Vast slow-down in NWN2

chevalier · Sun, 9th Mar '08, 5:23pm

Argh. Another problem. Looks like NWN2 has slowed down. Like 2-3 times what it was before. No software or hardware changes except adding more RAM. Removing the RAM to free two banks didn't help, either. No strange processes in task manager, nothing. Admittedly, my computer is not a rocket, but it was way faster before.

fat mike · Wed, 12th Mar '08, 1:17pm

This game's engine really does fail, because what you just described seems like a completely random thing. I mean, if it had a problem (it puzzles me how that would be even possible) with your new RAM, then its performance would've gone back to normal after said RAM's removal, right?

While I'm at it, let me describe the quirk (since it's not really a game-breaking issue) I'm experiencing. You see, whenever I change the game's sound "drivers", it overrides my speakers' settings. Apparently NWN2 seems to think EAX sounds better with two speakers, so it SHUTS DOWN the two in the back (yes, I have a 4.1 setup). It does so every time I start the game (unless I use Miles Fast 2D, which I eventually started doing) or tinker with the settings.

Fabius Maximus · Wed, 12th Mar '08, 3:34pm

Chev, how many space is available on your windows drive/partition? NWN2 copies (!) a lot of stuff from the game directory in your 'My Files' (or 'My Computer'?) directory, which usually is found on the windows drive. If this drive is too small, the computer gets slower and slower. In the end, you're not even able to save a game.

fat mike · Wed, 12th Mar '08, 7:08pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fabius Maximus

If this drive is too small, the computer gets slower and slower. In the end, you're not even able to save a game.

Had that one too, I wasn't able to save. Solved that (at least temporarily), by moving my temp. folders to another partition. I wouldn't bet on this being his issue though, as I experienced no significant slow-downs before it simply gave a "insufficient disk space" error.

chevalier · Wed, 12th Mar '08, 9:21pm

Eleven gigs free and as low as 12 fps in Mulsandir, while I recall enjoying 60. Adding or removing the RAM causes 1-2 fps difference in favour of the greater amount.

fat mike · Wed, 12th Mar '08, 9:45pm

I'd give reinstalling the game a shot. Shouldn't take too long, and if it works it'll at least keep you from wasting time on more complicated trouble-shooting.

fat mike · Sat, 15th Mar '08, 7:56pm

So... have you solved your performance-related problem, or are you still getting ****ty fps?

chevalier · Mon, 17th Mar '08, 9:58pm

Well, I don't know what fps I'm now getting (I'd have to check, well, I might), but it's playable without stellar performance. I'm fine with not so great fps if I get nice graphics, as I generally value beauty over speed. I just don't like inexplicable slowdowns because that means something's going wrong and well, if I can get 60, why should I be getting 15.

iLLusioN' · Mon, 17th Mar '08, 10:18pm

I had a probelm with this as well. Somtimes I would get between 75-125 fps and then randomly I started getting 10-20.My system isn't amazing but I can play pretty much any game with mostly high setting and no slow down...I ended up changing graphics cards a few weeks later(just a usual upgrade not because of this) from a 7800GT to an 8600GT and my frames went up to 150 or so. It makes no sense to me because technically the 7800GT is a little bit better than the 8600GT =/

fat mike · Mon, 17th Mar '08, 11:57pm

chevalier:

In theory, I too can live with some games slowing down, as long as they offer solid eye-candy in return. It just makes me sick when a game that should be eaten for breakfast by my system, is slowing down anyway. Didn't have that in NWN2 (at least not so much to seriously complain), just in NWN1. Before a recent a upgrade, I had a Duron 1,2GHz, 512MB Ram, and a 7600GS. If I remember that right, that's worlds beyond the minimum requirements of the prequel, but it still slowed down quite a bit and loading times were bordering on the unbearable. And I didn't even turn any real eye-candy on, I think I played on minimum details, or barely above that.

illusion:

You're saying the 7800 was technically better than the 8600? I don't know about that myself, so I'm by no means correcting you. I can't figure something out though: why did you replace a better gpu for a worse one?

Sun, 9th Mar '08, 5:23pm	#1
chevalier SPS Account Holder Senior News Editor Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: I wish I were in the land of coffee... Posts: 16,675 Like: 2 Liked 1 Time in 1 Post vBActivity - Stats XP: 62,757 Level: 62 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 24.62% Daily Activity 2.21% Weekly Activity 0.95% Monthly Activity 1.4% Achievements	Vast slow-down in NWN2 Argh. Another problem. Looks like NWN2 has slowed down. Like 2-3 times what it was before. No software or hardware changes except adding more RAM. Removing the RAM to free two banks didn't help, either. No strange processes in task manager, nothing. Admittedly, my computer is not a rocket, but it was way faster before.

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Wed, 12th Mar '08, 1:17pm	#2
fat mike Gems: 2/31 Latest gem: Fire Agate Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 30 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 379 Level: 7 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 9.29% Daily Activity 2.21% Weekly Activity 0.95% Monthly Activity 1.4% Achievements	This game's engine really does fail, because what you just described seems like a completely random thing. I mean, if it had a problem (it puzzles me how that would be even possible) with your new RAM, then its performance would've gone back to normal after said RAM's removal, right? While I'm at it, let me describe the quirk (since it's not really a game-breaking issue) I'm experiencing. You see, whenever I change the game's sound "drivers", it overrides my speakers' settings. Apparently NWN2 seems to think EAX sounds better with two speakers, so it SHUTS DOWN the two in the back (yes, I have a 4.1 setup). It does so every time I start the game (unless I use Miles Fast 2D, which I eventually started doing) or tinker with the settings.

Wed, 12th Mar '08, 3:34pm	#3
Fabius Maximus Veni, vidi, cunctabar! Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Berlin, Germany Posts: 1,103 Blog Entries: 9 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 2,721 Level: 17 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 0.49% Daily Activity 2.21% Weekly Activity 0.95% Monthly Activity 1.4% Achievements	Chev, how many space is available on your windows drive/partition? NWN2 copies (!) a lot of stuff from the game directory in your 'My Files' (or 'My Computer'?) directory, which usually is found on the windows drive. If this drive is too small, the computer gets slower and slower. In the end, you're not even able to save a game.

Wed, 12th Mar '08, 9:21pm	#5
chevalier SPS Account Holder Senior News Editor Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: I wish I were in the land of coffee... Posts: 16,675 Like: 2 Liked 1 Time in 1 Post vBActivity - Stats XP: 62,757 Level: 62 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 24.62% Daily Activity 2.21% Weekly Activity 0.95% Monthly Activity 1.4% Achievements	Eleven gigs free and as low as 12 fps in Mulsandir, while I recall enjoying 60. Adding or removing the RAM causes 1-2 fps difference in favour of the greater amount.

Wed, 12th Mar '08, 9:45pm	#6
fat mike Gems: 2/31 Latest gem: Fire Agate Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 30 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 379 Level: 7 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 9.29% Daily Activity 2.21% Weekly Activity 0.95% Monthly Activity 1.4% Achievements	I'd give reinstalling the game a shot. Shouldn't take too long, and if it works it'll at least keep you from wasting time on more complicated trouble-shooting.

Sat, 15th Mar '08, 7:56pm	#7
fat mike Gems: 2/31 Latest gem: Fire Agate Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 30 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 379 Level: 7 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 9.29% Daily Activity 2.21% Weekly Activity 0.95% Monthly Activity 1.4% Achievements	So... have you solved your performance-related problem, or are you still getting ****ty fps?

Mon, 17th Mar '08, 9:58pm	#8
chevalier SPS Account Holder Senior News Editor Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: I wish I were in the land of coffee... Posts: 16,675 Like: 2 Liked 1 Time in 1 Post vBActivity - Stats XP: 62,757 Level: 62 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 24.62% Daily Activity 2.21% Weekly Activity 0.95% Monthly Activity 1.4% Achievements	Well, I don't know what fps I'm now getting (I'd have to check, well, I might), but it's playable without stellar performance. I'm fine with not so great fps if I get nice graphics, as I generally value beauty over speed. I just don't like inexplicable slowdowns because that means something's going wrong and well, if I can get 60, why should I be getting 15.

Mon, 17th Mar '08, 10:18pm	#9
iLLusioN' Gems: 16/31 Latest gem: Shandon Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: USA Posts: 817 Like: 0 Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 2,198 Level: 15 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 47.87% Daily Activity 2.21% Weekly Activity 0.95% Monthly Activity 1.4% Achievements	I had a probelm with this as well. Somtimes I would get between 75-125 fps and then randomly I started getting 10-20.My system isn't amazing but I can play pretty much any game with mostly high setting and no slow down...I ended up changing graphics cards a few weeks later(just a usual upgrade not because of this) from a 7800GT to an 8600GT and my frames went up to 150 or so. It makes no sense to me because technically the 7800GT is a little bit better than the 8600GT =/

Mon, 17th Mar '08, 11:57pm	#10
fat mike Gems: 2/31 Latest gem: Fire Agate Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 30 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 379 Level: 7 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 9.29% Daily Activity 2.21% Weekly Activity 0.95% Monthly Activity 1.4% Achievements	chevalier: In theory, I too can live with some games slowing down, as long as they offer solid eye-candy in return. It just makes me sick when a game that should be eaten for breakfast by my system, is slowing down anyway. Didn't have that in NWN2 (at least not so much to seriously complain), just in NWN1. Before a recent a upgrade, I had a Duron 1,2GHz, 512MB Ram, and a 7600GS. If I remember that right, that's worlds beyond the minimum requirements of the prequel, but it still slowed down quite a bit and loading times were bordering on the unbearable. And I didn't even turn any real eye-candy on, I think I played on minimum details, or barely above that. illusion: You're saying the 7800 was technically better than the 8600? I don't know about that myself, so I'm by no means correcting you. I can't figure something out though: why did you replace a better gpu for a worse one?