8800gt and ut2004

[h.pocus]

after trying to like ut3 for a couple months, i reinstalled ut2004 today and i got mad stuttering! i searched this forum already for 8800 and no results. Anyone got any ideas on how to fix the problem or do i have to wait until nvidia feels like fixing the problem?

 

[Kyllian]

Forum took a major hit over the weekend, all 2007 posts and most of 06 was lost, same with anything regarding an 8800

So just hang on, someone will come along with tips

 

[h.pocus]

hopefully

 

[T2A`]

I don't have any stuttering, at least not in normal circumstances. I do remember playing a custom map that had a lot of crap in it, and that would go down to a framerate of zero for a split second every so often, but I haven't experienced any problems otherwise (knock on wood). I've been playing UT2004 online with the 8800GT for a few weeks now without issue -- pegged at 128 FPS (wanted 120 but the game's doing what it wants) with all details and some AF at 1680x1050.

 

[sackchap]

Is it confirmed that the issue goes away on the 8800GT if using Vista?

 

[T2A`]

...and you are using XP aren't you?

Yup. As I said, in the stock maps that I've been playing online and off I have yet to experience the stuttering, which is just fine for me, as I'm well over my custom map downloading days for this game.

 

[Jordan L]

Same here, its a widespread issue like what was stated above, I actually posted an answer to this in a thread that got lost from the data corruption with 2 links to 2 huge threads pertaining this problem. For me, The closer I get to any Dynamic Lights, the more the game will stutter. It's like a Slide Show by the time I am right next to it.

Best way I've read that helps the problem a little is to Either Turn off Weapon View, or Turn off Dynamic Lights.

My average fps in UT2004 maxed out was around 350-450, max 650. I remember back when the 6800 was over 400 bucks back in the UT2K4 days, and maxing out the game required a godly computer, the good 2k4 days. I would honestly be surprised if Nvidia/Epic bothered fixing this issue, I'm surprised they have considered it, and even finished fixing it for Vista.

( Installed 2K4 to remember good times for 3 weeks after taking a break from UT3 )

 

[Noobnugget]

I don't think this is related specifically to the 8800 series. I have an 8600gt and i get quite a bit of stuttering in certain maps in ut2004 since i got it as well. From what i can tell it happens more in custom maps like waisten than official ones like rankin. Is there anything an 8600gt user can do?

 

[haarg]

I remember getting some stuttering on my 8800 Ultra, but not enough to irritate me much.

It pretty much comes down to hoping nVidia will fix the problem.

 

[Kyllian]

I have an 8600gt and i get quite a bit of stuttering in certain maps in ut2004 since i got it as well.

8600gt here, no problems with 2k4 at all(except black screenshots)

 

[Noobnugget]

I have not heard many complaints about stutter on 8600 GPU's, but I suppose it might just be a 8XXX issue and extend further than the 8800 cards. If this is the case, then you are stuck in the same place as all the rest of us - waiting for nVidia to get their act together and release the fix.

You should have a close read through the above thread link and see if any of the people who posted there were using 8600s. Other than that, the best way to test whether you are having the same issue as us is to open DM-TrainingDay or CTF-Citidel to see if you experience severe stutter around dynamic lights.

Yep. I get quite a bit of stuttering in Citadel. Even without alot of dynamic lights going on. also the light under a single rocket fire causes a little stutter on that map on top of the stutter already there.

edit: So i looked through that thread real quick with the power of the "find on this page" thing in the browser and found quite a few with the same problem of stuttering on an 8600 series card. I also came across one "solution" in that thread that, while it technically *does* work, it cuts framerates down significantly. And that was to set UseHardwareTL to false in the ini. Though it may have fixed the stuttering it also cut my framerates in half or worse. Which isn't really acceptable.

 

[Kyllian]

Hehe curse those black screenshots! I have them too

I've heard it has something to do with Negative LOD Bias, but it hasn't made any difference :\

 

[h.pocus]

i noticed it while playing tam in grendalkeep, it got bad enough where i just quit havent test it more yet.

 

[T2A`]

Hooray for randomness. I played CyMek's new CTF map earlier and it seemed a little stuttery. I didn't actually notice the framerates dropping to zero but it felt a little less smooth than it should have. I've been playing Grendelkeep a lot (unfortunately) given the TAM I've been playing recently and I've had no issues there.

Also, I don't get black screenshots on my 8800GT... D:

 

[Continuum]

Wonder if its related to the kernel panic from invalid clock speed when trying to load the linux kernel?

 

[h.pocus]

Hooray for randomness. I played CyMek's new CTF map earlier and it seemed a little stuttery. I didn't actually notice the framerates dropping to zero but it felt a little less smooth than it should have. I've been playing Grendelkeep a lot (unfortunately) given the TAM I've been playing recently and I've had no issues there.

Also, I don't get black screenshots on my 8800GT... D:

youre lucky, maybe it has to do with the brand? i have a bfg 8800gt oce (first edition i believe). ill give it another go and see what happens.

ps. i know bfg sucks. ive had bad experience before (two rma'd cards years back), but it was the first in stock and i couldnt wait. =\

:::::

so i did some more testing. i played a few rounds of ons and tam mostly without stuttering even on grendel. Then comes waisten, totally random stuttering again. so i get offline and start up ctf-citadel no bots just me offline and i get all kinds of completely random stuttering. i even took a demo and played it back twice and it wouldnt stutter in the exact same places. another interesting thing is i noticed the fps is not stable at all, it will go up and down alot of frames when im not even moving the mouse or anything. i noticed this offline as it will max out the fps. pretty sure every other video card ive had was stable when sitting idle in a map.

also my screenshots come out fine. i have coronas off and everything else set at max.

 

[Mort.MS]

8600gt here, no problems with 2k4 at all(except black screenshots)

8600gt - stuttering on many maps IN OFFLINE MODE - online no problem...
usevsync is set to false in my ut2004.ini
the black screenshot issue was resolved for me by installing the (at that time) latest driver:
ForceWare Release 169 WHQL
Version: 169.21
Release Date: December 19, 2007
Operating System: Windows XP, Windows XP Media Center Edition
Language: U.S. English
File Size: 43.8 MB

 

[h.pocus]

Why do you have coronas turned off? (just out of interest)

Just a personal preference, i find they get in the way frequently. i first noticed a big difference when trying to rail someone coming out of the elevator on rankin.

 

[Noobnugget]

I would not have thought that such a cap would affect the stutter though.

Perhaps you should try turning on v-sync (and of course triple buffereing as well), although I doubt this will make any difference.

The online FPS cap doesn't make any difference. The stutter happens online at 85fps or offline at 200 fps. It's not picky.

Triple buffering doesn't effect it either from what i've seen.

 

[Kyllian]

8600gt - stuttering on many maps IN OFFLINE MODE - online no problem...
usevsync is set to false in my ut2004.ini
the black screenshot issue was resolved for me by installing the (at that time) latest driver:
ForceWare Release 169 WHQL
Version: 169.21
Release Date: December 19, 2007
Operating System: Windows XP, Windows XP Media Center Edition
Language: U.S. English
File Size: 43.8 MB

Well, never any stuttering problems in 2k4 except for one vCTF map
vsynce I dunno
I currently have 169.21 installed