Animations and Game responsiveness slows to a crawl

[spelk]

I'm experiencing a problem that slowly creeps up on me, the game runs fine for the first few turns, or a few minutes in, and then the animations begin to slow down, and the responsiveness of the UI starts to crawl, so just scrolling around the map becomes a slow and jerky procedure. After several turns, the whole thing seems to be in treacle. It still seems to play out, but it becomes quite cumbersome to use, and the frustration levels begin to rise.

Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 3 (2600.xpsp_sp3_gdr.100216-1514)
Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU 3.40GHz (2 CPUs)
Memory: 3582MB RAM
Page File: 943MB used, 6054MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)

Card name: NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GT
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip type: GeForce 9800 GT
DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0614&SUBSYS_00000000&REV_A2
Display Memory: 512.0 MB
Current Mode: 1280 x 1024 (32 bit) (60Hz)

Description: Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio

I've tried turning Shadows off, but it doesn't seem to affect the graphical slowdown. I've got the latest Nvidia drivers loaded. The only unusual aspect to my setup is that I have a second monitor attached but that is running in dual independant mode.

Any other Nvidia folks seeing this behaviour? Or any suggestions on what to try?

[pipfromslitherine]

Does the happen in all mode, or just single/multiplayer, etc?

Can you take a look in the error.log file (in My Documents\My Games\BBCBA) next time you see this happen and see whether it has a lot of stuff in it, there might be some oddness happening which is generating a lot of warnings about something.

I have a 9800 GT in this machine actually, so if we can't find another cause I can grab the latest drivers and see if that is the issue.

Hopefully we can track down this oddity.

Cheers

Pip

[MrsWargamer]

I'm running a laptop with Windows 7 and I have seen the game runs sort of slowly. Just assumed it was my over worked under powered laptop being made to run Windows 7 as well as a game.

Granted the nail biting wait as I see an effect 'tank fires' and then the hit, and a brief pause, 'did it kill my tank?' pause ..... YES he missed me !!

Not sure I like the pause or not

But I am also running on maximum graphics settings too.

[spelk]

Does the happen in all mode, or just single/multiplayer, etc?

I've not played any multiplayer yet, just single player, going through the North Africa campaign.

Can you take a look in the error.log file (in My Documents\My Games\BBCBA) next time you see this happen and see whether it has a lot of stuff in it, there might be some oddness happening which is generating a lot of warnings about something.

=============================================
CPU String: GenuineIntel
Stepping ID = 4
Model = 6
Family = 15
CLFLUSH cache line size = 64
CPU Brand String: Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU 3.40GHz
Cache Size = 2048K
UNKNOWN TAGS IN: Config\system.txt
Unknown Tag: MOVIEMODE
Unknown Tag: DYNAMICENV
Unknown Tag: LAYOUTKILLSENEMYX,
END: Config\system.txt
Found DirectX Version Number: 4.09.00.0904
Creating Device.....
MonkeyInitStart
MIS: Found DD
MIS: IsHW
MIS: SetCoop
MIS: Setting Disp Mode
MIS: Done Init 3D Device
MIS: SDRS
MIS: Tex Enum
MIS: Init Decal Render
INITIAL LOAD 5719
Playing as: 0
SIDE 0
WARNING: Failed to find Global value StukaBombEffect
WARNING: Failed to find Global value StukaBombEffect
Removing script: F:\Games\Battlefield Academy\Battlefield Academy\CAMPAIGNS\1Desert\scenarios\Desert1.BSF
Removing script: F:\Games\Battlefield Academy\Battlefield Academy\CORE\AI\AI.BSF
Removing script: F:\Games\Battlefield Academy\Battlefield Academy\DATA\BATTLE\SCRIPTS\HELPERS.BSF
Removing script: F:\Games\Battlefield Academy\Battlefield Academy\DATA\BATTLE\SCRIPTS\$DEFAULT.BSF
Removing script: F:\Games\Battlefield Academy\Battlefield Academy\CORE\BONUS\STUKA.BSF
Still elements in Fonts
KERNEL MEMORY CHECKING IS **OFF**
=============================================

I have a 9800 GT in this machine actually, so if we can't find another cause I can grab the latest drivers and see if that is the issue.
Hopefully we can track down this oddity.
Cheers
Pip

Thanks for the quick response Pip.

The NVidia driver details are as follows:
--------------------------------------------------------------
Driver Name: nv4_disp.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0012.5896 (English)
DDI Version: 9 (or higher)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 7/9/2010 23:38:00, 6343040 bytes
--------------------------------------------------------------

Here are the current settings (with the USERNAME string removed).
===========================================
SFX 127
Music 90
Blood 1
QuickStart 0
Shadows 0
Bloom 1
Sound 1
Shaders 1
DynEnv 1
TextureQuality 2
ShadowQuality 0
Rez -1
Fullscreen 1
Campaigns 3
FirstRun 1
HideCoverMarks 0
MPHelp 1
BetaIntro 0
ScrollSpeed 2
===========================================

And Launcher.ini
===========================================
FIRST FALSE
REZ 21
Fullscreen TRUE
EnableSound TRUE
SHA0 TRUE
SHA1 FALSE
SHA2 FALSE
===========================================

I have the game patched up to the latest one, 1.34 I think?

[SirGarnet]

Help would be appreciated.

I picked this up yesterday. It runs nicely for a few turns and then slows to a crawl in the first campaign (North Africa), exactly as spelk says. I tried shutting down as many other programs, as possible windowing it, reducing resolution, flipping between 16 and 32 bpp, but it is consistent. There are about 20 lines in the error.log file.

I'll try multiplayer but my guess is at one turn per session it will seem fine.

Thanks,

Mike

[pipfromslitherine]

Hmmm - I assumed this issue had fixed itself in some way. I assume you are running the latest version (1.4.1) already?

If you can give me details of your system that might help narrow down the common factors and hopefully get you guys back to the usual silky smoothness that you should be getting .

Thanks

Pip

[MesaDon]

I have had this problem more or less since the beginning with my laptop. I figure it must be the fabulous (?) vista OS, a Duo Core with 2.5 GB RAM and the equally wonderful (?) Intel graphics card. I finally just play a cople turns on multi-player then restart the machine when the next set of turns arrive. It does it on both multi-player and single player but seems worst on mp. works fine on my netbook with a slower processer, the same graphic card, less RAM, slightly lower resolution (the max on the netbook), and Windows XP. Now if I run it on my old desktop with Windows XP, a Pentium 4 processor at 2.8 Ghz, and 1.5 GB Ram and a RADEON X1300 for Graphics. Except for graphic the desktop is orund 6 to 7years old and works very well on the game. I wrote the problem off to Vista in my case.

[junk2drive]

Mesadon might you have some kind of security or antivirus on the Vista machine that is trying to scan the game while you play? Could you exclude the game exe from a list?

[MesaDon]

all my machines are set up with the same anti-virus and I stop any scans before I play the game but will check to see if there is a difference in the settings. Shouldn't be but you never know what the evil desert will do to you.

[SirGarnet]

I installed, updated to 1.4 or 1.41, whichever is latest - seemed to update several times, maybe because I had not signed in before updating?

I'll try hotseat - the key reason to buy, so the kids can play around with it - to see if the same thing happens.

I'll also look up the thread about adjusting replay speed.

Pip, regarding system info, let me know how to collect that data (updated XP system) you can send me a PM if you like.

Thanks!

[pipfromslitherine]

There is a sticky at the top of this (the Tech Support) subforum with detailed instructions on how to get the DXDiag file. We actually only need the first 100 or so lines to get the bulk of the info.

Thanks a lot

Cheers

Pip

[SirGarnet]

Thanks, Pip - it generates quite a long list of test results and system info, which I sent to you by PM.

One thing is that I am playing on monitor 2, which is the one on which the taskbar etc are located - when not run fullscreen, the window does not seem adjustable so I can't try monitor 1.

Thanks for your help!

Mike