Guild Wars 2

So I got guild wars 2 not long ago because it really seemed like it would be “The game that toppled World Of Warcraft”. I don’t play WOW though (I’m not willing to pay 15$ month, or 180$ a year for a game), so I didn’t really experience it. Anyways, this game was TREMENDOUS fun. And I mean tremendous! Those huge towering bosses that everyone rallies up to beat, those rewarding quests, the varied locations. It was all a shock to my system really. But now onto the main topic of this thread.

So I’m running this game on a decent system I guess. Here are the specs:
-GeForce GT 650m with 1GB of GDDR5 memory
-Intel core i7 3720QM
-8GB RAM
And the frame rate I’m getting is absolutely horrible (In my opinion). I have most settings on medium-low and maybe one on high and I’m getting anywhere from 20-49 FPS with 30-39 being my average when I’m out and about. I thought I could tolerate this extremely annoying frame rate, but 100 hours later, I just could not stand it. This is weird, since I tried the Diablo III and WOW starter editions and the performance I got was spectacular! In Diablo III, I would max everything (except for shadows. Those are on medium) and get what would look like 60 FPS (or 50-60, I don’t really know since I haven’t checked.). And on WOW, I’d get CONSTANT 60 FPS on the good settings preset (which I like to crank up to high). Is this a problem of “My system isn’t good enough”, or is this game just badly optimized? And if it is, should I take a break and wait for a performance update, or should I move on? Since I have my eyes on SWTOR at the moment. Up until now, my first impression of MMOs has been horrible. And I really hope that this problem isn’t because of my system.

Please, put your thoughts to words, as well as give me advice if you want to. Thank you for reading, and for any future posts. Have a great day/evening :p

since last patch everything is kittened up. Low FPS and a lot of us are getting lots of crashes.

it used to run Great buti dont how Anet did this but kitten they failed kitten this patch

Laptops are never “decent” gaming systems, the problem with GW2 is that there is a single thread that bottlenecks everything, and laptop CPU’s, while they might be quadcore+ are far lower clocked on each thread than their desktop counterparts, so running a lower clocked CPU on a game that requires fewer, but higher clocked threads is just asking for bottlenecks and lower FPS. It has never really been talked about by anyone with any say on if this will be fixed, however, I would not count on any major fix for this problem as it is very large and would require allot of programming to fix. So if we do see a fix for it, it will probably be at the same time we get the expansion.

So, lower settings and try to see what gives a FPS boost, or get a desktop, or cross your fingers that they are listening and fix this problem in the expansion or sooner.

MrTheBigBadMe.9213:

So I got guild wars 2 not long ago because it really seemed like it would be “The game that toppled World Of Warcraft”. I don’t play WOW though (I’m not willing to pay 15$ month, or 180$ a year for a game), so I didn’t really experience it. Anyways, this game was TREMENDOUS fun. And I mean tremendous! Those huge towering bosses that everyone rallies up to beat, those rewarding quests, the varied locations. It was all a shock to my system really. But now onto the main topic of this thread.

So I’m running this game on a decent system I guess. Here are the specs:
-GeForce GT 650m with 1GB of GDDR5 memory
-Intel core i7 3720QM
-8GB RAM
And the frame rate I’m getting is absolutely horrible (In my opinion). I have most settings on medium-low and maybe one on high and I’m getting anywhere from 20-49 FPS with 30-39 being my average when I’m out and about. I thought I could tolerate this extremely annoying frame rate, but 100 hours later, I just could not stand it. This is weird, since I tried the Diablo III and WOW starter editions and the performance I got was spectacular! In Diablo III, I would max everything (except for shadows. Those are on medium) and get what would look like 60 FPS (or 50-60, I don’t really know since I haven’t checked.). And on WOW, I’d get CONSTANT 60 FPS on the good settings preset (which I like to crank up to high). Is this a problem of “My system isn’t good enough”, or is this game just badly optimized? And if it is, should I take a break and wait for a performance update, or should I move on? Since I have my eyes on SWTOR at the moment. Up until now, my first impression of MMOs has been horrible. And I really hope that this problem isn’t because of my system.

Please, put your thoughts to words, as well as give me advice if you want to. Thank you for reading, and for any future posts. Have a great day/evening :p

Comparing games to games is always a bad metric unless those games run on the same engine. Guild Wars 2 can only be compared to Guild Wars 1 really because they are the only two games to run on the Guild Wars engine. The engine used for Guild Wars 2 was derived from the original game’s engine, so in essence this is the Guild Wars Engine 1.5. This is partially the reason why we see the need for high clocked systems and really only a quad-core. Any hex cores and octa core processors won’t see too much improvement, if any.

As far as your laptop goes, its got a nice processor, better than most other laptops, but its very average, maybe even slightly below average when it comes to desktop processors.

Your CPU affects your frame rate as well as your graphics card, in more crowded areas like large dynamic events and large WvW battles, the CPU becomes the limiting factor and can’t feed your graphics card enough data fast enough, so the amount of frames per second the graphic card generates drops because it simply doesn’t have the information required to make more frames to smooth the game play. When this happens, you’ll see your FPS drop AND your GPU usage drop. That is an indication of bad hardware or (most likely) a bottle necked system caused by a slow CPU.

Your GPU is also under average since all mobile GPUs are a step behind their desktop counterparts. The GTX 650M != GTX 650. It’s more like the GTX 650M == 640GT. Assuming you play at 1080p, which according to Steam from 2012 (the most popular resolution), just over a quarter of people do. The higher the resolution the more powerful you want the GPU to be. For Guild Wars 2, I wouldn’t recommend anything less than a GTX 650Ti @ 1080p, but that is just my opinion. I got one for my siblings and they play at 1600 by 900 at 30ish FPS on a mix of medium and high settings. The GTX 650Ti does not get fully utilized because they run on the absolute minimum CPU allowed, so their CPU bottle necks their system. They’ll likely see higher FPS once they get out of circa 2007.

For a laptop, I hear people recommending at least the GTX 660M, but if the option to get the GTX 670M is there, people recommend that as well. In short, most laptops just really aren’t gaming machines yet. They get better every iteration of processor, but they’re just not quite there.

I could run GW2 with an fps of about 15 with my laptop about 4 months ago, but any time I try to run it now, I get around 10. It was probably one of the patches that did this, because I did not change any of my settings at all that would’ve effected the fps. And how are you not used to running around with an fps of 30? I would be lucky to get 30 fps, and one in a rare while, I do, and It’s amazing.

I used to get around 40 sometimes almost 60 FPS in starter areas like Wayfarer Foothills on my Alienware m15x two months ago. Now I have less than 20.
Well, I had hoped for some optimizations when I returned to the game.
The opposite is the case. Shortest return ever.

I don’t think it’s the last build that did this. My problems started after the 2nd July one. I realise that it may be my rig but I am talking to Anet about it and nothing so far indicates anything at my end.

yep, since the dragon bash ….and the lag spikes vary on time of the day. i have a feeling this is how it’s going to be from now on because of the non stop events. Feels like i’m the fat kid in extreme dodgeball, getting pelted with lag spikes everytime I try to walk into the game :/

Caledon Forest is now at 9 FPS. Unplayable. What boggles my mind is that instead of optimizing the 3d engine (don’t bother the CPU and GPU with stuff that isn’t displayed in the end anyway) ANet is continously increasing the hardware requirements to run the game smoothly.

I’ve ordered a new laptop (Alienware 17 with nvidia geforce 770m) and I hope that this will be enough to fulfill the requirements for an otherwise wonderfull game I would love to play again.

But please, think about the environment. All those wasted CPU/GPU cycles make my heart bleed. :-)

While waiting for my new laptop to arrive ….
Go into Hoelbrak bank and face the rear wall. Press F11. —> almost 60 FPS.
Right click and slowly turn the camera, watch FPS, stop when facing the exit. —> 16 FPS.
Does the complexity of the scenery now being displayed actually require so much more computing power?

I probably just missed those hundred dragons crossing the sky over Hoelbrak (which would easily compensate for 16 FPS. What an amazing sight!), but since I couldn’t see them anyway, why bother my poor CPU/GPU?

xlion.3065:

While waiting for my new laptop to arrive ….
Go into Hoelbrak bank and face the rear wall. Press F11. —> almost 60 FPS.
Right click and slowly turn the camera, watch FPS, stop when facing the exit. --> 16 FPS.
Does the complexity of the scenery now being displayed actually require so much more computing power?

I probably just missed those hundred dragons crossing the sky over Hoelbrak (which would easily compensate for 16 FPS. What an amazing sight!), but since I couldn’t see them anyway, why bother my poor CPU/GPU?

Depending how many people were around you and what system you are playing the game on, yes. A wall is one, maybe 2 textures and not much else, while looking out somewhere else can involve hundreds. Those are just textures…

i don’t get it though, why are so many of these ‘games’ turning into benchmarks …how is that fun for casual players ? is it a freuidian slip of the game designers desire to be movie directors issues rearing it’s ugly head ? lol. you can’t revolutionize gaming if you can’t play the game! lol

Come on guys… I bought a new computer and my sister is playing with the old one,

Hd3850, Phenom x3 2.1Ghz, 4GB Ram and she’s playing at minimun in WvW with 35 FPS, the game is not THAT demanding,

Anyway I agree that the CPU usage is above “normal” but is not THAT BAD, i’d love to be able to play play with 90 FPS in the middle of a 70 guys zerg but we all know that is not posible,

it doesn’t effect every system the same, i’d be ecstatic to play at 35 fps – but i’m getting 5-6 on lowest settings possible. was at about 40 before dragon bash.

I love the game dearly but the poor optimization saddens me. I’m not expecting 60+fps on the highest setting but I do when I am at the lowest. Dropping my video settings does not change my fps at all.

Crawford.4135:

First: you’re running this game on a laptop. Your preference and my preference are NOT going to be the same, let’s get that out in the open now. I don’t care if you spent $2,000 on a laptop, it’s not the same. Hardware is vastly different in those systems.

Second:
Give this a try for your video card. Seems ArenaNet coders never could figure out how to place real AntiAliasing into the game so they joined DungHead Bandwagon of FXAA in games (poor decision on their part, but what’s new?). FXAA is horrible and within GW2 the developers DIDN’T EVEN TRY to make FXAA work properly — That’s ArenaNet for you right there.
http://ipkonfig.com/guild-wars-2-bringing-antialiasing-to-the-game

Third:
This helps for some, others don’t notice a difference. Core Parking does have an effect on some games. You could try this a shot — it will not harm your system/OS
http://ipkonfig.com/disable-windows-7-cpu-core-parking

Forth:
Here is a nice beneficial helpful tweak to your TCP/IP settings (rarely does this help with FPS, but it is worth a shot).
http://www.leatrix.com/

Until ArenaNet hires a better developement team, we’re all doomed. I have a rock-solid system that is very high-end. Every game I touch runs fantastic. I load up GW2 and jump in WvW or look at a certain direction outside WvW and my FPS drops. This company has focused all of its attention to temporary content and has zero care about performance issues.

I hope some of the URLs I provided help. I don’t know why Ashley Segovia is telling you to do those settings to be honest. Use the first URL I listed above with her settings. She’s just telling your card to avoid going into lower-power modes when it thinks it needs too.

Good luck — but if you’re list a vast majority of us who are sick of lazy ArenaNet developers fixing the game, come join us for the next big game.

Oh god. I’ve been busy recently, so I couldn’t really post. Never in any stretch of the imagination did I think I would get so many replies! Too bad I can’t reply (re-reply. That’s funny) to all the posts. Anyways, I’m checking out the links you sent me, I’ll see to them then I’ll get to replying. Thank you all for the replies!
I just really hope there’s more room for optimization through updates, since this game has been immensely enjoyable!

WOW 160-170 fsps and gw 2 80-100 fps .ultra settings

I’ve been doing a ton of research lately on building a new computer, and along with this came a few articles that are saying that desktops are a dying breed, samsung is about to stop making desktops, http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/tech/2013/06/133_138061.html and the recent 4770k haswell chip was actually optimized to have better battery life, the k seems to be there as a courtesy to enthusiasts, as the chip runs too hot to really be considered enthusiast, and future Bradwell chips might be welded on to boards ( more laptop mobos ), the 1150 might be the last socket,http://gizmodo.com/5978232/intel-to-stop-making-desktop-motherboards ddr 2 ram actually went up in price , and so did the gtx 460, as if the gaming desktop is becoming more of a gaming console and prices are going up since more focus is being placed on mobile – Then I read on this forum many posts explaining how laptops are not good enough for online gaming, – understandably so – but then I look at the games and they are lag fests for many laptops, that is completely illogical on a business sense …It makes me think that when game developers focus on making a game too beautiful…that only overclocked desktops can play decently – you are shooting yourself in the foot for the greater market share.

That said, there should be a setting that makes playing on a laptop ‘fun’ , not annoying and impossible.

As Intel has gotten the power use down on their top end CPUs, their overclocking overhead has also decreased since the temperature increase when you overvolt and overclock becomes extremely problematic. It was true going from Sandy Bridge to Ivy Bridge and again from Ivy Bridge to Haswell. Some of it has to do with how Intel changed how the heat spreader is bonded to the die between Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge. Then there’s the density of the die due to the smaller surface area, 32nm in the i7-2600K to 22nm in the i7-3770K and i7-4770K. Just can’t get the heat sucked away quick enough, first to the heat spreader and then from there either with air or liquid cooling (ignoring impractical extreme overclocking cooling methods).

Ashley Segovia.8276:

Hey there MrTheBigBadMe – Ilithis Mithilander illustrates his point very nicely. World of Warcraft, SWTOR are vastly different games and aren’t really the best for comparison. They’re essentially an entirely different “beast.” The FPS that you’re reporting getting sound about right, but you could try tweaking some of your Nvidia Control Panel settings to see if this will give you a slight boost in performance:

1. Right-click on your desktop and select “Nvidia Control Panel.”
2. Once opened, left-click on “3D settings” and select “Adjust image settings with preview.”
3. Select “Use my preference emphasizing” and move the slider to “Performance.”
4. Select “Use the advanced 3D image settings” and left click on “Take me there.”

This should take you to the “Manage 3D Settings” window. Once here:

5. Change “Power Management mode” to “Prefer maximum performance.”
6. Change “Multi-display/mixed GPU acceleration” to “Single display performance mode.”
7. Change “Vertical Sync” to “Use the 3D application settings.”

Once completed, click “Apply” and start up Guild Wars 2.

Once loaded, access the “Graphic Options” window and make the following changes:

1. Change “Refresh Rate” to “60 Hz.”
2. Change “Frame Limiter” to “60.”
3. Change “Reflections” to “None.”
4. Change “Render Sampling” to “Supersample” then back to “Native.”
5. Enable “Vertical Sync” at the bottom.

Go ahead and give these settings a try. Hope this helps!

If you have spent 1/10 time on optimization/recoding the game instead spamming these useless things on the forums we would be playing the game flawlessly. Game is out for 11months for the love of god.

muslumgurseks.4951:

Ashley Segovia.8276:

Hey there MrTheBigBadMe – Ilithis Mithilander illustrates his point very nicely. World of Warcraft, SWTOR are vastly different games and aren’t really the best for comparison. They’re essentially an entirely different “beast.” The FPS that you’re reporting getting sound about right, but you could try tweaking some of your Nvidia Control Panel settings to see if this will give you a slight boost in performance:

1. Right-click on your desktop and select “Nvidia Control Panel.”
2. Once opened, left-click on “3D settings” and select “Adjust image settings with preview.”
3. Select “Use my preference emphasizing” and move the slider to “Performance.”
4. Select “Use the advanced 3D image settings” and left click on “Take me there.”

This should take you to the “Manage 3D Settings” window. Once here:

5. Change “Power Management mode” to “Prefer maximum performance.”
6. Change “Multi-display/mixed GPU acceleration” to “Single display performance mode.”
7. Change “Vertical Sync” to “Use the 3D application settings.”

Once completed, click “Apply” and start up Guild Wars 2.

Once loaded, access the “Graphic Options” window and make the following changes:

1. Change “Refresh Rate” to “60 Hz.”
2. Change “Frame Limiter” to “60.”
3. Change “Reflections” to “None.”
4. Change “Render Sampling” to “Supersample” then back to “Native.”
5. Enable “Vertical Sync” at the bottom.

Go ahead and give these settings a try. Hope this helps!

If you have spent 1/10 time on optimization/recoding the game instead spamming these useless things on the forums we would be playing the game flawlessly. Game is out for 11months for the love of god.

That usually falls on other people to do. Basically don’t blame the messenger (Ashley) when there are other people who presumably are more qualified to work on the base code. You can also blame management since they make the decisions and priorities.

However, if your ambiguous ‘you’ is directed at ArenaNet as a whole, then fire away! Pew! Pew!

I’d just like to chime in here. None of the above have helped me.

I have run all sorts of checks recommended to me by Anet and, according to them, I should not be experiencing the bad FPS I am experiencing. Having said that, there are a number of things that I can still try:

-repair GW2
Update drivers (although I already have the latest official ones)
Reinstall Windows.

I haven’t done any of these as, and I have posted this elsewhere, I haven’t had the time. The first option, I would hazard a guess, might be the easiest thing to try. I couldn’t tell you the outcome so it would be up to you to decide if that’s a viable option.

Ilithis Mithilander.3265:

muslumgurseks.4951:

Ashley Segovia.8276:

Hey there MrTheBigBadMe – Ilithis Mithilander illustrates his point very nicely. World of Warcraft, SWTOR are vastly different games and aren’t really the best for comparison. They’re essentially an entirely different “beast.” The FPS that you’re reporting getting sound about right, but you could try tweaking some of your Nvidia Control Panel settings to see if this will give you a slight boost in performance:

1. Right-click on your desktop and select “Nvidia Control Panel.”
2. Once opened, left-click on “3D settings” and select “Adjust image settings with preview.”
3. Select “Use my preference emphasizing” and move the slider to “Performance.”
4. Select “Use the advanced 3D image settings” and left click on “Take me there.”

This should take you to the “Manage 3D Settings” window. Once here:

5. Change “Power Management mode” to “Prefer maximum performance.”
6. Change “Multi-display/mixed GPU acceleration” to “Single display performance mode.”
7. Change “Vertical Sync” to “Use the 3D application settings.”

Once completed, click “Apply” and start up Guild Wars 2.

Once loaded, access the “Graphic Options” window and make the following changes:

1. Change “Refresh Rate” to “60 Hz.”
2. Change “Frame Limiter” to “60.”
3. Change “Reflections” to “None.”
4. Change “Render Sampling” to “Supersample” then back to “Native.”
5. Enable “Vertical Sync” at the bottom.

Go ahead and give these settings a try. Hope this helps!

If you have spent 1/10 time on optimization/recoding the game instead spamming these useless things on the forums we would be playing the game flawlessly. Game is out for 11months for the love of god.

That usually falls on other people to do. Basically don’t blame the messenger (Ashley) when there are other people who presumably are more qualified to work on the base code. You can also blame management since they make the decisions and priorities.

However, if your ambiguous ‘you’ is directed at ArenaNet as a whole, then fire away! Pew! Pew!

I know that Ashley is not the person who is supposed to be fixing this piece of kitten. So yeah that ambiguous you was directed to the Anet. I just cant stand that they are spreading these useless stuff hoping they would fix their incompetence.