by Ice Cream Jonsey » Tue Nov 26, 2002 5:27 am
Morrowind.... hmm, how can you put this nicely. It runs like utter shit on most systems out there, especially at a higher resolutions. I should almost not even bother, since I have a Pentium III 800, but I do.
Previously I had 384MB of PC-133 SDRAM in my computer. As of today I have 768MB of PC-133 SDRAM in it. I had heard rumors that Morrowind runs a lot smoother with gobs of RAM, and since I am not particularly trying to keep anyone in suspense, the short of it is: it does. For those of you with newer systems and wuth gobs of DDR RAM, I can only imagine the frame rates you are getting.
Here's the thing though: not only is every component in my computer except the video card and DVD-ROM practically a legacy device, but I am running Windows 98 SE as well. W98 SE does not handle RAM above the size of 512MB very well. Before I did the trick I am about to explain, I would load Morrowind when 768MB was in my computer and it would crash to the desktop. I'd take a single stick out (and be at 512MB) and it would not crash, but instead properly load. Here's what I had to do:
W98SE has a file called "system.ini". Bring it up in a text editor and search for the string "[vcache]" (without quotes). Add the following right under that string:
MinFileCache=524288
MaxFileCache=526336
... this is apparently the way to get Windows to play nice with that much (768MB) of RAM. This is not necessary for RAM values under 512MB, I should mention. Also, as I am a second-year dental student, my mind of course as a scientific bent. I wondered why my MaxFileCache is at 512MB and not 768MB. I couldn't get an answer as to "why," but all reports on Google Groups indicate that it should be around 75% of your maximum amount of RAM. Which that value is close enough to.
At a resolution of 1024x768, I was getting at most 19 frames per second from Morrowind while outside, while doing a 360 degree spin, and when I had the graphical draw distance set to its medium level. At 768MB of RAM under the same settings I was up to the low 30s. Keen!
Also, to anyone whose ass is in the know: What frame rate is this thing running at for the X-box version? The X-box has, what, a GeForce2 and a 733mhz processor? I know the resolution is 640x480 and all, but is the thing locked at 60fps?
Morrowind.... hmm, how can you put this nicely. It runs like utter shit on most systems out there, especially at a higher resolutions. I should almost not even bother, since I have a Pentium III 800, but I do.
Previously I had 384MB of PC-133 SDRAM in my computer. As of today I have 768MB of PC-133 SDRAM in it. I had heard rumors that Morrowind runs a lot smoother with gobs of RAM, and since I am not particularly trying to keep anyone in suspense, the short of it is: it does. For those of you with newer systems and wuth gobs of DDR RAM, I can only imagine the frame rates you are getting.
Here's the thing though: not only is every component in my computer except the video card and DVD-ROM practically a legacy device, but I am running Windows 98 SE as well. W98 SE does not handle RAM above the size of 512MB very well. Before I did the trick I am about to explain, I would load Morrowind when 768MB was in my computer and it would crash to the desktop. I'd take a single stick out (and be at 512MB) and it would not crash, but instead properly load. Here's what I had to do:
W98SE has a file called "system.ini". Bring it up in a text editor and search for the string "[vcache]" (without quotes). Add the following right under that string:
MinFileCache=524288
MaxFileCache=526336
... this is apparently the way to get Windows to play nice with that much (768MB) of RAM. This is not necessary for RAM values under 512MB, I should mention. Also, as I am a second-year dental student, my mind of course as a scientific bent. I wondered why my MaxFileCache is at 512MB and not 768MB. I couldn't get an answer as to "why," but all reports on Google Groups indicate that it should be around 75% of your maximum amount of RAM. Which that value is close enough to.
At a resolution of 1024x768, I was getting at most 19 frames per second from Morrowind while outside, while doing a 360 degree spin, and when I had the graphical draw distance set to its medium level. At 768MB of RAM under the same settings I was up to the low 30s. Keen!
Also, to anyone whose ass is in the know: What frame rate is this thing running at for the X-box version? The X-box has, what, a GeForce2 and a 733mhz processor? I know the resolution is 640x480 and all, but is the thing locked at 60fps?