Curse

EternalTempest · May 04, 2006, 01:50 PM // 13:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nascent

Any word if there is some sort of a switch to disable the direct sound they implemented? I dislike playing the game with no sound in order to maintain a framerate -_-

I've tired to find one in the past but here is how you can kill Direct Song.

Start Run -> Type in Regedit (Enter)
Find this Registery Key
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ DirectSong
Right Click and Export it (so you can re-enable it latter by double clicking on it), then delete the reg key

Nascent · May 04, 2006, 08:32 PM // 20:32

its not direct song that is the problem, though. I've purposefully kept those uninstalled this time around thinking that might have been linked to the degrading performance.

I mean the games emulating 3d sound, etc. The new upgrades they made to the sound engine mostly. A way to perhaps return it to its previous state? or trick the game into thinking you dont have any 3d accelleration on your sound card so it doesnt try to even employ the new sound system.

I've attempted turning the silder in the 'advanced' options of the sound tad to No Acelleration, which, when I enter the game, does return it to a state of good performance with sound activated...for a short period of time. Then I start getting all sorts of weird sound glitches until I eventually end up just turning the sound off regardless. I've found this to not be a viable solution, thus I was wondering if there's a switch, or something.

Celestial Harmony · May 06, 2006, 11:28 AM // 11:28

You deserve a medal for posting these, I've got much better performance outta my laptop in GW now, still run on lowest settings but the draw distance and framerate are a lot better for me with the -dx8 -noshaders and heapsize 1024000 switches.

So, if anytime you need a n00b monk....

Omega X · May 08, 2006, 02:11 AM // 02:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by EternalTempest

Did Test on the lap top with -image.

Install client, get the exe and then when it tried to connect to download the gw.dat files, I blocked it with the firewall. Then from the command line did the image and let it download everything. This was today (with faction code). Came to: 1.92 GB (2,072,768,512 bytes). Not sure how much factions installed. I only have the pre-order key on the account, not the CE retail key..

The preorder stuff IS Factions. When I did the install for factions, it only added in about 90 files. (Didn't find that out until later...)

I also got finished testing and the DAT file came out to about 1.79GB. Which is weird because my file is so big. Maybe I stumbled across some kind of issue with the -image switch. My file shouldn't be that big.

So I'm gonna go back and redo my install to make sure that its not just my machine.(which it shouldn't be).

koneko · May 08, 2006, 06:40 AM // 06:40

Factions-related content is downloaded whether or not you have the retail key for that particular campaign if you use -image. The program doesn't differentiate between Prophecies and Factions content when it downloads; it just grabs everything it can from the server.

Clean install (no Gw.dat), hovering around 1.75GB.

My theory on why the .dat file grows in size over time like Omega X's: (old base Gw.dat) + (update) + (update) + ... ---> new/updated Gw.dat + leftovers of old outdated files that aren't cleaned up/removed. Or something...

Omega X · May 08, 2006, 07:23 AM // 07:23

That is my theory as well.

When I did the reinstall FROM CDs instead of downloading in full, the Dat file grew to about 3gb(I did it twice to make sure). Since its old GW+New GW+SF+Factions.

But when I did an -image install directly from Anet, the DAT file was in the 1.7GB range. That kinda size makes sense because Factions reuses a number of textures and models.

Maybe someone should bring this to the attention of Anet. But to make sure, someone else should do what I did to see if what I found out is reproducible.

What I did was:

-Install from CD: Guild Wars: CH1

-Close program after finishing.

-Install from CD: Guild Wars: CH2

-Close program after finishing.

-Run the exe with the -image switch

Then report the size of the DAT file.

Omega X · May 08, 2006, 08:09 PM // 20:09

Ok I did another test.

I installed straight from the Factions CD since it most likely contained a more recent image of the game instead of the original Prophecies CD.

The size grew to 4GB and once the process finished, it shrunk back down to 3.18 GB (3,421,900,800 bytes).

So it actually lost some weight unless it comes later since I have yet to add in my UI customizations and options.

I'm gonna write to Tech Support and ask them the correct size of the Image.

kaya · May 08, 2006, 08:59 PM // 20:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by EternalTempest

-heapsize

This must always be the LAST switch off of the shortcut.

This is a windows trick that tells windows to devote ram just to a program (in this case, guildwars). This can speed up loading of maps. It was recommended you specify ½ of your ram.

Usage: "C:\Program Files\Guild Wars\Gw.exe” -heapsize xxxxxx
xxxxx = the bytes

Quick chart: (½ ram) in bytes
128MB -heapsize 64000
256MB -heapsize 128000
384MB -heapsize 192000
512MB -heapsize 256000
640MB -heapsize 320000
768MB -heapsize 384000
1024MB -heapsize 512000

Here is a handy Bit Calculator - http://www.matisse.net/bitcalc/

Ok, I'm a little confused about this... maybe I just dont know how theese numbers work. Anyway, from what I gather were sapposed to imput 1/2 our ram in bytes. I have 2 gig of ram, and from the chart it says that 1024 MB = 512000 bytes, but when i use that handy little calculator it tells me that 1024 MB = 1073741824 bytes. I'm wondering which number I'm sapposed to use, and why are they different? Or am I just reading it wrong?
Somebody want to educate me?

EDIT!!

oh wait... I think i figured it out... where is says bytes in the above quote, it's sapposed to say kilobytes? Let me know if thats right or not, and if so then it probably should be updated. Thanks!

kaya · May 08, 2006, 10:51 PM // 22:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Omega X

Ok I did another test.

I installed straight from the Factions CD since it most likely contained a more recent image of the game instead of the original Prophecies CD.

The size grew to 4GB and once the process finished, it shrunk back down to 3.18 GB (3,421,900,800 bytes).

So it actually lost some weight unless it comes later since I have yet to add in my UI customizations and options.

I'm gonna write to Tech Support and ask them the correct size of the Image.

I ended up with 3.31 GB (3,560,779,264 bytes) after i customized my settings.

EternalTempest · May 08, 2006, 11:04 PM // 23:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaya

Ok, I'm a little confused about this... maybe I just dont know how theese numbers work. Anyway, from what I gather were sapposed to imput 1/2 our ram in bytes. I have 2 gig of ram, and from the chart it says that 1024 MB = 512000 bytes, but when i use that handy little calculator it tells me that 1024 MB = 1073741824 bytes. I'm wondering which number I'm sapposed to use, and why are they different? Or am I just reading it wrong?
Somebody want to educate me?

EDIT!!

oh wait... I think i figured it out... where is says bytes in the above quote, it's sapposed to say kilobytes? Let me know if thats right or not, and if so then it probably should be updated. Thanks!

That was copied over from another post.. now that you point it out.. They seem to be 1/2 ram with three zero's on it... and the conversion are not coming out right for me either... I didn't notice because it seemed to work perfect on my system with the numbers mentioned..

Kabale · May 10, 2006, 01:27 PM // 13:27

If you have 2Gb of RAM use -heapsize 1024000

kaya · May 10, 2006, 04:49 PM // 16:49

hmm... it's still a little confusing to me. I'll google it... but i'm wondering if the heapsize should be in kilobytes, or bytes. because everyone seems to be using kilobytes, but the instructions say to use bytes. Both totally different numbers.

anyways it's probably kilobytes, but if it is then the instructions should be updated for people who dont know much about it like me.

EternalTempest · May 10, 2006, 11:10 PM // 23:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaya

hmm... it's still a little confusing to me. I'll google it... but i'm wondering if the heapsize should be in kilobytes, or bytes. because everyone seems to be using kilobytes, but the instructions say to use bytes. Both totally different numbers.

anyways it's probably kilobytes, but if it is then the instructions should be updated for people who dont know much about it like me.

I tweaked it to say 1/2 ram and add three zero's and added 2GB ram in the chart. Techie, the one that posted a ton of good tech stuff appears to no longer be on the forum and he was the one to post that windows tweak.

Thinking of tweaks.. I wonder if the tweak to for adding "prefetch to the shortcut will make it load faster

Example, Windows media player has a tweak that ms did
"C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\wmplayer.exe" /prefetch:1
Which copies part of the exe to a part of windows, so when launched it makes it load faster.

kaya · May 11, 2006, 03:26 PM // 15:26

hmm... good one to test out. :P

Omega X · May 11, 2006, 08:52 PM // 20:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by EternalTempest

I tweaked it to say 1/2 ram and add three zero's and added 2GB ram in the chart. Techie, the one that posted a ton of good tech stuff appears to no longer be on the forum and he was the one to post that windows tweak.

Thinking of tweaks.. I wonder if the tweak to for adding "prefetch to the shortcut will make it load faster

Example, Windows media player has a tweak that ms did
"C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\wmplayer.exe" /prefetch:1
Which copies part of the exe to a part of windows, so when launched it makes it load faster.

IF Prefetch was set correctly in the Registry, there is no need to add the /prefetch switch since it does it for all exes. I think XP is set by default to prefetch programs in SP2.

monkey grip · May 12, 2006, 01:01 AM // 01:01

any ideas on the -map switch?

thanks for compiling all these, this is great!

schroedingercat · May 12, 2006, 11:41 PM // 23:41

yay! the -dx8 switch fixed a bug i have had forever - every time i opened a belt pouch or bag, i would completely lock up for over a minute.

made life really sucky when i was farming. hehe.

EternalTempest · May 22, 2006, 08:55 PM // 20:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nascent

its not direct song that is the problem, though. I've purposefully kept those uninstalled this time around thinking that might have been linked to the degrading performance.

I mean the games emulating 3d sound, etc. The new upgrades they made to the sound engine mostly. A way to perhaps return it to its previous state? or trick the game into thinking you dont have any 3d accelleration on your sound card so it doesnt try to even employ the new sound system.

I've attempted turning the silder in the 'advanced' options of the sound tad to No Acelleration, which, when I enter the game, does return it to a state of good performance with sound activated...for a short period of time. Then I start getting all sorts of weird sound glitches until I eventually end up just turning the sound off regardless. I've found this to not be a viable solution, thus I was wondering if there's a switch, or something.

I would upgrade to directx 9c (April 2006), it did updated DirectSound3d and worked on performace issues with some users (not all). Also grab the most current sound card drivers for your card / onboard solution.

Another trick is to shut down DX Sound Acceleration in windows but that's more of an incovient work around. Control Panel -> Sound and Audio Device's -> Audio (Tab), Advanced Button (under Sound Playback), Performance (Tab)

If it's not set to max, turn it up. If it's max, start bumping it down a notch an see if it works better.

Quote:

Originally Posted by monkey grip

any ideas on the -map switch?

thanks for compiling all these, this is great!

No idea, If I were to guess I think Gaile uses this to warp to area's with here characer and the fact she has a special GM account.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Omega X

IF Prefetch was set correctly in the Registry, there is no need to add the /prefetch switch since it does it for all exes. I think XP is set by default to prefetch programs in SP2.

I did notice some applications, Such as firefox, thunderbird, and Guildwars it shaved 1-3 sec worth of load time after running it at least once with the switch but nothing to rave about.

Helll is for Heroes · Jun 01, 2006, 11:13 PM // 23:13

there is also

-dx7

increases my performance from dx8 by about 20 frames.

EternalTempest · Jun 03, 2006, 03:29 PM // 15:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Helll is for Heroes

there is also
-dx7
increases my performance from dx8 by about 20 frames.

Not able to get this to work on mine.

Normal Launch (Shows Direct X 9 render in options)
-dx8 switch (Shows DirectX 8 render in options)
-dx7 switch (Shows Direct X 9 render in options)

I have a Geforce FX 5700 Ultra.