The
framerate cost of mods, Which mods hit the hardest?
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Zalakat |
Oct 1 2004, 06:09 PM
Post #1
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Layman Joined: 18-September 04 From: Monterey, CA |
I am new to Morrowind and have only recently begun
downloading and installed mods. I have, however, noticed a minor framerate
drop after installing several of them. So my question is this: Which
mods/type of mods affect your framerate the most? Which mods can be
installed with no framerate degradation at all? If there is another thread
that I have missed about this topic, i apologize(please point me there). I
am interested in striking a balance between the mods installed and my
framerate, and am only willing to lost 5-10 fps at the most to play with
them installed. Any input or suggestions are greatly
appreciated. Zalakat |
Pseron Wyrd |
Oct 1 2004, 06:15 PM
Post #2
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Diviner Joined: 12-May 02 |
I think so far the mod that has hit my framerates the
hardest has been 'Wilderness 2.0' |
FallingStar |
Oct 1 2004, 06:27 PM
Post #3
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Adept Joined: 2-August 04 From: Always Somewhere |
You might want to search the forum; this question has
been asked before, and you would be able to find a more complete list of
mods than I would currently give you. In General: different types of mods will affect your computer in different ways depending on your setup. As far as I know: Texture replacer mods will not effect your framerate unless you have low amounts of memory on your video card. I have 128 RAM there, and I do fine with any replacer. Often mods that add large numbers of NPC's and/or creatures will drop FPS -- this is because NPC's are very processor intensive. On my 1.4 Athlon, mods like Morrowind Comes Alive, creature additions (Wilderness, Giants, Kagnac's critters, etc) hurt bad. Also mods that add lots of sounds to the game (Atmospheric sound effects/wilderness sounds) will hurt your FPS -- draining your processor-- unless you have a killer sound card. The last thing to look at is scripts and Global variables. The addition of lots of scripts in general will not hurt if well implemented, but adding lots of global vars will hurt (drains RAM). Since Morrowind in general is RAM intensive, globals tend to hurt most people the most. What you can do: go into your morrowind.ini text file, and change the line show FPS =0 to 1. Then, you can test each mod in game, and see exactly what it does to you. I'd suggest you test both in a town and in the wilderness. I'd also HIGHLY recommend that you get the FPS optimiser program, and tweak it until you get a good FPS if you're having issues. Tweaktown.com has a good morrowind tweak article that will also give you some help in squeezing out a few more FPS (ie altering the threadloading in the ini). For specific mods, the big FPS losses I've had are: Atmospheric sound effects (but well worth it for me), Giants/wilderness mod (not worth it), Morrowind comes alive (great mod, sadly not worth it), NPC schedualer (lots of script/globals; not worth it, sad), blood and gore (not worth it for me), Balmora expansion (only hurts in Balmora, but very much worth the temporary loss). Again, you can find a lot of others if you search. If you want links for mods and utilities, try Tele's list: Here. Hope it helps ya out. |
Iudas |
Oct 1 2004, 06:41 PM
Post #4
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Disciple Joined: 30-October 02 |
QUOTE(FallingStar @ Oct 1 2004, 07:27 PM)
You might want to search the forum;
this question has been asked before, and you would be able to find a more
complete list of mods than I would currently give you. In General: different types of mods will affect your computer in different ways depending on your setup. As far as I know: Texture replacer mods will not effect your framerate unless you have low amounts of memory on your video card. I have 128 RAM there, and I do fine with any replacer. Often mods that add large numbers of NPC's and/or creatures will drop FPS -- this is because NPC's are very processor intensive. On my 1.4 Athlon, mods like Morrowind Comes Alive, creature additions (Wilderness, Giants, Kagnac's critters, etc) hurt bad. Also mods that add lots of sounds to the game (Atmospheric sound effects/wilderness sounds) will hurt your FPS -- draining your processor-- unless you have a killer sound card. The last thing to look at is scripts and Global variables. The addition of lots of scripts in general will not hurt if well implemented, but adding lots of global vars will hurt (drains RAM). Since Morrowind in general is RAM intensive, globals tend to hurt most people the most. What you can do: go into your morrowind.ini text file, and change the line show FPS =0 to 1. Then, you can test each mod in game, and see exactly what it does to you. I'd suggest you test both in a town and in the wilderness. I'd also HIGHLY recommend that you get the FPS optimiser program, and tweak it until you get a good FPS if you're having issues. Tweaktown.com has a good morrowind tweak article that will also give you some help in squeezing out a few more FPS (ie altering the threadloading in the ini). For specific mods, the big FPS losses I've had are: Atmospheric sound effects (but well worth it for me), Giants/wilderness mod (not worth it), Morrowind comes alive (great mod, sadly not worth it), NPC schedualer (lots of script/globals; not worth it, sad), blood and gore (not worth it for me), Balmora expansion (only hurts in Balmora, but very much worth the temporary loss). Again, you can find a lot of others if you search. If you want links for mods and utilities, try Tele's list: Here. Hope it helps ya out. each global variable takes 4 to 8 bytes of ram. Locals take small bytes also and I don't know if they are cleared on cell change. while loops in scripts can suck up the MHz. scripts with LOS calculations will eat your FPS if you are in a highly populated cell. scripts that run every frame, global or local can slow the FPS markedly. Soundcards that offload processing onto the CPU to decode MP3's can hose your FPS, soundcards that decode MP3 on their own won't. Big Textures and limited video ram can force your CPU to store Texture information in main ram which will slow the processing of texture data. Lots of disabled but not deleted items in a cell will cause slowdown. Lots of NPCs/creatures with differing AI's in a cell will also. Dynamic shadows will really eat your FPS. Keeping your buffers in MW.ini at the defaults will cause longer pauses. |
VanditR8 |
Oct 1 2004, 06:58 PM
Post #5
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Novice Joined: 30-September 04 |
OMG the mod that hit my framerate the hardest was
certainly Balmora Expansion! Usually when i get into balmora my framerate
slows a bit, but its still very playable. However after installing Balmora
expansion, my framerates were raped. I coupld barely move, averaging
around 5 fps outdors!. However the plugin is fantastic and i wish i had a
faster computer to run it on. By the way i have a lousy computer, p4 1.6ghz, 512mb ram, 32mb Gforce 4 Go. |
freestone |
Oct 1 2004, 07:04 PM
Post #6
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Acolyte Joined: 10-September 04 From: tallahassee, fla,usa |
QUOTE(Pseron Wyrd @ Oct 1 2004, 07:15 PM)
I looked at wilderness with great anticipation, sports fans. when it finally came out, i went to his forums and dn away! tis looked good, but i had about 19fps, near the fallen mage near seedya. then i read about how he scripted this mod to run with SCRIPTS instead of "placements", and this was not a good idea, the poster said, as this hits the ole fps hard. i took it out. ooooh! my 19 fps went up to 25 to 32 fps!! and another mod series; the cats and dogs in all the towns, hitting the fps where it hurts the very very most, in a npc-filled town!! before, with dogs and cats in seedyua....5 to 8 fps! without....well, i now have 8 to 15! freestone |
yianthegreat |
Oct 1 2004, 07:37 PM
Post #7
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Curate Joined: 3-September 04 From: Kutztown, PA |
Tree Replacement really hurts, but Wilderness is
indeed the biggest killer. Most graphic intense mod slow the game down
just about a little if you have a decent video card... but mods like
wilderness, which uses giant amount of scripts, could bring anything to
its knee. |
Gen_Lee |
Oct 1 2004, 09:49 PM
Post #8
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Diviner Joined: 10-January 03 |
From Wilderness v2.0 ReadMe: Recomended Sytem requirements: Since this mod will add literaly thousands of fish and other animals to the world it is recomended that you have at least a Geforce 3 video card, 512 mb memory and nothing less than a 1+ gigahertz processor for best results playing this mod. My comp specs: Amd 3.0 barton, 1giga ddr, ati0800 pro running at 1024x768 Antialising 6x, anisotropic at 16x. From My Morrowind.ini: GameFile0=Morrowind.esm GameFile1=Tribunal.esm GameFile2=Bloodmoon.esm GameFile3=Better Heads Tribunal addon.esm GameFile4=Better Heads Bloodmoon addon.esm GameFile5=Better Heads.esm GameFile6=Beauty_Pack.esm GameFile7=World_Of_Faces_Master.esm GameFile8=Unique Heads I-Balmora.esm GameFile9=The Wilderness Mod 2.0 T & B.esm GameFile10=Morrowind Comes Alive.esm GameFile11=Clean QuickChar.esp GameFile12=Morrowind Comes Alive Guards Patch.esp GameFile13=VTA_TravelBM+Trib.esp GameFile14=zbretonf4.esp GameFile15=zamazonia.esp GameFile16=van helsing.esp GameFile17=NightelfBB.esp GameFile18=bcsounds.esp GameFile19=master_index.esp GameFile20=Clean adamantiumarmor.esp GameFile21=Clean EBQ_Artifact.esp GameFile22=Clean entertainers.esp GameFile23=Clean balmorau.esp GameFile24=Clean Nemon's_Balmora_Interiorator.esp GameFile25=Clean Nemon's_Vivec_Interiorator.esp GameFile26=Khajiit_Replacement_WSen.esp GameFile27=Arwens_New_Look.ESP GameFile28=Clean Astarsis_Barenziah_Replace.esp GameFile29=Clean Astarsis_DEF_FieryReplace.esp GameFile30=Clean Astarsis_HEF_PlainReplace.esp GameFile31=NW_Redguard_femaleheads.esp GameFile32=Clean _KP_Multi-Races_Faces_Pack.esp GameFile33=S-M Bosmer Beauty.esp GameFile34=CRHeads.esp GameFile35=Don Salus Faces III.esp GameFile36=EM_Angelina.esp GameFile37=Emmas_Imperial_heads_1_0.esp GameFile38=Emmas_redguard_faces_1_0.esp GameFile39=emma_highelf_fem_v1_0.esp GameFile40=MiscFacePack-Nords.esp GameFile41=Emmas_breton_faces_1_0.esp GameFile42=Woodman's Female Celeb Heads 01.esp GameFile43=Emmas_dunmer_faces1_0.esp GameFile44=Sils_Long_Hair_Mod_v1.0.esp GameFile45=Guinevere.esp GameFile46=BM_Redsonja_01.esp GameFile47=Cleaned PlayableFacesPack.esp GameFile48=FBsCompilation4DrowMod.esp GameFile49=FBsCompilation.esp GameFile50=SATAN's Long Hair For Elves.esp GameFile51=PW_Brin.esp GameFile52=Clean Make-up & Tats.esp GameFile53=Joy's Redguards.esp GameFile54=qarls_hot_girls.esp GameFile55=Dunmer_Rogues.esp GameFile56=Xia_facepack_01.esp GameFile57=MN_Breton_Vampires_1_v1.esp GameFile58=Qarls_Hot_Girls2.esp GameFile59=Weapons of Tamriel v1.2.esp GameFile60=Castle_Kanthrock.esp GameFile61=Clean SauronsAbode252_Tribunal.esp GameFile62=Clean SauronsEnchantments252.esp GameFile63=Clean TF_Grazelands_Estate_v1.esp GameFile64=Clean add-on-pack_morrowind.esp GameFile65=Clean House - Airioch Manor-v1.3.esp GameFile66=Clean S_Inn_th.esp GameFile67=Clean Sorefoot Enterprizes, Inc..esp GameFile68=Clean Skali's Bitter Coast Hideout v2.esp GameFile69=Clean Ald-ruhn, Abandoned Hut V2.esp GameFile70=bob rapier.esp GameFile71=Tribun_Laura_3_0v21.esp GameFile72=Clean Comp_F_1.1.esp GameFile73=Fortified_Thirsk_1.1.esp GameFile74=Helios_Keep.esp GameFile75=The regulars - Sitting NPC's v2.02.esp GameFile76=Castle Vianden V1.esp GameFile77=farrp_WeaponCompilationMod_V2.esp GameFile78=Tigh High Boots 1.0.esp GameFile79=Amazon War Boots 1.0.esp GameFile80=Elven Mithril Chainmail Armor.esp GameFile81=Cali's Clothing.esp GameFile82=Sierre's Trader.esp GameFile83=Leather&Lace.esp GameFile84=Glitter Dresses.esp GameFile85=Loincloth_top_ pkg.esp GameFile86=Lord Alt Tab.esp GameFile87=Necklace_Pack.esp GameFile88=Korana's Closet.esp GameFile89=Cali's_BB_V.2_Tight_Dresses.esp GameFile90=Cali's_BB_V.2_Dryad_Dresses.esp GameFile91=Cali_Dryad_Hair_MWRaces.esp GameFile92=Heaven's Lookout.esp GameFile93=zbrotherandy.esp GameFile94=Slave Collars.esp GameFile95=Pozzo's Pandora.esp GameFile96=paladin_armor_M_v.1.0.esp GameFile97=Chainmail Tops+Slips 1.3.esp GameFile98=Full Gowns.esp GameFile99=Divine_domina_part_5.esp GameFile100=CET_Meteoric_Steel_Mail.esp GameFile101=French Maid Outfit.esp GameFile102=Qarls_Gothic_Attire.esp GameFile103=Ranger Tent.esp GameFile104=Oakridge Ranch.esp GameFile105=The Undead.esp GameFile106=Disturb_the_dead.esp GameFile107=Disturb_the_dead_BM_SA_Addon.esp GameFile108=Balmora Expansion v1.3.esp GameFile109=Pegas Horse Ranch v2.1.esp GameFile110=Guard Sex 2 - Funky Edition.esp GameFile111=Clean Almilia's daughters 3.2.esp GameFile112=Zkidforlove.esp GameFile113=Clean dracandrosvoice.esp GameFile114=zdacandros.esp GameFile115=Clean P.R.E. v4.0.esp GameFile116=Clean Nudity Greeting Expansion V1.esp GameFile117=Scripted_Spells.esp GameFile118=Vampire Realism - Bloodlines.esp GameFile119=Vampire_Embrace.esp GameFile120=Blood Lines I_BloodMoon.esp GameFile121=MTT Vol III-patch.esp GameFile122=Sris_Alchemy_BM.esp GameFile123=Advanced Herbalism - TR & BM.esp GameFile124=Resources Enhanced.esp GameFile125=Better Bodies.esp GameFile126=Clean ring_teleport_trib.esp GameFile127=Clean Barabus'Fireplaces.esp GameFile128=Key Replacer Trib & BM.esp GameFile129=Clean RealSignposts.esp GameFile130=Vivec Signposts.esp GameFile131=Unique Banners and Signs.esp GameFile132=Authentic Signs IT 1.1.esp GameFile133=VA_OrdReplace_openhelm1.0.esp GameFile134=IceBradyRobeReplacerMW.esp GameFile135=IceBradyRobeReplacerTB.esp GameFile136=IceBradyRobeReplacerBM.esp GameFile137=Amulets and Rings 2.1 Upgrade A.esp GameFile138=NB_Soulgems_ReplacerCLEAN.esp GameFile139=MWE_Base.esp GameFile140=MWE_Blocking.esp GameFile141=MWE_Writing.esp GameFile142=MWE_Combat.esp GameFile143=MWE_Journal.esp GameFile144=Windows Glow.esp GameFile145=Lights 300 v5.esp GameFile146=No-Glo_0709.esp GameFile147=Clean NoShieldEffect.esp GameFile148=Merged_Leveled_Lists.esp GameFile149=Merged_Objects.esp Plus Zuldazug Visual pack 2.11 and 2.2 nature with Qarl Tx retextures. With Fps optimizer set on novice with only the 1st option checked. Overall inside: 100 Fps medium Overall outside in the wildrness or ashlands or Bloodmoon: 34fps medium Overall outside in cities: 24fps medium In Balmora: 14fps medium So even being a heavy mod is far away from being impossible to use. And despite some opinions is 1 of the best mods avaiable, the atmosphere it adds is unique. |
Lo-Fi Version |
Time is now: 1st November 2004
- 02:34 PM |
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