M14x SW:TOR Performance & Discussion Thread

Hi all,

Yesterday I bought SW:TOR and am still waiting for my early access invite. But probably tomorrow or this weekend I'll be playing this game. I know it's not the most demanding game out there, but it's still fun to have a thread to talk about performance and general gameplay. I'll be updating this when I get in, but while waiting I'm really curious if other owners of the m14x got in and what your opinion is!

 

i've been looking at these forums since yesterday to see if any other m14x owners would be playing. Nice to see someone finally start a thread.
My username is "twinkletits" i started downloading last night and when i woke up this morning i only had 3gb left to download, when i get home from work in a few hours i hope to play.

Anyways, i'm thinking of building a sith warrior with the heavy armor/defense specialization or a bounty hunter with heavy armor/defense and flamethrower.

I also am using a g700 mouse, hopefully i won't have to use my gamepad, and i don't expect to seeing as this is a mmorpg.

 

just wanted to point out that we have an alienware guild the main SWTOR thread is right here if you want to read over all of it

 

Currently playing and have a level 19 Commando , I am running everything on High with safe OC and get mostly 40-110 Frames with Vsync disabled, Sometimes it goes down to 35 but doesnt go below that. Wish it could perform a little better on 1600x900

 

I'm expecting my early game access today, but I probably haven't got any time to play until tomorrow. It's definatly going to be Empire, but I'm not sure about the class. Sith warrior vs Sith Inquisitor vs Bounty Hunter

 

Bounty hunter is pretty bad-... I enjoy mine

 

I preordered this yesterday but not expecting to receive the game until release day (UK - preordered from Tesco). I've not read that much about this game, nor have I ever played a MMO, but I do like RPGs and I'm hoping that I'll enjoy this game.

Based on the limited information that I've read on this game I'm currently thinking as playing as a Bounty Hunter. This may change when I get the game and once I've read a bit more about it.

 

got in on 2nd early release day. With gpu @ 750/1000 I usually hang between 35-50 fps. 1366x768. Game is amazing.

 

I get about the same numbers on mine

 

sigh.. finally got some time to play: about 60 minutes of waiting in the queu

 

Is that a common issue with the game - having to wait to get onto the server? This will seriously put me off the game if so.

 

Going to do some more testing to try to get the game running well and looking nice. Right now it seems like most people are Ocing. I personally have not tried it yet with this game but will do so.

-I played 1-10 last night and there were dips in the FPS at certain parts on 1600x900.

 

Settings and performance thread i found

SWTOR "The Old Republic" M14x Thread

 

It's on my wishlist, but I'll wait a month after launch.

Looks a lot like KotOR.

 

Honestly, it drops to low 30s (sometimes High 20s) When there is a lot going on, What I did is just turned off shadows, and now it runs 40+ frames all the time All maxed.

I'm fine with that

 

I keep my shadows at low, just going to turn then off all the way and see how it runs then.

 

To be honest I am a little dissapointed with the performance of SWTOR on the M14x. Although I think the game isn't very well optimized yet, it never runs completely smooth. The framerate seems fine most of the time, but there seems to be somesort of micro stutter. It's hard to explain but it just doesn't feel as smooth as it should. Don't get me wrong, so far I really like this game and I still love the m14x

I play on default high settings 900p which are the highest settings possible. (note: default medium uses the exact same settings, pretty weird )

Without OC the game runs 30+ most of the time with dips to 20-25 in some areas and to around 15-18 in a crowded bar area near one of the hutts on planet hutta. Turings shadows off doesn't seem the make a lot of difference in this bar, but outside it does make a difference.

With OC to 700/1000/1400 (the highest OC I want to use) the game runs considerably better with only dips to the high 20s. I didn't walk into the bar area with OC so I'm not sure about that.

 

Hey Quick question did you have to disable your DVD drive to get a 2nd Hard drive in there?

 

I feel the same way right now been constantly changing the graphics to see how I like it. In warszones the FPS seems to suffer the most not sure if the game is buggy or its just everything going on. But in order to play effiecently in them I noticed I had to turn down the graphics.

 

I have no problems, it dips to high 30s only when full stressed for me...with Shadows on low (off and low its literally 1-2 frames difference if any).

MMOs imo shouldn't matter if played 30 vs 60 fps. Ideal yes we want 60...but seeing how the game feels like an internet connection game, it really doesn't bother me as much as lets say cod or cs or bf...because the game plays with that "lag" feel. If that made any sense.

 

yes, I had to swap the dvd drive for the hdd

Ontopic:

30 fps is enough to play ofcourse, I play bf3 with 30-33 fps with no problems. I don't need 60fps to play games, even shooters. I'm not pro enough to really notice the difference anyway But the game doesn't feel very smooth, even with 40 fps. Maybe laggy/microstuttering is the best way to describe how the game feels.

Anyway, 300 people in the queue to go

Edit: just thought of something, maybe this lag/microstutter is because of the really crowded server? What server do you guys play on, and more important: How crowded is it?

 

I got around 60fps in the beta so when I get the game later this week I'll let you know if I encounter the microstuttering or not. I assume if there is microstuttering nvidia or bioware will have it hopefully fixed soon

 

(According to BETA players) the Beta was set to Lower settings even if you chose "high" I can't substantiate that as I was invited but didn't participate in the beta.

 

Which Resolution is everyone using,I have been bumping back and forth between 1600x900 and 1366x700

 

1600x900, the screen isn't sharp enough for me at 720p

 

Just a quick question - does this game come with 30 days free access or will I have to buy access in addition to the game?

 

It comes with 30 days of game time.

 

Thanks for the reply.

 

I noticed the same thing, you can definetly notice the txt and the ablities difference. Right now playing at 900 and seems to be running decent in Warzones. Will keep everyone updated.

 

Please help me out here fellow alienware users, i own a m14x Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-2630QM CPU @ 2.00GHz (8 CPUs), ~2.0GHz Memory: 6144MB RAM Nvidia Geforce Gt 555m, and i'm running swtor and it will run at about 30-40 fps on high or low graphics settings for only a few minutes before shooting down to 4-10 fps and staying that way, my cpu usage even shoots up to 80%, i've downloaded all drivers, i do not overclock though as i do not know how to. i really like this game already but it's really hard to play with such bad fps. i've attached my dxdiag if anyone would like to take a look.

Thanks

 

Make sure you Whitelist the program. Also turn off shadow in the game preference. I am currently playing it on my M14x... everything set on HIGH except shadow and Bloom which is off. Notice. OFF not Low. I get btwn 30-90 FPS depending on where I am in the game. However in warzone PVP.. it's pretty bad... Also, i play it in windows full screen mode. That seems to help a bit for some odd reason. I am also playing at 1600 x 900 resolution. Hope this helps you.

 

Anyone now if you can make the text fonts larger? everything looks great but the text is too small...

 

Just thought I would update with my results.

M14x
i7 2630
555 3GB
disabled turbo on processor
Output via HDMI to 1080p

All settings on High
Shadows low

Beta 290.53 drivers

Frame averages depend on where I am and how crowded it is with a pretty wide delta.

Tattoine 60fps
Nar Shadda 31fps
Warzones seems to dip into the 27 range

Still all in all not bad for a stock 14" laptop output to 1080p

 

so far pretty dissapointed, runs fine at 1600*900 with shadows on low and everything else on high but the game just looks really underwhelming imo ;-(

 

Are the queues still bad?

I might pick this one up tomorrow and get it ready for the weekend.

 

No issue with queues. This was resolved post launch by allowing the servers more bandwidth for users. Game is fantastic. The graphics are amazing (Alderaan is a prime example)-(its not Skyrim good but its good enough). Its just a really neat game so far. The story is good, the character development is good. All around its a win so far. Solid 7.5-8 out of 10 so far.

 

Updated patch released today made the graphics look better from what I heard. I haven't been able to test how much better it looks due to my machine being sent off to dell for repairs. Was just curious how it ran on the m14x.

 

It said in the update they had fixed the shadows for better performance. I still run the game on high with 1600x900 resolution. It seems to run the best this way from what I noticed. I also always overclock with MSI afterburner. Sometimes the warzones get bad but it never gets terrible. I feel like a driver update would help the game run much smoother, once one is made.

 

I have been running the game since Beta and have had zero issues. The game runs quite nice on my m14x. I usually average 40-45fps with a slight dip in the Warzones. I have everything set to high. Running the latest beta drivers from Nvidia and just loaded the latest A08 BIOS. Do most of my gaming through my 47" LCD TV @ 1080p running @ 1900x1200. I have the 1.5GB card and 6GB of memory. After beta the high textures were released for the game client and it looks amazing... I love driving around Hoth for just the views.

 

Hey guys I've been wondering wether to get the M14x to run swtor, but I'm still deciding between the Sager NP1830, or the FORCE 1761 (or whatever that is) ill post the links later. So here's the form (its rlly only to play swtor and maybe battlefield 3, and any other star was games XD)
What is your budget?
$1000-$1300 (maybe $1400)

What size notebook do you prefer?
Thin and Light (13 - 14-inch screen)
Mainstream (15 - 16-inch screen)

What brands do you like or dislike?
Like: Don't really care.
Would you consider a refurbished laptop?
Maybe

What are the primary tasks you need this notebook for?
Web Surfing, Video Chat and Conference, Movie Streaming and Viewing, Graphic Intense 3D Gaming

Schoolwork but I have the microsoft 2007 installation disk.

What games will you be playing?
Star Wars: The Old Republic (Maximum settings), Battlefield 3 maybe.

Where will you be using this laptop?
Will be used different places and Will stay on desk

How many hours of battery life do you need?
3-5

Will you be buying online or in store?
online or in store

Which OS do you prefer?
Windows 7

List the screen resolutions that interest you:
Standard Resolution (1366 x 768)
High Resolution (1600 x 900)

Do you prefer a glossy or matte screen?
Glossy or Matte is fine

Approximately what date will you be buying this laptop?
Around 01/15/2012

How long do you want this laptop to last?
2-3 Years years

How much storage capacity do you need?
500 GB

Are you interested in SSD for storage?
No

Do you want a built-in optical drive, what type?
No
so I would like a laptop that runs swtor at max settings. Like 30fps or better in a warzone. I have looked at the Alienware M14x and the Sager NP1830 and the xoticpc FORCE 1761. Thanks for anyone's help with this!

Here's the links By the way
FORCE 1761- http://www.xoticpc.com/force-1761-msi-1761-p-3152.html

Alienware M14x-http://www.dell.com/us/p/alienware-M14x/pd.aspx

Sager NP1830-http://www.sagernotebook.com/index.php?page=product_customed&model_name=NP8130

 

Spoiler

tor isn't really that demanding at all. I know the sager and alienware will both run it fine, but idk about the last one you mentioned as I have never heard of that machine before. If you really want a sexy and beast of a machine that you can play in the dark and has great battery life, get the alienware. The sager can have the better graphics card and is also a bit larger? The sager also won't be able to touch the alienwares batterylife. So the summary is: M14x for the most power 14" laptop on the planet with great battery life to boot, the Sager for a beast of a machine, but poor battery life and larger than the m14x, or you could save up for an m17x and have amazing battery life and power, the choice is yours. Hope this helps you decide as I really don't know what you are leaning towards.

 

Thanks man, I'll see if I can persuade my parents and/or grandma to get me more money XD
Serioulsy though, thanks.

 

By the way to the M17x should I get it a laptop cooler thing? Forget what they're called lol. And I read some M17x reviews on amazon and people said that it had a lot of problems, I.e. wouldn't turn on, overheats, etc. If there is any other type of laptop that you can get more bang for your buck lemme know, because it seems Alienware is a bit shifty with the quality (according to amazon reviews).
Any help is greatly appreciated

 

If you are gonna get an alienware buy it direcly from dell, not amazon or newegg. Most people dont have the problems that you just described on the m17x r3. Alienware makes some if the best gaming laptops you can buy, if you think the quality directly from dell is crap the only other brand is sager. They dont look as cool imo and alienware has a wayy better warrenty.

 

I just got my m14x today. Got the i7 and 3g Nvidia. I got it to play SWTOR as my desktop was having fps issues and it was time.

Problem is, at low settings, I am getting 18 fps in the Jedi Knight starting zone. I tried whitelisting, and believe I managed it, but Nvidia reads the game as WOW, which I don't have installed.

I've done nothing else but get virus protection and download a driver for AccelerometerP11 (I accidentally removed it thinking it was a PC fix it program I picked up in error trying to get AVG anti virus).

Any help is appreciated, thanks!!!

 

You need to whitelist the swtor .exe itself, located here:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\BioWare\Star Wars - The Old Republic\swtor\retailclient\swtor.exe

The launcher is not the game itself, but is solely a launcher (different .exe file).

 

So far I get 40-50 FPS in the starting zones (Korriban & Ord Mantell).

I've only played about an hour late last night, but I think I'm hooked. Haven't stopped thinking about it (and Skyrim, as always...) all day.

 

Here are my settings and the results:

1366x768
AA Off
Shadows Low
Bloom On
DoF On
Textures High
Character LoD High
Texture Anisotropy High
Shader Complexity High
Sliders Maxed
Vsync Off

Running 290.53 drivers
Overclocked GPU

Looks pretty good minus the jaggies. Bumping up to native screen resolution (1600x900) I lose about 10fps.

--

Open world questing: Average FPS 68.8

Riding a Taxi: Average FPS 44.528

Running around Fleet (70+ people in zone): Average FPS 50.388

 

Please post whatever settings you currently have for your game that lets it run smoothly and with higher settings.

Please include Nvidia Control panel settings and in game settings. Thank you

 

If you are having fps issues here are some things to try:


Star Wars: The Old Republic Tips for Graphical Performance:

Tip #1: Compatibility Mode for Windows XP -Right Click on the SWTOR short cut. Go to Properties. Then the Compatibility Tab. Select the Run this program on compatibility mode for Windows XP Service Pack 3. Also select: Run as administrator. Apply changes. This makes a world of difference on laptops.

Tip #2: Disable Visual Themes and Desktop Composition -Right click on desktop. Select Personalize. Scroll down to Basic and High Contrast Themes Select Windows Classic. Hit Apply Changes. This may take a while to apply those changes. Then you can see how much the Windows look has changed over the years.

Tip #3: Disable GPU scaling in the control panel Adjust desktop size and position to no scaling. You can do this from your AMD (ATI) control panel or your NVidia control panel. I'm at work right now, so I can't look at where the settings are.

Most of these tips should help that graphics related lag problem until Bioware optimizes their graphics. But this makes the game playable for me.