Solid state hard drive question

[Lethaltyrant]

-=-=-=-=-=-=- FFXIV Information -=-=-=-=-=-=-

MyDocument C:\Users\Christian\Documents
FINAL FANTASY XIV - A Realm Reborn C:\Program Files (x86)\SquareEnix
FINAL FANTASY XIV - A Realm Reborn Language 1 Region 2
ProxyEnable 0
ProxyServer unspecified
ProxyOverride unspecified


-=-=-=-=-=-=- System Information -=-=-=-=-=-=-

SYSTEM_OS Windows 8 64-bit (6.2, Build 9200) (9200.win8_gdr.130531-1504)
SYSTEM_CPU Intel(R) Pentium(R) CPU G645 @ 2.90GHz (2 CPUs), ~2.9GHz
SYSTEM_CORE_NUM SYSTEM_CORE_LOGIC 2 SYSTEM_CORE_PHYSICS 2
SYSTEM_BIOS 8.08
SYSTEM_LANGUAGE English (Regional Setting: English)
SYSTEM_MEMORY 4049.047MB
SYSTEM_VIRTUAL_MEMORY 2047.875MB
SYSTEM_PAGE_FILE 5723.887MB
SYSTEM_STORAGE C:\ SYSTEM_HARDDISK_DRIVE SYSTEM_TOTALDISC_SPACE 910.680GB SYSTEM_FREEDISC_SPACE 578.429GB
SYSTEM_STORAGE D:\ SYSTEM_HARDDISK_DRIVE SYSTEM_TOTALDISC_SPACE 19.356GB SYSTEM_FREEDISC_SPACE 2.419GB
SYSTEM_DIRECTX_VERSION DirectX 11
SYSTEM_GRAPHICS NVIDIA GeForce GT 610
SYSTEM_GRAPHICS_DEVICE \\.\DISPLAY2
SYSTEM_GRAPHICS_CHIP GeForce GT 610
SYSTEM_GRAPHICS_MAKER NVIDIA
SYSTEM_GRAPHICS_VRAM 1999.563 MB
SYSTEM_GRAPHICS_SHARED_VRAM 1768.523 MB
SYSTEM_GRAPHICS_DAC Integrated RAMDAC
SYSTEM_GRAPHICS_DISPLAY_MODE 1366 x 768 (32 bit) (60Hz)
SYSTEM_GRAPHICS_DRIVER nvd3dumx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvd3dum,nvwgf2um,nvwgf2um
SYSTEM_GRAPHICS_DRIVER_VERSION 9.18.0013.1106
SYSTEM_GRAPHICS_DRIVER_DATE 2/26/2013 12:32:38 AM
SYSTEM_GRAPHICS_DRIVER_LANGUAGE English
3.0
SYSTEM_GRAPHICS_PIXEL_SHADER 3.0
SYSTEM_GRAPHICS_VERTEX_TEXTURE SYSTEM_SUPPORT
SYSTEM_SOUND
SYSTEM_SOUND_DEVICE_ID
SYSTEM_SOUND_DEVICE_NAME
SYSTEM_SOUND_DRIVER_VERSION
SYSTEM_SOUND_DRIVER_LANGUAGE
SYSTEM_SOUND_DRIVER_DATE
SYSTEM_INPUT {6F1D2B60-D5A0-11CF-BFC7444553540000}
SYSTEM_INPUT_NAME Mouse
SYSTEM_INPUT_REMARKS SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_AXIS 3 SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_BUTTON 8 SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_FOV 0
SYSTEM_INPUT {6F1D2B61-D5A0-11CF-BFC7444553540000}
SYSTEM_INPUT_NAME Keyboard
SYSTEM_INPUT_REMARKS SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_AXIS 0 SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_BUTTON 128 SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_FOV 0
SYSTEM_INPUT {2FED2E80-7094-11E2-8001444553540000}
SYSTEM_INPUT_NAME USB Keyboard
SYSTEM_INPUT_REMARKS SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_AXIS 0 SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_BUTTON 573 SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_FOV 0
SYSTEM_INPUT {B02B4030-067D-11E3-8001444553540000}
SYSTEM_INPUT_NAME Controller (Afterglow Gamepad for Xbox 360)
SYSTEM_INPUT_REMARKS SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_AXIS 5 SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_BUTTON 10 SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_FOV 1
SYSTEM_INPUT {3004AE20-7094-11E2-8002444553540000}
SYSTEM_INPUT_NAME USB Keyboard
SYSTEM_INPUT_REMARKS SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_AXIS 0 SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_BUTTON 3 SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_FOV 0
SYSTEM_INPUT {60399380-CD50-11E2-8001444553540000}
SYSTEM_INPUT_NAME USB Receiver
SYSTEM_INPUT_REMARKS SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_AXIS 0 SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_BUTTON 0 SYSTEM_GAMEPAD_FOV 0

=-=-=-=-=-=- Proccess Information -=-=-=-=-=-=-

C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Java\Java Update\jusched.exe 00001498
C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe 00001B38
C:\Program Files (x86)\Internet Explorer\IELowutil.exe 000008B8
C:\Program Files (x86)\SquareEnix\FINAL FANTASY XIV - A Realm Reborn\boot\ffxivsysinfo.exe 0000106C
C:\Program Files (x86)\TeamViewer\Version8\TeamViewer.exe 00000474
C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\36114Feras.ReddHub_5.8.0.0_neutral__f4gsjrqj9hqv6\ReddHub.exe 000013F4

Those are my current specs

[Slynk]

Ah I see your logic, but no, like in FFXI all characters are rendered on the fly (or at least if they are cached, it's only in memory), there's definitely no disk caching involved Same for the environments, it loads enough of what's around you into RAM (explaining the ~1GB the game can use at times) and I believe it loads/releases more as you move around.

It does however write out the character data to disk every time your change your gear (and possibly when the condition degrades) to the My Games\FINAL FANTASY XIV - A REALM REBORN folder, although this data is pretty tiny and compared to the amount of writes Windows itself does (especially when it uses the pagefile), this game isn't really anything to worry about.

I'm not entirely sure it's rendered on the fly. If it is, they could see a big performance boost from cacheing the models. That would make sense why, on my girlfriend's computer, the game comes to a screeching halt during large fates with lots of players participating. There's also the LOD cache that does exist (it's in the options) but I don't know if it's memory or disk cache.

[worldofneil]

i was asking about the SSD because i heard someone mention it about load times but i dont want to reinstall OS

Due to a RAID-1 rebuild hampering performance, I actually recently moved my FFXIV install from my mechanical 7200RPM drives to my SSD and was actually surprised because the game seems to take the same amount of time to load (although to be fair I didn't ever think it was slow before).

Before someone suggests, no my SSD isn't rubbish (120GB Corsair Force 3 GT) and my Windows install (which is also on it) boots up insanely fast. Having just watched the FFXIV process's disk activity for 10 minutes, it doesn't actually seem to use much disk activity at all, so unless you're finding the game unbearably slow for loading, I wouldn't bother spending your money on an SSD just for it. If you're going to spend money on an SSD do it right and reinstall Windows on it

You said about might add more memory, but didn't say how much you have. Possibly you don't have a lot and Windows is writing to the pagefile (virtual memory when the real memory runs out) which is causing you speed issues in which case adding more memory would fix that.

[Slynk]

That processor is probably your biggest bottleneck:

http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?...45+%40+2.90GHz

[Lethaltyrant]

Due to a RAID-1 rebuild hampering performance, I actually recently moved my FFXIV install from my mechanical 7200RPM drives to my SSD and was actually surprised because the game seems to take the same amount of time to load (although to be fair I didn't ever think it was slow before).

Before someone suggests, no my SSD isn't rubbish (120GB Corsair Force 3 GT) and my Windows install (which is also on it) boots up insanely fast. Having just watched the FFXIV process's disk activity for 10 minutes, it doesn't actually seem to use much disk activity at all, so unless you're finding the game unbearably slow for loading, I wouldn't bother spending your money on an SSD just for it. If you're going to spend money on an SSD do it right and reinstall Windows on it

You said about might add more memory, but didn't say how much you have. Possibly you don't have a lot and Windows is writing to the pagefile (virtual memory when the real memory runs out) which is causing you speed issues in which case adding more memory would fix that.

I have 4 gigs at the moment and was thinking of going to 8 possible

and slynk i figured the CPU was an issue it was an all in one package i bought at staples but i just bought this CPU expecting it in a few days Intel Core i5-3570 Ivy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 77W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 2500 BX80637i53570

[worldofneil]

they could see a big performance boost from cacheing the models

Possibly, but it's not that complicated to put a character together. They've got the basic engine already built for "assembling" characters so it's really just "character 1, head 5, skin 32, weapon 18,..." etc. And with the amount of gear changes in this game, how often are you likely to run into the same person with exactly the same gear?

The fate performance issue you mentioned is most likely graphics card related (can't cope with the amount of things going on) and I know people that have had that issue and they've said turning down the graphic settings have helped, I don't know if it'll help here, but worth a try?

That's interesting what you said about LOD cache, I hadn't noticed that until you said, although there's definitely no disk caching going on, so it must all be RAM based.

[ZohnoReecho]

You can use process monitor if you wanna see what an app is doing
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/s.../bb896645.aspx

[worldofneil]

I have 4 gigs at the moment and was thinking of going to 8 possible

4->8GB will likely give your entire computer a speed boost with pretty much everything. I don't know for sure if it'll help with this game (it seems to use about 1GB give or take) so if you had a lot of other things running it might not have that 1GB to use and would be using the pagefile and slower.

[Slynk]

Possibly, but it's not that complicated to put a character together. They've got the basic engine already built for "assembling" characters so it's really just "character 1, head 5, skin 32, weapon 18,..." etc. And with the amount of gear changes in this game, how often are you likely to run into the same person with exactly the same gear?

The fate performance issue you mentioned is most likely graphics card related (can't cope with the amount of things going on) and I know people that have had that issue and they've said turning down the graphic settings have helped, I don't know if it'll help here, but worth a try?

That's interesting what you said about LOD cache, I hadn't noticed that until you said, although there's definitely no disk caching going on, so it must all be RAM based.

You're forgetting all the transforms to the gear based on character size (height plus natural stature.) It's not a costly calculation for 1 character but when there are 20 on the screen, spawning particle effects, bogging down the audio engine, and causing network lag... that mesh cache could shave quite a few operations from the pipeline. *shrug* If they don't have it already, they'll probably write it in the future when they don't have as many pressing issues to tackle lol.

[Lethaltyrant]

4->8GB will likely give your entire computer a speed boost with pretty much everything. I don't know for sure if it'll help with this game (it seems to use about 1GB give or take) so if you had a lot of other things running it might not have that 1GB to use and would be using the pagefile and slower.

Thank you for the tip ill proabably grab another 4 gb stick and put it in i want to play the game with no issue and full enjoy the experience im hoping with all this upgrading ill be able to and enjoy other games as well with no issue