Decreasing In-game Lag (great for combat slowdowns)

Vhaman · Site Mod Joined: 07 May 2006 Posts: 1243 Location: Azeroth

I noticed on PSU that I have much more lag than I have had on games in the past, so I've been tinkering around with my settings, software, etc to maximize in-game performance. My findings have been extremely useful, especially in large map areas and enemy crowds, where PC-side lag is at it's worst. I'm writing up this little guide to show what I've been doing, and to help others that have lag problems.

Software:
I'll start off with software installed on your computer, simple and easy. For the most part, the less programs you have runs (both hidden and open windows) will slightly slow down your game, the more programs, the worse it is. I normally only play with PSU.exe and iTunes open.

Some programs are natural CPU speed killers, the worst of which are torrent programs and anti-viruses. I had a serious problem with Norton Antivirus, the devil of slowdown. I replaced it with AVG Free Edition, which doesn't slow down my computer, at least not a lot. Torrent programs, if you use them, should be closed while playing.

Game settings:
Here's where the settings will vary depending on who is using them, but I'll list what I have switched, to give an idea.

Here's the "Normal" graphics settings for PSU:
Frame skip: 1
Detail Level: High
Clipping: All on Far
Textures: Normal
Motion Calculation: Hardware
Post effects: On
High LOD: 16
Low LOD: 20
Model display buffer: 12

Here's my graphics setting, for much better speed:
Frame skip: 2
Detail Level: Medium
Clipping: Scenes on Near, rest on Far.
Texture: Normal
Motion Calc: Hardware
Post effects: On
High LOD: 12
Low LOD: 14
Model display buffer: 8

The lower settings on graphics don't really change the look of the game in a obvious way, but this way your computer doesn't think as much about the little things you wouldn't normally notice anyways, giving much better performance, primarily while in battle.

Hope this helps, and by the way, these settings DO give the ability to dodge some attacks much easier, at least for me.
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WoW:
Vhaman - Draenei Shaman Lv70 - Dethecus

gandworf · Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 3:48 am Post subject:

I wish I could run psu ok with those settings.... mine is on the lowest posible and I still get slowdown...
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Vhaman · Site Mod Joined: 07 May 2006 Posts: 1243 Location: Azeroth

Well I also saw something about server-side slowdown that shouldn't be there, apparently that's being worked on. Maybe that will help. Or, you could always just get a desktop pc. Laughing

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WoW:
Vhaman - Draenei Shaman Lv70 - Dethecus

Ephekz · OSG Lieutenant Joined: 22 Oct 2006 Posts: 83

I have nearest clip distance, lowest detail lvl and frame skip 3. what I do to stop slowdown is simply look down.

Opy · Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 11:45 am Post subject:

mine are pretty much all lowest, frame skip 2 tho.

one thing i dont understand is what these are:
High LOD:
Low LOD:
Model display buffer:

ive never messed with those, not sure exactly what they effect.
anyone tell me?

Vhaman · Site Mod Joined: 07 May 2006 Posts: 1243 Location: Azeroth

LOD is Level of Detail, its the number of polygons for close and far views. Model Detail Buffer just makes it look less sharp-edged.

The difference between "Normal" and what I'm using is unnoticable, except for the lack of lag from it. Cool

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WoW:
Vhaman - Draenei Shaman Lv70 - Dethecus

Opy · Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 3:46 pm Post subject:

Ephekz · OSG Lieutenant Joined: 22 Oct 2006 Posts: 83

ugh, all my stuff is at lowest possible and I cant play hive at all... the fps is unbearable there.

Arche · Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 2:57 pm Post subject:

SerraBritt · Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 4:19 pm Post subject:

The only big problem I've had with framerate is the battle with Dark Force. Aside from that, not much. I do have to keep the resolution at 640x480 and the frameskip at 3, but all my other settings are high.
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Minimews Beast Female Fighgunner/Fortefighter/Acrofighter
Minimage Newman Female Wartecher/Fortetecher
Minimech Cast Female Guntecher/Acrotecher
Minimaya Human Female Fortegunner/Protranser

Arche · Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 4:34 pm Post subject:

lol at least you can clear that stupid chapter, tried another couple of settings but game ultimately ends up freezing. Crying or Very sad

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Makenaide ikiteiku bokura wa...

SerraBritt · Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 2:41 pm Post subject:

I wonder what's so different about that stage that others get issues? Te most serious lag I have, aside from fighting Dark Force, is in a couple of the Parum stages looking a particular direction. Yet others seem to have issues only in the SEED hive :/ Sometimes I don't get it ~.~
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Minimews Beast Female Fighgunner/Fortefighter/Acrofighter
Minimage Newman Female Wartecher/Fortetecher
Minimech Cast Female Guntecher/Acrotecher
Minimaya Human Female Fortegunner/Protranser

gandworf · Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 4:37 pm Post subject:

Arche · Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 6:10 pm Post subject:

I finally got the thing to work and anihilate both slow downs and most of the techs lag by switching motion calculation from hardware to cpu, all other things are on lower mostly.But i can run almost all areas now without massive slowdowns at 1024x768. Very Happy

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Makenaide ikiteiku bokura wa...

Vhaman · Site Mod Joined: 07 May 2006 Posts: 1243 Location: Azeroth

congrats arche. Very Happy

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WoW:
Vhaman - Draenei Shaman Lv70 - Dethecus