Notorious Time Compression Bug

Shankwize · 09-10-12, 11:28 AM

Just wondering if anyone found a fix for the TC bug where it seems that the game will not allow a player to go past 256 - 512 without slowing to almost a dead-stop? I know there has already been a thread dedicated to this but i reviewed all posts and did not find a solution anywhere within. It seems to be a very common problem and completely renders the career unplayable and forces the player to start a new career with the chance that it will happen again. here is a link to the old thread on the topic:

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=157488

any ideas or solutions or are we just completely screwed and need to bite the bullet and restart?

fireftr18 · 09-10-12, 02:18 PM

It's not a bug. It's a computer issue. Computers with lower specs will slow after the time compression gets so high, especially if there is land or other ships close. My old computer slowed when land was near about the 2200 mark. My new computer will noticeably slow if land is near about the 7500 mark. It will still slow to a crawl at about the 240 mark if within about 25 miles of a friendly port.

razark · 09-10-12, 05:17 PM

What version of SH4 are you using?
Are you running any mods?

The bug I'm thinking of was something that was causing problems in TMO or RSRD, and involved getting to close to Truk. If it was that bug, the issue was investigated, tracked, hunted down, and stomped into submission in a later version.

Armistead · 09-10-12, 05:50 PM

I know of no bug either, cept as stated, low PC specs.

razark · 09-10-12, 06:32 PM

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=169421
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=171143

09-10-12, 06:53 PM

yep, the listed computer specs for the game are a flat out lie lol

the cpu is right but the video card and ram you need are double what the specs show or you will have lag issues like your talking about.

you will most likely get very slow fps everytime the event cam runs too

Mikemike47 · 09-10-12, 07:00 PM

Go to Your drive letter\Documents\SH4\Data\Cfg folder. Open up the main.cfg file. First backup the original file by saving it under a different name. Look for the [TIME COMPRESSION] section. You can experiment with changing the time compression settings to higher ones which have to be multiples of 2 (binary). Save the modified main.cfg file. You do not have to start a new campaign or patrol. Works the same for SH3 and SH5, too.

Shankwize · 09-10-12, 09:10 PM

Comp specs:
Sabertooth 990FX mobo
AMD Phenom IIx2 560 3.58GHz
16GB GSKill DDR3 Ram
Windows 7 Pro 64bit
Zotac Geforce GTX 680
I highly doubt its Hardware related.

I am using SH4 U-Boat Missions 1.5
No mods at all stock everything

I'm pretty sure I know what happened. How easy is it for a game save to be corrupted while saving while in TC mode as well as being between two 'large convoys'? I've heard that it has great potential to ruin a game-save. I'm thinking that's what happened!?

Rockin Robbins · 09-10-12, 09:16 PM

Saving in time compression is something I have never done. But the two convoys shouldn't be a problem. This game is very good at saving games and you should have no issues with that. But I would not save while in time compression. With your system you should be smooth all the way to 2048x and much higher.

Shankwize · 09-10-12, 10:46 PM

yes indeed i could get it all the way up to 8000 there about and it would be still run smooth as silk it just randomly started doing this pretty sure the save file is corrupted

Jovianmoon · 09-11-12, 09:23 AM

I have been lurking at PD on this forum for some time. Great contributions from all, especially in the download sector.

I might suggest this problem be put down to SH4 1.5 - the infamous U-boat Missions add-on. I suspect I'll be shouted down on that. I now have only SH4 1.4 plus TMO 1.4 (no TMO support after that) and have not had any such problems (having long since discarded the UBM add-on). I also haven't had a submerged U-boat with crew still on watch, as with UBM, but that's another gripe.

So my advice - just as a test and most probably against the protests of 1.5 UBM fans - uninstall the game, put aside the UBM add-on, and then re-install and patch up only to 1.4 (with whichever 1.4-compatible mods you prefer) and see if you still have the same problem.

Miss the U-boats? Just play SH3 GWX - that has all the U-boats you could ever want in glorious detail, and with actual German dialogue (instead of English with US accents). UBM in SH4 is redundant and a step backwards in terms of bugs and lack of immersion for the franchise, IMHO (now diving to avoid the inevitable DC attack after those remarks).

Cheers.

BigWalleye · 09-11-12, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockin Robbins

Saving in time compression is something I have never done. But the two convoys shouldn't be a problem. This game is very good at saving games and you should have no issues with that. But I would not save while in time compression.

I'm not sure it is possible to save in time compression. If I go to the Options menu (to save a game, for example), the game reverts to 1:1 time when I resume it. So I would guess that the time compression status is not saved.

BigWalleye · 09-11-12, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jovianmoon

Miss the U-boats? Just play SH3 GWX - that has all the U-boats you could ever want in glorious detail, and with actual German dialogue (instead of English with US accents). UBM in SH4 is redundant and a step backwards in terms of bugs and lack of immersion for the franchise, IMHO (now diving to avoid the inevitable DC attack after those remarks).

Cheers.

Have you tried OM? The boats are well-done, the dialog is German if you use Spax's German speech mod, and the game mechanics are SH4. It's practically a separate game.

Sailor Steve · 09-11-12, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jovianmoon

I suspect I'll be shouted down on that. I now have only SH4 1.4 plus TMO 1.4 (no TMO support after that) and have not had any such problems (having long since discarded the UBM add-on). I also haven't had a submerged U-boat with crew still on watch, as with UBM, but that's another gripe.

Shouted down? Why? Would you shout someone down for posting an opinion? Not me, nor anyone else here that I know of.

Disagreed with? Sure. I still have a seven-year-old single-core system, upgraded as far as possible with a dedicated Soundblaster card and a 1 GB ATI 4650. I use the U-Boat add-on (have to if I want to play OM) and I have never had the above problem. Therefore my opinion is that while it may be a problem it's most certainly not a bug, either software or hardware. What it is, I have no idea. Please, shout me down if you feel the need.

razark · 09-11-12, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

Shouted down? Why? Would you shout someone down for posting an opinion? Not me, nor anyone else here that I know of.

How odd. I thought you were familiar with the General Topics section.

(If you really want to see someone get their undies in a twist, just ask which is better: fleet boats or u-boats.

)

09-10-12, 11:28 AM	#1
Shankwize Nub Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 3 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Notorious Time Compression Bug Just wondering if anyone found a fix for the TC bug where it seems that the game will not allow a player to go past 256 - 512 without slowing to almost a dead-stop? I know there has already been a thread dedicated to this but i reviewed all posts and did not find a solution anywhere within. It seems to be a very common problem and completely renders the career unplayable and forces the player to start a new career with the chance that it will happen again. here is a link to the old thread on the topic: http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=157488 any ideas or solutions or are we just completely screwed and need to bite the bullet and restart?

09-10-12, 05:17 PM	#3
razark Ocean Warrior Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 2,725 Downloads: 393 Uploads: 12	What version of SH4 are you using? Are you running any mods? The bug I'm thinking of was something that was causing problems in TMO or RSRD, and involved getting to close to Truk. If it was that bug, the issue was investigated, tracked, hunted down, and stomped into submission in a later version. __________________ "Never ask a World War II history buff for a 'final solution' to your problem!"

09-10-12, 06:32 PM	#5
razark Ocean Warrior Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 2,725 Downloads: 393 Uploads: 12	http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=169421 http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=171143 __________________ "Never ask a World War II history buff for a 'final solution' to your problem!"

09-10-12, 07:00 PM	#7
Mikemike47 Grey Wolf Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: NY Posts: 994 Downloads: 1078 Uploads: 6	Possible lag issues Go to Your drive letter\Documents\SH4\Data\Cfg folder. Open up the main.cfg file. First backup the original file by saving it under a different name. Look for the [TIME COMPRESSION] section. You can experiment with changing the time compression settings to higher ones which have to be multiples of 2 (binary). Save the modified main.cfg file. You do not have to start a new campaign or patrol. Works the same for SH3 and SH5, too.

09-10-12, 09:16 PM	#9
Rockin Robbins Navy Seal Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: DeLand, FL Posts: 8,899 Downloads: 135 Uploads: 52	Saving in time compression is something I have never done. But the two convoys shouldn't be a problem. This game is very good at saving games and you should have no issues with that. But I would not save while in time compression. With your system you should be smooth all the way to 2048x and much higher. __________________ Sub Skipper's Bag of Tricks, Slightly Subnuclear Mk 14 & Cutie, Slightly Subnuclear Deck Gun, EZPlot 2.0, TMOPlot, TMOKeys, SH4CMS

09-10-12, 02:18 PM	#2
fireftr18 Ocean Warrior Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Kentucky Posts: 2,526 Downloads: 77 Uploads: 0	It's not a bug. It's a computer issue. Computers with lower specs will slow after the time compression gets so high, especially if there is land or other ships close. My old computer slowed when land was near about the 2200 mark. My new computer will noticeably slow if land is near about the 7500 mark. It will still slow to a crawl at about the 240 mark if within about 25 miles of a friendly port.

09-10-12, 05:50 PM	#4
Armistead Rear Admiral Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: on the Dan Posts: 10,864 Downloads: 364 Uploads: 0	I know of no bug either, cept as stated, low PC specs.

09-10-12, 06:53 PM	#6
Webster Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	yep, the listed computer specs for the game are a flat out lie lol the cpu is right but the video card and ram you need are double what the specs show or you will have lag issues like your talking about. you will most likely get very slow fps everytime the event cam runs too

09-10-12, 09:10 PM	#8
Shankwize Nub Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 3 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Comp specs: Sabertooth 990FX mobo AMD Phenom IIx2 560 3.58GHz 16GB GSKill DDR3 Ram Windows 7 Pro 64bit Zotac Geforce GTX 680 I highly doubt its Hardware related. I am using SH4 U-Boat Missions 1.5 No mods at all stock everything I'm pretty sure I know what happened. How easy is it for a game save to be corrupted while saving while in TC mode as well as being between two 'large convoys'? I've heard that it has great potential to ruin a game-save. I'm thinking that's what happened!?

09-10-12, 10:46 PM	#10
Shankwize Nub Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 3 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	yes indeed i could get it all the way up to 8000 there about and it would be still run smooth as silk it just randomly started doing this pretty sure the save file is corrupted

09-11-12, 09:23 AM	#11
Jovianmoon Swabbie Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 6 Downloads: 39 Uploads: 0	I have been lurking at PD on this forum for some time. Great contributions from all, especially in the download sector. I might suggest this problem be put down to SH4 1.5 - the infamous U-boat Missions add-on. I suspect I'll be shouted down on that. I now have only SH4 1.4 plus TMO 1.4 (no TMO support after that) and have not had any such problems (having long since discarded the UBM add-on). I also haven't had a submerged U-boat with crew still on watch, as with UBM, but that's another gripe. So my advice - just as a test and most probably against the protests of 1.5 UBM fans - uninstall the game, put aside the UBM add-on, and then re-install and patch up only to 1.4 (with whichever 1.4-compatible mods you prefer) and see if you still have the same problem. Miss the U-boats? Just play SH3 GWX - that has all the U-boats you could ever want in glorious detail, and with actual German dialogue (instead of English with US accents). UBM in SH4 is redundant and a step backwards in terms of bugs and lack of immersion for the franchise, IMHO (now diving to avoid the inevitable DC attack after those remarks). Cheers.