Guild Wars 2

Hello all.

I’m here to get some feedback on an issue I’ve been having since launch. This thread is for discussion, speculation, and reference for anyone else who might be experiencing a similar issue. It’s a bit of a strange phenomenon, but I can’t be the only one being plagued by it.

THE SPECS:
AMD Fx-8120 Eight-Core Processor @ 3.10 Ghz
8 GB DDR3
Nvidia Geforce 560 ti
Windows 7 x64 bit

THE PROBLEM:
While playing the game, I run anywhere from 30-60 FPS, depending on where I am. (I get about 30 in the Charr fractal and 50-60 in unpopulated areas of the world). This is with many settings on high, a few on medium, and shadows completely off. Overall, this is acceptable.

However, once every about every 2 minutes my FPS tanks to 10 or less for about twenty seconds. It happens almost on the dot every time. This is a mere annoyance at first, but quickly becomes maddening when it occurs right when I’m trying to dodge a big boss spell or something. It also gives me a headache after an hour or so.

During this time, my CPU load nearly doubles from around 30% to upwards of 60%.

THE SOLUTION..?
I have a ticket open right now that’s been back-and-forth with GW2 tech support for a few weeks now. So far I have:

1) Sent about half a million DxDiags and etc
2) Run Benchmark tests with Heaven DX11
3) Disabled all unnecessary 3rd-party programs
4) Disabled virus protection/firewalls
5) Ran Speccy and provided a snapshot, adjusting video card/in game settings accordingly
6) Used Driver Fusion to ensure I had installed a clean version of my video card drivers
7) Provided in-game screenshots
8) I am at this very moment running Pingplotter to provide a survey of my network’s capability

As you can see, there’ve been a long list of trials. So far, all have been errors. My hunch, as a know-just-enough-not-to-get-ripped-off-too-bad-at-the-computer-store techie, is that there’s a memory leak or something similar going on with the video card. I’ve heard TONS of stories of Nvidia users’ rigs hating GW2, and I personally think it’s sad since this is an Nvidia-sponsored game. I suspect, since there’s a CPU sink when this goes down, that something is intermittently draining my computer’s strength.

Anyone else having this problem is welcome to post here. Any wild speculation or criticism will be welcomed. If support works out a solution, I’ll be back to post it. Until then…

-Pawstruck

P.S.: Before you nerds go on the “my rig is better than yours” kick… don’t try it. I’ve been to way too many forums that did that, and I’m not in the mood. I know my processor could’ve been better, and looking back I wish I’d gone with AMD. But it’s no explanation for this peculiar dip in performance, so stay on topic and don’t troll, please.

My rig is totally not better. To be honest I did not even know there were 8 core processors. However, despite having way inferior hardware I never experienced any periodic drop in fps although I also have a NVidia card (GTX460).

From what you describe it sounds like your windows installation keeps doing something that will slow you down. As it is probably some kind of service, you could not get rid of it by disabling any 3d-party-programs. As to what it might be, I have no idea, there are so many possibilities of windows doing strange stuff, like repeatedly running .net runtime optimization or reorganizing the trashcan or whatever oddity it can think about

It isnt your Card. I Also run a 560ti and do not get this issue you speak of. It sounds like a software issue. The only final option you do have is to do a complete format and re-instal your OS, Drivers, and GW2 only .no other programs..and see if that works. If it doesnt then its deffinatly hardware related.

Hehe. What’s the easiest way to disable all (and I mean all, of possible) unnecessary programs? I mean there’s always msconfig, but I’m always afraid I’m gonna turn off some vital boot process; I don’t know enough about Windows to distinguish. :p

UPDATE:

After running Pingplotter, the test results showed some packet loss.

Tech Support replied by explaining to me what packet loss was and how it caused “rubberbanding.” They said this was my issue and to talk to my ISP.

………………………
………
….
Are you kidding me? After all the detail with which I’ve described this problem they’re trying to pawn it off as latency? What about the CPU workload increase? The fact that this doesn’t happen in ANY OTHER GAMES, including graphically complex ones? What about the fact that LATENCY IS NOT FPS DROP?

Wow. Just wow. I’m a little irritated. It really doesn’t feel like support is reading what I write to them. I’m trying to explain the problem in detail so they can help, but they’re clearly just running through some prescribed step-by-step program so they can close my ticket and write it off as “solved” even when they know good and well it isn’t. That’s kind of a joke.

I can understand your frustration with the techs, and I am not going to say “be happy you got a response” because the response was lackluster…But yeah, I haven’t had any official help with my woes, and in fact I took care of it myself. I was having similar issues, but was running Win 8 Pro 64bit, and have a EVGA GTX 660TI. I ended up rolling the os back to Win 7 Pro 64bit and did NOTHING ELSE, and my game is running consistently smooth, upwards of 100fps, and over 50fpc in wVw. Not saying this is the fix for you, but more on the fact that the game is all over the place as far as bugs go, and no one can really explain why all these people are experiencing similar issues, all the while getting next to nothing in affirmative feedback form the devs and techs.

Wow, that’s depressing Aoshi. I’ve always got quick responses from the techs, even if they are a bit daft sometimes. I’ve opened this and 2 other separate tickets and both got answered quickly. Sucks that you didn’t have the same luck. :/

You’d think they would want to collect as much detailed information as they could about these problems so they could optimize the game.

Have you tried updating your motherboard chipset drivers or maybe BIOS update?

Indeed, I think they ARE gathering info, but it seems to be about the end of it. No real fixes for the lag or fps, and nary a reply or official words besides merging threads or asking us to check the sticky on drivers and turning your cards performance to…well performance mode.

There are so many things in a PC that can cause an issue with playing a game, and generally it isn’t something that a software company can do anything about. Can’t blame ANet for their being so many different possible hardware configurations.

On your issue though, frame loss is often caused by heating issues. As your card gets hot, you will lose frame rate. The fact that it happens for a few seconds, goes away and then happens again, would make me thing that this could be your problem. I would check your airflow and be sure nothing is blocked. Also, if you don’t already, get a widget that monitors your GPUs heat/fan and see whats its doing.

If it isn’t heat, i would next check drivers to make sure you are on the most compatible driver for GW2. The game can be kinda picky when it comes to older drivers.

I will say though, the 560ti is in fact a budget card and that could be where your issues are. I know there will be 400 people who post and say “I have a 560ti and I dont have any issue”, but with budget cards there could be one thing different about your PC that causes and issue you wouldnt see on someone elses.

In summary: Check heat, check drivers and lastly, always be willing to save up the extra 80-100 bucks for the x70’s.

GL though, I hope you get your issue resolved.

As far as heat goes, it’s not an issue (I monitored it with Razer’s Game Booster software). I have 3 fans in my PC, so it’s not surprising.

As far as drivers go, I know I’ve read many many threads from Nvidia users from the 500’s to the 700’s who get incredibly low framerates. And then, as you said, there are always 10 people that come behind saying “I have a x and mine works at 100fps…” So, yeah. I understand the difficulty in making games for what are essentially an unlimited number of specs. =/ Also remember both A-net and Nvidia have admitted that they’re not fully optimized for each other yet, and they’re constantly working on it.

I really find it hard to believe that it’s the hardware. I got my 560ti a year ago when they already weren’t new, so I don’t expect perfection. But 10fps on medium settings? Come on now. Plenty of people have worse cards and they do fine.

UPDATE FROM SUPPORT:

Welp, I told my support guy there was no way this was a latency issue and he’s like

“Oh. Well it sounds like one to me. Um… your processor is running slightly faster than manufacturer’s specs… look into setting it to its correct speed and then re-contact me if you’re still having problems. I know GW2 is sensitive about running at factory defaults.”

I’m sorry, but that sounds like the biggest load to me. I think I just ticked him off by saying it wasn’t latency and how could he possibly get the two confused given my detailed description. He’s leaving it up to ME to figure out how to adjust the clock speed of my processor? Thanks, bub. That’s really helpful. My tech knowledge stops just short of things like that, and I do know that screwing it up can ruin your hardware sometimes. So, no. I won’t be doing that.

This seems pretty stupid. I’ve never heard of a slightly-overclocked CPU lowering game performance. I flat out don’t believe it. Anybody else smell the fishyness here?

In the meantime, I guess I just won’t play. I’ve still got League, after all. This is sad though, because I like the game and want to contribute to its health both by my presence and monetarily through buying gems. I’ll just have to wait ’till they optimize it more, I guess. Playing now gives me a headache.

This seems pretty stupid. I’ve never heard of a slightly-overclocked CPU lowering game performance. I flat out don’t believe it. Anybody else smell the fishyness here?

I have.
Countless times.
Because a bad overclock can cause alot of ECC errors that otherwise don’t result in a crash, or throttling that results in the cpu reducing clocks.

I have a fast rig with decent graphics card(670GTX in SLI) and my issue is similar(ish)
At high res GW2 setting,it will run at 45 fps(i am running 5760X1080) and even standing in same spot the FPS starts dropping slowly until it hits 1 FPS, then game crashes.
At low res it runs forever, no crashes.
My guess is , heck dunno, no heating issues, no over clocking, re-installed Win 7 64 with nothing else, memory leak ?
i have given up and play in low res, not blaming Nvidia or Anet, can’t be bothered to worry about it anymore(and there are many 100s having similar issues,look for the BIG thread on it)

Aye a bad OC can cause slowdown. However it is unlikely. Usualy a bad OC ends in BSOD’s/Overheating.. however if the OC is just on the edge of being stable/unstable the CPU can cause errors slowing down performance without actually BSOD’ing. This is why 12 hour long Prime95 tests are a good idea, it gives the program and cpu enough time to compute through all different sized packets to make sure it comes out with the correct results, and deffinatly makes sure your cooling is up to scratch.

Again its highly unlikely but it is a possibility.