nVidia 9800GTX/GT250 (or above) Performance Optimization! Make SC2 play smooth!

First, let me say THANK YOU for this wonderful forum to help me build a computer. It was so much fun and it runs great...but

I have the exact same issue as Lost Cause 44. My computer is very close to the same specs as his as I built if off the main article that Joneagle wrote. Only real difference is I have a GeForce GTS 250, which has the exact same tech specs as Lostcauses Geforce 9800

Bottom line, I cannot run Starcraft 2 on ultra smoothly. It freezes for 2 seconds every 30 seconds. I feel i've installed everything properly, but before you go on about how I should run programs to check it I wanted to ask this,

Is it possible that our video cards just aren't powerful enough? We both have the same issue.

Has anyone actually built this computer and run SC2 on utral smoothly besides us?

Thoughts? And thanks again for so much help already!

 

I've split this from another thread because this is a subject I've wanted to bring up for quiet awhile because on my buddies machine. It just doesn't do this... anymore. My custom driver settings may be part of the reason, so I will show them now.

This is a basic rundown of his machine:

CPU: Intel Q6800 Quad Core
RAM: 4GB G-Skill RAM (These settings were tested with only 2GB of RAM, the other 2 was out on RMA)
OS: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit
Hard drives: 3x300GB Seagate SATA 7200RPM drives in RAID 0(don't worry, it DID hitch every 30 seconds for some reason)
Motherboard: Asus Striker Extreme II
Driver: 258.96
Monitor: Acer X221W running @ 1680x1050

I want to note that these settings can mostly be used in XP... but not 100%.

Access the nVidia control panel by right clicking on the desktop and selecting "nVidia control panel."

Add StarCraft 2.exe as a profile.



This is setup for a 9800GTX, but I used this almost the same profile I used with my 8800GT in this computer. Some of the global defaults have been changed, so make sure the non-bold stuff is adjusted too. I think the biggest thing may be adjust the Threaded optimization. It might also be adjust the pre-rendered frames from 2 to 3 (Windows XP cannot go above 2 because of DX9 limitations!).

With these settings, the game is a SMOOTH 30fps. Even on the last Toss mission of the campaign, the frame rate would only drop as far as 15FPS and then speed back up.

If you want max framerate, turn off FSAA and ANSO.. although I think you could get way with leaving ANSO on. I have never tested it without FSAA and ANSO... cause the game looks bad without FSAA.

The 9800GTX is only 512GB, so the in game settings are All Ultra, but textures are High.

 

Thanks a lot!

 

TheXev,

Thanks for the tips. I applied these settings and it does run smoother! Although it still can't run big battles on ultra However I noticed a considerable smoothness of the frame rate.

I just realized I only have 2Gigs of Ram in this baby. So should I pick up another 2 Gigs (my motherboard can take two more slots) Or exchange my video card for one that has 1 gb of memory?

Thoughts? Thanks again.

 

I'd go toward RAM first, but the big battles will still slow down. So many factors like screen resolution and the FSAA level make a difference. This setup has yet to be tested online with multiple players. I really don't think upgrading a video card from the 8800GT or 9800GTX/GT250 to something like the GTX460 or 470 is worth it right now. I'd wait until around the end of the year for the next set of video cards to hit before thinking about upgrading.

Better to get the best bang for the buck.

What resolution do you play the game at?

Try turning FSAA off and ANSO off to see how it performs in big battles.

 

1600x900

Then quick question. I currently have 2x1gb gskill ram. I guess i should just pick up two more of the same type? I got the slots.

Just checking that its not like way better to return those 2 and get 2x2gb cards.

 

I would add more RAM over returning it.. especially if you plan on getting more Gskill... my buddy has to RMA one of his Gskill memory modules and it was a pain figuring out that is what was wrong. @_@

Anyway... if you only have 512MB or 768MBs of video RAM, trading up to a 1GB or 2GB card may provide more performance, but if you only plan having a GT250, you may not have the polygon pushing power to keep the large battles running smoothly.

Even then, other machines you are playing with may slow down the game. This was the largest problem with StarCraft 1 back in the day (that's right, games didn't always run smooth!), until everyone was playing on 400Mhz machines and up, games lagged with a crap load of carriers on the screen, simple fact.

Yeah, I don't miss my P166 at all...

 

This worked for my Nvidia GeForece 8800GT Over Clocked by BFGTech.. Was having low fps in late game due to the amount of units. This solved my issues. Running on High settings & holding 30+ late game and 60plus early game.

 

Will this setting work on 9400GT?

 

I know this probably hasn't had any comments lately, but I tried doing this and it did noticably reduce my lag! It's not gone altogether, but it has helped! :twitcy: