Graphics advice (framerate & quality)

[Elmer the Pointy]

I've played FFXI across many computers so far since Jan 2004. I've used desktops, laptops, AMD, Intel, Dual Cole etc etc

I know how to hack the registry and tweak all that stuff and I know about all the graphics guides. I keep my drivers up to date and can turn off processes that hog CPU since apparently FFXI mostly taxes the CPU and ignores the video card...

But, I've always had the same problem when trying to fix framerate and the speed of the game. It always feels like I've got a good setting going then I try to be a perfectionist and lose it forever. It's infuriating that across generations of computers, each one seems to run FFXI just as well as the last. There are some improvements of course, but I can never really pump up the graphics too high without BRD songs going choppy, or Raging Fists turning the game Baywatch on me.

I'd figure with AMD Dual Core + NVidia GeForce + 2 Gig DDR2 should allow me higher resolution than my old Centrino laptop! I saw people years ago using 2048x2048 and to this day I cannot acheive that reliably.

Maybe the slowdown was there for them and they didn't mind? I dunno... Any suggestions to those out there who demand maximum quality and performance out of their game?

[Fhqwghads]

I think you're fighting a losing battle. Square's rendering engine sucks ass. It is, bar-none, one of the worst implementations I've played on. Just goes to show what happens when an almost exclusive console game company tries to write stuff on a PC. It goes beyond "PS2 limitations"... they should have abstracted enough of the core gfx pipeline so that other platforms (PC and Xbox 360) could have their strengths leveraged.

Long story short, I don't think we're ever going to see steady framerates in FFXI in even modestly populated areas and/or with lots of effects (weapon skills, magic, etc) even if you were running on the most cutting-edge PC. The only way this will ever be fixed is for Square to revamp their engine, which is pretty unlikely. Until then, the CPU and its small onboard cache will always be the bottleneck. I sympathize with you, my PC is a veritable monster, yet something as pathetically stupid as 20-30 character models being displayed will bring the framerate to its knees.

[Vertabreaker]

I've played FFXI across many computers so far since Jan 2004. I've used desktops, laptops, AMD, Intel, Dual Cole etc etc

I know how to hack the registry and tweak all that stuff and I know about all the graphics guides. I keep my drivers up to date and can turn off processes that hog CPU since apparently FFXI mostly taxes the CPU and ignores the video card...

But, I've always had the same problem when trying to fix framerate and the speed of the game. It always feels like I've got a good setting going then I try to be a perfectionist and lose it forever. It's infuriating that across generations of computers, each one seems to run FFXI just as well as the last. There are some improvements of course, but I can never really pump up the graphics too high without BRD songs going choppy, or Raging Fists turning the game Baywatch on me.

I'd figure with AMD Dual Core + NVidia GeForce + 2 Gig DDR2 should allow me higher resolution than my old Centrino laptop! I saw people years ago using 2048x2048 and to this day I cannot acheive that reliably.

Maybe the slowdown was there for them and they didn't mind? I dunno... Any suggestions to those out there who demand maximum quality and performance out of their game?

Right now I'm rocking AMD 5000+(2.6 Dual Core) + 2 x nVidia 7950 GT KOs(They're overclocked out of the factory but still allow overclocking.)

I usually run FFXI on two monitors(2 Samsungs). 1 monitor for the game and keep the other open for Trillian, Firefox etc. But I built the system as an SLi System because I play other GPU intense games like F.E.A.R. etc.

Running out of SLi mode I run standard @ 1680x1050 and the CPU laughs. FFXI doesn't jump or anything even in Dynamis, Besieged, etc. If I really want to get saucy, I throw it into SLi mode(using both vid cards as 1 for 1GB of video mem) and the game looks like a damn movie to me. I lose the capabilities of my second monitor, but it looks re-god-damn-diculous. I havn't gone bigger then 1680x1050 and so far, have found no reason to do so yet. 1680x1050 looks damn hawt and pleases me plenty.

But here are my system specs off the top of my head(@ work at the moment )

Mobo: Asus M2N32-SLi deluxe (Wifi edition)
CPU: AMD 5000+ (2.6GhZ Dual Core)
Ram: 2GB of Corsair
Vid cards: evga(nVidia) 7950 GT KOs(they were actually only 250.00 a piece at new egg...best bang for the buck)

I havn't had a problem with the system playing yet and havn't been happier with it since I built it.

[Elmer the Pointy]

That sounds crazy powerful and I wish I had it.
But I still refuse to believe it's necessary to get that kind of smoothness. I have AMD 4600+ dual core and Nvidia 7900 GT and 2 Gigs of DD2 (not Corsair tho), not an oudated machine by any means.
Maybe it is a losing battle, but I still hope for that "magic tweak" I might be overlooking.

Also, what infuriates me is FFXI can perform so poorly with everything configured for it just right, yet I can run House of the Dead III on top of a running FFXI and still get perfect frame rate while blasting hordes of zombies!

[Gulkeeva]

That sounds crazy powerful and I wish I had it.
But I still refuse to believe it's necessary to get that kind of smoothness. I have AMD 4600+ dual core and Nvidia 7900 GT and 2 Gigs of DD2 (not Corsair tho), not an oudated machine by any means.
Maybe it is a losing battle, but I still hope for that "magic tweak" I might be overlooking.

Also, what infuriates me is FFXI can perform so poorly with everything configured for it just right, yet I can run House of the Dead III on top of a running FFXI and still get perfect frame rate while blasting hordes of zombies!

FFXI = CPU

Boost CPU power -> Boost Framerates
FFXI at most uses like... 650MB ram in most heavy area's so having atleast 1GB is enough to not hit performance.

Video card is near nonexistant useless on the game, after something like a radeon 9800 that you can buy for $60... theirs no performance difference even if the video cards $500

You'll see... the biggest inprovments from raw CPU power

I'm using a AMD 4800+ 2.4 Ghz over clocked to 2.8 with water cooling.. it can fraps record (full size 1024x768) a 30man dynamis at about 12~20FPS while fighting something like dynamis lord. I don't use a huge res mainly because of 1 comp and I like quick access to winamp/browsing hentai etc etc while playing games >.>