What settings should I run R:TW at?

[King3x]

Hello, I am new to this forum (post wise but long time reader) and I was just wonder if anyone could help me out.

Anyways, For the pros that knows this games engines in and out, what settings should I run this at? I have yet to decide and just tinkering, but would like some other perspectives.

I have AMD San Diego 2.4GHZ, 2GB 3-3-3-8 RAM, XFX 7800GT Factory OC'd.

I was hoping for larger numbers but smooth gameplay. That's what I can't decide between .

See, with "recommended" settings, I get normal in grass, building, and unit, high in effect and large unit size. I also have 1024x768x32 resolution and low AA with all effects checked.

If I run everything maxed with huge unit sizes, it pretty much goes to hell.

I tried running things at large unit sizes, and everything else maxed with 4xAA forced (It is always forced in global drivers and I turn off ingame), it won't be silk smooth, but it will be playable.

I get roughly same performance with huge unit sizes, units at high (not highest), building at high (not highest), and vegetation at medium.

[Byte]

You should be able to run at Huge with no problems, try turning off AA or grass to a lower level. Smoke and shadows can really hurt the framerate too. Things like textures and number of soldiers should play no role to your card.

[King3x]

I use 4xAA to everything because without it, some of my other games look nasty (IE RO)

Also, I'd like to keep shadows and stuff like that because it is one of the more interesting things .

What would lowering grass really do? I want to run it on huge with no slow downs, but would like to keep units atleast high and effects are highiest if possible.

IMO, those are the most important ones.

[Irishman3]

Hello, I am new to this forum (post wise but long time reader) and I was just wonder if anyone could help me out.

Anyways, For the pros that knows this games engines in and out, what settings should I run this at? I have yet to decide and just tinkering, but would like some other perspectives.

I have AMD San Diego 2.4GHZ, 2GB 3-3-3-8 RAM, XFX 7800GT Factory OC'd.

I was hoping for larger numbers but smooth gameplay. That's what I can't decide between .

See, with "recommended" settings, I get normal in grass, building, and unit, high in effect and large unit size. I also have 1024x768x32 resolution and low AA with all effects checked.

If I run everything maxed with huge unit sizes, it pretty much goes to hell.

I tried running things at large unit sizes, and everything else maxed with 4xAA forced (It is always forced in global drivers and I turn off ingame), it won't be silk smooth, but it will be playable.

I get roughly same performance with huge unit sizes, units at high (not highest), building at high (not highest), and vegetation at medium.

I've got the same video card you do (not OCed), an Atthlon 64 3200+, 1.5 gig Corsair XMS C2 memory. Usually play with all video options maxed and no AA, large unit size. Even when I've had two full stacks per nation involved (both had full stack re-enforcement armies) the battles were were smooth. Had a bit of lag moving the camera about during the battles but hardly noticable.

I'd say start with all game detail turned up as high as possible, large unit size and AA off. If things run smoothly with those settings, try turning your AA up and see how it does. If things are still running smoothly try turning unit size up to huge.

[King3x]

The thing is, I would like to keep the AA because I need/want it in two other games (Red Orchestra Ostfront + WC3 TFT).

If things come to worst, would turning off AA really give me a big performance increase? I force 4xAA on global settings but turn it off in every game.

[Irishman3]

The thing is, I would like to keep the AA because I need/want it in two other games (Red Orchestra Ostfront + WC3 TFT).

If things come to worst, would turning off AA really give me a big performance increase? I force 4xAA on global settings but turn it off in every game.

My experience has been turning AA off in any game will gain you a lot, speaking FPS here. Whether its worth it or not (you need the additional FPS or not, prefer eye candy over FPS) is up to you. You could always try the settings I suggested above except with AA on 4x to start and see how it plays. If your not happy with it, due to FPS or graphic quality, its really only a few clicks of the mouse to change it.

For what its worth, using 4X AA when I did didn't seem to make the game any choppier, it just didn't seem to do much for the game so I opted for no AA to get max performance. But then I usually do that in every game because, IMHO, eye candy isn't everything.

[King3x]

Suprisingly and quite unexpected (I have no clue how), but when I put everything to highest, other than units at high and unit sizes at huge with the option "High AA" (which looks and probably same thing as 4xAA), it hangs around 22-27 usually.

However, this was a field fight and it seems like vegetation really doesn't really make a big difference in FPS.

The settings were I think Italian Lowland, Summer, Light fog.

When I played another game on Large City, Roman, Heavy Rain, it was pretty bad. Not like 2 FPS bad but in the teens. On arrow volleys it went down to single digits and pretty much never really went above 25 till a good amount of enemies are dead.

[Irishman3]

My experience has been turning AA off in any game will gain you a lot, speaking FPS here. Whether its worth it or not (you need the additional FPS or not, prefer eye candy over FPS) is up to you. You could always try the settings I suggested above except with AA on 4x to start and see how it plays. If your not happy with it, due to FPS or graphic quality, its really only a few clicks of the mouse to change it.

For what its worth, using 4X AA when I did didn't seem to make the game any choppier, it just didn't seem to do much for the game so I opted for no AA to get max performance. But then I usually do that in every game because, IMHO, eye candy isn't everything.

Those results are not that suprising if you think about it. In an open plain, even with fog, theres not as many objects and thus not as many polys/textures to render as a city in rain. And depending on the number of archers present and vollying at the same time you've suddenly got hundreds of new objects (moving ones too) to render until they hit target/drop the the ground, hence the FPS drop.

*edit*
Never mind, just checked and the 'arrow trails' setting I'm thinking of is another game, think its in Stronghold 2. I did look at my settings and realized I'm not running all settings at highest as I previously stated, probably because I re-installed not to long ago and never bumped them up again, though I know at one time I had them all set to highest and it was playable IMO. However the game looks good enough to me with the current settings I have and plays silky smooth even in large battles, cities/woods/open plains. Here's what I'm using:

Resolution: 1024x768x32
AA: Low
Unit Scale: Large
Terrain Detail: High
Unit Detail: High
Building Detail: High
Effects Detail: Highest
Grass Detail: High
Vegitation Detail: High

Widscreen: off
Smoke/Dust: on
Battlemap Shaders: on
Reflections/Glints: on
Detailed Unit Shaders: on
Desynchronize Unit Animations: on
Campaign Shadows: on
Unit Shaders: on

Not sure those are going to give you the highest quality graphics, which it sounds like your shooting for, but they should get the game running smooth in all situations. Migh be a good starting point for you as well from which to start bumping settings up to find the optimal middle ground.
*/edit*

[Shaun]

With a system like that descrbed in the first post, you should be able to play RTW with full settings easily.

[King3x]

That is pretty much what I'm running except for resolution being at 1280x1024x32 and AA at none but forced 4xAA (Which is same thing as high so it seems).

I am still trying to turn it up to high. With those settings on the siege battle (used with save) I get nice FPS but with Huge, it isn't so sexy :O.

Thanks for the help guys.

[Irishman3]

That is pretty much what I'm running except for resolution being at 1280x1024x32 and AA at none but forced 4xAA (Which is same thing as high so it seems).

I am still trying to turn it up to high. With those settings on the siege battle (used with save) I get nice FPS but with Huge, it isn't so sexy :O.

Thanks for the help guys.

My experience with my 7800 is that it seems to be hit and miss running 1280x1024x32 vs 1024x768x32. Some games tend to really like the higher resolution, in fact they get better performance at it. But others just don't do so well and run better at the lower setting. Maybe try reducing the resolution in game settings and keeping the other settings up, it could make a difference.

Also, what drivers are you running? I'm still running 84.21s, frankly everything they (NVidia) has put out since caused a problem in one game or another for me, so until I see some positive feedback on a newer driver I've vowed to stick with those. That could make a difference too, since their newer drivers tend to be optimized for their latest cards, wich by technical standards the 7800 could be considered to be an 'aging' card.

[King3x]

I run games at my monitor's native resolution. In past experience, not running in native resolution makes games subpar looking and can cause issues. If possible, I always run games at native, aside from the view that can not (For example, HoI2 or AvP2).

I am running 91.31. I always like to keep my drivers up to date . I figure, even though they are optimizing for newer cards, there would be no reason to take out things that suited older cards.

I suppose it runs fine, but I just thought it would run better. It runs but nothing spectacular nor silksmooth.

[Irishman3]

I figure, even though they are optimizing for newer cards, there would be no reason to take out things that suited older cards.

You'ld be suprised at just how inaccurate that statement is, at least from my experience and gaming. And I also run my desktop at a higher resolution than 1024x768x32, noticed no difference when running RTW at my higher desktop res than I did setting the in game res lower. Break down and try it, I think you'll find the game doesn't look that drastically worse, and even if it does remember: eye candy is not everything.

This is a strategy game, not an FPS or MMOG designed to give a 'shock and awe' factor with its graphics. Play it for what its worth, or at least accept it for what it is. You really seem to be searching for something that your just not going to find in RTW IMHO.

[The Lacedaemonian]

chage your res to 1280x1024 its better than A-A

[King3x]

I have it at 1280x1024x32 and have 4xAA.



Chances are irishman, your probably right. I am overanalyzing or going crazy over nothing. Thanks for help though.

As a final request, can anyone tell me what exactly the different effect options do?

Units is at high, how far it can be rendered, same with grass + building. Vegetation is how the rocks look. Terrain I haven't noticed, but since theres only 2 options without much FPS drop it doesn't matter. I think that's it O_o.