Latency
Latency is how fast data is moving. How quickly does it get from point A to point B? (And it’s generally measured in milliseconds.)
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Tick rate
Tick rate is how often a game refreshes its information. Usually, it’s measured in hertz. For example, a 128-tick server will update 128 times a second. Not to be confused with FPS (frames per second). This is how things are rendered on your screen per second.
FPS games need a high tick rate
A high tick rate is essential for multiplayer games, particularly first-person shooters. Most FPS games need a tick rate of at least 64. Any lower, and the server probably won’t keep up with the action.
Related Terms
Matchmaker
Your matchmaker decides which players to group up for a session. It grabs information from each player and then runs it through a set of rules to figure out the best possible match.
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