Stuttering gameplay in C&C:RA2

[Jorden]

Okay, here's the deal. I play Command&Conquer: Red Alert 2 at 800x600x16bit (why isn't there a 32bit option, one wonders ), and after about 1 hour of playing the gameplay becomes stuttering. Meaning that it pauses, then plays, then pauses at short bursts (about 1 second) inbetween play.

I'm playing it without programs in the background in WinME, and I have only Sound & PD in the system tray.

No access from the CD-ROM at that moment either. My Win swap file is set at 500Mb.

Then the other things I have?
P3-450, 256 Mb RAM, G400 vanilla, latest BIOS, latest drivers.

I can even restart my PC, and load the mission where I left off, and start with stuttering gameplay again.

Anyone who has an idea?

Jord.

[This message has been edited by Jorden (edited 15 December 2000).]

[spazm_1999]

hmmm... I don't know I haven't played for a while but maybe there's a problem with the dynamical data of the game... meaning that it continusly creates new vars and don't delete them which would fill you ram up and create slowdowns. About playing it at 8000*600*16... you could at least play it at 1024*768... I don't know if the ini file allow you to change the color depth.

Could you send me that save game so that I try it on my PC?

Spazm

[Jorden]

First off: I can play it at 1024x768, but then I can't assign the soldiers to different task seperatly (17" screen).

Second off: you want the save game? I'll post it to you if I know which one to choose

But thanks already.

Jord

[spazm_1999]

Sorry, I didn't know that it was a monitor limitation.... I had the same thing when I had my old 17".... and just don't event try to run C&C over 1024*768, the mouse doesn't move at all.

I tried to load the saved game, and it always gave me my old saved game... even if I deleted all myne by remplacing by yours. I then tried a multiplayer game with 7 bots all 3 speed bars to the max and it was smooth for the 10-12 first mins. after that it came attaking me and it began to slow down, but I didn't had any cut in my slowdowns.

Just to be absolutely sure of what I tested. By "Command&Conquer: Red Alert 2" you ment Tiberian Sub, right?

Spazm

[spazm_1999]

I just woke up ten mins ago and remembered something about that game. The french and english version aren't completely compatible because the maps name aren't the same (those game developper weren't too bright by doing this). So maybe it is why I can't use your saved game.

Try to lower the speed of the game, it will give more CPU power to the computer and will probably partially correct your problem.

I don't think I can do much than that for now, sorry.

Spazm

[Jorden]

About C&C: RA2, it is a new game. Tiberian Sun was the game before this one.

And the slowdowns: It happens when the enemy (the Russians) attack me in force. It's not even that much is happening on the screen itself, more is happening off screen.

I'm now trying to do some enhancements on my Windows Swap file. Maybe setting it back to the Windows drive is an idea.

I'll get back to that

Jord.

[vanguardian1]

I borrowed the Allied disc from a friend a little while ago (he was playing the soviet disc) and had no problems at 1024x768 here.)

Athlon 700 Classic
Gigabyte 7IXE (AMD750 Irongate)
384mb PC100 (3x128)
Matrox G400 Max
Sb Live! Platinum
W2k & WinME (Played fine in both, newest drivers for both)

[vanguardian1]

Btw, I beat the Allied disc, and never had ANY slowdowns. So I don't know what's going on, but I figued I'd let you know that the game is capable of playing fine.

[Jorden]

Thanks vanguardian. It might be that I'm underpowered with a P3-450

[Admiral]

Don't think you're underpowered, it happened to me also, in the last soviet mission. 650@900 Cumine, 128 ram, 256 mb swap file.
It might be the custom swap file, rts games are particularry picky about the swap file.
If you do let Windows manage it again, make sure you leave enough space free, about 2 or 3 hundred mbs.

[Jorden]

Well andrei, would 3 Gig be enough then?

I've played two more missions as Allied, and now I get stuttering every half hour for about 4 minutes, then it goes away again.

I'm at a loss

Jord.

[Admiral]

Well Jord, since I'm stuck with an ancient 4.3GB Quantum Fireball SE, I usually have less than 50mb free, that's why I make a custom swap file, to be sure I have one (hoping Santa drops a new HD this year ).

At least you know you're not underpowered and you're not alone having this problem, might as well be just a bug in the game and they'll solve it with a future update

[This message has been edited by Admiral (edited 15 December 2000).]