Gearing up for Dynamis(Computer Spec-wise)

[Zempten]

Hi everyone

I'm about to get a new computer that's basically revolved around not being lagged to death in places like Dynamis where lately 50+ some people have been showing up. Now I know of the basic toning down, but I still want to get a computer that will allow me to play it so I don't lag.

Here is what it looks like so far
PROCESSOR:
Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor E6600 (4MB L2 Cache,2.4GHz,1066 FSB) edit
MEMORY:
2GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz - 2 DIMMs edit
HARD DRIVE:
250GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cacheâ„¢ edit
VIDEO CARD:
256MB nVidia GeForce 7900 GS

I'm torn between that video card and a 1GB NVIDIA GeForce 7950 GX2 Dual-GPU Graphics Card because reading that sticy above, I noticed most people who scored pretty high have a 512 MB Video card . . .. .

So please ^ ^ Any help and advice. I'm particular interested in what people who are able to play lag free in Dynamis and/or Besiged (or even remotely close to it) scored on the Benchmark

[Icemage]

Re: Gearing up for Dynamis(Computer Spec-wise)

I play lag-free with much lower specs than that. The trick isn't pushing your systems spec up, it's tuning down what's being shown on-screen. Reducing or eliminating the Effects in particular helps a lot, as does heavily filtering the chatlog.

I haven't benchmarked my current PC but it's a P4 3.0 HT, 2GB DDR dual channel 400mhz, 2x120GB SATA 7200RPM and a Nvidia 5900XT. With appropriate filters on, I get zero lag in Dynamis no matter how many people are onscreen.


Icemage

[Thrasher]

Re: Gearing up for Dynamis(Computer Spec-wise)

Any thing above a 7600gs you are more then likely limited by your memory and cpu, really my upgrade from a 6600 to a 7600gt really didn't do that much for ffxi performance. (With the 7600GT being far more powerful then the 6600)

I would consider a ATI card over the Nvidia card due to the image quality of the ATI x19** series is notably better then the Nvidia 7*** series, and they were generally more powerful. (The only place ATI didn't beat Nvidia was the price vs performance card aka 7600gt)

And why even bother considering the 7950 GX2 when you can buy a 8800GTS for less money, the Nvidia 8*** series managed to beat out the ATI x19** series in video quality and performance. (Personally all I ever thought the 7900GX2 was good for is a e-penis extension.)
Basically 8800GTX> 8800GTS> x1950xtx> x1900xt >= 7900gtx >x1900gt >= 7900gs. (Ya I know im missing quite a few cards in that list but I wanted to include the former high end cards and the current price vs performance cards.)

And what are you doing buying or building?

[Icemage]

Re: Gearing up for Dynamis(Computer Spec-wise)

FFXI makes so little use of hardware for graphics that you really don't see much impact from even high-end video cards. Even with the best cards, the particle effects for abilities and songs and such cause a noticeable performance hit. Not much you can really do about it except turn them off.


Icemage

[bside]

Re: Gearing up for Dynamis(Computer Spec-wise)

FFXI makes so little use of hardware for graphics that you really don't see much impact from even high-end video cards. Even with the best cards, the particle effects for abilities and songs and such cause a noticeable performance hit. Not much you can really do about it except turn them off

I completely agree, but many seem to go w/ whatever the best stuff their money can buy, not taking into account that this game is more than 4 years old now.

It is generally said that any PC's scoring 7000 in Benchmark's Low mode is more than adequate to play this game, and anything beyond that is a waste of money if it's only to play ffxi.

I play on Radeon X700 Pro that I bought more than a year ago, scoring around 8000 in Low, and I'm more than happy w/ the performance. It's already better than what the game was originally designed for, and I don't plan on upgrading it until it breaks, since I don't play any other games on PC.


Besides, if what Icemage recommended doesn't work out well, tell your LS mates to leave some spaces between alliances in Dynamis (unless of course you have a reason to be tight close). And as for Besiged, everyone lags no matter what so don't worry too much about that.


Just so you know, my PC's current rough specs;

CPU: Athlon 64 X2 3800+ (overclocked to 216Mhz x10)
RAM: DDR433 (overclock module) 512MBx2, 2.5-3-3-7-1, Kingston HyperX
VGA: Radeon X700 PRO, PCIe
Install HDD: HGST 160GB, SATAII (3Gbps), 8M cache

Even this scores 8k in Benchmark.

[Zempten]

Re: Gearing up for Dynamis(Computer Spec-wise)

Okay, well just as a general idea of my situation. I'm playing on a computer that has the following specs

Processor:
Pentium 4 1500 Mhz
Memory:
512 MB of Ram
Hard Drive:
80 GB
Video Card:
ATI Radeo 9600 128 MB of RAM

I don't run FFXI in dynamis very well even with alot of toning down on the effects.

Okay, so I take it everything else is okay. About the video card, I'm trying to get something that would be worth it for every dollar I spend. So in otherwords, I just want to get the minimum video card that will run FFXI the best it possibly can.

So I've looked into the XFX GeForce 8800 GTS Video Card as Thrasher recommended, but I'm confused. It's practically the same price as the 1GB NVIDIA GeForce 7950 GX2 Dual-GPU Graphics Card. They are both around $470. No, I'm not concerned with my e-penis right now. I've also looked at the ATI x1900 that Thrasher recommended and I'm kinda liking it being around $100 cheaper. *sigh* Sooooo confused ; ;

Oh and I'm building my computer at dell, it's a XPS 410 - but I was told by a computer friend that the best option they had was the 256MB nVidia GeForce 7900 GS. So to get the other one I would have to shop outside like at newegg or tigerdirect. I know it might be better to just build the computer myself, but I'm not good with stuff like that and I've heard horror stories that make me all scared (I know, it's pathetic ; ; ). Not to mention I'm trying to get this computer before Christmas rolls around.

One more question . . ..I don't think the manufacturor really matters does it? Like is PNY greater then XFX or yadda yadda yadda?

[Loial]

Re: Gearing up for Dynamis(Computer Spec-wise)

Zemp:

Before dynamis, log out and go to FFXI Configuration and lower the resolution and background res to the lowest settings. Log back in, turn the filters on for all effects, lower animation frame rate, turn off weather/shadows, change chat filters to only what you need (this varies depending on your role).

/names off is advisable if you are in a position where you will only be assisting.

[Zempten]

Re: Gearing up for Dynamis(Computer Spec-wise)

Loial,

Thanks for the advice, but it doesn't seem to help me.

I play as RDM so sleeping the mobs is really important to me and keep Birds and Scorpion's Silence is of top priority to me. I can perform my role when I'm lagging and smashing my "Sleep" or "Silence" macro for 1 minute and then it casts ; ; I also don't have the luxury of taking of names ;; However I do take off shadows, but not clipping plane (well some of it) because i need to know what's comming so I know what sleep to use. Thanks though for your help.

I'm looking at the 8800 GXS right now

[Raydeus]

Re: Gearing up for Dynamis(Computer Spec-wise)

When SE, when are you going to update the emulation engine? orz

What Icemage and Bside say is true, the best way to improve frame rate is disabling effects and stuff like that.

Really the only way I see the game not lagging is if you got a 5 Ghz processor to compensate the dated coding (Dual cores wont work since XI isn't programmed to take advantage of them).

RAM does help a lot though, upgrading from 512 to 1gb and then 2 really improved things for me, everything else was meh though.

[Ameroth]

Re: Gearing up for Dynamis(Computer Spec-wise)

I just recently put a new processor in my computer, Athlon 64 FX-55, 2.6GHz, and found that gave me a small boost in gameplay and has lowered lag a small amount in such places as Lower Jeuno.

But like the others have pointed out, at some point it falls on the game not making complete use of the supplied hardware. There's not much you can do besides turn somethings off and/or limit the amount of character models displayed on screen.

[Thrasher]

Re: Gearing up for Dynamis(Computer Spec-wise)

One more question . . ..I don't think the manufacturor really matters does it? Like is PNY greater then XFX or yadda yadda yadda?

For the most part the manufacturer does not matter, its more about the warranty. For Nvidia BFG and EVGA are considered to have the best service.

And yes videocards are HIGHLY confusing to keep track of whats the bast card and whats a rip off, but the 8 series cards are Nvidia's next generation cards and they use different drivers so they will likely have there own umm..... quirks for a few months but there performance is great.

Nvidia GTX>GT>GTS>GS
ATI XTX>XT>Pro>GT>No Prefix

Also the videocard benchmarks like Toms Hardware does are good for reference, but sites like Hardocp and Bit-tech have started benchmarking by real world gaming experience not just fps.
And Hardocp also does reviews of computer systems they buy anonymously from different system builders.

[Zempten]

Re: Gearing up for Dynamis(Computer Spec-wise)

Thanks alot everyone for your help. I really appreciate it!

/kneel

[Moshi]

Re: Gearing up for Dynamis(Computer Spec-wise)

One thing you might want to keep in mind is....DirectX 10. Do you plan to run Windows Vista in the future? (With a powerful machine like that, im guessing maybe), and do you see yourself playing a lot of other games besides FFXI?

the 8800GTS is probably your best bang for the buck in being prepared for the future as well as nVidia's first entry into the DirectX 10 market. Unified architecture, newest dx10 geometry shaders, quantum effects, lumenex engine.....these set the 8800's apart from anything else, even the 7950GX2 you were considering. There's an insanely good deal right now at Dell for an 8800GTS.... check out http://www.slickdeals.net/ you can score it for mid to low 300's...which is the best deal money can buy right now.

Everything else to me is a numbers game, and a clock rate / fps war. Go for something that will last you

[Aeni]

Re: Gearing up for Dynamis(Computer Spec-wise)

Really the only way I see the game not lagging is if you got a 5 Ghz processor to compensate the dated coding (Dual cores wont work since XI isn't programmed to take advantage of them).

This is very true. The reason why upgrading graphic cards will not do anything with performance is because the game is not graphic intensive. SE programmers use tricks to keep the graphics quality really high, but without requiring customers to buy an SLI setup of the high end cards.

However, where the game bogs down is in CPU intensive work. This includes, but not limited to, processing of textual information (Believe it or not, this is very CPU intensive), processing of audio, processing of numerical statistic and renumeration for in-game activities (battle data, positioning data, "game physics" data including weather effect and time of day/day of week, and random number generation for almost all of the calculations of these data) as well as general network trafficking between the client and server, making sure data is validated along this line and that security is maintained to insure integrity of the packets sent.