Max it out for FS2004?

[JVC_systems]

I was wondering would it be possible to max everything out in "Direct 3D" in ATI video card settings without having a significant frame rate drop in FS2004 or not? I have all settings in FS2004 maxed out. In Direct 3D settings I'm currently running 4X AA and 16XAF. Should I maxed it out a bit more or will it cause a significant fps drop? I was also wondering about the heat. If I max everything out will I encouter heat problems and will that cause the game crashing or freezing wtc? Anyone with a similar system or just know the answers, please let me know . Thanks you!
JVC_systems

My system specs
P4 3.0GHZ@800MHZ with HT
1GIG DDR RAM
ATI Radeon 9800XT 256MB
320GIG HD Space
16X DVD
52X CD-writer
Winbdows XP Pro with SP1

[Big_Al]

Running 8x FSAA will definately give you a frame rate hit, but your computer looks like it can handle that, id give it a try.

I spent the whole weekend tweaking my friends computer which is basically as fast as yours, everything is max in the options menu with 8x FSAA and 8x AS except I unchecked transform and lightning, render to texture, and anti-aliasing in the options menu of the game and it runs almost perfectly with 75% traffic.

[Big_Al]

I was using a different video card, my friend owns a fx5950 ultra, not an ATI. and the render to texture and TnL were slowing the game down to a crawl, causing jumping, and i can't notice a visual difference with them off, and the game runs almost perfect with every setting maxed.

[Gixer]

Woah dude!  I thought I would try unticking the ones u said to see if I got better FPS.  If I untincked render to texture and transform and lighting it made my FPS plummet!!

So it all depends on your G-card I guess.  I ticked them back on and its smooth as anyhting again.  I have a GF4 Ti-4600 128ddr card.

[Big_Al]

yes but do you have AA and filtering enabled using the desktop utility instead of the game? and your frames still plummets

[Big_Al]

it seems like you are right about render to texture using a ti video card. i have a ti4600 at home and fs9 runs better with that box checked, but my friends computer with the newer faster fx5950 ultra runs better without checking render to texture. I guess it all depends on your system.

but I'd recommend searching for fs9.cfg tweaks, it got my game running great on an amd 1.4 thunderbird with 1 gb of ram and windows xp.

[JVC_systems]

Thanks for your advices people. I have a question. Where do I find that render to texture you guys were talking about. And also, someone here on simviation recomended using at least 4X AF, so I set mine on max (16X). I was just wondering what exactly that AF does? Is it also some sort of AA that also makes the whole picture cleaner or is a totaly different thing? Thanks

[Big_Al]

render to texture is a checkbox in your display settings at the in-game option menu, the hardware tab

Anistropic Filtering gets rid of the blurry textures in the distance and blends it to make it seem more realistic. 16x is definately going to give you a frame rate hit, I'd do 8x AF and 8x Anti-aliasing, and see how it runs, if it runs good then bump the filtering up to 16.

Anti-aliasing gets rid of the jaged edges on the textures to make everything appear more smooth

[Gixer]

Yeah i never use the AA in the game. I set it from outside the game both AA anistropic.  Weird how diff cards like diff things though.

I couldnt see any difference in the graphics just run crap lol.

I will try any tip for gettin better FPS!! just so i might be able to turn somthin up a little more.  I got most maxxed except the clouds they hit FPS bad.

XP2800 (@2200mhz)
512ddr Corsair stuff PC2700
GF4 ti-4600
MSI K7N2 Delta ILSR mobo

[Daz]

i have the 5950 ultra and unchecking the render to texture and T&L boxes made my fps drop by 10.

spec below

daz

[Big_Al]

even with 8x AA and 8x AF enabled in the nvidia desktop utility? plus what drivers are you using? 56.64 were the det drivers

[JVC_systems]

Hi guys, thanks for your replies. And one more question. Does my video card produce more heat when everything is maxed out in my video card settings? Thanks .

[JBaymore]

JVC,

The more data in a unit of time the video card is processing...... the hotter it gets.  Likely the difference would be small from very dense to massive....... but it might be measurable from sparce to massive.

Hopefully your cooling fans are doing their job.  Most higher end video cards have a temp monitoring feature that will let you see how hot it is getting.

best,

...............john

[TerryW]

Hi JVC,
Thanks for your help in the past....I maxed my 9600 xt in FS9, and got the "beep, beep, beep" warning from the CPU (a 2.66 533 fsb). Turned down the card to 4x AA and 4x AF, no more overheating. However, bought a little case fan and mounted it (about Cdn $10)...maxed the 9600XT again, and no more overheating....good luck with your settings    :)
Terry

[Billerator]

Guys I have a question regarding drivers....which ones are better the newest ones, or the detonators
( I am talking Nvidia here )