Runs like a dog

[joeypesci]

Runs on my system now but runs like a dog.

I have a

AMD Athlon XP 1700+
512mb RAM
GeForce 4 Ti4200 128mb
LiteOn DVD Burner
20GB Hard Drive
SpinPoint V40 80GB Hard Drive
Lacie USB External 120GB Hard Drive
Motherboard is a Gigabyte GA-7DXR+
Sound Blaster Live! 5.1 Digital
Win XP Pro SP1 (on one partition) SP2 is pants
Win 98se (on another partition)
Samsung SyncMaster 15GLi Monitor

Its not that bad a system. Other games like Vietcong, Americas Army, NFS Underground 1, work perfectly smooth on my rig. But this game, once the park is filled and busy, which mine is not. It runs like a dog and isn't a joy to play. The only way I can do anything smooth, is in paused mode. ****.

They def need to change the min spec on the box, 'cause its quite frankly, wrong.

[Fluxx]

How many guests do you have in your park?

[joeypesci]

Over 1000 and several coasters and rides running and now a monorail as well. All detail is put down to lowest of the low, still runs like a dog, unless I delete half the rides, which then makes playing the game pointless.

Just goes to sure how poorly codded the game is and yes it is poorly coded if other such games run well on my system. After all Far Cry runs blo ody smooth on my system. If that can, I'm da rn sure RCT3 should. Yeah its a nice game if it runs smooth, but doesn't on mine. And according to the FAQ, "the game is designed to run well on older systems". Run well, well thats a total lie. So can I have my money back please, after all Game won't refund it anymore as

1. They don't to refund on PC Games anymore.
2. They tell me my system needs an upgrade thats all

Taking point 2. That maybe true, but according to the FAQ and the specs on the box, this game should run well on mine, but doesn't once the park is built up.

[joeypesci]

The problem is, if i then close the park and the people leave (which for some reason when closing a park, people don't leave so quick even with all the rides closed, odd AI) when the number of people are down to roughly 500 the game still doesn't smooth out. Seems mainly due to the amount of rides, which again, makes it pointless.

[Warspite]

Your machine is not horribly underpowered - I play UT2004 online every week on a machine that is laughably bad in comparison.
Lets start with the basics -the hardware seems OK, so lets check the software. Do you have Directx9, and the latest audio and video drivers?I don't mean to sound patronisin, but you have to start somewhere...

[joeypesci]

Yep got the latest of them. Seems to me, that due to it already having so many gameplay bugs, not hardware bugs (although it has alot of those i hear) but gameplay bugs, suggests to me that its codded so badly that it will inevitable run like a dog on low end systems. Or maybe its just one big fat Bloatware :)

Ignore the 98se now, I never use it but its still there.

[joeypesci]

I should also mention, this is in custom scenerios. So its basically a free play park but instead of unlimited money I want to a set budget so I could play freely but still have to manage money. So the park has alot of rides in it to.

[Justy]

Your system knocks mine into a cocked hat! I only have 1.6ghz processor, 64mb vid card and 512 ram (oh and I am running pretty low on disk space too)In fact I probably only just meet min requirements - if at all. but although it can be a bit sluggish it is by no means unplayable.

Do you have anything else running in background. I disable absolutely everything before I start playing.

[Warspite]

Good point - if you are disconnected from the web, you can safely switch off things like Zonealarm, antivirus products (Norton Internet Security is a particular pig!), AOl diallers etc.
How many processes are running in the background when you start RCT3?

[joeypesci]

Not many process' so its not that. And besides I can run them fine with other programs without any lag. You have to note that AMD 1700 isn't 1.7ghz its 1.4Ghz. But the IT industry scrapped calling their chips via the hz so named then as 1700 XP(1.4ghz) etc etc.

The game runs smooth on the career mode, its just when i make my own park with loadsa rides and that it starts to slow down.

[Justy]

hmmm tricky - looks like an upgrade is needed. Have to say I think the game is worth it. I will be getting a new graphics card for mine after christmas (especially with Zoo Tycoon 2 coming out as well!) Can't believe that the specs are getting so high. I remember being really chuffed with my first PC coz it was a Pentium 120 with 24mb ram and a whole gig hard drive - I was never going to run out of space on that thing! Oh the joys of getting old.

[netbeatz]

Same prob here when bulding my own park:

P4 2.66ghz
1GB Ram
50GB Hard Disk
Radeon 9700 Pro
Windows XP


Runs terrible after park fills...

Strange One

Netbeatz

[joeypesci]

Yep, seems like its poor coding. As an ex programmer (it got SOOOOO boring) thats the conclusion I've come to.

[biteuk]

i can ditto you guy's concern.... im running;

2.4Ghz
1gig ram (DDR 333)
128mb nvidia 5600fx (i know it's not brill)
80 gig drive partitioned into two to make games run better..

but umm sluggish when i have more than 3 coasters regardless of who i got in the park, even if i do change to the lowest graphic settings, im quite p*ssed off to be honest iv'e speant £35 on this bearing in mind i coulda just got a ful tank of petrol with it.

If anyone has any ideas how on earth it can be improved on, barring a new blooming system please let me know... the games pretty much unplayable to be honest...

[joeypesci]

We are gonna have to wait till they maybe fix the coding in a patch. Or pay over £1000 for an Uber system. Even then it will probably slow down :)

[biteuk]

well i wouldnt pay for a new system for one game, i'd prolly wait till my system is old and delapedated then build a nu 1 and play rct3 when it's about 2 yrs old :d lol

[joeypesci]

But then it probably won't run on that either :rolleyes:

[joeypesci]

Wow RCT3 make your mind up!

I'm now trying out sandbox mode. A few rides are in the park but it seems strangly smooth. I wack the graphics up full, full detail on everything and its still smooth. What on Earth is going on?

The only thing I can think is the maths engine and AI is buggered up. As in Sandbox mode there is no monthly report on profits and lose and the peeps seem always pleased and will just go on anything.