Game Optimization

Although opinions differ as to what improvements are most valuable, happily there are optimizations that improve everyone's experience. This article describes ways to get outstanding performance with most games. There are four types of optimization:

1. Configuring your existing equipment well

• See Optimizing a Slow Computer, which discusses a normally behaving system, but with configuration choices that cause terrible performance.
• See Troubleshooting a Slow Computer or Network if you think your system is behaving abnormally.

2. Making your equipment faster

A fast computer model with a relatively fast graphics card is very important. For online games, a fast connection from your ISP is critical. For wireless online gaming, use NETGEAR RangeMax equipment (or a wired network!). However, even RangeMax equipment can benefit from tuning. See Improving Wireless Range or Improving Range with RangeMax

If your system does not meet the recommended requirements on the game box, change it so that it does. (A system with just the minimum requirements will be difficult to optimize.)

Software, firmware and driver upgrades are especially important if you haven't done them since installing. Performance upgrades of concern to gamers:

• The game, upgrades from the manufacturer. Always do this after a game is first installed. The software in the box may be out-of-date, even if a game just come out.
• Router / modem (from NETGEAR, for NETGEAR products)
• Adapter (from NETGEAR, for NETGEAR products)
• Video card (from the manufacturer)
• Sound card (from the manufacturer)
• Motherboard (from the manufacturer)
• CPU (from the manufacturer)

The downside, especially if you're probably going to replace a device anyhow, is that updates don't always help performance, and may introduce worse problems into your equipment.

Many companies would like to sell you upgrades: CPU, RAM, video cards, sound cards, DVD players, monitors, speakers, etc. If you enjoy experimenting with the technology, great! But a rule of thumb might be: Fix a problem if makes your game unfun, not otherwise. Optimizing everything isn't practical. Or even possible.

There are endless opinions about computer enhancements for gamers. Generally though, for a mid-range computer, CPU and RAM are the first things to upgrade, followed by the video card. If your computer was mid-range a couple years ago, it's probably cheaper in the long run to replace the whole thing — 12 months from now, as a gamer, you'll probably do that, anyhow.

Desktop computers are a much better performance value for gamers because laptops are optimized for factors that are not essential to games: computer weight, battery life, and size.

Consider some of these expensive upgrades "off the beaten path", for something fun and different:

• Can't stand waiting for games to load or scenes to change? Try a RAID 0 disk array. Buy a faster CD / DVD drive.
• Want an amazing change in sound? Buy expensive speakers. ( >$200 ) Do side-by-side comparisons.
• Eyes tired from play? Buy a video card and monitor that support a refresh rate of no less than 80 Hertz. (90 Hertz is very good.) Make sure that they both support that Hertz at the maximum resolution and frame rate you will play games. If you play in the dark, or drink lots of caffeine (yes!), the change will be even more noticable.
• Getting cramps or carpal? Get a more expensive controllers, or an ergonomic keyboard (you might try the newest Microsoft Ergonomic Keyboard 4000).
• Have a computer with many background processes you don't want to turn off? (Virus checking, screen saver, server support) Try a dual CPU.

3. Optimizing your network layout and use

The goals here are to have the fastest, reliable connection as possible between you and the other players and servers (and for the other players to have the same). An ideal situation is playing alone on a network with a wired connection, or a RangeMax wireless connection. If there are other (non-game playing) people on the network, you want their traffic separated from yours by a switch. If your wireless connection is older equipment, you want to be using the fastest wireless protocol (E.g., 108 instead of wireless b), and you want to be where there's the strongest signal.

A computer that is faster as a standalone unit will also have better network performance.

Do not be tempted into "optimizing your computer" — as Web pop-ups advertise — by changing MTU size, unless there are only gamers on your network. You will likely ruin performance for other online applications, or loose use of them entirely, as described in MTU, Partial Loss of Internet Connection, and Performance.

Regardless of successes, people destroy equipment every day by overclocking CPUs — a small increase in performance might not make a significant difference to your gaming, anyhow. Overclocking is not recommended, unless you enjoy that kind of (potentially expensive) challenge.

4. Optimizing the game itself

• When installing, chose the maximum installation size, so that more files are copied from the CD/DVD to your hard disk.
• Before playing, disable anti-virus and screen savers. Turn the anti-virus program back on after finishing the game.
• Adjust the settings within the game for performance. This is often more critical with online games. These factors slow a computer:
  • Higher resolution.
  • Higher depth of color bits.
  • Greater detail.
  • Longer perspectives.
  • Shading, shadows, fog, etc.
  • Higher camera turn rates, player turn rates, message speeds.
  • Higher quality sound. Also, turning off selected sounds within the game (such as music) may improve performance.
• After you've been playing the game for a few days with graphic in high resolution modes, consider turning some of the less critical effects down to improve performance. Visual effects get dull, performance is always a buzz.

N101595.asp Jan. 4, 2006