If you are getting a really unstable frame rate in games (TF2) then this might help! Triple Buffering! I don't exactly know how it works but it has made my fps go from 15-60 (mainly ~20) to 45-60 (mainly it just flickers between 59-60). It should be an option in the configuration software for your graphics card It also helped Crovax so I was just thinking some others might want to know about it.

_________________
a bird in a bird in a bird in a bird in a bird in a pig

I haven't the slightest clue what it does, but I have it turned on in every game I own that has the option to do so. it's probably a good thing. so, uhh, yeah, go turn it on you lazy sods :p

_________________
ュ~ちゃんgamer.jp Pinky: true genius
ュ~ちゃんgamer.jp Pinky: doesn't make sense
ュ~ちゃんgamer.jp Pinky: till you're senseless

Triple buffering helps if you use VSYNC and you should, so the tip is pretty good.

_________________
War does not determine who is right - only who is left. - Bertrand Russell

And I can find that where? (Geforce 9300 GE)

_________________
All roads may lead to Rome, but all Wikipedia pages eventually get you to the Third Reich. - m3n

I'm guessing with a Nvidia card the configuration will show a little green/(black?) eye thingy in your taskbar, right click on that and then try and find the option to open the config menu or there might be an option from the right click menu. I'm not sure since I use an ATI card You might only have the driver, if so you should be able to download the configuration tool from the nvidia website.

*Edit* I think you can only get the driver and the configuration tool in one download with the nvidia software so you should have it.

_________________
a bird in a bird in a bird in a bird in a bird in a pig

Right-click on the desktop, choose NVIDIA Control Panel, go to 3D Settings and go to advanced options (not the ones with the slider). Triple buffering should be one of the options on the list (below threaded optimization).

_________________
War does not determine who is right - only who is left. - Bertrand Russell

Going to try this later, because I really hate, when I have circa 10 FPS on beggining of Goldrush and other maps with massive spam. Then I gonna tell how it works on GeForce FX5200 ;D

Triple buffering is a system to compensate disadvantages while using Vsync and double buffering. So without Vsync it's just a waste of resources. Basically it's using a three framebuffers (1 front and 2 back buffers) instead of two (1 front, 1 back). When the frame in back buffer 1 is done, he starts already to compute the frame in back buffer 3. With Vsync and double buffering he's swaping normally the two buffers... with triple buffering he's now rotating through the buffers. This compensates that the CPU has to wait until the frame from the front buffer is completely displayed before it can do the swap. At least it's working somehow like this IIRC. ^^

So either use Vsync off or Vsync on + triple buffering if available. Disadvatanges are that the buffer size is increased and that you're always one frame late.

_________________
SaintK: I'm completely lost

Okay I tried it know, and all it does is switching my fps between constant 60 and constant 30fps on an empty (!) server.
In a 6v6 I got pretty stable 66fps (with fps_max 67 & dx 8.1)

I wont use since it seems it lowers my fps even more :/

_________________
All roads may lead to Rome, but all Wikipedia pages eventually get you to the Third Reich. - m3n

FPS is never stable.

Thats why I wrote "pretty".

Also, if you got the possibility to get lets say 100fps and set the max to 60, its 99% sure you wont really drop below 60.

_________________
All roads may lead to Rome, but all Wikipedia pages eventually get you to the Third Reich. - m3n

Depending on the game and your setup. ^^

_________________
War does not determine who is right - only who is left. - Bertrand Russell

Also, Tripple Buffering option on the NVidia Configurations Page only seems to work on OpenGL games. (acording to this site: http://www.tweakguides.com/ but it may work, I dunno I am lazy) To make Tripple Buffering work on DirectX games (TF2, L4D, blablabla...) you have to install RivaTuner and use D3DOverrider that comes with it. Everything is said here: http://www.tweakguides.com/NVFORCE_10.html (It is on the bottom of the page)

I didn't tested it, but It should work.

I just tried it again but with dxlevel 95 and all settings pretty high, no AA.
Without triple buffer and vsync: 20fps
With triple buffer and vsynch: 20fps


Only way to make my game run smoothly on pretty high settings in dx 9 is to use a resolution of 780 x 420

_________________
All roads may lead to Rome, but all Wikipedia pages eventually get you to the Third Reich. - m3n

Well maybe it just works for me because at the lowest settings, vsync turned off, no AA, bilinear AF and triple buffering turned off i was getting 15-60 as a full range, but as I said before mainly around 20-25.

With triple buffering on, vsync on, 4xAA & AF, high is everything else and HDR I get 59-60 and it hasn't dropped below 45

_________________
a bird in a bird in a bird in a bird in a bird in a pig