N4 and GF3 isue..

Just installed N4 again(finally) and I am getting slight "hiccups" in video performance. Framerate is a constant 70-80 and then stutters for a moment down to about 30 or 40. It's very visible and extremely annoying. Everything else is outstanding. I think i made some comments when the demo came out about it looking pretty rough around the edges. I admit now, I couldn't have been more wrong ! Rest of the relevant system specs are as follows. N4 + latest international patch(n4.1.3.1.6_int.exe) Windows XP Home Edition + Direct X 8.1 AMD Athlon 1800+ GeForce 3 Ti500 Creative Audigy Sound 1280x960 res 32 bit Thanks.

"redTed" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:YaxR7.2472$[email hidden]... > Just installed N4 again(finally) and I am getting slight "hiccups" invideo > performance. Framerate is a constant 70-80 and then stutters for a moment > down to about 30 or 40. It's very visible and extremely annoying. > Everything else is outstanding. I think i made some comments when the demo > came out about it looking pretty rough around the edges. I admit now, I > couldn't have been more wrong ! >Interesting discovery. The glitch seems to be directly linked to the Audigy drivers. I disabled the sound in the game but the problem was still there. I hen uninstalled the drivers for the Soundblaster Audigy and the problem vanished with them... Now I'm stuck with a Catch-22 situation.. Great graphics but no sound. What to do ??

R U using the latest Audigy driver updates for XP? redTed <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:ZQxR7.4259$[email hidden]...

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> > "redTed" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:YaxR7.2472$[email hidden]... > > Just installed N4 again(finally) and I am getting slight "hiccups" in > video > > performance. Framerate is a constant 70-80 and then stutters for a moment > > down to about 30 or 40. It's very visible and extremely annoying. > > Everything else is outstanding. I think i made some comments when the demo > > came out about it looking pretty rough around the edges. I admit now, I > > couldn't have been more wrong ! > > > Interesting discovery. > The glitch seems to be directly linked to the Audigy drivers. I disabled the > sound in the game but the problem was still there. I hen uninstalled the > drivers for the Soundblaster Audigy and the problem vanished with them... > Now I'm stuck with a Catch-22 situation.. Great graphics but no sound. What > to do ?? > >

"redTed" <[email hidden]> wrote... > Just installed N4 again(finally) and I am getting slight "hiccups" invideo > performance. Framerate is a constant 70-80 and then stutters for a moment > down to about 30 or 40. It's very visible and extremely annoying. One thing you didn't mention in your specs - how much RAM? Heh - with a system like that I doubt you cut corners on it, but I had the exact same problem when I only had 128MB. Bumped it to 384MB and N4 was smooth as glass... Another possibility - do you VSync enabled? ...Klinn

I have to tell you redTed, ditching SB was the best move I've made. I always assumed SB was the best audio card for my needs since they were the first manufacturer IIRC about 10 years ago. I've been wrong for a long time. ;0) I replaced my SBlive with a Turtle Beach Santa Cruz and I'm simply amazed how noticeably better it sounds for both gaming and music. I switched to TB anticipating problems with the AMD based system I built running WinXP. I left the Live in the PIII 600 I sold to a friend. For $65 the TB handily whips the SB in both performance and more importantly stability. I know this doesn't help with your current situation but it's a cheap alternative if the Audigy situation doesn't clear up for you. -- Joe Marques "redTed" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:ZQxR7.4259$[email hidden]... > > "redTed" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:YaxR7.2472$[email hidden]... > > Just installed N4 again(finally) and I am getting slight "hiccups" in > video > > performance. Framerate is a constant 70-80 and then stutters for a moment > > down to about 30 or 40. It's very visible and extremely annoying. > > Everything else is outstanding. I think i made some comments when the demo > > came out about it looking pretty rough around the edges. I admit now, I > > couldn't have been more wrong ! > > > Interesting discovery. > The glitch seems to be directly linked to the Audigy drivers. I disabled the > sound in the game but the problem was still there. I hen uninstalled the > drivers for the Soundblaster Audigy and the problem vanished with them... > Now I'm stuck with a Catch-22 situation.. Great graphics but no sound. What > to do ?? > >

"Biz" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:qcyR7.291541$[email hidden]... > R U using the latest Audigy driver updates for XP? >I think so...The latest I found was- ADGXPDrvUpdate.exe Is there anything newer ?

"Joe Marques" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:RtCR7.256547$[email hidden]...

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> I have to tell you redTed, ditching SB was the best move I've made. I > always assumed SB was the best audio card for my needs since they were the > first manufacturer IIRC about 10 years ago. I've been wrong for a long > time. ;0) > > I replaced my SBlive with a Turtle Beach Santa Cruz and I'm simply amazed > how noticeably better it sounds for both gaming and music. I switched to

TB > anticipating problems with the AMD based system I built running WinXP. I > left the Live in the PIII 600 I sold to a friend. For $65 the TB handily > whips the SB in both performance and more importantly stability. I know > this doesn't help with your current situation but it's a cheap alternative > if the Audigy situation doesn't clear up for you. > You're probably right Joe. The Audigy was the only option I had re sound cards, though. I'll persevere for a few more day's and then get rid if all else fails.

> One thing you didn't mention in your specs - how much RAM? Heh - with a > system like that I doubt you cut corners on it, but I had the exact same > problem when I only had 128MB. Bumped it to 384MB and N4 was smooth as > glass... Another possibility - do you VSync enabled? I disabled v-synch, and forced no anti-aliasing but it still happens . It affects Open GL and D3D. Thanks for the compliment, I've been saving my pennies for this set-up, and it's already obsolete :-( 512 MB DDR, btw.

> > > Interesting discovery. > The glitch seems to be directly linked to the Audigy drivers. I disabledthe > sound in the game but the problem was still there. I hen uninstalled the > drivers for the Soundblaster Audigy and the problem vanished with them... > Now I'm stuck with a Catch-22 situation.. Great graphics but no sound.What > to do ?? I will go to my grave before I understand the inner workings of a PC. Seems like I had to have the steering wheel connected to the game port . I was just trying the game with keys at first. After mucho cussing and installing/uninstalling, updating etc, it was just as bad as before. I though, f*** it, I'll just plug the wheel in and play the bloody game. Someone will find a cure soon. Wheel on, game on, perfect-o ! 80-90 FPS and no hint of a stutter. Why ? Never mind, it works. Thanks for the suggestions and stuff.

When it hiccups, is there any HD activity (blinking LED as indication)? I have a GF 3 and an AMD 1.2Ghz CPU with 512MB of RAM and if I forget to turn off all these crappy TSRs that somehow think they need to be running, it will hiccup on mine too. I also recommned that you make a comprimise on your N4 setup and run it in 16bit color and use FSAA. Looks much better in my opinion and 32bit is HUGE resource hog even with GF3s and >1Ghz CPUs. Unless you have a huge monitor, the resolution may be a bit of overkill too, 1024 or 1152 look just fine and would allow you to crank up the FSAA and really smooth out those jaggies. redTed <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:YaxR7.2472$[email hidden]... > Just installed N4 again(finally) and I am getting slight "hiccups" invideo

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> performance. Framerate is a constant 70-80 and then stutters for a moment > down to about 30 or 40. It's very visible and extremely annoying. > Everything else is outstanding. I think i made some comments when the demo > came out about it looking pretty rough around the edges. I admit now, I > couldn't have been more wrong ! > > Rest of the relevant system specs are as follows. > > N4 + latest international patch(n4.1.3.1.6_int.exe) > Windows XP Home Edition + Direct X 8.1 > AMD Athlon 1800+ > GeForce 3 Ti500 > Creative Audigy Sound > 1280x960 res 32 bit > > Thanks. > >

"SimRacer" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:VqOR7.246169$[email hidden]... > When it hiccups, is there any HD activity (blinking LED as indication)? I > have a GF 3 and an AMD 1.2Ghz CPU with 512MB of RAM and if I forget toturn > off all these crappy TSRs that somehow think they need to be running, it > will hiccup on mine too. > > I also recommned that you make a comprimise on your N4 setup and run it in > 16bit color and use FSAA. Looks much better in my opinion and 32bit isHUGE > resource hog even with GF3s and >1Ghz CPUs. Unless you have a hugemonitor, > the resolution may be a bit of overkill too, 1024 or 1152 look just fineand > would allow you to crank up the FSAA and really smooth out those jaggies. All is sweet now, SimRacer. It was something to do with the wheel not being plugged into the gameport. Don't ask me what ! It runs very nicely now, thanks

I just realized something triggered by your solution. Do you have poll game interrupts checked or unchecked? This can cause a problem on many systems if its checked.\ -- Biz "Don't touch that please, your primitive intellect wouldn't understand alloys and compositions and,......things with molecular structures,....and the....." - Ash redTed <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:ShPR7.3749$[email hidden]... > > "SimRacer" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:VqOR7.246169$[email hidden]... > > When it hiccups, is there any HD activity (blinking LED as indication)? I > > have a GF 3 and an AMD 1.2Ghz CPU with 512MB of RAM and if I forget to > turn > > off all these crappy TSRs that somehow think they need to be running, it > > will hiccup on mine too. > > > > I also recommned that you make a comprimise on your N4 setup and run it in > > 16bit color and use FSAA. Looks much better in my opinion and 32bit is > HUGE > > resource hog even with GF3s and >1Ghz CPUs. Unless you have a huge > monitor, > > the resolution may be a bit of overkill too, 1024 or 1152 look just fine > and > > would allow you to crank up the FSAA and really smooth out those jaggies. > > All is sweet now, SimRacer. It was something to do with the wheel not being > plugged into the gameport. > Don't ask me what ! It runs very nicely now, thanks > >

"Biz" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:mJRR7.159980$[email hidden]... > I just realized something triggered by your solution. Do you have pollgame > interrupts checked or unchecked? This can cause a problem on many systemsif its > checked.\ > --Ummm...where is this in Windows XP ? I can't see any conflicts in device manager.

Only guessing but maybe under game controllers in control panel like in Win9X -- Biz "Don't touch that please, your primitive intellect wouldn't understand alloys and compositions and,......things with molecular structures,....and the....." - Ash redTed <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:8hSR7.4574$[email hidden]... > > "Biz" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:mJRR7.159980$[email hidden]... > > I just realized something triggered by your solution. Do you have poll > game > > interrupts checked or unchecked? This can cause a problem on many systems > if its > > checked.\ > > -- > Ummm...where is this in Windows XP ? I can't see any conflicts in device > manager. > >