comp performance help needed

[Geboran]

Originally Posted by Cralor To answer your question: Lowering your Terrain Distance in the Vid Settings increases your FPS a lot.

Any other recommendations?

[PathMaster]

If you are looking for a good GFX upgrade, try the x1650 from Newegg. Huge BOOST for me. Otherwise, 512 is fine for the game. 1 gig is great, but not required.

[Gemini_II]

Originally Posted by Geboran Can you elaborate on what graphic settings might help in this instance?

Your resolution if number one. I can run my desktop at 1200x1024 no problems, but games start bogging if i go above 1024x768. Your mileage may vary.

- Turn off Vertical Sync (and Triple Buffering) unless absolutely necessary.
- I tend to keep my Environment Detail maxed, while Terrain Distance can be lower (Better to see the ganker, before the hill he's running toward...)
- Terrain Detail and Terrain texture can be set midway-ish. Play with these for good mix between looks and performance.
- Spell and Weather Effects can be turned down.
- Make sure Antialiasing and Anistropic Filtering are off.
- Smooth Shading off.
- Hardware Cursor on or off, test this setting.

Check your video card drivers. My Catalyst Control Panel has several options where I can change levels of detail etc. Try to keep things around default unless you know what you are doing. Or only change one setting at a time for benchmarking.

For reference, my rig is:
AthlonXP 2000+
1GB DDR RAM
ATI Radeon 9800PRO (128MB)
120 GB WD HDD
19" Samsung CRT monitor

[Geboran]

Originally Posted by Gemini_II Your resolution if number one. I can run my desktop at 1200x1024 no problems, but games start bogging if i go above 1024x768. Your mileage may vary. - Turn off Vertical Sync (and Triple Buffering) unless absolutely necessary. - I tend to keep my Environment Detail maxed, while Terrain Distance can be lower (Better to see the ganker, before the hill he's running toward...) - Terrain Detail and Terrain texture can be set midway-ish. Play with these for good mix between looks and performance. - Spell and Weather Effects can be turned down. - Make sure Antialiasing and Anistropic Filtering are off. - Smooth Shading off. - Hardware Cursor on or off, test this setting. Check your video card drivers. My Catalyst Control Panel has several options where I can change levels of detail etc. Try to keep things around default unless you know what you are doing. Or only change one setting at a time for benchmarking.

Thank you so much for taking the time to actually "spell out" what can be done to help with performance issues such as this.

I have a 22" wide flat panel monitor now, but am uncertain what resolution to run at. I'm sure that I'm losing FPS because of having terrain details being higher than they probably need to be.

[Kaomie]

Originally Posted by Gemini_II - Turn off Vertical Sync (and Triple Buffering) unless absolutely necessary.

Actually if you are using vsynch isn't turning triple buffering on supposed to improve performance? Then you may get some flickering depending on your video card...
I was never able to really tell which way gives the best results. I guess it depends on the processing / memory ratio of your video card and the refresh rate fraction you end-up running at.

PS: your colors are terrible, loosing the habit would be okay with me

[Seerah]

In the Video options in-game, the tooltips will tell you which give you upgrades in performance and which settings will not.

[Gemini_II]

Gemini_II's Random Text Color Purged by Kaomie

Originally Posted by Geboran I have a 22" wide flat panel monitor now, but am uncertain what resolution to run at. I'm sure that I'm losing FPS because of having terrain details being higher than they probably need to be.

Ahh, the caveat of LCD monitors. Your monitor is only designed for one specific resolution. Using anything else will result in distortion and sometimes performance loss. Give us the model number and we'll google it.
Adjust your settings one item at a time so you can actually see the effects of that option. It's hit & miss and will take some playing to adjust to your rig.

Originally Posted by Kaomie Actually if you are using vsynch isn't turning triple buffering on supposed to improve performance?

Yes, it usually does. But you should only use VSync when absolutely necessary.

Originally Posted by Seerah In the Video options in-game, the tooltips will tell you which give you upgrades in performance and which settings will not.

Exactly! And Google is your friend!

[Kaomie]

Originally Posted by Gemini_II Gemini_II's Random Text Color Purged by Kaomie

ahah thanks, it's not really colors but that red was just burying through my eyes.

Originally Posted by Gemini_II Exactly! And Google is your friend!

Yes, but the comment is probably something:

Under some circumtances, enabling this setting may improve performances.
Or it may Not.
Actually we really don't know what it does but we thought it would look cool in the options panel.
You'r on your own.

[Geboran]

The brand for my monitor is Westinghouse:

Display Specifications

Viewable Screen Size 22" Diagonal

Native/Optimum Resolution 1680 x 1050

Color Capability 16.2 Million colors


Connectors

QTY TYPE

1 D-Sub mini 15 pin

1 DVI-D

1 AC-in

1 Stereo mini jack

1 Composite in

1 S-Video

1 YPbPr

1 Audio In



Compatible Modes

PC VGA, SVGA, XGA, SXGA, WSXGA
PIP



Picture

Contrast Ratio 700:1

Brightness 280 cd/m2

Lamp Life 50,000 Hrs

Viewing Angle 170° Horizontal
160° Vertical

Response Time 5 ms


Dimensions and Weight

20.9" x 17.8" x 8.5" (with Base)
12.0 lbs (with Base)
20.9" x 15.1" x 2.6" (w/o Base)
10.2 lbs (w/o Base)
23.0" x 20.0" x 6.0"(carton dimensions)
16 lbs (carton weight)


Audio

2 x 2.5 watts


Cabinet Color

Black


Installation Options

100mm x 100mm VESA® Pattern wall mounts


Warranty

Westinghouse Digital Electronics warrants their LCD monitors against defects in materials or workmanship for a period of one (1) year from the original date of purchase.

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What I don't know is whether WoW supports the "optimized native" resolution setting for this monitor (1680 x 1050) or not. But it sounds like I need to change my resolution to this before really "messing" with other video settings, right?

[Kaomie]

Originally Posted by Geboran What I don't know is whether WoW supports the "optimized native" resolution setting for this monitor (1680 x 1050) or not. But it sounds like I need to change my resolution to this before really "messing" with other video settings, right?

Yes WoW supports that resolution (that's the one I am using now) and yes you must set it to this before anything else and see if with everything at the minimum you already have a decent amount of FPS. Then if possible you can start increasing the quality, it's basically trial and errors at that point. If you are already low on FPS at the minimum quality time to invest in a new video card

[Geboran]

Not sure of the exact model number, but it's an Nvidia 256mb video card that's about 1.5 years old now, I guess. 5700 series, I think....

One question.... if i set all of the settings to their minimum, I imagine the screen will look "interesting" indeed. What settings should I start to increase first? When I am "in-game", where should I go to work on these settings? A heavy, populated area like Laggtrah City, a battlegrounds perhaps, or in a "low-populated" area?

[Kaomie]

Originally Posted by Geboran One question.... if i set all of the settings to their minimum, I imagine the screen will look "interesting" indeed. What settings should I start to increase first?

When I used to play on my laptop I think I had everything to the minimum. And yes it does look ugly then Which setting first depends on what you would like to see and how. Do you prefer to see in the distance to better locate yourself? Do you really like that bright glow on your weapons? Does it matters to you whether water looks opaque or do you prefer to see the mobs at the bottom of the lake? Depending on many things you want to enable different settings. Try it, no miracle.

Originally Posted by Geboran When I am "in-game", where should I go to work on these settings? A heavy, populated area like Laggtrah City, a battlegrounds perhaps, or in a "low-populated" area?

Again depends on what you do the most I guess. Do you RP in a city? Do you play a lot of PvP or is it rather instances? Or etc.. Go where you think you will be the most or where you will need the best performances.

[Farook]

Originally Posted by Gemini_II Yes, it usually does. But you should only use VSync when absolutely necessary.

When does it become "necessary"?

[Dreadlorde]

Originally Posted by Farook When does it become "necessary"?

When pigs fly.

by the way:

IM IN UR ACE

STEALIN UR FORUMZ

[Farook]

Dirty Baztard!

[MidgetMage55]

Vsync is only necessary if your getting 'tearing' when you moving around, go back a few years and its was more necessary then it is now in relation to the advances in monitors. Usually turning rapidly will cause it to occur if its going to heppen at all. though its not exclusive to that.

[Gemini_II]

Originally Posted by MidgetMage55 Vsync is only necessary if your getting 'tearing' when you moving around, go back a few years and its was more necessary then it is now in relation to the advances in monitors. Usually turning rapidly will cause it to occur if its going to heppen at all. though its not exclusive to that.

Correct. And like Seerah said, read the tooltips.