Aces High Bulletin Board
Help and Support Forums => Technical Support => Topic started by: Clifra Jones on March 27, 2007, 12:47:16 PM
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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XP works great..... Vista on the other hand :O
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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??:mad:
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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
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Originally posted by Krusty
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,...
Here ya go. If you are running the default security settings in Windows, then programs can and will get installed on your computer without your knowledge.
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.
And here we see the problem. 4%. Keep in mind that the granularity of the Task Manager is quite awful. That 4% is probably a spike to 80%. Not good. Something is active on your computer. I presume you were at your desktop when you looked at this.
27 processes is not bad, not great, but not bad.
Never assume your computer is running what you think it is. If you are connected to the Internet, and your computer changes behavior, then it is a safe bet your computer has picked up some errant bad guys and they are merrily sending out all your personal inforamtion to everysite they know.
Also, never assume you are in control of your computer. Microsoft is in control of it, you are only allowed to use it. Check your MS license for further information.
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Originally posted by Skuzzy
Here ya go. If you are running the default security settings in Windows, then programs can and will get installed on your computer without your knowledge.
I don't know if I'd be considered intermediate or advanced, but I've tweaked pretty much everything on this PC to my tastes, including security settings.
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Is ActiveX still enabled? Do you have to use the "Trusted" zone in order to partake on this bulletin board, as an example? Are each of the zones running their own security settings?
If the answer is "No", to either of the above questions, then there is very high probablity your computer can be infected with Spyware/Malware pretty easily.
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I use a trusted zone but only for FTP access and windows update webpage, and creative labs because I use their auto update.
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Then your computer can be infected with Spyware/Malware.
If you leave ActiveX enabled and allow signed or unsigned activex controls to be installed on your computer, then you are very wide open to many Spayware (I started to correct the spelling, but it is rather descriptive of what spyware does to a computer and its user :))/Malware programs.
You do have something chewing up CPU time. If your CPU percentage used is not bouncing between 0 and 1 (sometimes 2) percent like a heartbeat. And I mean it is something you can put a stop watch to, then you have something running actively in the background, other than the normal Windows stuff.
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Skuzzy, all of your responses are, as always, spot on, but it doesn't address the original subject of this thread.
Believe me, I am running only 12 processes while playing AH. This PC is never used to surf the Internet, I use my laptop for that. There is no spy/malware in this box.
When I say nothing has changed, well maybe that isn't quite accurate, the only real thing that changes is windows updates. The last update was to fix the time zone issue with DST. I have not installed any hardware or software. I only run the processes and services absolutely required for AH.
The only other thing I can think of is heat. I rarely shut my computer down but did the other day. I will see next time I',on if this has helped.
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Intel CPU's can slow down if they get too hot. Open the case and check for dust clogs.
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Originally posted by Skuzzy
Intel CPU's can slow down if they get too hot. Open the case and check for dust clogs.
My thoughts exactly. I don't recall what kind of fan is on this system. If it's an Intel fan I will replace it. I've had problems weth them at work.
A little computer house keeping can't hurt.
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And to clean the case of dust bunnies.
I remember someone using a leaf-blower after securing everything.
:D
Bronk
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Absolutely! The leaf-blower method is gauranteed to remove any material not related to keeping a computer operational.
DISCLAIMER: It can also remove what is needed to keep a computer operationsl. Use at your own risk!
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Well, just ran a full adaware scan, a full spybot scan, and only came up with minor things (cookies and MRU stuff, and whatnot). It's not that my computer has a virus trojan or bug. I like to keep it fairly clean.
I think there's something with the servers (wild flailing guess). Overall, even outside of TT there's been more warping than the past 6 months. Over TT is a nightmare. Net status is always nice and low.
I'm open to suggestions, but prior to this recent phase I only had such a massive slow-down when the trees and buildings and the LOD distances were off, in that one version of AH. That's not the case now, though.
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If you find nothing local, then disconnect from your ISP and see what the CPU usage does.
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Didn't really do anything. The 2% spikes aren't at regular intervals, just kind of sporadic. I'm guessing that's just part of Windows. When I pulled the cable it spiked as Windows realized something happened, then it just went back to the little 2% spikes.
That's kind of what it's always done when idling.
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But you said it was spiking to 4% at times.
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Infrequently... It might have been MSIE underneath my task manager window, I still had the forums up when I checked.
When I closed everything down it only goes to 2% max.
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Ok, then you are just looking at resource/performance issues, which can degrade if you keep adding more skins to the game.
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But we haven't been adding more skins to the game in the past 6 months, which is when the performance has been getting worse. :t
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just to chime in here...
I haven't been online for several weeks. Flew last night in LW blue around A8 with a couple of squadie and had my framerates COMPLETELY bottom out for the first time ever. Normally I'm in the 60-90 FPS and I was dropping as low as 3-4 at times. My squaddie in the same are was experiencing the same thing.
I've checked my PC and don't have anything weird (that I'm aware of at this point). A while back there was an issue with some squad nose art causing problems with frame rates... Could this be the issue again?
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I understand and agree with all Skuzzy has said, however, i too have been experiencing FR drops since this last patch. I have a 3.2 pentiumD, 3 gig ram installed, and a 7900gtx 512 VC. Before last patch would get steady 60FPS, even on the most crowded field with every strat burning. Now, if more than one set of troops are running, in big furballs, over TT etc. Ive also noticed if there are B17s in the area i get drops, the more buffs, the worse the hit.
Now, AH is the only game i see these performance hits in. BF2 will run with out a hitch, as will any other online MMRPG game i play. Now im not trying to be argumentative, it just seems like alot of people are having similar issues with AH alone.
just my $.02.
NOT
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NOT, it's really apples and oranges when comparing AH to other games unless you are comparing to another Flight Simulator.
But I agree. Something is affecting FPS in a negative way.
I have not had a chance to open my PC yet so I don't know if there are heat issues yet.
What I have heard from my Squad-mates is that they have seen the same issues over the last few weeks. I cannot say that this happened with the last patch as I am quite sure my system ran fine right after the last patch.
Skuzzy, so adding Skins to the game can impact resources? Is this a factor of to many files in the folder? How much RAM do you need to preload skins?
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All too often when performance issues crop up the software is blamed. That's what I did, I was wrong.
After running Sandra I found that my CPU temp under load was getting way too hot. In AH under a high load the temp was raising to 80c+. I read that my 3.2g Northwood will throttle down at about 70c. That was my problem.
I opened up my case and cleaned everything and reseated my CPU heatsink with a new coating of grease. Now with 4Xaa and 1280 res with the 512 textures I'm getting max refresh frame rates most times with a 5-7 frame decrease in heavy load situations in AH.
Skuzzy, sorry for any inconvienience I created bit**ing about HTC's coading, the prob was obviously on my end.
P4 3.2g NWood
Intel D865PERL mb 400mhz FSB
1g pc3200 ram
6800gt oc'd to 411 core 1100 memory
SB x-Fi audio
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Dunt(tm) sweat it Flatbar. Most people forget Aces High II is all about complex flight modeling. And that single aspect alone will push a computer CPU harder than any other type of game.
My little 1.8Ghz P4 with an ATI8500 video card, at home runs the game very well and very smooth. But I have tuned the game so that that little CPU is not resource starved.
How many of you have adjusted the distance slider in the graphics detail? How many of you get Variance spikes? Just try this. Hit the default button in the graphics detail panel, then also disable skins.
Play the game for a bit and see if it makes a difference.
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You cannot put enough RAM in your computer to preload and use all the skins anymore. The best you can do is to hand select the skins you want to see, then preload those. You still need at least 1GB of memory to be able to preload any skins at all.