Memory-fix by Harkonnen is out!

[Yrth]

Just wanted to add my thanks here, too.

Harkonnen- as a matter of course, I always rename files rather than let them be overwritten, just in case I want to restore previous stuff. However, I was wondering if someone who allowed their zlib to be replaced, what would happen if he then removed the harkonnen.dll? Would they get errors because the zlib is looking for something they can't find?

Yrth

 

[Spekingur]

The original Zlib file can be downloaded from the first page of this thread.

Also, good fortunes to Harkonnen. May you be blessed with a response from Firaxis where displays of gratitude and job offering are in high regard. Thank you for your distribution to the Civ community.

 

[patrikj]

Thank you!

 

[oldStatesman]

jeannieANYBODY
How can I rename the thread? Editing post #1 title doesn't help and I see original title there...

You may try to contact the person who started the merged thread - they may be able to change the title...if not, as stated above, the mods/admin can.

 

[oldStatesman]

The original Zlib file can be downloaded from the first page of this thread.

Also, good fortunes to Harkonnen. May you be blessed with a response from Firaxis where displays of gratitude and job offering are in high regard. Thank you for your distribution to the Civ community.

Original zlib and python dll's can also be obtained at their respective sites (since they are open source 3rd party dll's that are available for anyone to use)

zlib:
http://www.zlib.net/zlib123-dll.zip

Python:

1) Download python version 2.4.2 from:
http://www.python.org/ftp/python/2.4.2/python-2.4.2.msi
2) Install Python 2.4.2, locate the python24.dll file in the c:\windows\system32 folder, and copy it to the Civ4 installation folder.
3) Uninstall Python 2.4.2 (Optional step, unless you want to keep the entire Python programming package installed)


(Thanks to CivIndeed for providing this info originally in his 'infamous' Security Leak Thread http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=141417 )

BTW, I assume Hark you are using the latest python24.dll...from version 2.4.2?

 

[Harkonnen]

oldStatesman
BTW, I assume Hark you are using the latest python24.dll...from version 2.4.2?
Yes. Well... was using when it started with python24.dll

All
The thread title is now fixed. Thanks to Thunderfall.

 

[weasel281]

Anyone,

What do I do to see how much memory Civ4 is using? I'd like to be able to track the successes and failures of Harkonnen's project on my machine. I'm very excited to try it out. I'm always amazed to read about the people like Harkonnen and Rhye who make the game better for all of us.

Anyone have some tips, or maybe some starting values for me to use?

Pentium 1.7GHz, 64 MB GeForce3 Ti200, 768MB RAM, WinXP SP2, Full-screen mode with frequent alt-tabbing

 

[weasel281]

double post

 

[Raggamuffin]

I have the following system:

P4 1.7
1024 RAM
GF 5500 256

and I have the settings at 120 with insane mode off. Tried on with no difference.

What would the optimal settings for me be? I have graphical setting at low in the game btw.

The reason I'm asking is that I haven't noticed much of the big improvements people have been reporting. The only thing I do notice for sure is that loading now is a bit better, but it was really good before as well. What I'm looking for is smoother scrolling and less funky animations in the late game.

 

[Harkonnen]

weasel281
Start task manager (e.g. ctrl-alt-del). Go to 'Processes' tab. Enter menu 'View' -> 'Select Columns'. Ensure 'Virtual Memory Size' is checked.

In that column you'll see how much is saved with or without my fix. I'd recommend profiling in windowed mode, especially with insane_mode = 1. It just gets faster and graphics remains uncorrupted when you get back to game.

As for your usual game-style (full-screen with frequent alt-tabbing), try using these values: 'vid_mem_usage = 32', 'insane_mode = 0'

Raggamuffin
Well, settings quite match your system. Do you experience any sluggishness right now? Does HDD blink a lot when you scroll the map?

If it's not and you are in the mid-age, anti-aliasing might be the problem. There's just too much geometry, especially if you fly high over the land or enter globe view - all of that affects anti-aliasing performance, I had to turn it off even with 9800 Pro, regardless of map size.

 

[Ginger_Ale]

One tiny question: will this do anything (GeForce2 video card, 64 MB) to make the intro movie / Baba Yetu song run smoother? Right now, they stutter a bit...

 

[oldStatesman]

One tiny question: will this do anything (GeForce2 video card, 64 MB) to make the intro movie / Baba Yetu song run smoother? Right now, they stutter a bit...

Can't speak for anyone but myself, but this patch did smooth out the intro movie. Wonder movies still stutter - but I have not had time to play with the Hark .ini settings to optimize for my system. Using insane=1 and 180. (1GB RAM, ATI9550 256MB Card).

 

[sgrig]

I've been playing with this fix for a total of about 10 hours now, and now I can actually play on large maps without any problems.

However I had two Blue Screen crashes over this time. I never had any crashes like this before. I didn't write down the precise numbers which appeared on the blue screen, but it did mention nv4_disp.dll - which is the Nvidia display driver.

As I said before I have a Nvidia 5200 with 64MB RAM and 512 MB system RAM. I use the patch with vid_mem_usage = 30 and insane_mode = 1.

The crashes are too rare to be much of a problem, but I'm still a bit concerned now.

 

[Harkonnen]

Ginger_Ale
Well, I'm not sure... Anyway, if you try, it will be much appreciated since you are the 1st GF2 user on my memory with this fix.

Try 'vid_mem_usage = 32', 'insane_mode = 0'

 

[Harkonnen]

sgrig
'insane_mode = 0' might help at cost of 32Mb physical memory usage which isn't worth caring of... So just set it to 0.

 

[jeannie]

Hi - I installed the patch, followed the steps in your post (skipping step 1). I'm running Windows XP Home with an ATI 9200 Radeon card, half a gig of memory.

After I play my game for a few turns, the pictures of the AI leaders disappear, the 'graph' that shows points vs time for the civs disappears, sometimes the background civ screen is all white when I pull up one of the 'advisor' windows. If I save the game, quit, restart CIV4, the problem disappears, but within a few more turns it happens again. Any clue why this is happening?

I thought I had posted this message a few hours ago, but now I don't see it. Thanks in advance.

 

[Acidpoptart]

THANK YOU HARKONNEN! You have fixed up almost all of my performance issues with the game. I am in love with Civ4 again.

 

[Harkonnen]

jeannie

One or two or all 3 should help (in order of relevance).

1) Set textures to 'low' in game options (there are two places - textures quality and 'low 1resolutions' textures checkbox), restart the game, try it.

2) Reduce 'vid_mem_usage' in Harkonnen.ini down to 50, start the game, try it.

3) Set 'insane_mode = 0' in Harkonnen.ini, start the game, try it

Most probably the 1st step will help on its own, if not - try adding 2nd step. If still not - try 3rd step.

(note that if you would have 1Gb of memory, 'low textures' step would be numbered 3)

Acidpoptart
Thank you too! and also all others who (after successful fix application) have found time to get out of the game and reply back with their good results!

 

[I_batman]

I know I don't how to do it, but I would be curious to see a poll posted on how many people have used this patch, and how many it has improved play for.

I have also noticed how strangely silent all those people who have said" the game engine is perfect, and any problems lie with the user and their computer", have been.

Well done Harkonnen, well done.

 

[kettyo]

Anyone,
What do I do to see how much memory Civ4 is using? I'd like to be able to track the successes and failures of Harkonnen's project on my machine. I'm very excited to try it out. I'm always amazed to read about the people like Harkonnen and Rhye who make the game better for all of us.

There is a program called 'Cacheman XP'.
It's best for this purposes.
It can place an icon on your system tray that tells you every time how much free RAM you have.
When you open the prog it tells you how many RAM each process takes, how much memory is used by your system, how much virtual memory is allocated and used (not the same) out of the pagefile.

So great prog. Recommend it.
It also has automatic system-optimization option and auto-ram-recovery (i don't use this).