| Welcome Guest | Login |
Index
| Recent Threads
| Register
| Search
| Help
| 
| View Unanswered Threads
|
 |
Forums » List all forums » Forum: Technical Issues » Thread: How to reduce/eliminate lag and choppy gameplay |
|
Thread Status: Normal Thread Type: Sticky Thread Total posts in this thread: 78
|
[Add To My Favorites] [Watch this Thread] [Post new Thread] |
| Author |
|
|
Artemis
OceanMaster Joined: Sep 9, 2003 Posts: 7009 Status: Offline |
These are a few things which should help if you are experiencing lag or choppy graphics. Computer fixes: 1. Reboot! If you haven't done this in a while, it can really help, especially on older versions of windows. 2. Close all other programs while you play Y!PP. - check your task bar (lower right corner) and close anything running in the background, many programs like to hide here. 3. If you know the hardware in your machine, update the Videocard/monitor/motherboard drivers (especially after a re-install) Look on the manufacturer's web site for downloads/drivers. 4. If you are low on Hard drive space, make more room! Defrag your hard drive, or install Y!PP on a different partition. Clear out temporary files, archive older files to floppy/CD/DVD, etc. 5. Disable Y!PP sounds. While sounds are nice, they also slow down your machine a bit and could mean the difference between an Excellent and a Good. 6. Lower the resolution on your display. 7. Lower the Color Depth, i.e. change from 32 bit to 16 bit. 8. Mute everyone! Not the best approach, but this can certainly help, especially on a ship if you need to. 9. Disable the wallpaper on your desktop. 10. Demeter added: Track down any programs auto-connecting or checking for updates - this can cause temporary lags for no apparent reason, annoying at starts of tournament matches or battles. Checking for spyware can also help, and being virus free hopefully goes without saying. 11. If you have dual processors, and the computer is not correctly optimized to use them, that can cause jittery graphics and possibly some other strange glitches. This thread explains about this. Other: 1. Find a quiet place to swordfight like the realtor or an apothecary. Less movement and talking will reduce a lot of lag. ---------------------------------------- [Edit 3 times, last edit by Demeter at Jun 23, 2007 11:24:55 AM] |
||
|
|
Penndalla
Joined: May 2, 2003 Posts: 2062 Status: Offline |
In Windows, set as many SERVICES as possible to start manually. These are apps thar run in the background and are omnipresent. Depending on your OS, you should be able to locate services using the built in help. In most NT versions of Windows, you can access a services control MMC from the Advanced Tool icon in the control pannel. (Windows won't let you set required services to manual startup. Keep a list of which ones you change in case you encounter problems and need to put any back to automatic startup.) Right click on my computer, choose properties, and go to the Advanced tab. Make sure you performance is set to either a workstation or foreground applications. Increase your page file or virtual memory. Try doubling it. On NT systems like 2000 or XP, press CTRL-ALT-DEL to bring up the Task Manager. Click the tab for Processes. Find the Javaw.exe process, right click it, and SET PRIORITY to HIGH or REAL TIME. (This shouldn't cause stability issues. Just don't run do this will all your favorite apps. You can lower the priority level by a notch if it causes any problems.) Remove all the application shortcuts from START>PROGRAMS>STARTUP. Just right click the entries you find there. All these apps start automatically each time you boot your computer. Deleting these shortcuts won't remove the porgrams. You will just need to launch them manually if you wish to use them. ---------------------------------------- Pennsuedo My art: http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y245/Pennsuedo/?start=all |
||
|
|
Thunderbird
Joined: Sep 4, 2003 Posts: 5770 Status: Offline |
Adding a couple bits to Penn's post: Setting processes to realtime priority can cause system instability. I'd recommend going first with the AboveNormal priority (Win2K and XP only), and then setting to High if you need a further boost. Most programs these days do not add themselves to the Startup menu when they want to start automatically at Windows startup. The safest method for removing these from the auto-startup is to go into each of the applications themselves (they usually occupy the system tray next to the clock) and using them to remove themselves from auto-startup. Failing that, your next step requires Administrator access for NT based systems (for good reason, you need to go into the Registry, which can very possibly mess up your system if you screw up in here). Go to Start, Run and type regedit in the box. Expand the following keys: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SOFTWARE Microsoft Windows (even if you have a NT based system) CurrentVersion Select Run (do not expand this, even if it can be). You will now see a list of programs that Windows starts automatically at startup. Eliminate stuff you don't want by right-clicking and selecting Delete. Deleting the item labeled Default won't do anything, so leave it be. No critical programs will be located here, so you can delete everything here with no ill results. And now to add a couple of things of my own. Make sure you defragment your hard disk regularly. If you are using NT4 (you should probably upgrade if you are, since NT4 has issues running most newer games), you will need to obtain a defragmentation tool (Norton Utilities is useful). If you have Norton Utilities, add Norton System Doctor to your startup (using its options). Doing this won't slow down Y!PP any, because Norton System Doctor starts with a Low priority (which works well enough for it). You should probably add the fragmentation sensor to the panel, and run a defrag when it goes red (don't set it to do this automatically, or you may find yourself interrupted during a game session). ---------------------------------------- Pirate tells you, "my, that's one BIG wad o' chewing gum ye have mounted on yer bonce! oO'" Sungod officer chats, "I wonder if anyone's sailing the harpsichord" Pirate tells you, "ZOMG CANDYFLOSS!!! *munches*" |
||
|
|
Penndalla
Joined: May 2, 2003 Posts: 2062 Status: Offline |
Just as you should be very careful modifying your registry, also be careful with the MS configuration tool in Windows 98 (This work in ME too, you poor poor mate). Use run from the start menu to launch msconfig. The last tab on the right shows you all programs that launch with Windows from any source. You remove check boxes next to each to disable them. RAM is also very cheap now. Don't underestimate what doubling your RAM can do. If you can figure out which type you use, it is a simple matter to install your own. Most Pentium II, Pentium III, and K6-2 processors use PC100 SD-RAM. Lots of these machines are in need of a boost by now. You can get a decent upgrade (self-installed) for $25.00 to $50.00 US. ---------------------------------------- Pennsuedo My art: http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y245/Pennsuedo/?start=all |
||
|
|
CyberSkull
Joined: Feb 5, 2004 Posts: 19 Status: Offline |
Mac users: To set the priority of a process
|
||
|
|
tyroney
Joined: Mar 8, 2004 Posts: 72 Status: Offline |
I find an occasional /clear does wonders. I used to start lagging after 40 mintues of play, but I haven't seen that happen since I started clearing out my chat backlog. Besides the wallpaper, Active Desktop is evil, and should be disabled. And the same for chat programs. Also, switching to or from fullscreen might do something. (my current configuration lags like the devil in fullscreen) |
||
|
|
Scottish
Joined: Sep 15, 2003 Posts: 200 Status: Offline |
Thanks for the tip, CyberSkull. Does this get reset after a restart or logout? ---------------------------------------- Scottish Lord of Silver Dawn Senior Officer of The Cartographers Captain of Swillver Dawn, OCL Drinking Season 5 Champions |
|||
|
|
CyberSkull
Joined: Feb 5, 2004 Posts: 19 Status: Offline |
It only applies to the instance being altered. Start another instance of YPP and it's level will be 0, the default for all processes. ---------------------------------------- Sincerely, Your Dread Lord CyberSkull http://homepage.mac.com/cyberskull/.Pictures/Me/FF6-CyberSkull_Long_Sig.gif Un-Certified Looney, Heretic @ Large, etc. . . |
||
|
|
yomimono
|
Linux users: recompile your kernel with MTRR if possible. (This is not a trivial process, but it can REALLY help if you're seeing unjustifiable slowdown.) I was getting terrible performance out of my system until I recompiled with this enabled. Also, make sure X is using the correct drivers for your video card (if they exist). You can also renice Puzzle Pirates to have a higher priority: 1. find the PID by using "ps aux" and looking for a process that looks like "javaws dclient.jnlp" ("ps aux" is "ps -ef" on some non-Linux UNIX systems) 2. renice -19 -p [PID] -yomimono Token Linux user ---------------------------------------- -Yomimono |
||
|
|
ElSpoom
|
To disable programs on startup in Windows 98, ME, 2K, or XP, you don't have to go to the registry and delete the keys manually. Start -> Run... -> msconfig -> Startup tab (upper right) From here, you'll get a list of processes which you can uncheck to disable loading them on startup. Once done, click OK, then restart. ---------------------------------------- - Spoom [size=10]Captain, Pie Revolution Diamond: Because I'm lazy.
|
|||
|
|
Orac
Joined: Sep 19, 2003 Posts: 187 Status: Offline |
For Linux or Mac users, w.r.t. the renice command. This command has an equivalent for starting processes, the nice command. I'd recommend ye write a small startup script for YPP using nice rather than manually using renice later on, if ye really want a high-priority process for YPP. It's less work, honest. Nice ratings are inherited in both systems, so ye only need to catch the initial startup script to catch the final java binary too. For people who distrust running anything from a higher user security rating than absolutely necessary, sudo comes with a configuration file for specifying users against commands - if ye permit yer lesser users to use sudo with renice and have yer startup script renice itself, ye can avoid running Administrator/root-like YPP processes. DON'T permit sudo use of the nice command to anyone; it spawns new processes which would then run as the high-security user, and accepts *any* executable as its command line. ---------------------------------------- [size=9]Those that know the UK TV series Blake's 7 know more about a number of my character traits than is good for me. |
||
|
binka
 Joined: Apr 3, 2004 Posts: 310 Status: Offline |
I don't intend to try to discover why it is happening, but renaming my chat log when it gets larger (so that I start fresh with an empty one) seems to help a lot, especially on a larger ship with a lot of chatter. On my 512 machine, renaming it at 300K or so seems optimum, and on my 1Gig machine, I can wait until it is 1 or 2M before it makes a noticeable difference. ---------------------------------------- - Jaybell/Medea/Median ---------------------------------------- [Edit 1 times, last edit by binka at Dec 3, 2004 1:27:31 AM] |
||
|
|
pencilcounte
|
Hmm, I never thought about the log slowing things down. I'll try that. The biggest problem I have with lag is in a battle and tokens and shots are lost even though I put them there in plenty of time. I wouldn't suggest you muting everyone if on a ship. If the captain tells you something and you don't do it, you might get planked, especially if you are on my ship. :) |
||
|
|
niltiac
|
I have incredibly bad lag. I have time to sit back and cross my arms while waiting for a piece to move down in swordfighting/sailing. Haven't tried the other games. I'm running Mac OS X. Yes, I have a 56k connection. But it's never stopped me before. I used to have a subscriber account on Midnight (a long time ago) and it was not even a problem. Now it's keeping me from playing. I changed the process whatever to -19, and it didn't help. I turned off all other programs. And the sound turned off (except for alerts). What can I do? Any suggestions? Thanks, Caitlin |
||
|
|
emerson
Joined: Aug 4, 2003 Posts: 8878 Status: Offline |
Is this happening for the entire puzzle? Or once every, say, 10-15 minutes? ---------------------------------------- Cleaver shouts, "I lub this island." Personally I think that TITS are a technique if they are used less than once every three moves. Any more than that, and you're just waving your exploits in their faces. - Flamer |
||
|
|
Lizthegrey
Developer (retired) Joined: Jul 22, 2004 Posts: 6912 Status: Offline |
Viridian is known to hog a LOT more memory due to the large numbers of people on the docks. (170 megs on my machine, vs. a paltry 70 megs for Midnight) |
||
|
|
niltiac
|
It lags from the moment I sign on until I quit. |
||
|
|
zoip
|
How much RAM do you have? You'll want _at least_ 512MB. Apple, alas, tends to sell computers with 256MB and that's just not enough to keep OSX happy. Going from 256MB to 512MB should help out greatly with sailing. On land swordfights will likely still be a problem as the game puts a higher priority on drawing walking pirates in the top right hand corner than making swordfights playable on Macs with 512MB. (Try to have swordfights in isolated areas.) ----------------------------------------
|
|||||
|
|
niltiac
|
I have 640 MB. |
||
|
|
Lizthegrey
Developer (retired) Joined: Jul 22, 2004 Posts: 6912 Status: Offline |
Very odd, can you file a /bug please? |
||
|
|
sin1man
Joined: May 30, 2004 Posts: 215 Status: Offline |
Ever since the update I have also been having constant lag. It basically takes 3-5 seconds for anything I do to occur oncsreen. i.e. I click to start a puzzle, 3-5 seconds later it actually starts. Before the update it was practically instantaneous. I doubt its hardware related(1 gig ram, Athlon 64 3400+ and so on). Would logs or a /bug be more helpful? ---------------------------------------- Simman Nemo says, "I typo too." |
||
|
|
CHISys
|
Has anyone actually written an applescript to make this -19 at startup? I'd be interested in getting it, if possible. I can't seem to make it work on mine. Thanks! ---------------------------------------- I'm a pirate, I sail from sea to sea I'm not violent, unless I need to be -- Drifter by Four Way Free SaltyCDawg |
||
|
|
minxabella
|
Me too, I have no problem from my desk computer, but on my laptop, the lag is awful. So if anyone gets a script to work, let me know! |
||
|
|
PlNG
|
I have a borderline computer setup and here's what I've noticed: Extreme lag during the cannonfire (Impact and splash and actual Gunnery cannonfire [which is a double scupper]) and grappling (splash & Double/multi-grapple) phase I'm going to attribute this to a lot of images and transparencies needed to render the animation, which could probably be simplified greatly. Usually such spread multiple instances lag me to the point that if we get into a swordfight, I'm knocked out. I spend most of my time on a sloop and sometimes on a cutter, and if the battle is smooth and grapple isn't overzealous with aforementioned above, I get into SF's no prob. Sounds are off. 266Mhz (466Mhz fsb?) 112Mb P2 Windows 98. All I'm really stating is that those parts could probably be smoothed out a bit. |
||
|
|
Dragonlilly
Joined: Sep 13, 2003 Posts: 2297 Status: Offline |
But you're not even running at min. requirements. Install another 400Mb of RAM and you'll be racing! Even if you just go up to 256 mb of RAM to meet the min. req, you'll find that you won't lag out as much. RAM is a cheap speed booster and is easy self install hardware. ---------------------------------------- Dragonlilly, Captain of SDTC A very much retired old sea salt! Or would that be sea saltess? Shanty Raid-io! Avatar by thematt |
|||
|
|
Lizthegrey
Developer (retired) Joined: Jul 22, 2004 Posts: 6912 Status: Offline |
eww, 128 megs ram? Poor you. |
||
|
|
PlNG
|
Not 128, 112. (16 + 32 + 64Mb sticks) har har har. Most of the time I have no problem or I've figured workarounds to laggy spots. |
||
|
|
Dragonlilly
Joined: Sep 13, 2003 Posts: 2297 Status: Offline |
Why not replace the the 32 and 16 with a 128? One stick will only cost you $30 or less. I just can't believe anyone would willingly keep their RAM so low. ---------------------------------------- Dragonlilly, Captain of SDTC A very much retired old sea salt! Or would that be sea saltess? Shanty Raid-io! Avatar by thematt |
|||
|
|
isis_lady
Joined: Apr 19, 2005 Posts: 107 Status: Offline |
i have it to noticeble lag in bnav and i am running xp pro with 1gb ram |
||
|
|
lulunz
Joined: Jun 27, 2005 Posts: 469 Status: Offline |
I have just installed in on my uni machine (thanks for the non-admin tips in the other thread!) but it is running reaaallly sloooow. I have tried increasing the priority, and turning off sound, to no effect. My machine is a pentium, 2.66GHz, 1046MB RAM, the local disk has 61GB free. I'm not much of a techie, but it looks like decent numbers to me Could it be the internet connection? I'm on a network machine. I don't know what my connection speed is, and don't know how to find out (see the techie bit above!), and obviously can't ask the techies... Lulunz P.S. Yes, mostly I am studying, but sometimes my brain needs a break from myocardial infarctions and regressed cosine analysis ... or whatever it's called ... ---------------------------------------- Sante of Sagemerald Senior Officer and Poet of the Lost Lot Not bitter, just Twisted |
||
|
|
[Show Printable Version of Thread] [Post new Thread] |
Powered by mvnForum
mvnForum copyright © 2002-2006 by MyVietnam.net