TPS is an acronym that stands for “Transactions Per Second”. It refers to how many transactions an RP (roleplaying) server can process each second. The TPS of a server is an important metric for gauging performance and stability.
Why is TPS important for RP servers?
On roleplaying servers, players are constantly interacting with the world and each other. Every action a player takes – moving, opening a chest, breaking a block, etc. – constitutes a transaction that must be processed by the server. The higher the TPS, the more responsive and seamless the gameplay experience will be.
Low TPS can result in lag, rubberbanding, delays in actions registering, and general clunky gameplay. This destroys immersion and makes roleplaying much more difficult. Players will have a hard time staying in character if they are constantly experiencing technical difficulties.
For RP servers with lots of player-created content like custom NPCs, quests, and redstone contraptions, high TPS is crucial to handle all of the additional processing load. Overall, a smooth high-TPS experience enables deeper immersion and better quality roleplay.
What is considered good TPS for an RP server?
Most RP server owners aim for at least 20 TPS under normal conditions. 20 TPS means the server can process 20 transactions per second. Here are some TPS benchmarks for RP servers:
| Less than 15 TPS | Unplayable lag |
| 15-19 TPS | Laggy |
| 20-30 TPS | Good |
| 30+ TPS | Very responsive |
Anything under 15 TPS will result in constant lag, rubberbanding, and frustration. 15-19 TPS is playable but still quite laggy. 20-30 TPS is considered good and provides a responsive experience for most RP servers. Getting above 30 TPS is excellent and results in a very smooth gameplay experience.
What factors affect an RP server’s TPS?
There are a few key factors that determine an RP server’s TPS:
Number of Online Players
Each connected player adds additional load to process their interactions, movements, etc. The more players online, the more transactions are occurring, and the higher the server load. Most RP servers will see steadily decreasing TPS as more players log on.
Server Specifications
The CPU power, RAM allocation, and server type have a huge impact on maximum TPS capabilities. More powerful hardware can achieve much higher TPS. Large public RP servers use expensive dedicated servers to achieve good TPS with 100+ players online.
Plugins/Mods Installed
Plugins and mods add extra functionality at the cost of performance. Poorly coded plugins can drag TPS down significantly. Too many plugins creating excessive entity loads will also lower TPS over time.
World Generation/Size
Large or complex custom world generation will increase load times and lower TPS. Sprawling worlds with lots of terrain height variation, structures, and custom objects will require more processing power compared to a basic superflat world.
Redstone Contraptions
Elaborate redstone circuits with many moving components can bog down servers and reduce TPS, especially when they are active often. Things like huge automatic farms and villages filled with NPCs linked to redstone need to be used judiciously.
How can you measure an RP server’s TPS?
There are a couple easy ways to check a server’s current TPS:
In-Game TPS Display Plugin
The most straightforward option is to install a plugin that shows the live TPS in the upper corner of players’ screens. This lets admins and players monitor the TPS at a glance to identify any issues.
Console Commands
Server admins can use console commands to check TPS:
- /tps – Displays the current TPS
- /mspt – Shows millisecond per tick, with 50ms per tick equaling 20 TPS
Running these periodically, especially under heavy loads, can help benchmark performance.
Logging TPS to File
For more in-depth monitoring, there are plugins that can log TPS to a CSV file every few minutes. This allows detailed analysis of TPS over time to identify trends and problem areas.
How can you improve TPS on an RP server?
If an RP server is suffering from low TPS, there are some optimization steps the admins can take:
Reduce Entity Counts
Limit the number of mobs through mob caps, clear excessive item drops, and remove any unnecessary armor stands or other entities.
Update/Optimize Plugins
Make sure all plugins are updated and remove any outdated or problematic plugins. Configure plugins for optimal performance where possible.
Evaluate Redstone Systems
Look for any redstone contraptions that are overly complex or running too frequently, and try to simplify or reduce their activity.
Reduce Spawn Radius
Lower the spawn radius size so fewer chunks around each player need to stay loaded.
Pre-Generate World
Use world pre-generation to load and save all the main world chunks before opening the server.
Upgrade Server Hardware
If other optimization still leaves TPS too low, upgrading to a stronger server with more CPU cores and RAM can help significantly.
Conclusion
TPS is a critical metric for measuring RP server performance. Good TPS (20-30) offers responsive gameplay while low TPS can ruin immersion with lag and glitches. Factors like player counts, hardware, plugins, and redstone systems all impact TPS. Server admins should monitor TPS closely and optimize where possible to provide the best roleplaying experience for their community.
