Sudden Fps Drop

Crimson · June 2005

i've been playing for about 6 months, and here recently whenever i go into a highly populated area, my FPS will drop to 20-30, it had never done this before, its not my graphics card, cause it did the same at all resolutions, and it runs HL2, DoD, TFC, CS, and others fine without this problem, it also started happening to a few of my friends, 1 of which has dual 6800 Ultra's. Is anyone else experiencing this, or know how to fix it? I've even reinstalled steam and NS, and it didnt help any, my ping is also normally around 30-40 even when this happens

Lt_Patch · June 2005

Vsync being on will affect your FPS more than anything, it uses less rendering power from your graphics card to render the full scene, but when something intense happens onscreen, then it can take almost a second (in the worst cases) for the graphics card to adjust the speeds, dropping your FPS over the timelapse. If your friend is running 6800Ultra cards, then their FPS will lock at the refresh rate of their monitor.

Make sure you've got nothing else running at the time, and check to see if this happens with anything else. Half-Life 2: Deathmatch is a good test of your graphics card power.

Crimson · June 2005

vsync is set to always off on my graphics card settings, and HL2:DM works fine too

InFlames · June 2005

Im also getting this issue, and its been happening since a couple of updates back.

Nvidia fx5600
1.8 amdxp (borked my nice 1 <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad-fix.gif' /> )
1gig ddr

Now admitidly I am playing on servers in the US when I am based here in the UK but this was never a problem before and also occurs when playing local servers.

The netgraph shows no choke/loss etc.. but i get what is visibly lag spiking on screen, when the ping is stable.

I have reset my rates and worked them up to a comfortable level via netgraph since and this makes no difference. When Im spiking the cpu usagage goes through the roof at 100%

All driver are up-to-date, also rolled back, defragged, no overheating nice and steady temps etc..

And it only happens in NS, I've personally run out of ideas, I even ran it on 600x400, on 16 bit colour was still painfull.

edit:: Also lowered the sound quality to crusty jeeze i forgot how bad it was also did nothing <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad-fix.gif' />

Some further ideas would be great just none of those im assuming your an idiot replies <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' />

Jarod · June 2005

neva happened here, and system:
512 DDR Ram
1.666 MHz
64 MB gfx

it's been this always, and can run almost every game there is, except for far cry and doom 3

Lt_Patch · June 2005

Do the normal checks, viruses and spyware, see if those affect it, people report varying levels of success with HL MODs, it's not any particular level of system that affects it neither.
For those without virus protection, <a href='http://free.grisoft.com' target='_blank'>AVG Free Edition</a>, for those with x86 versions of Windows. For those with x64 version, then you'll be wanting <a href='http://www.avast.com' target='_blank'>Avast! anti-virus</a>, which is the only one to work under x64 at the moment...

Spyware-wise, <a href='http://www.lavasoft.com' target='_blank'>Lavasoft's Ad-Aware</a> is a good program, compatible with both x86, and x64.
For those of you with legitimate Windows XP licenses, then <a href='http://g.msn.com/mh_mshp/98765?http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=321cd7a2-6a57-4c57-a8bd-dbf62eda9671&displaylang=en&&HL=Windows+AntiSpyware+(Beta)&CM=PopularPicks&CE=popDownloads' target='_blank'>Microsoft Anti-Spyware</a> is surprisingly good, but you'll need to submit to verfication checks before they'll let you download it. P2P Windows downloaders need not apply.

Check your systems, then post back if problems persist.

Crimson · June 2005

I have AVG Free Edition, and i also use one called NOD32, which catches stuff that AVG and Spybot missed. They have also tested them, by putting viruses on a comp, and NOD32 caught 96% of them, where the ones you gotta buy only caught like 50% of them.

Comp Stats:

Athlon 64 3000+ 2.0 Ghz
1024 MB DDR PC3200
256 MB Graphics Card

I've pretty much ruled out that its my comp cause i've lowered res and it still did it, and any other game works fine without any problems, and it even does it in LAN Games. So i doubt its my internet. It just started happening outta the blue too, like, it was playing fine, then a day later i went to get on and it started doing it.

edit: It also does it on all servers i try, not just 1 or 2 that i normally play on

InFlames · June 2005

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Crimson @ Jun 8 2005, 01:06 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> I have AVG Free Edition, and i also use one called NOD32, which catches stuff that AVG and Spybot missed. They have also tested them, by putting viruses on a comp, and NOD32 caught 96% of them (and its free), where the ones you gotta buy only caught like 50% of them.

Comp Stats:

Athlon 64 3000+ 2.0 Ghz
1024 MB DDR PC3200
256 MB Graphics Card

I've pretty much ruled out that its my comp cause i've lowered res and it still did it, and any other game works fine without any problems, and it even does it in LAN Games. So i doubt its my internet. It just started happening outta the blue too, like, it was playing fine, then a day later i went to get on and it started doing it.

edit: It also does it on all servers i try, not just 1 or 2 that i normally play on  </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> 
I second the above minus the specs and and brand of virus scanners

Thanatos · June 2005

Same here.
And it seem to have started with the new patch.

I´ve tried changing rates and and such but no luck yet. Mostly because I´m not really sure what to do with rates since I don´t know the problem.

InFlames · June 2005

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Thanatos @ Jun 9 2005, 03:40 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> Same here.
And it seem to have started with the new patch.

I´ve tried changing rates and and such but no luck yet. Mostly because I´m not really sure what to do with rates since I don´t know the problem. </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'>
The rates depend upon the type of connection and also to the server your connecting to. But as a whole the below rates will do for most people on ADSL/Cable connections.

rate 20000
cl_rate 9999
cl_cmdrate 70
cl_updaterate 50
ex_interp .02
ex_extrapmax 6
fps_max 101

would need more specific specs to cater it more closely to your pc. And Good luck it may not work it seems since last client release

Also type in net_graph 3 into the console, you will get a little info thingy in the bottom right of your screen with your fps, choke, loss etc.. this helps to pinpoint issues also. But then again this also does not seem to indicate issues as of late

SlayerPL · June 2005

i had the same problem for some time. And not only once. usualy it went away after i dl new gfx drivers. but after some time the problem appeared again ;/ cant help you more .
Stats: 1.8 p4 clocked to 2.4 512 ram, ati radeon 9600

InFlames · June 2005

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (SlayerPL @ Jun 10 2005, 08:25 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> i had the same problem for some time. And not only once. usualy it went away after i dl new gfx drivers. but after some time the problem appeared again ;/ cant help you more .
Stats: 1.8 p4 clocked to 2.4 512 ram, ati radeon 9600  </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> 
thats something I should do really, clean them all out and reinstall them, could be some minor corruption going on somewhere

DarkFrost · June 2005

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (InFlames @ Jun 7 2005, 11:16 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> Im also getting this issue, and its been happening since a couple of updates back.

Nvidia fx5600
1.8 amdxp (borked my nice 1 <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad-fix.gif' /> )
1gig ddr

Now admitidly I am playing on servers in the US when I am based here in the UK but this was never a problem before and also occurs when playing local servers.

The netgraph shows no choke/loss etc.. but i get what is visibly lag spiking on screen, when the ping is stable.

I have reset my rates and worked them up to a comfortable level via netgraph since and this makes no difference. When Im spiking the cpu usagage goes through the roof at 100%

All driver are up-to-date, also rolled back, defragged, no overheating nice and steady temps etc..

And it only happens in NS, I've personally run out of ideas, I even ran it on 600x400, on 16 bit colour was still painfull.

edit:: Also lowered the sound quality to crusty jeeze i forgot how bad it was also did nothing <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad-fix.gif' />

Some further ideas would be great just none of those im assuming your an idiot replies <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' />  </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> 
Do you have FPS drops though? Visible "lag" doesn't mean its to do with GFX card or connection settings alone.

Try running windows default drivers for keyboard, mouse and sound card (if its a sound blaster, creative cant make drivers if you hadn't noticed =/)

For the all GF FX models forceware 66.93 is reported to work the best.

Also, if you still have your Half-life CD, install that, patch it to 1.1.1.0, copy ns 3.0 over to it. Its just a hunch, but you will likely find out steam is the blame for your FPS drops, if the above doesn't work.

InFlames · June 2005

right wasnt graphic driver issues, and yup i've just installed the above mentioned forcewares, it runs smoother than the latest drivers but still spikes continually.

Will be switching soundcards round Monday, thats honestly the only other thing that would seem to be a possible cause, everything else is on standard win drivers which they always have been. Then the hl reinstall haul.

And yup im almost certain it will be a Steam issue im not going to be able to resolve until we get a few updates, strange its only ns affected :S

InFlames · June 2005

right then, done everything I said I was gonna do just above.

Still the same, its steam as usuall. I have found several topics with many, many people affected since a few updates ago.

Dunno if your using wireless crimson but disable the zero g service next time you give ns a go, apparently this is one fix that worked for a handfull of people.

Also when ns is running alt+tab out then, ctrl+alt+delete process tab, right click hl.exe and set the priority to just below normal. This has also worked for a small handfull of people.(this has upon inspection reduced my spikes immensley although they still occur at times)

And Goodluck <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused-fix.gif' /> Im sick of the 60 second steam search option when they could get off their lazy arses and implement picture verification. Now searched thorugh hundreds of posts and found the proverbial f-all. Going to sulk, stomp around and roar like an onos in disgust for a while <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad-fix.gif' /> <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/asrifle.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='asrifle.gif' />

Sudden Fps Drop

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