Extreme unexplained FPS drop - Guild Wars Guru archive powered by Guild Wars Legacy

fallot

I'm the king

Join Date: Nov 2005

Aussie Trolling Crew: Grand Phallus and Chairman Pro Tempore

13 May 2006 at 16:47 - 1

This has been bugging me for a while. I can't really offer any details about what happens since, frankly, I have no idea what happens. Basically every now and then, I get a severe drop in FPS (like 1-2 frames every second) for no real reason. Restarting the game seems to fix the problem. Could this be due to my PC overheating ? Does anyone else get the same problem ?

I've only started getting this problem since the FPE, the first time it popped up was during an Alliance Battle. Its putting a serious damper on my play, I can't GvG, do HA, anything so if anyone can offer any advice I'd be very grateful.

Just don't tell me to get a new PC

Cybergasm

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jan 2006

13 May 2006 at 16:56 - 2

List your computer specifications.

Loviatar

Underworld Spelunker

Join Date: Feb 2005

13 May 2006 at 16:58 - 3

you could be getting lag from this which is not Anets/your fault

http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s....php?t=3030662

fallot

I'm the king

Join Date: Nov 2005

Aussie Trolling Crew: Grand Phallus and Chairman Pro Tempore

13 May 2006 at 17:04 - 4

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cybergasm

List your computer specifications.

Alright, but I didn't think that would be necessary since the game ran perfectly for months before.

-2.0 GHz Intel Pentium 4
-512 MB DDR DRAM
-nVidia GeForce 4 Ti4200

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loviatar

you could be getting lag from this which is not Anets/your fault

Hope thats not it, because it means I cant do anything about it

TB_

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jun 2005

13 May 2006 at 17:30 - 5

Welol, the DX8 card wont help seeing as GW now uses a DX9 engine, and the 500megs of ram wont help. Do a defrag, install the latest drivers, setup your vmem properly and pray to the fps gods.

Lurid

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Mar 2006

Mo/

13 May 2006 at 17:40 - 6

Can't you also force GW to run in DX8? If thats possible it might be worth a try.

fallot

I'm the king

Join Date: Nov 2005

Aussie Trolling Crew: Grand Phallus and Chairman Pro Tempore

13 May 2006 at 18:42 - 7

I'll try that and see what happens. I'm beginning to suspect it may be overheating though, as my fan is starting to make weird noises.

Lurid

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Mar 2006

Mo/

13 May 2006 at 19:07 - 8

The GPU or CPU? Download one of the temperature monitoring softwares available and check if your wondering.... Speed Fan, Smart Guardian, etc....

StormLord

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Apr 2006

League Of Friends [LOF]

14 May 2006 at 11:40 - 9

I had the same problem with my old video card (GeForce FX 5900XT) and the ForceWare 78.01 drivers.
- Forcing DX8 (with the -dx8 option) fixed the problem, but this will also remove some graphical effects.
- Updating the drivers to 84.21 also fixed the problem, but caused another glitch (blinking lighting of some distant objects). I don't know if this would happen on a GeForce 4 as well.

This annoyed me enough to get a GeForce 7800GS instead, which is working great so far.

Josh

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Oct 2005

England, UK

D/Mo

14 May 2006 at 12:32 - 10

nVidia GeForce 4 Ti4200 ~ What'd you expect? :|

Right-Click your Gw.exe, and change the target from something like:

"C:\Program Files\Guild Wars\Gw.exe"

to

"C:\Program Files\Guild Wars\Gw.exe" -dx8 -heapsize 384000 -map

Also, close all un-needed processes, I mean, I get to 16 Processes if I close all the crap, something like below:

I also go into 'msconfig' from Run and I already have everytime I startup my PC, it doesn't startup all the un-needed services that you can't specifically end in your Task Manager, and also stop un-needed programs starting up upon boot of your Computer.

Serafita Kayin

Exclusive Reclusive

Join Date: May 2005

Tuscaloosa, AL

Seraph's Pinion (wing)

R/Me

14 May 2006 at 14:41 - 11

Don't bash hardware.

Hmm, starting with FPE, the renderer was moved to the DX9 API, and as such a DX9 card would seriously benefit you. In addition, you mentioned strange fan noises, I would say it is time to replace that card. The Ti4200 isn't getting any younger and seriously lacks in horsepower for today's games.

Cybergasm

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jan 2006

14 May 2006 at 15:49 - 12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Josh

nVidia GeForce 4 Ti4200 ~ What'd you expect? :|

Right-Click your Gw.exe, and change the target from something like:

"C:\Program Files\Guild Wars\Gw.exe"

to

"C:\Program Files\Guild Wars\Gw.exe" -dx8 -heapsize 384000 -map

Also, close all un-needed processes, I mean, I get to 16 Processes if I close all the crap, something like below:

I also go into 'msconfig' from Run and I already have everytime I startup my PC, it doesn't startup all the un-needed services that you can't specifically end in your Task Manager, and also stop un-needed programs starting up upon boot of your Computer.

You are running 0 ammount of firewall.

I would also say that its your video-card thats doing this. I would recommend an ATI 9550 256mb- it can even run BF2 and F.E.A.R. at a steady 20fps (lowest settings of course). Also, check out the whopping price;
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814123001

For that you can even afford a 512 memory upgrade; G.SKILL? I think so

Nirvy

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Apr 2005

England

Dangerously Incompetent

Rt/Mo

14 May 2006 at 16:22 - 13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cybergasm

You are running 0 ammount of firewall.

I would also say that its your video-card thats doing this. I would recommend an ATI 9550 256mb- it can even run BF2 and F.E.A.R. at a steady 20fps (lowest settings of course). Also, check out the whopping price;
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814123001

For that you can even afford a 512 memory upgrade; G.SKILL? I think so

Prolly has a Hardware Firewall built into his router. I know i do. Hardware > Software

Cybergasm

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jan 2006

14 May 2006 at 16:28 - 14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nirvy

Prolly has a Hardware Firewall built into his router. I know i do. Hardware > Software

ahhh... touché.

Josh

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Oct 2005

England, UK

D/Mo

14 May 2006 at 18:59 - 15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nirvy

Prolly has a Hardware Firewall built into his router. I know i do. Hardware > Software

That I do.

Lord Cooper

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jun 2005

Black Death Knights

E/

16 May 2006 at 09:29 - 16

almost certainly heat related. especially if you dont dust out the case and fans regular

fallot

I'm the king

Join Date: Nov 2005

Aussie Trolling Crew: Grand Phallus and Chairman Pro Tempore

16 May 2006 at 09:46 - 17

Yeah, I know that stuff isn't getting any younger, I've been putting off replacing anything for a while since it ran so well. Its going to get replaced soon, but I was browsing GWonline and found an interesting and similar post.

So I'm going to try the game with the -dx8 parameter, and the suggestion that fixed the guy's problem in the linked thread. If that doesn't work, I'll lighten my pocket a bit

vilson

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jan 2006

20 May 2006 at 21:13 - 18

I've got pretty much same problem, it occurs usually after minimizing/after loading of new area. FPS drops to 1-3 and nothing helps except restarting Guild Wars.

My system:

2x512 Mb Kingston Valueram (PC-3200, Dual channel)
2,8 Ghz Pentium IV Prescott
GeForce 6600 GT AGP 128 Mb
Abit IC-7 MAX3

I've got latest BIOS for GPU and motherboard. I've also got latest drivers for everything. My computer is also freshly formatted and defragged.

nomed

Banned

Join Date: Feb 2006

20 May 2006 at 22:57 - 19

yea with the last few updates since 1-2 months ago i notice a fps drop too. places that used to be perfect are now glitching and since one certain update i get graphic errors at the mursaat towers.

i got similiar specs, 2ghz amd, 512 mb ram, ati 9600 pro.