Game freezes for a bit during every move

[I EAT CRAYONS]

I posted about this a while ago on the FF board (probably about a few months ago), but every time I move a unit the game freezes for a split second just as the move is being made and just before the move ends in RifE as well. I think it may just have to do with the sheer amount of content in the game, especially since the Civilopedia also freezes for a bit when I switch categories (and happened in FF as well). Is there any solution to this? This is a really nice modmod and I'd like to play through a game without being driven crazy.

 

[Nadrak]

This is a HW problem or lack of resources generally. Upgrade your PC or do fresh Win installation.

 

[I EAT CRAYONS]

I'm guessing this is a RAM problem--I only have 2 GB and 50% of it is taken up by Vista anyway. Would adding 2 more GB help?

Edit--In case it's not the RAM and some other part of my system, I have an AMD Athlon 64 X2 5600+ (2.9 GHz dual core) and a Radeon HD 4850.

 

[readercolin]

Slowdown can be from 2 things then. RAM (civ can eat up 2 gigs pretty good, especially on large maps), or 2nd, calling python. Valkrion tends to test new ideas in python before implementing them in the DLL. This has a few advantages (its faster to program, as there is no need to wait for the program to compile), but python is slower than C++. This means that if you move a stack of units and there is an autoacquire promotion or something similar that has been implemented via python, it may slow the game down as python runs the checks. More ram would probably also help this issue, though maybe not as much.

On a different note, you need to whip vista into shape. I have it taking up 30% of my ram on my laptop, and my laptop only has a gig. You really shouldn't let it use more than about 2/3 of a gig at most, less if you can get away with it. Get rid of all those useless things that are running in your start menu, DON'T USE NORTON (there are much better - and less intrusive - options available), and try to turn off other things in the background. This will free up both more ram, and more processing power. Closing down a number of the non-essential vista services would also help. Its been a while since I did mine, so I can't provide you the links right now, but there a few very good websites that provide you a list of things that you can shut down in your registry that will help improve your performance.

-Colin

 

[maglock]

I had this same slowdown happen from Turn 1 of FF! Any unit that moved had a slight, but annoyingly perceptible, wait before and after moving.

I figured that basically FF tried to do too much stuff per turn in python onMove functions. Haven't played any FF based mod since.

Back to stock FFh and Wildmana for me.

 

[Milaga]

This happened to me. I just got a new laptop. While it's actually pretty cheap, it's processor is much better than the desktop I have. The problem isn't really noticable on the laptop.

Vanilla FfH, however, simply flies. They did spend a lot of time optimizing FfH code in order to make sure it is efficient. Other mods are still building up their features so efficient coding takes a back seat to creativity.

 

[hbar]

I've had this issue since FF 0.51, it appeared rather suddenly (i.e. no problems with 0.50f or whatever the latest patch was). No problems with any other non-FFdll mod. My compy's not exactly screaming, but it has a 2.8 GHz processor, a GeForce 7800, and 4 gigs of ram under XP. Whatever it is, it was added between 0.50 and 0.51, and like maglock mentioned, it occurs from turn 1, regardless of settings and mapsize/number of civs.

And like maglock, its a game killer for me. Wildmana FTW!

 

[maglock]

Whatever it is, it was added between 0.50 and 0.51, and like maglock mentioned, it occurs from turn 1, regardless of settings and mapsize/number of civs.

And like maglock, its a game killer for me. Wildmana FTW!

Yes, I concur. I used to play FF right up to 0.50. Was perfectly fine other than the usual late game slowness you expect from a big mod. Easily solved by using small world and less AIs.

But as soon as 0.51 came out I had that slowdown bug from turn 1 and it drove me insane. I actually gave up playing Civ for awhile until just recently with the 7.20 Wild Mana.

I hope that Xienwolf and Vehem come back from their hiatus one day with a blazingly fast FF that blows away even stock FFH!

Until then,
Maglock

 

[Valkrionn]

Yes, I concur. I used to play FF right up to 0.50. Was perfectly fine other than the usual late game slowness you expect from a big mod. Easily solved by using small world and less AIs.

But as soon as 0.51 came out I had that slowdown bug from turn 1 and it drove me insane. I actually gave up playing Civ for awhile until just recently with the 7.20 Wild Mana.

I hope that Xienwolf and Vehem come back from their hiatus one day with a blazingly fast FF that blows away even stock FFH!

Until then,
Maglock

They aren't really on Hiatus (well, Vehem seems to be during the school year; He's a teacher), Xienwolf is actually rebuilding all of the FfH code to run faster. He has a job in a lab and a baby, so free time is a bit sparse, but he IS working on it.

And yes, I have every hope that their new version will be amazing.

 

[Hephaistos]

I have the same problem here and I got a decent enough 4 gig ram quadcore desktop. I really wanted to try this modmod but I guess I'm stuck waiting for a faster version (or a better pc).

 

[Valkrionn]

I have the same problem here and I got a decent enough 4 gig ram quadcore desktop. I really wanted to try this modmod but I guess I'm stuck waiting for a faster version (or a better pc).

That is fixed for the next version. In fact, it's just a minor python fix... So I've attached a file that should work.

Place this in Rise from Erebus/Assets/Python/Screens. Should be replacing a file when you do it.

Enjoy.

 

[hbar]

actually, the problem has been found, it is a small chunk of code that can be commented out (presumeably) without errors. I'll go look for it and in the meantime Valk will ninja me...here it is!

You'll have to edit it yourself for now, but that's something everyone should learn. just open the file (what file you say? I'm not actually sure...) with a text editor (notepad works fine) and add a # before the lines you want to comment out.

EDIT: Ha! I knew it!

 

[Valkrionn]

actually, the problem has been found, it is a small chunk of code that can be commented out (presumeably) without errors. I'll go look for it and in the meantime Valk will ninja me...here it is!

You'll have to edit it yourself for now, but that's something everyone should learn. just open the file (what file you say? I'm not actually sure...) with a text editor (notepad works fine) and add a # before the lines you want to comment out.

EDIT: Ha! I knew it!

Would you believe that making my post involved finding the same old post, and making the change in a version of the MainInterface file that would be compatible with 1.23?

And yet I still ninja'd you.

 

[Divvu]

Wow, sorry to re-resurrect this thread, but I had to post this...

I just added the file Valk posted in my 374 turns game and... Wow... just wow... How did I manage to live without all this time? Thanks for the "stealth" patch

Ps: Incidentally I also have a question. I have a bit of a slowdown when I hoover the cursor over a large stack of units, could someone tell me what is causing that?
Just curious, mind you! i'm starting to think I am the only one experiencing this

Still, thanks again for the python, it makes a HUGE difference

 

[Valkrionn]

Yeah, that one little change actually makes the game feel MUCH faster.

The slowdown would likely be it generating the tooltip... But you'd have to have a massive stack for that.

 

[Divvu]

But you'd have to have a massive stack for that.

Well... I wouldn't call it a "massive" stack... Immortal/deity levels AI can really muster impressive (100+) stacks, given time, and the slowdown appears much earlier

Still, thanks for the answer, I've actually became quite able "avoiding" stacks with the cursor, and when I have to attack I simply move my units with the numpad.
But I was curious

 

[CarnivalBizarre]

Wow! This really makes a world of difference. I had gotten so used to it that I really thought it was a civ4 bug rather than a FF bug.

This is so huge it should be posted in the download post, right Valkrionn?

 

[Valkrionn]

Well... I wouldn't call it a "massive" stack... Immortal/deity levels AI can really muster impressive (100+) stacks, given time, and the slowdown appears much earlier

Still, thanks for the answer, I've actually became quite able "avoiding" stacks with the cursor, and when I have to attack I simply move my units with the numpad.
But I was curious

I'll try putting a 50-100 unit stack together, see if I get the slowdown.

Wow! This really makes a world of difference. I had gotten so used to it that I really thought it was a civ4 bug rather than a FF bug.

This is so huge it should be posted in the download post, right Valkrionn?

Actually, the bit of code which caused it IS in Civ4. The only reason we suffered from it was the sheer amount of promotions we have, caused by so many effect promos... Xienwolf made them too useful to pass up.

As for it in the download thread.... No. I'd have to make a new installer for that, otherwise I'd have to field too many questions about how to install it. Always do, when there's no installer. Even with instructions. 1.3 should be out in a week or two, so I'm not too worried about it. Anyone who's really bothered can find it here.

 

[Divvu]

I'll try putting a 50-100 unit stack together, see if I get the slowdown.

If you want some unofficial playtest (since I'm not in the testers team...) ask me and I'll do wathever you need...

1.3 should be out in a week or two

Woot!
Stealth-patch and Stealth-ETA all in one thread!

 

[Valkrionn]

Well, the 'stealth-ETA' is extremely tentative, and depends on how much free time I have. Need to find a summer job, as I'm apparently only taking one course (C++) this summer... College doesn't offer the other ones I need over the summer.