The recent introduction of The Long Drive multiplayer has brought a wave of excitement—and frustration. While it’s thrilling to cruise across endless wastelands with friends, the experience is often marred by bugs, stuttering, desyncs, and lag. This is especially true for players experimenting with the multiplayer mod or early-access builds.
Despite its quirky charm, The Long Drive multiplayer is still an evolving system, prone to performance issues that disrupt immersion. Fortunately, there are proven fixes and optimization strategies to drastically improve the multiplayer experience.
Many of these overlap with general gaming fixes, such as those found in this guide on how to fix lag, which outlines methods to stabilize connections across various titles.
How Does The Long Drive Multiplayer Work?
Multiplayer in The Long Drive isn’t a built-in feature by default. It originated as a community mod, later integrated as an experimental feature in some builds. This unofficial status means bugs are expected—but many are fixable with the right approach.
How to play The Long Drive multiplayer?
- Install the multiplayer mod from trusted sources like the Steam Community or GitHub.
- Launch the game, and choose the “Multiplayer” option in the main menu.
- Create or join a lobby by entering an IP address or using public session listings.
- Sync with other players before driving to avoid early desync.
Multiplayer mode offers chaotic, hilarious fun—but only when the connection and setup hold up. And since connectivity is a recurring complaint, players often also search for solutions like how to fix high ping, which directly applies to stabilizing The Long Drive’s peer-to-peer multiplayer sessions.
Top Issues in The Long Drive Multiplayer
Bugs and technical problems are common in this mode, especially if you’re playing with mods or older builds. Knowing what to expect helps you avoid or prepare for them.
Most reported problems:
- Stuttering and FPS drops while in co-op
- Lobby not visible or broken session connections
- Vehicle desync causing bouncing, flying cars
- Input delay or camera lag during driving
- Chat voice lag or VoIP distortion
These are directly tied to either hardware strain, network instability, or mod conflicts.
If your FPS is tanking, guides like FPS boost strategies provide practical steps to maximize system performance and reduce stutter in heavy co-op sessions.
Refer to the Visual Table
For a detailed look at issues, their causes, and how to fix them, see the table above titled The Long Drive Multiplayer Troubleshooting Guide.
| Issue | Likely Cause | Suggested Fix |
| Multiplayer stuttering | Unstable connection or graphics overload | Use ExitLag, lower graphics settings, remove unnecessary mods |
| High ping/latency | Server routing inefficiency | Use ExitLag for optimized routing |
| Vehicle desync | Network desync between clients | Reduce speed, sync before driving, use stable mods |
| Lobby not showing | Port/block or mod version mismatch | Check mod version compatibility, restart game, open necessary ports |
| Low FPS in multiplayer | Graphical settings too high | Set textures/shadows to low, cap FPS |
| Voice lag in chat | VoIP system overload or low bandwidth | Use external comms or improve upload bandwidth |
This breakdown helps you troubleshoot precisely—whether it’s desyncing cars or persistent stuttering after joining a session.
How to Fix The Long Drive Multiplayer Lag and Stuttering
Lag and stuttering in The Long Drive multiplayer often come from a mix of poor network performance, high system load, and mod-related bugs. Here’s how to fix them step-by-step.
Step-by-step multiplayer lag fix:
- Use ExitLag
This is your first line of defense. ExitLag reroutes your connection through the most efficient servers, drastically reducing ping, jitter, and packet loss. Ideal for games like The Long Drive, where server routing isn’t officially supported. - Lower your graphics settings
- Set shadows and reflections to low or off=
- Turn off V-Sync
- Reduce texture and draw distance
These tweaks help minimize GPU load, especially in mod-heavy lobbies.
- Limit FPS
Set your frame cap to match your monitor’s refresh rate (e.g., 60Hz = 60 FPS). This prevents overworking your GPU and reduces stuttering. - Close background programs
Streaming apps, Discord overlays, or update managers can spike your CPU usage. - Switch to a wired connection
Wi-Fi increases latency and packet loss, especially in co-op. Use Ethernet whenever possible. - Reduce vehicle speed
In multiplayer, driving too fast often causes vehicle desync. Cruise at moderate speeds for stability.
For players curious about the game itself, the GameFabrique page for The Long Drive offers a detailed overview of the title’s mechanics and what makes it unique, beyond the quirks of multiplayer.
Best Mods for The Long Drive Multiplayer Stability
While mods can cause issues, the right ones can improve your multiplayer experience significantly. Use only well-maintained and frequently updated mods.
Recommended mods:
- Multiplayer Fix Mod – stabilizes desync and player sync issues
- Sync Fix Vehicle Mod – ensures car position data is accurate
- Optimized Lobby Manager – improves session loading and visibility
- Vanilla-Plus Mod Pack – keeps gameplay close to vanilla while improving stability
Be sure to only download mods from trusted creators or GitHub links with active community support. Always disable conflicting mods during troubleshooting.
Extra Multiplayer Tips for Playing with Friends
Small adjustments can go a long way when co-oping in a buggy world like The Long Drive.
How to avoid multiplayer bugs and crashes:
- Create private lobbies to avoid random player interference.
- Use external voice chat like Discord instead of in-game voice (prone to lag).
- Sync cars before driving: wait a few seconds after spawn before starting the engine.
- Avoid fast travel or hard resets during sessions—they break multiplayer sync.
- Take breaks between segments: long sessions increase crash risk.
And if you want to keep up with community fixes, memes, and troubleshooting hacks, the Reddit The Long Drive community is one of the best places to share experiences and find solutions from fellow survivors of the wasteland.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Install the multiplayer mod, launch the game, and join via IP or session list. Always use the same mod versions across players to avoid lobby errors.
It’s still experimental and mod-based, meaning it’s not perfectly stable. However, with the right settings and mods, it’s playable and enjoyable with minimal lag.
The Multiplayer Fix Mod, Lobby Sync Tools, and Vehicle Desync Patch are all community-made mods that improve performance and connection reliability.
Most lag stems from:
Mod incompatibility
High vehicle speed desync
Poor network routing
Overloaded system resources
Use ExitLag to fix routing issues, lower your graphics settings, avoid unnecessary mods, and ensure all players use the same game version and mod setup.
Conclusion: Optimize The Long Drive Multiplayer with the Right Tools
Despite being buggy and experimental, The Long Drive multiplayer offers a unique and entertaining co-op experience. When properly optimized—with the right mods, settings, and connection fixes—it transforms into a smooth and enjoyable sandbox.
But even the best tweaks can’t compensate for poor routing or lag spikes.
That’s where ExitLag makes all the difference.
By optimizing your connection to peers and ensuring stable packet delivery, ExitLag minimizes the lag, jitter, and desync that plague multiplayer sessions.
Fix your stutter, drive further—get ExitLag and explore the apocalypse with zero lag.
Got questions or want to connect with other players? Join the conversation at the ExitLag Forum!
