Really weird lag issue

[Spaz]

Okay first off, this is not just my game running slow, or laggy connections in multiplayer, its much different so hear me out.

No, I'm primarily talking about single player here but this has ocurred in multiplayer as well. Whenever I create a large fleet, about 2,500 in size or more, I start getting these weird lag spikes, or ticks. Every 3-5 seconds my game will freeze for just a split second and then continue. I normally play at 50ms, I tried going even to the absolute lowest setting (highest MS) i still get that little freeze. I even watched the little game speed % thing, it stays at around 100% then jumps down to 68% whenever that "freeze" happens. I don't know why it says 68% considering it comes to a full stop for that fraction of a second that it DOES freeze.

Although this issue doesn't make the game unplayable for me, it is still really really bothersome and would love to know if anyone could give me some advice.

Also, I just found out that the freeze only happens when game is running, while paused it doesnt do that. Also, putting my fleet ships in transports while I'm not using them also stops the freezing, but they can't be there all the time sadly.

[Diazo]

Off the top of my head, that sounds like the swap file is being used for memory.

How much ram does your computer have? If it's only a gig that might be the culprit.

D.

[Spaz]

I have 4 gigs of ram and my cpu overall should be more than enough to handle the game. I don't multi task other programs while playing either. What exactly is the swap file? I'm still very new to this game, i have yet to actually play a full game yet lol.

[Diazo]

If you've got 4 gigs, the swap file should not be being used.

What the swap file is is part of the operating system that was necessary back when computers did not have enough ram so they would use a swap file on the hard drive as extra 'memory'. However the hard drive is much slower then actual memory and it was notorious for causing "hitches" like you reported when it was being used.

In the past few years with memory getting so big they are not used as much and with you having 4 gigs and nothing else running I would be very surprised if the swap file was the culprit of the issues you are having.

Now, when you get these pauses, does that include the mouse freezing as well? Or does the mouse continue to move smoothly?

D.

[Spaz]

Yes the mouse does freeze as well. Often times for example i will try to put golems into stand down with my fleet out but it will freeze for a sec and my mouse will pause, then end up moving past where i meant to click.

[Diazo]

Okay.

If the mouse is freezing I suspect the culprit is something in the operating system.

Your drivers up to date? The firewall is not running a scan? No errors in the Event Viewer? The last time you ran a defrag?

D.

[Spaz]

Ill try checking updates and defragging overnight. one other thing i just noticed is that the "freeze" only starts happening about an hour into gameplay after i open the game. but no firewall / virus scans going.

[keith.lamothe]

My guess would be the garbage collector running, which would cause a pause in the simulation (not merely a frameskip, but the whole thing just not making progress) and in the music... but if the mouse cursor itself is freezing, yea, I don't think the game could do that unless it was somehow pegging all the processors on the machine at 100% (which I'm understanding is not the case).

[Spaz]

yea.. My computer defrags itself every week. And there are no updates for me to install either. But another thing i noticed, the freeze only starts about after an hour of the game running, and it doesnt interupt the music at all either. Also, not sure if the mouse itself is really "freezing" or i just dont see it moving.. because when that freeze happens when I'm moving my mouse, my mouse appears forward in the direction i was moving it, not right where i left it.

[The Hunter]

Does it happens only with AI War or with other games as well?
I recall having similar problem with many games a year or so ago when my system was unstable in general and video card went bad. 

[Spaz]

Nope, only AI Wars. NO other game I own has ever had this issue before.

[Spaz]

well ill assume its just my crappy computer being crappy, thank you guys anyways for the help.