Curse

Omega X · Jan 18, 2006, 08:44 PM // 20:44

For starters, I used to own a GeForce 6200AGP. Now I have a Geforce 6800XT. The 6200 only had a 64bit interface, but the 6800 has a 256bit interface along with double the pixel pipes.

NOW, The game is very jumpy with my new videocard. The FPS are Realllllly sporadic. IT can jump from anywhere from 78 to 12fps in mere seconds. But the lag seems to be about the textures loading in the background while the game is running. I noticed this problem with the 6200 too but it wasn't as noticable as it is now.

I don't really remembering it doing that before with the previous card back in June when Sorrow's Furnace came out. But recently before and after the new card, I can actually feel and SEE the textures loading in the background. Like If I was to run up to a rock face, it would look blurry then all of a sudden, the better texture loads in. Remember that this has happened with both cards.

Running though towns also makes it even more noticable like the game waits too long before loading the stuff in, then it scrambles to load it when I get too close. Lowering the detail has no effect whatsoever. The textures still load slow.

I have tried other games with the new card and this type of thing is very minimal. Some, not at all.

So IS this because of GW? Should I reinstall the game? Get different drivers? Any advice would be helpful.

Specs:
AMD Athlon XP 2600+
1Gb Ram 512x2
WD80gb Sata150
Enermax FMA460w

78.01 Forceware Drivers

Josh · Jan 18, 2006, 08:58 PM // 20:58

I have a similar'ish problem.

It's quite rare for it to happen, but, sometimes, my screen will look like I'm set to lowest quality, then it'll come back after about 2 seconds back to my Full Quality detail.

ATI Sapphire Radeon 9250 128MB AGP 8X

Omega X · Jan 18, 2006, 09:15 PM // 21:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Josh

I have a similar'ish problem.

It's quite rare for it to happen, but, sometimes, my screen will look like I'm set to lowest quality, then it'll come back after about 2 seconds back to my Full Quality detail.

ATI Sapphire Radeon 9250 128MB AGP 8X

Exactly, which makes me to believe that this is a GW problem since most of my other games don't do that.

LiQuId StEeL · Jan 18, 2006, 09:15 PM // 21:15

Update your drivers, first and foremost.

Then, go to display (right click on desktop, and hit properties) - Settings - Advanced - GeForce xxxxx - Performance and quality settings (on the left, popout menu) - Image Settings (in the menu in the main box).

Now drag the slider all the way to High Quality.

Also, in GW, put every setting on high, and try it again. With a 6800, there shouldn't be a problem.

Josh · Jan 18, 2006, 11:15 PM // 23:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiQuId StEeL

Update your drivers, first and foremost.

Then, go to display (right click on desktop, and hit properties) - Settings - Advanced - GeForce xxxxx - Performance and quality settings (on the left, popout menu) - Image Settings (in the menu in the main box).

Now drag the slider all the way to High Quality.

Also, in GW, put every setting on high, and try it again. With a 6800, there shouldn't be a problem.

I've done many different Drivers for mine, doesn't work.

Old Dood · Jan 19, 2006, 12:15 AM // 00:15

It always seems to be the lower end to mid-range cards that have this problem. I have never had a problem yet with my vid card. It has got to be the drivers.

Dex · Jan 19, 2006, 12:28 AM // 00:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Dood

It always seems to be the lower end to mid-range cards that have this problem. I have never had a problem yet with my vid card. It has got to be the drivers.

It definitely sounds like a driver issue to me as well.

I wonder if the nVidia drivers are having problems installing cleanly. When I built my current system I did a fresh Windows install with my GeForce 7800GT and the newest drivers. The version of the drivers I was using were causing problems with GW at the time for other people, but I had no problems at all. That leads me to believe my clean install had something to do with it, but maybe not.

Omega X · Jan 19, 2006, 12:41 AM // 00:41

I'll try the new drivers that I downloaded from Guru. I hear that the latest drivers has the old GW texture error. I think that they are 82.12. The latest is 81.98 and 82.68 for the betas.

Dex · Jan 19, 2006, 12:47 AM // 00:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Omega X

I'll try the new drivers that I downloaded from Guru. I hear that the latest drivers has the old GW texture error. I think that they are 82.12. The latest is 81.98 and 82.68 for the betas.

I'm not sure which version I'm using. I'm still at work and I can't check. I'll post my version up here later when I'm at home.

LiQuId StEeL · Jan 19, 2006, 01:11 AM // 01:11

I'm using 81.98 and have the texture problem... then again, I have a PCI 5200 installed atm and it has problems even running the game...

You can also try Omega Drivers

I used to use them, but haven't really seen a performance difference, so I didn't bother with them for GW. They could help if you want to try some non-official ones.

D.E.V.i.A.N.C.E · Jan 19, 2006, 01:25 AM // 01:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Josh

I have a similar'ish problem.

It's quite rare for it to happen, but, sometimes, my screen will look like I'm set to lowest quality, then it'll come back after about 2 seconds back to my Full Quality detail.

ATI Sapphire Radeon 9250 128MB AGP 8X

I own a...
ATI Sapphire Radeon 9250 256MB PCI and use the 5.13 Catalyst...
the 5.12 ones failed once 5.13 came out (GW did somthing durring there updates)

But no problems here. eh could be ram catching up...

Omega X · Jan 19, 2006, 03:20 AM // 03:20

The 82.12s prove no major difference. The lagging has stopped a little but the textures still load slow. I did defrag but that only made the areas load a little faster when zoning.

I'm gonna try a reinstall and see if it will improve anything. Or try a different set of drivers maybe. I just can't understand why an inferior card performs so much better than a superior card on all fronts.

I will also try some BIOS settings like throttling down the AGP bus and reducing the apeture size.

aeroclown · Jan 19, 2006, 04:55 AM // 04:55

Try using driver cleaner, before installing new drivers, Uninstall the current set, reboot and run the cleaner, then try installing your drivers. That may or may not ensure a clean installation of the drivers, but hey if thats the case its worth a shot.

Omega X · Jan 19, 2006, 05:02 AM // 05:02

I did that. I always do that as a rule of mine.

I tweaked the bios stuff, reduced the apeture to 64mb, and throttled the AGP bus but no go. Turning on Fastwrite seemed to help a little but still jumps a whole lot when moving.

The only thing I haven't tried yet is Reinstalling GuildWars.

Kaguya · Jan 19, 2006, 08:22 AM // 08:22

Back a few months my motherboard died, and I replaced it with a MSI board..

Plugged in my GF6800GT etc, stuffed in the drivers, and it seemed to work, wee.

Except, when I started playing games. Dethkarz, the funny racing game, would go like ~kazillion FPS for few seconds, then pause a second, then superfast again, and a pause.

Poked the drivers, whined and moaned. Friend suggested taking Fast Writes off for 6800-series, tried that, seemed to work nice. But the vidcard still kept throttling, at which point I checked the vidcard temperature.. 80'C. Bingo.

Popped the case open again, noticed one of the power cables blocking one of the case fans *oops*

So check the vidcard's temperatures, newer cards slow down on purpose when they reach certain temperatures so they won't overheat and burn. Also try disabling Fast Writes, I still have them disabled and don't have any problems.

(Fast Writes can be disabled from BIOS, and from windows settings, but seems to be the easiest and most sure to do it from BIOS

)

Omega X · Jan 19, 2006, 08:48 AM // 08:48

I'll try your suggestions. And tomorrow I'll see If I can rework the cables. (It is a little hectic in there anyways.

But I'm afraid either this card is a 3.3v AGP( couldn't find the info, mb doesn't support it ), the processor maybe too slow, the Powersupply isn't feeding it enough, or the card is busted.

Anyway it goes, its still bad luck and a possible Restock fee that will drain the bottom line.

Kaguya · Jan 19, 2006, 09:13 AM // 09:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Omega X

But I'm afraid either this card is a 3.3v AGP( couldn't find the info, mb doesn't support it ), the processor maybe too slow, the Powersupply isn't feeding it enough, or the card is busted.

Power Supply should be okay, Enermax is a good brand, and I think I have Enermax 460W as well (or was it 480W)..

Got A64 3200+, 4 harddrivess, GF6800GT and couple of CD/DVD drives attached to it as well, no problems.

And if the vidcard fits your motherboard AGP socket, it should be okay. It has it's own power supply cable coming onto the card.. I think. Not sure about XT.

SaucE · Jan 19, 2006, 12:07 PM // 12:07

May I suggest Omega Drivers. They have been know to work better than official releases. http://www.omegadrivers.net/

Alias_X · Jan 19, 2006, 08:35 PM // 20:35

Omega X man, you're stealing my X here. Lol, jk. Happens to me, but I am not even going to try to locate the proble, 1.7ghz P4, 256mb of RAM (super slow old ram) and a mediocre ATI Radeon 9550 256mb card, so it is probably a lot of things.

In your case, it sounds like drivers, because the 6800 can handle a lot, so try that.

Omega X · Jan 19, 2006, 09:09 PM // 21:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaguya

Power Supply should be okay, Enermax is a good brand, and I think I have Enermax 460W as well (or was it 480W)..

Got A64 3200+, 4 harddrivess, GF6800GT and couple of CD/DVD drives attached to it as well, no problems.

And if the vidcard fits your motherboard AGP socket, it should be okay. It has it's own power supply cable coming onto the card.. I think. Not sure about XT.

Don't the A64s take less power?

And yes, it has its own socket but it's a 4pin component socket like CD drives use.

@Alias

I've been sporting the "X" for quite a few years now. :P

--------------------

Update:

I've reworked the cables, it actually shaved 2 degrees off but the picture still stutters much.

I'm gonna DL the WHQL drivers from NvIDIA and see if they are better.