Game tick

The game tick, also known as the server cycle, is the fundamental unit of time used in Old School RuneScape, equal to 0.6 seconds. All actions that require server processing are governed by this value. Purely client-side actions, such as opening a right-click menu or switching interface tabs, are processed separately with a 20 millisecond tick rate.

Each action registered within one tick will start to take place by the beginning of the next tick. This can cause your action to be carried out instantaneously, or after a delay of nearly 0.6 seconds, depending on how long you had to wait until the next tick.

The length of a tick can be measured by timing a repeated action using a stopwatch. For example, lighting 25 logs without re-lighting a log takes 100 ticks. If the stopwatch can be stopped to within 0.1 seconds, the tick can be measured to within 0.001 seconds.

Theoretically, there should be 100 ticks per minute, exactly 0.600 seconds per tick. However, the observed duration of a tick can vary due to connection speed, client-side lag, or server-side lag as the game server processes all actions and events affecting all online players. The tick length is constant throughout a server for all players, which is because the player's actions are processed in the same order every time, so even if someone is processed last, they will still have the same tick as previously due to them being processed last every time. However, the tick length is not constant between different servers. In general, the more players that are on a given server, the longer the tick length; the fewer players are on a server, the shorter the tick length. While there seem to be other factors that affect tick length as well, the number of players on the server seems to be the largest factor. It is typical for ticks on World 302 to be 0.616 to 0.618 seconds each, whereas ticks on less full worlds typically are 0.606 to 0.611 seconds each.

A server can lag and "miss" a tick or multiple ticks from time to time. This seems to happen most often on worlds with the greatest number of players.

• The make-x and smithing menus take 1 tick to close after selecting an action.
• Using the Balloon transport system takes 5 ticks.
• Running covers 2 squares per tick, while walking covers 1 square per tick.
• The amount of time a player can spend collecting tears in Tears of Guthix is a number of game ticks equal to the player's quest points.
• Boosted or reduced stats move towards normal at a rate of 1 level per 100 ticks, which is just a tiny bit over one minute. With Preserve active, boosted stats will drain 1 level per 150 ticks. Checks every 25 ticks.
• NPC and player chat messages stay above their heads for 5 ticks (exception: if a second message is sent sooner it will replace the first and last 5 ticks unless another message is sent sooner etc).
• The special attack bar recovers at a rate of 10% per 50 ticks. When wearing a Lightbearer, the special attack bar will recover at a rate of 10% per 25 ticks.

In general, knowledge of the RuneScape clock will provide a benefit to players, and it can make it easier to time actions. Timing just one of a repeated action may clearly give a tick number, which may be able to be used to estimate experience per hour. For example, Superheat Item, Plank Make, and Bake Pie all are spells that take 3 ticks each and are cast one by one on an inventory of supplies. If it is known that Superheat Item may be cast about 1800 times per hour, Plank Make and Bake Pie would be known to be very nearly the same rate merely by timing a single cast. The 1800 itself could even be estimated without actual measurement by noting that about 5940 ticks per hour divided by 3 ticks per cast is 1980 casts per hour of hypothetical continuous casting, and that 7-10% should be subtracted for mistakes and banking.

v t e Mechanics
Engine	Java RuneScript RuneTek
Game clients	Jagex Launcher Desktop Mobile Third-party RuneLite HDOS Discontinued OSBuddy Konduit Java
Performance	Bad luck mitigation Cache format Clickbox Drop rate Game square Game tick Line of sight Player identification number Stealth
Exploits	Run trick Tick manipulation Tick eating Drop trick Animation stall
Graphics	Interface Graphical updates (historical)
Servers	Server Ping Lag