Graphics problems with UT2K3... suggestions?

[TheWanderer8]

My basic system specs are a 1.2 ghz AMD processor, 256 meg DDR RAM, and a GeForce4 Ti4200 I recently purchased. These seem to meet all the recommended system requirements for UT2K3, but my graphics are just awful.

It's weird. From the range of 640x480 with low details to 1024x768 with high details, there is practically no change: the fps is always around 70 when I'm alone in a hallway or something similar to that, but it goes under 20 consistently in open situations or with other players, and this is just terrible for my matches.

If you want to know anything else, just ask me, and please, if you have any idea what might be wrong, feel free to post your opinion.

[digitalwanderer]

Are you running winXP and have you tweaked it?

[TheWanderer8]

Yes, I'm running WinXP, but I don't know what you mean by tweaked.

[The Baron]

Moved to games.

And is physics at low, cause that'll do it right there.

[yoladude]

question......do the physics settings really change anything gameplay-wise? i just keep it at medium, will it improve fps if i set it to low on an athlonxp 2200+, 512 pc2100, ti4200?

oh, yea....back to ur problem, wanderer....there's a couple of things holding back ur system. the ti4200 card is just fine, i have one, and play at 1152x864 with high details on, etc....but if u can, u should upgrade ur processor, cause u'll probably be cpu limited. also, i'd upgrade ur ram....i saw noticeable imrovement when i went from 256 megs of pc2100 to 512 megs. only cost me 30 bucks, and was well well worth it.

[digitalwanderer]

Originally posted by yoladude
question......do the physics settings really change anything gameplay-wise?
The only thing I've ever really noticed was the way the surface of the water reacted...and that just ain't that big of a deal to me for the amount of CPU power it requires. ;)

[yoladude]

Originally posted by digitalwanderer
The only thing I've ever really noticed was the way the surface of the water reacted...and that just ain't that big of a deal to me for the amount of CPU power it requires. ;)

doesn't seem to require that much cpu power for me.....not much speed increase in antalus flyby.....i ran the antalus botmatch benchmark, but all of a sudden it's doing a completely different benchmark than it did b4, so it's not really compareable....o well. i can't see much difference, but it does seem to run faster in complex scenes with a LOT of bots. i'm leaving it at low.

[The Baron]

Flyby doesn't use physics engine.

Use FRAPS or stat fps, play in a level for a while with different physics settings.

VERY different framerates. And yet, it doesn't do jack **** for gameplay.

[TheWanderer8]

I did a benchmark on Antalus on 1024x768 and it was like 100 fps on the flyby and less than 30 in the bot match, is that usual to have such a big difference? Maybe I do need more RAM?

[digitalwanderer]

Originally posted by TheWanderer8
Maybe I do need more RAM?
I didn't really want to say that first as it just seems sort of cop-outish...but another 256Mb of RAM would really help out your gaming experience.

256Mb just ain't really enough to game with under XP, I feel that 512Mb really is a must anymore for it. (You can still squeak by just peachy with 256Mb in win98se still though.... ;) )

[Sazar]

my 8500 128mb retail board handled ut2k3 adequately @ 1600x1200 with all options with the occasional odd low frame rate scene...

I can't imagine why the 4200 would have problems since it is a more powerful card...

cpu itself is not ridiculously slower than mine either.. unless you happent o have a duron :(

try playing around with various settings... going to each res with hardly any efffects turned on and then turn em on bit by bit to check out the effect on your frame rate/game play..

[The Baron]

If you want, email me your UT2003.ini file (from UT2003/System) and I'll tweak the bejeezus out of it. :D

[stncttr908]

There was a thread about this a little bit ago. Invest in another 256MB module for starters. Your system craves it, trust me. Next, which driver release are you using? I'm currently on 44.03 and it works like a dream, on a system not terribly faster than yours.

One last thing. Which motherboard do you use? If it has a VIA chipset, make sure you're using the latest 4in1 drivers, 4.46!

www.viaarena.com

Gah, edit again. I've thought of one last thing. What card are you upgrading from? Did you make sure that you removed *all remnants* of the last card's drivers before you installed the ti4200?

[Dazz]

Originally posted by TheWanderer8
My basic system specs are a 1.2 ghz AMD processor, 256 meg DDR RAM, and a GeForce4 Ti4200 I recently purchased. These seem to meet all the recommended system requirements for UT2K3, but my graphics are just awful.

It's weird. From the range of 640x480 with low details to 1024x768 with high details, there is practically no change: the fps is always around 70 when I'm alone in a hallway or something similar to that, but it goes under 20 consistently in open situations or with other players, and this is just terrible for my matches.

If you want to know anything else, just ask me, and please, if you have any idea what might be wrong, feel free to post your opinion. You are processor limited. Also you might want to look into more ram, i found 384MB RAm to be awfull on large maps or lots of players at the begining of a game.

[yoladude]

Originally posted by The Baron
Flyby doesn't use physics engine.

Use FRAPS or stat fps, play in a level for a while with different physics settings.

VERY different framerates. And yet, it doesn't do jack **** for gameplay.

just tested it....give me anywhere from 5-20 more fps in gameplay.

thanks dude :D

[Grechie]

what kind of amd is it, duron or athlon or athlon xp ? :)
my bet is the CPU. i have a 1.4, if it wasnt for the power the athlonxp has, id be CPU limited in games now, but every video card thats decent ive tried has gone excellent, but i cant wait now till my Ti4800SE comes in, it will kill !!!

[The Baron]

Heh.

I'm videocard limited with UT2k3--that's the amount of tweaking I've done. And that's with a 1.4 TBird ;)