Spell Delay/Lag
MikQuattro
Icrontian
This is particularly directed at @Celsh because it is directly related to the Elemental Shaman rotation we talked about previously, but I am posting the question here for everyone's input in case people have different tweaks/solutions.
I've been working on my rotation over the past few days in preparation for the possibility of switching to my shaman as my main character, and I've noticed something odd that is compounded by the discussion we had last week about Active Time. As I proceed through my rotation, I get to a point where I need to use my filler spell (Lightning Bolt). I normally start spamming the key after the previous spell begins to cast (or casts if it's an instant), and generally the spell I'm spamming starts instantly. But I've noticed a weird delay or lag often when I switch to Lightning Bolt. The previous spell is done, so it's not waiting for that, and I've checked a few times to ensure it's not a mana issue. Sometimes, I'll spam the key for a good 2-3 seconds before the spell starts to cast. And it seems to happen mainly on that one spell. I've noticed a bit of a delay on my Warlock as well, but nothing like this.
Is this normal? Am I doing something wrong? Any thoughts?
TIA 
Comments
Do you have spell activation on key down enabled?
Do you know your ping and packetloss to Kel'thuzad?
Not having an issue with lightning bolt myself, as it's also a filler spell in my rotation.
@Thrax , no I don't know either of those, but I'll check. And I'm actually glad to hear that you don't have that issue, that means it's most likely something on my end and correctable.
Quartz is an add-on that will help you compensate for lag/ping by showing you a bar that has different colors that indicate when to cast based on those factors.
This!
Sometimes a Ele shammy's Lightning bolt cast time is shorter than the global cooldown, mostly if you have haste stuff procing. When you earth shock you still have to wait a second for the global. Hero actually hurts my dps if I'm not Ascending because my cast time is so low on lightning bolt I have to wait for the global.
There is also an odd thing if your ping is kinda high that happens to casters when you are spamming casts; everytime you press your button it checks the gobal cooldown and starts the next gobal cooldown then gets a "No sorry you can't cast this you are on cooldown" then runs the check again but this time it hangs on the second one it started. I don't see this much anymore on my own (since I've taught myself to trust quartz and don't spam on my casters) but I have seen it on @Unoriginal's mage when I'm watching over his shoulder.
This. Try not to spam. It can actually cause delays. Know when you need to press the button and press it then.
unless you're melee, then spam like a mofo.
Rogue Rogue RogueRogue Rogue Rogue RogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogue Rogue Rogue Rogue RogueRogueRogueRogueRogue
<berserk>
RogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogueRogue
Hey now! There's finesse to it I swear!
@primesuspect - @Celsh did hook me up with Quartz during the aforementioned conversation. I've added it but haven't messed with it, but I will, thanks.
@Celsh - I almost completely understand what you mean. Perhaps we can have another chat about that?
@TiberiusLazarus - you can't tell me that after everyone yelled at me when I first started and said I should be spamming my keys!!! But seriously....which is it? Spam or No Spam? Or personal preference?
Thanks for everyone's input!!!!
Hee hee... I'm the culprit behind the 'spam your keys' advice.
Spammed 'em on my hunter, currently spam 'em on my paladin... Also spam on my rogue and mage (though neither have been in a super serial raid).
Granted, I haven't run into the problem... if it's causing your problem, I'm sorry! I'm the worst!
Spamming was the difference between me trailing in DPS and me being in the top few. YMMV.
@Myrmidon - You may indeed have been one of them, but their was definitely more than one. I distinctly remember the Mumble conversation, I just can't remember who all was there. I may do some testing on my hunter, but I don't really have an issue with her so I probably won't change unless I see a difference.
@midga - What class?
He plays Mage.
He's a mage. Spamming comes down to really personal situations with regards to network latency and your class, how you play, etc. Spamming works great for rogues (no cast times) but can mess up anyone with cast times.
Oh, NOW you decide to show up with some useful advice. Where were you yesterday??? Sheesh....
im glad i found this, since i seem to suffer from the same malady, complicated further by an INSANE latency in game. i ran a tracert and it reports high latency at many servers on the way to the wow server. at least i think its before that. i have the log if anyone is interested in seeing it. until i can get that fixed, i will work on not spamming, but even quartz doesnt seem to be able to accurately account for the 720ms latency in world. any ideas?
You could turn off ACKing. I hear a lot of people have their latency reduced by that.