Author Topic: Recent frame rate degradation (Read 1219 times)

Clifra Jones · « **on:** March 27, 2007, 12:47:16 PM »

I have seen a recent degradation in frame rates when engaged in multi-con battles.

I used to run at 40-45 fps on the deck in TT with GV's and planes all around. Now in any battle that is more than a few objects I am seeing FPS drop down in the 20's and below. Nothing has changed with my system (except MS's daylight savings time update for Win-2000)

Just to cover this now.

I am a 20 year tech-geek, my system only runs 12 processes while I play the game. 2.4Ghz Intel processor, 2gb ram, nVidia 6600GT 128mb. I am not taxing either my system ram or VID ram. I run 512 textures @1024x768, settings at default.

What I have done to try and fix this:

Cleared the cache folder and let it recreate

Remove all extraneous files from AH folder. i.e. films update files.
Capped FPS at 45 (was at 60)

Disabled other planes skins

Fly with only the default skins.

Vid card is set to performance settings. vsync on. The only thing I have set is Anti_aliasing at 2x. turning it completely off doesn't seem to help much.

I'd post a dxdiag but I am at work. Will do when I get home.

This is very frustrating because my system ran fine just a few weeks ago. I am concerned that when the new terrain tiles come out the problem will get worse.

I could drop to 256 textures but why would this change?

My ping time fluctuate between 78-95, I don't believe this is an issue.

Questions:

Could there be anything in the AH files that may have gotten corrupted? I don't have a UPS on my computer and we do get power interruptions here in FL due to storms.

Was there any change to the game? I do not think that this started after the last update.

Would a reload help?

Finally:

I guess I really should bite the bullet and upgrade to Win XP. Up until now my system ran fine and I am a big "if it ain't broke don't fix it!" kinda guy.

Denholm · « **Reply #1 on:** March 27, 2007, 01:16:11 PM »

Stick with 2000 mate, people have issues with the game crashing on them every 30 minutes or so on XP. You might try something else, the other day when I switched a sound card from two slots above my video card down one slot so it's right next to the video card. I got massive frame rate drops.

If you did something similar, try moving the hardware back to it's original position.

Karash · « **Reply #2 on:** March 27, 2007, 01:34:49 PM »

You know I had problems of sudden FPS drop in the middle of a dogfight, and what I did was just uncheck the both "Optimize" options in the graphics area within the client. I dont run FSAA or AF...but I do run the 1024 large texture pack with no slow downs now.

NHawk · « **Reply #3 on:** March 27, 2007, 02:18:05 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Denholm
Stick with 2000 mate, people have issues with the game crashing on them every 30 minutes or so on XP....

That's a real bad statement Deholm.

I've run XP since I first came to AH and never once crashed except when there was a bug in a release and it was usually fixed within a few hours. As a matter of fact I just finished a 7 hour day in AH without a hickup. And I would bet a dinner for 2 that a majority of people run XP and have no problems.

RSLQK186 · « **Reply #4 on:** March 27, 2007, 04:43:00 PM »

I've run into and worked around several problems when I got a newer PC with XP. XP wasn't the problem. I just had to read and work at it a little.

The Fugitive · « **Reply #5 on:** March 27, 2007, 05:16:19 PM »

XP works great..... Vista on the other hand

Ghosth · « **Reply #6 on:** March 27, 2007, 07:07:43 PM »

Well I was a die hard Win98 lover, but XP won me over in a week.

Its been a year plus now since I took the xp plunge. And I'd never go back to anything else. Nor will I move up to vista any time soon.

Having a good install into a clean format with no problems does make a huge difference. Also XP does not like a lot of legacy hardware out there. So if your still running old parts stick with the old os. But if you build new clean machines Xp rocks.

As to the slowdown, what else was installed, changed recently???
Must be something.

Krusty · « **Reply #7 on:** March 27, 2007, 08:08:53 PM »

I have not changed anything on my system at all, I'm fairly competent, I keep the processes low, and all that jazz. I'm running a 7600GTS, 1GB ram, and a decent CPU. I used to rarely dip below 35 fps, EVER. Now every time I fly over TT it's down in the teens. It's so bad I get folks appearing and disappearing out of nowhere, phantom explosions below me, which were friendly aircraft that got killed by enemy aircraft, but neither shows up til after the fact.

Something's changed recently. It might not be the code, but something with the servers definitely needs checking into.

A 7600GT shouldn't EVER (repeat EVER) dip down to 13fps (as mine did yesterday). Hell I can run this rig with FEAR cranked all the way up at 1280 resolution with all goodies enabled and 4x FSAA or more, and I don't drop below 30fps.

Yet, I so much as fly over TT from 6,000 feet and I get a slide show.

Hoarach · « **Reply #8 on:** March 27, 2007, 08:47:36 PM »

Ive got 7600GS 512MB, AMD 64 3200+, 512MB RAM, high res tex running, graphic detail everything all the way up and I never drop below 60 even in the largest furballs.

uberhun · « **Reply #9 on:** March 28, 2007, 09:34:05 AM »

I have been having problems to. How many of you guys have Mc Afee?
I feel that might be part of my problem. They came out with an update 3 weeks ago and for me that is when the problems kicked in. I am not 100% sure it is Ah. I use to run45-70 fps now I am all over the place. I can run as high as 84 and as low as 4. It is really dissapointing. I run a Pentium 2.4 ghz 512 ram 5600 nivida. I switched from 512 to 256 to see if that would help, it didn't. So maybe collectively we can get this figured out. I also run fs auto start and run 24 proccess in the background. So yea it is a little perplexing??

Skuzzy · « **Reply #10 on:** March 28, 2007, 10:47:44 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Krusty
I have not changed anything on my system at all, ...

Let's put something to rest here and now. The above sentence can only be true if you NEVER turn on your computer. Windows changes itself all the time.

With that said, performance degradation over time is not abnormal for most computers. Most people use the default security settings in Windows XP. This gaurantees your system will get worse and worse performance over time, if you are connected to the Internet and surf about.

Most performance degration can be measured by looking at the CPU usage in the task manager. Or, looking at the total number of processes. Or in the game, look at the Variance in the Net Status panel. If it is bouncing around, then you are losing performance due to something with your computer.

Too many files in a directory can hurt performance (check the films directory of the game). Too much fragmentation is not good (run a defragger periodically). Spyware is bad. Malware is bad. Your computer is susceptible to those types of programs if you use the default security settings in XP.

There are so many things that can cause this, it is simply too lengthy to write them all down.

Never assume your computer has not changed. If ou do, then it is likely you will not be able to determine why thigns are happening with it.

Flatbar · « **Reply #11 on:** March 28, 2007, 11:16:46 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Krusty

Yet, I so much as fly over TT from 6,000 feet and I get a slide show.

I'm having the same problem. Two months ago I did a fresh install of XP and after updating the MB bios and other drivers including the 84.66 NVidia drivers I still get lousy frame rates in large furballs, attacking large buff formations or over tanktown. These FR problems cropped up immediatly after patch 2 or 3 of the current version.

I waited for a performance patch that never came like in the past.

Skuzzy, somethings up, I've never had this poor of performance in AH since I upgraded to my current system 2 years ago.

3.2g NWood 400fsb
6800GT OC'd 411 core / 1100 mem
1g PC3200 ram
D865PERL MB with latest bios
SB X-FI sound < recent purchase, no FPS increase but no more stutters when multiple audio events happen >
13 processes running with AH using FS Autostart

These specs are well above the minimum but 12fps is something I haven't seen since I upgraded from my 2g machine that had a 4400ti card.

Bronk · « **Reply #12 on:** March 28, 2007, 11:17:51 AM »

If I may make a comment as to Krusty's drop of frame rate over TT.

Due to the large volume of GV/AC that need to be mapped and drawn. (Not to mention insane amounts of craters.)In a super condensed area.
Wouldn't you expect performance degradation over that area?

Heck Light up a box of B-24s and watch the frames drop.

Just an observation .

Bronk

Krusty · « **Reply #13 on:** March 28, 2007, 11:24:44 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Skuzzy
Let's put something to rest here and now. The above sentence can only be true if you NEVER turn on your computer. Windows changes itself all the time.

Okay, fair enough. However, most of the time Windows isn't going to degrade its performance significantly inside of a few months, unless it installs something, or something changes. I have automatic updates set to manual, and have not run it in months. I haven't done anything with my AV, I have the software firewall disabled, I really haven't done much in respect to bogging the system down.

That's what I meant. Sorry if I used a well-worn phrase in my initial post.

Thing is, I'm getting 13-15 FPS while still 6k+ over tank town. I never used to dip that low. I used to dip down to mid 20s or mid 30s, even at the worst.

EDIT: Oh, and, pulling up task manager, it sits at 0% except with a spike to 2% or (much less frequent) 4% every 5-10 seconds. I have 27 processes running, pared down from 40 or so from default. My net status in-game is always steady.

EDIT2: Bronk, I don't lose FPS much if at all when lighting up B-24s. I don't know if the problem over TT is volume or not, because aircraft in the air OVER tank town are warping to hell and gone (got some of this on film a few times) where they totally disappear past 5k then reappear 1.5k off your nose HOing you [had this happen a couple days ago] <-- also got that on film.

It usually gets warpy as heck around TT and laggy as heck. Nowhere else. No other situations. I can have a CV on fire and 3 sets of flaming bombers over it and puffy ack going off like mad and still have nice FPS, but TT (recently) just kills it.

Bronk · « **Reply #14 on:** March 28, 2007, 11:33:06 AM »

Krusty you do skinning?

IIRC
Just opening and closing the the program you use for that causes fragmentation.
Never mind editing/Tweaking a skin.

And thats just your skinning. Now do that with every program you run.

Over a months time that adds up.

Skuzzy please correct me if I'm wrong.

Bronk