rec.autos.simulators

GTL: Videocard Question

BRH

GTL: Videocard Question

by BRH » Mon, 14 Nov 2005 02:46:21

I'm considering buying GTL, but I find that the GTL demo doesn't run as
smoothly as I'd like on my current system.  So, I'm wondering whether a
videocard upgrade would be worthwhile.

First, here's my system:  AthlonXP2600; Epox 8kha+ motherboard; Radeon
9700Pro vidcard, 1 Gig Ram; XP Pro Service Pack 1.  Nothing is overclocked.

I'm running the GTL demo with most video settings set to Low;
1024x768x16; 2AA and I'm getting framerates in the mid-30's to mid-40's
in a race against 10AI.  While those framerates could be worse, they
could be a lot better too.  What's most annoying is the occassional
stutter that lasts only a second or so, where the FR drops to 20 or less
momentarily.  Note that background processes are turned off thru the use
of FSAutoStart.

As I said, I hope that a simple videocard upgrade would significantly
help the situation.  If so, I'd then be ready to buy GTL.

Although I know that my mobo/CPU is showing its age, I don't really want
to upgrade the mobo at this time, and the CPU is already the highest
that the mobo will take.  I'm not crazy about overclocking but would
experiment with the right vidcard, if necessary.

So, is there an AGP videocard worth upgrading to with this rig?  I'm
looking to eliminate that stutter and run with higher video detail.  If
framerate remains in the mid-40's with full field (ie-20 cars or so),
that would be fine.

Thanks!

Andi Col

GTL: Videocard Question

by Andi Col » Mon, 14 Nov 2005 03:38:33

First thing to try would be the FAQ at Racesimcentral.

http://forum.rscnet.org/showthread.php?t=224988

I'm not sure if it's completely relevant to the demo though.

However a couple of things to note, 1. Set the demo to run DX7 rather than 8
(or 9 - not sure the demo does 9 anyway) 2. change the setting for Character
Anims.

If that still doesn't help then a video card may help. On a tight budget the
9800 Pro is a good card, especially if you can find a refurbished one. Not
sure how much of a jump from 9700 though. I suspect that any faster viodeo
cards may well be throttled by the CPU.

Andi.


> I'm considering buying GTL, but I find that the GTL demo doesn't run as
> smoothly as I'd like on my current system.  So, I'm wondering whether a
> videocard upgrade would be worthwhile.

> First, here's my system:  AthlonXP2600; Epox 8kha+ motherboard; Radeon
> 9700Pro vidcard, 1 Gig Ram; XP Pro Service Pack 1.  Nothing is
> overclocked.

> I'm running the GTL demo with most video settings set to Low; 1024x768x16;
> 2AA and I'm getting framerates in the mid-30's to mid-40's in a race
> against 10AI.  While those framerates could be worse, they could be a lot
> better too.  What's most annoying is the occassional stutter that lasts
> only a second or so, where the FR drops to 20 or less momentarily.  Note
> that background processes are turned off thru the use of FSAutoStart.

> As I said, I hope that a simple videocard upgrade would significantly help
> the situation.  If so, I'd then be ready to buy GTL.

> Although I know that my mobo/CPU is showing its age, I don't really want
> to upgrade the mobo at this time, and the CPU is already the highest that
> the mobo will take.  I'm not crazy about overclocking but would experiment
> with the right vidcard, if necessary.

> So, is there an AGP videocard worth upgrading to with this rig?  I'm
> looking to eliminate that stutter and run with higher video detail.  If
> framerate remains in the mid-40's with full field (ie-20 cars or so), that
> would be fine.

> Thanks!

BRH

GTL: Videocard Question

by BRH » Mon, 14 Nov 2005 04:55:00

Thanks for that link, Andi.  It contained a fix for the stutters on ATI
cards that helped quite a bit.  Running the sim from Bonnet View helps
quite a bit too (although I much prefer to run my sims from the***pit).

I'm afraid that you also may be correct in your assessment of faster
videocards and my system.


> First thing to try would be the FAQ at Racesimcentral.

> http://www.racesimcentral.net/

> I'm not sure if it's completely relevant to the demo though.

> However a couple of things to note, 1. Set the demo to run DX7 rather than 8
> (or 9 - not sure the demo does 9 anyway) 2. change the setting for Character
> Anims.

> If that still doesn't help then a video card may help. On a tight budget the
> 9800 Pro is a good card, especially if you can find a refurbished one. Not
> sure how much of a jump from 9700 though. I suspect that any faster viodeo
> cards may well be throttled by the CPU.

> Andi.


>>I'm considering buying GTL, but I find that the GTL demo doesn't run as
>>smoothly as I'd like on my current system.  So, I'm wondering whether a
>>videocard upgrade would be worthwhile.

>>First, here's my system:  AthlonXP2600; Epox 8kha+ motherboard; Radeon
>>9700Pro vidcard, 1 Gig Ram; XP Pro Service Pack 1.  Nothing is
>>overclocked.

>>I'm running the GTL demo with most video settings set to Low; 1024x768x16;
>>2AA and I'm getting framerates in the mid-30's to mid-40's in a race
>>against 10AI.  While those framerates could be worse, they could be a lot
>>better too.  What's most annoying is the occassional stutter that lasts
>>only a second or so, where the FR drops to 20 or less momentarily.  Note
>>that background processes are turned off thru the use of FSAutoStart.

>>As I said, I hope that a simple videocard upgrade would significantly help
>>the situation.  If so, I'd then be ready to buy GTL.

>>Although I know that my mobo/CPU is showing its age, I don't really want
>>to upgrade the mobo at this time, and the CPU is already the highest that
>>the mobo will take.  I'm not crazy about overclocking but would experiment
>>with the right vidcard, if necessary.

>>So, is there an AGP videocard worth upgrading to with this rig?  I'm
>>looking to eliminate that stutter and run with higher video detail.  If
>>framerate remains in the mid-40's with full field (ie-20 cars or so), that
>>would be fine.

>>Thanks!

PlowBo

GTL: Videocard Question

by PlowBo » Wed, 16 Nov 2005 02:02:32

BRH,

Just FYI, the game (retail) uses more CPU and gfx card than the demo, by a
long shot, but might be cured with a patch soon?  Reason I say about patch
is in the thread about a upcoming patch they did note long load times and
some huge stuttering at some track they home "MIGHT BE ADDRESSED with some
other techniques?

My system is one of the early P4 (2.4 ghz machines at 500 buss speeds) with
the AGP version of the 6600gt.  I started out with in game setting set bleow
medium,  config thingy set (1024x768 32 No-AA) and auto shader...

was getting only like 22FPS, wich is crappy but fine enough to race a while.
with some bad hits at some tracks,

but then one "CUP CHALLENGE" in the game has 20-26 cars you race? (and you
have to race it to unlock cars & tracks, or find the cheat?) I got 3fps out
of my machine. I had to back out and set everything to lowest, still never
got over 19 fps even when I jumped to the lead.

right now if i have another one of these to get through, Im doing the "AI
cars quit after 0 seconds" cheat.

BRH enlightened us with:

> Thanks for that link, Andi.  It contained a fix for the stutters on
> ATI cards that helped quite a bit.  Running the sim from Bonnet View
> helps quite a bit too (although I much prefer to run my sims from the
>***pit).
> I'm afraid that you also may be correct in your assessment of faster
> videocards and my system.


>> First thing to try would be the FAQ at Racesimcentral.

>> http://www.racesimcentral.net/

>> I'm not sure if it's completely relevant to the demo though.

>> However a couple of things to note, 1. Set the demo to run DX7
>> rather than 8 (or 9 - not sure the demo does 9 anyway) 2. change the
>> setting for Character Anims.

>> If that still doesn't help then a video card may help. On a tight
>> budget the 9800 Pro is a good card, especially if you can find a
>> refurbished one. Not sure how much of a jump from 9700 though. I
>> suspect that any faster viodeo cards may well be throttled by the
>> CPU. Andi.


>>> I'm considering buying GTL, but I find that the GTL demo doesn't
>>> run as smoothly as I'd like on my current system.  So, I'm
>>> wondering whether a videocard upgrade would be worthwhile.

>>> First, here's my system:  AthlonXP2600; Epox 8kha+ motherboard;
>>> Radeon 9700Pro vidcard, 1 Gig Ram; XP Pro Service Pack 1.  Nothing
>>> is overclocked.

>>> I'm running the GTL demo with most video settings set to Low;
>>> 1024x768x16; 2AA and I'm getting framerates in the mid-30's to
>>> mid-40's in a race against 10AI.  While those framerates could be
>>> worse, they could be a lot better too.  What's most annoying is the
>>> occassional stutter that lasts only a second or so, where the FR
>>> drops to 20 or less momentarily.  Note that background processes
>>> are turned off thru the use of FSAutoStart. As I said, I hope that a
>>> simple videocard upgrade would
>>> significantly help the situation.  If so, I'd then be ready to buy
>>> GTL. Although I know that my mobo/CPU is showing its age, I don't really
>>> want to upgrade the mobo at this time, and the CPU is already the
>>> highest that the mobo will take.  I'm not crazy about overclocking
>>> but would experiment with the right vidcard, if necessary.

>>> So, is there an AGP videocard worth upgrading to with this rig?  I'm
>>> looking to eliminate that stutter and run with higher video detail.
>>> If framerate remains in the mid-40's with full field (ie-20 cars or
>>> so), that would be fine.

>>> Thanks!

amp gree

GTL: Videocard Question

by amp gree » Fri, 18 Nov 2005 02:43:21

I wonder what kind of system specs did they actually develop this game on.
Live for Speed is another very demanding game. I have a 3400+ athlon 64 and
X800 ati videocard , and I still get frame rates that sometimes drop into
the ***s with both of these games, and Live for Speed only has 11 A.I. cars
on screen at the most. Could you imagine what kind of system you would need
to run a 43 car Nascar game with such a graphics/physics engine as these two
games have.

> BRH,

> Just FYI, the game (retail) uses more CPU and gfx card than the demo, by a
> long shot, but might be cured with a patch soon?  Reason I say about patch
> is in the thread about a upcoming patch they did note long load times and
> some huge stuttering at some track they home "MIGHT BE ADDRESSED with some
> other techniques?

> My system is one of the early P4 (2.4 ghz machines at 500 buss speeds)
> with the AGP version of the 6600gt.  I started out with in game setting
> set bleow medium,  config thingy set (1024x768 32 No-AA) and auto
> shader...

> was getting only like 22FPS, wich is crappy but fine enough to race a
> while. with some bad hits at some tracks,

> but then one "CUP CHALLENGE" in the game has 20-26 cars you race? (and you
> have to race it to unlock cars & tracks, or find the cheat?) I got 3fps
> out of my machine. I had to back out and set everything to lowest, still
> never got over 19 fps even when I jumped to the lead.

> right now if i have another one of these to get through, Im doing the "AI
> cars quit after 0 seconds" cheat.

> BRH enlightened us with:
>> Thanks for that link, Andi.  It contained a fix for the stutters on
>> ATI cards that helped quite a bit.  Running the sim from Bonnet View
>> helps quite a bit too (although I much prefer to run my sims from the
>>***pit).
>> I'm afraid that you also may be correct in your assessment of faster
>> videocards and my system.


>>> First thing to try would be the FAQ at Racesimcentral.

>>> http://www.racesimcentral.net/

>>> I'm not sure if it's completely relevant to the demo though.

>>> However a couple of things to note, 1. Set the demo to run DX7
>>> rather than 8 (or 9 - not sure the demo does 9 anyway) 2. change the
>>> setting for Character Anims.

>>> If that still doesn't help then a video card may help. On a tight
>>> budget the 9800 Pro is a good card, especially if you can find a
>>> refurbished one. Not sure how much of a jump from 9700 though. I
>>> suspect that any faster viodeo cards may well be throttled by the
>>> CPU. Andi.


>>>> I'm considering buying GTL, but I find that the GTL demo doesn't
>>>> run as smoothly as I'd like on my current system.  So, I'm
>>>> wondering whether a videocard upgrade would be worthwhile.

>>>> First, here's my system:  AthlonXP2600; Epox 8kha+ motherboard;
>>>> Radeon 9700Pro vidcard, 1 Gig Ram; XP Pro Service Pack 1.  Nothing
>>>> is overclocked.

>>>> I'm running the GTL demo with most video settings set to Low;
>>>> 1024x768x16; 2AA and I'm getting framerates in the mid-30's to
>>>> mid-40's in a race against 10AI.  While those framerates could be
>>>> worse, they could be a lot better too.  What's most annoying is the
>>>> occassional stutter that lasts only a second or so, where the FR
>>>> drops to 20 or less momentarily.  Note that background processes
>>>> are turned off thru the use of FSAutoStart. As I said, I hope that a
>>>> simple videocard upgrade would
>>>> significantly help the situation.  If so, I'd then be ready to buy
>>>> GTL. Although I know that my mobo/CPU is showing its age, I don't
>>>> really
>>>> want to upgrade the mobo at this time, and the CPU is already the
>>>> highest that the mobo will take.  I'm not crazy about overclocking
>>>> but would experiment with the right vidcard, if necessary.

>>>> So, is there an AGP videocard worth upgrading to with this rig?  I'm
>>>> looking to eliminate that stutter and run with higher video detail.
>>>> If framerate remains in the mid-40's with full field (ie-20 cars or
>>>> so), that would be fine.

>>>> Thanks!


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