Experiencing 10-30fps on a Strong PC on Minimum Setttings

DaxDax Join Date: 2013-03-23 Member: 184270Members
in Technical Support
Hey guys,

Post-gorgeous I've been starting games with 60fps droping to 10-30fps once the game gets going consistently on all servers in all areas of every map I've recently played. I'm running on a Intel Core i5 CPU 3.33GHz with 4 GB of RAM on Windows 7 64 bit and all of my in game settings are at minimum. I've tried running the game executable set to high priority but got no boost in performance. My default resolution is 1920x1080 but even dropping the resolution does not boost performance. My nVidia graphics driver is up to date. I'm attaching my dxdiag which I think I did correctly. I'll try and attach a log I made of a match in which this was occurring- log starts at about 25% through a game to the end of the game lobby, however its 33mb and I'm not sure the forum will allow me to attach it.

Any help you guys can give would be very much appreciated, I won't be able to play until I get this resolved. Thanks!
Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome

Comments

  • DaxDax Join Date: 2013-03-23 Member: 184270Members
    The forum is choking on my 33mb log file attachment, if anyone knows the best way to link it online please let me know. Thanks.
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • DaxDax Join Date: 2013-03-23 Member: 184270Members
    Uploaded to DropBox: https://www.dropbox.com/s/eul1l5gupso1lpg/client-0323-161101.plog

    I hope to heck that I didn't just open up my computer to massive security breaches. The things we do for gaming.
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • CurveCurve Join Date: 2003-12-17 Member: 24475Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    Which i5 do you have and what GFX card?
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • ScardyBobScardyBob ScardyBob Join Date: 2009-11-25 Member: 69528Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    edited March 2013
    Dax wrote: »
    Uploaded to DropBox: https://www.dropbox.com/s/eul1l5gupso1lpg/client-0323-161101.plog

    I hope to heck that I didn't just open up my computer to massive security breaches. The things we do for gaming.
    Na, you're fine. The plog log command is basically just outputting the profiler data to a file (e.g. the stuff that shows up on your screen when you type profile into the console).

    Are you using/running any mods?

    Also, it'd be useful if you made another plog and uploaded both it and your normal client log (in the AppData/natural selection2/ folder).

    Edit: If you can, also turn on r_stats and net_stats and take a few screenshots during the same match your doing the plog.

    Double Edit: I'd also try closing any other open program that you can when running NS2 to see if that solves the problem.

    Triple Edit: Do you have multicore rendering on or off?
    Curve wrote: »
    Which i5 do you have and what GFX card?
    Looking like an i5 661 and GTX 260. They are a bit older, but should be sufficient for running NS2.
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • DaxDax Join Date: 2013-03-23 Member: 184270Members
    You are correct on the CPU and graphics card ScardyBob. I'm not running any mods that I know of, although I've occasionally joined combat mode servers which downloaded some mods automatically. Multicore rendering is currently turned off. Shall I toggle it on?

    I'll try and get those screenies and a fresh plog as soon as I can.
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • DaxDax Join Date: 2013-03-23 Member: 184270Members
    Also, the plog I gave earlier is from the AppData/Roaming/Natural Selection 2 directory, what's the name of the normal log file that you want included as well?
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • rwsrws Milwaukee, WI Join Date: 2013-01-05 Member: 177696Members
    Normal log file is name log.txt. You definitely want to have multicore turned on especially when it comes to running cpu heavy applications.
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • ScardyBobScardyBob ScardyBob Join Date: 2009-11-25 Member: 69528Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    Dax wrote: »
    Multicore rendering is currently turned off. Shall I toggle it on?
    Yeah, it should be on. That's probably the source of your problems. Though, if they continue, do the steps I suggested and report the results.
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • DaxDax Join Date: 2013-03-23 Member: 184270Members
    I believe I turned multi-core off when I was going through and and turning all settings to minimum to try and fix the issue originally, but I'll try that. Here is the new plog, log.txt and screenies I just did. Problem starts halfway through match 2 on the plog.

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/zamiwrhuje8vp4t/client-0323-214707.plog

    First screenie from beginning of match, no issues, all the rest have the problem.

    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • ScardyBobScardyBob ScardyBob Join Date: 2009-11-25 Member: 69528Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    Oh ya, it looks like its related to having multicore rendering off. That third picture showing a 29ms 'waiting for render thread' gives it away.
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • DaxDax Join Date: 2013-03-23 Member: 184270Members
    I turned on multicore rendering and still dropped to 20fps 3/4 of the way through a match. Is there anything you can tell from that info I posted or do I need to do another full set? :P

    I appreciate your help by the way.
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • rwsrws Milwaukee, WI Join Date: 2013-01-05 Member: 177696Members
    Just so you're aware the first pic you showed was in the ready room, to which you're always going to have high fps in the ready room as there is nothing really there to have to render. Overall your fps stay consistent, which is a good sign despite the problem.
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • DaxDax Join Date: 2013-03-23 Member: 184270Members
    Hi rws,

    It actually gradually declines from 80-100 fps when the match starts, slowly decreasing until I'm down to 10-30 fps consistently. If I restart the client I start back up at 80 fps again.

    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • Ghosthree3Ghosthree3 Join Date: 2010-02-13 Member: 70557Members, Reinforced - Supporter
    ^Over heating issue (maybe)
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • Rich_Rich_ Join Date: 2012-11-05 Member: 167152Members
    edited March 2013
    Your CPU is dual core 3.3ghz. Your GPU only has 192 cuda cores on it. I'd be suprised if you got 30fps on all settings all the way down at 1280x720 resolution. Deffinitely get a better processor, and strongly consider a better gpu.

    Also, this PC you call strong is not even entry level. It's probably a strong office computer, but entry level these days is a quad core 3.x+ ghz with at least a 6750 or 7750 GPU containing 400 or more streamprocessors or cuda cores on it. And that's the very very bottom of entry level, your computer is about half that.
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • IronsoulIronsoul Join Date: 2011-03-12 Member: 86048Members
    GTX 260 should be "okay" for running ns2, I've got a gtx 295 and in single gpu mode it handled the game okay. I think your main issue could be lack of RAM.

    Although I agree with @Rich_ saying that what you consider a "Strong PC" is actually a low end of the mid range computer. The graphics card is low end by today's standards, still decent, but definitely no longer strong.

    I will put my gtx 295 in single gpu mode into my computer and run a couple tests, as I heard it was equivalent to two underclocked 260s in sli. I can't guarantee when I'll do that, probably next weekend (7+ days).
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • DaxDax Join Date: 2013-03-23 Member: 184270Members
    @Rich_, meh, I rewrote the thread a couple of times when the forum choked on my plog attachment, so I got careless with the wording, originally I said 'relatively strong'. I'm well aware its not top of the line anymore (nor was it when I built the PC actually). The point is it worked smooth as butter when the game first came out, so unless gorgeous really killed Unknown World's optimization efforts there's probably something else going on here. Some people are really quick to jump to blaming the rig as an easy solution in these kind of threads.

    @Ironsoul Thanks man, I look forward to hearing your results.

    Perhaps I'll grab some canned air and go to town on this thing in case its a cooling issue. I assume none of the logs cover CPU temp?
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • ScardyBobScardyBob ScardyBob Join Date: 2009-11-25 Member: 69528Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    Ironsoul wrote: »
    Although I agree with @Rich_ saying that what you consider a "Strong PC" is actually a low end of the mid range computer. The graphics card is low end by today's standards, still decent, but definitely no longer strong.
    Its not what I would consider a strong computer, but its easily sufficient to run NS2 at decent fps (in the 30+ range). From the pics/log/plog, there is obviously something going on that is causing his 'waiting for render' time to spike (it shouldn't be over 3-5ms at any time).

    @Dax the only other thing I can think of at the moment is that you have some sort of program running in the background causing issues. Is there a chance you can open up task manager in the middle of a NS2 and post a screenshot of the processes and performance tab.
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • CiroCiro Join Date: 2013-01-09 Member: 178392Members
    Dax wrote: »
    I believe I turned multi-core off when I was going through and and turning all settings to minimum to try and fix the issue originally, but I'll try that. Here is the new plog, log.txt and screenies I just did. Problem starts halfway through match 2 on the plog.

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/zamiwrhuje8vp4t/client-0323-214707.plog

    First screenie from beginning of match, no issues, all the rest have the problem.

    Looks like a CPU issue, in my opinion.

    After your FPS decreases (over the course of a match), restart the NS2 client, reconnect (to the same server) and join a fire fight, is your FPS near 80? If so, maybe your CPU getting too hot, during the match.
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • Rich_Rich_ Join Date: 2012-11-05 Member: 167152Members
    edited March 2013
    @ironsoul 295 is better than two 260's, in single GPU mode it will have use half of the 480 cuda cores for a total of 240. 260 only has 192 cudas. Other than that they are identical.

    @dax your 260 should be 'okay' to run any game with a few exceptions where details must be turned all the way down, ns2 being one of those games. Your CPU is the problem. It's bottlenecking that 260, that i5 661 is going to have trouble letting a 256bit 128 cuda core GTS 250 run to it's full potential, much less a 480 bit 192 cuda core GTX 260.

    The sad but true answer here, is that you are way way way overdue for a CPU upgrade. Gonna need a new motherboard, and go with an AMD 8350 or an Intel 3570k. All together it'll run about 250 dollars if you shop smart. In the mean time some extra ram couldnt hurt.

    http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu_lookup.php?cpu=Intel+Core+i5+661+@+3.33GHz
    You're way way way down near the bottom. In the "athlon" territory. So you really wont see any improvements till you change that.
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
Sign In or Register to comment.