i’m running ET @ 1280 x 1024 with a config heavily tweaked for performance. now the problem is it won’t run at a steady 125 fps
what in my system is likely to be the bottle neck?
CPU: p4 3.1ghz
GPU: 9800 non-pro (core at pro speeds)
Ram: 1gig ddr 500
personally, i would have thought with these specs i should be getting a steady 125fps but its dipping to 70 or less 
btw, i’m not using any AA/AF
CPU for sure, ET seems to depend a lot on CPU calculations, I just recently bought a new GeFore 4200TI to replace my GeForce2, hoping to improve my framerate or at least be able to switch from 800x600 to 1024x768 but I only noticed the new GPU power in Benchmarks, my CPU is so shitty (1GHz Duron) that the better Gfx card had no influence.
I think with your system you wont find much difference between a tweaked config and a maxed config with AA/AF. To get the extra frames you’ll need a better cpu or some overclocking 
i would say gfx, 3 ghz is more than enough as long as there is nout running the backgwhats wrong with needing more than 70? i hate it when my fps goes below my capped 73
try lowering your res. If your FPS goes up significantly, then you are likely vid card limited. Otherwise, CPU/FSB/memory.
TBH, it seems like your FPS should be a bit better than that, unless you mean it just occasionaly drops below 125, in which case, why worry about it. If you are getting intermittent drops which don’t seem to be related to where you are on the map, then maybe something else on your system is causing it.
Also, read kingjackels posts here:
http://bani.anime.net/banimod/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3577&start=15
FWIW. I’m very doubtful of this myself, but who knows. :moo:
thanks for the reply’s
it seems i am CPU limited … tried running ET @ 800 x 600 and my frame rate was still dropping as low as 70~ fps in outdoor areas 
i really find it hard to believe that a P4C running at 3.1 is not enough to run ET @ a steady 125 fps … i recently did a reformat of my PC and don’t run any large programmes in the background so it seems weird how slow the game runs … also it used to run at a constant 125 but it seems that it has slowed down since et pro 3.## was released
i also tried adjusting the com_maxfps (as in King Jackels post) but my fps was still dropping right down
:banghead:
Have you checked your graphic card settings?
I have a nVidia card (GeForce 5900 Ultra), an Intel 3.2 GHz and 1 GB RAM.
I haven’t measured my FPS but as I changed anti aliasing and anisotrop filtering the fps decreased viewable.
I now have them set both to 2x and I’m able to run ET smooth with all settings high and 1280 * 1024.
I’m also limitted in the FPS because I have a TFT flatscreen.
Try running teh latest omega drivers for your ati card as i hear they are better than ati’s drivers for fps.
Also make sure you have vertical sync turned off as it will only cap to your monitor refresh rate .
Also if you are using xp as an os (not sure as you didnt say) you may need a seperate program to set your refresh rates as there is a bug in xp afaik that defaults everything to 60 hz.
I have an nvida card and i use the built in refresh rate fixer and a seperate proggy just to be sure( im paranoid :PP)
TFT Monitor wont limit your FPS at all.
Tbh why bother using 1024 etc… easiest way is really just to shove the System Settings from the options and hit of compressed textures. Then reset your maxfps, hunkmegs etc and any other graphics tweaks eg gamma, intensity etc. Plus, most people find it easier to hit headshots in the smaller 640 x 480 res.
TFT Monitor wont limit your FPS at all.
Tbh why bother using 1024 etc… easiest way is really just to shove the System Settings from the options and hit of compressed textures. Then reset your maxfps, hunkmegs etc and any other graphics tweaks eg gamma, intensity etc. Plus, most people find it easier to hit headshots in the smaller 640 x 480 res.
problem is, no matter what resolution i use i still get fps drops because its the CPU (not the GPU) holding me back. also, i find anything under 1280 x 1024 horrible and i can’t shoot at long distances. for me the lower the resolution the harder it is to shoot people
Have you checked your graphic card settings?
yup, checked all of them. Most of the sliders are set to performance for OpenGL and AA / AF are set to application preference.
Try running teh latest omega drivers for your ati card as i hear they are better than ati’s drivers for fps.
have tried various drivers but they don’t make much of a difference as its seems the limiting factor is the CPU :S
thanks again for all the replies
ITS NOT YOUR CPU, for gods sake.
eerrrr … then what is it? because if it was the Graphics card holding it back then the FPS should increase as I lower the resolution (as SCDS_reyalP pointed out). As i’m getting the same fps at 800 x 600 as i am at 1280 x 1024 it suggests the GPU is not holding me back … so it really only leave the CPU/FSB/Ram as the only possible culprit…
i have 1 gig of DDR 500 ram and a fsb of 960 and a P4c @ 3.1 ghz … i agree that these “should” be fast enough, but it doesn’t seem to be the case
Well I don’t have an anwser to your problem but I can say that if I start a local server I can easily get 125 fps on all maps (lots of spots in the 200-300 range), besides some tris intensive spots. This is me only on a local server so with intense battles in a timedemo on radar I get around 94 fps.
p4 2.8 HT fsb800
Gforce fx 5900
1 gig ddr 3200
That would rule out cpu as the bottleneck imo.
I know that nvidia has better performance in opengl games, but shouldnt be that much.The only thing I can recommend is that you make sure you dont have any applications/virus/trojans stealing cpu in the background.
unless it is a bandwith problem? in which case resolution would mean jack shit.
CPU: p4 3.1ghz
GPU: 9800 non-pro (core at pro speeds)
Ram: 1gig ddr 500
… Your LOW CPU? I can maintain now, thanks to decent nForce Drivers, a 125 steady most places and 60/70 on Radar’s grassy bits etc… on a Athlon 2Ghz w/only a GF FX5200.
unless it is a bandwith problem? in which case resolution would mean jack shit.
were you referring to GPU bandwidth or memory bandwidth provided to the CPU? (soz if i’m being thick here, but i’m not sure which one you are referring to )
… Your LOW CPU? I can maintain now, thanks to decent nForce Drivers, a 125 steady most places and 60/70 on Radar’s grassy bits etc… on a Athlon 2Ghz w/only a GF FX5200.
:eek2: :huh:
weird that my 9800 is neck and neck with a 5200 :moo: 
my fps drops down to a consistant 70-85 on a lot of places on oasis / fueldump etc … i ignore my results on radar cause everyone knows what a fps killer that map is 
what resolution are you running ET at ? also, could a bit a checky b***tard and ask for a copy of your cfg ryanhannah(at)ryanhannah.plus.com
thanks once again for everyones help and replies … muchos appreciated
Stupid question, but did you remember to install chipset/mobo drivers when you reinstalled your OS?
And have you tried different GFX drivers? (Which ones?)
TFT Monitor wont limit your FPS at all.
The GFX card still outputs a signal with a constant refresh rate, and syching with that will cap your FPS.
Plus, most people find it easier to hit headshots in the smaller 640 x 480 res.
Maybe because they don’t get high enough FPS at higher resolution? IMO FPS is more important than resolution, but at long distance it’s easier to get headshots with a higher resolution…
Stupid question, but did you remember to install chipset/mobo drivers when you reinstalled your OS?
And have you tried different GFX drivers? (Which ones?)
yeah i did (actually i started having the fps issue before i reinstalled, and actually reinstalled to try and fix it :o )
Maybe because they don’t get high enough FPS at higher resolution? IMO FPS is more important than resolution, but at long distance it’s easier to get headshots with a higher resolution…
^ agree completely
Just a thought;
Have you put your agp to 8x in your bios,also turned fast writes on and set your agp aperture to either 128mb or 256mb?
If you have’nt may i suggest you do as this will deffo help