the network code is awful.
Any competent game designer would make the data update and sync in real time.
ie. I switch off my modem and a bunch of people send text messeges, as soon as I power my modem back on, The server still sends the data I missed.
But with SF, it starts off moving shit around where the client thinks it is.
Ugh.. so... bad
Well back then it was pretty standard to have syncing and such, I remember a few games having this way back then. I do also believe it was there first online game etc too that they did. I think it was fine and ok back then (200-400ms lag was standard with modems) but defiantly not for today standards.

But the coding hasnt been changed since the high 90s from what I recall so its defiantly old school