Frame rate has died with new patch

[SCOT100]

Hello,

I downloaded the new patch last week. Up to that point I was getting (consistently) 60FPS. this is with 1024 textures (pack downloaded)and bump map terrain switched on. Ground VIS set at 4 miles. Detail set at Quality. So the system was handling the graphics burden without a problem. I am running WIN 7 and I have a dual core AMD 11 CPU at 2800MHZ. The Video card is Nvidia 9600GT.
I must repeat -all was running like a rocket prior to the new patch.

Now I get 10 - 15 FPS which drops to 7-8 when things get busy. Needless to say not much enjoyment at that point.

I have switched everything down on the card, set it up for performance and reduced ALL details in the game options- makes no difference.

Anyone got any tips or solution?

Help......

[SCOT100]

Here is the DXDIAG info...
------------------
System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 10/18/2011, 10:59:15
       Machine name: DC-PC
   Operating System: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit (6.1, Build 7600) (7600.win7_rtm.090713-1255)
           Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: System manufacturer
       System Model: System Product Name
               BIOS: BIOS Date: 06/30/09 14:34:50 Ver: 08.00.15
          Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) II X2 240 Processor (2 CPUs), ~2.8GHz
             Memory: 2048MB RAM
Available OS Memory: 2048MB RAM
          Page File: 2581MB used, 1512MB available
        Windows Dir: C:\Windows
    DirectX Version: DirectX 11
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
   User DPI Setting: 120 DPI (125 percent)
 System DPI Setting: 96 DPI (100 percent)
    DWM DPI Scaling: Disabled
     DxDiag Version: 6.01.7600.16385 32bit Unicode

------------
DxDiag Notes
------------
      Display Tab 1: No problems found.
        Sound Tab 1: No problems found.
        Sound Tab 2: No problems found.
        Sound Tab 3: No problems found.
          Input Tab: No problems found.

--------------------
DirectX Debug Levels
--------------------
Direct3D:    0/4 (retail)
DirectDraw:  0/4 (retail)
DirectInput: 0/5 (retail)
DirectMusic: 0/5 (retail)
DirectPlay:  0/9 (retail)
DirectSound: 0/5 (retail)
DirectShow:  0/6 (retail)

---------------
Display Devices
---------------
          Card name: NVIDIA GeForce 9600 GT
       Manufacturer: NVIDIA
          Chip type: GeForce 9600 GT
           DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
         Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0622&SUBSYS_82A21043&REV_A1
     Display Memory: 1267 MB
   Dedicated Memory: 499 MB
      Shared Memory: 767 MB
       Current Mode: 1920 x 1080 (32 bit) (59Hz)
       Monitor Name: Generic PnP Monitor
      Monitor Model: SyncMaster
         Monitor Id: SAM0612
        Native Mode: 1920 x 1080(p) (60.000Hz)
        Output Type: DVI
        Driver Name: nvd3dumx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvd3dum,nvwgf2um,nvwgf2um
Driver File Version: 8.17.0012.8026 (English)
     Driver Version: 8.17.12.8026
        DDI Version: 10
       Driver Model: WDDM 1.1
  Driver Attributes: Final Retail
   Driver Date/Size: 8/3/2011 13:50:00, 15064168 bytes
        WHQL Logo'd: n/a
    WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
  Device Identifier: {D7B71E3E-4562-11CF-A96C-AEA21FC2C535}
          Vendor ID: 0x10DE
          Device ID: 0x0622
          SubSys ID: 0x82A21043
        Revision ID: 0x00A1
 Driver Strong Name: oem10.inf:NVIDIA_SetA_Devices.NTamd64.6 .1:Section005:8.17.12.8026:pci\ven_10de&dev_0622
     Rank Of Driver: 00E62001
        Video Accel: ModeMPEG2_A ModeMPEG2_C ModeVC1_C ModeWMV9_C
   

[Skuzzy]

Quite frankly, I am surprised you were getting 60FPS with that system.  It is a bit short on system RAM and the video card is a little less than a middle of the road video card.  I have a similar video card, and its frame rate drops like a rock whenever I get into a place where two or three fights are going on.

Your system could have been on the very edge and with all the new models added to the game, it got pushed over.  Each time a new model is added to the game it takes more system RAM.

Your video card is also stealing system RAM from the computer (767MB of it), which is not helping.  The original video driver, for that card, did not do that.

[Tigger29]

Yeah I'd be surprised you were getting 60FPS ever with the graphics settings you have it set to.

In the first graphics menu (before you enter an arena) I'd set textures no higher than 512.  Make sure AA is off.  I definitely wouldn't bother with hi-res textures.

In the advanced graphics screen turn off advanced water details and shadows.

You may have to adjust the sliders down a bit too.  This should give you back a lot of your performance.

I have to wonder if you didn't truly have textures set to 1024/2048 before (but you thought you did) and after the update you increased the setting which is causing the poor FPS.

[SCOT100]

Hello All, I am very meticulous with settings and all was as stated- ran like a gem, and never a stutter or lock. Never had detailed landscape and water on so never needed to turn it off to get better FPS.
So- do I hunt down an older driver again?

Many thanks,

[gyrene81]

actually, no matter how meticulous you are, running windows 7 64bit on 2 gigabytes of system memory and trying to run any game on it is asking for problems. that video card could run detailed terrain and bump map terrain at 256 textures 40-60 fps, if you had 4 gigabytes of system memory.

[SCOT100]

OK time to fork out some dosh. What is a half decent Video card from Nvidia that would fit the bill?
Cheere.

[gyrene81]

OK time to fork out some dosh. What is a half decent Video card from Nvidia that would fit the bill?
Cheere.

make sure you buy another 2 gigabytes of ram for that system while you're video card shopping. 

[Tigger29]

actually, no matter how meticulous you are, running windows 7 64bit on 2 gigabytes of system memory and trying to run any game on it is asking for problems. that video card could run detailed terrain and bump map terrain at 256 textures 40-60 fps, if you had 4 gigabytes of system memory.

Yes what he said.  Turn bump map and detailed terrain ON and drop your textures down to 256 and see what performance you get then.  If you're happy with it try setting textures to 512 and see what that does.

[TwinBoom]

One word......................DEFRAG Your hard drive after every patch or update

my system is similar but i have more system ram i stutter if i don't defrag

tb

[SCOT100]

OK- RAM, New CARD and DEFRAG....on it chaps and many thanks.

Would reveting back to an older Nvidia driver be any help? I hear a lot of bad things about using the LATEST drivers at times...

Many thanks

[Skuzzy]

Generally speaking, the best driver for any video card (ATI or NVidia) is the last driver issued before the next generation of video card was released. 

[SCOT100]

Thanks skuzzy -but stop press!

Checked all the hardware inside the pc and the fan on the card had become snagged.....so, after about 10-15 mins of playing, hey presto, one extremely overcooked video card with stutter. That was the time it took to heat it up running AH!

Stripped the guts out of the PC, cleaned the lot up and hey presto....60 FPS and consistent for intense game play.

Many thanks for all the input though and the tips are gong to be acted on anyway.

Best wishes,

SCOT

[Tigger29]

Funny how so much that gets blamed on a new patch actually has absolutely nothing to do with it.  And here we all were trying to find a correlation between the new patch and your dilemma.  Because of that we had already assumed you had already checked the basics (like a stuck fan).  Live and learn I suppose.

Oh well.. glad you figured it out!

[Noir]

Funny how so much that gets blamed on a new patch actually has absolutely nothing to do with it.  And here we all were trying to find a correlation between the new patch and your dilemma.  Because of that we had already assumed you had already checked the basics (like a stuck fan).  Live and learn I suppose.

Oh well.. glad you figured it out!

support users is a real job