[Feedback] Taking a break from EC

[Fink]

After the last big patch I was hopeful my client issues would clear up, but it seems not. So, sadly, I'll be using the Classic client until I get my new PC in a few weeks. I truly hope that fixes stuff. I really want to use and support Enhanced. And I'm sick of pancakes about it on the forums (as I'm sure we all are.. ).

 

[Old Man of UO]

After the last big patch I was hopeful my client issues would clear up, but it seems not. So, sadly, I'll be using the Classic client until I get my new PC in a few weeks. I truly hope that fixes stuff. I really want to use and support Enhanced. And I'm sick of pancakes about it on the forums (as I'm sure we all are.. ).

ahhh, sorry to hear that. I haven't been following all your issues, but I've got my running well and tweaked to where everything is just about perfect. I really really like the enhanced client. I am downloading it now on my new <work> laptop for travel this week, and hope it works as well. Good luck with the new PC!

 

[Fink]

Among other features I'm going for as much RAM as I can fit, a hotshot graphics card, and I'm even putting in a dedicated scratch disc to take care of virtual memory on a separate drive to the system/install.

Still keeping an eye on the forums but I'm just lurking mostly..

 

[Juraveil]

Not to be mean but what kind of computer are people using today that has issues playing anything UO puts out? Specially the kind of game 2d and SA is? I am just trying to figure out all the issues since I cant get my mind around how anything that is not a late 90 early 2k computer could lag or have issues.

Maybe its graphics card people are using? Its not to uncommon for people to have a decent computer (for uo standards) and still be using a very old graphics card which could really hold the system back maybe?

Like I said I am not trying to be mean but it just seems very common that UO players have issues on something so friggin old that shouldnt be an issue so I am trying to understand.

 

[EnigmaMaitreya]

Not to be mean but what kind of computer are people using today that has issues playing anything UO puts out? Specially the kind of game 2d and SA is? I am just trying to figure out all the issues since I cant get my mind around how anything that is not a late 90 early 2k computer could lag or have issues.

Maybe its graphics card people are using? Its not to uncommon for people to have a decent computer (for uo standards) and still be using a very old graphics card which could really hold the system back maybe?

Like I said I am not trying to be mean but it just seems very common that UO players have issues on something so friggin old that shouldnt be an issue so I am trying to understand.

This is an alternative explanation.

The specific Video Card may not be recognized by the Client and thus put into a ... base model Video Card with not many features enabled. While that may not be an issue in itself, there may be some action being performed that is inconsistent with the Video Card being able to function correctly.

I have a NVIDIA 6200LE, it is not on the supported list for the EC and sure enough it is not a good performance on that computer, 2D Classic is quite acceptable.

I feel very comfortable that if I could get and had the desire to spend the money, on a supported AGP video card that the system would run the Enhanced Client quite well, it did/does run the KR client with the Custom UI BB_Enhanced as well as the other computer runs the Enhanced Client.

 

[Old Man of UO]

Among other features I'm going for as much RAM as I can fit, a hotshot graphics card, and I'm even putting in a dedicated scratch disc to take care of virtual memory on a separate drive to the system/install.

Still keeping an eye on the forums but I'm just lurking mostly..

If you have a choice, might I suggest Vista x64 and upgrading the Windows 7 x64. I saw a huge performance boost going from Vista x32 to Vista x64, using 8gb of RAM. Of course, 32 bit windows uses 4GB (with windows overhead) and only allows user address of 3GB.

 

[Cloak&Dagger]

Not to be mean but what kind of computer are people using today that has issues playing anything UO puts out? Specially the kind of game 2d and SA is? I am just trying to figure out all the issues since I cant get my mind around how anything that is not a late 90 early 2k computer could lag or have issues.

Maybe its graphics card people are using? Its not to uncommon for people to have a decent computer (for uo standards) and still be using a very old graphics card which could really hold the system back maybe?

Like I said I am not trying to be mean but it just seems very common that UO players have issues on something so friggin old that shouldnt be an issue so I am trying to understand.

Enigma's post is a fair description, but I do not think anyone has any trouble with the 2d client, however as for the enhanced client I would like to point out I have performance issues with it and I run a quad core intell proccessor with nvidia 8400 gs graphics card on vista 32 bit and 4 gigs of ram, I have tried it on windows 7 x64 but it did not seem to be any different, while perhaps adding ram to my computer will help my situation, it could also possibly be my graphics card although I thought it was on the approved list I am starting to think I read the list wrong, tho also to point out it only uses about 25% of my gpu so who knows.

 

[Farsight]

I really do like the EC.

However, due to the crash-to-desktop in busy areas or graphically intensive areas as well as the fact I can't play in windowed mode (still), the client is unplayable in a lot of situations, specifically champion and new-peerless areas.

I have reported the bugs repeatedly (including my processor/video card information) and will not report it any more. They should have either enough info to fix the problems or at least give feedback that they're working on them... as they're game-breaking issues.

Hopefully, I can go back to the new client soon. Going back to the old client, while it lets me play the game, also leads to problems for me, as I'm used to playing the new way.

 

[hawkeye_pike]

Client Catch-22

If I use the Enhanced Client, no matter how powerful my PC and graphics card, I get graphics card memory leaks with field spells and many particle effects on the screen (like the nova spells from the Crimson Dragon/Slasher of Veils/Stygian Dragon etc.). The client freezes for about 20-60 seconds, and if it happens repeatedly, it crashes.

So, I can't use the Enhanced Client.

If I use the Legacy Client, I experience massive crash situations since the last patch, and at one place in the Abyss (in the center east of the Hall of Virtues), the client reproducably crashes to the destop and cannot be started again.

So, I can't use the Legacy Client.

What client am I supposed to use now?

 

[Fink]

Not to be mean but what kind of computer are people using today that has issues playing anything UO puts out? Specially the kind of game 2d and SA is? I am just trying to figure out all the issues since I cant get my mind around how anything that is not a late 90 early 2k computer could lag or have issues.

I'm using a system that ran KR flawlessly, that is my main point of contention with Enhanced, supposedly the "KR Lite" client with less overhead and better performance/stability.

I can't say I've had the crash issues of other people but I regard "stability" to include things like consistency and playability. Hitching, jerking, stuttering gameplay is not stable in my view.

I'll list my KR-friendly system specs, again, but as stated I'm getting a new system so it's kind of moot. Believe me, I've received the "Upgrade or GTFO" message, loud & clear.

Windows XP Pro SP2
Pentium 4 2.8GHz
1 GB RAM
GeForce 7600 GS 512MB

All drivers and bios up to date, no malware etc.

Not exactly a beast but as I said it ran KR without the spasmodic behaviour of Enhanced. As for Classic it doesn't have any issues that it didn't have 9 years ago when I started playing. I guess that's nostalgia for you, most of the bugs are older than most accounts.

 

[EnigmaMaitreya]

...
Windows XP Pro SP2
Pentium 4 2.8GHz
1 GB RAM
GeForce 7600 GS 512MB
...

Fink, is the 1GB a Typo or is it what you have.

If it is what you have, in the Task manager, Performance Tab, Bottom Left corner frame, what are the top and bottom numbers, with uosa.exe idle in, oh say, Luna Bank and without uosa.exe running.

 

[Fink]

Fink, is the 1GB a Typo or is it what you have.

If it is what you have, in the Task manager, Performance Tab, Bottom Left corner frame, what are the top and bottom numbers, with uosa.exe idle in, oh say, Luna Bank and without uosa.exe running.

Not a typo

It would cost me more to upgrade to 2GB (my mobo max) than to buy the RAM for my new PC, so it's staying at 1GB unless I find a discarded PC with two 1GB sticks in it.. retiring this PC to animation frame grabbing, DVD burning and web browsing.

What do you mean by top & bottom numbers? CPU max/min? Physical Memory?

I wish I had KR to compare, I wonder what that might've revealed.

 

[EnigmaMaitreya]

Nah it was the Commit Charge(K) box.

Your running a bit close to physical memory (200K difference) but that should not put you into excessive paging. The top number in that box is your more or less current demand on memory, the bottom one is more or less your peak demand on memory. I am pretty confident your paging and I am pretty confident that will contribute to your performance issue.

Another question, more out of pure curiosity than any thing else, is the memory in that system, plain old DDR (not DDR2, DDR3 etc) and if it is do you know if the FSB is 400?

The good thing I see in there is the number of process is pretty close to clean install so it is unlikely you have any thing running that may be causing your grief. Normally a clean install is around 25 processes or more.

Yeah I understand about the upgrade. I am hardly going to spend another $50 US for a better AGP Video Card.

I will either donate it some where or just keep it for spare parts for some ungodly reason.

 

[Hildebrand]

Windows XP is up to SP3. Not sure it that helps at all.

For some reason, I think EC is very video card dependant. It's pretty ironic. But this client is a hog. I hope they find ways to tweak it and even support the Geforce 6200 that I see MANY people have.

 

[Hildebrand]

Oh, I hope your new PC comes with Windows 7 free upgrade. Would be a shame not to get this free jewel when so close to release. Did I mention free?

 

[Fink]

Another question, more out of pure curiosity than any thing else, is the memory in that system, plain old DDR (not DDR2, DDR3 etc) and if it is do you know if the FSB is 400?

DDR400

The good thing I see in there is the number of process is pretty close to clean install so it is unlikely you have any thing running that may be causing your grief. Normally a clean install is around 25 processes or more.

I run the absolute bare minimum I can, did a clean install around March and as per my usual practice I only put stuff back on if/when I need it.

Thanks for all the diagnostic help, it's a constant learning curve. Enhanced is the only thing I play that doesn't perform well enough for my liking.

 

[EnigmaMaitreya]

DDR400
..

Yeah the computer that doesn't run EC has the same thing. Sounds like they are comparable computers, that one has a Celeron D @ 3.2GHZ with 2GB Ram

I get the feeling that the memory speed is more of an issue than not, becoming a bottle neck.

On XP I have shut the page file off on all drives and that under some circumstances helps but it also makes XP .... well unstable.

Microsoft would be well advised with todays computers and memory to allow for a NON Virtual (AKA Real Mode) environment. Not that they will but they should.

On that computer, things do work better with the Windows 7 /Beta->RC->RTM than with XP SP3. I can almost run the EC @ 800x600, well I can well enough to get some things done that the 2D Client does not do very well, butr not well enough to really play the game.