cool_t Posted January 13, 2008 Posted January 13, 2008 Hi, I have been pondering this for a long time but I keep forgeting to post this issue I have always had with the A-10s cluster bombs and Video studdering when they impact. The problem is when I take out a line of tanks with cluster bombs or whater the ground target is and I look back to see the explotions the Video gets choppy. I have tried a number of different settings for my VIdeo cards (Dual-cards) they are working togeather at the correct setting. OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Professional Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 2 Build 2600 OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation System Name MIGKILLER System Type X86-based PC Processor x86 Family 15 Model 35 Stepping 2 AuthenticAMD ~1808 Mhz Processor x86 Family 15 Model 35 Stepping 2 AuthenticAMD ~1808 Mhz Windows Directory C:\WINDOWS System Directory C:\WINDOWS\system32 Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume1 Locale United States Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = User Name MIGKILLER\Torrey Total Physical Memory 1,024.00 MB Available Physical Memory 688.01 MB Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB Page File Space 2.40 GB Here is some info on my PC, does anyone have any Ideas how to fix the choppness when cluster bombs are used? :helpsmilie:
RedTiger Posted January 13, 2008 Posted January 13, 2008 I noticed that you have 1 gig memory but have 688.01 free. You could probably improve that by running msconfig and shutting down some of the useless crap (who the hell uses a smartcard? WTF is a smartcard?) Windows XP likes to run in the background. Just go through and look up each item on google to see if its a critical process. You can also use this program here to further ensure that stuff is shutdown: http://www.softpedia.com/get/Tweak/System-Tweak/FSAutoStart.shtml Open the task list and sort it by memory usage. Look at what is using the most memory and try to figure out what it is. Be careful not to close a critical process, use the web to research what each process in question does. Uninstalling Indexing Service can help a tiny bit too. All of this is going to depend on what settings you run the sim, of course. You're probably going to get some comments on your processor speed, but trust me, you'll be surprised at what freeing up some memory can do.
Brit_Radar_Dude Posted January 13, 2008 Posted January 13, 2008 A util that many folks use to shut down un-needed stuff is fsautostart http://kensalter.com/downloads/fsautostart-v-11-build-11/ I like it because it allows you to launch your Flight Sim plus other stuff eg TrackIR from within it, and it restarts all the stuff that it shutdown after you exit the Sim. [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Sorry Death, you lose! It was Professor Plum....
RedTiger Posted January 13, 2008 Posted January 13, 2008 A util that many folks use to shut down un-needed stuff is fsautostart http://kensalter.com/downloads/fsautostart-v-11-build-11/ I like it because it allows you to launch your Flight Sim plus other stuff eg TrackIR from within it, and it restarts all the stuff that it shutdown after you exit the Sim. Thats also what I linked to him! I guess I should have explained what it was. :D
SoaringEagle74 Posted January 14, 2008 Posted January 14, 2008 Hi, I have been pondering this for a long time but I keep forgeting to post this issue I have always had with the A-10s cluster bombs and Video studdering when they impact. The problem is when I take out a line of tanks with cluster bombs or whater the ground target is and I look back to see the explotions the Video gets choppy. I have tried a number of different settings for my VIdeo cards (Dual-cards) they are working togeather at the correct setting. OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Professional Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 2 Build 2600 OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation System Name MIGKILLER System Type X86-based PC Processor x86 Family 15 Model 35 Stepping 2 AuthenticAMD ~1808 Mhz Processor x86 Family 15 Model 35 Stepping 2 AuthenticAMD ~1808 Mhz Windows Directory C:\WINDOWS System Directory C:\WINDOWS\system32 Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume1 Locale United States Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = User Name MIGKILLER\Torrey Total Physical Memory 1,024.00 MB Available Physical Memory 688.01 MB Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB Page File Space 2.40 GB Here is some info on my PC, does anyone have any Ideas how to fix the choppness when cluster bombs are used? :helpsmilie: How are you using two video cards? By looking at the data you provided I don't see this. All I see is that you are using 2 amd processors, each running at 1808 Mhz. I also see that your ram is 1GB and I am guessing you have paged another 2GB of hard disk to virtual memory. This is ok but virtual memory, because of relativly slow data transfer rate between hard drive and cpu, will eventually slow down your graphics performance after playing for a long time. I think(but I am relativly sure) virtual memory is used only after physical memory(ram) is used. I think you are better off to unpage this virtual memory back to xp/vista default and simply add another stick of ram to get 2GB ram. Alternatively, set graphics to low and get a good fps. I also use 1GB ram because I cannot upgrade my laptop...it is a 3 yr old system!;) I would not bother shutting down processes unless you are a computer expert. Too many things can go wrong if you accidently shut down the wrong ones including corrupting your windows installation and having to reinstall everything! Also, please tell us the make and model of your graphics card so we can get a better picture of your system. Are you using the latest video and sound drivers? What version of DirectX? There are many factors to consider.
RedTiger Posted January 14, 2008 Posted January 14, 2008 How are you using two video cards? By looking at the data you provided I don't see this. All I see is that you are using 2 amd processors, each running at 1808 Mhz. I also see that your ram is 1GB and I am guessing you have paged another 2GB of hard disk to virtual memory. This is ok but virtual memory, because of relativly slow data transfer rate between hard drive and cpu, will eventually slow down your graphics performance after playing for a long time. I think(but I am relativly sure) virtual memory is used only after physical memory(ram) is used. I think you are better off to unpage this virtual memory back to xp/vista default and simply add another stick of ram to get 2GB ram. Alternatively, set graphics to low and get a good fps. I also use 1GB ram because I cannot upgrade my laptop...it is a 3 yr old system!;) I would not bother shutting down processes unless you are a computer expert. Too many things can go wrong if you accidently shut down the wrong ones including corrupting your windows installation and having to reinstall everything! Also, please tell us the make and model of your graphics card so we can get a better picture of your system. Are you using the latest video and sound drivers? What version of DirectX? There are many factors to consider. I can't speak for page SIZE, but I can tell you that lowering your pagefile or putting it to zero will not force windows to use physical RAM first. Apparantly thats a common misconception.
cool_t Posted January 15, 2008 Author Posted January 15, 2008 Hi Current Vid Cards are, NVIDIA GeForce 7800 GT. SLI setting is working as well to, I had to set them up right. I was getting flickering clouds befor but now there normal. I have most of the settings on LOW. I do not realy have to many issues, but the fact that when droping clusters it slows way down. :helpsmilie:
Kaptein_Damli Posted January 15, 2008 Posted January 15, 2008 Current Vid Cards are, NVIDIA GeForce 7800 GT. SLI setting is working as well to, I had to set them up right. I was getting flickering clouds befor but now there normal. I have most of the settings on LOW. I do not realy have to many issues, but the fact that when droping clusters it slows way down. :helpsmilie: It is not just your system, every mate I have (even one with dual core) gets stuttering when cluster bombs impacts on tanks. This happens due to bad programming. (Maybe shaders). Remember, this game use DirectX 8.0. Now we are on ver.10. Even Direct X 9 had some improvement in code I think. I also suspect the programmers for not optimazing the code when things are on fire, explosions, even shooting with your 20mm on the ground can cause stuttering. The biggets problem is cluster bombs or when you use B-1H/B-52 (is this the US bomber, canґt remember the name) to make a runwayattack with bombs. I have a track when a bomber attacks the runwaw while I am powering up my plane. I was down to 14 fps, and I have 50-60 average when flying. It is odd, that Call of Duty 4 which is a game from 2007 (Lock On is from 2003 I think) goes smooth as silk on 90 FPS and it goes down to 40 fps when the airstrike comes in with LOTS of explosions and smoke! The even other odd thing is that explosions and smoke in COD 4 looks a lot better than Lock On. I know its an eldering game, but what I really would like to see in a patch was optimazing the code. I belive UBI just wanted to lauch the game, and the code was not optimized. Itґs odd you need almost need dual core and 4GB RAM and an hefty GPU just to play a game from 2003....I know the AFM takes CPU but they could have improved the code! Back to what you can do to make it run as best as possible. Try to set effects to "none". That takes away the fire I think and the explosions looks not that nice, but it saves a lot of fps. Also make sure you have 100 km in scenery and low on visual range. Setting medium on textures and scenery also helps. Adding 1 GB ram which is pretty cheap these days also really helps. I donґt think your GPU is suffering, the game is VERY CPU hungry due to bad coding. Upgrading your rig is the only way. Or do like I do, play more il2 1946 in perfect settings with constant 50-60 fps :) Another tip, go into the config of your videocard and set AA no more than 2X, AF off, V sync FORCED OFF (this gave me 30% better fps), force billiniar filtering, and see what settings is the lowest on the videocard. Also download Rivatuner, overlclock your videocard (watch the temperature!), and uninstall restore points thing in XP. Download advanced windows care (best prog there is just google it), defrag every week, close down virusscanner and everything else you donґt need to run Lock On. Good luck! :) BTW: What soundcard tou you use? I have heard old sound cards can eat some CPU load. Also make sure you download newest drivers for your GPU. If you have a LCD screen and playing in native resolution (mine is 1280X1024) setting lower resolution often makes things look ugly due to LCD scaling. Buy yourself (think people these days would give you one for free!) and play on a CRT. This way 1024X768 ex. does not look that bad due to interlacing instead of LCD scaling. That is what I donґt like with LCD screens. You have to play on the native resolution. Otherwise it would not look that "crisp" due to scaling. My moviemaking channel at YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/RobertDamli
SoaringEagle74 Posted January 15, 2008 Posted January 15, 2008 Current Vid Cards are, NVIDIA GeForce 7800 GT. SLI setting is working as well to, I had to set them up right. I was getting flickering clouds befor but now there normal. I have most of the settings on LOW. I do not realy have to many issues, but the fact that when droping clusters it slows way down. :helpsmilie: What is the memory value of your video card and does it share memory with other hardware? I would say a 256mb card is almost mandatory for good performance. I have learned not to trust the software manufacturer's 'minimum requirements' unless you don't mind below average performance.:D I also happen to agree that a lot of the codding has been rushed resulting in memory leaks and poor overall game performance. I am no programmer but the facts speak for themselves!
nemises Posted January 15, 2008 Posted January 15, 2008 ^^ It is probably CPU load stutter.. from what I've been reading about LOMAC in the past few weeks the following appears to be the case (happy to be corrected): - LOMAC is not threaded in any way (therefor is not dual CPU aware) - LOMAC uses Direct X 8 - LOMAC's smoke and explosion particle animation is not offloaded to Vid Card, it is calculated by CPU With these in mind, a cluster bomb will try to animate an explosion and smoke cloud for each bomblet...the particle animation and calculations, whilst probably quite simple (ie no interaction with anything except the ground plane initial collision) , are still considerable (non shader transparency, 15 - 20 frames of animation(?) per explosion , another 15 - 20 frames of animation per smoke cloud (?)). As this is all offloaded to the CPU rather than a shader engine on the vid card (with cycles to spare) , it has to queue up and fit in with all the other calculations the flight engine / sound engine and asset management systems have. As it's not threaded, all of this will be hit against a single core. for 5 or 10 expolsions, probably not a problem, but for 15 or 20 (?) as on a cluster bomb.... so..more memory, or a better vid card probably will not help..it is pure processing power. All of this is conjecture on my part (and based off other threads on this board)
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