ugh... savegame load time

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by rjwoer
This kind of response is completely asinine. If a computer cannot run the game despite meeting the recommended specs (let alone the minimum reqs) there is something else going on. Maybe it's the fault of the game, or maybe a file or setting on the computer--but certainly the fix isn't a new system altogether ... nor is that acceptable IMO.

It's running the game, just more slowly than you'd like. I wasn't aware this was a general "omg civ 4 is buggy cuz it doesn't work on my system" thread.

Personally, I encountered longer load times from civ3 than I have with civ4.

[Kuciwalker]

The problem with any such complaints is Windows is the most uncontrolled computer environment.

Trolling from a mod

Trolling from a mod in the on-topic

[rjwoer]

I wasn't aware this was a general "omg civ 4 is buggy cuz it doesn't work on my system" thread.

I didn't realize it was either, nor that anyone would be keeping track. I was simply responding.

[Dis]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker

The problem with any such complaints is Windows is the most uncontrolled computer environment.

Trolling from a mod

Trolling from a mod in the on-topic

is it really trolling when he's right?

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by rjwoer
I didn't realize it was either, nor that anyone would be keeping track. I was simply responding.

If a computer cannot run the game despite meeting the recommended specs [...]

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker

The problem with any such complaints is Windows is the most uncontrolled computer environment.

Trolling from a mod

Trolling from a mod in the on-topic

Spamming an on-topic thread is bad.

Spamming an on-topic thread with a mod-baiting post is double plus ungood.

[tai4ji2x]

[sarcasm] thanks to those members here who have proven that civ is a game that also attracts small children [/sarcasm]

[Azuarc]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker
It's running the game, just more slowly than you'd like. I wasn't aware this was a general "omg civ 4 is buggy cuz it doesn't work on my system" thread.

Personally, I encountered longer load times from civ3 than I have with civ4.

Then what kind of thread is it? It certainly seems that the OP is not alone in his assertion that the game does not perform the way it ought to.

The issue is not hardware. We're talking about parsing maybe 50k worth of data. (Sometimes more, but I have issues even with files that size.) Word brings up my 6-page document that is 51k in no time flat. Granted, Word doesn't have to interpret much of that data, or render graphics, but considering the later in the game the geometrically longer the load time, I don't think the issue is with starting the game proper.

So I guess you're right, this isn't an "omg civ 4 is buggy cuz it doesn't work on my system" thread. It's an "omg civ 4 is buggy" thread.

[Kuciwalker]

Then what kind of thread is it? It certainly seems that the OP is not alone in his assertion that the game does not perform the way it ought to.

The game is performing exactly as it ought to, just slowly. It's not a bug along the lines of a CtD or a glitch that makes the game work different from the intended rules.

The issue is not hardware. We're talking about parsing maybe 50k worth of data. (Sometimes more, but I have issues even with files that size.) Word brings up my 6-page document that is 51k in no time flat. Granted, Word doesn't have to interpret much of that data, or render graphics, but considering the later in the game the geometrically longer the load time, I don't think the issue is with starting the game proper.

One part of it is some rendering that is done only at the start of the game - lighting and shading stuff. You can tell that it's only done at the start because if you create mountains - or lower them - in the worldbuilder, the shading is very noticeably wrong, but reloading fixes it.

And I can only assume that "geometrically longer the load time" is pure hyperbole. Of course the game is going to take longer to load later in the game, because almost everything apart from the base terrain increases linearly or faster with time. For example: not only does the number of cities grow with time, but their population and the number of buildings in them as well. That's probably a O(n^2) relationship just from the number of cities.

So I guess you're right, this isn't an "omg civ 4 is buggy cuz it doesn't work on my system" thread. It's an "omg civ 4 is buggy" thread.

Where's the bug?

[Falconne]

I'm well above spec with 3.8Ghz cpu, 2GB dual channel ram and an x800 Pro card. Only "low spec" hardware are my HDD's which are just Seagate 7200.7 SATA's, but they are defragged every day and I have Windows on one drive and a permanent swap file on the other.

I still have excruciatingly slow load times. Having said that, I'm still playing my first proper game and I'm using a custom map size that is the same size as Terra maps on huge (I think 38x26 or something) with 18 civs.

But that's not especially gigantic (I'll probably get the same issues on the "regular" huge map size), so I'm wondering if it's something in my setup. Can anyone who's played a few huge sized Terra maps with 18 civs comment on the performance they get?

My load times for the saved games started off around 4 mins, and is now 5-6 mins mid game. After loading though, everything was fine... no lag or anything, so I didn't mind.

Mid game I got the world map from an AI civ (got the entire map). Regular game play is still fine but now I can't go to the strategic map view (or even zoom out the level where you see clouds). If I try to, everything just stops. Looking in Task Manager I can see the memory usage for Civ sloooowly go up to 2gb and beyond, so it hasn't hung; if I leave it for 15 mins it will probably recover. Very annoying, but not a game killer when offset against the joy of playing on a map this size with all the civs.

The other issue I had after getting the world map was, after loading a new game, the first time I end a turn, the game hangs for around 5 mins doing god knows what before the AI turns end and I can play again. Subsequent end turns are fine.

I can't think what the big deal is having the map revealed that causes these new problems. It is still doing the exact same calculations as before. I don't have vision in the newly revealed terrain. Anyone else had this?

Despite these issues, after experiencing a game at this scale, I don't think I can bear playing on a smaller map with fewer civs. It's a pity only those with high end machines can even attempt such games.

[tai4ji2x]

^pretty much exactly my experience, albeit with a less snazzy computer and i guess more CTD's