Arvcran
Worker
Tourney Director
Remember the purpose of CIV / BtS is enjoyment, entertainment, and hobby!
Posts: 181
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Post by Arvcran on Oct 6, 2006 10:20:54 GMT -5
Just thought it would be a good idea to have some technical discussion on what ladder players can do to reduce the lag times.
So far I am aware of the following areas that can improve performance:
1) Cleanup up your disk to 50% full and keeping it defragmented. 2) reducing unnecessary processes especially those that take up band width on your LAN or Internet connection. 3) upping the priority of your process in the operating system.
If you have any other solutions post them here.
It can only help to improve the responsiveness of the player community during games and increase the level of enjoyment.
If this is the wrong place for this kind of discussion then by all mean move it to where it belongs - I could not find a suitable place - but I did not look long.
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Post by longhorn on Oct 6, 2006 10:34:42 GMT -5
I have found that players without top tier systems (like me) benefit from reducing the graphics settings to LOW! If you get a waiting for XXX (insert player name) every turn, that is the best indicator of a candidate that will benefit from this change in settings.
Also limit tabbing out of the game each turn to do other things (like answer IM's), and limit activities like streaming live video while playing the game if possible.
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Post by MMV on Oct 6, 2006 11:22:17 GMT -5
IM's shouldn't even be on during a game (regardless if whether or not YOU'RE using it, you can't control when someone IM's you)
some remote/wireless systems can cause a short lag/response at the end/beginning of each turn (and it's pretty visible in the game)
playing from a network - home, school, work etc - but ESPECIALLY a home network; mom/dad/brother/sister/spouse gets on at the same time as you and your ping suddenly triples and you start lagging bad.
HIGH GRAPHICS - ANIMATIONS NOT FROZEN, etc - players do it anyway with the always so clever response of, "I have a good computer and it doesn't effect it" - but guess what, why do you think we are all TELLING YOU to change them, lol - it DOES effect you (and everybody else in the game)!
If you've played more than one game and/or have been gaming for more than about 90 minutes, dont' just restart civ - RESTART YOUR COMP and clear cache, ram and graphics before going into your 2nd, 3rd, or 4th game of the day.
actually, the people that lag KNOW they are lagging and know WHY and they just don't care - I don't mind the people that KNOW they will lag and ask for a game setting request of fast instead of blazing, etc in order to help alleviate the lag issue
but most of all? if your comp isn't powerful enough to be uneffected by home-network issues, graphics, IM, etc - you REALLY do need to upgrade (come on, it's inevitable)
actually, whether it was intentional of not, Civ4 was set up as compatable with windows VISTA (same EXACT computer requirements) which has requirements beyond most comps 2-3 years old (unless you've done some major upgrading).
ask someone with Vista what a REAL C4 gaming experience is like!
oh, and have you ever heard this one? "my comp meets civ specifications, if they didn't want me to use high-graphics and animations, why did they put the setting there?"
DOH!
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Post by MMV on Oct 6, 2006 11:26:43 GMT -5
but worse than lagging.....
when you come into a game, please BE READY to play!
Eat before the game; go to the bathroom (etc), go outside and have your ciggie, yada yada yada
how about this one staging area: been waiting 10-15 minutes and the second guy in the game says "afk for ciggie (lunch, bathroom, etc)" just as game is about to start.
and of course - it happens IN the game as well
(order a pizza, go to the door and get it, lock yourself out....... ROFL!)
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Post by Bantams on Oct 6, 2006 12:17:23 GMT -5
Well if you all get more ram (say 2gb at least) and better connections such as dont play on a crappy spec laptop with wireless connection there should be no problems with lag until furure eras Oh and yes if i go for a smoke during a game i am usually back before my next turn anyways
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Arvcran
Worker
Tourney Director
Remember the purpose of CIV / BtS is enjoyment, entertainment, and hobby!
Posts: 181
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Post by Arvcran on Oct 6, 2006 12:41:37 GMT -5
I will check this thread periodically to add to the list of things one can do to prevent lag - thanks MMV for your contribution!
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