Memory-fix by Harkonnen is out!

[Walter Hawkwood]

can't use this patch, getting this errormessage:

Me too! The same one. System specs

Pentium 4 3.2 GHz
SiS-649
Geforce 6600 (256 M, PCI-Exp)
1 GB RAM

 

[jdurg]

Hey Hark,
Perhaps in the next release you could update the Readme file to explain the vid_mem_usage part of it a bit clearer. I've read through the thread and the documentation, but I still really don't have a solid grasp on what that setting does. Something that would explain the difference between having it set at 32, or 64, or 80, or 180 would be a great help in allowing us to set it at the proper level.

I can't remember the poster's name, but in regards to a dual core processor, unless the software is specifically written to take advantage of the two cores you won't see any real improvement in performance. In reality, you have just as great a chance of a decrease in performance as you do an increase. (As Windows decides which thread to run on which processor core, etc. etc). Something like Photoshop works MUCH better on a dual core system because the software is written to take advantage of such a setup. Games really haven't gotten to that point yet.

 

[Harkonnen]

Lary33
I am sorry, but you do not provide enough details to help you... What do you mean by not being able to load it? Do you see autosaves? If yes - what happens when you select it and then press load? (I mean in-game menu of course)

jansip
This won't be easy for Firaxis to put it into MAC. AFAIK, it'll need OpenGL recoding to use MAC. And probably recoding my patch for OpenGL (and MAC ) too

OneFootInThe...
Well, games are mostly single-threaded, and with all processing (geometry and rasterization) at GPU, dual CPU core won't benefit... Even more, some people avoided CTDs by simply setting 'SyncInput = 0'. That means that the game probably has some threading issues, so it may even become worse in terms of stability with dual core...

Danb
Try reducing 'vid_mem_usage' to 20 or 30... But better, wait 30-40 minutes until I release an update in my next post in this thread.

xatharas
I will put an update in about 30-40 minutes which will show me if I am on the right track. In case I am, installer version should be coming next week (monday-tuesday I hope).

AZSportsFan
Well, if you have no swapping, my fix might be of no use. On the other hand, civ4 overuses video memory as well, so you still might have improvements. Globe view will be fixed in the next release as this will require game-affine tweaks (disabling buildings). So far it was pretty universal solution for any game with unpexpectably high resource allocations.

Wallabulla
If you have ATi Tray Tools or xFire running, just shut them off. If you don't, please send file 'c:\hook.dat' to headden@karelia.ru

Walter Hawkwood
You too. The same one

jdurg
Well, all you need is to not overestimate your video memory for textuers + geometry. Textures range in 30-60 Mb (depends on settings), the rest should be fed to geometry buffers. The update (my next post) will adjust 'vid_mem_usage' automatically. Just wait a couple of minutes if you're online now.

I actually bind everything down to a single thread just because

a) There's single video card anyway (SLI is virtually a single device too)

b) I don't know what threading issues does civ4 have. As long as 'SyncInput = 0' solved some CTDs, I'd rather follow single-threaded model.

 

[SCarton]

and only 512-768Mb people should care about it. Probably 1Gb too, but less.

Really, everyone should care. Saving 350 MB of RAM is saving 350 MB of RAM whether you have 512 MB or 4 GB onboard. The only difference is the guys with the large amounts of memory wouldn't see the improvement as clearly without opening up the Task Manager.

 

[Harkonnen]

SCarton
Just that causes problems with alt-tabbing and someone has golden/green ships. So 'insane_mode' has some cost... Also, it is a little slower than non-insane mode, so it should be used when it swap without, but stops swapping with (I mean insane_mode).

 

[Wallabulla]

thank alot Harkonnen, I closed ATI Tray Tools, and now it works
What's the reason for this?

 

[Gaias]

@Harkonnen

Ok maybe a FAQ isn't really require as it isn't complex to install or adjust. But seeing how you wish to help everyone with problem (kudos to you for doing that ), maybe you should make some standardize questionaire that people could use. What I mean by that is you could make some questions that are plainly written for people to understand and for you to gather the right information about what their problem is more specifically.

Something like;

1. What are your computer specifications?
a. CPU model
b. RAM size
c. Grapics card
d. etc

2. What, if any, pop up windows are being display at the event of an error?

I really don't know if such a questionaire is really appliable to this or not, I just wanted to help by giving some suggestful ideas.

Anyways (again and again again...) for taking the time and effort to creating a most smooth and stable gaming environment.

 

[Walter Hawkwood]

I run no xFire, and it would be quite strange for me to use ATI tray tools with nVidia card. So, this can't be the reason. Shutting down nVidia tray utility didn't help too. And there is no hook.dat file anywhere (not only in C:\, but also full system search didn't find no traces); the only file I could catch is the one .txt generated upon actual error. Oh, and the stuff in the error popup:

AppName: civilization4.exe AppVer: 1.0.9.1722 ModName: patchbyharkonnen.dll
ModVer: 0.0.0.0 Offset: 00003d00

 

[Harkonnen]

Wallabulla
Well, ATi tray tools rehooks constantly (it doesn't perform single-shot hooking as I do), so once hooked function is called, we start calling each other until the stack dies... There will be FPS meter in the update I am about to release in minutes (just got some rest with the forum). If that was the reason for running ATI Tray Tools, you'll see it there.

Gaias
Well, most of that info is available by automatic detection (in installer version). Questions will be more about 'insane_mode', and those questions usually have strict yes/no answer, and they are about gaming style, not about system stuff.

 

[Harkonnen]

Walter Hawkwood
Hmm... Ok, I will check original source for given offset (thanks, it really helps), and see what may be causing it.

So far 'insane_mode = 1' may cause it, try setting '0' if you didn't try that yet.

 

[Walter Hawkwood]

Walter Hawkwood
Hmm... Ok, I will check original source for given offset (thanks, it really helps), and see what may be causing it.

So far 'insane_mode = 1' may cause it, try setting '0' if you didn't try that yet.

Tried many settings, including different used memory amounts and turning insane mode on and off. Oh, and killing almost all running processes except system ones didn't help either. I'm starting to get desperate...

 

[CivalGanjaman]

thanks for making such a tool, i havnt downloaded it yet so i am waiting for your update, is that coming tonight still or has it already come?

Mine has no problems i dont think, never crashed or anything and not much slowdown. I just hope it will be able to remove that slowdown as it annoys me even though the game is still playable.

Am i right in thinking it has a chance?

 

[kettyo]

Updated version will contain only 'insane_mode', and only 512-768Mb people should care about it. Probably 1Gb too, but less.

1Gig systems do benefit from insane mode because it gets rid of swapping very effectively. So 1GB RAM computers might not crash even without insane mode but will be a lot faster scrolling through the map without swapping with insane on.

For instance your save do swaps in my 1Gig system without insane and not with insane (and proper vidmem setting)

 

[Danb]

can't use this patch, getting this errormessage:



System specs:
AMD 3200+
ASUS a7n8x rev2
1 GB ram
ATI 800XL

i' ve also the same problem but i don't have an ati graphic card, but an nvidia fx 5600.....
i have to decrease the video mem to 140-150???

 

[sumoworm]

As a tribute I added to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civilization_IV the following:

A recent user-created utility program by Harkonnen dramatically increase the speed of the game and reduces the amount of crashes. This fix proves that Firaxis released a game with a large memory leak and has thus far been unwilling to fix it. The patch is available to download at [7] and Harkonnen has spent hundreds of hours in the associated thread helping users of his patch be able to play the game.

I hope firaxis will read it and be embarrased.

My weird keyboard bug btw just went away on its own, I assume it was just a freak glitch!

 

[CivalGanjaman]

umm did i miss the update you mentioned being put up in 30-40 minutes earlier. Im not rushing you just wanna try it and been foruming (well read upto page 9 of this thread and every page makes me wanna download it more) whilst waiting.

 

[kettyo]

As a tribute I added to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civilization_IV the following:



I hope firaxis will read it and be embarrased.

My weird keyboard bug btw just went away on its own, I assume it was just a freak glitch!

For the sake of reality it doesn't seem to be a memory leak but rather general memory overuse by the 3D engine.

Harky

I don't know if it helps but Ati's Catalyst Control Center has an option to turn on so called 'geometry instancing' which should help with same geometry models used multiple times in a 3D area such as trees.
I don't know how it works just pointing that out.
I know nothing about 3D programming actually

 

[Smidlee]

What I wanted to ask is if anyone has made any tests with CPU power. It is obvious that faster clock is better, but what are the effects of dual core CPU's on the game speed?

I have a duel CPU's but it seems only runs half speed with civ4 (50%). Probably the only advantage running civ4 with a duel CPU (and 2GB of ram) is I don't have to worry about having something running in the background. For example, I can both play Civ4 and have my anti-virus scan my PC at the same time.

 

[wdreamsmaycome]

1Gig systems do benefit from insane mode because it gets rid of swapping very effectively. So 1GB RAM computers might not crash even without insane mode but will be a lot faster scrolling through the map without swapping with insane on.

For instance your save do swaps in my 1Gig system without insane and not with insane (and proper vidmem setting)

actually I have 2 gigs of ram and without insane_mode = 1 I haven't been able to load harkonnen's savegame without a bluescreen in nv4_disp.dll

 

[CombatWombat]

Any ideas on the low-mem card front? I have a Ti4200 (64mb) and after tweaking lots of vid_mem numbers in your patch the best I could get was a net-loss of 1-2fps as recorded by FRAPS. (using insane_mode 1 and vid_mem 32) I havnt even been able to play long enough to see if it crashes in the late game thanks to the unplayable rendering speeds.

I dont expect this card to run HUGE maps with 18 AI's and high graphics... but I'm trying SMALL maps with 2 or so AI's. It seems as soon as there are alot of tree/jungle tiles on the screen the entire thing bogs. (single digit frame rates around 0AD)

The card IS above the recommended (not minimum specs). Am I crazy for expecting a game to work with the specs they suggest?

Appreciate your efforts. It's a shame the fans have to fix a half-baked 3d-engine.

Full system specs:
Athlon 2400+
512mb
ti4200 (i have tried 3 sets of drivers, the Omega ones worked best)

Mostly just posting as a show of support.