Background programs and laggggg

[Rotor6]

Coming into servers with your Anti Virus running, your Tunes playing, and what ever else running causes all of us a lot of lagggggg.. The servers would be a lot smoother if you turn that crap off... For those of you who cant seem to learn how to turn off all the background Windows BS, before you fly... here's a site that will help.

Follow the list at this link... Keep track of what you turn off and if it's not good for you, turn it back on.
He also has lists for win7, and XP just look at the tabs on the left side of the screen
http://www.blackviper.com/WinVista/servicecfg.htm
You can also use GameBooster.. It will turn off all unnecessary running programs for you and release your cpu to concentrate on the game.. http://majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=5952

Both can be used together, to get as many programs shut down as possible..

[ZAK]

interesting Info, good work Rotor

[Reaper]

Why would background programs running client side effect network data speed?. Unless those programs are sending data over the net The only effect they should have would be to slow the frame rate for the player, maybe a very small effect on the processer speed to resend the game data back to the server but not that much of an effect.

If you compair todays computers and networks against what was used the first 3 years C4 was released, the average rig today uses ram and processers much faster than we played with then. They can run more stuff in the backgound and still provide good responce when running another program.

Rotor Your point of running an optimized computer does help the player. As a matter of fact I had a whole page on my c4 information site years ago explaining how to do it and why they should. However the information was to improve the game rig so they could play better as a player. I would hope everyone would know you should not be downloading music, movies or other data while you play

Antivirus should be the only program that could scan game data and cause lag Maybe. It would help more if players scanned and removed any spyware they may have on their system.

Stinger fire rate and explostions have the biggest effect on lag. I would think the biggest reason for lag is players that fire with fast multi-stinger bursts. The basic reason is because of the way Nova programmed the game and poor network code.

Players have always refused to play with out micros, they have always been more concerned with kills more than good game play. Hince the reason every server runs version 2 and players would not play version 1 even after they could use the 1 hit weapons mod and play with out micros and still score kills.

[Rotor6]

Good Points Reaper, but I have to disagree on some. I can tell you (in the game) when there's a change in the performance. I have asked one pilot specifically, who continues to fly with his tunes playing, not to because he causes lag in there server. It's not hard to spot.. and its not guns or stingers... Its background programs. If you pay attention you will see the frame rates drop, in somecases the sound changes.. You know the tunnel sound like ur in a tube. I realize there are alot of other reasons, but having asked these pilots why the lag started when they came in... and hearing what they have to say and what they have running, or are doing in the back ground, drove me to post this note.

[nogoodtrickster]

like reaper said, background programs on a client machine dont cause lag on the server.things that would cause lag are a game effects, like many stingers flying at one time, or alot of flares. comanche 4 really bogs down no matter how fast your computer is. the more players, the more lag.

another thing that could cause lag is a slow server, a slow video card(novalogic games only) in the server, or other slow hardware. a debate for the longest time is whether a player with a high ping causes lag in the server. and that has been debated in every game.

also, you said the sound changes? another players lag would not cause your sound to change. if you are lagging i could see it having an impact on your sound. however, i'm sure you have been playing comanche 4 long enough and have noticed this. but, at different distances from other helicopters the sound changes drastically, the closer they get you can hear it switching sound files to louder one, until you get pretty close, then it sounds like you are in a tunnel, that is how you know they are really close and you should probably use popup to get the advantage of being above them.


however if you beleive it is still his background programs, provide more information, not just "its not hard to spot"


i'm sure some of you play other video games too, and games like battlefield 1942(or any other series) require a lot better computer. so if you can play new games that have newer graphics than 2001 then you can play comanche 4 with tunes, and antivirus in the background without a problem. no doubt. seriously, i've been doing it for many years and it doesnt cause me any lag, so how would it possibly cause the server and/or other players lag?

[Rotor6]

I can't give you anything more than "its not hard to spot.." I dont run anything but the game when I fly, and when someone comes it with other systems running, I can spot it right off.. My game will get choppy, my lag gets worse (than what it was prior to these people coming in), and then it becomes very hard to even get a kill. In some cases totally impossible to get a kill on those running the programs.
Im running an AMD Phenom Quad 9850 on 4g, with an Nvidia 9800 GT/OC, and SoundBlaster sound, and I can still see it and hear it. Of course, I too can run all the programs and come in there and fly, but guess what? If I do, the others start asking where the lag came from! I'm not too computer smart, never have been or cared to be, but there has to be a connection between background programs and lag, especailly if you are using the same connection and bandwidth to run music, download movies and other crap when you fly. Heck, I can see the difference when the kid or the wife get on one of their PC's; so why would you think that type lag situation, would not apply to someone running or downloading other stuff on their connection? I agree the game is old, and I agree the servers we use could be alot better, and that the Nova server is a POS that should be replaced.. but that's out of our control, for the most part. What we can control are our own PCs, and help the situation by turning off all the unnecessary background programs windows runs (for no reason), and maybe...just maybe... we can get thru a map or three with out getting CI's and choopy Vid, screwed up sound and kills from no where... and lets not forget those lovable desktop Sys dumps every one loves so well...

[Bluetiereign]

The only thing I can I might be able to add to this is an outsiders view. When my brain is given the task of multitasking, it can only devote a certain amount of time to each task I am trying to complete. What that means is during a 1 minute period where I am working on 5 things, each task may get 12 seconds of my time - if divided equally. Now, with single CPU's this is definitely a consideration. With multiple CPU's - not so much - except with older programs that weren't written with them in mind.

Now I know this is a simplistic view, but it seems it may just be that simple. I know computers aren't waiting 12 sec's to communicate, but they may not be pumping out ALL of the data the server wants - and can then hand out to everyone else - before having to move on to something else the player may be doing.

It may be stupid... but I had an extra 2 cents to throw into the pot.

[Knuckles]

Interest subject you guys have here.
My biggest issue with lag is when (or rather if) the server is almost full and there is alot of fighting going on with Stingers flying thru the air.
So I tried some testing this morning.
First I set my GFX on max both in-game and in my GFX control panel.
Went to an empty server, loaded up 28, luanched the all using enter key.
What I seen was my Frames Per Second go from 75 down to about 28. - not to good
Alt-Tabbed to the desktop and set Affinity to CPU0 & CPU1. - (4 core with HT)
Reloaded and fired again, went from 75 fps to 35 fps. - a little better, but not that big of a differance.

So I got to messing with one of the files and reduced the particiles density.
Went back and redid the test.
When I fired, it went from 75fps down to about 68fps. - a much better result.

From what I've seen, the bottle-neck comes from the pc computing and rendering the effects.

[Reaper]

The last 2 posts have been removed, Viper you have been warned before about personal attacks. Please don't make me do this again.
If you wish to debate dail up connections and lag fell free to start another thread. If you have an opinion that would add to the debate here post it, but leave the personal vendetta out.

[Knuckles]

Sniped by the Super Mod.... ouch.

[Bluetiereign]

Sniped by the Super Mod.... ouch.

And backed 100% by little ol' me...

[Charger]

I can give 2% if that will help... :wink2:

[Bluetiereign]

I can give 2% if that will help... :wink2:

That's about twice as much as you have, isn't it ?

[Knuckles]

Two tools I highly recommend.
Ccleaner
Defraggler

Both can be found at www.filehippo.com (http://www.filehippo.com)

They are both free and work very well. I run them at least twice a week.

Off Topic:
www.novalogic.com (http://www.novalogic.com)
Is that C4 for I-phone??

[Charger]

That's about twice as much as you have, isn't it ?

Hey, so I told a little fib and added 1% more...at least I didn't fib as high as 100% like you did! :smug:

BTW Great info Knuckles...