SC4 Devotion Forum Archives

SimCity 4 General Discussion and Tutorials => SimCity 4 General Discussion => Topic started by: Chingchang on October 19, 2008, 10:09:59 AM

Title: SC4 runs slow with new VGA
Post by: Chingchang on October 19, 2008, 10:09:59 AM
Well, originally SC4 ran VERY fast on my machine, scrolling and zooming were very quick. Until Friday. The replacement 8800GTX BFG sent me arrived, and after I installed it, scrolling and zooming in SC4 became horribly slow. If the camera isn't moving, it runs fast as usual, but when I move around or zoom, it stutters like crazy. Fraps would be reading 1 FPS.

I tried reinstalling the drivers, going back 175 from 178... nothing seems to work. What do I do?  :'(
Title: Re: Slow... so slow...
Post by: Chingchang on October 21, 2008, 08:30:05 AM
Help?
Title: Re: Slow... so slow...
Post by: callagrafx on October 21, 2008, 08:40:46 AM
Looks like no-one has a solution...have you tried contacting the support people?

http://www.bfgtech.com/supportroot.aspx
Title: Re: Slow... so slow...
Post by: Chingchang on October 21, 2008, 10:32:03 AM
Quote from: callagrafx on October 21, 2008, 08:40:46 AM
Looks like no-one has a solution...have you tried contacting the support people?

http://www.bfgtech.com/supportroot.aspx

It's not a problem with the graphics card.
Title: Re: Slow... so slow...
Post by: callagrafx on October 21, 2008, 10:51:39 AM
You're sure about that, are you?  Strange that it was fine before you upgraded the card.  Maybe the settings on the card are too ramped up for a 5 year old game to handle...

I take it you have installed the latest drivers?  If not, I suggest you look here: http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_2k_97.94.html
Title: Re: Slow... so slow...
Post by: Chingchang on October 21, 2008, 07:18:06 PM
Quote from: callagrafx on October 21, 2008, 10:51:39 AM
You're sure about that, are you?  Strange that it was fine before you upgraded the card.  Maybe the settings on the card are too ramped up for a 5 year old game to handle...
[/quote]Sorry, I thought you meant the physical card. What settings should I turn down?

Quote from: callagrafx on October 21, 2008, 10:51:39 AM
I take it you have installed the latest drivers?  If not, I suggest you look here: http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_2k_97.94.html
Uh, I said in my first post I have the latest drivers.
Title: Re: Slow... so slow...
Post by: thundercrack83 on October 21, 2008, 08:27:55 PM
Quote
Uh, I said in my first post I have the latest drivers.

Do you really think getting smart with someone that's trying to help you is the best way to find a solution to your problem? Not to mention, nowhere in your first post does it say you installed the latest drivers, only the drivers. I understand that you're frustrated, but maintain some decorum please.

You also may get more help if you renamed your thread something actually pertaining to your problem, other than "Slow... so slow..." How is anyone supposed to know what you're having a problem with by that title?
Title: Re: Slow... so slow...
Post by: callagrafx on October 22, 2008, 12:14:23 AM
Quote from: Chingchang on October 21, 2008, 07:18:06 PM
Sorry, I thought you meant the physical card. What settings should I turn down?
Try the antialias and anisotropy settings...they could be interfering with the game engine.

Quote from: Chingchang on October 21, 2008, 07:18:06 PM
Uh, I said in my first post I have the latest drivers.
Actually, you said you'd downgraded your drivers  ::)

Try a google search on problems with the graphics card....other people's experiences may shed some light on your problem and may offer a solution.
Title: Re: Slow... so slow...
Post by: daeley on October 22, 2008, 12:20:14 AM
did you check if the game reset the software/hardware rendering settings? Maybe it reset to software after you replaced the card.
Title: Re: Slow... so slow...
Post by: Chingchang on October 22, 2008, 09:05:00 AM
Quote from: thundercrack83 on October 21, 2008, 08:27:55 PM
Do you really think getting smart with someone that's trying to help you is the best way to find a solution to your problem? Not to mention, nowhere in your first post does it say you installed the latest drivers, only the drivers. I understand that you're frustrated, but maintain some decorum please.
I wasn't being "smart."

Quote from: callagrafx on October 22, 2008, 12:14:23 AM
Try the antialias and anisotropy settings...they could be interfering with the game engine.
Actually, you said you'd downgraded your drivers  ::)

Try a google search on problems with the graphics card....other people's experiences may shed some light on your problem and may offer a solution.
I mentioned that I had tried going back.

Google only seems to bring back issues with Vista. I can't seem to find anything on an 8800GTX and SC4 either.

I just tried turning down the settings you suggested, but SC4 still runs slow.

Quote from: daeley on October 22, 2008, 12:20:14 AM
did you check if the game reset the software/hardware rendering settings? Maybe it reset to software after you replaced the card.
On hardware rendering, it's slow. On software rendering, it's a little bit faster, but the graphics look terrible (with all settings turned up, yes).
Title: Re: SC4 runs slow with new VGA
Post by: Chingchang on October 24, 2008, 11:15:51 AM
Please help.
Title: Re: SC4 runs slow with new VGA
Post by: thundercrack83 on October 24, 2008, 11:27:36 AM
It looks like folks here have exhausted their knowledge trying to help you out with this. Sorry.

Did you try going back to your old graphics card?
Title: Re: SC4 runs slow with new VGA
Post by: Sheep49 on October 24, 2008, 11:40:43 AM
I had the same problem once. I downloaded the newer drivers, and the game was slow like a worm. Reinstalling the game and downloading all the plug-ins again helped me. But I would suggest it as the last resort, since I've heard that most of the people don't find it very helpful &mmm

And, of course, you have updated SimCity 4 with the update, right? If not, install it. Even if it won't help you, you'll see nice highlights on custom BATs ;)

And yeah, going back to the old graphics card may help, too :)

Sorry if I wasn't really helpful. I tried my best ;)
Title: Re: SC4 runs slow with new VGA
Post by: Chingchang on October 24, 2008, 12:32:03 PM
Quote from: thundercrack83 on October 24, 2008, 11:27:36 AM
It looks like folks here have exhausted their knowledge trying to help you out with this. Sorry.

Did you try going back to your old graphics card?
My older graphics card was an Nvidia MX4000, which was in an older computer that I sold off a couple of months ago.


Oh, you meant the defective 8800GTX. Well, I don't have that one anymore, I sent it back to BFG.
Quote from: Sheep49 on October 24, 2008, 11:40:43 AM
I had the same problem once. I downloaded the newer drivers, and the game was slow like a worm. Reinstalling the game and downloading all the plug-ins again helped me. But I would suggest it as the last resort, since I've heard that most of the people don't find it very helpful &mmm

And, of course, you have updated SimCity 4 with the update, right? If not, install it. Even if it won't help you, you'll see nice highlights on custom BATs ;)

And yeah, going back to the old graphics card may help, too :)

Sorry if I wasn't really helpful. I tried my best ;)
I already have the latest updates/patches for SC4.

I guess I will try reinstalling.
Title: Re: SC4 runs slow with new VGA
Post by: Chingchang on October 25, 2008, 10:01:51 AM
I reinstalled SC4 but that didn't fix it.  :(
Title: Re: SC4 runs slow with new VGA
Post by: LoneRanger on November 01, 2008, 12:46:30 PM
Just a question, while you waited on the new card, any chance you used another gfx card till you got the new one?
Do you have problems with other games also or is it pure SC4 related?
Anything else that might have changed soft- or hardware in between the time?

I noticed it has been a week since the last post so maybe problems are resolved?
Title: Re: SC4 runs slow with new VGA
Post by: Turambar on December 21, 2008, 06:39:42 AM
I have this exact issue.  It frustrates me simply because I could load this entire game into my video memory if needed, yet here it is running slowly like I'm back on my computer from 2002.

Nobody knows anything that can help?  (I'm getting close to figuring out which drivers to downgrade to)
Title: Re: SC4 runs slow with new VGA
Post by: wouanagaine on December 22, 2008, 12:17:20 AM
You may try to run the Nvidia control panel, and choose 'Manage 3D Settings' and then go in the 'Program settings' tab and select simcity4 then play with the various parameters. Try to first disable everything then turn them back on when it makes sense and see how to game behaves

I have a gf 8800 GTX
My forceware driver is 175.16
and here are my settings
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg126.imageshack.us%2Fimg126%2F6711%2Fscreenshot081bd6.jpg&hash=0000ead3fb3a8dfb5eb227a643c986791d39a4a1)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg117.imageshack.us%2Fimg117%2F1258%2Fscreenshot080ni8.jpg&hash=bf1c6dfe9882993abe7ee395c27e9e101668732b)


the game runs smooth
Title: Re: SC4 runs slow with new VGA
Post by: Elektra on December 27, 2008, 12:08:57 PM
For the most part I have all of the same settings that are listed above.  Though I don't run AA or the Anisotropic Filtering.  My SC4 runs smoothly with all the in game settings maxed out on the 8800 and drivers (175.19).