Skipping after a while of playing

Calculon · 07-13-01, 12:13 PM

I started playing Team Fortress Classic again and everything is nice and smooth. After about an hour of playing, I notice slight skipping I've never had before. This is still playable, so I keep going. After another 20-30 mins, I'm getting these long skips like lag spikes. (My ping was never over 100). It's now unplayable, and I have to restart HL so its back to normal again. I've also noticed this didn't happen before the 1.1.0.6 patch. Any ideas?

- Windows ME
- Asus A7A266 Motherboard
- AMD Athlon Tbird 1.2 Ghz
- 256 MB RAM
- Voodoo5 5500 AGP
- SoundBlaster Live! Value
- Cable from RR

Everything is up-to-date (drivers)

Joe · 07-13-01, 12:17 PM

hard to say.. only thing that sounds near that is lack of memory but you seem to have a good amount of that.

Does this happen every time you play it, on every server?

Calculon · 07-13-01, 12:20 PM

It happens everytime and on every server!

Also, I think 256 MB of RAM is plenty for HL and its mods.

Thanks for the reply! Any other suggestions?

Calculon · 07-13-01, 12:24 PM

One more thing, this isn't a problem in single player game

FingerDemon · 07-13-01, 05:06 PM

I don't know what is causing your problem, but a while back I started having a number of different problems with Half Life on my old slow machine that I couldn't diagnose. I ended up just saving my saved Single Player games. Backing up my altered .cfg files and uninstalling and reinstalling the whole thing. Sure, its an ugly solution. But the whole install process itself doesn't take that long and then run the patch for a full update to current and you are set. (After restoring any .cfgs or scripts of course)

I always used to cringe when I heard people suggest things like this before. But installs have gotten so fast that it often goes quicker than spending time online trying to find an answer to the problem. I have heard that gamers should regularly do the same thing with Windows, but I haven't gotten that hardcore yet :-)

The reason I would think it might help you in this case is that the behavior you describe sounds like what a program does when it has a memory leak. Some corrupted file or registry or something could have caused a clean up process not to work properly anymore and make your executable behave like it has a memory leak. If so, reinstalling should replace the corrupted stuff with clean versions, if the problem is being caused by HL.

But BEFORE you do all that, it occurs to me that you should probably check to see what you have running in the background and maybe turn it off before you play. You may have done this already, but a similar problem with one of these programs could cause your HalfLife trouble, I think.

Good luck with it,

FingerDemon

CoolJ · 07-13-01, 05:09 PM

When playing, open the console and type: Net_graph 5

That gives you your ping in real time. So If you get a spike, look at your ping in realtime, and you should see if your ping takes a high jump then goes backdown. If you just press "Tab" it gives you your average ping and you'd never know it if you get a small spike.

Can't think of why it would just start doing it after a hour, but atleast its a start.

What kinda graphic card you using? One issue with a game like rogue spear is that after playing a while, some graphics card start to overheat and cause choppyness! I know your not Playin RS But ya never know.

Calculon · 07-13-01, 06:54 PM

FingerDemon, I don't think reinstalling the game will help. I have just replaced my HDD and install the game with the original disc. I also updated to 1.1.0.7.
BTW, it happened with old HHD also. And yes, I tried CTRL+ALT+Del and ended everything (except for explorer and systray) before I play.

CoolJ, I will try your tip the next time I play. I doubt it's a spike. I'm using Voodoo5 5500 AGP. As you know, 3dfx is no longer exist. Thus, no new driver is developed. This could be my problem.

Thanks for the replies! Please tell me if you have other suggestions. I'm running out of ideas!

Also, when I press Esc to get back to the menu screen (when the problem is at its peak), I notice my mouse movements are very jerky.

Joe · 07-13-01, 08:15 PM

Are you running HL in Open GL or Direct X?

Calculon · 07-13-01, 08:39 PM

Direct 3D you mean? I'm running D3D

Joe · 07-13-01, 08:53 PM

lol

First change to Open GL and select the 3dfx mini driver from the drop down

You will most likely see a major improvment

CoolJ · 07-13-01, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by PING
lol

First change to Open GL and select the 3dfx mini driver from the drop down

You will most likely see a major improvment

Joe · 07-13-01, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by CoolJ

Calculon · 07-15-01, 02:40 PM

I tried switching to OpenGL, and noticed slight improvement in the graphics department. However, that problem remains!

I also tried the Net_graph suggestion, and I don't see any spike. It seems that my computer freezes momentary during the skipping, because it doesn't update my ping during that time.

Any other suggestions? Anything at all! I'm desperate!

HalfLifer · 07-15-01, 02:44 PM

I get the same thing. In CS and TFC, when Im running around, every 7-10 steps I get a slight jerk.

Calculon · 07-15-01, 02:49 PM

Oh, thank god somebody else has the same problem! I thought it's my computer that causes it!

HalfLifer, does it get worse the longer you play?

Stuman · 07-23-01, 07:18 PM

Win ME users look for the OS patch that fixes a Mem Leak
that Micro$oft just admitted to knowing about but did nothing
until some people started to complain.

what happens is the memory alloted to an application
is not released back to the system.

I'll post the patch name and where to find it.

Maybe that will help, oh well just my $0.02 worth.

L8R,
-Stu

Jin · 07-23-01, 07:27 PM

Hey calculon check to make sure that the server you join doesn't have PunkBuster enabled. Goto this link, it has reports about how people with Asus won't be able to join any servers that have PunkBuster enabled. Not spamming, just trying to help.

http://www.planethalflife.com/news/s...ch&search=Asus

07-23-01, 10:37 PM

i am getting the same problem. every few seconds my net graph shows spike in/out of network.. any suggestions? I just tweaked the system registry for my dsl connection. I used to play at another location and everything was cool now its blown up.

07-13-01, 12:13 PM	#1
Calculon New Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Garden Grove, CA, USA, North America, Earth, Milky Way, 3rd Dimension Posts: 33	Skipping after a while of playing I started playing Team Fortress Classic again and everything is nice and smooth. After about an hour of playing, I notice slight skipping I've never had before. This is still playable, so I keep going. After another 20-30 mins, I'm getting these long skips like lag spikes. (My ping was never over 100). It's now unplayable, and I have to restart HL so its back to normal again. I've also noticed this didn't happen before the 1.1.0.6 patch. Any ideas? - Windows ME - Asus A7A266 Motherboard - AMD Athlon Tbird 1.2 Ghz - 256 MB RAM - Voodoo5 5500 AGP - SoundBlaster Live! Value - Cable from RR Everything is up-to-date (drivers) Last edited by Calculon; 07-13-01 at 12:14 PM.

07-13-01, 12:17 PM	#2
Joe Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: USA Posts: 8,566	hard to say.. only thing that sounds near that is lack of memory but you seem to have a good amount of that. Does this happen every time you play it, on every server? __________________ ··▲·· ▲ ▲ Facebook Twitter Blog ▼ ▼ ··▼··

07-13-01, 05:06 PM	#5
FingerDemon New Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Herndon, Virginia Posts: 28	I don't know what is causing your problem, but a while back I started having a number of different problems with Half Life on my old slow machine that I couldn't diagnose. I ended up just saving my saved Single Player games. Backing up my altered .cfg files and uninstalling and reinstalling the whole thing. Sure, its an ugly solution. But the whole install process itself doesn't take that long and then run the patch for a full update to current and you are set. (After restoring any .cfgs or scripts of course) I always used to cringe when I heard people suggest things like this before. But installs have gotten so fast that it often goes quicker than spending time online trying to find an answer to the problem. I have heard that gamers should regularly do the same thing with Windows, but I haven't gotten that hardcore yet :-) The reason I would think it might help you in this case is that the behavior you describe sounds like what a program does when it has a memory leak. Some corrupted file or registry or something could have caused a clean up process not to work properly anymore and make your executable behave like it has a memory leak. If so, reinstalling should replace the corrupted stuff with clean versions, if the problem is being caused by HL. But BEFORE you do all that, it occurs to me that you should probably check to see what you have running in the background and maybe turn it off before you play. You may have done this already, but a similar problem with one of these programs could cause your HalfLife trouble, I think. Good luck with it, FingerDemon __________________ From Mark Leyner's Et Tu, Babe Last words of dying man... "If you squander your precious, beautiful days on meaningless labor, whose ultimate purpose is to further enrich the ruling elite or solidify the hegemony of the state... you're a sucker."

07-13-01, 05:09 PM	#6
CoolJ IROC-Z Man Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Buffalo,NY Posts: 6,834	When playing, open the console and type: Net_graph 5 That gives you your ping in real time. So If you get a spike, look at your ping in realtime, and you should see if your ping takes a high jump then goes backdown. If you just press "Tab" it gives you your average ping and you'd never know it if you get a small spike. Can't think of why it would just start doing it after a hour, but atleast its a start. What kinda graphic card you using? One issue with a game like rogue spear is that after playing a while, some graphics card start to overheat and cause choppyness! I know your not Playin RS But ya never know. __________________ Speed 3370(down)/425(up) kbps My IROC-Z28 Last edited by CoolJ; 07-13-01 at 07:00 PM.

07-13-01, 08:15 PM	#8
Joe Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: USA Posts: 8,566	Are you running HL in Open GL or Direct X? __________________ ··▲·· ▲ ▲ Facebook Twitter Blog ▼ ▼ ··▼··

07-13-01, 12:20 PM	#3
Calculon New Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Garden Grove, CA, USA, North America, Earth, Milky Way, 3rd Dimension Posts: 33	It happens everytime and on every server! Also, I think 256 MB of RAM is plenty for HL and its mods. Thanks for the reply! Any other suggestions?

07-13-01, 12:24 PM	#4
Calculon New Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Garden Grove, CA, USA, North America, Earth, Milky Way, 3rd Dimension Posts: 33	One more thing, this isn't a problem in single player game

07-13-01, 06:54 PM	#7
Calculon New Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Garden Grove, CA, USA, North America, Earth, Milky Way, 3rd Dimension Posts: 33	FingerDemon, I don't think reinstalling the game will help. I have just replaced my HDD and install the game with the original disc. I also updated to 1.1.0.7. BTW, it happened with old HHD also. And yes, I tried CTRL+ALT+Del and ended everything (except for explorer and systray) before I play. CoolJ, I will try your tip the next time I play. I doubt it's a spike. I'm using Voodoo5 5500 AGP. As you know, 3dfx is no longer exist. Thus, no new driver is developed. This could be my problem. Thanks for the replies! Please tell me if you have other suggestions. I'm running out of ideas! Also, when I press Esc to get back to the menu screen (when the problem is at its peak), I notice my mouse movements are very jerky.

07-13-01, 08:39 PM	#9
Calculon New Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Garden Grove, CA, USA, North America, Earth, Milky Way, 3rd Dimension Posts: 33	Direct 3D you mean? I'm running D3D

07-13-01, 08:53 PM	#10
Joe Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: USA Posts: 8,566	lol First change to Open GL and select the 3dfx mini driver from the drop down You will most likely see a major improvment __________________ ··▲·· ▲ ▲ Facebook Twitter Blog ▼ ▼ ··▼··

07-15-01, 02:40 PM	#13
Calculon New Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Garden Grove, CA, USA, North America, Earth, Milky Way, 3rd Dimension Posts: 33	I tried switching to OpenGL, and noticed slight improvement in the graphics department. However, that problem remains! I also tried the Net_graph suggestion, and I don't see any spike. It seems that my computer freezes momentary during the skipping, because it doesn't update my ping during that time. Any other suggestions? Anything at all! I'm desperate!

07-15-01, 02:44 PM	#14
HalfLifer banned Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Detroit, Michigan Internet: Comcast Narrowband Posts: 7,107	I get the same thing. In CS and TFC, when Im running around, every 7-10 steps I get a slight jerk.

07-15-01, 02:49 PM	#15
Calculon New Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Garden Grove, CA, USA, North America, Earth, Milky Way, 3rd Dimension Posts: 33	Oh, thank god somebody else has the same problem! I thought it's my computer that causes it! HalfLifer, does it get worse the longer you play?

07-23-01, 07:18 PM	#16
Stuman Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Fremont, CA Posts: 70	Win ME users look for the OS patch that fixes a Mem Leak that Micro$oft just admitted to knowing about but did nothing until some people started to complain. what happens is the memory alloted to an application is not released back to the system. I'll post the patch name and where to find it. Maybe that will help, oh well just my $0.02 worth. L8R, -Stu

07-23-01, 07:27 PM	#17
Jin SG Enthusiast Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 1,052	Hey calculon check to make sure that the server you join doesn't have PunkBuster enabled. Goto this link, it has reports about how people with Asus won't be able to join any servers that have PunkBuster enabled. Not spamming, just trying to help. http://www.planethalflife.com/news/s...ch&search=Asus __________________ *Space For Rent*

07-23-01, 10:37 PM	#18
dablade Guest Posts: n/a	i am getting the same problem. every few seconds my net graph shows spike in/out of network.. any suggestions? I just tweaked the system registry for my dsl connection. I used to play at another location and everything was cool now its blown up.

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