Need some help with NFS The Run

[jctwibell]

Hey everyone, Im trying to play NFS The Run (with the lovely frostbite 2 engine) on my PC.

I will list specs in a sec but my question is, no matter how high or low I set the settings I only get between 8-15FPS. (either on Ultra or Low, same difference.)

I just dont get it! I can play BF3 on med-high settings with 35-40FPS and MW3 on ultra with 60+ FPS...
Specs,

Daminibeast/Dell C521 case and stock mobo

AMD Athlon 64x2 6000+ 3.1GHZ

EVGA 9800GT SC

4GB of DDR2 Ram

160GB 7200RPM Segate HDD

playing (or trying to play) on the native res of 1680x1050

Like I said no matter how high or low I set the settings I get the same framerates.... Except the menu, its always 30FPS no matter what...

 

[AntiZig]

hi, well beyond the fact that the run is another one of the crappy ports EA was pooping out into the market...

Ok lets move onto better things, try smaller and larger resolutions, if no improvement, check your nvidia control panel to make sure that it's not forcing some performance characteristics on the game that would overwrite in-game options. In advanced 3d options, make sure you have the profile for the game. Also, you didn't mention, but make sure you got the latest nvidia drivers.

get EVGA precision or hwinfo64 and check your CPU and GPU utilization when the game runs, also pay attention to GPU memory utilization and clock rates (CPU and GPUs clock themselves down when at partial/low load), if for some reason your GPU doesn't kick into high gear that could be the problem.

That's about it, do some testing outlined above and come back with the results, we'll go from there.

 

[jctwibell]

Yep I realized that when I started the game, not only do the graphics stink even on ultra but the gameplay is really not that great... oh well. Too bad they can’t get codemasters to do NFS's graphics... (Hence the sarcasm to frostbite 2 in a racing game...)

Anyways, sorry, I forgot to mention. I do have the latest Nvidia drivers.

I HAVE uninstalled the game as well as origin and reinstalled...

I DO have EVGA precision and only when the settings are on the lowest does the GPU downclock... (Even when it is running on 3d clocks the choppiness is not THAT much better)

Double checked the Nvidia CP and all the performance characteristics are set to let the game override the CP.

No different. I don’t get it... anything else I should do? I closed EVERYTHING save for windows explorer and security system.

 

[AntiZig]

Hmm, this is the only decent review I was able to find:
http://www.hardocp.com/article/2011/11/15/need_for_speed_run_performance_iq

they say the game has a hard coded frame cap.

But that doesn't explain why it's 15 fps on your machine. As far as I recall 9800GT has support for Dx10? (correct me if I'm wrong) ..ah seems that NFS:TR supports dx10 and 11. Alright so you should be ok on this front.

Alright one more thing to check, the Vram usage. If it maxes out during the game perhaps the textures are too much for your card to handle all of them at the same time. Although then you'd have same problem in BF3, which you don't.

Ok in that case check the CPU utilization and RAM, if none of them are maxing out the only thing I can tell you is to write it off on poor game port (as much as I hate to conclude with that since I'm heavily biased towards EA for killing the NFS franchise)

 

[jctwibell]

Hmm, this is the only decent review I was able to find:
http://www.hardocp.com/article/2011/11/15/need_for_speed_run_performance_iq

they say the game has a hard coded frame cap.

But that doesn't explain why it's 15 fps on your machine. As far as I recall 9800GT has support for Dx10? (correct me if I'm wrong) ..ah seems that NFS:TR supports dx10 and 11. Alright so you should be ok on this front.

Alright one more thing to check, the Vram usage. If it maxes out during the game perhaps the textures are too much for your card to handle all of them at the same time. Although then you'd have same problem in BF3, which you don't.

Ok in that case check the CPU utilization and RAM, if none of them are maxing out the only thing I can tell you is to write it off on poor game port (as much as I hate to conclude with that since I'm heavily biased towards EA for killing the NFS franchise)

Ok so read the review, there is a pc patch out to take care of the 30FPS cap and a few other issues as well as adding a few more cars etc.

Link: http://www.needforspeed.com/downloads

I can’t seem to download the patch, I don’t know why. Maybe you could guide me?

That’s just it! VRAM is only using 600MB at the MOST. (It’s a 1GB card and yes, it’s DX 10. So is the game if I recall correctly.)

Actual RAM is only using 2.5GB and CPU is usually at 90% to 100%.

Yes, although it looks like the best LOOKING game, it certainly plays like one of the worst. Especially the Xbox buttons on the screen... I use a wheel and you can’t change what appears as an action button or reprogram what buttons do what....

 

[AntiZig]

oh then it seems that you have a common problem typical to console ports, where console ports tend to use more CPU than GPU to render graphics, in which case your CPU seems to be hitting 100% and bottle-necking your GPU.

I'm going to say your best bet is to see if your socket will take a P2 cpu

 

[jctwibell]

Ok well shoot, how odd, with BF3 being the same engine....
Whats a P2 CPU?

 

[AntiZig]

AMD Phenom II

Edit: actually, did some checking, seems to me your current CPU is on AM2 socket, and P2 are AM3 and AM3+, so I'm doubtful that your motherboard would allow you to upgrade (unless it has AM2+, which I doubt it does, but check). Try overclocking if your motherboard will let you, if not, save up for a new build.

 

[wolfram23]

If you want a good racing game... get Racedriver GRID.

 

[jctwibell]

AMD Phenom II

Edit: actually, did some checking, seems to me your current CPU is on AM2 socket, and P2 are AM3 and AM3+, so I'm doubtful that your motherboard would allow you to upgrade (unless it has AM2+, which I doubt it does, but check). Try overclocking if your motherboard will let you, if not, save up for a new build.

Ok well I do have an AM2 board. Not the AM2+. Cant really overclock on a Dell board. (I dont think) BUT I have had my eyes on a Phenom x4 9950 BD. Its compatable with the AM2 slot.

And yes, still saving up for a new build...someday....

 

[jctwibell]

If you want a good racing game... get Racedriver GRID.

Yeah, I tryed the demo. Its ok, kinda old but good GFX. Looking at getting NFS Shift 2 or Dirt 3. Suggestions?

 

[Eldd]

Yeah, I tryed the demo. Its ok, kinda old but good GFX. Looking at getting NFS Shift 2 or Dirt 3. Suggestions?

Unless you have a good driving wheel and you're also ready to apply some community mods to get the game feel more, down to earth let's say, go for Dirt 2/3, and only then consider NFS Shift 2 Unleashed. But, if possible, get both games, they're well worth it.

 

[jctwibell]

Unless you have a good driving wheel and you're also ready to apply some community mods to get the game feel more, down to earth let's say, go for Dirt 2/3, and only then consider NFS Shift 2 Unleashed. But, if possible, get both games, they're well worth it.

Just bought a G 27. Have Dirt 2, very awesome. Yeah I read about some game mods for NFS Shift 2. I have no idea where I can get them or how to apply them. Would like to lean though. Do you know how to apply these mods?

 

[wolfram23]

Dirt 3 is very similar to Dirt 2 although they lock you out of events and cars unless you buy some DLC which pisses me off. It also entirely lacks the sense of true progressions as you have no money, don't buy cars, don't buy upgrades, don't customize anything but the horn... it's pretty lame, really. You just race, level up, and suddenly can drive new cars/tracks. That really, really disappointed me with Dirt 3. I think Dirt 2 is much better in that sense.

As for Shift 2, it's ok. The regular racing is pretty decent but just like the first Shift, the cars oversteer a ton and I found the engine sounds are really bad in 2. They toned back that "in the driver's seat" feel of the first Shift where the sounds were just blaring and it was like a rollercoaster. They also made drifting laughable. I can't believe how they expect me to enjoy "driving" with their asinine drift physics. Drive a car in a regular race - it's fine. Drive the same car in a "drift" race and suddenly turning the wheel makes the back end whip out rather than turning the front. This has a fun effect when you are against a wall (say, the outside corner wall), because the back end can't whip out so you can't get off the wall! The cars also magically dispense grease under the tires so it just slip 'n slides like nuts. I made better drifts in the regular races in an S2000 than in the RX8 Drift car during drift races.

I can't understand why they would do that. Cars that drift behave just like cars that don't drift, except for slight handling difference with oversteer and of course they have tons of power so they break loose. Drifting in GRID and Dirt 1/2/3 is a thousand times better. Drifting in the gymkhana tracks in Dirt 3 is a lot of fun, it's awesome. Those guys at EA/Slightly Mad Studios need to figure out how physics work. I mean, they even tried advertising the Shift series as "appealing to the sim racing fans" as opposed to the arcady style of earlier NFS games.

The one thing Shift 2 does well, which NFS has usually done well, is the customizing. You can tune cars up to the nines. I just wish they behaved more realistically. GT5 I thought was awesome although near the end of the career it became quite tedious. I really just think that GRID is probably the best racing game to come out in the last decade. The driving is realistic enough, there's plenty of cars and races, there's a definite feel of progressions as you work from your Mustang Boss to maybe a Skyline or Viper, and eventually you're in GT3 cars, and when you're really far in the game you've got LMP1 super cars to rip around in.

 

[jctwibell]

Dirt 3 is very similar to Dirt 2 although they lock you out of events and cars unless you buy some DLC which pisses me off. It also entirely lacks the sense of true progressions as you have no money, don't buy cars, don't buy upgrades, don't customize anything but the horn... it's pretty lame, really. You just race, level up, and suddenly can drive new cars/tracks. That really, really disappointed me with Dirt 3. I think Dirt 2 is much better in that sense.

As for Shift 2, it's ok. The regular racing is pretty decent but just like the first Shift, the cars oversteer a ton and I found the engine sounds are really bad in 2. They toned back that "in the driver's seat" feel of the first Shift where the sounds were just blaring and it was like a rollercoaster. They also made drifting laughable. I can't believe how they expect me to enjoy "driving" with their asinine drift physics. Drive a car in a regular race - it's fine. Drive the same car in a "drift" race and suddenly turning the wheel makes the back end whip out rather than turning the front. This has a fun effect when you are against a wall (say, the outside corner wall), because the back end can't whip out so you can't get off the wall! The cars also magically dispense grease under the tires so it just slip 'n slides like nuts. I made better drifts in the regular races in an S2000 than in the RX8 Drift car during drift races.

I can't understand why they would do that. Cars that drift behave just like cars that don't drift, except for slight handling difference with oversteer and of course they have tons of power so they break loose. Drifting in GRID and Dirt 1/2/3 is a thousand times better. Drifting in the gymkhana tracks in Dirt 3 is a lot of fun, it's awesome. Those guys at EA/Slightly Mad Studios need to figure out how physics work. I mean, they even tried advertising the Shift series as "appealing to the sim racing fans" as opposed to the arcady style of earlier NFS games.

The one thing Shift 2 does well, which NFS has usually done well, is the customizing. You can tune cars up to the nines. I just wish they behaved more realistically. GT5 I thought was awesome although near the end of the career it became quite tedious. I really just think that GRID is probably the best racing game to come out in the last decade. The driving is realistic enough, there's plenty of cars and races, there's a definite feel of progressions as you work from your Mustang Boss to maybe a Skyline or Viper, and eventually you're in GT3 cars, and when you're really far in the game you've got LMP1 super cars to rip around in.

Are you serious!? UGG! I had such high hopes for dirt 3.... But at least the physics look promising, and the gfx. Too bad the gameplay had to drop...

Man you are killing me! Shift 2 as well!? I get what you’re saying with the handling issues, that’s too bad; they really had me with all the "Sim racing experience"... I guess the people up at EA are slightly mad... Besides the drifting, are the other race modes good in Shift 2? Do any of the mods fix any of these issues? Or are they just for the graphics? I totally agree with you on the customizing feature, love that, even with my first NFS game (prostreet) loved how you could tune and mod your cars.

Yeah, I might look into Grid. Oh, you have any thoughts on the gran turismo games? Thanks for the prev thoughts!

 

[wolfram23]

The Shift 2 normal races are fine. Similar handling to the first Shift, maybe a little better. My biggest peeve is just that the cars don't sound very bad ass at all. Seems to me that is probably one of the single most important things for immersion - I want to feel like I'm in a super bad ass race car!

I don't know about the mods, I never found any. I was looking for a fix to the texture/light flickers when using crossfire.

 

[jctwibell]

Yeah I know what you mean about the sound. Love rattling the windows with Dirt 2 all the way up. Really gets you into the game. How do you all like the grand trismo series?

@ eldd, the community mods, where can I get them? And how do I install them? Thanks!

 

[wolfram23]

Well I think GT5 has a bit of an issue with car sounds as well, but overall I think it's a good game. Career mode is pretty fun - earning money, buying and upgrading cars. All good stuff. It does get a bit tedious with the license tests, and I never did the endurance races. Also, B Spec is pretty dumb. You basically watch an AI drive around and try to tell him when to speed up or slow down. He uses the same cars as you, and can unlock new stuff as well, but it's pretty dumb since mostly you just sit there and read a book while he zips around for 10 minutes. I got bored of that mode pretty quick.

 

[jctwibell]

Unless you have a good driving wheel and you're also ready to apply some community mods to get the game feel more, down to earth let's say, go for Dirt 2/3, and only then consider NFS Shift 2 Unleashed. But, if possible, get both games, they're well worth it.

@wolfram23, Ok sounds great, thanks for all your input! Really appreciate it.

@ ELDD, where can I get the mods for Shift 2? And how would I go about applying them? Thanks