Why does SC4 Deluxe not run quickly on my PC?

[lieblingsbesuch 0]

Hey Guise,

I have a 1/2 YO Laptop, with the following configuration:

4GB RAM

GF FX 8600 GS, 179xxx Driver

2x 2.2ghz T7500, 4MB L2-Cache

Running Vista Ultimate 64bit SP1.

Now my problem: When my city reaches approx. 50.000 citizens, it starts to buck. I dunno whats the problem, the game is from 2003, and my high-End Laptop is end 2007.

Maybe you have any hints for this problem?

[JakeMD 107]

I have the same problem with similar specs (little faster).

I went and switched the renderer to Software, like so:

Runs like a charm now.  Only difference is the cursors are black and ugly, but thats fine right?  Good luck, if this doesn't fix your problem let me know.

[ididntdidit 0]

Wow 4GB of RAM? I really hope what Swat said helps because if that doesn't, I don't even want to say.

[20 Percent Maverick 3]

Originally posted by: SWAT-MEDIC I have the same problem with similar specs (little faster).

I went and switched the renderer to Software, like so:

Runs like a charm now.  Only difference is the cursors are black and ugly, but thats fine right?  Good luck, if this doesn't fix your problem let me know.quote>

I'm also switched to Software, but I have the regular color cursor.

To get it, just check on the 'Color cursor' box, and your all set!

[ididntdidit 0]

So is it working quickly now? I need to try that it may boost my speed thanks again Swat!

[xloveispainx 0]

Delete your Vista)) and all the problems will be solved)))

[DocRorlach 25]

Originally posted by: xloveispainx Delete your Vista)) and all the problems will be solved)))quote>

 

Sorry, but that is nonsense. If you have Vista, you'll need to give the game priority, and since you have a dual-core, you also need to tell SC4 which CPU it must use - SC4 is very bad at handling two or more CPU's. There's a tutorial right here, that explains how to do this permanently.

Game speed is largely determined by two things: the graphics card, and the organization of your plug-ins. The more you download & install, the slower it gets. You might want to consider getting the BSC DAT Packer which reduces the number of files SC4 needs to load by packing entire subfolders into single DAT files. My specs hare far lower than yours, and even with a 4GB plug-ins folder I run the game pretty fast. And since you have n nVidia chip, I doubt that it is the graphics card.

There is also another tutorial to be found here, which explains how to run SC4 with command line options to let you experiment with OpenGL, Software, colour depths, etc.

[lieblingsbesuch 0]

I tried both tricks:

- Setting SC4 permanently to "high": This makes no effect to me.

- Giving SC4 the advice that only ONE CPU can be used: Makes the game slower.

- Playing in Software-Mode: The game works much faster. I can play it without problems, BUT: The game looks much more *****ty! Many effect r not available no more, and i cant even see any cars or trains! This is very annoying, too :-(

What i recognized is: In software Mode, the game makes no difference between a city w/ 70k or 1000k city. It always runs the same fast/slow.

So i think it exists NO resolution.

[DocRorlach 25]

Originally posted by: lieblingsbesuch I tried both tricks:

- Setting SC4 permanently to "high": This makes no effect to me.

- Giving SC4 the advice that only ONE CPU can be used: Makes the game slower.

- Playing in Software-Mode: The game works much faster. I can play it without problems, BUT: The game looks much more *****ty! Many effect r not available no more, and i cant even see any cars or trains! This is very annoying, too :-(

What i recognized is: In software Mode, the game makes no difference between a city w/ 70k or 1000k city. It always runs the same fast/slow.

So i think it exists NO resolution.quote>

 

There always is a solution: Check the settings on your nVidia Control Panel - in Advanced Mode. Check & experiment with the OpenGL settings for SC4. How is Antialaising handled? Since software mode makes it run fast but shirty, it is clear that the problem lies between the graphics card and sc4.

Question: how big is your plug-ins folder? Do you use DAT Packer (if you have more than 1GB in the plug-ins folder, DAT Packer becomes a must, I feel). And finally: what is slow: the actual game speed? The loading? the appearance of menus?

[lieblingsbesuch 0]

My Plugins-folder is nearly empty. About 20megs or sth.

What means "experiment" with my driver? Has nobody done that experiment before and nobody played sc4 with nvidia before?

[DocRorlach 25]

Originally posted by: lieblingsbesuch My Plugins-folder is nearly empty. About 20megs or sth.

What means "experiment" with my driver? Has nobody done that experiment before and nobody played sc4 with nvidia before?quote>

 

No need to become impatient; every PC is different. Below are the settings I use, same driver version, but my card isan 8500. Besides that you will need to look at the Vista settings for the desktop - how much of the graphic memory is it using? I switch Aero off to get the best results - and I use nearly 4GB in terms of custom content - all in C:\Users\<username>\Documents\SimCity 4\Plugins - none in the game's installation folders. I have an Intel 6300 Dual-Core and merely 2GB RAM - and it works. DAT Packed it loads slowly (too many regions, very large cities, see plugins (11,000 individual files!).

I am trying to help - but short of sitting in front of your PC I can only guess.

Full sized image can be found here: https://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk289/DocRorlach/Untitled-1-1.png

[lieblingsbesuch 0]

Hey DocRorlach,

thanks for your advice!

Your posted settings are the default settings which are loaded for SC4.0 in the nvidia-Driver on my computer.

So the default does not work with me ^^

i experimentally turned AERO off (even though my GPU has 512mb dedicated ram), but it had also no effect on the game :-(

[DocRorlach 25]

Originally posted by: lieblingsbesuch Hey DocRorlach,

thanks for your advice!

Your posted settings are the default settings which are loaded for SC4.0 in the nvidia-Driver on my computer.

So the default does not work with me ^^

i experimentally turned AERO off (even though my GPU has 512mb dedicated ram), but it had also no effect on the game :-(quote>

 

I refuse to give up (niemals aufgeben ist unser Motto): thus we will need more information: what is running when you load SC4? What is the property of your shortcut? Where is SC4 installed & where are the plugins. Your specs are good, it should run faultlessly. What is installed? SC4 Deluxe? Rush Hour? Both?

what services are running?

Edit: something I overlooked earlier: you are running 64bit Windows - there must thus be a compatibility mode you can use (properties of the SimCity 4.EXE) that runs it in native 32bit mode. If you cannot see the compatibility properties when you right click the EXE then you must turn the IPSEC and WFP services off (Administrative Tools - Services).

[lieblingsbesuch 0]

Hi,

that's a good motto :-)

Specs:

When i run SC4, it runs: Daemon-Tools 4.30.2. That's all. Okay, Bluetooth, wLAN and the normal default System components. But no extra-program. My NB is VERY clean.

Property of my shortcut: -CustomResolution:enabled -r1680x1050x32 -f -introff

Installed on: C:\Program Files (x86)\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe

Installed plugins:

- Zone Qadroubler (or sth.)

- Moolah-Cheat-plugin

both in Program files(x86) bla bla plugins folder

- Traffic addon is in my user files folder (installed through installer)

Installed is: Original SC4 "Deluxe" (SC4 + Rush hour), which i bought for 10EUR a while ago.

I can remember that SC4 was also so slow when i had Vista 32bit and only the cheat plugin installed.

[DocRorlach 25]

This all sounds like a very normal installation. By contrast, my shortcut is as follows:

C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe  /c START  "high priority sc4" /high "D:\Program Files\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.EXE" -Intro:off

In your case the "D:\" would become "C:\". Odd that you use the custom resolution in the shortcut - you should be able to select that from within the game setup.

Also, as a rule (or more a guide line), only DLL's should be in the Program Files (blah-blah)\Plugins folder, everything else ought to go into the user plug-ins folder. But that would not really make a difference in speed. Rather it has to do with the order in which pluf-ins are loaded.

The only thing I can suggest at this point, is a clean re-install. That is somewhat cumbersome as you not only need to uninstall the game, but must also clean the registry off all Maxis-related entries, and move your user plug-ins folder somehwere else, where the installation cannot pick it up. And he Maxis\SimCity 4 folder needs to be erased.

This is really a last resort and I do not have much hope for it. My doubts stem from the fact that you're running on a laptop: the nvidia chip may have the same specs as an equivalent graphics card, but it isn't the same, all be told. 

You might want to look for a player called DeathToPumpkins; I understand he runs his SC4 on a 64bit machine and may have insights into the whole 64bit affair which I do not posses. If you cannot find hime here, try at SC4 Devotion,

One more silly question: the version you bought was native to which language?

[lieblingsbesuch 0]

It was german native.

Thanks for the advice for Deathtopumpkins, i will try to contact him.

I dont know if clean installing brings sth. different, though i installed it clean on a fresh system and played a few times before without plugins or sth. else.

GPU: If you mean it is too weak... i don't believe that. The game is from 2003 !!! and not even in 3D or sth. I think, even with a Geforce 5xxx (3 Generations earlier), it should work very fine, or not?

[DocRorlach 25]

No, I don't think it's too weak, I just know that chip implementation on a laptop's motherboard is different from a desktop's graphic card, even if it is the same chip. Last ditch effort: let me know make, model, etc., of the laptop in question. I want to do some research.

BTW: if you PM me, we can do this exchange a) in German (as I am), and b) via email, which will be faster.