Map Load Time

[joecacti]

I'm interested in cutting down the loading time. I'm pretty satisfied that I have no more control over verifying client data, which is on the order of 10-15 seconds anyway. I was surprised that going from 512MB to 2.5 gigs did NOT freakishly improve the actual map load time, so I'm wondering if maybe adding that /3gb in the boot.ini would help (as seen here ), or perhaps putting a page file on both drives (right now I have a 3.8 gig page file on the faster C drive, with windows). The C drive offers UDMA 6, but I've read that it's barely faster than UDMA5...

The question remains: What are y'alls load times for the maps? (the white bar, NOT verifying data)...

The Stats:
Intel P4 HT 2.6Ghz
Intel D875PBZ mobo
2.5 gigs P3200 memory
C Drive (WinXP SP2 installed here) WD360GD SATA 10kRPM 36gig, 12 gigs free UDMA5
D Drive (Games, Music, etc) WD3200JD SATA 7.2kRPM, 360 gig, 190 gigs free UDMA5
Graphics: ATI RADEON 9550 256mb AGP
Sound: Creative Extigy (external USB box)

[imported_Nefarious]

Re: Map Load Time

You'll get faster loading times if you get a better video card, which you forgot to specify. More ram is of course a good thing but its the combination of a good card, good ram and a good CPU that ultimately decides how fast your loading times will be. BTW: I've timed my client data loading to be 40 secs - 1 min long with an X700 Pro 256MB video card and 512MB RD server RimRam.

[imported_Dingdong]

Re: Map Load Time

You think your load times are long
You should see me just log into the game itself.
My CPU stinks but im gona get an appel comuter soon iv hurd many good things of them.

[Scinto]

Re: Map Load Time

well the noticable thing would be not putting the O/S on a raptor harddrive its better suited for Games

[joecacti]

Re: Map Load Time

OK, I edited for the graphics card and sourd card... It occurs to me that higher quality video settings (resolution, etc.) might account for additional load times... My load time is at about 30-40 seconds (without the verify), but I get in and people are already running around!

[ConscriptVirus]

Re: Map Load Time

defraggin also helps load times

[Munk_Madness]

Re: Map Load Time

used to have that graphics card it did have a long load time for me, upgraded and its alot better, also drivers for the card can have alot to do with the load time

[[Expletive Deleted]]

Re: Map Load Time

With my setup I am in the game 45 seconds after I click "join server."
My buddy with an X1600 gets in at the same time. The ONLY differences are our video cards and his Mobo is not the "expert" version.
Loading has more to do with HDD speed, cache, and RAM size than anything from what we've observed. My wife comes in soon after us with her 3800X2 and 1.5GB of RAM with some lame HP mobo. She also has an X1300 Pro. She comes in seconds after us, though, with the same settings.
As a test, I changed my res to 1600x1200 and I still get in at the same time I did before.

[ThoughtForm]

Re: Map Load Time

Upgraded my computer recently and map load times are usually about 15-20 seconds now, but seems to be less. Also verifying client data is pretty much done in the blink of an eye:

AMD FX 62
Asus Crosshair motherboard
2gb XMS2 TwinX DDR2 6400 (800mhz)
512mb ATI X1950XTX crossfire master (650mhz core, 2ghz mem)
Creative X-Fi Fatality
4gb Gigabyte I-Ram
2 x 320gb Seagate SATAII (not in RAID)
Hiper Type R modular 580W PSU
22" widescreen Viewsonic VX2235wm

*edit* timed it just now, Wake Island only took 8 seconds to load, 3 seconds to verify