Curse

Valandilus Maximus · Feb 07, 2009, 07:59 AM // 07:59

Ok this problem has me a tad confused. When I used GW on my old PC the load times between areas were a fair bit shorter than they currently are on my new rig, which is a fair bit more powerful. An example, I was playing side-by-side with my nephew on his laptop, and we'd leave one area at the same time, but he'd arrive in the desired area a second or two before I would.

Just to note, the laptop is running the early version of Vista Home (I think) and has nothing like the processing or graphic capability of my PC, which is running XP Pro SP2. We're both running off the same internet connection, through the same router, which is receiving an ADSL connection of 1.5MB/s (best rate that I can get for this area).

So... we're using the same GW client, on the same connection, in the same area, just on different computers. Now like I said my old rig used to load quicker than this one currently does, which appears laggy between areas. Is there an easy fix for this?

PS: I did have a search for this, but people use different terms for this and the search got very convoluted.

Edit: I've tried using TS and Ventrilo with this problem, and zoning between areas results in cut/chop voice and repeated a few times until it gets into the next area.

Elder III · Feb 07, 2009, 08:20 PM // 20:20

so, you already have these areas downloaded on the client that you are using??? Please post computer specs too if you can

Valandilus Maximus · Feb 08, 2009, 06:45 AM // 06:45

M3A79-T Asus M/B
AMD 9950 Phenom Q/C CPU
4Gb OCZ RAM
Sapphire HD4870 PCI-e graphics card
1kW Corsair PSU

I have Legendary Cartographer by using only this PC, so yes all areas are loaded. To be a bit more specific, it goes from 0-100% in no time, delays for about 3-4secs until sound comes in, and another 1-2secs till the area loads.

Snograt · Feb 08, 2009, 10:22 AM // 10:22

There's absolutely nothing wrong with that configuration. In fact, if you hadn't noticed the difference in loading times betwwen yours and your nephew's PCs, I'd have said that there was nothing wrong at all.

Are you connecting to the router wirelessly or via cable? I would assume that your nephew connected wirelessly (which makes it even more odd!) - it could be a simple matter of his network adapter being better than yours.

Valandilus Maximus · Feb 08, 2009, 11:39 AM // 11:39

Well we were both hardwired to the router, after the recent failings of our WiFi attempts.

Don't know if it makes a difference but when I Alt-Tab between screens say for looking up something on Wiki, it also takes ~3secs to get into the browser, and vice versa back into GW.

It may well be something I can fix but I don't know where to look, so I'm stumped.

Snograt · Feb 08, 2009, 12:51 PM // 12:51

Ah.

The Alt-tabbing may well be the cause. I'm sure someone with a more technical brain than mine can tell you why, but alt-tabbing creates lagging problems to a lot of people. It does it to me - and there's a thread on here today that talks about "jumping lag" which had the very same cause.

In short, alt-tab is bad.

It shouldn't be, but it is. What's a guy to do? :/

Valandilus Maximus · Feb 08, 2009, 01:04 PM // 13:04

Well after doing some AB this weekend I find I'm still the last in my group to load, as everyone else is there before I am. I don't get it, I mean I've done all I can (that I know about) to try to remedy the problem... could it be video drivers or something else PC-related, cos I'm fairly sure it's not network, internet or server related.

Lord Sojar · Feb 08, 2009, 11:19 PM // 23:19

You might just have a bad network controller; bad as in sluggish, not defective. Some are better than others.

Also, ALT-TAB removes the focus of the OS's hardware management from whichever application you were on to the one you ALT-TAB to. In other words, Guild Wars loses its priority, and it doesn't go happily. Most games have issues with ALT-TAB because it deactivates 3D acceleration on the GPUs, causes processor loads to go from 80-100% to 1-10%, etc etc. It is like going from 100MPH in your car to 5, and back to 100, CONSTANTLY.

Elder III · Feb 09, 2009, 10:43 PM // 22:43

I never use Alt Tab - for that reason - an extra 3 seconds isn't bad at all though.... try playing on dial-up sometime

Quaker · Feb 10, 2009, 03:02 PM // 15:02

Just a wild thought but, could your virus scanner be checking the downloaded files, or perhaps a firewall taking time to allow them through?