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Peeking Into Valorant's Netcode
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In competitive gaming, even a small ping advantage matters. Riot published an article describing how they've been optimizing Valorant's netcode to reduce latency and improve hit registration for players worldwide.
Netcode
Netcode handles data transmission between players' devices and the game server. Good netcode means actions and events are accurately reflected across all players' screens, keeping the game responsive and synchronized. Riot has been working on optimizing their netcode to reduce latency and tighten the gap between what players do and what they see.
Netcode Optimizations
Here are the main changes Riot has made:
- Server tick rate: Riot increased how frequently the server processes and updates player actions, which reduces the delay between a player's input and the server's response.
- Client update rate: The netcode now adjusts how often a player's client sends updates to the server, so actions are transmitted with less perceived delay.
- Network compression: Riot used compression algorithms to reduce the size of data sent between players and the server, lowering bandwidth requirements without losing accuracy.
- Packet loss mitigation: Packet loss can cause player actions to disappear in transit. Riot added measures to detect and compensate for lost packets, so gameplay stays consistent even on unstable connections.
- Peeker's advantage reduction: "Peeker's advantage" is the edge a player gets by aggressively pushing around a corner. Riot adjusted the netcode to reduce this advantage and make fights fairer for the holding player.