what a difference some memory makes

armakh · 06-20-2002, 03:28 AM

I was sick and tired of my games running slowly, so I went and got some more memory. Now I love wiz 8 even more....my machine doesn't lag in Arnika and anywhere else there are a lot of friendly guys. Automap isn't near as slow as I was used to *grin*

Kakero · 06-20-2002, 06:10 AM

I thought processor ( pentium/amd/celeron ) is what determine the speed of your games?

Silpion · 06-20-2002, 07:09 AM

Yeah, the CPU calculates, but it has to manage a lot information which is stored in the RAM. And if the RAM is filled up, the hard will be used which is very slow compared to the RAM.

catzenpewters · 06-20-2002, 04:01 PM

I'm curious as my computer lags a bit too. What amount of RAM did you go from and to?

el_kalkylus · 06-20-2002, 05:35 PM

I am curious too. I have a K6 450 Mhz computer with velocity4400 graphic card and 256 MB RAM, and Arnika and Trynton still lags alot.

Kakero · 06-20-2002, 06:54 PM

I'm just wondering, can 2 different brand of RAM put together into the same computer?

Silpion · 06-20-2002, 06:56 PM

Wizardry can not 'lag' [img]smile.gif[/img]
'Lag' can only appear in multiplayer games, it is an information delay between two or more computers.

Perhaps you mean standing in Arnika, turning around and that what you see doesn't seem to move smooth? Well, that has to do with three things: Graphic card, CPU and RAM. All information like the position of enemies, what they do, all information about your Party and the game you are playing are stored in the RAM (until you save, then it is written to the hard disk). Now it's time for the CPU. It calculates nearly everything and changes the information in the RAM, e.g. when an enemy has noticed you or if you simply walk a step in any direction. From all this, it gives some information to the graphic card. These are information like all coordinates of polygons, all graphics, lightsources etc. The graphic card uses these information to calculate what you should see and puts out a signal to the monitor.

When the game is now too slow, it could depend on the RAM, the CPU or the graphic card. If you have too less RAM, the CPU needs to store some information in the windows swap file on the hard disk which is slower than the RAM. You'll notice a lot of hard disk activity during gameplay if this happens. If your graphic card is too slow, it can't calculate fast enough what you should see and will skip frames, the game will run choppy. Same when you're CPU is too slow. Then the CPU can't give the needed information fast enough to the graphics card.

256 MB RAM should be enough, I wouldn't expect any improvents with more.
CPU and graphic card... it seems that both are too slow. But if you buy a faster CPU, your graphic card will slow out the whole system. And if you buy a new graphic card you won't be able use its full speed because your CPU wouldn't be able to give it the necessary information fast enough. If I were you I wouldn't upgrade parts of this computer. Better save the money and buy a complete new system one day. Wizardry isn't a game in which you have to react in 0.1 seconds. It is still playable. [img]smile.gif[/img]

PS1: I have nearly the same problem with my computer

PS2: Sorry for the bad english, I've never had any good marks in english in school

Hope you can imagine what I want to say [img]smile.gif[/img]

Silpion · 06-20-2002, 07:06 PM

@ Kakero:
It depends on the type of RAM.
You can put together '133 MHz SD-RAM' and '100 MHz SD-RAM' the 133 would then be slowed down to 100 (on most Mainboards I have seen, this may not apply to all).
But you can not put together different types of RAM, like SD-RAM and DDR-RAM. Nearly all mainboards support only one type of RAM.

MasterPooBaa · 06-20-2002, 08:56 PM

i have a fast PC... XP1800+ 512mb ram geforce2pro.
more than enough for wizardry.

but that quantity of ram is essentail for me. ive found my memory usage after a long gaming session to get as high as 415mb!!!
given that 100-128 is taken up with the system & utilities that means wizardry is consuming a whopping 300mb of ram.

one of the most memory hungry games ive come accross!

otter · 06-21-2002, 12:42 AM

yah, it's been described as having a 'memory leak'--it doesn't clean up after itself. Which is even worse if you have less RAM and it uses the HD a lot, it leaves a big mess.

06-20-2002, 03:28 AM	#1
armakh Manshoon Join Date: February 24, 2002 Location: Sidney, Nebraska Posts: 198	I was sick and tired of my games running slowly, so I went and got some more memory. Now I love wiz 8 even more....my machine doesn't lag in Arnika and anywhere else there are a lot of friendly guys. Automap isn't near as slow as I was used to grin __________________ Life is too serious to be taken seriously.

06-20-2002, 05:35 PM	#5
el_kalkylus Drizzt Do'Urden Join Date: March 3, 2001 Location: Stockholm, Sweden, Sweden Age: 44 Posts: 669	I am curious too. I have a K6 450 Mhz computer with velocity4400 graphic card and 256 MB RAM, and Arnika and Trynton still lags alot. __________________ Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.

06-20-2002, 08:56 PM	#9
MasterPooBaa Zhentarim Guard Join Date: April 15, 2002 Location: OZ! Age: 48 Posts: 332	i have a fast PC... XP1800+ 512mb ram geforce2pro. more than enough for wizardry. but that quantity of ram is essentail for me. ive found my memory usage after a long gaming session to get as high as 415mb!!! given that 100-128 is taken up with the system & utilities that means wizardry is consuming a whopping 300mb of ram. one of the most memory hungry games ive come accross! __________________ Today is a good day for SOMEONE ELSE to die!!!!!

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06-20-2002, 06:10 AM	#2
Kakero 40th Level Warrior Join Date: March 24, 2002 Posts: 10,215	I thought processor ( pentium/amd/celeron ) is what determine the speed of your games?

06-20-2002, 07:09 AM	#3
Silpion Dungeon Master Join Date: June 16, 2002 Location: . Posts: 62	Yeah, the CPU calculates, but it has to manage a lot information which is stored in the RAM. And if the RAM is filled up, the hard will be used which is very slow compared to the RAM.

06-20-2002, 04:01 PM	#4
catzenpewters Manshoon Join Date: March 11, 2001 Location: Victoria, BC, Canada Age: 52 Posts: 204	I'm curious as my computer lags a bit too. What amount of RAM did you go from and to?

06-20-2002, 06:54 PM	#6
Kakero 40th Level Warrior Join Date: March 24, 2002 Posts: 10,215	I'm just wondering, can 2 different brand of RAM put together into the same computer?

06-20-2002, 06:56 PM	#7
Silpion Dungeon Master Join Date: June 16, 2002 Location: . Posts: 62	Wizardry can not 'lag' [img]smile.gif[/img] 'Lag' can only appear in multiplayer games, it is an information delay between two or more computers. Perhaps you mean standing in Arnika, turning around and that what you see doesn't seem to move smooth? Well, that has to do with three things: Graphic card, CPU and RAM. All information like the position of enemies, what they do, all information about your Party and the game you are playing are stored in the RAM (until you save, then it is written to the hard disk). Now it's time for the CPU. It calculates nearly everything and changes the information in the RAM, e.g. when an enemy has noticed you or if you simply walk a step in any direction. From all this, it gives some information to the graphic card. These are information like all coordinates of polygons, all graphics, lightsources etc. The graphic card uses these information to calculate what you should see and puts out a signal to the monitor. When the game is now too slow, it could depend on the RAM, the CPU or the graphic card. If you have too less RAM, the CPU needs to store some information in the windows swap file on the hard disk which is slower than the RAM. You'll notice a lot of hard disk activity during gameplay if this happens. If your graphic card is too slow, it can't calculate fast enough what you should see and will skip frames, the game will run choppy. Same when you're CPU is too slow. Then the CPU can't give the needed information fast enough to the graphics card. 256 MB RAM should be enough, I wouldn't expect any improvents with more. CPU and graphic card... it seems that both are too slow. But if you buy a faster CPU, your graphic card will slow out the whole system. And if you buy a new graphic card you won't be able use its full speed because your CPU wouldn't be able to give it the necessary information fast enough. If I were you I wouldn't upgrade parts of this computer. Better save the money and buy a complete new system one day. Wizardry isn't a game in which you have to react in 0.1 seconds. It is still playable. [img]smile.gif[/img] PS1: I have nearly the same problem with my computer PS2: Sorry for the bad english, I've never had any good marks in english in school Hope you can imagine what I want to say [img]smile.gif[/img]

06-20-2002, 07:06 PM	#8
Silpion Dungeon Master Join Date: June 16, 2002 Location: . Posts: 62	@ Kakero: It depends on the type of RAM. You can put together '133 MHz SD-RAM' and '100 MHz SD-RAM' the 133 would then be slowed down to 100 (on most Mainboards I have seen, this may not apply to all). But you can not put together different types of RAM, like SD-RAM and DDR-RAM. Nearly all mainboards support only one type of RAM.

06-21-2002, 12:42 AM	#10
otter Elminster Join Date: March 26, 2002 Location: portland or Posts: 434	yah, it's been described as having a 'memory leak'--it doesn't clean up after itself. Which is even worse if you have less RAM and it uses the HD a lot, it leaves a big mess.

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