Good ping but extreme lagging in Battlefield 2

[Trix]

Hello everyone,
I have just installed "Windows Seven Pro" ( via MSDN ) and i am experimenting some stranges lags.

While i am playing to Battlefield 2, i have some kind of lags like mouse lagging very visible on fast movement. It's like teleportation in some way ...

Nevertheless, i have a good ping ( < 50 ms ) and also a good config ( q6600 and a gtx275 ).

I have installed the game on an other partition with Windows XP, and all is correct with it.

So i think there are potentials reasons :
* Windows 7 manages the network differently than Vista. So a tweak could correct the problem.
* My network controller may not be 100% compatible Seven. It's a basic Realtek RTL8168 provided by the Gigabyte P35-DS4. A patch could also correct the problem, but i haven't enough hope to see it one day ...

This problem has been seen only in BF2, but it may be reproduced on other games i think.

I have also tried to update punkbuster, reinstall the game, tweak the network card ( disable autotunning ), tweak windows pagefile, but it has not worked ...

My graphic and network drivers are updated. This problem only appear online, no problem related on offline mode.

Well, all ideas are welcomed ^^

Best regards,
Trix

 

[QuackPot]

Is it a USB wireless adaptor your using? My desktop lag like hell with one but my laptop runs perfectly smooth.

If you have a LAN cable then try that otherwise make sure all drivers for everything are updated and check the processes running in the background. Make sure nothing is sucking bandwidth.

 

[mckillwashere]

It doesn't sound like a connection issue. but more of a driver issue.

Hit the ~ key (` + Shift) and type in renderer.drawFps 1
That will show your current fps.

It may also be a compatibility issue try running under compatibility mode.

P.S. Check out This site. It contains a list of battlefield two commands that may help you out.

 

[Trix]

@QuackPot : It's a Ethernet integrated chipset (cf my first post). All drivers are up to date and nothing is sucking bandwidth. I have tested BF2 with Vista and XP on the same machine and on the same conditions and all is fine with them. That's why i think it's a network issue ( bad compatibility with NIC or Motherboard ? )

@mckillwashere : I will take a look to this website. Nevetheless, the graphic card doesn't seems to be the problem. The game work perfectly on offline mode.

May you have some network tunning command to recommand me ? I think this should help.

 

[Mikaka]

I found this topic, and symptoms are exacly the same.
Battlefield 2: Stuttering / Frame skipping bug? - Rage3D Discussion Area
I wasn't able to solve it, had to sell the game. I hope you'll find what you're looking for there.

 

[mckillwashere]

There have been known tcp/ip issues we can try one fix that seems to work for internet cutting out. It just may work lol.
Disabling tcp/ip v6

 

[Trix]

@Mikaka : I haven't any framedrop in my game. I can't explain very well the problem but it look like packets drops.

Well for example :
I am making an 90° mouse movement to the right.
My player is making the 90° movement to the right. Well ok, that's nice.
But, immediatly after, my position is reinitialized to 70° (or something).

In my opinion, i think the process could be slipted in two part.

The first one is the 90° in my computer. My computer calculates the movement ... and i see immediatly the result ...

The last one arrive immediatly after and consist in a process of synchronisation between the server and my computer :
Date are sent to the server, server acknowledge data, send results to others clients and synchronize my computer with received datas.

Here is the problem, it's seems all data are not correctly sent or received. Maybe a bad rate tweak, i don't know how to correct it ...

 

[Trix]

@mckillwashere : Well ... why not, it's a solution like others ones ^^ I can't test for now. But i am keeping it in my brain

 

[mckillwashere]

Another solution try making sure BF2 is in the firewall exceptions, or disabling the firewall then try playing online.

Another option I found just reading other forums, it may pertain to this one as well. (even though its for counter strike.)
This is it.

 

[Trix]

@mckillwashere : I have disabled my firewall to test. But the problem remains ...

It's possible that the problem is general but it may be difficult to see for an occasionnal Battlefield gamer. Nevertheless, it is very annoying on high actions scenes ( with fast movements ). On slow actions ( snipping for example ) the problem is nearly invisible.

Maybe windows seven is not able to sent too many packets at once. Why not ? It make me think about the TCP Congestion Windows ( tweakable by netsh interfaces autotuning ).

One precious remark:
The TCP autotuning is setted to "highly restricted" on Windows Vista and it's "enabled" by default on Windows Seven... Nevertheless setting it on "disabled" doesn't resolve my problem ( unfortunatly i thought that was THE solution ... but not )

 

[mckillwashere]

Hope all works out for you. I may not be able to get on tonight im going home to apply for a job down there I should be back within the next 48 hours.

 

[Trix]

@mckillwashere : Thx for your help mate, i hope it will work for you

 

[mckillwashere]

What kind of router are you using? have you manually set the MTU size to 1500?
(I'm racking my mind for every last thing that can cause lag or slowdown for online games lol)
have you tried cunning it in vista or xp compatibility, (not xp mode).
Have you threatened your computer with gasoline and a match? (Jking)
Im assuming you did a fresh install not an upgrade from vista or xp? Upgrades tend to cause issues.
Installed the latest compatibility patch? (MS actually has been releasing them I just forget what they are called)
Enabled wait for vertical sync? (it may help some, If its on turn it off)

 

[sleek]

I used to be a very heavy BF2 gamer (just shy of 1000 gameplay hours ) and recall having a similiar issue back when I was on XP where I would look Right 40 degrees or so and then it would move a further 40 degrees without me moving the mouse (80 in total).
I dont remember a specific fix for this unfortunately. Have you tried to re-install the game? I seem to remember that fixing alot of problems for me.
Other than that it seems like a connection issue.

I am currently on Win7 RC 7100 and have BF2 installed and can run it online and offline without issue.

Also make sure that you update your Motherboard drivers from the stock Windows 7 drivers. Win 7 can make your hardware work but wont nessessarily make it work well.

 

[Trix]

@mckillwashere : I am under the router provided by a Freebox ( famous french connection box ). I haven't modified any parameters and i haven't any reason to do this because it's ok on the same PC under Windows XP or Vista. I have tried the compatibility mode but the game refused to run ... and it's a fresh install of Windows Seven Pro ^^ ( same issue with Windows Seven RC 7100 ). Hummm ... threat my computer may be a solution

@sleek : 1000 gameplay hours ... OMG xD. Well, your problem looks like mine but i have already reinstall the game ( so many times ! lol ). I think you are right, my motherboard seems to be not 100% compatible with Windows Seven ... I have just bought a new network controller, i am waiting to receive it. If it's a motherboard issue then i haven't no more solutions than returning to Vista ...

My motherboard is based on the P35 chipset, it's the Gigabyte P35-DS4, a well known motherboard ( 2/3 years ago ). I have installed chipset and NIC drivers just fine but without improvements.

 

[DarkXeno]

Ok I have a few things to try they may sounds nuts but anything is worth a shot here.
Like mckillwashere said it might be your router, since Win 7 is the first OS to always try to use IPv6 before IPv4 if your router doesnt support IPv6 it might cause a lag between the two. If your router has an update to support it do it other wise disable it in Windows.
Second uninstall the game run defrag then reboot and install BF2 run the defrag again and then install the 1.5 patch. I know this sounds odd but it might be looking for a file when you pan to the side making the drive search causing an odd skip. Never know odder things have caused things around here.
Last thing is PB. go to evenbalances website and pull down the update tool run that after all this mess.
Few more questions what anitivirus software are you running and I also see you have a creative blaster X-fi sound card Im going to have to search around I remember during the RC Creative cards where having some issues but that could be gone by now.

 

[Trix]

@DarkXeno : My router support ipv6 but it is not activated . I prefer disabling in Windows than activing on the router ( but why not ). My game is already patched by default ( downloaded via steam ). I have tried to update punkbuster via pbsetup.exe, update was ok, but the game was still lagging. I have disabled antivirus and firewall ( for testing ). Creative has recently made (finals ?) drivers for Seven 64 bits.
I can't test for now ipv6 disabling. It may be THE solution ^^ but i prefer collecting potentials solution until the next week end to test each of them. I have already tried several things to remove lag ( spend 10 hours last week ) but always disapointed :'(

 

[mckillwashere]

Okay,
Im back in town
I haven't heard anything back from them yet. But I did get some more businesses that need help im getting them to fax me applications XD.

So how has it been any luck?

 

[Trix]

Hello, I am back to home and can test all your good advices.
I have test all possible graphic tunes (vsync on/off, triple buffering, etc) ... No work
I have also tried to disable ipv6 ... No work
I have also changed my network card ... NO WORK !
I have also retried to change TCP propreties in regedit ( tcpnodelay / tcpnoack ) and autotuning=disable ... No work ...

I have also tried with others games ( CSS / Team Fortress 2 / Left 4 dead ) and only Battlefield 2 has the problem.

I have also reinstall BF2 many times and updated PunkBuster too ...

My ping remain good, my fps rate is contant and good too ...
So wtf is the problem ?

I don't know ... maybe a motherboard incompatibility. Well i think i will reinstall this old good Windows XP.

Windows Seven is so disappointing me.

 

[mckillwashere]

Seven is still in working stages as it will be for about 3 months after release, as everyone will be calling the official MS help and they will be creating patches left and right creating compatibility. Same for game manufactures Most places are releasing the patches until it is released and the with BF being a slightly older game they may not even release a patch for it.