CMBB performance issue!! Help!

[strangeway]

Ok, I've been running and enjoying CMBO for quite some time now (since the retail release) and just the other day picked up the retail release of CMBB.

For some reason, this game runs very sluggishly. The screen is jerky while I'm moving and scrolling it around, and it gets considerably worse as soon as I actually select a unit in the setup phase. Checking my system performance under my Task Manager, it would appear the CMBB is causing my CPU to run at 100% capacity while the game is running (even just in the orders phase!)

WEIRD: This is an edit to the original post. It would seem that my performance varies depending on the type of unit selected. A mortar will allow the screen to scroll fairly smoothly, whereas selecting a rifle squad causes it to become quite jerky. Also changing things like tree coverage has NO impact. Whether there be no trees or extreme trees, selecting the rifle squad causes the slowdown!

I am running a Dell PIII 800mhz (the recommended spec) with 512mb SDRAM and a 64 meg Radeon 7000 video card. If anyone has any idea why the game would monopolize the processor the way it does, it would be greatly appreciated! Oh, and the Z-mask is turned off on the video card (a recommended fix under the Troubleshooting guide.)

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

[ January 01, 2004, 05:14 PM: Message edited by: strangeway ]

[Bone_Vulture]

This belongs to the technical issues forum, but I'll answer anyway: if you're using the Rade3D tweaker, you'll have to turn the Zmask thing on and off several times before it kicks in.

Be sure to press "apply" each time you change it.

[Monty]

Hi Strangeway, welcome to the CM forum.

100 % cpu usage seems normal, even with my Pentium 2.8 Ghz, i see up to 75 % usage of CPU !!!

CMBB has high resolution graphics, CMBO low resolution, that can explain a worse performance in CMBB.

Ill advice to turn off trees (shift T) and the terrain elements (shift N), also try a different horizon range (shift H)

Goodluck,

Monty

[Bone_Vulture]

Judging by the symptoms, I'd say this is strictly related to a graphics card bug, but Monty's advice are generally good anyway.

[A.E.B]

Hi all

I have a Dell 2.58 with a 128mb Santa Cruz video card and my PC gets sluggish running CMBB.

The easy solution is to shut down any program that is running (I often have email and IE running while doing PBEMs) at the same time.

Then hit Ctrl+Alt+Del and shut down unnecessary programs in task manager. My virus checker, ad blocker, get right download manager, messenger, real player, and pest patrol programs easily consume 20% of RAM.

Then CMBB is as smooth as silk.

Regards

A.E.B

[strangeway]

I've tried several of these solutions to no avail. But they are definately all worthy and I thank everyone for their support. I also apologize for posting in the wrong area. Shows how green I really am!

For everyone's reference, I have finally figured out that the sluggish camera movement is actually directly related to how much information is being displayed on the interface. ie. selecting a 12 man rifle squad shows info on the men, their gear, their ammo, etc. and causes the camera to chop considerably. On the flipside, selecting an unidentified enemy unit displays almost nothing (except the "Infantry?" message) and causes the camera to move smooth as silk!

So, my last question, is there any way to toggle the interface on and off (as I don't need it to issue movement orders, etc.)?

Thanks again to everyone for your help!

[Robert Isenberg]

large scenarios will also make your computer run sluggishly

[Bone_Vulture]

Strangeway, perform one more test. Select one of your units, then open its info box by pressing enter. If your computer's performance collapses íf you attempt to pan your view around when the info box is open, then it's definitely a hardware bug, and the most effective fix is to disable Zmask. Trust me, it works.

[Panta]

If you check my posting: CMAFK RUNNING SLUGGISH ON MY DELL you will notice that I am experiencing similar problems, but related to CMAK instead. The odd thing is that CMAK runs very smoothly on a PC clone (Intel processor) with NVIDIA GForce 1,5 Ghz instead, while the Dell is a 2,6 Ghz with Radeon VE.

I downloaded the tweaker to no avail, and you might check my last posting to see a few new related problems it created though.

Cheers,

Panta

[Bone_Vulture]

I've noticed the same thing: my old 850 mhz Duron with a Geforce 2 MX wasn't much slower than my new 1,8 ghz Athlon with a Radeon 9200.

But please trust me on this one: the tweaker will help if you're experiencing absurd sluggishness with Radeon graphics cards. Worked for me, worked for my friend.

Actually, he just installed CM:BB a couple of weeks ago. During our first TCP/IP match, he complained during setup that his computer was bogging down hellishly. At first I didn't know what was going on, then I remembered that he had mentioned purchasing some Russian Radeon clone earlier. I told him to download the tweaker, he did so and the sluggishness disappeared.

I'll specifically underline that when you first install the tweaker, it's likely that it shows the Zmask as "disabled" under the D3D settings. You'll have to turn it on and "apply", then turn it off again and "apply". Rinse and repeat, reboot.