FFXI Laptop Performance

[Delirium77]

I installed FFXI on my laptop thinking it would run fine. I used the "Can you run it?" program from the system requirements lab website and my laptop passes all the requirements to the fullest

In short the specs are;

MS Windows Vista SP1
Intel Core2 Duo CPU T8300
2.40 GHz
2.0 GB RAM

Nvidia GeForce 8400M GS

The game only runs "smoothly" when i am in areas where there is basically nothing going on onscreen (ie. no other players or excessive enviromental things)

Other than that, for example when i am in jueno or whitegate it is extremely choppy and it is hard to even open the menu etc.

Even when i turn the resolutions down (and the game looks like a big fuzz) it is slower

Maybe my comp isnt that good for it?

Im not good with tech stuff so if anyone can shed some light it wold be great

thanks

[Dopples]

Re: FFXI Laptop Performance

I'm no expert myself, but I'd assume that the problem isn't with your computer, but SE's servers. I run on a top of the line laptop that can run games like Oblivion beautifully on full specs, but I get the same slowdown you get. So, don't go to over-crowded areas, or head to your MH if you need to fiddle around with menus.

[Tsrwedge]

Re: FFXI Laptop Performance

What version graphics drivers are you running?

[Delirium77]

Re: FFXI Laptop Performance

im not sure.

i dont think they are updated tho cause i could not find the compatible driver through the nvidia website.

i tried several mirror sites but it never worked

nvidia geforce 8400M GS

maybe someone else will have better luck?
______________________________
found the latest driver

had to go through dells website

will see if i helps any...

[Susurrus]

Re: FFXI Laptop Performance

Could be a background program running.

[Effedup]

Re: FFXI Laptop Performance

I run FFXI on a laptop pretty similar to yours (HP Pavillion dv6000t), and while it is a little choppy, it is definitely playable, so my guess would be something having to do with your connection. Lower Jeuno and Aht Urghan are always a little choppy for me, regardless if I'm playing on my laptop or various desktops, just because of the amount of people running around and shit going on.

One thing I noticed is that the weather effects really bog things down, so unless you really need to see the rain and snow and such, that's something you can easily turn off to get a little performance boost. The sandstorms in the Dunes are particularly taxing in my experience, across multiple builds. Environmental animations can also be cut back if need be.

Other than that, see what programs you have running before you boot up FFXI, and make sure anything non-essential is shut down...don't know about your laptop, but mine came with tons of crap set to run on boot that was unnecessary, like Quicktime and Adobe, so go through your running processes and google the .exe and see what they all are...chances are, you also have stuff that's running that you don't need to be running all the time.

If that's all reasonably clean, make sure your network is configured correctly, make sure your firewall is configured, etc. I forwarded the ports for FFXI according to the range listed on www.portforward.com; although I'm told that isn't necessary, it did seem to help me with the few random D/C's I got from time to time. Not sure what antivirus you are using, but try disabling it before you log on and see if the lag issues persist...Norton Internet Security used to kill my computer's power, when I switched to AVG it also helped my performance a little bit.

The only other thing I can think of is the graphics settings may need to be tweaked a bit. Here's a link to the different registry values for FFXI that can be edited to improve performance, so check that out if you haven't already and see if there isn't something there you can tweak a bit. Just be sure to backup your registry in case something breaks, or at least make a note of what the values are set to before you edit so you can revert them back manually.

Good luck!

[ruffrydasean]

Re: FFXI Laptop Performance

I run FFXI on a laptop pretty similar to yours (HP Pavillion dv6000t), and while it is a little choppy, it is definitely playable,...

Good to know.. I have the same laptop and may have to use it to play soon

[Zoltar]

Re: FFXI Laptop Performance

I run it on a desktop and laptop, and the desktop is WAY faster in specs/hardware, but the laptop plays much more smoothly...(I'm on Bahamut)

Dell D610 1.86 Pentium M
1.0GB RAM
64MB VGA

Plays perfect, even in heavily congested areas...at 800x600 windowed mode, but still, graphics are top notch

I think the biggest factors are server you're on and bandwidth

[Delirium77]

Re: FFXI Laptop Performance

so i am stuck between a rock and a hard place

i found the driver through the dell website, and it downloads fine and the installation runs but then at the end it says "your system was not modified. To change your system run the installation again at a later time." and i do and the same thing happens every time.

THen someone reccomnded the DriverMax program to me and that also found the latest driver for my video card and i followed the installation instructions and everything goes fine but DriverMax never starts the download, and nothing happens.


??

[Effedup]

Re: FFXI Laptop Performance

Have you been noticing graphical issues at all, outside of the choppy running? Reason I ask is that I've never had any issues my video card drivers concerning FFXI (haven't updated mine in a while, and FFXI worked from day one). Have you had issues with your graphics outside of FFXI?

Given the few specs you gave at the outset (which is pretty comparable to my own laptop, except for me having intel graphics and not nvidia) I don't see this being a hardware issue. Could be wrong, but what you describe happens to me most often when there's a lot of stuff going on on my home network.

What type of high speed do you use? Are you plugged in directly or running through a router?

[Phanex]

Re: FFXI Laptop Performance

Just a thougtht, but are you using ur wifi for your laptop or are you plug directly into the router? I notice when i use wifi it's a bit choppy like your experince, but i don't have it that bad when it's plugged into a dial up situation, and that's only at 28k. But while using my wifi on a hi speed cable, it still can get choppy in heavy populated area. Just a thought.

Not saying that's entirely the reason, even my 360 pluged directly into the router on a 3mb/s still can get choppy in heavy areas, but i notice a bigger "lag" when i'm on wifi.

[Effedup]

Re: FFXI Laptop Performance

Just saw your other thread about your video card issues, and it seems like you don't have the correct video card drivers installed (If it shows up as VGA adaptor you must have the generic windows drivers only, which gives you just enough so that you can actually see something on the screen before you update the drivers to the correct ones)

Honestly, I would contact Dell Tech support and explain the problem. Has this been an issue since you got the laptop? Obviously, somewhere along the lines your video card drivers got fouled up, and Windows is halting the install process. did you notice any odd messages come up during the original install process?

Anyways, back up everything that's important to you, and give Dell a call. They may want you to do a complete system restore; anytime I called Compaq back in the day that was their blanket solution to EVERYTHING, which is why I say make sure you do a backup, unless Dell actually has non-morons working for them.