Scourge of War Boards

Hi all

I've been away for a while and just come back, bought the 150th version of the game (have gettysburg from ages ago somewhere but not sure where). I'm currently going through the tutorials since it's been a while and on the CORP tutorial.

I've got quite a powerful PC with a 770 gtx card i7 processer 16gb of ram, and I can run modern games at 60 fps - even rome total war 2 hits 50fps.

but running the tutorial I only get 7 fps. Below is the information from my INI file, I've tried changing several settings (e.g. AA from 2 to 0, draw distance from 2000 to 200 etc. I have some mods active (but they don't seem to appear to work in the tutorials) but I've also disable these.

Does anyone have ANY idea what else I could try?

Many thanks.


[Debug]
DbgLvl=0

[Options]
difficulty=3
keepdead=1
showsmoke=1
artyeffects=1
showpath=1
noeffects=0
showtarget=1
autosave=5
uniformlvl=3
wraptrees=1
transtree=120
transall=1
ambientsnd=1
marchmusic=1
nonavmove=0
realism=0
MPdifficulty=3
MPuniformlvl=0
MPrealism=0
spriteratio=1
timewarp=1
autocourmess=1

[Initialization]
Full Screen=1
Screen Res=15
AntiA=2
Anso=2

[Custom]
ailvl=0
moralelvl=0
regstrength=100
plyrradius=0
courierlvl=0
minimap=2
MPplyrradius=0
MPcourierlvl=0
MPminimap=2

[MapPerf]
densityfact=100
visradius=3
objlevel=3
worldwrap=1
maxdecals=100
CamFwdSpeed=100
CamPanSpeed=80
CamUpSpeed=50
CamTurnSpeed=30
ObjClip=2000
UnitClip=2000
TreeClip=2000
MPobjlevel=1

[Variables]
#optdifficulty=3
#optkeepdead=1
#optkeepsmoke=1
#optkeepboom=1
#optshowpath=1
#optnoeffects=0
#optshowtarget=1
#optautosave=5
#optuniformlvl=3
#optfullscreen=1
#optscrres=15
#optailvl=0
#optmoralelvl=0
#optregstrength=100
#optplyrradius=0
#optcourierlvl=0
#optmaplvl=2
#optdensityfact=100
#optwraptrees=1
#opttranstree=120
#opttransall=1
#optvisradius=3
#optmapobjlvl=3
#optworldwrap=1
#optmaxdecals=100
#optambientsnd=1
#optmarchmusic=1
#optnonavmove=0
#optgospeed=100
#optstrafespeed=80
#optrisespeed=50
#optturnspeed=30
#optobjdrawdist=2000
#optunitdrawdist=2000
#opttreedrawdist=2000
#opttimewarp=1
#optrealism=0
$lobbypass=
$lobbypasscheck=
#followmode=0
$lastscreen=LOADGAME
$param1=
$param2=
$plyrname=General
$plyrhandicap=100
$lobbyname=General
$serverip=
$gameport=31791
$multiscreen=loadscreen:MultiplayerSelect
$lobbyscreen=loadscreen:Lobby
$mainscreen=loadscreen:Main
#biamserv=1
=
ID=
#D=-1
$scenMPoff=
$scenMPoffID=
#scenMPoffID=-1
$chatgame=
$scenMPfileID=NetServ
$scenMSfile=GB MP00-Multiplayer Demo (Div)
$scenMSfileID=GB MP00-Multiplayer Demo (Div)
#scenMSfileID=-1
$scenMSoff=1 Army - Maj Gen George G Meade
$scenMSoffID=
#scenMSoffID=-1
$ranmap=Gettysburg
$ranmapID=Gburg
#ranmapID=0
$ranoob=OOB_SB_Brig_Div_Day_1
$ranoobID=oob_sb_brig_div_day_1
#ranoobID=0
$ranofficer= Army - Maj Gen George G Meade
$ranofficerID=OOB_U_GGMeade
#ranofficerID=0
#ranscore=20000
#ranobjpoint=20000
#ranobjnumber=3
#ranobjtime=25
#balance=0
#rantime=0
#ranstart=7
#ransize=2
#rantype=3
#ranarmy=1
#myid=1
$high00score=40
$high01score=474
$high02score=
$high03score=
$high04score=
$high05score=
$high06score=
$high07score=
$high08score=
$high09score=
$high10score=
$high11score=
$high12score=
$high13score=
$high14score=
$high15score=
$high16score=
$high17score=
$high18score=
$high19score=
$high20score=
$high21score=
$high22score=
$high23score=
$high24score=
#carry00enable=1
#carry01enable=1
#carry02enable=1
#carry03enable=1
#carry04enable=1
#carry05enable=1
#carry06enable=1
#carry07enable=1
#carry08enable=1
#carry09enable=1
#carry10enable=1
#carry11enable=1
#carry12enable=1
#carry13enable=1
#carry14enable=1
#carry15enable=1
#carry16enable=1
#carry17enable=1
#carry18enable=1
#carry19enable=1
#carry20enable=1
#carry21enable=1
#carry22enable=1
#carry23enable=1
#carry24enable=1
$scenfile=PC08-July3-Pipe Creek - Rebel Breakthrough (U-Army)
$scenfileID=PC08-July3-Pipe Creek - Rebel Breakthrough (U-Army)
#scenfileID=0
$scenoff=1 Army - Maj Gen George G Meade
$scenoffID=
#scenoffID=0
$loadsavescen=7/20/2014 22:2:24\Current Level.sav\GB Tutorial 5 - Infantry Combat - Corps
$loadsavescenID=Current Level.sav
#loadsavescenID=0
#optMPdifficulty=3
#optMPuniformlvl=1
#optMPplyrradius=0
#optMPcourierlvl=0
#optMPmaplvl=2
#optMPmapobjlvl=1
#optMPrealism=0
#optspriteratio=1
#optautocourmess=1
$loadrep=
$loadrepID=
#loadrepID=-1
$modloc=Map_Screen
$modlocID=F:\GAMES\SCOURGE OF WAR - ANNIVERSARY EDITION\Mods\Map_Screen
#modlocID=0
$addon=brandy station
$addonID=f:\games\scourge of war - anniversary edition\brandy station.sow
#addonID=0
$addonfile=BS01-Hurrah! We're Going To Have A Fight! (C-Cav Brig)
$addonfileID=BS01-Hurrah! We're Going To Have A Fight! (C-Cav Brig)
#addonfileID=0
$addonoff=2 Cav Brig - Brig Gen William E Jones
$addonoffID=
#addonoffID=0
$cursub=Brig Gen Horatio G Wright\First Division / Sixth Corps\-1.0\4267\Rallying
$cursubID=2
#cursubID=2
$curtarg=
$curtargID=
#curtargID=-1
$curpeers=Maj Gen Oliver O Howard\-192.6
$curpeersID=110
#curpeersID=110
$endscreen=END
#leadarmy1=0
#leadarmy2=27
$curecas=5th Alabama Battalion\21\1
$curecasID=37
#curecasID=37
$aohighscore=
$aohighscoreID=
#aohighscoreID=-1
$high25score=
$high26score=
$high27score=
$high28score=
$high29score=
$high30score=
$high31score=
$high32score=
$high33score=
$high34score=
$high35score=
#carry25enable=1
#carry26enable=1
#carry27enable=1
#carry28enable=1
#carry29enable=1
#carry30enable=1
#carry31enable=1
#carry32enable=1
#carry33enable=1
#carry34enable=1
#carry35enable=1
#battle1num=6
$highscore=X\07/20/2014 15:41\GB Tutorial 1 - Introduction to Infantry\Normal\40
$highscoreID=0
#highscoreID=0
#screenstate=5
$courmsg=north
$courmsgID=north
#courmsgID=0
$msgstart=14:00:00
$msgstartID=18144000
#msgstartID=18144000
$freetext=
$msgrecv=Maj Gen George G Meade
$msgrecvID=0
#msgrecvID=0
[Mods]
Count=24
ModName0=Mods\GCM_MapIcons
ModActive0=1
ModName1=Mods\GCM_Terrain4
ModActive1=1
ModName2=Mods\Map_Screen
ModActive2=1
ModName3=Mods\CouriersAndMaps
ModActive3=1
ModName4=Mods\Bugles and Flags XIII
ModActive4=1
ModName5=Mods\BloodBath_V
ModActive5=1
ModName6=Mods\Realistic Smoke
ModActive6=1
ModName7=Mods\Enhanced Unit Icons
ModActive7=1
ModName8=Mods\Antietam Brigade Scenario Pack
ModActive8=0
ModName9=Mods\Antietam CSA Flags
ModActive9=0
ModName10=Mods\Antietam Mini Maps
ModActive10=0
ModName11=Mods\Antietam MP Scenarios
ModActive11=0
ModName12=Mods\AP Hill Carryover Scenario Series
ModActive12=0
ModName13=Mods\Chancellorsville Extras
ModActive13=0
ModName14=Mods\Gettysburg 3Days Carryover
ModActive14=0
ModName15=Mods\Gettysburg Bonus Scenarios
ModActive15=0
ModName16=Mods\Gettysburg Brigade Scenario Pack
ModActive16=0
ModName17=Mods\Gettysburg Cemetery Hill - Culps Hill Series
ModActive17=0
ModName18=Mods\Kershaw Scenario Series
ModActive18=0
ModName19=Mods\Louisiana Tigers
ModActive19=0
ModName20=Mods\NSD Sample 1
ModActive20=0
ModName21=Mods\Pipe Creek SR10
ModActive21=0
ModName22=Mods\Ten Days
ModActive22=0
ModName23=Mods\Maximum Toolbar
ModActive23=0

Some anti-virus apps are notorious for slowing down SOW, namely Webroot. If this is your situation there are some workarounds here:
http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=3564739

You might find something useful reading this thread. (Especially my posts. )

Copied my first post in that thread since it is especially relevant:

There are ways to determine what exactly is slowing it down.

Some possible causes:
- Game calculations
- AI calculations
- Rendering trees/vegetation
- Rendering objects
- Rendering troops

At the start of the game, no AI running or troops moving at all -- with 3000 troops on the field total.
When I have all settings turned on, with lots of wheat fields showing, I get ~15 fps.
If I then hit "T" three times to turn off the wheat fields and trees, I get ~30 fps.
If I aim the camera at the ground so I am not rendering any sprites at all, I get ~150 fps.

Another test, with 60,000 troops total, all in a small area.
Game paused, look at about 5000 troop sprites at once, with vegetation turned off (T key) I get ~25 fps.
Unpause game, all units are moving from AI, I get ~6-8 fps.
If I look at the ground so nothing is being rendered, I still get ~6-8 fps. This tells me it's the AI and game calculations causing the real slowdown.
If I look at the ground and pause the game, I get ~50 fps.

You could try doing different things in game like this to figure out what causes the slowdown. It could be the AI, in which case you wouldn't have the slowdown in MP games where all units are TCed. Or it could be rendering the wheatfields that's the problem, in which case hitting the T key a few times solves it.

thanks for the links, I'll go check them out and see if I can find anything. I did play around with some of the graphic settings but didn't have much luck with corps tutorial getting any faster, even with a draw distance set to 400 (min I could reduce it).

An option the game could use would be 'turn off crops'. Switching off the trees entirely isn't always a good option because the player may want to see them for immersion purposes, but you can only disable the crop sprites by entirely removing other vegetation.

Making it a separate option could help.

In your options screen you can also reduce teh %age of trees being displayed. This may help a bit. Also turn off the world wrapping and display off-map trees options as this gets rid of scenery displayed off the edge of the map.

You can also lower the draw distances of trees and troops as well in the options settings.

Yeah, what tank said. Also, I cut the 'Trees' percentage to 75 and set the Max Drawing Distance to Medium.

I just tested this tutorial again on my 150th Edition copy, and yes it is a performance hog. So, the FPS rates you reported are probably the norm with options on high. This game is 32 bit based so huge amounts of RAM don't help performance much. Upcoming versions of the game engine will be 64 bit based, taking advantage of super rigs' strengths.

Eagerly awaiting the 64-bit optimised version Reb

Yeah, what tank said. Also, I cut the 'Trees' percentage to 75 and set the Max Drawing Distance to Medium.

I just tested this tutorial again on my 150th Edition copy, and yes it is a performance hog. So, the FPS rates you reported are probably the norm with options on high. This game is 32 bit based so huge amounts of RAM don't help performance much. Upcoming versions of the game engine will be 64 bit based, taking advantage of super rigs' strengths.

Many thanks all, I've reduced it down to 75% trees, and it's running a little better. I'll have another play with the other options, but they didn't seem to do much for me.

Any ETA on the 64bit version - how often do patches come out for this game now that it's several years old?

New engine ETA next summer, no more patches are planned for the present engine.

It's good you bought the 150th edition because all but the GB scenarios will accept mods. And, as we speak, I'm working on mods that will improve overall performance. Watch for the 8K upgrade mods, give them a spin. Once they are all available I think their impact will help with performance quite a bit. Still, army sized battles will tax all rigs, but every FPS boost we can squeeze out helps. You'll find the game runs fairly well down to 6-8 FPS, my goal with the 8K mods is to get that lower end up to at least 10 FPS...here's hoping.

Great that you're working on this, Reb. Thanks.

Martin