Um reading some of the Spiteful posts that do nothing to help the OP-
Wow, you think guild wars needs a p5??? Im running the following muscle-car rig:
p4 2.0ghz
1gb ram
regular speed harddrive
4x AGP (could be 16x but my mobo...) Sapphire ATI x1600pro 512mb (128 bit bus)
and like i said... I get visuals beyond compare with a solid 40-60+ fps (dips to about 20 in ABs)
guild wars does not use much system resource... its designed to be playable on a p4 1.0 ghz, low ram, and lower-end video cards (my old 64mb worked at 5fps) and connections (modem... although downloading must take forever... :/)
Help - Gw.exe running 100% CPU usage and is extremely choppy
Horseman Of War
Mystra of Exile
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Originally Posted by DutchGun
Would you mind trying the -mute instead of -nosound (saw Gaile mention this in a different thread) and reporting the results? Naturally, turning off sound will improve frame rate. It's sort of like saying that turning off rendering will improve the frame rate. The question is what is slowing down so much and why?
Apparently, instead of disabling the entire sound system, -mute processes the sounds as normal on the game client (I presume this means it loads and decompresses any sound effects/music), but does not send the output to DirectSound. I'm wondering if this option was put in to help them debug this problem. (?) Any info you can report here may get viewed by the devs, and help them to fix whatever is going on with the low frame rate caused by the sound (it seems to just affect certain computers). I feel bad for these folks, because the sound is way better for me since the upgrades, but it would be really annoying to have to turn the sound off to get a decent frame rate. |
Same results as with -nosound.
Also, to note, the tech help dude had me try tuning down or turning off hardware acceleration on my speakers. Very little difference - except for the horrible drumming beat I heard during some special effect sounds.
So, what does this all mean?
d3fcon
Same problem is happening to me now, seems after the Night Fall preview everything has gone down hill. It never use to lag when i was fighting, now during combat it'll skip. My FPS has also dropped from before, I've tried everything (updating drivers, muting.. etc.) no luck. CPU is still near 100% usage.
shadowfell
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Originally Posted by Horseman Of War
guild wars does not use much system resource... its designed to be playable on a p4 1.0 ghz, low ram, and lower-end video cards (my old 64mb worked at 5fps) and connections (modem... although downloading must take forever... :/) |
Standing in one place .. hardly constitutes 'playing'
I can load GW on my 1.2ghz, 388mb ram laptop with 48mb video memory and it is just... the frame rate is non existant.
kvndoom
There should be a sticky in this forum called "Guild Wars and CPU usage." It would have 2 lines:
1) If you have a single-core, single-threaded CPU, gw.exe will use 100% of your CPU time.
2) If you have a Hyperthreaded (HT) or dual/multi-core CPU, gw.exe will not use 100% of your CPU time.
Sadly, people still wouldn't listen.
But anyway, Mystra has at least narrowed his problem down to the sound engine eating up his framerate. In a laptop, you probably don't have a very high-end sound chip, so you wouldn't want the in-game hardware acceleration box checked anyway (I have an Audigy2 ZS on my desktop, fed with an A64 3400 with 2 gigs of RAM and a 7900GT, and I still can't use hardware acceleration without weird problems- but it's at least strong enough to use max software without taking a reasonable hit). And definitely not EAX (which you can't check without HW acceleration, IIRC). So from there, try lowering the Quality slider. It's still not documented, but you must exit Guild Wars completely and restart after each change made to sound quality settings, other wise the changes don't take effect. So try each setting on the slider, from min to max, and see if there's a happy medium. Laptop speakers sound like crap anyway, so max quality isn't necessary anyway. Lemme know if that helps any.
1) If you have a single-core, single-threaded CPU, gw.exe will use 100% of your CPU time.
2) If you have a Hyperthreaded (HT) or dual/multi-core CPU, gw.exe will not use 100% of your CPU time.
Sadly, people still wouldn't listen.
But anyway, Mystra has at least narrowed his problem down to the sound engine eating up his framerate. In a laptop, you probably don't have a very high-end sound chip, so you wouldn't want the in-game hardware acceleration box checked anyway (I have an Audigy2 ZS on my desktop, fed with an A64 3400 with 2 gigs of RAM and a 7900GT, and I still can't use hardware acceleration without weird problems- but it's at least strong enough to use max software without taking a reasonable hit). And definitely not EAX (which you can't check without HW acceleration, IIRC). So from there, try lowering the Quality slider. It's still not documented, but you must exit Guild Wars completely and restart after each change made to sound quality settings, other wise the changes don't take effect. So try each setting on the slider, from min to max, and see if there's a happy medium. Laptop speakers sound like crap anyway, so max quality isn't necessary anyway. Lemme know if that helps any.
MaglorD
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Originally Posted by kvndoom
I have an Audigy2 ZS on my desktop, fed with an A64 3400 with 2 gigs of RAM and a 7900GT, and I still can't use hardware acceleration without weird problems- but it's at least strong enough to use max software without taking a reasonable hit). And definitely not EAX (which you can't check without HW acceleration, IIRC). |
![]SK[](/static/static/../Img/avatar57917_6.gif){kind=avatar}
]SK[
I have an Inspirion 9300. It can run GW. I have to ideally run it on lowest settings possible for it to run half decent FPS. Even then loading times are simly awful. 99% of laptops arn't designed for gaming.
Buy yourself a PC. Problem solved. Sorry but its true.
Buy yourself a PC. Problem solved. Sorry but its true.
majoho
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Originally Posted by gabrial heart
Fine here's the technical specs then. Perhaps do some research before you comment.
 Processor: Intel® Pentium® D Processor 950 (Pent series 5 as shown in sys properties for the laimen) Mobo: ECS 945P-A GPU: 2- x1800 crossfire ati RAM: 1GB Dual-channel DDR2 533 Storage: 2-150 GB (RAID0) SATA2 |
There is no Pentium 5, you might call it that though.
kvndoom
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Originally Posted by MaglorD
What weird problems are you encountering with hardware acceleration? I have the same sound card as you and haven't noticed anything unusual since the NF update. I have sound quality at maximum and 3D sound/EAX checked.
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d3fcon
Quote:
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Originally Posted by kvndoom
But anyway, Mystra has at least narrowed his problem down to the sound engine eating up his framerate. In a laptop, you probably don't have a very high-end sound chip, so you wouldn't want the in-game hardware acceleration box checked anyway (I have an Audigy2 ZS on my desktop, fed with an A64 3400 with 2 gigs of RAM and a 7900GT, and I still can't use hardware acceleration without weird problems- but it's at least strong enough to use max software without taking a reasonable hit). And definitely not EAX (which you can't check without HW acceleration, IIRC). So from there, try lowering the Quality slider. It's still not documented, but you must exit Guild Wars completely and restart after each change made to sound quality settings, other wise the changes don't take effect. So try each setting on the slider, from min to max, and see if there's a happy medium. Laptop speakers sound like crap anyway, so max quality isn't necessary anyway. Lemme know if that helps any.
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gabrial heart
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Originally Posted by majoho
What's your point?
There is no Pentium 5, you might call it that though. |
Stockholm
I have the same problem when playing on wireless network, never when hocked up through cable.
gabrial heart
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Originally Posted by Kaguya
Where did I say that Hyperthreading is dual core or multiprocessor? I said HT causes one physical processor to be seen as two to the operating system, nothing about HT being actual two processors or cores, just that it looks like two processors to the system.
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A system using HT, isn't a dual, nor does HT code need to be re/written to take advatage like that of dual cores or multiprocessors. A hyper-threading machine will take full advantage of HT regardless of whether the software is written to utilize it or not. You mentioned that GW doesn't take advatage of HT as it is not written to, yet with HT it doesn't need to be! As i see again in a later post about HT again being mis-informative.
corry29
im sorry, but whe ur GW.exe w/e goes to 100% does this happen??
if it is..how do i fix it?
if it is..how do i fix it?
gabrial heart
Quote:
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Originally Posted by kvndoom
There should be a sticky in this forum called "Guild Wars and CPU usage." It would have 2 lines:
1) If you have a single-core, single-threaded CPU, gw.exe will use 100% of your CPU time. 2) If you have a Hyperthreaded (HT) or dual/multi-core CPU, gw.exe will not use 100% of your CPU time. Sadly, people still wouldn't listen. |
I have 4 machines that i did some checking with. All seemed to have a good network socket and all were read during a stand still in the game, around the trader in our guild hall, facing the same general direction, with graphics set at maximum, x2 or x4.
1- amd +1200, 1GB RAM, Nv fx 5200 GPU= 55-60% Processor usage FPS 9-15
The troubled laptop:
2- Intel pent4 HT @ 2.2Ghz 1.5 GB RAM, ATI Mobility x300= 80-95% Usage FPS 10-15
3- Intel pent4 HT @ 3.2 Ghz, 1GB RAM, Nvidia go fx 5200 = 25-40% Usage FPS 10-15
4- Intel D @ 2.66Ghz, 1GB RAM, 2- ATI x1800 Crossfires = 45-50% Usage FPS 85-90
I tried dropping the sound on machine #2 with both -mute -nosound, Usage dropped dramatically and free'd up the system a ton, (60-70% FPS 25). This is a fairly new issue (since factions release for us) and i would also like to know if anyone else has figured out a work around, since a few have expressed this issue. It looks as though it's an issue with certain sound cards maybe? I wish i had those specs with me, but i forgot to write them down
It also seems that ATI cards simply have more demand on the processor then the others...Edit: Forgot to put the FPS!
gabrial heart
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Originally Posted by corry29
im sorry, but whe ur GW.exe w/e goes to 100% does this happen??
if it is..how do i fix it? |
corry29
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Originally Posted by gabrial heart
ack! I've only had this happen on my lappy and it never uses 100%, oddily enough I've never seen my g/f's lappy kick her out like that (i'll have to ask her) and it runs at near 90% most of the time... You have an nvidia card or ati?
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geforce fx5900
gabrial heart
Quote:
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Originally Posted by corry29
i have a nvidia card..
geforce fx5900 |
DutchGun
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Mystra of Exile
Just for you, I did indeed try -mute.
Same results as with -nosound. Also, to note, the tech help dude had me try tuning down or turning off hardware acceleration on my speakers. Very little difference - except for the horrible drumming beat I heard during some special effect sounds. So, what does this all mean? |
According to the info Gaile posted, -mute does all normal audio processing and calculations in GW except for actually playing the final mix through DirectSound. So, one could infer that, for whatever reason, DirectSound's software mixer seems to be taking up an extraordinary amount of CPU time on your system. I'm not quite sure how to explain that, though, especially when it used to be ok under the pre-DX9 update.
Here's another idea - try reducing the Windows sample rate conversion quality down to it's lowest setting. It's in the same place you set the Windows audio acceleration level (via the control panel).
I'll keep thinking and post if any other ideas come to me, but it sounds like you've exhausted a lot of the more obvious possibilities.
kvndoom
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Originally Posted by gabrial heart
It's not that people won't listen, it's that it's not accurate information. Heres an example again..
I have 4 machines that i did some checking with. All seemed to have a good network socket and all were read during a stand still in the game, around the trader in our guild hall, facing the same general direction, with graphics set at maximum, x2 or x4. 1- amd +1200, 1GB RAM, Nv fx 5200 GPU= 55-60% Processor usage FPS 9-15 The troubled laptop: 2- Intel pent4 HT @ 2.2Ghz 1.5 GB RAM, ATI Mobility x300= 80-95% Usage FPS 10-15 3- Intel pent4 HT @ 3.2 Ghz, 1GB RAM, Nvidia go fx 5200 = 25-40% Usage FPS 10-15 4- Intel D @ 2.66Ghz, 1GB RAM, 2- ATI x1800 Crossfires = 45-50% Usage FPS 85-90 I tried dropping the sound on machine #2 with both -mute -nosound, Usage dropped dramatically and free'd up the system a ton, (60-70% FPS 25). This is a fairly new issue (since factions release for us) and i would also like to know if anyone else has figured out a work around, since a few have expressed this issue. It looks as though it's an issue with certain sound cards maybe? I wish i had those specs with me, but i forgot to write them down It also seems that ATI cards simply have more demand on the processor then the others...Edit: Forgot to put the FPS! |
I want to see your Processes tab:
And your Performance Tab:
To verify my misinformation.
majoho
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Originally Posted by gabrial heart
My point is, i didn't call it that, it's how it reads in system properties! So if someone is referencing what they have and it says pentium 5 in their system properties, then they can narrow it down. Basically the system is calling the newer Pentium D's and core duos pentium 5's.
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majoho
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Originally Posted by kvndoom
I don't use Creative's drivers because of a bug with 4-channel surround. If I ever buy an extra amp to run a center speaker, I'll use their drivers. So because of that I can't use HW acceleration in GW, but software works fine, and most other games work fine too. It's not that big of a deal for me.
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What kind of problem are you experiencing?
Mystra of Exile
This thread is fast becoming facinating with lots of information. More info than the average guy who just wants to play the game thought they needed, I'm sure. 
(Speaking of guys, I'm actually female, for those who sometimes forget a few girls actually do play. And even weirder, a few of us have some computer knowledge as well.
)
So, tech support now asked me to uninstall and reinstall my audio drivers even though they are the latest (the latest is over a year old). I did so.
Didn't seem to help.
Then I ran it with hardware accelleration and sample rate down to the lowest. If it's possible, it seemed to make it worse. The sounds, OMG. I'd be laughing my arse off if it weren't so pathetic. During a fight it sounding like a bad...lay? Yeah, sounded like a lot of grunts...lmao. I had to close the game, it's wouldn't stop. (I put the sound settings back up.)
I think running Guild Wars without sound looks like my only option unless they fix whatever it is that is incompatible with my sound card.
For those who are interested, it's Sigma Tel C-Major Audio.
(Speaking of guys, I'm actually female, for those who sometimes forget a few girls actually do play. And even weirder, a few of us have some computer knowledge as well.
)So, tech support now asked me to uninstall and reinstall my audio drivers even though they are the latest (the latest is over a year old). I did so.
Didn't seem to help.
Then I ran it with hardware accelleration and sample rate down to the lowest. If it's possible, it seemed to make it worse. The sounds, OMG. I'd be laughing my arse off if it weren't so pathetic. During a fight it sounding like a bad...lay? Yeah, sounded like a lot of grunts...lmao. I had to close the game, it's wouldn't stop. (I put the sound settings back up.)
I think running Guild Wars without sound looks like my only option unless they fix whatever it is that is incompatible with my sound card.
For those who are interested, it's Sigma Tel C-Major Audio.
Phoenix Arrows
I skipped lots of the posts because I was lagging...from GW.
50-75 percent a lot of times...actually...always. It's a PC and it's only about 4 months old...really laggy. I have that problem too...
50-75 percent a lot of times...actually...always. It's a PC and it's only about 4 months old...really laggy. I have that problem too...
Mystra of Exile
Ok, as it stands now this is the last message I got from Tech Support:
They are reporting it to the Q&A department to see if they can reproduce the problem on their end.
They are reporting it to the Q&A department to see if they can reproduce the problem on their end.
gabrial heart
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Originally Posted by kvndoom
Screenshots please.
I want to see your Processes tab: <image removed> And your Performance Tab: <image removed> To verify my misinformation. |
gabrial heart
Ok here's the two machines that don't have issues.
The toshiba laptop Pentium 4 Hyperthreaded @ 2.99 Ghz - Nvidia go fx5200
and the Pentium D Dual Core @ 2.66 - ATI x1800 crossfire
Just for the hell of it, here the dead horse beating and why i used Pentium 5 in the original post.
Granted they were only running gw for about 5 minutes, give or take a few.
And the troubled machine My g/fs lappy
Pentium 4 HT @ 2 Ghz 1.25 MB (thought it was 1.5, whoops) -ATi x300 Mobility
The AMD is at my ex's with my son, but you get the idea...
The toshiba laptop Pentium 4 Hyperthreaded @ 2.99 Ghz - Nvidia go fx5200
and the Pentium D Dual Core @ 2.66 - ATI x1800 crossfire
Just for the hell of it, here the dead horse beating and why i used Pentium 5 in the original post.
Granted they were only running gw for about 5 minutes, give or take a few.
And the troubled machine My g/fs lappy
Pentium 4 HT @ 2 Ghz 1.25 MB (thought it was 1.5, whoops) -ATi x300 Mobility
The AMD is at my ex's with my son, but you get the idea...
kvndoom
Wow, thanks for posting pictures to prove me right. Let me re-quote myself:
I should have been a tad more specific and said that running Guild Wars will guarantee 100% CPU usage on single core, single-threaded machines. As Kaguya and myself have tried to explain, and as your very own screenshots prove, Windows sees Hyperthreaded CPU's as two separate processors, same as Dual-core machines. Note TWO windows under "CPU usage History" in the first 2 screens. If the girlfriend's laptop is indeed a P4 with HT, then HT must be turned off in the BIOS, otherwise it would show two CPU cores in the Performance tab as well, instead of one.
I keep banging my head against a brick wall. Every 2 weeks a thread about CPU usage pops up in this forum, and no matter how many times I try to drive this point home, nobody listens. Sigh...
Quote:
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Originally Posted by kvndoom
1) If you have a single-core, single-threaded CPU, gw.exe will use 100% of your CPU time.
2) If you have a Hyperthreaded (HT) or dual/multi-core CPU, gw.exe will not use 100% of your CPU time. |
I keep banging my head against a brick wall. Every 2 weeks a thread about CPU usage pops up in this forum, and no matter how many times I try to drive this point home, nobody listens. Sigh...
]SK[
Laptops are made from different components than a standard PC. Laptops are always alot slower. My laptop is technically faster than my home PC in terms of stats. It simply isn't though.
BTW if you press Alt Gr and Print Screen it takes a shot of just the active window/dialog box.
BTW if you press Alt Gr and Print Screen it takes a shot of just the active window/dialog box.
majoho
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Originally Posted by kvndoom
I keep banging my head against a brick wall. Every 2 weeks a thread about CPU usage pops up in this forum, and no matter how many times I try to drive this point home, nobody listens. Sigh...
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Mystra of Exile
In my defence, I tried to both search the issue before posting, and then editing my thread title to more accurately reflect the issue (frame rate) and was not successful for either.
It's not hard to understand that when faced with poor performance, one would seize on the most obvious looking culprit (high CPU usage) at first.
It's not hard to understand that when faced with poor performance, one would seize on the most obvious looking culprit (high CPU usage) at first.
gabrial heart
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Originally Posted by kvndoom
Wow, thanks for posting pictures to prove me right. Let me re-quote myself:
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gabrial heart
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Mystra of Exile
In my defence, I tried to both search the issue before posting, and then editing my thread title to more accurately reflect the issue (frame rate) and was not successful for either.
It's not hard to understand that when faced with poor performance, one would seize on the most obvious looking culprit (high CPU usage) at first. |
Time for an upgrade - again...
Red
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Originally Posted by fallot on page 1
I had the exact same problem until I started running GW with the -dx8 parameter, got rid of my anti-virus and stopped using TS.
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o_O Does that mean what I think it does--namely, Guild Wars in Direct 8?
Are there any problems with doing so? Significant drawbacks? Oo;;;
DutchGun
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Originally Posted by Redly
Wait. -dx8 paramter? Like, in the same place you'd use the -image parameter?
o_O Does that mean what I think it does--namely, Guild Wars in Direct 8? Are there any problems with doing so? Significant drawbacks? Oo;;; |
The difference is some effects are downgraded. Hint: one of the more easy-to-test visual differences... look at your footprints. In dx9 they look sort of 3d-ish. In dx8 they look more like a flat texture.
nytestalker
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Originally Posted by Mystra of Exile
I understand the switch user thing, again, I'm actually a tech support analyst in real life. I do not have anything, anywhere, running in the background. |
Heh. And the reason you cant figure it out on your own is...... yeah.
Ok. Omega drivers. SUCK. There nice and shiny thats for sure. BUT THEY SUCK.
Drop the 3rd party crappy video drivers. (yeah yeah.. im sure you used them the entire time..... but guess what. THEY SUCK. All it is, is a bunch of reg tweaks you could do yourself if you spent 15 mins looking at google...)
Next.
Temp.
Im glad its cool to the touch. But that doesnt mean that little gpu is cool. Download one of the bazillion free temp monitors out there. And do some investigation. Its extremely possible that the fan has lost some RPM horsepower due to dust/debris. (smoker or not, they still collect dust...) Granted it would be... somewhat techie... to pull your lappie apart and clean it... but it may help.
Also, as others have suggested, try another 3d application. You could (as a test) try 3D mark. Its a 3D benchmark software. Designed to stress your system. If possible, try to run a temp monitoring program that will give you a timeline readout. Then run 3D mark, and after its done, check the temp read out. It should give a clear impression of the temp during load.
Finally.
The 5 frames a second, is that while your alone in an exploreable area, or in a city. Cause in cities (RA for instance) my beeeeeeeeeeeefy quake 4 machine only gets around 10 fps or so... Alone ill hit upwards of 40-60 fps depending on whats around me.
Also. While im thinking about it.
I doubt your lappie has extended surrond capacity. Try lowering the sound quality slider. Its possible that the improved sound capabilites are whats causing the lag. IIRC, the sound improvements came right close to the time factions was released.
Alias_X
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Originally Posted by Sample Attack
Nvidia = Series 7900 or even lower one 7300 SLI you will rock !
Sometime it's network issue .. I would eliminate wireless ( older wireless has dead spot ) go with wired for now avoid interfre about your household appliances. I'm not sure ATI 9700 is ,check the compatibility. Most gamer go with 2 Gig RAM. If you want performance I 'd say go at least 2 Gig You won't disappointed. Check your trace route, Ping hop , sometime net congested ... i hope it help , |
That was possibly the most unhelpful post I have seen on Guild Wars. If someone has a problem, don't immediatly tell them to buy new hardware... especially with a problem like this where it didn't used to happen. It is more software related than hardware related.
kvndoom
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Mystra of Exile
In my defence, I tried to both search the issue before posting, and then editing my thread title to more accurately reflect the issue (frame rate) and was not successful for either.
It's not hard to understand that when faced with poor performance, one would seize on the most obvious looking culprit (high CPU usage) at first. |
Hopefully some newer drivers or a future update will fix that for you. Does Windows by chance have built-in drivers for your sound chip, or can you only use the manufacturer's?
Mystra of Exile
Quote:
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Originally Posted by nytestalker
Heh. And the reason you cant figure it out on your own is...... yeah....
All it is, is a bunch of reg tweaks you could do yourself if you spent 15 mins looking at google... ...Granted it would be... somewhat techie... to pull your lappie apart and clean it... but it may help... |
Psycho Souma
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Darkveil
Since the PvP Nightfall weekend, I've had the same problem with heavy lags but its almost only happening when theres a lot of action on the screen...like in PvP or whenever many spell effects is triggered simultaneously.
I dont think it has to do with other people hogging bandwidth while downing updates from Anet. If it would, those lags would appear in other areas as well (when your idling or in small towns or during travel). I play other games (mostly FPS's) and I run Oblivion, doom3, HL2 etc in 1600x1200 resolution with all settings maxed out and i get nice framerates in those games. Got 100/10 Mbit internet connection which is almost too much... Still, Guild Wars is almost unplayable for me as it is. Annoying indeed. |
Anet are denying this of course, so it looks like i am not gonna be able to play my favourite game any more, which frankly pisses me off more than anything else, even this ridiculous testosterone-fest for the socialy retarded.
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Originally Posted by Mystra of Exile
Thank you for shaming me and making sure I know my techie abilities are NOTHING compared to yours, although I'm pretty sure my inter-personal skills are far superior.
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