Endless precaching

piotrass

After the update I can't join any server. It stucks on precaching (there is no percent rate, only "precaching" info with dots). It's loading and loading (about 10 minutes long, can't stand longer).

My specification:
Intel Core i5 430M
4 GB RAM
ATI Mobility Radeon HD5650

I've attached Tech Support file.

DC_Darkling

I wonder why its creating mipmaps.

First thing I would do in your case is start a listenserver without any mods, and let it load.. If you open your console with ~ when it is loading it may say something the log didnt show.
With 4GB and a mobile card I am not to surprised loading on a new patch with all the 'optimizing' can take long.

piotrass

I can play Sandbox Mode for instance.

piotrass

Ok, I joined the UWE Official Server.

piotrass

But I can't join UWE Official Server with players...
Here is console when I stucked on "Precaching".

DC_Darkling

I do not understand.. Why is it STILL creating mipmaps? Ive not seen that in my console before.
Nor does it provider any other messages the log gave.

@IronHorse‌ seen this before?

piotrass

Another interesting screen.

IronHorse

When it is stuck precaching alt tab and run techsupport.exe located in your ns2 folder.
This will create a dump file in a techsupport.zip for the devs to look over.
Upload it to Dropbox or somewhere and link it here, it will be a large file.
Thanks

ZeroEarTh

i have same problem , run in window mode its take while "Precaching..." >>> 15 minutes =='

matso

The "Creating texture" line in the log shows up if the graphics card takes > 10 ms to create the given texture. Normal time is < 0.1 ms.

One reason for a texture taking a long time to create can be that the card is out of vram and needs to stream texture data back to primary memory. If it is doing that, the game will be basically unplayable.

Go through the Options/Graphics and make sure everything is off/low, except for the VRAM amount - set that to 0.5Gb.

piotrass

@IronHorse‌, here it is link to the dump file: https://mega.co.nz/#!vBw1BAYZ!DvEIWlNwUVCTtMkdEkU0er-mmZcacFEfbn2QhJOe5tI
After 15 minutes of "precaching window" it started to loading some mipmaps. You can see it on the screen above.
Thank you very much for attention.

piotrass

@matso I already had settings on low/off. Checked VRAM amount, but it didn't help.

DC_Darkling

If vram on 0.5 (lowest) does not help.. as a test, try setting it to off.
This should give you the old way with all the hitching, but I wonder... would it boot?

You see you have a mobile gpu, and I suspect it does not have its own memory either. :P

piotrass

@DC_Darkling I had everything on low/off, even VRAM before, it didn't help though.
Still can't understand how one update could change my loading.

DC_Darkling

So you have tried vram with both 0.5 and off?
Did it save the option? (due to crashes and stuff?)

Did you check your harddisk, perhaps its not healthy?

piotrass

Okay, It helped! Sorry for too quick statement.
But now I can't understand how it could help if this was my previous adjustment...

piotrass

@DC_Darkling Strange, sometimes it can load the map, but most of the time it stucks on precaching.
I think my harddisk is ok, didn't notice any problems with it.

piotrass

Ok, I see that it can load the map with the lowest settings, but it lasts about 10 minutes (I join the game 6 minutes after the beginning - before the update it was max 3 minutes).

DC_Darkling

I would test your harddisk regardless JUST to be sure.
The increase in load times is because precaching was utterly broken last patch if I understood ok. (basicly.. precache more now, less stutters ingame)

I theorise 2 things in your case which may or may not be true.
* you simply load longer due to precaching. I do not know if this can be reduced except for ssd.
* you have no dedicated video memory due to having integrated gpu into the cpu (assumption) so you are best setting your vram to 0.5 or off. It will make serious stutters like before, but it will load.

piotrass

@DC_Darkling, thanks for helping. I'm surprised with the fact i can load the game today. Yesterday I was waiting much longer and couldn't join the server (with same settings, maybe it is because of the server type?). I will check the harddisk as you said. I know, SSD would improve loading time very much, I consider buying it. But today I didn't see any dropping frames. To sum up, after the latest update, I have longer precaching time, but no dropping frames.

DC_Darkling

To sum up, after the latest update, I have longer precaching time, but no dropping frames.

That is correct. That is the trade off. Since it loads most/all beforehand it does not need to do it midfight, producing smoother frames.

I do not know if it remembers mipmaps made.. If it does, I would imagine it now created them all?

METROID

Mb defragmentation the HDD can speedup things a little.

piotrass

@DC_Darkling @METROID Stupid me... I forgot to admit that I had hard drive format several days ago (but before the update, after the format game was still playable).

DC_Darkling

format... or defragment? :P
nethertheless, just be sure to check the disk just incase and enjoy ns2.