Problems with very fast computer

[jgordon85 0]

Ive owned SC4 + RH expansion for some time, and it has always worked perfectly on my old computer. I recently bought a very new machine and the game installs and launches fine, but seems to act really wonky once it's started.  In both region view and city view, scrolling around on the map is ultra-ultra-ultra sensitive. I move the mouse one pixel and it shoots my view off to the side of the screen. The music seems to cut out and loop at strange parts (like a broken record) and there are strange gitchy graphic problems whenever I move about the map.

My computer is as follows:

AMD 64 X2 4400+
2GB ram
2x 256MB Geforce 7800 GTX (SLI) - latest drivers

It could be because I have a dual processor or 64 bit processor, you think? or maybe because I am running in SLI? I will disable SLI to see if there is any difference.

[jgordon85 0]

Okay guys, I figured it out! After disabling SLI mode, the game seems to run perfectly fine! Anybody out there with problems who is running 2 video cards should try disabling one.

Just one GTX 7800 should be more than enough for SC4

[newyorkstate 6]

Yes, definetly more than enough!

[onlyplace4 603]

Shoot ... wish I could even afford one 7800GTX

[SC4Noobie 5]

Yea, I agree with onlyplace4. A 7800GTX would be awsome...

[umnoscottishhootsmon 0]

how much did that cost i'll buy your old one (rakes through bins finds a chip pigeon snatches it)

[jgordon85 0]

So, I only sort of fixed the problem. Disabling one video card allows me to play the game and significantly reduces the effect of the glitch mentioned in my first post... for about a half hour to 45 minutes of playing. Then I encounter the same problem and only restarting my computer solves the problem. It's weird, because it's not really a video issue. It seems more like a processor issue. Perhaps it is a problem with 64bit processors, or dual processors?

I wish EA games had more support for this game, instead they're too busy making expansions for Sims 2.

Anyways, my video cards cost me $585 CAD each. My whole computer was around $3,200 CAD including the case and power supply. I used the same old monitor and keyboard/mouse from my old one. I'm using my old computer as a guinea pig for testing different operating systems.

It's funny, I bought my computer so I can play the latest games like FEAR and Oblivion (which are great), but it seems I always come back to games like Sim City

[toxicpiano 125]

NO NO BUY ATI! X1900 XTX FOREVER!

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

With a dual processor, use the task manager to mark the game as single processor only.  This will fix any multi-tasking glitches, which should solve the rest of your problem.

BTW, with a dual processor, once you have marked SC to run in one processor, try setting it to Real Time as well.  Should run like gang busters.

[jgordon85 0]

Thanks, I'll try that. It seems to be running good right now.

[jgordon85 0]

So, setting the game to run with 1 processor core worked perfectly. I ran into the same problem, alt-tabbed, and set simcity4.exe to only run on CPU0 instead of CPU0 + CPU1, went back into the game and it was fixed.

I have to do this every time I start the game, but it sure beats having to restart every half hour or so.

Thanks!

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

If you are good with scripts, I suspect you can use the Start command to do it all in one fell swoop.  I haven't been able to figure this out.

[scott_mac_lachlan 0]

Hi, I just decided to get backintoplaying SC4 but not havin much luck. I recently upgraded my machine to "super computer" level (Athlon XP3800+ Dual core, 1Gb RAM, Geforce 6600GT) and now find I am having the same problem with the high speed sensitive graphics.

I managd to ALT-TAB out to the task manager and change the affinity setting to CPU0 or CPU1 instead of having both on.

As a result of that, the Region view now becomes very slow to move around...gone completely opposite to last problem. Moving only 1-2 pixels a time. In city view etc seems to be working as normal though...

Any ideas? I just installed the patch as well, but didn't play the game on the fast system before patching so was wondering if that would hav made a difference? Do I need to go back to just plain ver 1.0????

Help appreciated.

Cheers

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Welcome to our conversation.

Well, let's see.  Do you have Rush Hour installed?

Did you get the right patch?  Unless you are in US or Canada, the exposed patch on the home page is the wrong one.  You need to go through the Help dialog to get to the patch for your region.

There have been problems with your graphics card.  Greyveil is more current on that than I and should chip in soon.

Check your paging file. For the machine you are running, I would set it (initial, maximum) to (4095, 4095).

To spec out if the problem is with your graphics card/drivers, set the game into software rendering and see if your problem goes away.  It will be slower, but it should be better than what you have been getting. 

Also, if your graphics is running a feature such as anti-aliasing, turn it off.  The game hates advanced options.

Good luck and good testing.