Game lag since update 7.2: information for BHG developers

[Ramesses the Great]

This topic is directed towards BHG developers. I hope this could help them fix the lag problem ASAP.

Since update 7.2+, many players have been suffering from (game lag) introduced by the update. Low FPS, freezes, and FPS drops are now common during regular game play, battles and more importantly war battles.

It’s currently one of the bigger issues negatively affecting war battles. The game community has been complaining about it on forums/discord without acknowledgement so far.

What happens?

• A big graphical lag rendering the game irresponsive, making it hard to drop/rally troops, send planes in, scroll the troop bar, etc.
• Low FPS or a frozen image (0 FPS) while the game keeps running in background then resumes after 1-3 seconds. Inability to do much during that time.

Some situations where such lag occurs (after 7.2):

• Enemy generals coming out of castle after destruction.
• Lots of defenders coming out of defender-producing buildings at the same time.
• Scrolling through a big SA base mid-battle.
• Explosions from consecutive destructions of buildings after an AR rally.
• A laggy “training troops screen” when trying to remove/add troops. This is a non-intensive task yet it’s very laggy on some devices since update 7.2.
• Replays, especially on 4x.
  etc

Which devices suffer from this?
Devices that are “NOT flagships” or older than 2-3 years old. Newer devices with low/mid-range CPU/GPU as well.
It occurs on big SA/CWA/AA bases in particular. Sometimes smaller bases too.

Note: the same devices work more than fine on similar strategy games.

Workaround:
Use a flagship or a high performance device (particularly recent iOS). If you can.

How can the developers fix this issue?
By finding what was added to update 7.2 and caused lag. It could be a problem with path-finding, multi-tasking, internet requests or new fonts?

Similar to when Decoy tactic was causing huge lags due to a bug in path-finding sometime ago, and it was fixed then.
Optimizing the graphics and AI of the game can enhance performance - long term.

Additionally, I suggest the following:

• Add a button to the settings menu: “Low graphics”. Ticking this button would hide/remove/reduce all the intense (and mostly unnecessary) graphical features such as: explosions, “fire burning” effects on damaged buildings, shadows, smoke, and halos around generals/TT.

Considering this is a strategy game not an FPS, I expect the majority of players to use that feature. It will also help make the “HP bar” of damaged buildings easier to see.

Example of another strategy game using very light graphical effects to be user-friendly for a big number of players/devices:
Low graphics option not only provides better performance but also better visibility during battle.

 

[oddin]

Since update 7.2+, many players have been suffering from (game lag) introduced by the update. Low FPS, freezes, and FPS drops are now common during regular game play, battles and more importantly war battles.

It’s currently one of the bigger issues negatively affecting war battles. The game community has been complaining about it on forums/discord without acknowledgement so far.

Some situations where such lag occurs (after 7.2):

• Enemy generals coming out of castle after destruction.
• Lots of defenders coming out of defender-producing buildings at the same time.
• Scrolling through a big SA base mid-battle.
• Explosions from consecutive destructions of buildings after an AR rally.
• A laggy “training troops screen” when trying to remove/add troops. This is a non-intensive task yet it’s very laggy on some devices since update 7.2.
• Replays, especially on 4x.
  etc

Which devices suffer from this?
Devices that are “NOT flagships” or older than 2-3 years old. Newer devices with low/mid-range CPU/GPU as well.
It occurs on big SA/CWA/AA bases in particular. Sometimes smaller bases too.

Great post!

Additional things that cause lag:
-In general the usage of assault rally
-deploying witch doctors
-deploying army using 3 fingers and mutiple cards at the same spot

The main culprit in 7.2 update was the xingcode for anticheat. This is where they must search.

In addition, I was using a One Plus X and it was working marvelous with dominations. Now it lags. It did not lag previously. Only after the 7.2 update. Game for SA players is unplayable and everytime I go to WW, I make a few prayers first.

 

[danron1376]

yes, something specific about the 7.2 update made the game unplayable on older devices.
wrathchild_78 - you are sure it has something to do with their anti-cheating measures?
i wonder how much business they are losing. not everyone has a newer device made within the last 2 years and not everyone can afford a new device just to play this game. i can play the other game (CoC) fine but the lag on the same device on dominations makes it unplayable.

 

[Tsamu]

I use the same device (3 year old Asus Zenpad S10) for multiple accounts. Funnily enough, I don't have a problem with my SA base, probably because I use 5 HT and a few RPGs, so not many units to keep track of. However, on my Industrial Age account where I use 30 riflemen, 5 artillery, 5 tanks and a couple of supply wagons, plus 6 demolition tactics, the game lags, especially if I use infantry armies with 30 units.

 

[Ramesses the Great]

It does seem like a combination of badly coded AI and bad graphics processing. It's definitely in the game more than the devices. The same devices still have enough power to run other complicated strategy games with no noticeable lag, while Dominations since update 7.2 just lags/freezes a lot in battle and outside.

 

[Ramesses the Great]

During the problem with "lost war attacks", the lag was a lot worse for me on my AA alt. It got better after the issue was resolved. Could be related.

BHG_Muet TinSoldier Could you take a look at this issue and see if the team can optimize the game performance? This would help many players especially with the upcoming Digital Age release, the game is expected to be heavier than ever before.

 

[jagadeeshgarapati]

This topic is directed towards BHG developers. I hope this could help them fix the lag problem ASAP.



Considering this is a strategy game not an FPS, I expect the majority of players to use that feature. It will also help make the “HP bar” of damaged buildings easier to see.

Example of another strategy game using very light graphical effects to be user-friendly for a big number of players/devices:
Low graphics option not only provides better performance but also better visibility during battle.

great post and i am more curious of this competitor. who may know what they are doing.

 

[Ramesses the Great]

Updating this thread for the sake of others who may be having this problem. Have had a new strong device (produced recently) for a while now, works mostly lag free in all aspects (280K Antutu).

That being said, this game is very badly optimized. Especially compared to the mentioned competitor. This pushes away the more casual new players. If there is any serious intention of maintaining and growing the player-base, then it needs to be much more optimized for lower devices. - Just like how the bigger competitor is doing actively.

 

[Mountainking]

There is a reason why the troops limit is now 155 and they wont add more

 

[Tomik]

I have lag issues on both my IPads, the older one is CWA, which is unplayable for WW at all after this update. This is only raiding account. The newer ipad is four years old and I play my second AA account. Lagging or freezing is less often but I am scared to upgrade the base for CWA to be unplayable too. Three fingers drop is almost ride to the hell.

 

[Uhuru]

Since this topic is for BHG, I can confirm that several people in my Alliance recently quit the game because it’s lagging on their devices.

 

[Cecil the RAM]

My Industrial is also uplayable now - was totally OK before - really needs to be sorted out as it is a 'bit'... of a joke.

 

[danron1376]

they seemed to optimize the code a bit in the latest update but this is still a game for newer devices. the 'other' game is still playable and not laggy on my ipad4. i'm sure this game has lost a lot of potential sales as many players with older devices now have to pay hundreds to update their devices first.

 

[Ramesses the Great]

Saw this in the game. It means they're not planning to "optimize" game performance to cater for more players.

Only the most recent or powerful devices run the game lag free; and they still have occasional minor lags. Unfortunate.

 

[Uhuru]

Moved here from a topic about overprice.. well, this is logical - powerful expensive devices for those who are ready to donate at the same high prices. This is a luxury product, and you bastards get out of here.

 

[Spaceboy]

I read that they they would only support iPhones 13 from this summer on...