Lag Fix

[Noromyx]

• Game lags on the pitch but runs smoothly in cut-scenes and menus.
• Not only does it lag but it changes speed constantly.
• Running FIFA 08 with Windows Vista 64 with a dual core CPU.
• Tried rolling back drivers/install new drivers for both video and sound and it still wont work.
• Tried running in different compatibility modes.
• Tried disabling dual core.

For those of you who have the abovementioned problems here is the fix. I have just spent the last 3 days trying to work out why FIFA 08 (and FIFA 07 for that matter) just wont run smoothly on my system:
_________________________________
AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 6000+
NVidia GeForce 8800GTS
4Gb Corsair RAM
SoundBlaster Fatal1ty X-Fi 64bit
320Gb SATA HDD
Windows Vista 64
_________________________________

The problem lies with the CPU clock speed. With most new computers if you restart and DEL into your BIOS and open CPU Management you should find your clock speed ratio setting on Automatic. What this means is that your CPU clock speed dynamically changes depending on the amount of load on the CPU.

All you have to do is select a static clock ratio (I chose 8x - from an available range of 1x to 16x) that isn't too high (you don't want to overheat your CPU) but just enough to run. I found that 8x worked fine so long as I made sure FIFA08.exe was being run with both cores.

To ensure your affinity is dual while running the game, simply alt-ctrl-del out of the game while it running, right-click on the FIFA08.exe in the programs tab, and select Core Affinity and tick both cores.

Once both these tasks are complete, your FIFA08 should be running smoothly.

Please post here and let me know if this works or if it does not.

Cheers.

 

[No_11_]

It was about time...!!I see so many patches etc and still there are problems in just playing the game..! o_O;
I'll wait for someone else to try it first though coz if i'll do something wrong i wont have a clue of how to undo it... xP ^_^v

 

[Noromyx]

You must understand that this is officially overclocking your CPU. However, if you want to avoid any overclocking you can always try setting the Multiplier to the lowest value and enable dual core affinity of FIFA08.exe while in the game. This way, your system stability and temperature should remain just as it was when it was on auto and you wont damage anything.

 

[No_11_]

Still,i preffer to wait someone else to do it.If i'll mess up my comp in any way then i'll have a hard time fixing it up... :/

 

[StevePitts]

You should be able to achieve the same effect by disabling SpeedStep (for Intel CPUs) or Cool'n'Quiet/PowerNow (for AMD processors), although in your BIOS switching the multiplier from automatic may well be achieving that

 

[No_11_]

You should be able to achieve the same effect by disabling SpeedStep (for Intel CPUs) or Cool'n'Quiet/PowerNow (for AMD processors), although in your BIOS switching the multiplier from automatic may well be achieving that

Where's that "speedstep"...?xP

 

[astrotoy7]

I was having a decent time until a couple of days ago. I added a new separate drive for system/ games and went off and did a fresh install.. After doing all the drivers/updates I was having the same intermittent lag during gameplay issue. It was quite funny....It was like the players were going into 'bullet time'...it actually might have made my shooting accuracy better, but was quite unnatural of course

Cutscenes and menus were OK.

After numerous driver installs of various versions(all the way back to 158.xx), still no luck.

Tried the affinity switch as listed above, noted no difference

This is what made the game playable for me. Hopefully it might help someone else.

nb. I have Vista x64 and an n-force5 board and nvidia card(as per my sig)

*Uninstall graphics drivers
*Uninstall the game/remove the fifa 08 program and player folder(in 'documents')
*run a regclean, reboot.
*re-install display drivers. I am using the 163.75 WHQL from guru3d. (163.75 is only up as a beta at nvidia.com). I daresay apart from the warning you get with non-WHQL drivers, there should be no other difference.

Nb. I also do have these hotfixes installed (except the SLI one as I dont have an SLI setup myself)

Microsoft has made available the following Windows Vista® hotfixes. NVIDIA recommends that its customers always stay up to date with the latest hotfixes from Microsoft.

The following hotfixes are recommended for GeForce 6, 7, and 8 series customers running 3D applications on Microsoft Windows Vista:

1) Hotfix for GeForce customers running DirectX 9 and DirectX 10 applications:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/940105. This hotfix resolves abnormal application behavior such as crashes and extremely low frame rates when running some 3D applications at very high graphics settings. This issue is not limited to, but has been most commonly noticed on high-end graphics cards and the following applications: Battlefield 2, Battlefield 2142, Civilization IV, Company of Heroes, Half-Life 2, Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle Earth II, Supreme Commander, and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas.

In order for this hotfix to be effective, GeForce customers must also update to the latest ForceWare Release 163 drivers:


2) Hotfix for SLI customers running DirectX 10 applications:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/936710. This hotfix resolves occurrences of low frame rates on some DirectX 10 applications when SLI is enabled. Performance improvements will vary depending on the application and the graphics driver version.

3) Hotfix for GeForce customers:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/938194. This hotfix improves the compatibility and reliability of Windows Vista. It can be downloaded from this link or from Windows Update.

4) Hotfix for GeForce customers:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/938979. This hotfix improves the performance and reliability of Windows Vista. It can be downloaded from this link or from Windows Update.

ie. if you have been using windows updating service, you will most likely have the last two(its easy to check)

For ATI users, there are similar vista hotfixes available. You'll have to visit www.amd.com to track these down.

What Ive ended up with. Gameplay is back to how it was, occasional small stutters but very playable. I do run the game at 1900 x 1200/32 but notice the microstutters are still there even at 640 x 480 ! lolz. BUT there is the slowing down at cutscenes, especially the ones with the overlays at half time... ah well, not too noticeable as I ship over those.

All we can do is nag EA for an offical patch, its very early days though,many countries are just getting the game today/yesterday.

So I can get back to playing at least... and practice those stepovers

One day somoeone will write a soccer game that maximises a PCs beyond next gen potential....but not just yet it seems.

good luck
Astro

PS_ I havent tinkered with/OCd any CPU settings in the BIOS.

EDIT For curiosities sake, I switched off "k8 cool n quiet mode" in the BIOS. And the stutter is now almost entirely gone in matchplay and cutscenes etc. Now I can get stuck into this game !! My CPU temps havent changed from what they were with this mode initially on.

EDIT 2 Been home sick...been playing this darn game all day !! the stutter is entirely gone plays like a dream on my 8800GTS 640 at 1900 x 1200... mmmm

 

[StevePitts]

Where's that "speedstep"

You should be able to find it somewhere in your BIOS. On my Dell Latitude D600 (an oldie, I know) it is listed quite obviously as 'Intel Speedstep (tm)' but you may need to read the descriptive text about an item to find those words in other BIOS implementations.