Poor performance - drivers?

CCIP · 06-06-06, 10:22 AM

Just wanted to get some advice here -

I've been running SHIII on my new, much-improved system, but I keep having performance issues - namely when I switch between external and internal views, or between different compartments, my FPS drops to completely unplayable rates. ALT+TAB twice fixes this, but doing it too often (as I'm forced to) causes occasional graphics glitches and save corruption.

I've tried it on two sound cards, with different drivers, neither of which are perfect; but it's still the same, so I've more or less ruled this out.

What else could it be? Video drivers?

If anyone's been in a similar situation and has something to share, please do!

cobalt · 06-06-06, 10:37 AM

whats your system specs?

CCIP · 06-06-06, 10:47 AM

The core of it is...

(Windows 2000)
Pentium 4 3Ghz
2Gb Dual Channel DDR RAM
GeForce 6800OC, 128mb (drivers 84.21)

For audio, I tried both my on-board SoundMax card (crap) and my old but fairly decent Turtle Beach card. The results performance-wise are more or less the same, that's why I'm skeptical that this is the problem after all.

Gizzmoe · 06-06-06, 10:50 AM

Try an older video driver:
http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp-2k_archive.html

tycho102 · 06-06-06, 11:36 AM

I've got a AMD64 2ghz, a Turtle Beach Montego, a 6800GT (running at stock Ultra levels), and the 87.24's. WinXP 32-bit, with SP2. Definately no complaints at 1600x1200. Even the subpen runs at ~33fps.

Remember that there are battles going on all over the map. If I had to guess, within maybe 200km of your current position. I have intercepted a task force, and had the Luftwaffe bomb the hell out of all the surviving destroyers and battleships while I was diving to "escape". The frame rate routinely drops during these simulated battles, even when you're out in the boonies of the mid-Atlantic.

CCIP · 06-06-06, 11:42 AM

No, I'd know if it was the battles - I'm certainly well-aware of how the game usually works. It has nothing to do with the battles and everything to do with the switch between internal/external views.

Still trying out drivers, going back to older ones didn't help so far.

CCIP · 06-06-06, 12:26 PM

Well I would never have guessed...

Thanks for the help guys, but it looks like a mod issue. Will see how I can deal with this...

Manock · 06-06-06, 09:44 PM

Big Fan of your mods CCIP, though I wonder what a Canadian is doing with a Soviet id.

Sounds like your computer tech head has gotten you into exotic trouble, and for some unfathomable computer genius reason you have decided to run gameware on a business operating system.

Your just going to have to bite the bullet, be like the rest of us, and run it on XP like God, & Washington DC intended.

REALLY liked your Lights mod. Ill always remember standing on the bridge when that first Sunderland spotlight hit me like a ball peen hammer right between the eyes. The pain was exsquissite.

Your rock dude, but really, quit larking around with those nancys over in filing, & get out there in the sea again on XP.

Your Pal
Manock

CCIP · 06-06-06, 09:50 PM

I doubt it's the OS, since it ran just fine and dandy on this before!

I think I got over most of it by updating drivers and checking over my mods, though some of the need to ALT+TAB hasn't gone away. I guess I'll live with it but, if it gets worse, XP it is.

Oh, and it's not Soviet, it's Continuously Computed Impact Point (also Cisco Certified Internetwork Professional, though I'm not one). Though there's irony to the Soviet thing, since I was technically born in the CCCP :p

Deep Six · 06-07-06, 01:36 PM

I would have to say it's a driver issue, I had the very same thing happen to me when I installed the latest Nvidia 91.31 drivers (Beta) from Nzone. every time I switched views I had a massive drop in FPS I then went back to my much loved and tested Force ware 84.66 drivers from Guru of 3D..... You can get the Jelly belly cert drivers or I go for the Force ware ultra "Sedona" 84.66. The Nvidia 84 set of drivers are well loved in the gaming/overclocking community for there stability. Now if you have trouble with these drivers then pop on over to Tweaks R us and get there XTremeG 84.56 v3, another great modified and STABLE driver well suited to Geforce 6600GT cards

here are your links : http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?id=2 this is for the "sedona"

And go here : http://www.tweaksrus.com/index.php?o...127&Itemid=41/

This will take you straight to the Extreme downloads page....

Remember if you are going to install new drivers you must get a good cleaner to get all the left over reg settings that do not disappear when you un-install your previous driver and can recommend one very cool program that's free called Drive cleaner pro get it from here : http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?id=8.

As a quick guide un-install your current drivers using the control panel Add/Remove, once you have rebooted run Drive cleaner pro setting the cleaner for Nvidia once that has cleaned out all that was left over then install your new driver, CAUTION if you are going to install the 84.66 Sedona when it asks you do you want it to clean your files say NO just continue with your install as you have already cleaned out any residing nvidia reg edits...Hope this helps.....and if these don't work try any of the other of the driver sets at both sites..... BOY do not go anywhere near the new 91XX drivers as they are totally crap and at the moment have issues with AA properly working above 2X !!!!!

Deep Six

CCIP · 06-07-06, 02:47 PM

Thanks Deep Six!

Actually, the Sedona drivers didn't work well for me, but they confirmed exactly what you thought - the performance was noticably worse on them in exactly the places where I had problems before, indicating that this is indeed a driver issue.

I'll try 84.56 now and see how they work.

CCIP · 06-07-06, 03:31 PM

Nope, still no luck

I guess I'm at a point where I can at least live with it and have the issue at manageable levels. I've tried over a half-dozen different drivers at this point.

Unless someone has had this specific problem and knows a solution, I guess I'll let it go and live with it for now.

Kpt. Lehmann · 06-07-06, 04:22 PM

Hi CCIP,

It could be something as simple as one of your RAM sticks or a MOBO capacitor going south.

You might make a trip to your computer guru... or DIFFERENT computer guru for some diagnostics.

NEON DEON · 06-07-06, 04:23 PM

If the game ran fine in the past, what is different about it or your computer or software on you computer now?

CCIP · 06-07-06, 04:55 PM

Well, my computer is different, for one... New mobo, new processor.

I'll keep trying. One thing I can say is that the problems are restricted to SHIII. Everything else runs great on it so far.

I'll check with the gurus, if I can find them. Again, the game does run OK for the most part, so it's not something I'm willing to spend a lot on.:hmm:

06-06-06, 10:22 AM	#1
CCIP Navy Seal Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Waterloo, Canada Posts: 8,700 Downloads: 29 Uploads: 2	Poor performance - drivers? Just wanted to get some advice here - I've been running SHIII on my new, much-improved system, but I keep having performance issues - namely when I switch between external and internal views, or between different compartments, my FPS drops to completely unplayable rates. ALT+TAB twice fixes this, but doing it too often (as I'm forced to) causes occasional graphics glitches and save corruption. I've tried it on two sound cards, with different drivers, neither of which are perfect; but it's still the same, so I've more or less ruled this out. What else could it be? Video drivers? If anyone's been in a similar situation and has something to share, please do! __________________ There are only forty people in the world and five of them are hamburgers. -Don Van Vliet (aka Captain Beefheart)

06-06-06, 10:47 AM	#3
CCIP Navy Seal Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Waterloo, Canada Posts: 8,700 Downloads: 29 Uploads: 2	The core of it is... (Windows 2000) Pentium 4 3Ghz 2Gb Dual Channel DDR RAM GeForce 6800OC, 128mb (drivers 84.21) For audio, I tried both my on-board SoundMax card (crap) and my old but fairly decent Turtle Beach card. The results performance-wise are more or less the same, that's why I'm skeptical that this is the problem after all. __________________ There are only forty people in the world and five of them are hamburgers. -Don Van Vliet (aka Captain Beefheart) Last edited by CCIP; 06-06-06 at 10:52 AM.

06-06-06, 11:36 AM	#5
tycho102 Ace of the Deep Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 1,100 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I've got a AMD64 2ghz, a Turtle Beach Montego, a 6800GT (running at stock Ultra levels), and the 87.24's. WinXP 32-bit, with SP2. Definately no complaints at 1600x1200. Even the subpen runs at ~33fps. Remember that there are battles going on all over the map. If I had to guess, within maybe 200km of your current position. I have intercepted a task force, and had the Luftwaffe bomb the hell out of all the surviving destroyers and battleships while I was diving to "escape". The frame rate routinely drops during these simulated battles, even when you're out in the boonies of the mid-Atlantic. __________________ My little Silent Hunter 4 repository

06-06-06, 11:42 AM	#6
CCIP Navy Seal Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Waterloo, Canada Posts: 8,700 Downloads: 29 Uploads: 2	No, I'd know if it was the battles - I'm certainly well-aware of how the game usually works. It has nothing to do with the battles and everything to do with the switch between internal/external views. Still trying out drivers, going back to older ones didn't help so far. __________________ There are only forty people in the world and five of them are hamburgers. -Don Van Vliet (aka Captain Beefheart)

06-06-06, 12:26 PM	#7
CCIP Navy Seal Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Waterloo, Canada Posts: 8,700 Downloads: 29 Uploads: 2	Well I would never have guessed... Thanks for the help guys, but it looks like a mod issue. Will see how I can deal with this... __________________ There are only forty people in the world and five of them are hamburgers. -Don Van Vliet (aka Captain Beefheart)

06-06-06, 10:37 AM	#2
cobalt Commander Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 440 Downloads: 21 Uploads: 0	whats your system specs?

06-06-06, 10:50 AM	#4
Gizzmoe Silent Hunter Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Germany Posts: 3,668 Downloads: 4 Uploads: 0	Try an older video driver: http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp-2k_archive.html

06-06-06, 09:44 PM	#8
Manock Bosun Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 68 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Windows 2000? Big Fan of your mods CCIP, though I wonder what a Canadian is doing with a Soviet id. Sounds like your computer tech head has gotten you into exotic trouble, and for some unfathomable computer genius reason you have decided to run gameware on a business operating system. Your just going to have to bite the bullet, be like the rest of us, and run it on XP like God, & Washington DC intended. REALLY liked your Lights mod. Ill always remember standing on the bridge when that first Sunderland spotlight hit me like a ball peen hammer right between the eyes. The pain was exsquissite. Your rock dude, but really, quit larking around with those nancys over in filing, & get out there in the sea again on XP. Your Pal Manock

06-06-06, 09:50 PM	#9
CCIP Navy Seal Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Waterloo, Canada Posts: 8,700 Downloads: 29 Uploads: 2	I doubt it's the OS, since it ran just fine and dandy on this before! I think I got over most of it by updating drivers and checking over my mods, though some of the need to ALT+TAB hasn't gone away. I guess I'll live with it but, if it gets worse, XP it is. Oh, and it's not Soviet, it's Continuously Computed Impact Point (also Cisco Certified Internetwork Professional, though I'm not one). Though there's irony to the Soviet thing, since I was technically born in the CCCP :p __________________ There are only forty people in the world and five of them are hamburgers. -Don Van Vliet (aka Captain Beefheart)

06-07-06, 01:36 PM	#10
Deep Six Ensign Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: England, Manchester. Posts: 235 Downloads: 104 Uploads: 0	I would have to say it's a driver issue, I had the very same thing happen to me when I installed the latest Nvidia 91.31 drivers (Beta) from Nzone. every time I switched views I had a massive drop in FPS I then went back to my much loved and tested Force ware 84.66 drivers from Guru of 3D..... You can get the Jelly belly cert drivers or I go for the Force ware ultra "Sedona" 84.66. The Nvidia 84 set of drivers are well loved in the gaming/overclocking community for there stability. Now if you have trouble with these drivers then pop on over to Tweaks R us and get there XTremeG 84.56 v3, another great modified and STABLE driver well suited to Geforce 6600GT cards here are your links : http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?id=2 this is for the "sedona" And go here : http://www.tweaksrus.com/index.php?o...127&Itemid=41/ This will take you straight to the Extreme downloads page.... Remember if you are going to install new drivers you must get a good cleaner to get all the left over reg settings that do not disappear when you un-install your previous driver and can recommend one very cool program that's free called Drive cleaner pro get it from here : http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?id=8. As a quick guide un-install your current drivers using the control panel Add/Remove, once you have rebooted run Drive cleaner pro setting the cleaner for Nvidia once that has cleaned out all that was left over then install your new driver, CAUTION if you are going to install the 84.66 Sedona when it asks you do you want it to clean your files say NO just continue with your install as you have already cleaned out any residing nvidia reg edits...Hope this helps.....and if these don't work try any of the other of the driver sets at both sites..... BOY do not go anywhere near the new 91XX drivers as they are totally crap and at the moment have issues with AA properly working above 2X !!!!! Deep Six __________________

06-07-06, 02:47 PM	#11
CCIP Navy Seal Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Waterloo, Canada Posts: 8,700 Downloads: 29 Uploads: 2	Thanks Deep Six! Actually, the Sedona drivers didn't work well for me, but they confirmed exactly what you thought - the performance was noticably worse on them in exactly the places where I had problems before, indicating that this is indeed a driver issue. I'll try 84.56 now and see how they work. __________________ There are only forty people in the world and five of them are hamburgers. -Don Van Vliet (aka Captain Beefheart)

06-07-06, 03:31 PM	#12
CCIP Navy Seal Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Waterloo, Canada Posts: 8,700 Downloads: 29 Uploads: 2	Nope, still no luck I guess I'm at a point where I can at least live with it and have the issue at manageable levels. I've tried over a half-dozen different drivers at this point. Unless someone has had this specific problem and knows a solution, I guess I'll let it go and live with it for now. __________________ There are only forty people in the world and five of them are hamburgers. -Don Van Vliet (aka Captain Beefheart)

06-07-06, 04:22 PM	#13
Kpt. Lehmann GWX Project Director Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: The Republic of Texas Posts: 6,993 Downloads: 124 Uploads: 0	Hi CCIP, It could be something as simple as one of your RAM sticks or a MOBO capacitor going south. You might make a trip to your computer guru... or DIFFERENT computer guru for some diagnostics. __________________ www.thegreywolves.com All you need is good men. - Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock

06-07-06, 04:23 PM	#14
NEON DEON Ace of the Deep Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 1,207 Downloads: 39 Uploads: 5	If the game ran fine in the past, what is different about it or your computer or software on you computer now?

06-07-06, 04:55 PM	#15
CCIP Navy Seal Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Waterloo, Canada Posts: 8,700 Downloads: 29 Uploads: 2	Well, my computer is different, for one... New mobo, new processor. I'll keep trying. One thing I can say is that the problems are restricted to SHIII. Everything else runs great on it so far. I'll check with the gurus, if I can find them. Again, the game does run OK for the most part, so it's not something I'm willing to spend a lot on.:hmm: __________________ There are only forty people in the world and five of them are hamburgers. -Don Van Vliet (aka Captain Beefheart)