Framerates?

[Põdi]

Wait! Before you slam me, this is a not a tech-support issue, more of a comparison and tip request. I get pretty low framerates, even in just free flight/non-combat situations (20 - 25 fps), if there's a battle going on it can drop down to 6 - 7 fps. I never run the game higher than 800 x 600, 16 bit everything, bitmap contrails etc. How do performances on people with similar machines compare to mine? I know the game is processor intensive, but I'm sure I saw somewhere someone getting 40fps during flight, and they had a lower spec than me. What's the best way to improve this without taking away too much from the candy? I suppose I never really noticed it in other games as no other game has a FPS indicator. Could something like reformatting help (I've been considering it) or does that help more with the stability side of things in general?

Like I said, I'm just looking for suggestions / tips etc.

Yes, yes, I know The airlock is this way..........

[Stephanos]

With my old PC i had your same framerates (my old PC specs are still in my System Profile), running 640x480, 16bit.

Now I changed PC (Thanks Santa Claus! ), and I have still to update my System Profile (anyway it's a P4 1.7Ghz, 512Mb Ram and a GeF2 with 32Mb) I get 50 fps in free flight and 20/30 fps in combact.

I do think processor is the main issue and maybe your video card. But I am not a tech-wizard.

Hope this help!

See you in space!

[Papi]

It's certainly is video card, I can tell you.

I have not yet updated my system info, but I just bought Abit Siluro geforce 2 T400 and I'm getting around 35-45 fps if there's not much action in the region (that's little different from V3's 9-12 fps at the best )

[Supreme Cmdr]

quote:

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Originally posted by Paddy Gregory:

Wait! Before you slam me, this is a not a tech-support issue, more of a comparison and tip request. I get pretty low framerates, even in just free flight/non-combat situations (20 - 25 fps), if there's a battle going on it can drop down to 6 - 7 fps. I never run the game higher than 800 x 600, 16 bit everything, bitmap contrails etc.

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Your rig barely meets the game's minimum requirements. As such, you shouldn't be running higher than 640x480

[Stephanos]

Papi, since my geforce 2 is almost the same you have, it is clear that the difference of 10-15 fps (I get around 50fps) should come either from the processor (P4 1.7 Ghz) or from the Ram (512Mb).

I don't know which one is most important.

But, anyway, a new videocard is the best and first way to get BCM to run smoother! This is clear.

[Stephanos]

quote:

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Originally posted by Supreme Cmdr:

Your rig barely meets the game's minimum requirements. As such, you shouldn't be running higher than 640x480

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With minimum req., as I used to have, I had to reduce two notches the audio performance, and one notch the graphic performance (I used to have such an hold videocard, with only 16MB) but at 640x480 it ran smooth, slowing just a little while in the heat of the battle!

[Põdi]

quote:

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Your rig barely meets the game's minimum requirements. As such, you shouldn't be running higher than 640x480

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Wait a minute, my rig is actually nearer the recommended requirements. Or does the fact it is a celeron really let me down bigtime?

[Stephanos]

IMHO you should try with a different video card. But again, I am not a technical expert, so...

If this is not enough, and you find out you need to change the Processor, you already have a good videocard for the new PC!!!

[Põdi]

Problem is, I don't have enough money to buy either a new PC or a vid card at the moment. I'm just looking for tweak suggestions right now.

I did actually drop to 640 x 480 at one stage and didn't really see any appreciable difference.

[Stephanos]

Mmmmhhh... let's see....

I found that reducing audio performance one or two notches helped me a lot! Also, I do not play music and I turned the bridge chatter effect off.

Try with this for the start. You have much more Ram than I used to, and a better videocard.

Maybe it someway related to your SB LIve!

[Põdi]

I've already dropped down a notch on the audio, and music is off. I'd like to keep the bridge chatter, it keeps me sane! Utter silence would kill me off. Maybe I'll play around with the video acceleration. problem is we have guests till after the New Year and yep, you guessed it, the office doubles as the guest room. So I'm not going to be able to get in there much over the next fortnight.

Gives me a few things to think about though.

[Stephanos]

One last thing! (But I am sure you already did it)

Check the Problems with Voodoo 5 thread. Looks like your videocard could be the problem.

[Põdi]

I know about the graphic glitches with V5, and I'm prepared to live with them. Would it slow up my framerate so drastically though?

[Stephanos]

Probably. If it does not support DirectX 8.1, and the driver are old (and there are no new driver around since there is no maker anymore) this could be the cause of your slowness (is slowness correct?? ).

Well, wait some months (maybe 2 or 3) and the GeForce2 price will drop a lot, GeForce3 is hitting Europe right now!!!

[ 12-18-2001: Message edited by: Stephanos ]

[Advil]

Does that say a celeron 633 on a 440LX motherboard?!?! That's one old Mobo, and I'm surprised (impressed) a 633 celeron works on it. Anyway, your CPU is your biggest bottleneck. Remember, that celeron is only a 66mhz bus. There's only so much blood you can squeeze out of it.

Save up. Your next upgrade before anything else should be a motherboard and CPU.

[Epsilon 5]

85fps when I start the game.

65fps long after autogen pitched in.

55fps in crowded areas

35-45fps in large battles.

I have a tbird 950mhz, a asus gf2 mx400 64mb and 256mb ram non-ddr

I run the game in 800x600x32, all options on, including music. Contrail type doesn't matter at all, but I'm generally using particle ones.

[Wolferz]

Paddy,

A couple of in game tweaks that may help you....

Try:

1. Turning off dynamic stars effects.

2. Turning off Hyper Jump Effects

My rig has plenty of muscle, but it still bogs down in large skirmishes and planetside. That's running 1024x768 with everything maxed out. Turning those settings off improves the FPS, and IMHO seems a little more realistic. Deep, dark space.

[Põdi]

quote:

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Does that say a celeron 633 on a 440LX motherboard?!?! That's one old Mobo, and I'm surprised (impressed) a 633 celeron works on it. Anyway, your CPU is your biggest bottleneck. Remember, that celeron is only a 66mhz bus. There's only so much blood you can squeeze out of it.

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Yes it does. I have a Powerleap PLiP3 slocket. It is a slocket with a voltage regulator, which means I can run FC-PGA cpus on a 66Mhz board. The problem is I can't use any other AGP video boards except 3dfx, due to problems with my board, video chipsets and SSE (or something like that)

quote:

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Save up. Your next upgrade before anything else should be a motherboard and CPU.

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Heh, tell me about it!

Then try and convince my Missus:

'You don't need a new computer, you only use it for your games. It's just a hobby'

Only! ONLY!

She doesn't understand..........

[Soback]

A hobby is what keeps people sane on this earth. It's an outlet to get in touch with oneself, to release some stress, and to relax. So, some people go to the gym religiously, some hike everyday, some assemble model planes, some play games. So tell your missus that if you don't get a new computer you will go nuts, literally.

[Stephanos]

Paddy, you can also go another way.

Do what I also did: start a new hobby that is not game related, but that could become a job in the future (I choosed digital photograpy and web designing) and tell your wife (I did) that you can't develope your skills with the PC you currently have. You need an upgrade to improve your knowledge of the subject and to work without problems.

It worked for me!

[Põdi]

quote:

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Do what I also did: start a new hobby that is not game related, but that could become a job in the future (I choosed digital photograpy and web designing) and tell your wife (I did) that you can't develope your skills with the PC you currently have. You need an upgrade to improve your knowledge of the subject and to work without problems.

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Oh yeah, she's REALLY gonna buy that one.

[Stephanos]

Paddy, last thing I can think of to help you:

you live quite close to me (you live in Switzerland, I live in Italy), get the train and come here.

[Põdi]

quote:

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Originally posted by Stephanos:

Paddy, last thing I can think of to help you:

you live quite close to me (you live in Switzerland, I live in Italy), get the train and come here.

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What, you'll give me your PC?

Thanks man, I'll be on the Cisalpino tonight. Please make sure the goods are correctly packaged and in full working order.

Ah Milano, might as well do some Christmas shopping while I'm there:

/rp

'Look darling, look what I bought you while I was in Milan' said Paddy, grinning mischeviously, as he removed a pair of crocodile skin Dolci & Gabbana shoes and Giorgio Armani cocktail dress from his overnight bag.

'Oh sweetheart, I love you so much' gushed his beautiful wife. She looked over his shoulder,

'Paddy, what's that in that large box?'

'Which box?' he replied innocently

'That one, by the door'

'Oh, THAT box' he laughed nervously, 'It's just a computer.........'

SMACK!!!!

/rp

[Stephanos]

Well..

Actually I was thinking of letting you PLAY with my computer.

And, if you can buy Dolce & Gabbana shoes and Armani dresses, well, you can also buy a nice P4 2Ghz with 1Gb Ram and a GeForce 3 Ti500 with 128Mb, a 240Gb Hard Disk and a 52" Plasma Screen!!!!!!

If so, I think I would not be the only one who will come to Fribourg to see you! (Well, maybe not you....)

[Põdi]

quote:

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Well, maybe not you....

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Stay AWAY from my wife!

I know about you Italians.......