Larian Studios Forums General Chat RPG Chat Morrowind question thread

If you're running XP I can give you some additional performance tips that'll help any 3D game.

By all means. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I'm running XP Home. I've tried going into administrative services and turning off a bunch off items as per here. They didn't speed anything up, but the system is somewhat more stable inside all games, being more "vanilla" with less TSRs in the background.

Is a 1.33 GB Athalon really that bad a machine for today's games? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

I turn shadows off anyway, they dont reall work that well (They do not reflect what you are wearing/wielding. Also shadows of people on a second story can be seen on the ground below them EVEN THOUGH THERE IS A FLOOR IN THE WAY.) Not only does it slow the game down, it actually DETRACTS from the game. So you arent missing much <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/kitty.gif" alt="" />

I've also noticed that some characters on the other side of an object like a wall will throw a shadow. As you've said, it really offers little, so it's been off for some time.

With the FPS Optimizer and the Tweaking ini file running, I get about 10-15 again in Balmora, and 15-25 on the road at a distance from it. The former is with visibility set to 0%--seemingly, whether distant visibility is at 50% or 0% doesn't matter, I can't ratchet up FPS in Balmora to anything above 15, and it sometimes dips towards 8.

Holy crap, the picture on the site you linked looks too much like me to be true...

The following adjustments will cause you to lose a LOT of XP's eye-candy, but has been proven to increase game stability in some cases, and take a bit of load off of your pc in general. This all comes from experience optimizing for DAoC and FFXI.

1) Go Start Menu>Settings>Control Panel>Display
First, on the Themes tab, change your theme to Windows Classic. This will shut off some of the frilly XP additions that a few games really don't like.
Second, on the Appearance tab, hit the Effects button. Uncheck the box for "Use the following transition effect for menus and tooltips". Change "Use the following method to smooth edges of screen fonts" to Standard. Turn off "Show shadows under menus" and "Show window contents while dragging".

2) Go Start Menu>Settings>Control Panel>System
First, on the Advanced tab, under the Performance heading, hit the Settings button. On the Visual Effects tab, set it th "Adjust for best performance". On the Advanced tab, under the Virtual Memory heading, hit the Settings button. For your memory, your Custom Size should be set to 844/844. The general rule for custom size is [Virtual Memory min/max = 1.1GB - Physical Memory + Shared Video Memory] for most machines with under 1GB of RAM. Truthfully, I've seen 1GB RAM machines run perfectly with NO Virtual Memory.

The following adjustments should only be done if you can either follow directions exactly, or are a power user and know exactly what you're doing.
3) For Power Users ONLY!
Go to www.freshdevices.com and download FreshUI. In FreshUI set the following settings:
First thing, in case something screws up, go to the File menu and choose "Save Windows Settings".
Hardware>CPU>L2 Cache Optimization: Stupidly enough, Windows XP defaults 0KB L2 cache utilization as DEFAULT. Go to your CPU manufacturer's website and find out how much L2 cache your CPU has. Input the value you found (256KB inputs 256, etc.)
Windows System>File System>UDMA/66 mode: Check your HDD manufacturer to see if your drive supports this mode. If it does, enable it.
Windows System>Startup/shutdown>Shutdown>Delete Swap File at System Shutdown: This can cause PC boot time to increase a little, but you'll always have a clean swapfile to be written to, rather than having to delete old entries during runtime.
If you follow only what I've listed you should be safe. Do NOT make alterations on other settings unless you know what you are doing or you could easily HOSE your computer. FreshUI gives a lot of other options that can massively improve performance, but used incorrectly can cause equally massive problems.

After all of this, as a general helper in overall computer cleanliness, go to http://www.safer-networking.org/ and download Spybot S&D. Update it completely and run it. From all of the runs I've performed on many computers (mostly clients PCs during general maintainence visits), I can safely say you can select everything the program finds and have it delete them. As a rule with anything that alters the registry, however, make a backup just in case. Also have S&D Immunize against programs. Its options to block some websites interferes with a lot of non-hostile sites, so don't use them.

General PC builder's tips:
Heat spreaders on the RAM sticks increases stick life and R/W speeds.
Use the highest quality thermal compound between your CPU and the heat sink. Also, use a heat sink with the largest possible surface area.
Though it sucks a little of your PSU's power, if you get to choose between a single fan supply and a dual fan supply, go dual.
If you have extra power, install some extra case fans.
HDD heat sink/fan combos actually help HDD response speeds.
Try to find a heat sink/fan for your GPU if possible/compatible.
Clean the dust from your fans every month or so. Don't trust canned air. Most of them say they are moisture free, but when they blast out, they're often so cold it condences the air around the nozzle and causes an initial blast of moisture. To be honest, I've been using an industrial air compressor for five years now, and haven't seen any problems in the PCs that I originally started cleaning. The force caused by the compressor is NOT scrong enough to damage anything in the PC, but make sure there's no debris in the air to blast into the PC.
Keep your box in a well ventilated area in a cool location with as little direct sunlight as possible. If you're in a clean area with people that can keep their hands to themselves, keeping the PC case open makes for erfect ventilation, often leaving the PC (not the CPU) temperature very close to the ambient temperature of the room.
Remeber, heat is your PC's worst enemy. Keeping your PC at comfortable temperatures will keep performance up and increase the overall lifespan of the parts.

Sorry if this is a bit much, but I do this for a living and try to touch every base <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Also, this isn't everything, but for much else, I'd need to know almost full specs of your PC and likely need to be sitting in front of it. One of my weaknesses is that I'm not that great at working on something I can't see <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shame.gif" alt="" />

I've done #1 as you suggested, and I regularly run both anti-virus and anti-spy programs. Don't know if this will make a difference in the game, but I'm willing to bet if nothing else, stability will be a bit better. Thanks. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

3) For Power Users ONLY!
Go to www.freshdevices.com and download FreshUI. In FreshUI set the following settings:
First thing, in case something screws up, go to the File menu and choose "Save Windows Settings".
Hardware>CPU>L2 Cache Optimization: Stupidly enough, Windows XP defaults 0KB L2 cache utilization as DEFAULT. Go to your CPU manufacturer's website and find out how much L2 cache your CPU has. Input the value you found (256KB inputs 256, etc.)
Windows System>File System>UDMA/66 mode: Check your HDD manufacturer to see if your drive supports this mode. If it does, enable it.
Windows System>Startup/shutdown>Shutdown>Delete Swap File at System Shutdown: This can cause PC boot time to increase a little, but you'll always have a clean swapfile to be written to, rather than having to delete old entries during runtime.
If you follow only what I've listed you should be safe. Do NOT make alterations on other settings unless you know what you are doing or you could easily HOSE your computer. FreshUI gives a lot of other options that can massively improve performance, but used incorrectly can cause equally massive problems.

These intrigue me. Will these improvements in performance transfer to either increased FPS in Morrowind, or quicker data loading time between areas?

This will help the computer in general, taking load off of the RAM, allowing more room for video processing, decreasing load times, and, since there's more physical memory, there's less virtual memory usage, and there's less stress on the HDD. The UDMA/66, if supported, also affects HDD performance, with directly affects virtual memory performance. One thing I've seen some gamers do, and I've been considering this myself, get 1GB HDD and dedicate the entire thing to virtual memory, taking all of that stress off of your primary HDD. I've actually seen one PC use a fast W/R flash drive as a virtual memory drive, but I don't have the cash to shell out $300 for a 1GB flash stick... unfortunately <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/memad.gif" alt="" />

In short, it'll help both <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

Fable: Try a program called cacheman. Do a search, if you cant find it I can provide a link. I found that this improved the speed of disc access on my old machine a great deal and meant the game ran a great deal better wandering the wildnerness. If worst come to wort, try turning off some of your mods <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/kitty.gif" alt="" />

Sweet looking little thing. I'll give it a try.

EDIT: Mandrake, what values would you recommend for a system with 256 MB RAM, while using Morrowind?

I've read that the MW Textures Pack can reduce FPS particularly in cities, because of the high resolution of the files. Just wondered if you had any thoughts on that, and replacing it (potentially) with either Vibrant Morrowind, or Fantasy Morrowind (the latter by Brash). Yeah, I know the latter is kinda heavily colored, but I'm interested at the moment in cutting back on lag.

Try Landscape remix v2, it improves the textures but isnt such a high memory updgrade as the visual packs. The trouble is, to remove the visual packs I think you will have to reinstall the game and then the patches which would suck (But still it might be an idea if performance is really bad. When you uninstall just make sure you leave all the mods in the data files directory and when you reinstall, repatch and install the landscape remix, just select everything again in the data files are.

As for Cacheman. Select the pregenerated profiles menu and then load the "gamer" profile.

Also check out the tweaktown link on tweaking morrowind Neo mentioned above. It has some useful info on squeezing out that extra fram a second.

Ok, now for a question. Ive noticed recently that I can get poor mouse performance inside some buildings. My frame rate is good its just that the mouse is jerky. Ive noticed this happens almost exclusivly in houses for use as dwellings by the PC. Any idea how I can fix this?

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/kitty.gif" alt="" />

Try Landscape remix v2, it improves the textures but isnt such a high memory updgrade as the visual packs. The trouble is, to remove the visual packs I think you will have to reinstall the game and then the patches which would suck (But still it might be an idea if performance is really bad. When you uninstall just make sure you leave all the mods in the data files directory and when you reinstall, repatch and install the landscape remix, just select everything again in the data files are.

I hear ya. That would take a good, long time...still, it might be best. By the way, have you seen Brash's Land Textures? I think they might be preferrable to Landscape Remix, from what I've seen of both. Those, plus Carnajo's various city texture packs, would be lighter on moving through areas. I don't know if they would do anything for the FPS rate, however.

As for Cacheman. Select the pregenerated profiles menu and then load the "gamer" profile.

No profiles on it. I suspect that's in the purchased version. I only have the shareware, which is hobbled. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> Why they couldn't have made it fully operative only for 30 days is beyond me.

Hmm! The version I had was full featured. It wasnt the XP version though.

Pick whatever texture mod you think is better out of the two you listed. Im sure they will still be smaller than the visual update packs.

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/kitty.gif" alt="" />

I fixed that mouse slowdown problem by changing the interior buffer option in morrowind.ini to 64 (It WAS 10)

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/kitty.gif" alt="" />

I've uninstalled CachemanXP, and installed Cacheman, which has the profiles. Lots more controls in CachemanXP, however. If you're a tweaker on XP, you should take a lookt at it. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

Glad to hear the mouse problem was easily solvable. Would that all such difficulties were so easily repaired!

I'll probably do as you suggest, and delete all the folders within the Morrowind/data files folder, but leave the data files stuff itself intact. That does sound like the easiest way to go about this. Per Neo's comment (and yours), I'm also looking into adding extra RAM. Who would have thought that so much would be required, so soon? Will that really boost performance in Morrowind, and if so, will it touch the framerate? Or I we really talking here about a boost to file loading across areas?

Before I say anything, do you know how to build a computer? I ask because I see so many computers hosed when people put the wrong type of sticks in their box.

Memory is a must on XP, if you get another 256mb you will definatly feel the difference <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

@ Neo: I cant believe the L2 cache defaults to zero. My chip has 512 and I didnt even realise XP wasnt using it! Arrrggh *Bashes Microsoft with a big stick with a rusty nail in the end*


<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/kitty.gif" alt="" />

Absolutely not. I am moderately conversant on the subject of memory management, but I would no more build a computer than I would a car. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
However, I do have a friend who built mine for me, and I plan to show him your info in a few weeks when he's back in town.

But if XP wasn't using it, how did you note the difference between 256 and 512 MB RAM? Not to quibble or anything, but...

The L2 cache isnt your RAM. My 512 MB of RAM is being used just fine by XP <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />. The L2 cache is a set of exceedingly high speed memory built into the CPU itself. (And its not MB its only KB). What it does is help the CPU buffer information coming into it so that it has a backlog of information ready for processing. This speeds up how fast your CPU runs. XP wasnt using this L2 Cache at all, even though I had 512kb of it available to buffer into.

Onto the subject of RAM. XP eats up a lot of RAM. If you only have 256MB of RAM, you only have so much left over for games, so the computer has to compensate by using the Hardrives swap file. This results in lots of hard disk access and slower performance. If you have 512mb RAM the computer can store more of the game there, and has to use the Hardrives swap file much less. Thus, faster perforamance <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Windows will automatically know how much RAM you have BTW, its not something you have to set up seperatly in a tweak program. So if you buy more, they will just plug it in, and when you start your computer, XP will automatically take advantage of it.

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/kitty.gif" alt="" />

@fable: Ok, since you have someone else doing the upgrade, he ought to know what to do, so I don't need to say a thing, though I can suggest a manufacturer. I'm using a single 512MB stick from ULTRA (comes with heat spreader attached), and I get awsome performance for a single stick.

@Mandrake: Surprised me too when I first found out. My P4 HT has a full 1MB built on and Windows was using none of it. But I can understand why that's default. Think of the problems a box can have if it's making calls for cache that doesn't exist. The least Micro$haft could do is give the option somewhere to change it other than having to dig through the registry.