FFXI Gameplay problems.

[Kiine]

Hi,

This is going to be a long post. I'm sorry. I hope you can manage to read through it all. I could use some help in solving a problem(s) I'm having with graphics/gameplay within FFXI. This problem started up about 2-3 months ago. I did my best to search threads here before posting, so I hope it doesn't come down to a RTFM response. I'm listing the problems I'm having first, and all my tech data last.

Here's what's happening: I'm playing in windowed (SQEX) mode. Settings are 1152x864 with 2304x2304 background (1280x1024 monitor res). MIP mapping 1 & bump mapping 1. As I play the game, when I open a house (safe, storage, locker, satchel) inventory, the game stops for around 200-1000 milliseconds. I can kinda 'load' the four different inventories so that it doesn't stagger, but if I then try to use a macro pallet button, the game sticks for a bit and is then ok. However, then the inventories cause the problem again.

I've also tried playing full screen 1152x864, but the game looks rather blurry (heck even 1152x864 looks blurry just in windows).

So that's the first (biggest) problem I'm having.

Another problem I would have (thought it has not happened since I started playing in windowed mode) is that during large battles (campaign, dynamis), there would be a time when the background music would 'skip' and from that point forward portions of character models would start to disappear. Eventually, when looking at areas with characters, frame rates would drop to 3-6 (29 when looking away) and the game would crash if I stayed near activity. This was really annoying in campaign. This was a real heart stopper when we did my attestation mob, and all I saw was heads, feet, and weapons mixing it up with a pair of koga tekko and claws under a red "Mildaunegeux" name. Fortunately, I got drop before DCing.

Also, sometimes when I do try to play the game in fulls creen, it errors out (-1 error or w/e they call it), and when I run the dxdiag tests, it can't do the direct 3D tests. A restart fixes this.

Another problem I'm having may be just unavoidable (based on FFXI's game engine), but when I see things like tree trunks or branches, or rubble, as I approach them they'll kinda "snap" and refine into a different shape/detail.

Finally, in the "nice to have" category, I also remember (and I saved the accompanying screen shot) someone posting a non-ATI driver package that was very customizable. It appeared to have several dialog windows in which things like AA, fog effects, lighting, and other parameters could be specified. Sadly, that screen shot is on my work PC. I'd like more information on this too. I think my PC's specs should allow for some very good performance. Probably better than I'm getting now, if I had thinks configured properly

As far as what could be happening, I'm guessing it's either: broken drivers, bad card, bad HD(?). I've done a check-files recently, for I had the crash in WG mog house problem a few updates ago.

If its drivers, I'd like info on how to completely rip out every trace of the ATI stuff, and use the best catalyst version (I think I have 9.2 now) or that custom driver set (if someone knows what it is and can help me config). If it's a card, I can RMA (I hope) or grab a 58xx. If it's a HD, well... I was looking for a chance to go to a SSD anyhow.


The CPU is a E8400
The RAM is Crucial ballistix (can't remember speed atm)
The card is a Sapphire HD4850 (which I got after reading stuff here. I love it)
Antec 900 case
Samsung 930B monitor

Anyhow, here's the cut-paste of tech data:
OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 3 Build 2600
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name PHOENIX
System Manufacturer System manufacturer
System Model P5Q
System Type X86-based PC
Processor x86 Family 6 Model 23 Stepping 10 GenuineIntel ~2999 Mhz
BIOS Version/Date American Megatrends Inc. 2002, 3/4/2009
SMBIOS Version 2.5
Windows Directory C:\WINDOWS
System Directory C:\WINDOWS\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume1
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "5.1.2600.5512 (xpsp.080413-2111)"
User Name PHOENIX\*******[edit: removed my name]
Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Total Physical Memory 4,096.00 MB
Available Physical Memory 2.60 GB
Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB
Page File Space 8.46 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys

=================================
Driver Packaging Version 8.582-090203a-075908C-ATI
Catalyst™ Version 09.2
Provider ATI Technologies Inc.
2D Driver Version 6.14.10.6912
2D Driver File Path System/CurrentControlSet/Control/Video/{DB987485-63E2-4D52-8C74-79FF56C31C67}/0000
Direct3D Version 6.14.10.0643
OpenGL Version 6.14.10.8494
Catalyst™ Control Center Version 2009.0203.2228.40314
AIW/VIVO WDM Driver Version 6.14.10.6238
AIW/VIVO WDM SP Driver Version 6.14.10.6238
==================================
Direct X 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)


Thanks for reading through all that. I did say it would be long. I hope you can give me a hand.

[DAKPluto]

My first instinct reading this is that your PSU isn't keeping up with the power demands of the 4850.

Pretty sure the Antec 900 doesn't come with a PSU and you didn't mention what you are using. Make sure your PSU is at least 500 watts (if a good quality brand. If el cheapo brand go 700+) and more important that your 12V rail supplies at least 30amps. Anything less on your power supply an you are going to run into issues. Especially over time. And with a freaking power hungry game like FFXI.

[Kiine]

Sorry, my bad. That's probably one of the things I forgot to mention. There probably will be others ><. I got a Corsair TX650 (again after reading lots of reviews on this forum).

Also, I have not run memtest (yet) since the most recent version (3.5 from Jan09) says it doesn't support 4GB. And I was uncertain which web site to use: ttt*memtest*ORG or ttt*memtest86*[0M. I can't post URLS yet, I guess. God, I feel like a oosale tell ><.

Anyhow, thanks for the quick reply. I'll stop F5ing now for a bit.

[Kiine]

PC BSOD'd while I was at dinner, code 0x00000050. Google search suggests RAM, video drivers, or anti-virus (I have NIS). I'll work on getting memtest running- once the correct version is pointed out. But advice on ripping out the video drivers and the best ones to use would be appreciated.

Thank you,
-Kiine

[Kiine]

Minor bump

I'm going to try running memtest this weekend. The big problems were I don't have a floppy drive and I didn't have a blank CD (thanks, work!) for the iso. Using a DVD+R for 500k seemed a bit wasteful. I'm also going to use CCleaner to rip out all the ATI stuff and try the 9.12 hotfix catalyst drivers in an effort to fix things.

As an added 'ooops' I have a 4870.

If I'm headed down the wrong path here with my troubleshooting and attempts at repair, I could really use a heads up. I'll post if I can't get it all fixed, and hopefully you guys will have some pointers.

[Kryssan]

Corsair TX should be able to handle a single GPU without issue. You said this originated a few months ago? What kinds of changes have you made recently to the system? I'd lean towards drivers first since they're easier to play with than hardware; but if you didn't recently update the drivers and things were working previously, unless you installed some app that would affect them they probably aren't the cause.


As for video drivers, you have the vanilla ones available from ATI/AMD, then of course 3rd party from sources such as Omega and DNA. Omega is effectively dead now however. DNA is pretty much all you have left to work with there.


As for driver customization you referred to in PM, that would be by using ATT, or ATI Tray Tools. The generic setup is available on the forums for ATT, and this is the one I posted previously that I typically use (note for multithreading you'd not want to go above two as your CPU is a duo, not quad):

Spoiler: show

http://www.aethernavale.net/Media/images/videosetup.jpg

There are several programs for stress testing machines. Just go search on one of the overclocker forums for one. Try running one overnight and see what happens. Easiest way to find out if your system is stable.

[GentaiShinigami]

Your screen is probably blurry because from what I could find on your monitor specs your native resolution (the one that won't look like trash) is 1280x1024. Anything else will look like crap usually on LCD's outside of the native res. Try that out and see if that fixes it. You may already have your monitor set to 1280x1024, it was hard to understand what you were meaning in the op.

Edit: The texture snap-in is natural for the game. The textures will continue to up themselves in quality the closer you get to them. I don't believe there is any way to completely remove the effect, but I haven't played in a while, and could have possibly forgotten the fix if there was one. It's definitely not something wrong with your rig causing it though.
ap. Try that out and see if that fixes it.