EQ2 CPU usage

Xanoth · 01-30-2008, 10:12 AM

Previously eq2 would rarely go over 30-40% CPU usage, but for some reason recently it just takes everything it can get (even sitting in QH).

It doesn't matter if I set my graphics to extreme quality or extreme performance the load on the CPU remains the same and the effect on the frame rate also.

EQ2 seems to be the only game that does it, Vanguard runs fine, as does Crysis.

My GF has the same CPU (all components are the same, we just ordered two of everything) and she doesn't suffer this problem.

I've ran a BurnInTest and that reported as no errors with the CPU, its detected fine as a 64 X2 Dual Core 4600+. I've tried reinstalling the AMD drivers with no success.

Pinski · 01-30-2008, 10:16 AM

I've never had EQ2 use anything less than 100% of a CPU/Core.

Alinabal · 01-30-2008, 10:31 AM

Always been at 100% of a core with me as well, AMD5000+ (Dual) or Q6600 (3.4ghz Quad core).

Xanoth · 01-30-2008, 10:34 AM

my GF's PC running EQ2

both PCs are the same spec:

dual core 4600+
2g ram
8800GTX (eq2 seems to make no use of this on either PC, kinda regret splashing out, but old cards were artificing badly)

Johnathon · 01-30-2008, 10:49 AM

Is eq2 minimized or windowed?

Xanoth · 01-30-2008, 10:53 AM

windowed for both

Flipmode · 01-30-2008, 11:03 AM

EQ2 is a horribly coded game. Its very CPU intensive and hardly off loads any of the work to the GPU. I dont know what they were thinking when they built that engine. They probably expected the processors clock speeds to keep ramping up instead of going multi-core. They should just start building EQ3 or revamp the engine already.

Illuminator · 01-30-2008, 11:18 AM

Windows adds up the cores to get total CPU time. If you have a "single-threaded" game that runs at full CPU on one core of a dual-core system, the display total will peak at 50%. If your game runs significantly below that, the bottleneck is in the graphics card not the CPU. That or Windows is crowding too many programs onto the same core and not utilizing the other (I have seen this happen).

Xanoth · 01-30-2008, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Illuminator

Windows adds up the cores to get total CPU time. If you have a "single-threaded" game that runs at full CPU on one core of a dual-core system, the display total will peak at 50%. If your game runs significantly below that, the bottleneck is in the graphics card not the CPU. That or Windows is crowding too many programs onto the same core and not utilizing the other (I have seen this happen).

if I screen the processes rather than performance tab it shows eq2 sitting at 49-50% on just core 1. doesn't matter which core I set the affinity to, no other apps really even consume 1%, never mind a meaningful amount.

As Flip said EQ2s engine isn't too great and iirc its based on, or is a modified SWG engine and its certainly not the only program out there that shafts people that hopped onto the dual core bandwagon without really thinking about it.

I used to two box on one PC so the dual core really helped there, although you zone 10 times and performance died but given how badly its running now I'm glad my second account is cancelled

vochore · 01-30-2008, 01:51 PM

remeber back when eq2 first came out and i recall soe writing something about how eq2 was built to take advantage of future computer tech. well as far as i can tell the future has come and gone and it has left eq2 behind.

as far as im concered about the only way eq2 will ever get better graphics wise is a complete overhaul of the graphics engine so it can take advantage of duelcore proccesors...or at the least off load more to the gpu.

if i remeber correctly eq1 had a hardcore engine overhaul in there 3rd exp shadows of luclin.i guess we can only hope something will come out next expansion.