River Level Momentary pause after checkpoint load | Forums

[jpat2k]

When I load the first two checkpoints in the River Level, the games runs for a second then pauses for a half second. This makes the game unplayable. If I load the last checkpoint in the level prior to River and work through to the River level, everything works fine. It is only when I load the checkpoint in River that I get the pausing.

I am running a P4 3.2GHz, 1.5Gb RAM and an ATI 9800 Pro 128MB. Running Catalyst v5.2.

Thanks in advance for any help. The game is unplayable at this point.

[DocSEAL]

If those checkpoints are from a previous patch of FC, they might not work.

[jpat2k]

Sorry, I forgot to mention I have been running patch 1.3 throughout. Any reason why the game would work fine - even when I get to the orange dingy - unless I start in the River level from a checkpoint?

[DocSEAL]

Make sure in advanced video options enviroment quality hasn't changed to custom (this is before and after level starts.) I have seen this happen. Not sure of the cause. Hit escape when level starts to re-check. If it happens after you start the level, then it's an ingame setting you have.

[jpat2k]

DocSEAL,

Thanks for your suggestions. My Environment was not on custom, but the Water was. I changed this to Very High, and restarted the game (as required). Went to the checkpoint and had the same continuous pausing - about 1.5sec running then a pause for about 0.5sec. I then hit ESC and saw that the settings were as I set them (Water was still Very High).

So, still having issues with this level. All the other checkpoints I've loaded seem to work fine. It just the two in the River Level (unable to get further to another checkpoint). If I can't solve this - I won't be able to continue.

Any other things for me to try? I appreciate you taking the time to give me a hand.

Thanks.

[DocSEAL]

My suggestion would be to go the other way. Put all settings to medium and maybe even bump your resolution down a notch until you get past the problem area.

[jpat2k]

OK - tried setting all to 'low' and running at 800x600. Now I notice when I start the game, and before I recall the checkpoint, all is 'Low' and Bilinear and '1' I load the checkpoint and I still get the stuttering. When I ESC out I see that the Environment had changed to Custom. Any way to prevent this? I like your idea of setting all low until I pass the problem areas, so I am still attempting to get this done.

Thanks!

[DocSEAL]

There are common offenders if you were trying all the eye candy. Here are their defaults which you should put in console before you load a level:

e_terrain_lod_ratio 1
e_vegetation_sprites_distance_ratio 1
e_vegetation_sprites_min_distance 8
e_water_ocean_sun_reflection 0

[johns1234]

That is AI loop polling of something ( a lot of something ) that you don't need.
If you run the game normally, and trigger the AI uploads as the coders designed
it, you won't get that problem ... although it can appear if you get too clever
and try to sneak around what the game intended for you to do. Also, one of the
worst things you can do in Far Cry is manual saves. Those things will totally
bypass the AI sequencing and your game will become bizarre and start re-spawning.
I've spotted a bunch of places in the River level where getting clever will
leave unresolved "AI loops" running and eating up CPU time. Two of them are
created by ignoring the helicopters. They are carrying Mercs who have roles to
play, and if something like 6 unresolved Merc-AIs get loaded and not played
through, your CPU will have to "share" time with them. I once went all the way
back up the river .. where I could hear a helicopter .. and found that it had
dumped 2 Mercs on the shore, and they were still sneaking around looking for
me. I popped them, and the game smoothed right out. The worst one of all is an
unresolved patrol boat at the end of the River. If it does not come out after
you, the glitching gets pretty bad. I found that if you let the 2nd helicopter
deliver its load of Mercs, and you go throught that sequence normally, then
the patrol boat will come out, but be fairly easy to pop. Then .. no glitch.
Only way to get the 2nd heli to deliver its Mercs is to not shoot the 2nd Merc
at the 2 tents until he has had a chance to fire his signal gun and call the
chopper. The coders should have done a better job clearing the AI-loops. They
do clear them at the end of the levels .. and sometimes after the autosaves.
Really easy to see at the end of the River level when you finally go after
the Big Guy, and the game smooths right out.

[DocSEAL]

Excellent post John, thx for the info.