You can get to High Ping Hell in many ways. I usually arrive there from DM4 (The Bad Place). I am fighting through the level and need armor and firepower. I run to the top platform and jump down to grab the red armor and rocket launcher. I step through the slipgate expecting to spawn on the lower level platform and then go right or left at the T crossing. Instead, what happens is that due to network lag (and packet loss or ping timeouts), my first recollection upon exiting the slipgate is that of being consumed by lava. My movement was only out of my control for a second, but instead of turning at the T crossing I have blindly run straight off the platform edge and plunged into a sea of fire. I am engulfed in extreme heat and must listen to my own screams of anguish until I expire.

That folks, is definitely, High Ping Hell!

Everyone has their own personal hell that they fear. Here are some of my friend's tales from High Ping Hell.

ZeroDvyd tells of his recent visit to High Ping Hell.
"In DM4 I had TOTAL packet loss and was chasing someone across that lower T intersection from the 2-way portal around the corner. They ran for the room with megahealth and RL...I chased them, fired several rockets at them (didn't hit at all...) next thing I know I'm in lava getting hurt because of dropped packets that told my CPU I had fallen into the lava before I even GOT to the megahealth/RL room! ... man that sucked, wish I'd had a grappling hook to save my toasted butt!"

Grifter is frozen and motionless in his High Ping Hell.
In fact he is caught in time and can't write a story with his 90% packet loss. Even getting the Pentagram is of little use to one in suspended animation. Don't believe it happens? Check this out and see why I said he was frozen in time.

Obyte visits High Ping Hell with other tortured souls.
He arrives in High Ping Hell when server's fill up with 32 players and plenty of people are ending up in the lava with him. Here he shares hell with other Lags on DM4.

Kharn plays Team Fortress in High Ping Hell.
The setting Mega TF map 2fort5 run on our campus server with 32 players. Generally the server is lag free because it runs over our lan network, but when a lot of students are simultaneously online all hell can break loose.

In an attempt to infiltrate the enemy base and blast those rotten scum sucking dirtsnipers off thier castles parapets with my trusty rocket launcher, I leap into the water and proceed to the underwater entrance to the enemy base.

Just as I reach the bottom, quake locks up with the little disconnection symbol flashing for several minutes on my screen ... I can only stare in horror as my brave soldier breathes his last gulps of water and dies. Again, a soldier, same map but this time my respawn. Lagged from my last death my soldier pulls the pin on a grenade I told him to prime a full 30 secs ago then I freeze again. uh-oh I'm holding a primed nail grenade in my hand, needless to say I didn't survive and several of my teammates were quite pissed calling me a traitor among other names.....

Got bored of being a soldier eventually (if that is even possible) and went demoman for a while but in the process of setting a detpack the allmighty lag strikes again...the detpack is set...and I can't move....even worse I took no one with me!

Been to High Ping Hell? Put down your rocket launcher and send me your story, so we can all enjoy your pain. You can either email me or use the handy form below to send me a couple sentences I can post here about your time in hell.
Thanks,