Why Does HL2:E1 Run Like This???

[MikeReiner]

Ok, so yesterday i grabbed a copy of Half-Life 2: Episode 1...Ok, i didn't grab it, that sounds like i stole it. I bought a copy.

I have an AMD Athlon 64 3500+ (Skt939), ASUS A8N-E, 1GB Corsair DDR400 Dual Channel RAM, and a nVidia 6600GT PCI-E 128MB Oc'd to 586Mhz/ 1.17Ghz. Thing is, that always seemed pretty reasonable for playing games averagely...Though i have an LCD which means i have to play on 1280x1024, which sucks.

So, yesterday, when i got it running...I was a bit annoyed that it wasn't running on medium settings very fast, considering it 'recommended' high settings with Antialiasing off etc etc. So i put it all on the lowest and still was getting a very reputable frame rate.

Anyway, this is the thing. I wanted to take a screenshot for a mate so I put all the graphics on the highest settings like 16X Aniostrophic Filtering (whatever that is) 8X Antialising, and all the textures and models on highest etc etc. And, it runs perfectly smoothly, i must be getting about 30-40fps and it barely drops even when there's loads of action on the screen.

I was thinking about upgrading my videocard to a 6800 or something...But, i'm not sure now. The fact that it plays perfectly on high, and naff on low just doesn't make sense.

WHY DOES IT DO THIS!?

Cheers,
WiredChild

Thats about right for a 6600GT... Although bare in mind.. 8X Antialiasing doesn't exactly do anything on nvidia cards.. meaning it's really running with none. (atleast last time I checked it was like this, correct me if i'm wrong.)

Why do you have to use 1280x1024?.. when I was using my dad's PC which had an LCD, I could run it at 640x480. (crappy video card)

My 7600GT runs pretty well with everything maxed out, 4x aa, 16x af, 1280x1024.

 

[damien.t.bayles]

well they suggest a 2.5Ghz processor at the least....i run EP:1 on my notebook . 3.06Ghz,1GB Ram, 128 X600 and it works flawlessly on it, so maybe your just not meeting the requirements? I dunno

 

[Fisher]

strange, maybe your graphics card is more geared to run more effeciently at higher screen rates or the drivers work more effeciently. none the less i wouldnt argue with it

 

[joxley1990]

I would upgrade if you can..if you have an SLI board, you could add another 6600, and SLI them both.

 

[mudda_fudda]

I know what your talking about that happens to me on HL2 same problem

HL2:E1 is after HL2 and valve decided instead of making a game that takes 2-3 to release small Episodes instead with around 6 hours of gameplay per episode

 

[alvino]

No, it's not HL1. It's like HL3 I think.

It's the first episode of Half-Life 3. VALVe is making Half-Life 3 in episodes, so there is going to be a Episode Two, Episode Three, so on and so forth. They figured it would be faster to make the sequel episode by episode because doing one whole game would taken WAY too long. The first Half-Life took two years to develop and Half-Life 2 took SIX years to develop.

 

[damien.t.bayles]

valve has released info there will also be a HL3 after episodes 1-3

 

[Wiredchild]

Hey chaps, thanks for all the replies! Been at work all day so havn't had the chance to reply.

Ok, it's 'Half-Life 2: Episode 1'. Came out yesterday i think...Take a look http://ep1.half-life2.com/. So far it's really great...Continues right from where 'Half-Life 2' finnishes; at the top of the Citadel with Alex. New enemies too, like the 'Zombine'...Zombified Combine, hehehehehe *cough cough*, i laughed anyway!

I don't think the graphics have been improved from Half-Life 2, or, if they have i can't notice it. Only real difference is the use of HDR lighting, as seen in the 'Half-Life 2:Lost Cost' demo if anyone downloaded that from Steam. And, with the HDR in mind, i also have that on.

It's just proper wacky, i'm not complaining but i'm just confused...I'm trying to learn about how a computer works some more, and...it doesn't do what it 'should' be able to do. There's no way a 6600GT Oc'd to 586Mhz/ 1.17Ghz, as far as i know about componants, should be able to run this game on the highest settings there are.

The reason i use 1280x1024, because someone asked, is that if you don't use an LCD at its native resolution (which is always 1280x1024 for most like my Viewsonic VX924) it blurs. It's like a lot of people have blurred screens and can't work out why...As far as my knoledge goes it's generally cos they're using an LCD at the 'wrong' resolution. Though, this sucks with games because my PC isn't THAT powerful and i have to run games at a large resolution.

Anyway, it's just very very odd how it literally runs pretty jumpy on low settings...Must be about 20fps. But on the highest setting it runs smooth as hell, and barely slows down when there's loads going on! Must be at least 30fps. Is there any program i can get to check the fps while playing???

Also, while i'm here...How much do you think i can overclock my 6600GT safely? I've got a Zalman VF900-Cu, it runs it cool as ice: Around 35'C when not playing, about 40'C when playing when the fan is on cool.

And, if someone doesn't believe me...Look at how i'm playing this game:



Pretty good eh?...Still no-one has no idea why it runs well on high settings, and crap on low settings though?

 

[alvino]

valve has released info there will also be a HL3 after episodes 1-3

Link? Article? Proof?

 

[Jamxx]

Oh, you have plenty of headroom with that card! My 6600GT got up to 98 Celsius without being overclocked (though this is too hot). However, it liked to run at that temperature. Never saw an artifact.

Just don't let it go about 75 Celsius or so, and you should be fine. Test for stability, as well. Temperature is not the only factor.