Memory-fix by Harkonnen is out!

[Bast]

Bast
You are probably checking the wrong column in task manager. Mem_usage is amount of physical memory which civ4 recently accessed. This is not total amount of allocations made which I reduce. Total number of allocations is shown by 'VM_Size' (virtual memory size) column which is not shown by default. You should go to 'view->options' in task manager to turn it on. Slow globe view might be the problem because a lot of geometry is unloaded from video memory by that time. Setting 'insane_mode = 0' might help, but it will decrease memory savings.

Thanks. Is there a way for the insane mode and vid mem settings to set automatically? Because this could be why it's not working out for me.

Congrats on 100k views and Merry Christmas!

 

[Harkonnen]

Bast
I tried to make them automatic with intermediate release and with the 2nd one (which failed yet at my side). So, as said, I will make installer with what we all have now, just a wizard in installer version should guide people to make decisions about vid_mem_usage and stuff.

 

[DanoDavid]

I forgot to mention that this error occurs when i double click saved games as i usually start my civ4. Start civ4 and then load game is no problem.

fare well

 

[Harkonnen]

DanoDavid
Version at post #640 has this problem fixed and it has FPS meter. Though, its memory-saving behavior is a little different. Better for some, worse for others... you may give it a try.

Installer version will contain both methods, will have no 'Harkonnen.ini' problem and will have FPS meter.

 

[Pratputajao]

I know this is a real stupid question.... But I just want to play the damn game!-- How do I know the patch is working? I think I have installed it, but I am not sure it is working.

 

[arioch99]

Hark and All

I noticed the white eyelids and blurry icons went away when I unchecked 'low res textures' in the graphics options.

I'm using a GeForce4 MX 440 (64mb) card.

Hark I'm going to right up a more detailed observation on your patch later; but I'm getting a 35mb savings and 15fps in normal game mode; standard map; 32mb; fullscreen; insane mode = 0

Thanks,
Frank

I can confirm that MxxPwr, I've turned low res textures off and now all my graphic problem seem to be solved. I Can see the graph in info screen and I can see the leader correctly in the diplomacy. This change don't seem to have any effect on my performance, my game is still more fast than before patch.

thanks MxxPwr for this tips Now I've a Fully funtionnal Civilization IV.

 

[Harkonnen]

Still I wonder if this is "patch+low" or just "low" causes the problem Will test myself of course...

Pratputajao
One of methods is to run it in windowed mode and see if Civilization IV window title contains something with word 'Harkonnen'.

 

[Pratputajao]

Thanks I'll check it out. Thank you so much for your hard work! On the one hand I am certaintly glad we have people like you around who will not wait for others to fix the problem; though on the other it is kind of a shame for anyone who bought the game, and is not on Firaxis' payroll, to have to do this! They should have addressed this in the first patch! People cant play the game.

Anyway, Thanks again. Firaxis owes you!!!!!!

 

[NeoPolus]

Thrallia

Harkonnen
my saved game that was having that issue with gunships disappearing sometimes.

I had that kind of problem on one of my games: I created like 6 ships/submarines and let them autoexplore... some turns later only 3 remained and one of them was stuck under the south pole ice (yeah, it was not on the sea but on a ground square!). (And of course, they weren't destroyed by other ships... they just disappeared without saying bye)

But this happened on the original version of the game (without 1.09 update and without Harkonnen fix). I haven't had this issues since updated to 1.09 (but I don't let them autoexplore anymore).


Harkonnen

My machine: Athlon 2500+ / 1GB / ATI 9600 Pro 256MB (Windows XP SP2, 5.11 ATI drivers). Using vid_mem_usage = 256, insane_mode = 1 on post #640 patch.

I'm currently playing an epic game, at 1911ac I'm having about 280MB memory savings!!
Civ4 is still using 450-500MB of memory, but it doesn't cause any swapping so it plays nicely (well 25fps zoomed in, 12fps zoomed out, 3.4fps globe view at 1280x1024).

The only issue I have is that ALT-TAB does not work, since I get the black terrain problem; but I noticed something about this problem: after alt-tabbing back to Civ4 the saved memory dropped about 80MBs and the framerate dropped to half.

 

[arioch99]

Still I wonder if this is "patch+low" or just "low" causes the problem Will test myself of course...

The problem seem "patch+low" because last week I've tried patch_on = 0 and let setting to low res texture to on and I've no problem with the graphic. I can see all the things. But like I said for me, this don't affect performance, so isn't a problem for me to turn low res to off. Althought this can be a problem for others around here.

Again great work Harkonnen you do a huge work and we all appreciate it, I'm sure.

 

[Briareos]

The only issue I have is that ALT-TAB does not work, since I get the black terrain problem; but I noticed something about this problem: after alt-tabbing back to Civ4 the saved memory dropped about 80MBs and the framerate dropped to half.

Well, that's the way insane_mode=1 works - set it to 0, and you should be able to Alt-TAB out as much as you like...

 

[Harkonnen]

I will try to decommit video memory when I receive WM_ACTIVATE/0. This might make ALT-TABBING possible with 'insane_mode = 1' (though, it'll take time to ALT-TAB out).

 

[MetHimPikeHoses]

Harkonnen, I have used both of your patches so far, with clear results. Unfortunately, I have been playing with the civ.ini file as well, and have managed to slow things down again in CIV. Would you post your optimal civ.ini settings please?

 

[NeoPolus]

I will try to decommit video memory when I receive WM_ACTIVATE/0.

Wouldn't that make task switching slower also when on windowed mode? Currently with 1GB ram I can switch almost instantly between web-browser an civ4 when civ is on window mode.

 

[Ad Hominem]

Update for our local hero - Harkonnen the magnificent, the guy who tries hard to solve out CIV problems!

Once again, my specs

Athlons XP 3200+
GeForce 5900 XT 128 MB (latest drivers)
512 DDR 333 RAM
Windows XP Pro SP1


On the previous episode: I was using your first patch (the one that was 3 days ago on page 1) with great results (settings vidram 80, insane=1), up to a point. Playing a Huge map (inner sea) with 12 civs, all graph specs at "Low" and doing great up to the point I was close on getting to infantry. Up to this point my only problem was with the videos (sometimes they wouldn't even appear) and leaderheads (grey box). By this point I started to experience a relative slowdown.

I switched to the patch of post 640, and to my surprise I experienced a huge slowdown - I had barely above 1 fps and I barely managed to play a single turn in 15 minutes. I quit, and adjusted the vidmem to 128. And... voila! No more video problems (although they are kinda jerky) no more leaderhead problems and the game runs smooth as silk (well, ok, at 15-20 fps it ain't bad at all).

 

[Cepheus]

Thanks alot Harkonnen! It work's ! You are the best.

Cepheus

P.S.: I still can't believe that a private person can make a better patch than Firafax, who should know their own code!

 

[MxxPwr]

Still I wonder if this is "patch+low" or just "low" causes the problem Will test myself of course...

I've noticed it since build 109 (before your memory manager). But even there, that could be because 109 reset everything to as low as possible. Anybody still have build 100?

frank

 

[polyphemus]

It's taking me awhile to look for your response to one of my questions considering the fact that it's somewhere around page 20-something. COuld you maybe start a second thread, since this once is kinda packed. I know i would appreciate it and others would too considering the fact that it is almost impossible to navigate through this thread.

Polyphemus

 

[Harkonnen]

MetHimPikeHoses
Actually, there are none making big sense... 'SyncInput = 1' solved some CTDs for nVidia users, but others don't have any meaning.

I don't know what 'D3DQueries' does, but I asked everyone to set it to '1', so that we all are in the same situation (and probably civ4 will try to adjust itself better for D3D9).

'DynamicAnimPaging' should affect a lot from its name, but it does also nothing... I guess setting it to '0' will reduce in-game memory reallocations, so I have also recommended it.

'CutTreeRegions' decreases performance when set to 0 (and it's 1 by default), so I recommend retaining original '1' here.

 

[Harkonnen]

NeoPolus
I'll make it working as a selection: off, on, on for fullscreen only (default)

Ad Hominem
I was always trying to predict 'vid_mem_usage' as a general case, and always failed (patch from post #640 was one of such prediction failures). So (and installer will say same thing): don't hesitate playing with 'vid_mem_usage' if you are ready to spend some 10-20 minutes getting better (or worse ) performance.

Cepheus
Thanks! People with '1 posts' here mean a lot for me since this shows reason of registration

MxxPwr
You made me feeling a little better about this issue