Another Battle FPS problem

**TreeII** · July 31, 2007, 03:56 PM

Hi,

I've spent hours searching this forum (and others) and done all the usual things - upgraded graphics drivers etc. - but even on the very LOWEST graphics settings my battles chug along at 1-2 FPS. No exaggeration. I don't have a top end spec but it's well above minimum:
- CPU: Dual 2.8ghz Pentium
- RAM: 1gb
- Graphics: Nvidia GEForce 6200SE

The game autosets most of the graphics settings to high and every other part of the game runs fast and smooth (as did RTW on high graphics settings) but battles are 100% unplayable. Any possible ideas?

Thanks!

**Grand Duke Vytautas** · August 01, 2007, 05:15 AM

Gday I have maybe even crappier comp than yours (except graphics card perhaps), maybe this 'guide' will help you tweak your M2TW performance. I originally posted it here

Remember the no1 fps killer in M2TW is SHADOWS (smth really wrong/buggy CA did optimizing them, cause even high-end comps slow down cause of them), turn them off completely!

Hi tw players! :2thumbsup:

I too had this annoying issue of siege lag. In the settlement level of city/fortress siege and above the game was absolutely unplayable for me - medieval total slideshow :smash: (fraps showed 1 fps:furious3: ) when looking at the city side (esp where cathedral is), but I searched hard how to solve this annoying lag and now I finally can play normally again (20-25 fps average (in large siege 15fps) almost on higest settings normal unit size, just shadows off)

Here's my main specs:
Athlon xp 2800+ 2.08 Ghz (weakest part considering cpu hungry M2TW)
1 Gb RAM
GeForce 7600 GS 256 Mb

Here's my solutions what I did to this problem:

1. Raise AGP aperture size to 1/4 or 1/2 of your RAM. I have mine set at 256 Mb (earlier it was just 64 Mb). You can do that in BIOS.

2. Raise your virtual memory 2x of your ram. You can do this in my computer-properties-advanced-performance settings

3. Turn shadows off - this is no1 fps killer in M2TW (certainly a bug or it isn't optimized for performance, didn't have this issue in RTW and besides I really like and miss shadows in M2TW)

4. http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=68690
really boosted my fps greatly, very useful program for all games.

5. Lower some of your M2TW settings if nothing above helps - esp shader version to 1, texture quality to medium, building detail to low, turning vertical sync sometimes helps

6. optimize your computer for gaming by creating seperate user account just for gaming, turning off all unnecessary processes and stuff in the background
you can find many guides on net just google for them
1 program that esp helps here is GAMEXP and similar

7. When your in game menu, hit alt-tab or alt-esc, then ctrl+alt+del and in processes tab fin medieval.exe, right mouse click, priority set to high, really helps sometimes improve the game

Well if all above didn't help you, as it was for me :smash: :wall:, then I have final 2 'solutions' to this issue:

8. Enable all above and enter siege battle, but then don't look at the city you attack but at the opposite direction all the battle (this way your fps are back to normal again). It can be annoing way of storming city, but still better than having 1 fps in 3 seconds lol

and the final thing that saved my day is

9. my computer-properties-advanced-performance settings-advanced-MEMORY USAGE select PROGRAMS
this one small fix just made my M2TW sieges very enjoyable

On the whole, I think M2TW sieges' performance wasn't optimized as well and are certainly performance buggy, ocassionally i get tiny lag once per 3 seconds on massive sieges, but nonetheless I found some ways how to deal with this situation and share my experience with you ~

Cheers and happy conquering

**TreeII** · August 01, 2007, 04:17 PM

A HUGE BIG THANKS to Grand Duke Vytautas! While I'm sure all you other posters meant well, you're waaaay off the mark I'm afraid. I found that by turning Shader Version to 1 I could max out just about every other graphics effect in the game and battles run like a dream! Some of the other changes helped too I'm sure, but the game remained unplayable until I switched Shader Version. I then went from about 3 fps (I could count them...) to (and I'm guessing here) a super-smooth 15+fps. I'd encourage anyone with a low spec machine or older graphics card to read this post.

Thanks again GDV.

TreeII

**sapi** · August 01, 2007, 05:57 AM

Originally Posted by TreeII

Hi,

I've spent hours searching this forum (and others) and done all the usual things - upgraded graphics drivers etc. - but even on the very LOWEST graphics settings my battles chug along at 1-2 FPS. No exaggeration. I don't have a top end spec but it's well above minimum:
- CPU: Dual 2.8ghz Pentium
- RAM: 1gb
- Graphics: Nvidia GEForce 6200SE

The game autosets most of the graphics settings to high and every other part of the game runs fast and smooth (as did RTW on high graphics settings) but battles are 100% unplayable. Any possible ideas?

Thanks!

You'll need to turn a lot of the effects down; that graphics card simply can't handle them on the battle map.

Sorry

**Grand Duke Vytautas** · August 01, 2007, 06:03 AM

Yep your graphics card is the weakest part, you'd better upgrade it. I had previously radeon 9500 128mb crappy card and couldn't even play M2TW demo normally, now got nvidia 7600gs 256 mb and it's freakin awesome - I play on high settings as in that pic, graphics just look mind blowing

Gfx is equally important (if not more) as cpu in M2TW methinks.
So upgrade it, doesn't cost much these days, esp not the very up-to-date gfx. You'll be able to play M2TW on high settings I'm sure as your cpu and ram are well above recommended settings

**Shaun** · August 01, 2007, 06:32 AM

Well, the only thing that will really help is an upgrade. You can post a thread in the basement asking which card to buy. But, without doubt, you will be asked if you want to go DX10 or just stick with DX9. If you want to go DX10, then get an 8800 card - any will be able to play the game at max settings.
If you wish to stick with DX9, then get an X1950pro card: cheap and will handle this game well.