2 replies to this topic

[Gith]

Ok so I am running a standard BWP install (minus TDD/DSotSC/CtB/SoS etc.). The game has run perfectly so far (apart from a bug in Jaheira's cloakwood druid quest which I fixed thanks to this forum). As soon as I got to the Cloakwood Mines area the game started lagging - like momentary freezes, when it was paused there was no lagging. I reloaded earlier saves and no lag, started a new game and no lag. I persevered anyway and got to Natasha (the female mage on the 3rd level of the mines) and as soon as I killed her the lagging seemed to stop. That might have just been a coincidence though and it was something else causing it to lag?

So although there is no problem right now, I was just curious as to what might have caused it and anything I can do to avoid it in the future?

Cheers

[Jarno Mikkola]

So although there is no problem right now, I was just curious as to what might have caused it and anything I can do to avoid it in the future?

Have you done all this before?

4. To set the game up right the first time, the only time.

1. Always patch the game(s) with the latest patch, start a new game and exit after the game has auto-saves itself(so you have to make a char or choose a pre-made one), before you install any mod, and you might as well make a safe backup from the important files: data and override -folders, baldur.exe, BGMain.exe, dialog.tlk and CHITIN.key, in the unmoded game this should take about 960 to 1020 MB's, depending on how the computer counts it.
2. Put the ambient sounds off from the BGConfig.exe, as some of the areas might have no ambient sounds and so the game tries to start them many time continuously, and so looses processing power.
3. Don't mess with the game configurations so the speed adjustment percentages stay on "normal" ratings even if you have very high end machine, as the game has own it's internal fps counter, it sometimes tries to correct the fps on it's own by lowering graphs etc. Also the games frame rate should be set to about 30, as that's the default.
4. I wouldn't recommend to install any of the speaking item mods, as they run their scripts and fire their comments everywhere, and that's bad for the fps(frames/second count).
5. Inventory management(no stacks that have more than about 200 items, in a bag, arrows etc.), -might also help. And do not carry too many bags of holding and the like storage items.
6. Trying to avoid too many effects on a character(about 20 is fine, 200 is too many, and 20 000 is way way too many...)
7. De-fragmenting your hard drive might also help... as you don't have to go find the data in the pieces. (hmm, there is a joke in there, hih)
8. Before installing the mods, plan the exact order, so they are in correct order, and make sure if you uninstalled the game that you deleted the old mod files, the data and override folders(don't go and overwrite them) so you can start from a clean install, so there is no leftovers from old mods.
9. Helpful links for Tutu and BGT(the English and German .pdf files) -based Megamods. And the most recent BWP vX, which today is the 7.0.
10. Take note that you should have done all the points 1-9 before you install any mods! But you should be able to do it still, with few alterations.
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11. And when you have installed all the mods you are going to, it might be a good idea to test your game to make sure your mods work, particularly any newer or untested mods. Once you are satisfied your install works, and only then, you will want biff your override folder, but do that knowing that you generally can't change the game much after. The easiest way to do this is to use the End_biff from here, or the more modern Generalized Biffing.
12. Repeat the step 7 again, if you think it might help.
13. When you quit the game, delete all the files from the Cache folder, if the game even puts any files in there. This might cause a little loading time increase, but it is worth it.
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14. Complete all the quests you are given, as in a long game, some scripts that are looking IF you have this-or-that quest active, will be screaming and causing lags, if their checks are in global category and used all the time... it can be very bad.

If so, we can say that the only one thing fixable after that is to check all the running game scripts for stupid repeating... and solve what mod or mod component ruins the script, so it repeats stupidly and then repair it.

Edited by Jarno Mikkola, 20 June 2009 - 02:06 PM.

[dabus]

There are various reasons for lagging.

Sometimes it's an item from a mod, too many items in the inventory, dialogs that did not start, too many files in the override-folde, too many variables/encounter checks, soundcard-issues and so on.

Edit:
Narf.

Edited by dabus, 20 June 2009 - 02:07 PM.