My system is fairly beefy, why does an old game like WoW

[TmBlackFlag]

My system is:

vista 64bit
4x1gb g.skill pc6400
e2140 @ 2.8ghz
BFG 8800gt 625/900
Abit IP35-E
24" Soyo running at 1920x1200


Yeah so the refresh rate on my monitor is 60 and i usually get max fps while WoWing on max settings, but why does an older game like this dip me into 20-30fps in crowded cities?

Do I need to push the cpu a little farther? Maybe OC the gpu? I originally thought the problem was 2gb of RAM not being enough to load all of those character models but 4gb didn't seem to offer much improvement.

 

[zig3695]

get a 512mb video card?

 

[JAG87]

cpu limited, needs more cache. a bit more clocks speed wouldn't hurt either.

 

[TmBlackFlag]

Ah forgot to mention, I have the 8800GT 512mb

 

[imported_wired247]

I've found that WoW runs much better when it's defragged. I'd try that as a super easy first step.

all those people means lots and lots of textures in memory, different armors, enchants, etc.

it could be you're just running low on video memory in very crowded places. maybe turn down the draw distance a bit

 

[NamelessMC]

There's gotta be something wrong. You guys don't understand. WoW is from 2004 and he's on a Core Micro based processor at 2.8ghz and an 8800GT along with 4gb of ram.

Since you're running 4x1gb sticks. Try pulling out two sticks and only run 2gb in dual channel mode. For some situations, having all four memory dimms taken creates a memory latency that's sometimes noticeable.

If that alleviates the problem, I recommend getting a 2x2gb kit.

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: NamelessMC
There's gotta be something wrong. You guys don't understand. WoW is from 2004 and he's on a Core Micro based processor at 2.8ghz and an 8800GT along with 4gb of ram.

Since you're running 4x1gb sticks. Try pulling out two sticks and only run 2gb in dual channel mode. For some situations, having all four memory dimms taken creates a memory latency that's sometimes noticeable.

If that alleviates the problem, I recommend getting a 2x2gb kit.

wow takes alot more to power then i think people give it credit for

yes its 3 years old it got a graphic update lil over a year ago but it still eats CPU power like mad

when you have max draw on with max textures and all that watching 200 or sp people run around in compleatly random ways is taxing on most systems


im about to put together a C2D 8400 + 8800GT + 4 gigs 2x2gb in about an hour and ill post back here with how it runs on a fresh install

im currently on a opty 165 running stock 2x1gb of ram and a 7600 GT and ill drop into the teens for FPS in a major city

 

[TmBlackFlag]

Originally posted by: Anubis

Originally posted by: NamelessMC
There's gotta be something wrong. You guys don't understand. WoW is from 2004 and he's on a Core Micro based processor at 2.8ghz and an 8800GT along with 4gb of ram.

Since you're running 4x1gb sticks. Try pulling out two sticks and only run 2gb in dual channel mode. For some situations, having all four memory dimms taken creates a memory latency that's sometimes noticeable.

If that alleviates the problem, I recommend getting a 2x2gb kit.

wow takes alot more to power then i think people give it credit for

yes its 3 years old it got a graphic update lil over a year ago but it still eats CPU power like mad

when you have max draw on with max textures and all that watching 200 or sp people run around in compleatly random ways is taxing on most systems


im about to put together a C2D 8400 + 8800GT + 4 gigs 2x2gb in about an hour and ill post back here with how it runs on a fresh install

thank you.

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: NamelessMC
There's gotta be something wrong. You guys don't understand. WoW is from 2004 and he's on a Core Micro based processor at 2.8ghz

That doesn't change the fact that WoW is a CPU-limited game, if there are very many people on the same map as you. Then when you add in the fact that his CPU is ~500 Mhz slower in games than a 4MB cache C2D, his CPU can't even keep up with his video card.

 

[NamelessMC]

Drivers have to be an issue. Back when BC barely came out, in larger cities, I was getting over 40fps with hundreds of people around me with maxed out settings with this rig:
Pentium D 820 @ 3.4 ghz
1gb DDR2 memory 2x512 sticks
EVGA 7900GS KO (OC'ed a little)
Windows XP Pro 32-bit

In fact, the system ran so well at max, I dropped 4x AA on it and 8x AF just to see how much better it looked. This was at 1440x900 resolution.

The G80 cards were a massive jump over my 7900GS, and Core Micro was a massive jump over my Prescott based Pentium D, not to mention people getting 2gb of ram for the same price I paid for 1gb.

Now, with G92 cards putting a beating on G80 cards and the Pentium E's being only 5-10% slower than Core 2's from cache, I really don't see a valid reason his system should be running WoW slowly.

 

[NamelessMC]

Originally posted by: myocardia

Originally posted by: NamelessMC
There's gotta be something wrong. You guys don't understand. WoW is from 2004 and he's on a Core Micro based processor at 2.8ghz

That doesn't change the fact that WoW is a CPU-limited game, if there are very many people on the same map as you. Then when you add in the fact that his CPU is ~500 Mhz slower in games than a 4MB cache C2D, his CPU can't even keep up with his video card.

There's NO reason the L2 cache should limit him like this. A Pentium D can run WoW at max settings in large cities.

 

[Binky]

Are you trying to run Wow at 1920x1200? Try one of the lower res choices that are also widescreen. I can run mine at that rez on a 3.2ghz Core2 with Gefore 7900GT, but it does bog down in places. I choose to run it a bit lower.

I always thought that the crowded cities issue was memory related, but you have 4gb...

 

[NamelessMC]

More proof that it's related to the 8800GT and WoW itself, and NOT his processor. (Some of the following people have an E6600, E6750 and even a Core 2 Quad and have the same problem)

http://forums.wow-europe.com/t...picId=2405315159&sid=1

http://forums.worldofwarcraft....picId=4032300466&sid=1

http://forums.nvidia.com/index.php?showtopic=51383

Next time don't jump to conclusions and knock his processor. It's a problem on Blizzard's end regarding Nvidia hardware. A lot of people have success fixing it by rolling back their driver. 169. series maybe. Most people have just given up and settled with knowing it's going to be an ongoing issue until Blizzard fixes it.

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: NamelessMC
There's NO reason the L2 cache should limit him like this. A Pentium D can run WoW at max settings in large cities.

I dare you to try it on a Pentium D today. They keep updating the game, so it isn't going to run anywhere near the same today, as it did the day it came out. BTW, want some benchmarks showing how much slower the E21x0's are than the 4MB models? With the majority of games, it's right around 500 Mhz.

 

[NamelessMC]

Read my last posts' links. There's people with Core 2 Quads, Conroe 4mb L2's that are experiencing the same problems as him, with G92 based cards. It's specifically a problem with 8800GT's and wow. It's either drivers (Rolling back fixes it) or it's related to post 2.3 nature. But telling him it's his processor when it's not, is giving MISINFORMATION.

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: NamelessMC
Next time don't jump to conclusions and knock his processor. It's a problem on Blizzard's end regarding Nvidia hardware. A lot of people have success fixing it by rolling back their driver. 169. series maybe. Most people have just given up and settled with knowing it's going to be an ongoing issue until Blizzard fixes it.

I wasn't knocking his processor, merely pointing out a fact. BTW, I've noticed over the years that running the absolute latest nVidia driver never seems to be a good thing to do, if you're a gamer. That doesn't seem to have changed.:laugh:

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: NamelessMC
Read my last posts' links. There's people with Core 2 Quads, Conroe 4mb L2's that are experiencing the same problems as him, with G92 based cards. It's specifically a problem with 8800GT's and wow. It's either drivers (Rolling back fixes it) or it's related to post 2.3 nature. But telling him it's his processor when it's not, is giving MISINFORMATION.

Please, quote my post where I said he needs a new processor. I sure don't remember saying any such thing. BTW, it isn't my fault that you're pissed about the performance of the E21x0's in games.

 

[NamelessMC]

I understand that. I'm just saying, with what you were telling him, he could've went out and bought a $250 processor expecting the problem to be fixed because you kept pointing at his L2 cache. I was merely saying, unless he gets a performance hit on multiple titles, there's no reason to think his L2 cache is to blame. And it's not. It's literally a WoW issue. People even talk about it on AT's official WoW thread. Someone with an 8800GTX, Core 2 Quad and 4gb of ram said their FPS drops to 30, looking at a TORCH.

I just recently came back to WoW too. If this is what I can look forward to when I finish my new rig, maybe I should just cancel my subscription.

 

[nullpointerus]

Someone had a similar problem in the Video forum. I suggested that his CPU might be holding him back, but it turns out that he enabled 8x Multisamping (AA), which really slowed the system down. Scaling it back to 4x fixed the problem.

Anyway, the easy way to settle this debate is to play with all options on low. If the same slowdowns occur, it's the CPU or the network connection/server, etc. But if the same slowdowns do not occur with all options on low, you know it's a problem with the GPU or the video drivers -- obviously, the latter, since he's got an 8800GT 512MB.

 

[Tempered81]

I thought this topic said, "my sister is fairly beefy".

 

[NamelessMC]

Originally posted by: jaredpace
I thought this topic said, "my sister is fairly beefy".

Well now you know how I ended up posting in it.

I second what nullpointerus said.

Turn all the video settings to low, turn off AA/AF but keep the resolution at 1920x1200. If you experience the same slow down, it could be CPU related. Again I only say could, because if it's a WoW issue, you might experience slow down regardless of what you do.

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: NamelessMC
I just recently came back to WoW too. If this is what I can look forward to when I finish my new rig, maybe I should just cancel my subscription.

Nah, just buy one of the new 3870 X2 video cards. They perform very, very well.

 

[sutahz]

One data point for you:
8600GT 256MB (latest drivers as of last saturday)
E2160 @ 1.8GHz
2GB DDR2-800 @ 400MHz
1920x1080 everything maxed
System hdd defragged
Games hdd 'fragmented' (in previous experiments I found defragging a new install had little to no effect on load times in FEAR, FarCry, Doom3 and Quake4).
I get 55-60fps out in the open area's, and about 30fps in Stormwind (heavily populated server).
Could it be his internet conn? (im new to wow, so I dont know what effect that has on certain aspects of the game).
As I have about the same cpu and resolution, but a much worse video card, I'm ruleing out those. If he's using 1 hdd that may be an issue (loading up all those small textures half randomly), using 1 hdd thats heavily fragmented would be even worse.

 

[TmBlackFlag]

My pings are usually in the 200's. I have a 10mb roadrunner. The only reason its in the 200's is because i play on an east coast server and live in CA

 

[Cogman]

Im going to have to bet that it has more to do with network connections and less to do with the hardware used. I could be wrong, but it just seems like that is the problem.