Minecraft Server Optimization: Stop Those Ticking Entities!

Getting smooth gameplay on your Minecraft server is a constant quest and a vital piece of that puzzle is Minecraft server optimization. One often overlooked aspect involves understanding and managing those sneaky ticking entities. Let’s dive into what they are and how to handle them, keeping your server running like a dream.

What are Ticking Entities Anyway?

In Minecraft, everything is an entity. This includes mobs like zombies and cows, items lying on the ground, minecarts, and even some special blocks. ‘Ticking’ means the server constantly processes or updates these entities every game tick. By default, there are 20 ticks every second in Minecraft. So every second, the server is cycling through all the entities, checking their status, running AI, and updating their position. The more ticking entities there are, the more work the server has to do each tick. Simple as that.

Why Do They Cause Lag?

If your server has to process too many ticking entities at once, it can’t keep up with the default 20 ticks per second. This leads to ‘lag’ or noticeable delays in gameplay. Players might experience rubberbanding, delayed block breaking, and unresponsive mobs. High tick entity counts directly impact server performance. Therefore, understanding how to identify the worst offenders allows you to reduce lag.

Identifying Ticking Entity Hogs

Okay, so how do you find out which ticking entities are dragging down your server? Thankfully, Minecraft provides some built in tools, and server mods offer deeper insights.

Using Minecraft’s Built in Profiler

The built in Minecraft profiler gives a basic overview of what the server is spending its time on. To use it, type /profiler start in the server console (or in game if you have operator permissions). Let it run for a minute or two, then type /profiler stop. This creates a report that you can access in the server’s /debug folder. The report will list the different tasks the server is performing, including entity ticking, and how much time each task takes. This will give you a general idea of where performance is struggling.

Leveraging Server Mods and Plugins

For more detailed information, mods and plugins are your best bet. Here are a few popular options:

• Spark: Spark is a performance profiling tool. It provides in depth reports on CPU usage, memory allocation, and ticking entity performance. It helps pinpoint specific entities causing lag.
• LagGoggles: LagGoggles helps identify the chunks containing the most problematic entities. It’s useful for finding areas where entities are concentrated and causing lag spikes.
• EntityTrackerFixer: While not strictly a profiling tool, EntityTrackerFixer automatically removes entities that are causing excessive lag. This is a great tool for preventing crashes caused by runaway entity counts.

Using these tools gives you much clearer insight than the standard profiler.

Strategies for Reducing Ticking Entity Load

Once you know which entities are causing the problems, you can take steps to manage them. Here’s a breakdown of common problem areas and solutions:

Mob Control: The Biggest Culprit

Mobs are usually the biggest source of ticking entity lag. Large numbers of passive mobs, like cows and sheep, consume resources as the server calculates their AI. Mob farms, while useful, are also a major source of strain. Here’s what you can do:

• Mob Caps: Most server platforms allow you to set mob caps. This limits the maximum number of each type of mob that can exist in the world at any time. Reducing mob caps is a straightforward way to reduce the overall number of ticking entities.
• Optimize Mob Farms: Efficient mob farms minimize the number of mobs that need to be actively processed at any given time. Consider using designs that automatically kill or disable mobs once a certain number accumulates.
• World Anchors: These keep chunks loaded. If chunks are loaded mobs will spawn even when nobody is there to control them. Minimize these.

Item Management: Cleaning Up the Clutter

Dropped items can also contribute to lag, especially in areas with automated farms or player activity. Here’s how to keep items under control:

• Hopper Management: Hoppers are essential for automation, but they can be a source of lag if not managed properly. Ensure that hoppers are not constantly trying to move items without success. Use redstone signals to disable hoppers when they are not needed.
• Automatic Item Cleanup: Use plugins or commands to automatically remove items that have been on the ground for a certain amount of time. This prevents items from accumulating and causing lag.
• Chunk Loading: Be aware of areas with excessive chunk loading. If a large area is forced to stay loaded, items will continue to accumulate even when players aren’t around.

Redstone Optimization: Efficiency is Key

Complex redstone contraptions can generate a lot of ticking entities, especially if they involve rapidly changing states or large numbers of components. Consider the following tips:

• Simplify Circuits: Look for ways to simplify your redstone circuits and reduce the number of components. This reduces the number of calculations the server has to perform each tick.
• Clock Circuits: Optimize clock circuits to run only as fast as necessary. Redstone clocks that update every tick can be very taxing.
• Conditional Activation: Use conditional activation to only enable redstone circuits when they are actually needed. This prevents circuits from running unnecessarily and generating lag.

Configuration Tweaks for Performance

Beyond managing entities directly, you can also tweak server configuration settings to improve performance. Here are some key settings to consider:

Minecraft’s server.properties File

The server.properties file contains a number of settings that affect server performance. Here are a few key settings to adjust:

Setting	Description
max-tick-time	Sets the maximum amount of time the server can spend on a single tick before triggering a watchdog crash. Increasing this value can prevent crashes, but it can also mask underlying performance problems.
spawn-animals	Enables or disables the spawning of animals. Disabling this can reduce the number of passive mobs in the world, which can improve performance.
spawn-monsters	Enables or disables the spawning of monsters. Disabling this can significantly reduce the number of active entities, but it also makes the game less challenging.
view-distance	Sets the maximum view distance for players. Lowering this value reduces the number of chunks the server has to process, which can improve performance.

Bukkit/Spigot Configuration (bukkit.yml and spigot.yml)

If you’re using Bukkit or Spigot, you can further customize server behavior using the bukkit.yml and spigot.yml files. Here are some key settings:

• ticks-per: This controls how often the server performs certain tasks, such as mob spawning and item ticking. Increasing these values reduces the frequency of these tasks, which can improve performance.
• entity-activation-range: This controls the distance at which entities become active. Reducing this value prevents entities from ticking when they are far away from players, which can improve performance.
• mob-spawn-range: This controls how far away from players mobs can spawn. Reducing this value limits the number of mobs that can spawn in the world.

Regular Maintenance and Monitoring

Optimizing your Minecraft server is an ongoing process, not a one time fix. Regularly monitor server performance using the tools mentioned above, and make adjustments as needed. Here are some best practices:

• Restart Regularly: Restarting the server periodically clears out memory leaks and other temporary issues that can degrade performance.
• Monitor Resource Usage: Keep an eye on CPU usage, memory usage, and disk I/O to identify potential bottlenecks.
• Stay Updated: Keep your server software up to date with the latest version. Newer versions often include performance improvements and bug fixes.

Final Thoughts

Managing ticking entities is essential for optimal Minecraft server performance. By identifying problematic entities, implementing strategies for reducing their impact, and tweaking server configurations, you can create a smoother, more enjoyable experience for your players. Happy optimizing!