Troubleshooting Common Online Gaming Issues: Solutions and Workarounds

Just like 20 years ago, we can’t always launch a game and just play it. We often have to deal with lags, freezes, black screens, etc. Although these are usually special cases, there are a number of general tips that can help in most such situations.

Common Online Gaming Problems and How to Fix Them

Visual Glitches

Visual glitches in video games, like flickering elements and distorted textures, are usually signs of GPU issues. Start by updating your graphics card drivers. If that doesn’t solve the problem, your system might be overheating.

To address these issues:

Update your graphics card drivers to fix texture mismatches and rendering problems.
Restart your device or reinstall the game if glitches persist.
Visit the game’s forums or support website for specific solutions. For more details visit our page for gaming pc repair.

Regional Restrictions

Regional restrictions are a technology that segments people by their current location. This can be expressed as a complete blocking of access to the game, or distribution across regional servers. It is important to say that the IP address is used to determine the location. If you use a good VPN with a function to bypass regional restrictions, such as VeePN, you can regain your freedom of movement. You can both unblock Rocket League and open the entire Netflix library or connect to other servers in Blizzard, etc. You just need to choose the right VPN server. More detailed instructions on how to get Rocket League unblocked can be found at the link.

Overheating

Computers can slow down or shut down unexpectedly due to overheating. When your computer gets too hot, it might automatically turn off to prevent damage.

To prevent overheating, you need a good cooling system. Liquid cooling is ideal, but air cooling works well for many gamers as long as the fans are clean and functional.

Use compressed air to remove dust from the fans. Also, consider taking off the CPU cooler, cleaning off old thermal paste with high-proof isopropyl alcohol, and applying new thermal paste. Over time, thermal paste can dry out and lose its effectiveness.

Lag

Gaming performance issues are common, with slowdowns, lag, crashes, and freezes often frustrating players. Here’s how to tackle them:

Close Background Programs: To boost speed, close unnecessary background programs. Access the Task Manager with `CTRL + SHIFT + ESC`, identify running programs, and end those you don’t need.
RAM and Storage: If performance issues persist, consider upgrading your RAM or storage to enhance speed. Adding a 16GB RAM module is cost-effective, typically under $30. Ensure compatibility with your system (e.g., DDR4 vs. DDR5 RAM) and match the timing and speed with existing modules.
Storage Drives: Replace old HDDs with SSDs, or add more storage if your drive is full. Confirm compatibility, especially with older motherboards that might not support newer formats like M.2 SSDs.
Power Supply: Ensure your PSU can handle new components, whether it’s additional storage, a new graphics card, or other parts that require extra power.
Security Check: Malware can cause performance drops. If you’ve downloaded games from suspicious sources, conduct a thorough virus scan to remove any threats like adware, spyware, or ransomware.
VPN: VPN is used to secure your connection, but it can also reduce lags. By choosing VeePN VPN, you can protect yourself from ISP throttling. You will also stop worrying about cyber threats and surveillance.

Lags in Online Games

Experiencing lag while gaming online? Most often the problem is with the internet connection. Here’s how to boost your gaming experience:

Close Background Apps: Open your task manager and shut down any apps using the internet in the background.
Check Your Internet Speed: Use a free speed test tool like Ookla or Google Fiber to ensure your upload and download speeds are suitable for your game.
Understand Your Plan: Actual internet speeds can differ from what’s advertised; you’re often shown maximum speeds that may not always be delivered. Consider upgrading to a faster plan if needed.
Switch to Ethernet: Wi-Fi, while more convenient, is an extra link that can cause delays. A direct connection to the Internet will always be the best choice.

Black Screen

A black screen is a consequence of problems with the monitor connection or its settings. You should start the troubleshooting path by checking the cables, power supply and connection ports.

If the computer isn’t powering on at all, your power supply unit (PSU) might be faulty. Ideally, you should connect another, 100% working PSU. This way you will know for sure whether it is the problem or something else.

There could be other causes as well. Check if the voltage switch on your PSU is set correctly; adjust it if it’s on the wrong setting.

Game Error Messages

If you’re experiencing error messages while playing a game, try these steps:

Check for Updates: Ensure you have the latest version of the game installed. Updates often fix known errors.
Verify Compatibility: Make sure the game is compatible with your device or operating system.
Inspect Hardware: Confirm that your device or computer meets the game’s minimum system requirements and that there are no hardware issues.
Contact Customer Support: If the problem persists, reach out to the game’s customer support for help. They can assist with troubleshooting or provide a workaround.

Conclusion

The list of potential problems in games can be very long, but these are more local situations. In 90% of cases, players encounter lags in the game itself or cannot launch it at all. In these cases, the listed methods should, if not fix the problem, then at least better understand its nature.