STALKER, wtf?!!

[imperialreign]

Just got ahold of STALKER and can't get it to run worth a crap on my system . . . and considering I've been able to manage Crysis at med/high settings, I'm conmpletely confounded!

When the game runs, it looks nice as hell; but it only manages to run decent for about 5min before all hell breaks lose and the system locks up . . .

and, for the life of me, I can't figure out how to get the video and audio in synch; I've managed to get it close, but still the audio lags behind the video a second or so . . . kinda irritating, TBH.

 

[Jess Stingray]

What AntiVirus are you using? I had the same problems when I used any Symantec Problem. Over to NOD32 - no problems.

 

[imperialreign]

What AntiVirus are you using? I had the same problems when I used any Symantec Problem. Over to NOD32 - no problems.

Trend Micro PC-Cillin Internet Security 08


But, it's completely disabled when I'm gaming, same with my i-net connection - unless I'm MPing.

 

[lemonadesoda]

I'm running Q6600 on AGP X800SE and 2GB, and it is 100% ok. Keep trying.

 

[Jess Stingray]

Trend Micro PC-Cillin Internet Security 08


But, it's completely disabled when I'm gaming, same with my i-net connection - unless I'm MPing.

I disablecd Symantec AV when I ran it, and it still hated it.

 

[3870x2]

Install the latest drivers for your computer, which im sure you already have, most importantly the new patch 1.006 that just came out for stalker, and your video card drivers. Also, what is your fps before it locks up? usually a lockup means that something is overheating, or something of the like. If you are overclocking your card, be careful. Also, stalker is very cpu intensive, and quad cores arent really gaming directed cpus. I never said they were bad, but a 6750 stock beats a 6600 stock on gaming, and single application loading, and costs 60 dollars less. There just isnt enough support for the quad cores ATM. I would also run Stalker in Safe mode. Safe mode can be done by the in game command prompt, or if you want to just disable all the graphic effects and put everything on low, and play for a while. If it doesnt lock up at that point, then one of the settings is messing you up. In that case, i would say upgrade to a newer video card. I see that you have the best of the best of the 1xxx series(Oh, i remember how much i wanted that card when i was in college, but i was so poor, and couldnt afford it.) Let me know what happens, because my need for speed underground 2 does the same thing after about 8 minutes. (old game i know)

 

[WhiteLotus]

yea i would try the patch out on stalker i cant see how its more graphically demanding than crysis so i think that can rule out your cards.

 

[francis511]

You lose your savegames if you use the patches !!!

 

[imperialreign]

Install the latest drivers for your computer, which im sure you already have, most importantly the new patch 1.006 that just came out for stalker, and your video card drivers. Also, what is your fps before it locks up? usually a lockup means that something is overheating, or something of the like. If you are overclocking your card, be careful. Also, stalker is very cpu intensive, and quad cores arent really gaming directed cpus. I never said they were bad, but a 6750 stock beats a 6600 stock on gaming, and single application loading, and costs 60 dollars less. There just isnt enough support for the quad cores ATM. I would also run Stalker in Safe mode. Safe mode can be done by the in game command prompt, or if you want to just disable all the graphic effects and put everything on low, and play for a while. If it doesnt lock up at that point, then one of the settings is messing you up. In that case, i would say upgrade to a newer video card. I see that you have the best of the best of the 1xxx series(Oh, i remember how much i wanted that card when i was in college, but i was so poor, and couldnt afford it.) Let me know what happens, because my need for speed underground 2 does the same thing after about 8 minutes. (old game i know)

Yeah, she's been patched to v1.006, all my hardware drivers are current.

The audio/video synch was driving me absolutely nuts yesterday - spent a good 1.5 hours trying to sort that out. After install, the audio was about a good 5 seconds behind the video during the into cutscene; I had to bump the audio hardware acceleration down a tick, and I swapped out the eax.dll from the bin\ directory with a newer library file (would you believe the eax.dll that's installed with the game is a version from 2001?!). Synch is close now, but still a bit out . . .

Once the game starts, FPS is about 38-45, with all graphics options maxed out; reducing IQ in the game's options panel doesn't seem to affect FPS too much, which I thought was a bit odd . . . but it runs smoothly for a few minutes, then the display slowly turns into a slideshow, and then it hangs and I've got to reboot the system . . .

I was kinda poking around some of the STALKER forums on the i-net, and it seems there's a ton of "quirks" with this game . . . IDK, I guess worst case scenario would be that I have to put it aside until I upgrade my video hardware in a few months, but I'm fairly certain these 2 cards can handle it . . . something else must be going on . . .

 

[DaedalusHelios]

You lose your savegames if you use the patches !!!

He probably didn't get very far if he could only play 5 minutes at a time.

 

[DOM]

have you tryed everthing at stock speeds volts cpu, ram gpu etc. ?

 

[DaedalusHelios]

Stalker has this problem where it fills a buffer and crashes. I had the same problem before I fixed it. You need to change it so it addresses more memory. By default it only addresses up to 1GB of Ram. Let it address up to 1.5GB or more, and you will not have this problem. It worked for me back when the game came out.

 

[DOM]

Stalker has this problem where it fills a buffer and crashes. I had the same problem before I fixed it. You need to change it so it addresses more memory. By default it only addresses up to 1GB of Ram. Let it address up to 1.5GB or more, and you will not have this problem. It worked for me back when the game came out.

it always use more then 1gb with me like 1.5+

 

[DaedalusHelios]

it always use more then 1gb with me like 1.5+

Its in the program. If you surpass the buffer limit it crashes. I set it to 3GB in my gaming rig.

If we throw it in google you will find it.

 

[imperialreign]

have you tryed everthing at stock speeds volts cpu, ram gpu etc. ?

well, CPU is still at stock speeds, as I haven't started touching it yet - the 2 1950's have been flashed to a 5% OC . . . but if they can handle Crysis without going nuclear on me . . .

Stalker has this problem where it fills a buffer and crashes. I had the same problem before I fixed it. You need to change it so it addresses more memory. By default it only addresses up to 1GB of Ram. Let it address up to 1.5GB or more, and you will not have this problem. It worked for me back when the game came out.

what's this you speak of?

 

[DOM]

Its in the program. If you surpass the buffer limit it crashes. I set it to 3GB in my gaming rig.

If we throw it in google you will find it.

I never missed with mine and it would only crash if the OC wasnt stable for the cpu mem or gpu

 

[DOM]

well, CPU is still at stock speeds, as I haven't started touching it yet - the 2 1950's have been flashed to a 5% OC . . . but if they can handle Crysis without going nuclear on me . . .

well havent played Crysis anymore but Stalker gets everything hot like if i was running prime on samll and the gpu on fur

 

[DaedalusHelios]

http://www.tweakguides.com/STALKER_1.html

That should include the memory tweak. Its a pretty complete guide.

Its for the latest version of Stalker. Updated this month!

 

[DaedalusHelios]

I never missed with mine and it would only crash if the OC wasnt stable for the cpu mem or gpu

What resolution do you play it at?

 

[DOM]

What resolution do you play it at?

1680x1050 Y?

 

[DaedalusHelios]

I guess the problem might only show up with 1600x1200 and higher.

I played through it at 1920x1200 with highest settings and 4xAA on my HTPC. And I tweaked the memory because I only had 2GB DDR2 1066Mhz @1200Mhz

Before the memory tweak it would crash every hour or so. But after the tweak it was good 24/7 at high frames.

HTPC:
E6750 @3.4Ghz
MSI Neo2-FR (P35)
OCZ platinum DDR2-1066Mhz @1200Mhz 5-5-5-15
Artic Freezer 7
Cooler Master Cosmos 1000
8800gt w/VF900@740Mhz Core and 1850 shader
Samsung Spinpoint 2x 500GB SATA2 Raid0
X-Fi XtremeMusic
Logitech Z5300 5.1 THX System
Samsung 65" DLP 1920x1200
Vista x86 Ultimate SP1
SATA Lite-On Bluray Drive, Philips SATA DVD DL

 

[imperialreign]

MEM issue, do you mean make use of the -noprefetch command line? Can't seem to find anything specific in the tweakguide

Anyhow, my resolution in-game is set to 1280x960 for the time being, at least until I can see how it's actually running before I try to bump the res up

 

[DaedalusHelios]

MEM issue, do you mean make use of the -noprefetch command line? Can't seem to find anything specific in the tweakguide

Anyhow, my resolution in-game is set to 1280x960 for the time being, at least until I can see how it's actually running before I try to bump the res up

It might have been addressed already in the latest patch but I wanted to show you that even with a pretty well tuned computer you will also have a hurdle or two to overcome before its smooth sailing.

I was assuming it was the same hurdle.

It was a shot in the dark because I experienced the same issues before the game would crash.

I will look for the specific tweak I used. Sorry if it wasn't there. Its somewhere on the internet.

 

[knowledge123]

hey DaedalusHelios,

Is this the tweak you were referring to ?

More details here.

 

[DaedalusHelios]

hey DaedalusHelios,

Is this the tweak you were referring to ?

More details here.

Yes, but for stalker. Your link said Supreme Commander in the discription.