Need help with setting up BF2 for Multiplayer, thanks!

[dtaker]

I've already read the FAQ in sticky. And I've tried once to connect, but no success yet. Would someone help me out on how to setup multiplayer account and play multiplayer? thank you :)

Here's my initial conditions:
-Installed BF2 orig with intent to play single player only, hence, I didn't install 'punkbuster' and other stuff I dunno.
-Installed patch 1.4
-Turned windows firewall off(not sure If I killed it for good) but I have a different firewall called 'blackice' which is currently known as 'proventia desktop'.
-Using Symantec AV version 9 and updated.
-Did some optimizations and disabled these services:

ALERTER
ATI HOTKEY POLLER (if you use a ATI card)
CLIPBOOK
ERROR REPORTING SERVICE
INDEXING SERVICES
MESSENGER (this is not MSN)
NETMEETING REMOTE DETECT
NETWORK DDE
NETWORK DDE DSDM
PERFORMANCE LOGS AND ALERTS
REMOTE REGISTRY
ROUTING AND REMOTE ACCESS
SECURITY CENTER (only removes the nag, not security)
TELNET

My specs:
-Windows XP Pro SP2
-Intel P4 2.6ghz
-1gig DDR400 on dual channel
-Nvidia 7300GT(graphics at medium-high, 1480x1078 2xAA/4xAF, 45fps ave., no lag and stuttering with single player, some stuttering with 32 players on BF2SP64 mod, severe lag and stuttering with 64 players.. However, no lag/stuttering if I use 64size map but 16 players only)

Connectivity:
384 to 460kbps on 3G cellphone network, works like dialup(direct connect?) and I could do all internet stuff with it(but never tried multi with it yet), but helluva faster, that's all I know..

Please I need to know what I must do exactly to get things running, pardon, me I really didn't understood much the FAQ, maybe I'm just too tired to think right now. So yeah, maybe a 'setup guide for dummies' would be fantastic, thanks a lot! Links are welcome too, if there are.

[ConscriptVirus]

Re: Need help with setting up BF2 for Multiplayer, thanks!

i would lower ur resolution and graphic settings because the 7300gt isnt that great of a card and ur bound to get stutering with only that card.

http://www.evenbalance.com/index.php?page=pbsetup.php

thats how u update pb

[dtaker]

Re: Need help with setting up BF2 for Multiplayer, thanks!

i would lower ur resolution and graphic settings because the 7300gt isnt that great of a card and ur bound to get stutering with only that card.

http://www.evenbalance.com/index.php?page=pbsetup.php

thats how u update pb

THanks ConscriptVirus. I'll try the pb. Hope it works this time if I create multiplayer account, before, I just wait forever...

BTW, many people have already told me, that it's not my vid card that's causing all the stuttering but my obsolete cpu or ram. I've also proved it myself, when I increase the graphics settings, CPU usage proportionally increase too, until it hits the 100% mark that causes stuttering and stuff. This doesn't happen to my other games so I guess, could be bad coding.

[Mad Ad]

Re: Need help with setting up BF2 for Multiplayer, thanks!

the state of your gfx ram cpu etc wont make any difference to account settings or networking, the game will just run poorly once you have joined the server.

Sometimes setting up can trigger a firewall alert that you cannot see becaue you are in fullscreen expecting something to happen, look in the logs and give bf2.exe access rights before you try again.

[shadowstryker19]

Re: Need help with setting up BF2 for Multiplayer, thanks!

THanks ConscriptVirus. I'll try the pb. Hope it works this time if I create multiplayer account, before, I just wait forever...

BTW, many people have already told me, that it's not my vid card that's causing all the stuttering but my obsolete cpu or ram. I've also proved it myself, when I increase the graphics settings, CPU usage proportionally increase too, until it hits the 100% mark that causes stuttering and stuff. This doesn't happen to my other games so I guess, could be bad coding.

o yea i have a 7300GT also and if anything its my P4 HT 2.8 processor that bottlenecks the system....

[Venomous]

Re: Need help with setting up BF2 for Multiplayer, thanks!

Your gonna want to lower your video settings once in multiplayer. What you need to do to get multiplayer up Is reinstall bf2. So uninstall it and install it again, accept the programs eula or w/e there called dont decline punk buster or anything. Once you have it installed repatch 1.4 and start bf2 up. Make sure you have the latest video drivers installed so you can make multiplayer playable. Make a new account for multiplayer. Log in on it. Dont use the play now button. Just pick a server and go. Go on an empty server to configure your video settings.

[dtaker]

Re: Need help with setting up BF2 for Multiplayer, thanks!

Thanks all, I'll do all that when I get home. I think I'm gonna have to play at lower graphics, as it did reduce cpu/ram/page file use by huge and allowed me to play 64 players on sp64 but still stutter at times. Anyway, I probably may not play 64 due to my bandwidth, 460kbps at most. So I should be going smooth with 32 or 16 players.

Anyway, I really found it very interesting that BF2 is HEAVILY using cpu/ram/pagfile to process graphics in addition to vcard. If this is how games will work in the future, then I'm in big trouble and in dire need of full system upgrade

[Mad Ad]

Re: Need help with setting up BF2 for Multiplayer, thanks!

460kbps is more than enough for 64 but a 3g connection may be higher ping than normal, thats the only thing to worry about- you can check ping ingame on the scoreboard, dont belive the pings in the browser, they lie.

and yes bf2 does heavily tax your hardware but its very rewarding if you have the power to play on high.

[dtaker]

Re: Need help with setting up BF2 for Multiplayer, thanks!

460kbps is more than enough for 64 but a 3g connection may be higher ping than normal, thats the only thing to worry about- you can check ping ingame on the scoreboard, dont belive the pings in the browser, they lie.

and yes bf2 does heavily tax your hardware but its very rewarding if you have the power to play on high.

Thanks Man! I'm checking my ping on DOS first.sadly, If I play 64 it gets stuttery if I keep the high settings. The eyecandy is just too nice to lose. Anyway, if I set everything on medium, things still look good and it makes a lot of difference on performance.