FPS problem

[Whirlingdervish]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vertical_synchronization

most video cards will default to having an "application controlled" vsync setting, so unless you turn if on or off at that level, you'd have to adjust it in the application of choice (q2) to get the desired behavior.

vsync is what you'd get if you had gl_swapinterval set to 1 in your q2 config.

it will lock your maxfps value (regardless of what it says in your config) to whatever the current vertical refresh rate on your monitor is set to, if your video card can draw at that speed. cheap LCD monitors and such don't tend to be very good for this, so it has kind of fallen out of use in recent years unless people have a CRT or an monitor designed for gaming.

Most people's LCD monitor will only run around 60-75hz and in windows XP most people will be locked at 60hz due to a bug in the OS, so if they used gl_swapinterval 1, it would stick their max FPS at 60 regardless of their cl_maxfps setting. This is probably why most people don't recommend it for Q2, since 60 fps isn't the best framerate for taking advantage of the cool physics in the game.

By using a program like Reforce, you can set custom resolutions and refresh rates on your monitor and this bug will be avoided, allowing you to take advantage of vsync if you have the hardware to do it.

http://dervish.tastyspleen.net/files/reforce.zip

I wouldn't recommend it for anyone who doesn't have a monitor capable of a sustained 85hz or better, and a decent video card.

I run my setup at home at 800x600 @ 85hz with a cl_maxfps of 84, which gets me close enough to 90fps to do a lot of useful jumps, and because of the vsync, draws every one of those 84-85 frames completely smoothly with no tearing effects or blur to the screen. It removes what looks like a kind of wiggly jittery effect that you'll see when you're moving the mouse swiftly or when your player character is hauling ass.

It's not essential, but it sure makes the game look crisp and feel smooth.

[CodeBlack]

Welllll This is my monitor :
Compaq 9500

Diagonal Size: 19"
Viewable Size: 18"
Dot Pitch / Pixel Pitch: 0.22 mm
Max Resolution: 1600 x 1200 / 75 Hz
Max Sync Rate (V x H): 160 Hz x 96 kHz
Video Bandwidth: 210 MHz
Factory Preset Resolution Modes:
640 x 480 / 60 Hz
640 x 480 / 85 Hz
720 x 400 / 70 Hz
800 x 600 / 75 Hz
800 x 600 / 85 Hz
1024 x 768 / 75 Hz
1024 x 768 / 85 Hz
1280 x 1024 / 75 Hz
1600 x 1200 / 85 Hz
Controls / Adjustments: Brightness, contrast, H/V moire, H/V position, H/V size, rotation, trapezoid, degauss, colour temperature, parallelogram, pincushion
Display Screen Coating: Anti-glare, anti-static
Interface: VGA (HD-15)
Image
Image Colour Temperature: Adjustable
Video Input
Analogue video Signal: RGB

sooo according to my settings, i should be able to lock at 85Hz just like you?
Orrrr is my radeon 9200 265mb too crappy for doing that?
Also ive been messing around with the program you gave me, but when i click apply it changes more settings than im trying to change, if i change it, i only want to change it for 800×600 =)

Also thanks for replying 

[Whirlingdervish]

by the specs on that monitor, it looks like you should be able to pull 800x600 @ 85hz with no problems.
I think that vid card should have no problem with a steady 84-85 fps either, but you may have to set dynamic lighting off to make sure it doesn't drop when a bunch of rockets are flyin.

The way I have my reforce set up, I selected the monitor then the line marked 1024x768@85hz and hit apply, which puts it at the top of the list. This is the active forced resolution at the desktop. The rest of the settings below it won't be applied and if you want you could actually remove the extra ones, using the remove mode button.

this is what it looks like on my work comp (with an LCD that only does 75hz )



When I'm in game on my home computer, using gl_mode 4 and fullscreen, the game is drawn at 800x600 but it retains the 85hz refresh rate from the desktop resolution settings.

Once you've closed reforce, just start up q2 and put in cl_maxfps 84 and cl_drawfps 1 to show your current fps on the bottom right. It may require a vid_restart (I dont think it does) but it should now show a constant 84 for FPS.

If it says 60, reforce didn't apply and you may have to turn off the computer and restart it for the settings to take effect.

The only real trick to it after that is to make sure your monitor is turned on before you start up your rig. For some reason when you turn on a windows xp box before the monitor is on, it treats it like a new plug ang play monitor and installs what it calls the default monitor drivers. This will cause reforce to not apply the settings that you set up, because the computer thinks it's using a different monitor. If you find this happening, simply turn off the rig, turn off the monitor then restart them in the reverse order. monitor first then computer.

[CodeBlack]

Wow big post, just read all of it, gonna try it later.
Thanks for replying again