[2.0.66] Performance issue on Steam Deck Multiplayer, Space Age Late Game

[jon1467]

I'm trying to understand an issue I have in a Space Age game hosted online. Presently, shortly after signing in, my framerate plummets to around 5, and the Waiting for Update stat gradually climbs to around 180ms. Often within 15-20 minutes of this, I am kicked from the server. I am using a Steam Deck and didn't expect to get great performance in the late game, but what I've found weird is that performance has actually been fantastic the whole way through the game. It's only very recently and suddenly that I've had any noticeable performance issues. So rather than a gradual decline in performance as the factory grows, it's gone off a cliff in a matter of days in a year long game.

It's a multiplayer game, so I don't have a complete understanding of what's changed recently. I do however suspect that there's some specific change that is causing my issue due to the timing. We've used robots, trains, quality, space platforms, all quite extensively in the past. I don't think there's any particular feature we've suddenly started using. Only my Steam Deck appears to have this issue, not other MacOS and Windows devices that have joined the server.

I'm not sure it's relevant, but if it's a useful clue, there is a space platform in the good save named "S1_A". By the time of the bad save, it's gone. I don't believe it was destroyed and haven't seen that in the logs. I logged in at one point and it just wasn't in the list. Performance issues started around the same time, so perhaps there is a connection.

Sorry it's not super helpful, but I have a good and bad game save I can share:
Log file for logging into bad state game: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Jl3Vfa ... drive_link
Bad game state: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1N1-F8T ... drive_link
Bad game state stats screenshot: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gsdpJh ... drive_link
Good game state: https://drive.google.com/file/d/13HLv_N ... drive_link
Good game state stats screenshot: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mM9WF4 ... drive_link

To be clear, this problem seems to be exclusively a multiplayer issue. If I run the 'bad game state' save locally, it runs with no issues. Only when hosted do I experience the performance issues.

This is my first post here, so sorry if it's not helpful. Please let me know what I can do and I will do my best! Thanks for reading.

[Loewchen]

Until this point you were able to keep up, but the map got bigger and your machine is now too slow for that load and you are falling behind.
If you are in contact with the host, they could slow down the game for you to keep playing, see 68653.

[jon1467]

Hi, thanks for your reply. Your conclusion does seem likely, but I'm confused about why this would happen suddenly? The save has been increasing in complexity over the course of a year. The two saves I've provided are about 55 and 60MB. Wouldn't you expect to see a gradual decrease in performance rather than a sudden drop off?

[Loewchen]

It is a gradual decrease, until the point you cannot keep up with the server.

[jon1467]

Sorry to be persistent, but if what you're saying is the case, why would there not be a phase where I had 30 fps, then 20, then 10 etc. Until last week I was still getting 40 fps, which is the max as I have it capped manually for battery life, and then I'm suddenly getting 5. What would have changed so suddenly that could produce that result?

[Loewchen]

Sorry to be persistent, but if what you're saying is the case, why would there not be a phase where I had 30 fps, then 20, then 10 etc.

If you read the topic I linked it explains exactly that.

[jon1467]

I suppose you're right that it does line up. Thanks very much for your help and support!