Strange Problem After Map Load

ed007 · February 2003

<div class="IPBDescription">My graphics slow after map reload</div> Hi - can anyone help?

When NS changes map my graphics get so laggy that I cannot play anymore - they are slow and not nearly as detailed. When I first join the gamt the graphics are smooyth and detailed. This happens every map change. Does anyone have a fix or can suggest something? My system is adequte to run NS

PII 400
Matrox G450
364 Mb RAM
20 GB HD
WIN 98

Thanks

FireStorm · February 2003

I don't know if it will help, but try to defrag your hard drive <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'>

eaglec · February 2003

Your systems low end, and you have too much ram for 98 to opperate efficiently - try dropping to 128mb. Also check your hard drive/controller is running in DMA mode. If your system can't handle dma then... <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'>
Although the change in graphics quality sounds a bit like your graphics card/drivers... why not ditch the G450 in favour of a proper gaming card, or a GeForce4MX for about ?40 would still be an improvement.

ed007 · February 2003

Thanks for that guys, but my system is defragged and running in DMA. Moreover, NS used to work 100% OK - there were no graphics lag problem when I played.

When I first installed NS I had a slow graphics problem. However, I did something e.g. removed / replaced a file in the NS or HL folder and everything was OK again. I know this sounds a little vague but I made one alteration and the game then worked perfect. Any suggestions?

I have tried to reinstall NS and HL several times, defragged again and still no joy.

Any more/new ideas and I would be most grateful.

Many thanks

Ed

eaglec · February 2003

erm, yes. More than a little vague but:-
Back in the days before nvidia was a clear leader in games cards I had several non-nvidia chipset graphics cards. Some of these, the voodoo and possibly the G200 required the replacement of the opengl dll file and a spall adjustment in a text file to optimize performance.
It's been over two years since I did this and I am really not sure it will help but I think you find opengl32.dll in windows/system (do a search, might have the name/file wrong) and copy it to half-life/gldrv then edit drvmap.txt to read

Default Default
gldrv/3dfxgl.dll 3Dfx Mini Driver
gldrv/opengl32.dll Matrox Driver

Make a backup first and you should be safe, then from the video configuration you can select OpenGL mode and then Matrox drivers.

Try looking on www.planethalf-life.com or tweak3d to chck if my info is right though! <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'>

ed007 · February 2003

Thanks for that eaglec. I have noticed something when I try to conenct to a NS server - there is always an exclamation mark (with yellow background) when I try to connect. I am, however, able to connect by launching CS and then filtering for NS games and hitting join. I cannot connect through NS shortcut as it says that I must install the custom game.

I had a similar fps problem with CS when 1108 came out. The solution was to add -nocaudio in the properties box on the CS shortcut. I have done the same with NS - but this has not improved anything.

Any suggestions about the exclamation mark and the -nocaudio.

Thanks

Ed

FireStorm · February 2003

</span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (eaglec @ Feb 18 2003, 12:52 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> Your systems low end, and you have too much ram for 98 to opperate efficiently - try dropping to 128mb.  </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> 
I have 512 MB of RAM with Win98 and it works perfectly fine.

But the problem is with the pentium. A pentuim processor slows down if you have more than 256MB.

eaglec · February 2003

Not sure about the Pentium processor, but he's running a PII and no-one would try to play Ns on a Pentium anyway, would they?

Windows 95 and 98 have problems in the kernel that actually gives them problems when accessing over Xmb of ram. In fact I believe Win95 first edition would have problems accessing over 64mb or ram. Don't get me wrong it can do it, but the way it addresses the memory is too screwy. So these systems work best with 64-128mb of ram. If you really need over 128mb or ram for what you are doing then you should consider an alternate OS to get the most out of it. This discusion is really for another thread though.

ed007 · February 2003

Well an interesting discussion there but maybe a little off topic for this thread. Are there any suggestions on the exclamation mark and shortcut commands?

Thanks

ed

eaglec · February 2003

I think the exclamation mark you see is the warning that VAC isn't running, ignore it
There is a problem with the shortcut on the desktop the game installs - aparently. I dont know why, what or how though because I always launch through GSA.

ed007 · February 2003

I am continuing to try and resolve my very slow graphics problem. I have used the "matrox" driver suggested by Eaglec but this has not helped. Does anyone have a driver that might work with a G450 Matrox card that will allow me to use NS with playable graphics.

Out of interest when I connect to a server running ns_eclipse and ns_bast everything is OK graphics wise in the ready room. When I join a team, howeber, the graphics slow to something unplayable. On all other maps the graphics are very slow even in the ready room.

If anyone could please help, I would be most grateful. Eaglec- thanks for your suggestions so far.

P.S. I have 2 soundcards running at the same time one is the Yamaha SW1000CG and the other is the Yahama DSP Factory - I am not sure whether this causes a problem - but Matrox card and DSP Factory card are both running on IRQ 11.

Kind regards

Ed

ed007 · February 2003

One more P.S. - CS, TFC, DMC, HL etc all work 100% fine. Only NS does not work properly. I regard CS as being a more CPU intensive / generally demanding game than NS -perhaps i am wrong here.

Ed

MasterEvilAce · February 2003

NS is wayyy more demanding

eaglec · February 2003

IRQ conflicts are never good and soundcards are some of the worst offenders. Your a brave man putting two in the same PC!
I would seriously consider taking out the conflicting one to test if this is the problem.

ed007 · February 2003

Thanks for that and I might give it a go, however, the 2 cards are "sister" cards and are designed to go together. The only things that bugs me is that before i reinstalled NS everything was working smoothly and now it is not. I still think there is something I need to change withinthe NS folder to get things back to nomal but can't remember what that is.

Kind regards

Ed

Strange Problem After Map Load

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