing optimizing after release and money is rolling in,even then many developers are focusing towards more money,so xpacs are next on the list,once again pushing optimization down the list.

Originally posted by svann

Originally posted by Quirhid

This thread was inspired by those numerous ignorant people who don't seem to understand exactly what is lag - and more importantly what isn't.

I'll keep this short. Lag is a delay or packet loss between you (client) and the server.

 

Wrong.  You are confusing latency and lag.  Latency is a delay between you and the server.   Lag can be latency, or it can be a slowdown of your computer, or it can be a slowdown of the server. 

Nope. Latency means only the delay between server and client. Included with the loss of data packages on the way, or other networking problems which lead to warping and delays in the game, is lag.

If your virus scanner starts up while you're playing and hogs the processing power causing your game to slowing down, it is not lag. I have never heard a person with reasonable understanding of technology to refer such a thing as lag. Lag is a network issue. That was the whole point of this thread.

However this is true and I have to agree: Server-side problems can be considered lag since the client-side can't really tell if the packages are lost in the way or does the server just send them at a slow pace (or at all).

I have never referred to lag when discussing my local system performance. It is simply misleading. Ofcourse a new generation of gamers might include local performance issues within the word "lag" which is a true testament to evolution of definitions through error.

Originally posted by Quirhid

This thread was inspired by those numerous ignorant people who don't seem to understand exactly what is lag - and more importantly what isn't.

I'll keep this short. Lag is a delay or packet loss between you (client) and the server. Issues with framerates or slow local application response is not considered lag. I cannot stress this enough: Low frame rate does not equal lag! That just means you're running the game at too high settings or your computer just can't handle the load.

Consider yourself educated. Do not ever tell someone to lower their graphics settings when they say they're experiencing lag. I don't want to see such a thing in these forums again!

 

I'm sure most of you readers do know the difference but this is for those who don't.

:)

When you are King of the World, you can redefine lag to mean ONLY what YOU want it to.

Until then, the rest of us sane people will use the word "Lag" accordingly as defined by Webster: a slowing down, sluggishness, a falling behind, etc.

P.S.

Maybe they make Anger management  medicine? Just a  thought.
 

Originally posted by svann

Originally posted by Quirhid

This thread was inspired by those numerous ignorant people who don't seem to understand exactly what is lag - and more importantly what isn't.

I'll keep this short. Lag is a delay or packet loss between you (client) and the server.

 

Wrong.  You are confusing latency and lag.  Latency is a delay between you and the server.   Lag can be latency, or it can be a slowdown of your computer, or it can be a slowdown of the server. 

Precisely.  It's a common problem on Anarchy Online where the server slows to a crawl and *EVERYONE* on it just freezes.  It happens when the servers don't have sufficient bandwidth for the amount of traffic currently going on, or the servers aren't fast enough to handle the amount of traffic.  Happens all the time, unfortunately.

I have always suspected that the majority of people claiming they got killed by "lag" had the slowdown issue in between the chair and the keyboard, not that actual lag cant get you but the term appears to be used in a lot of a ways.