Playercount vs tickrate

dePARA

Im the admin of the HBZ servers and want to know what you are thinking of this:

We host 3 servers right now: two 14 and one 16 slot.

On the 14 slot you get rockstable 30 serverticks, on the 16 it drops to 20-25 in mid-endgame.
I run a 18 and 20 slot server for testing, but tickrate goes under 15 sometimes and you get clientlag in well populated areas wich ends in fps-drops.

I prefer a smooth gameplay and i think the netcode/engine cant handle a playercount over 16 well, so here is my question:
What do you prefer and why?

Argathor

Personally for me, even 30ticks is terrible performance. So I prefer smaller servers that can manage to maintain it. The server process currently has the single largest detrimental effect on gameplay (since client performance improved recently).

(edit: Just wanted to add that I, aswell as most EU players, are incredibly grateful for the HBZ (and 156) EU servers. Without which none of us would play NS2.)

Floodinator

I think it good how it is now. One 14 slot (maybe without mineshaft?) and the bigger 16 slot. But for mineshaft I love a higher playcount.

But generally the more stabe the ticks the better the game.