Advanced Graphics Settings to Reduce Lag?

[Timothian]

I am turning everything off that I can think of to reduce lag (particle effects, show 1, clip plane etc.)

Under advanced settings, does anyone know if the pixel shaders should be turned off or on for lag reduction? I currently have them turned off. Hardware Vertex shader is on.

I am running a Radeon X1300 graphics card. (both my kids have much better graphics cards).

[Noircogi]

I would turn everything but shadows under advanced on. If your GPU has the feature it will be used, if it doesn't they won't. If you turn that stuff off the CPU has to simulate it.

Three big hints:

Set max frame rate to 30. That makes the frame rate more consistent and everything will be smoother.
Turn sky detail down and set it's update rate to 10.
Use the viewport command to make the screen not draw under you UI windows and elements. That will reduce the fill requirement and make those areas more readable anyway.

[Timothian]

Thanks, I will try this out.

[oknagicsar]

Use the viewport command to make the screen not draw under you UI windows and elements. That will reduce the fill requirement and make those areas more readable anyway.

What/where is that command? Sounds interesting and I'd like to try it.

[Laleldil]

Would not setting your chat windows to opaque stop the computer from having to fill those chat windows with pictures help decrease lag? So if you cn condense some of your windows to filter into one window and make it have opaque, then minimize some other windows, would that help on lag? I know on my monk there is just too much stuff coming in, so I have a couple of windows that gets data that I keep minimized to stop getting so much chit in the other windows for group and raid.

[Noircogi]

Would not setting your chat windows to opaque stop the computer from having to fill those chat windows with pictures help decrease lag? So if you cn condense some of your windows to filter into one window and make it have opaque, then minimize some other windows, would that help on lag? I know on my monk there is just too much stuff coming in, so I have a couple of windows that gets data that I keep minimized to stop getting so much chit in the other windows for group and raid.

/viewport is an in-game text command like /who etc.

If you type it without any parameters, you'll get the usage info. From memory, I believe it's:
/viewport <x_origin> <y_origin> <width> <height>
This gets saved in your .ini file so it only needs to be done once.

Unfortunately, Laleldil, making your UI windows opaque doesn't improve framerate, it actually goes to all the work of drawing 3D, then covers it up with the opaque window every frame. If you use the /viewport command, then it only draws 3D in that part of the screen. This reduces the "fill" requirement for graphics and will definitely help performance unless you're running at a very low resolution compared to the performance capabilities of your GPU.

I use /viewport to put the 3D stuff in the top 3/4 of my screen and then put my UI elements in the bottom 1/4. You could just as easily use the center with UI element all arount it etc.

The whole image is re-drawn every frame, so the amount of text scrolling by doesn't really impact frame rate. The data being sent over the wire might make a different to real network "lag" if you're running on dial-up though.

These photos I posted a few months back show how I use the /veiwport command.

[oknagicsar]

to the reply to the pictures..

i hate you..

[Brumik]

Noir I have the exact same case as your last one there you can see well.. Are you using a Thermaltake Tsunami over the top of your CPU, it looks a bit like it.. I love that case.

[Noircogi]

Noir I have the exact same case as your last one there you can see well.. Are you using a Thermaltake Tsunami over the top of your CPU, it looks a bit like it.. I love that case.

On my current systems, I use the Zalman Coolers with the 4-pin fan interface (I think it's a 9750). Then I enable automatic speed control for it in the SBIOS (on for example the EVGA 680i motherboard). For case fans, I like to use cases with the large 120MM fans and Antec tri-power supplies which have a thermal-controlled fan output.

That case is a coolermaster Mystique 631. I like it a lot, especially the way the drives just snap in. That model has been replaced by the 632 which is a bit fancier on the outside, but the same on the inside. Newegg actually had them on sale for $29 last week (post rebate). I recently set up a 4TB linux fileserver with the 632 and that system is virtually silent. You can barely hear the drives seeking if you put your head right down by it.

[Timothian]

I did all the suggestions except viewport command and tried it out. It did reduce the lag on FrotstCrypt raid, small but noticable reduction. I had a big reduction in loping plains,but there could also of been zone tweaks going on in background.

I have since used the viewport command, looking forward to trying it on tonight's raid. That is a cool command. I have many of my boxes in the top third of the screen, so I was able to use viewport command and chop off the top of view port and not loose anything. Same with one edge of screen, had boxes along it.

[Taunto]

Hey, Cogi. I just thought I'd come in to say I just dropped 1000 bucks on a new desktop replacement system. It has an 8600M GT in it. I hope you enjoy all that stuff you're buying with my money.

[Squint]

I told you to stop paying him for cyb0r taunto

[Taunto]

I told you to stop paying him for cyb0r taunto

I still only have eyes for you, Squinto. Unfortunately the rest of my orifices belong to cogi.