"How-to's": "Voice Chat" - "Improving Video Hitching, Glitching.."

[mrgeneric]

I get stuttering with 8gigs of ram.

[mjtokarski]

I used to get very bad stuttering. Tried the suggestions here and it improved only a little. Then I read something about - if you have vista64 and 4 or more gig of ram, remove the swapfile (paging file) completely. This made a huge difference for me and now I can play the game and rarely get any hitching at all. This might work for other people as well, I don't know but, it can't hurt to try.

[Fooly]

I used to get very bad stuttering. Tried the suggestions here and it improved only a little. Then I read something about - if you have vista64 and 4 or more gig of ram, remove the swapfile (paging file) completely. This made a huge difference for me and now I can play the game and rarely get any hitching at all. This might work for other people as well, I don't know but, it can't hurt to try.

Basically my configuration, sounds like something to try. So where is this done? Are you talking about the Windows/Vista pagefile? I went from really bad hitching to barely noticeable hitching by simply turning off the Quest Guide in the UI Settings. None of the Video Settings appear to have much effect on the problem for me.

[jalida]

I returned to Lotro today after about a years hiatus hoping to find that the hitching that had gotten substantially worse after MoM, would be fixed in all this time.

Unfortunately, I see that hitching has gotten worse in my case. I've tried most things that would "seem" to make sence to try, after all, it's quite apparent that the hitching is caused by objects popping into view in the game, (eg too many trees popping in at one time and hitch, snap, hitch, go. Texture replacement on some buildings, hitch, snap, hitch, go again). It's really gotten much worse and as mentioned, I've tried most things that people have suggested that might lessen this, however, it's as bad or worse than it ever was upon release of this title.

The only thing that has reduced hitching has been to turn down screen res to 1024x768, and all settings to medium or low (whatever is the "default" settings for everything), however I think we can all agree just how f-ugly the game looks at 1024x768 especially more so on a large monitor, so it's hardly worth playing when I can no longer scroll back very far due to limitations of screen res, or have to see everything in full jaggedy mode on all edges of all objects etc.

Windows 64BIT Vista
8GB System Ram
Nvidia 8800 video card (single, NOT SLI)
Recently defragged all drives, including the one that LOTRO is located on.
All drivers up to date.
Amd Quad Core 2.2GHz (or maybe it's a 2.4GHz, I can't recall).

Heck, I even tried running it off of a fast thumbdrive (fast enough for vistas Readyboost), which even that didn't lower hitching enough to be an enjoyable experience playing the game.

Sorry, but nothing has worked so far for me. Perhaps those that had it "REALLY BAD" managed to lessen it to where it made it enjoyable to play, but for me, it seems really bad, and maybe it's only as bad as others are willing to tolerate and consider only hitching a little. To me it's pretty much anytime a grove of trees comes into view. Anytime some NPC's pop into view, anytime in Bree (anywhere, regardless if I am alone in Bree or not), anytime in Hobbiton, anytime in MD, anytime out on the prarie where a building pops into view, anytime I pass through Aldos camp. Bascially anywhere that "stuff" pops into view.

Oh.... I can reduce hitching if I am on a rental pony, and turn to face the places I've already been (turn around, facing backwards) then things don't pop into view, so the hitching is minimal to the point where the game would be playable if I wasn't facing the wrong way.

[LordValerius]

I returned to Lotro today after about a years hiatus hoping to find that the hitching that had gotten substantially worse after MoM, would be fixed in all this time.

Unfortunately, I see that hitching has gotten worse in my case.

Windows 64BIT Vista
8GB System Ram
Nvidia 8800 video card (single, NOT SLI)
Recently defragged all drives, including the one that LOTRO is located on.
All drivers up to date.
Amd Quad Core 2.2GHz (or maybe it's a 2.4GHz, I can't recall).

Hey there...

I see you state that you have an AMD Quad Core 2.2Ghz...I would be willing to bet that it is a Phenom 9500 X4 2.2Ghz....Please, if you can find the time to verify if this is true, please post here to let us know. I, and a few others are having the same issues and according to Delvin, who posted a thread titled "9500 Issues" on this board, the only way he could fix his issue was to replace his 9500 with a 9550 or higher and this resolved his issue. So far, AMD is turning a blind eye to this, but if we can get enough users with the same issues to verify they are using a Phenom 9500, maybe we can get something done.

Thank you!

[jalida]

Yes, I do have a phenom 9500.

However what Delvin describes below is not something I've ever experienced with Lotro. For me it's the same hitching that used to occur on my last computer which was not a phenom, it was only a dual core AMD computer. It's just worse since the MoM installation on this computer now.

If it is an issue with the Phenom 9500 and Lotro, I would honestly expect turbine to fix it since I can honestly say that this CPU has no issues running all the other games that I currently play (fallout 3, X3 Terran Conflict, The Sims 3, Anno 1404, etc etc all with the high or nearest to high settings), which would lead me to believe that if there is an issue with this CPU and the Phenom 9500, then it's something in the programming of Lotro since other games do not experience this issue.

Anyway, whether Im wrong or right, I will confirm that I do have a Phenom 9500 on this particular computer.

I will be putting Lotro on my secondary computer which is an Intel Dual core (E2200, 4GB, Nvidia 8800 etc) this evening or tommorrow to see if it's any different.

However since my last computer had this awful (but not quite as bad) hitching (prior to MoM install), I have to assume it's inherint in Lotro and not caused by the cpu. It would appear to me, (highlighted important bits below) Delvin was experiencing something else entirely, with his 30 second pauses in LOTRO, which I've never experienced with this computer.

Good luck getting whomever will need to fix it.

Well I tried AMD and they were not aware of any issues with that processor and LOTR:O. They did send me a new 9500 and it worked exactly the same. I put both 9500's into different MB's from different manufacturers with the same problem on both so it isn't a MB issues. And I tried several different voltage settings with no change and wasted a whole afternoon for nothing.

I have also tried using 2 different OS's with no success either.

I did however get a brand new Phenom X3 8750 today and now my game runs GREAT! I only went for that because I didn't want to spend another $150 after wasting $300 trying to fix my problem with no success. It is crazy that I can use the 8750 and set everything on VERY HIGH and I get 40-60 FPS in Rivendal and Esteldin but with the 9500 I could set it to LOW and it would freeze and lock up constantly!

It used to get so bad that sometimes I would turn in quests and be able to count to 30 before the game would respond again!

I would say that the 9500/9600 chips (B2 Stepping Versions) are just NOT compatible with LOTRO from everything I have read here in the forums. There are several tricks you could try to help the issue SOME but they are NOT fixes they are just bandaids that don't really correct the problem.

I couldn't say if I have the B2 Stepping Version or not without someone telling me how to find out, but it would seem to me that would be crucial to the equation perhaps.

Delvin is obviously a lot more dedicated to the game than I am, I've given Turbine my $199 for a founders lifetimer account, but I draw the line at replacing CPU's to play their game (if that is the ultimate proven problem here), however seems many people have this awful hitching that do not run on the Phenom 9500 cpu too. So...... Good luck.

[Fooly]

Desktop PC: Core2 Duo system with Radeon 4870 runs perfectly at Very High and 4xAA, not a hint of hitching.

Laptop: Dell SXPS 1640 with Radeon 4670, hitching very prevalent and needed to do the following to all but eliminate it.

1: Turn off the Quest Guide in the UI Settings
2: Kill Symantec Endpoint Protection, the Zero Threat component was reaking havoc.
3: Go without AA

For jalida, did you try not running the game in DX10?

[eddieg502]

why should you have to turn off quest guide? why dont they fix it!

[manooly]

Yes, I do have a phenom 9500.

However what Delvin describes below is not something I've ever experienced with Lotro. For me it's the same hitching that used to occur on my last computer which was not a phenom, it was only a dual core AMD computer. It's just worse since the MoM installation on this computer now.

If it is an issue with the Phenom 9500 and Lotro, I would honestly expect turbine to fix it since I can honestly say that this CPU has no issues running all the other games that I currently play (fallout 3, X3 Terran Conflict, The Sims 3, Anno 1404, etc etc all with the high or nearest to high settings), which would lead me to believe that if there is an issue with this CPU and the Phenom 9500, then it's something in the programming of Lotro since other games do not experience this issue.

Anyway, whether Im wrong or right, I will confirm that I do have a Phenom 9500 on this particular computer.

I will be putting Lotro on my secondary computer which is an Intel Dual core (E2200, 4GB, Nvidia 8800 etc) this evening or tommorrow to see if it's any different.

However since my last computer had this awful (but not quite as bad) hitching (prior to MoM install), I have to assume it's inherint in Lotro and not caused by the cpu. It would appear to me, (highlighted important bits below) Delvin was experiencing something else entirely, with his 30 second pauses in LOTRO, which I've never experienced with this computer.

Good luck getting whomever will need to fix it.






I couldn't say if I have the B2 Stepping Version or not without someone telling me how to find out, but it would seem to me that would be crucial to the equation perhaps.

Delvin is obviously a lot more dedicated to the game than I am, I've given Turbine my $199 for a founders lifetimer account, but I draw the line at replacing CPU's to play their game (if that is the ultimate proven problem here), however seems many people have this awful hitching that do not run on the Phenom 9500 cpu too. So...... Good luck.

Hey Jalida! If you do indeed have an AMD 9500 2.2Ghz quad core processor then you have the same processor as me. I also have an NVIDIA 8800GT 512MB video card. What fixed my hitching for the most part was the AMD Fusion Gaming Utility. Here is the info...

In case this helps anyone, I found that the AMD Fusion utility helped reduce my systems hitching alot (thanks manooly for the helpful post):

Quote:
Originally Posted by manooly

- Download and install the AMD Fusion Utility...
http://game.amd.com/us-en/drivers_fusion.aspx?p=1

For some reason this tool really helps me out! I always fire this up and turn on the EXPERT mode (in the Advanced menu) before playing LOTRO. I see big changes in performance.


This was a game saver for me. I hope this works for you!!! Let me know ok?

- manooly

[Cynndyre]

I returned to Lotro today after about a years hiatus hoping to find that the hitching that had gotten substantially worse after MoM, would be fixed in all this time.

Unfortunately, I see that hitching has gotten worse in my case. I've tried most things that would "seem" to make sence to try, after all, it's quite apparent that the hitching is caused by objects popping into view in the game, (eg too many trees popping in at one time and hitch, snap, hitch, go. Texture replacement on some buildings, hitch, snap, hitch, go again). It's really gotten much worse and as mentioned, I've tried most things that people have suggested that might lessen this, however, it's as bad or worse than it ever was upon release of this title.

The only thing that has reduced hitching has been to turn down screen res to 1024x768, and all settings to medium or low (whatever is the "default" settings for everything), however I think we can all agree just how f-ugly the game looks at 1024x768 especially more so on a large monitor, so it's hardly worth playing when I can no longer scroll back very far due to limitations of screen res, or have to see everything in full jaggedy mode on all edges of all objects etc.

Windows 64BIT Vista
8GB System Ram
Nvidia 8800 video card (single, NOT SLI)
Recently defragged all drives, including the one that LOTRO is located on.
All drivers up to date.
Amd Quad Core 2.2GHz (or maybe it's a 2.4GHz, I can't recall).

Heck, I even tried running it off of a fast thumbdrive (fast enough for vistas Readyboost), which even that didn't lower hitching enough to be an enjoyable experience playing the game.

Sorry, but nothing has worked so far for me. Perhaps those that had it "REALLY BAD" managed to lessen it to where it made it enjoyable to play, but for me, it seems really bad, and maybe it's only as bad as others are willing to tolerate and consider only hitching a little. To me it's pretty much anytime a grove of trees comes into view. Anytime some NPC's pop into view, anytime in Bree (anywhere, regardless if I am alone in Bree or not), anytime in Hobbiton, anytime in MD, anytime out on the prarie where a building pops into view, anytime I pass through Aldos camp. Bascially anywhere that "stuff" pops into view.

Oh.... I can reduce hitching if I am on a rental pony, and turn to face the places I've already been (turn around, facing backwards) then things don't pop into view, so the hitching is minimal to the point where the game would be playable if I wasn't facing the wrong way.

Unfortunately, I am in the same situation Here is my story...

Very disappointing for me. I had cancelled the game a year ago because of this same problem - unable to get smooth framerates.

Everything was fine for me from the first day of retail until the launch of the Book which unveiled the Snow Region to the North (can't remember the name). Suddenly I was experiencing all these symtpoms... it would come and go, but never truly went away. So I played for the best part of a year under those conditions, then finally just gave up out of frustration.

So here it is, a full year later, completely different PC and BAM! Same thing... with one exception now, it is actually worse!

My FPS gp from 70 to 15 (or lower) nearly everytime an NPC or PC appear on the screen, sometimes the landscape will not redraw, and then when it does draw I get a HUGE drop in FPS, sometimes it literally stops my character for a few seconds...

Something is very screwy with this game and I am afraid I will be forced to cancel my account once again. Such a shame too, the game is one that I really like.

I know I can trouble shoot this problem (like I did in the past) but only to discover that Turbine finally admits to the issue and are working on a fix... well, a year later and still no fix, at least one that I can find. My game time is for "fun" not trouble shooting something I have no control over.

Almost for sure someone is going to jump in here and say, " I have never had a problem with this game, it is your system.." Hmmmmmm, my system and hundreds (possibly thousands if I recall correctly from the early days) of other folks that have either left by now or still endure the frustration of this hitching problem... no, it is not my system, nor is it most any other folks system, this game is simply quirky.

[Mirthgar]

As part of the "Great Sticky Cleanup of '09" creating this thread for merging all the related "how-to" stickies into a central location.