>The database doesn't sound like it'd be a factor, since the slowdowns are isolated to single nodes handling the area with players It doesn't sound like it bec

>The database doesn't sound like it'd be a factor, since the slowdowns are isolated to single nodes handling the area with players It doesn't sound like it because you haven't been paying attention. By and large, the TiDi slowdowns are because of network IO (i.e. too many players connected to a single node), but the database causes stutters when large numbers of ships are exploded at once. DB needs to update inventory, skills, implants, and killboards which requires multiple round trips. Moreover, while these round trips to the DB happen, the core processing threads often end up yielding waiting for the SQL Server instance to respond. But again, I only mentioned it as part of the problem. The core of the issue is definitely Network IO. Someone activates a module or weapon, you need to send that info to 1-10k players as a packet update. That's the source of delays, not processing speed. Rust won't magically speed that up, the network layer is already written in C.