Second Window in game ui flashing

[smuggler]

When in tile mode or pip which ever window im not currently in flashes(in game)and lags badly. This happins in Everquest.Here is my system.

WinEQ 2 System Information
System:
-----------------------------------
Windows Version: Microsoft Windows XP/Service Pack 2/2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.050301-1519
System Physical RAM: 680/1023MB
Page File: 2600/2972MB
Virtual Memory: 1932/2047MB (Extended: 0MB)
CPU 1: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.00GHz @ 3150MHz
CPU 2: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.00GHz @ 3150MHz
Video 1: \\.\DISPLAY1/NVIDIA GeForce 6800 GT
Video 2: \\.\DISPLAYV1/NetMeeting driver
Video 3: \\.\DISPLAYV2/RDPDD Chained DD
Monitor 1: \\.\DISPLAY1 (0,0,1280,720) (1280x720) PRIMARY
Sound: SoundMAX Digital Audio
DirectX: 4.09.00.0904
Internet Explorer: 6.0.2900.2180
WinEQ: 2.10

Loaded Modules:
-----------------------------------
Module 0: C:\Program Files\Sony\EverQuest Trilogy\eqgame.exe
Module 1: C:\WINDOWS\system32\ntdll.dll
Module 2: C:\WINDOWS\system32\kernel32.dll
Module 3: C:\Program Files\Sony\EverQuest Trilogy\mss32.dll
Module 4: C:\WINDOWS\system32\USER32.dll
Module 5: C:\WINDOWS\system32\GDI32.dll
Module 6: C:\WINDOWS\system32\WINMM.dll
Module 7: C:\WINDOWS\system32\ADVAPI32.dll
Module 8: C:\WINDOWS\system32\RPCRT4.dll
Module 9: C:\WINDOWS\system32\WSOCK32.dll
Module 10: C:\WINDOWS\system32\WS2_32.dll
Module 11: C:\WINDOWS\system32\msvcrt.dll
Module 12: C:\WINDOWS\system32\WS2HELP.dll
Module 13: C:\WINDOWS\system32\DINPUT8.dll
Module 14: C:\WINDOWS\system32\IMM32.dll
Module 15: C:\Program Files\Sony\EverQuest Trilogy\DSETUP.dll
Module 16: C:\WINDOWS\system32\VERSION.dll
Module 17: C:\WINDOWS\system32\ole32.dll
Module 18: C:\WINDOWS\system32\SHELL32.dll
Module 19: C:\WINDOWS\system32\SHLWAPI.dll
Module 20: C:\WINDOWS\system32\SYNCOR11.DLL
Module 21: C:\WINDOWS\WinSxS\x86_Microsoft.Windows.Common-Controls_6595b64144ccf1df_6.0.2600.2180_x-ww_a84f1ff9\comctl32.dll
Module 22: C:\WINDOWS\system32\comctl32.dll
Module 23: C:\Program Files\WinEQ2\WinEQ2.dll
Module 24: C:\WINDOWS\Lavish.dll
Module 25: C:\WINDOWS\system32\PSAPI.DLL
Module 26: C:\Program Files\WinEQ2\WinEQ2-EQ.dll
Module 27: C:\WINDOWS\system32\MSIMG32.dll
Module 28: C:\Program Files\WinEQ2\WinEQ2-D3D9.dll
Module 29: C:\Program Files\WinEQ2\WinEQ2-D3D8.dll
Module 30: C:\Program Files\WinEQ2\WinEQ2-DI8.dll
Module 31: C:\WINDOWS\system32\mswsock.dll
Module 32: C:\WINDOWS\system32\hnetcfg.dll
Module 33: C:\WINDOWS\System32\wshtcpip.dll
Module 34: C:\WINDOWS\system32\DNSAPI.dll
Module 35: C:\WINDOWS\System32\winrnr.dll
Module 36: C:\WINDOWS\system32\WLDAP32.dll
Module 37: C:\WINDOWS\system32\rasadhlp.dll
Module 38: C:\Program Files\WinEQ2\EQPlayNice.dll
Module 39: C:\WINDOWS\system32\NTMARTA.DLL
Module 40: C:\WINDOWS\system32\SAMLIB.dll
Module 41: C:\Program Files\Sony\EverQuest Trilogy\EQGraphicsDX9.DLL
Module 42: C:\WINDOWS\system32\d3d9.dll
Module 43: C:\WINDOWS\system32\d3d8thk.dll
Module 44: C:\Program Files\Sony\EverQuest Trilogy\dpvs.dll
Module 45: C:\Program Files\Sony\EverQuest Trilogy\eqmain.dll
Module 46: C:\WINDOWS\system32\usp10.dll
Module 47: C:\WINDOWS\system32\HID.DLL
Module 48: C:\WINDOWS\system32\SETUPAPI.DLL
Module 49: C:\WINDOWS\system32\WINTRUST.dll
Module 50: C:\WINDOWS\system32\CRYPT32.dll
Module 51: C:\WINDOWS\system32\MSASN1.dll
Module 52: C:\WINDOWS\system32\IMAGEHLP.dll

Direct3D9:
-----------------------------------
Driver: NVIDIA GeForce 6800 GT/nv4_disp.dll/6/14/10/7772
Adapter Display Mode: 1280x720 D3DFMT_X8R8G8B8
Game Display Mode: 1280x720 D3DFMT_X8R8G8B8
Current Adapter: 0
Available Texture Memory: 480MB
Direct3D8:
-----------------------------------
Adapter Display Mode: 0x0 D3DFMT_UNKNOWN
Game Display Mode: 0x0 D3DFMT_UNKNOWN
Current Adapter: 0
Available Texture Memory: (not currently available)
DirectInput8:
-----------------------------------

EverQuest:
-----------------------------------
Profile 1: WinEQ 2.0 Default Profile
EQ Path: C:\Program Files\Sony\EverQuest Trilogy
EQClient.ini: .\eqclient.ini
Patch: OFF Test Server: OFF Locale: us
Video Adapter: Application Controlled
Luclin models: 29 (+145 min RAM)
Texture Compression: ON (+0 min RAM)
MipMapping: ON (+4 min RAM)
Sound: ON (+22 min RAM)
Dynamic Lighting: ON (+4 min RAM)
Texture Caching: ON (+0 min RAM)
Texture Quality: MEDIUM (+30 min RAM)
Sky: COMPLEX (+10 min RAM)
Calculated minimum RAM: 498MB (BASE+215MB)
Level of Detail: 1
MaxFPS: 100
Additional setting: HardwareTnL=TRUE
Additional setting: VertexShaders=1
Additional setting: 20PixelShaders=1
Additional setting: 1xPixelShaders=1

EQPlayNice:
-----------------------------------
EQ Version: eqgame.exe Aug 4 2005 15:40:59
Foreground
Mode: FPS Limiter
Max FPS: 40
Rendering: 1/1
Background
Mode: CPU Limiter
Max FPS: 30
Rendering: 1/30

[Lax]

What you're mistaking for lag is called rendering limiting, and is a Pro feature of EQPlayNice.

As described on the EQPlayNice page:

Rendering Limiting (Subscriber Only)
EQPlayNice provides what we call Rendering Limiting, which slows the rate at which the game world itself is redrawn, while allowing the user interface to redraw at full speed. Because rendering of the game world takes a relatively large portion of time each frame, skipping this effectively makes the game run at a much faster framerate. Generally this is used for background game sessions, which may not be visible in the first place, or do not need to be full motion video. When playing several characters on the same machine, this proves to be invaluable.

The flashing happens when the game world is redrawn, and is an unfortunate side effect of this amazingly useful feature. This is actually allowing the background session to run at a HIGHER framerate than the foreground session, with LESS CPU than the foreground one! This is very useful; for example EverQuest slows down your character if you have a lower framerate. Ever notice how with a fast machine you run faster than other people who have the exact same run speed? That's why. With this feature enabled, you sacrifice full motion video for higher motion in the game. It's not really lagging, it just gives you the appearance of lag because the world isnt being redrawn. However, the user interface IS being redrawn -- so you still know exactly how many hit points you and others have, you can read chat instantly, and so on.

For performance, I highly recommend leaving this feature enabled and learning to deal with it. If you would rather have full motion video at the cost of performance (and some run speed and other minor details), disable rendering limiting in the EQPlayNice options under the WinEQ 2 preferences. You make the decision, it's your preferences

[smuggler]

interesting Ill check it out thanks

[thomashouseman]

This option sounds very interesting and I'd like to try it out. At the moment I don't get screen flickerings and my cpu is normally maxed at 100% while 2boxing. What are the settings I change to enable this option and what is a good starting point to set the settings to?

I'm guessing this is all set under the EQplaynice setting in WinEQ2.0pro. Is that correct?

Currently my background settings are set to CPU limiter and a setting of 30. Are these the options I should change? If so, what to?

T.

[Lax]

This option sounds very interesting and I'd like to try it out. At the moment I don't get screen flickerings and my cpu is normally maxed at 100% while 2boxing. What are the settings I change to enable this option and what is a good starting point to set the settings to?

I'm guessing this is all set under the EQplaynice setting in WinEQ2.0pro. Is that correct?

Currently my background settings are set to CPU limiter and a setting of 30. Are these the options I should change? If so, what to?

T.

FPS/CPU limiting is separate from Rendering limiting. Also, if you have a processor with hyperthreading, windows will sometimes show 100% when it's not really 100% -- you shouldnt REALLY have 100% usage when running EQPlayNice. In the background, the default settings actually have rendering limiting on, and they should be set like this for best performance:
CPU Limiter (you can set this to FPS limiter if you want, and would get higher speeds out of the background session)
30
1 out of x frames
30

[thomashouseman]

oh, then where do I set rendering limiting as this sounds like it would help make the most of my CPU power and still give good results. I'm sick of my 2nd non-active window character on his horse lagging behind the first active window horse and losing auto-follow.

[Lax]

It should be right there under CPU limiting where you found that option, assuming you're looking under EQPlayNice, Background and not the options for another game (EverQuest II, Framerate for example). Hover your mouse over the WinEQ 2 tray icon, and make sure it says "WinEQ 2.10 Pro [Expires <date>]" and not "WinEQ 2.10 Lite". You can also try using the "Lavish Login" in the WinEQ 2 menu, and make sure you're logging in as "thomashouseman" and not another account that might be a Lite user (you'd be surprised how many people have done that ).

[thomashouseman]

Thanks, trying it now.

[thomashouseman]

Worked a treat. Thanks.
T.

[anonguy]

This is also a funciton of the UI. You can try and find a UI that minimizes this effect. With my current UI, the only element that pulses is spell buff backgrounds. With one i used to use long ago, every frame used to pulse. That one had every window mostly transparent blue, like glass.

[Lax]

That's a good point. If your UI uses very little transparency, the flashing effect should be minimal. I'll keep that in mind for future recommendations; thanks for mentioning it