Low fps - again | what to upgrade

[dr_Fell]

Hello. I just have to say that - it is one of greatest game I ever played.

But on some maps I have very low fps (in some places). Sometimes fps drop below 20. I was almost sure it is cpu problem (I get almost the same framerate with highest / lowest quality, and 1280*1024 or 640*480 doesn't make a difference too.

My config:
Duron 1300
756 SDRAM 133
GF 4 TI 4200 64 MB
SB Live

I have read on this forum that someone has 85 fps (without drops almost) on the same card, so probably it is not problem with card (and low fps are independent from graphic settings).

So... CPU  ?  But ppl are playing on 1 GhZ celerons that are way slower than my Duron (to be honest, It is a bit faster than 2GHz Celeron, according to many tests, including mine). But it seems that CPU is only one reasonable explanation... So what cpu would be sufficient for playing ?

[kevlarman]

if you're running windows, have you tried cleaning out all the spyware/viruses you've collected over the years?

[dr_Fell]

Tried on WinXP / a bit optimised Linux (Gentoo). Performance is similar. Mostly visible on Transit / Uncreation (some locations are sometimes unplayable) but on other maps fps also drops in some places under 35 fps and game is hard to play.

[kevlarman]

Tried on WinXP / a bit optimised Linux (Gentoo). Performance is similar. Mostly visible on Transit / Uncreation (some locations are sometimes unplayable) but on other maps fps also drops in some places under 35 fps and game is hard to play.

that sounds normal, lower graphics settings should help in those places that give you lower fps just because of the location (vertex lighting in particular makes a huge difference), but, unfortunately, there is nothing you can do about 7 humans sitting behind their turrets and spamming their weapons (except maybe change servers, it doesn't happen as much on some servers)

[dr_Fell]

no, it happens even on empty servers (but shooting players make it even slower). I checked - in some maps, especially in some locations game is going slow. Yes, with players it's even slower, but it is slow even without. In alien's base on Arachnid 2 I have 25-45 fps on empty server. With 2 - 3  humans in the base this location is almost unplayable (20 fps and less).

[kevlarman]

no, it happens even on empty servers (but shooting players make it even slower). I checked - in some maps, especially in some locations game is going slow. Yes, with players it's even slower, but it is slow even without. In alien's base on Arachnid 2 I have 25-45 fps on empty server. With 2 - 3  humans in the base this location is almost unplayable (20 fps and less).

did you try using vertex lighting instead of pixel lighting?

[rasz_pl]

Duron 1300
756 SDRAM 133

those are two main reasons
cpu + slow SDR ram, how do I know? I got 2GHz AMD with TI 4200@4600 and get 23 FPS on uncreation because of SDR ram

[dr_Fell]

So, this game is so much dependable on fast memory and cpu ? I havet to consider upgrade then... I am starting to love tremulous :|.

edit: What cpu will be sufficient then ? I don't want to spend too much money, an athlon xp 2500+ will be enough ?

[rasz_pl]

So, this game is so much dependable on fast memory and cpu ? I havet to consider upgrade then... I am starting to love tremulous :|.

edit: What cpu will be sufficient then ? I don't want to spend too much money, an athlon xp 2500+ will be enough ?

cheapest Sempron s754 + mobo that lets you OC will do
"athlon xp 2500+" is old, and out of production for quite a while now

[dr_Fell]

Thanks. This game has quite high CPU requirements

[Bajsefar]

I have an Intel pentium4 ht 3,5 ghz, dunno how that stands, but i guess it does the work great XD. also i have 512 mb ram of some type, which also works great for trem, and a geforce 6 card with 128mb...