UT2K3 DM-Icetomb performance feedback needed ASAP!

[bloodbob]

Simple fix gets this map and a demo to be used to review nvidia hardware on a major 3d review site and soon nvidia will optimise their drivers for you map.

[The Baron]

I'm using it on a review of an ATI card... :p

[Flavius]

If your 5900 was outperforming 9800P in 3DMark03, I would take a serious look at the way you installed that 9800P. 9800XT here I come!!!

[Flavius]

Simple fix gets this map and a demo to be used to review nvidia hardware on a major 3d review site and soon nvidia will optimise their drivers for you map. LOL!!! Yeah, thats exactly what would happen too. Silly Nvidia.

[Flavius]

All my tests were with Hardware3D+EAX sound... probably why I was in the teens FPS. Hey BARON, when you test the ATI with Icetomb in your review, have it set to look up at the ceiling in that central room where all the fog rolls out of the dark circle/lamp in the ceiling. THAT is where my 5900U was down to SIX FPS with 4xAA/8XAF at 1024. That is just pathetic!

[Behemoth]

flavius,

1024x768 4xAA 8xAF quality, rustatorium

2003-09-14 11:56:04 - UT2003
Frames: 9347 - Time: 226125ms - Avg: 41.335 - Min: 26 - Max: 63

:)

p.s. all my tests were with hardware sound + eax too

[Behemoth]

Originally posted by Flavius
have it set to look up at the ceiling in that central room where all the fog rolls out of the dark circle/lamp in the ceiling. THAT is where my 5900U was down to SIX FPS with 4xAA/8XAF at 1024. That is just pathetic!
you mean here?
http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/attachment.php?s=&postid=193941

[Flavius]

Yes, that's the spot, but view it from the side a bit, not underneath directly. And view from within the real game. The pre-game mode is always faster for some reason, but in game even with no bots is always slower.

[Behemoth]

ok the settings are the same as before, details max (even physics is high), 3d sound + eax, 1024x768 4xAA 8xAF quality, except difficulty set to novice for taking screenshots easier :)
http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/attachment.php?s=&postid=194012

[Flavius]

So Behemoth, you're getting 44FPS on that scene with those settings on your 9800Pro? Is that what you're saying here? :) What CPU do you have? Boy does that just wipe the floor with the 5900U! Thats the exact spot where I get SIX FPS with those settings on my 800MHZ FSB 2700MHZ P4 with the 5900.. which I no longer have, thank goodness.

[RoachMojo]

Same exact setting as Behemoth and I get 12 fps, lol!

[Flavius]

Isn't that sad, Roach? Forget HalfLife2 performance! People should REALLY be pissed about how the Nvidia cards are getting 3X WORSE performance on an EXISTING game!!! Let me tell you, those ArtX engineers ATI hired are gods or something.... I think RV420 will beat NV40 too. I just don't see how it can't. I mean ATI is just sooo far ahead right now. NV40 was probably just being THOUGHT of at the time 9700Pro was on the market, and ATI is basically using the same tech even in the 9800XT. The next new ATI chip is going to blow everyone away.... let's pray their driver team doesn't bugger everything up now.

[Behemoth]

flavius, i use p4 3G/ dual channel 800FSB 1G ram. i know how you feel, sigh... i sold my 5800 because of it. i dont have scientific proof but i am pretty sure nv3x sucks @ any shaders without heavy optimizations.
i dont believe they are driver problems.... if there are so many driver problems what's the point to stay with nvidia. lol

p.s. yeah i am getting around 40 average fps in that room, sometimes lower sometimes higher, you cant get below 30fps anywhere in this map anyway with that setting ;)

[Gaal Dornik]

A2600+ and a R9700np o/c @337/297 (almost R9700pro :) )
AF*8 AA*4 1024*768*32Bit
All settings maxed out/checked as shown below. IIRC nVidia driver doesnt allow users enable triliniar filtering. "optimisations".. but anyway, my score is 44fps on the same place.
http://www.mustangmods.com/data/3340/settings.jpg

http://www.mustangmods.com/data/3340/uticetomb.jpg

[Behemoth]

wow gaal, are you using performance af?
i dont check the use blob shadows option.
anyway this is the best i can do, with no bot. ;)
http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/attachment.php?s=&postid=194276

[Flavius]

Yeah Gaal, you're supposed to disable blob shadows if you want maximized settings. Can't you see it says its for LOW PERFORMANCE PCs! :)

[Flavius]

What are you guys using to get the yellow FPS # to appear? I only know how to do it with the STAT FPS command, which doesnt put the yellow # there.

[RoachMojo]

Originally posted by Flavius
What are you guys using to get the yellow FPS # to appear? I only know how to do it with the STAT FPS command, which doesnt put the yellow # there.

It's called "fraps", Flavius, get it here: www.fraps.com

I have the older version.

Yes is its sad!!!! I guess I just live with it, as I did the evga stepup so only paid about $100, and it is still way faster than my ti4600 (mostly).

I just want the friggin stereo drivers to work again!

BTW, I did have blob shadows off with my stellar 15fps, heh.

[OWA]

U can OC that 9800 to 420+ core and 750 memory.
Is that close to a max or is it a pretty safe oc? I'm just wondering how cautiously to approach it. I basically started at 400/700. That took me to 5900 in 3Dmark03 (up from 56xx).

[bkswaney]

420/750 should be safe. There are lots running it much higher with no problems. You might want to add a small extra fan blowing over the ram chips to help out if u r using stock cooling. :)

[saturnotaku]

Originally posted by bkswaney
You might want to add a small extra fan blowing over the ram chips to help out if u r using stock cooling. :)

If you plan on keeping the card a while you also might want to invest in some Tweakmonster BGA memory heatsinks. They might not allow you to push the RAM higher, but they should help keep it cooler when it's running at its limit.

[Gaal Dornik]

http://www.ataricommunity.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=317418
posted this there, got a reply. Epic rules :)

Originally posted by vogel
I'm going to try to reproduce the issue and if successful escalate with NVIDIA.

-- Daniel, Epic Games Inc.
Hopefully its a problem of a map and not a crappy FX performance.. :rolleyes:
I tested it again after downclocking my R9700,
enabling Hardware Sound and unchecking Blob Shadows
I got 39 fps on that spot. Too lazy to upload a pic :)
AF was on quality all the time, Vsync OFF,

[Flavius]

Wow, I guess I uncovered a nasty performance issue with FX cards. How can it be a map problem if ATI cards perform just fine? Thanks for taking this issue and running with it Gaal...

[OWA]

You might want to add a small extra fan blowing over the ram chips to help out if u r using stock cooling.
If you plan on keeping the card a while you also might want to invest in some Tweakmonster BGA memory heatsinks. They might not allow you to push the RAM higher, but they should help keep it cooler when it's running at its limit.
Thanks for the suggestions.

[The Baron]

Well..

http://www.nvnews.net/reviews/sapphire_radeon_9600_pro/nvnews.zip

Basically, that's my Custom Icetomb Benchmark sans readme or nice packaging or anything like that (hey, so far, the only person who's had to use it is me).

Anyway, download that, extract to UT2003/system. It'll run 3 benchmarks--1024, 1280x960, and 1600. After the demo runs through, it'll dump you back to the main menu--hit tilde and copy down the FPS from there. Yes, nvnews.bat does run it. :p

Just as a reference point, here are some 9600 Pro scores with Cat 3.6 (not overclocked):

No AA/AF:
57.324
43.297
30.315

2xAA:
50.902
37.195
23.152

4xAA:
42.289
30.880
16.115

6xAA:
32.607
23.656
11.332

Now, AF scores are a little funky. If a few people could post their scores with no AA and no AF, and then go through the different AF levels, I'd appreciate it (tiny drop in FPS at 2x, but there was a bigger drop from going to 4xAF than there was from going to 2xAA).