Looking For Help

[RoaringGnat]

Okay Guys and Gals, my game is not improving, so I'm asking for help. I've never done screen shots before so I hope this works. Maybe if I share my computer's properties you genius techies might be able to offer tips and tweaks. I'm posting a general shot of the game files, the computer system and the processes from task manager side-by-side. The first side shows what's going on before I play and the second after I'm in the game. Now if this doesn't work, it's because I'm senile and 99.9% of my brain cells were destroyed by all the beer I consumed as a teenager in Germany.

Here goes...

[Aberiu]

What exactly is your problem? Bad performance? Game running slow, you experience lag or freezes?

[RoaringGnat]

"What exactly is your problem? Bad performance? Game running slow, you experience lag or freezes?"

The easy answer would be all of the above. The frames don't always move smoothly, with some maps worse than others. There is lag, and occasional freezes. Normal memory use is about 39%, but when I get into the game it jumps up to 80,90, sometimes 100%. CPU goes way up too. I've tried some of the tweaking as suggested in other posts (as far as my limited expertise will let me), to no avail. I keep my resolution at 800x600 and all other settings at low or lowest, because much higher than that and it's too jerky to play. Part of the problem is the ping which hovers around 112-120, but the odd thing is, a few times the ping was even higher, in the 180-190 range and I'd swear the game play was a little smoother.

[Aberiu]

I don't think you can really improve it a lot without spending money, though I don't see a video card name on your screenshots. If you launch dxdiag.exe from start menu, you might find the name on the second tab I think.

The reason of lag is distance, you can try to ping LDG servers (start menu -> cmd.exe, tracert 46.105.112.91 if I'm not mistaken) to see where your packets go and possibly change your provider but the distance between NY and France is pretty huge :) I doubt it will get any better than 100ms.

[RoaringGnat]

"I don't think you can really improve it a lot without spending money, though I don't see a video card name on your screenshots. If you launch dxdiag.exe from start menu, you might find the name on the second tab I think.

The reason of lag is distance, you can try to ping LDG servers (start menu -> cmd.exe, tracert 46.105.112.91 if I'm not mistaken) to see where your packets go and possibly change your provider but the distance between NY and France is pretty huge I doubt it will get any better than 100ms."

Oh noes! Zen I weel just have to take my computer to zee Eiffel Tower and keek all your azzes!!

Thanx for the input Aberiu.

[Calypto]

In the worst case scenario, you can reinstall Windows. I recommend Windows XP for your hardware, but its lifetime is just about over, meaning no more software updates from both Microsoft and general software developers. If you know what you're doing, it will be very efficient on resources and simple. Windows 8 is what I use and recommend for modern hardware. Windows 8.1 has latency issues which are still unresolved. For gaming, this is unacceptable.

But for now, I would recommend installing CCleaner to clean up junkware.

After you're done with that, the next step would be to press Start+R. Type "msconfig" and press enter, then go to "Startup." You will find programs that launch when Windows starts. While this generally will only affect start-up speed, it can occur that there are numerous applications that launch that you do not use, and they will add up to become a large resource hog. If you're not sure about a program, search for it in your search engine.

[Nardaq_NL]

I think your problem is:
* GPU (assuming you using the build-in "GMA X4500" GPU)
* a few applications in the background taking CPU
* "software" audio (audio processor using CPU, according to your task manager screen shot) but should be almost nothing these days. So semi ignore this one for now.

Due to UT2004 is a CPU game and and every other resourced taking CPU you will get lower fps drops. Specially with the low end GPU.

Try get rid of every non important applications running in the background. Try disable on startup windows on the applications (or try start-> run ( =windows key+R) -> msconfig -> startup and disable applications at startup (becarefull!))

Try install a medium/low-end graphics card.

Install Process Explorer and take a screen of that? It will give you an easier overview what you don't need and whats going on.
Also its handy to alt-tab back to windows when u noticed lag/spikes so u can see whats going on (enable columns "CPU history")

And about low fps (30-50) on some maps, yes I have that to on my i7 and GTX 680 which is overkill GPU for UT2004. Pointing to rainbowrace obj 2
I need 7Ghz to cover that

[bOnO]

Also do you have the latest drivers for your graphic card? It might improve something...

[Oska]

Advising to install XP while Microsoft doesn't even provide security patches anymore.., very wise.
There are probably hundreds of flaws opened right now on XP. Of course it would help your performances, but at what cost.

I would have expected an "install gentoo" at least.

[Aberiu]

Never really trusted those cleaners, the performance gain is not worth the trouble imo and it can mess your system if something goes wrong. Windows is pretty reliable if you use it carefully, my win7 was installed in 2011 and it still works fine, no BSODs, loads quickly.

If what Nardaq_NL says is true and you're using a built-in gpu the easiest solution would be to spend $100 on something like nvidia gt 740. It will make the game run a bit smoother and let you set the graphics settings higher.