Tick rate and snapshot rate are not the same
A server can simulate frequently while sending updates less often.
Three clocks, three jobs
Simulation rate determines how often a world advances. Snapshot rate determines how often state is sent. Rendering rate determines how often an image is drawn. A single number cannot describe all three, and implementations vary by game.
What the slider actually changes
Lag Arena’s Server snapshots control changes snapshot frequency from 5 to 60 per second. It does not change the 60 Hz input simulation step. The internal configuration field is called tickRate for replay compatibility, but the interface deliberately labels the actual behavior.
Why remote motion changes
Fewer snapshots leave larger time gaps between remote positions. Interpolation can make those transitions smoother by introducing a buffer. In this model that extra buffer is one snapshot interval plus jitter allowance, so lowering snapshot rate also enlarges the interpolation buffer.
Try both combinations
Set a clean connection and 5 snapshots/s. Compare the opponent view with Interpolation on and off. Then use 60 snapshots/s. Keep the same input sequence. You are changing the state-update schedule and presentation, not the speed of the player.
Do not generalize the verdict
Input delivery and authoritative collision checks follow this model’s fixed step. Changing snapshot rate does not directly improve hit detection here. The demo also omits bandwidth congestion and server CPU costs, so more snapshots have no resource penalty inside this toy world.
Further reading
The experiment and explanation above were written for Lag Arena. For a deeper technical reference, read Gabriel Gambetta’s multiplayer networking series.
Model review: October 31, 2026. This is an educational simulation; it does not reproduce a named commercial game.