rec.autos.simulators

I get no lag in GPL, but N2K2 in pretty much undriveable.

Rig is *** Compaq Deskpro EN 866Mhz, 512Mb, TNT2 M64, Momo, USB Shifter,
USB clutch pedal.

Where the hell can I start looking?  I have no clue how to even begin
debugging this one.  Suggestions would be hugely appreciated...

Cheers,

Mark
Reading, UK

Mark, "*** Compaq Deskpro EN 866Mhz, 512Mb, TNT2 M64"

***?? A bit of a dog for N2K2 IMO.

I have a ASUS P3-866 with a GeeFarce 2 card and haven't even considered
buying N2K2 because I can barely run the Demo with the mostly full graphics

with Athalon 1.x's + have some graphic problems.

I have experienced this "controller lag" that I think you are referring too
just before the pots on my Logitech Wingman GP (USB) finally became
un-playable. Somehow I think it has to do with the USB bus, as (I believe)
that if the CPU is to busy it puts the USB bus on hold\wait?

What happened with my experience was that in N2K2 Demo on just the Atlanta
testing track the speed just diminished to 170 mph max, and the steering
became real slow. Voltage issue on the USB bus? Maybe, I dunno, rebooted
WinMe, fiddled around with the calibration and it seemed to go away, but now
the jittery wheel in all driving games made me pull the LogiWheel and put on
a CH Flightstick Pro (Analog/Gameport).

WhooHoo, jittery wheel gone, frame rate in N4 back up to 40-60 fps. I didn't
better my Hotlap time in N2K2, just more consistently in the 30.xx's. But
the rotary throttle being so close the left side of the joystick makes use
of this setup on anything other than full throttle Super Speedway tracks a
pain. :-(

I've been thinking about hacking the pots and wiring out and grafting them
into the Logi Wheel? Naa.... this Flightstick Pro is in too nice of shape to
rob parts from. Maybe if I find another one down at the Thrift Store for
$2.00 heh?

--
1907 - Daytona Beach Florida

Glenn H. Curtiss rode a V8 powered motorcycle
to a 136.30 mph record in the measured mile.

The Chicago Daily News headline reads:
"Fastest Mile On Earth, Bullets Are The Only Rivals Of Glenn Curtiss"

Here's what I've tried so far...

Changed the USB port that the wheel is plugged into from the one in the back
of the PC to the hub which also has the shifter and clutch.  No joy.
Reinstalled game, tried running pre-patch.  No joy.  Patched up again, nada.

Tried OpenGL.  Well lookey here...  Loose 3-4 fps (very noticable when
you're struggling to keep it over 20) but no lag.

The little bastard really is undriveable with the lag - akin to playing at
4 - 6 fps I reckon.

Oh well.  I'm sure I didn't get that on the older PC but maybe the
performance was so shoddy to begin with...

Anyone else out there heard of this?

I'd still appreciate suggestions so that can get my D3D framerates back...

Mark

Why not yank one of the pots out of that Logitech and take them to your
nearest electronics shop? Might be they have replacements on the shelf.

Regards,                                - Jacco

--
Think about it:               | In Real Life: Jacco van Schaik


driving on logs...            | See also http://www.frontier.nl/

LOL, heh heh, I live in sticksville as far as electronic stores go, Radio

Have you seen these little suckers? Last time I went through the DigiKey I
don't recall seeing anything like these odd dogs. They are CTS pots though,
with enough room to adapt something a little more common. Just if I could
only find that "RoundTooIt".    :-)

--
1907 - Daytona Beach Florida

Glenn H. Curtiss rode a V8 powered motorcycle
to a 136.30 mph record in the measured mile.

The Chicago Daily News headline reads:
"Fastest Mile On Earth, Bullets Are The Only Rivals Of Glenn Curtiss"

Mark, IMO your lag is due to your poor fps.  If you can't keep it over 30 fps at all times, the lag
between what you do on the wheel and waht you see in the game is again IMO virtually impossible to
play.  I run 2002 on a PIII500 with a GF2MX400 and get way better fps than you do, but of course I
run OpenGL, D3d is much too slow unless you have alot more cpu speed than what I have.  ANd even
though you have an 866(is that an AMD or PIII), I don't consider it alot more horsepower than my
500.
--
Biz

"Don't touch that please, your primitive intellect wouldn't understand
alloys and compositions and,......things with molecular structures,....and
the....." - Ash

Hmmm...

D3D for me is faster yet that is where I suffered the most lag.  Whilst
clutching at straws and realising the renderer actually had an inpact I
found something that helped:

Setting the "Render no more than n frame(s) ahead" in D3D properies to 0.

Better.  There is still a smidgen of lag, but now I don't know if I'm
noticing it more because I'm looking for it or whether it is working within
designed limits.

OGL and D3D appear to have about the same amount of lag now.

Guess a decent PC is really the order of the day...

BTW, don't think I had any of these issues when I had the old fashioned
gameport 4 button TM NASCAR Pro...

Mark
Reading, UK

fps at all times, the lag
virtually impossible to
you do, but of course I
what I have.  ANd even
more horsepower than my