DOCUMENT:Q323435 25-JUL-2002 [homegame] TITLE :Dungeon Siege: Game Performance Is Slower Than Expected PRODUCT :Microsoft Home Games PROD/VER::1.0 OPER/SYS: KEYWORDS:kbimu ====================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft Dungeon Siege, version 1.0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SYMPTOMS ======== When you play Microsoft Dungeon Siege, game performance may be slower than you expected. RESOLUTION ========== To resolve this issue, use the following methods in the order that they are presented. Method 1: Install the Dungeon Siege Update ------------------------------------------ Install the latest Dungeon Siege Update. For additional information about the Dungeon Siege Update, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Q324477 Dungeon Siege 1.0: Availability of the Dungeon Siege Update and the Fixes Included in the Update Method 2: Add a Parameter to the Desktop Shortcut Properties ------------------------------------------------------------ If you set Bltonly to True, it forces blt mode instead of flip mode, which works around problems with earlier video cards. NOTE: If the slow performance does not occur when you try to save or start a game, skip this method and continue to method 2. 1. On the desktop, right-click the Dungeon Siege shortcut, and then click Properties. 2. Click the Shortcut tab. 3. In the Target box, click the end of the line of text, press the SPACEBAR one time, type "bltonly=true" (without the quotation marks), click Apply, and then click OK. NOTE: This procedure only affects the performance of Dungeon Siege if you start it by using the shortcut on the desktop. If you start the game by using a different shortcut, such as the shortcut on the Start menu, performance is unaffected by this procedure. Method 3: Check the Minimum Video, Processor, and RAM Requirements ------------------------------------------------------------------ Make sure that your computer exceeds the minimum video, processor, and RAM requirements that you need to play Dungeon Siege. For additional information about the minimum system requirements for Dungeon Siege, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Q320018 Dungeon Siege: Minimum System Requirements for Version 1.0 Method 4: Quit Unnecessary Programs ----------------------------------- 1. Quit all unnecessary programs by right-clicking each program on the task bar and then clicking Close. 2. Quit programs that are running in the background by pressing CTRL+ALT+DELETE to start the Task Manager. Click each program in the list, and then click End Task. NOTE: Do not quit Dungeon Siege, Explorer, or Systray when performing these steps. Method 5: Update Video Card and Sound Card Drivers -------------------------------------------------- 1. Contact your video hardware manufacturer to obtain and install the latest version of the driver for your video adapter. 2. Contact your audio hardware manufacturer to obtain and install the latest version of the driver for your sound card. For information about how to contact your video or sound card manufacturer, see the "References" section of this article. Method 6: Raise the Dungeon Siege Priority Option ------------------------------------------------- 1. Start Dungeon Siege. 2. On the Main menu, click Options. 3. Click the Game tab. 4. Click the Raise App Priority On/Off button to the On position. 5. Click OK. This sets Dungeon Siege to highest priority in Windows. Method 7: Edit Video Settings ----------------------------- 1. Start Dungeon Siege. 2. On the Main menu, click Options, and then click the Video tab. 3. In the Screen Resolution list, click 640x480x16. 4. In the Shadows list, click None. 5. In the Filtering list, click Bilinear Filtering. 6. Click OK. NOTE: If this method does not improve performance, leave the modified video settings in place until you have tried methods 7 and 8. If none of the methods succeeds, you can restore the default settings, or select the settings that you prefer. Method 8: Add Parameters to the Desktop Shortcut Properties ----------------------------------------------------------- Setting Asynccursor to False disables the asynchronous cursor. This increases the frame rate but slows mouse response time. Setting Vsync to False improves the video performance. NOTE: You do not have to delete the parameter that you added in method 1 before you add these parameters. 1. On the desktop, right-click the Dungeon Siege shortcut, and then click Properties. 2. Click the Shortcut tab. 3. In the Target box, click the end of the line of text, press the SPACEBAR one time, type "asynccursor=false vsync=false" (without the quotation marks), click Apply, and then click OK. NOTE: This procedure only affects the performance of Dungeon Siege if you start it by using the shortcut on the desktop. If you start the game by using a different shortcut, such as the shortcut on the Start menu, performance is unaffected by this procedure. Method 9: Install the VIA 4-in-1 Driver --------------------------------------- If you have a motherboard that is based on the VIA Technologies chip set installed on your computer, make sure that you have the most recent VIA 4-in-1 driver for your motherboard installed. NOTE: Contact your hardware manufacturer before you install the latest VIA 4-in-1 driver on your computer or make any modifications to your computer's BIOS settings. REFERENCES ========== For additional information about how to contact your hardware manufacturer, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Q274629 Games: Multiple Issues on AMD System with Via Chipset For additional information about how to contact your hardware manufacturer, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Q65416 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, A-K Q60781 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, L-P Q60782 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, Q-Z Microsoft provides third-party contact information to help you find technical support. This contact information may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this third-party contact information. The third-party products that are discussed in this article are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these products. Additional query words: msgame ====================================================================== Keywords : kbimu Technology : kbHomeProdSearch kbGamesSearch _IK kbDungeonSiege Version : :1.0 Issue type : kbprb ============================================================================= THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. Copyright Microsoft Corporation 2002.