Problem - Extreme Video Lag (1 Viewer)

[MamaBear]

I am experiencing extreme video lag and cant seem to fix it. I have reduced my vid settings very low but it seems anytime I look at another player I get lag and my video jumps.

I can literally be in the guild hall and if I look at one other player the video will lag as my field of view passes over him.

These are my vid settings:

 

[Lidori]

This is a long shot. But do you have "show offline" checked in your Alt-G guild window?

 

[Algar]

I am experiencing extreme video lag and cant seem to fix it. I have reduced my vid settings very low but it seems anytime I look at another player I get lag and my video jumps.

I can literally be in the guild hall and if I look at one other player the video will lag as my field of view passes over him.

These are my vid settings:

View attachment 67492

What appears to be "video lag" can in fact sometimes be "CPU stuttering".
Are you running multiple accounts?
If so, have you set up the mqframelimiter?

 

[MamaBear]

This is a long shot. But do you have "show offline" checked in your Alt-G guild window?

It was. I unchecked it but it has made no effect.

 

[MamaBear]

What appears to be "video lag" can in fact sometimes be "CPU stuttering".
Are you running multiple accounts?
If so, have you set up the mqframelimiter?

I set up the frame limiter exactly as @Sic showed in the post but still the issue is there.

Looking at the macroquest settings window in real time though does tell me something. The FPS will be at 60 if I am still. If I look around it can drop down into the 30s and if I look at another toon it can drop down to 11.

However the "CPU Usage" is always under 3% nomatter what I am doing.

I am running 3 toons on this computer.



Also I am running in 1440p on a 32 inch monitor and an SSD HDD with the following spec:

 

[Sic]

If you are using the new eq engine you should disable it
In your eqclient
UseNewUIEngine=0

It doesn't look clicked on your images, but I'd manually put it in my eqclient if I were you

 

[stuff]

Suggestions:

-Change your three particle panels to Me or None (on for) instead of Group+NPC.
-Check your core usage, to make sure you're not putting all three clients on the same core. This is in the eqclient.ini.

ClientCore0=15
ClientCore1=14
ClientCore2=13
ClientCore3=-1
ClientCore4=11
ClientCore5=10

Other than that, did this all of a sudden start on long running characters or is this a fresh install and has never been without lag? On long running characters, what changed right before you started getting lag? On a fresh install what else are you running at the same time?

 

[Granditos]

Suggestions:

-Change your three particle panels to Me or None (on for) instead of Group+NPC.
-Check your core usage, to make sure you're not putting all three clients on the same core. This is in the eqclient.ini.

ClientCore0=15
ClientCore1=14
ClientCore2=13
ClientCore3=-1
ClientCore4=11
ClientCore5=10

Other than that, did this all of a sudden start on long running characters or is this a fresh install and has never been without lag? On long running characters, what changed right before you started getting lag? On a fresh install what else are you running at the same time?

Please explain the client core thing in more detail. I didn’t know about this setting. Is there a way of identifying how many cores I have available for EQ?

 

[Sic]

Suggestions:

-Change your three particle panels to Me or None (on for) instead of Group+NPC.
-Check your core usage, to make sure you're not putting all three clients on the same core. This is in the eqclient.ini.

ClientCore0=15
ClientCore1=14
ClientCore2=13
ClientCore3=-1
ClientCore4=11
ClientCore5=10

Other than that, did this all of a sudden start on long running characters or is this a fresh install and has never been without lag? On long running characters, what changed right before you started getting lag? On a fresh install what else are you running at the same time?

Please explain the client core thing in more detail. I didn’t know about this setting. Is there a way of identifying how many cores I have available for EQ?

Btw, it is recommended to leave all client core at -1 which is the new default, which is why eq changed the setting to be called client core instead of cpuaffinity

-1 let's windows handle cores

I, personally, don't think you should change it

 

[burdsjm]

Btw, it is recommended to leave all client core at -1 which is the new default, which is why eq changed the setting to be called client core instead of cpuaffinity

-1 let's windows handle cores

I, personally, don't think you should change it

I agree.

I am experiencing extreme video lag and cant seem to fix it. I have reduced my vid settings very low but it seems anytime I look at another player I get lag and my video jumps.

I can literally be in the guild hall and if I look at one other player the video will lag as my field of view passes over him.

These are my vid settings:

View attachment 67492

Try dropping your far clip plane to zero on your bots.

 

[ChatWithThisName]

make sure /log is off. An oversized log file can cause stuttering ever second or so. Not super noticeable when standing still. Noticeable when trying to look around.
If that solves your issue and you still want the log on for DPS log reading, or whatever, either delete or rename the log file so it creates a new one and starts over.
Just be aware that keeping the log on will eventually get up in size again and cause the same issue. EQ does not automatically backup log files.

 

[Peppe]

Well, it does the same for me, I kinda got use to it.

5800x3D
7900XT
32GB RAM
2TB nVME

The stuttering is insane, in PoK ~5FPS.

I tried it all, nothing works.

Funny is, for some reason the game runs much better on my way weaker laptop, the stutters are still there but less.

i5 10th gen
3050Ti
16GB RAM
512GB nvme

I have send a request to AMD if they can add support to Everquest 1 in the drivers, lol.

After all, its an old nVidia game title.

 

[Lidori]

Another suggestion from left field - open your map and turn labels OFF.

 

[MamaBear]

Btw, it is recommended to leave all client core at -1 which is the new default, which is why eq changed the setting to be called client core instead of cpuaffinity

-1 let's windows handle cores

I, personally, don't think you should change it

Mine has both. Should I delete the CPUAffinity?

 

[Sic]

Mine has both. Should I delete the CPUAffinity?

View attachment 67500

Cpuaffinity is just vestigial at this point, can be left or removed.

Clientcore should all, imo, be -1 which lets windows handle your cores

 

[MamaBear]

For the record, I have turned logging off (it was off) and set the eqclient.ini to UseNewUIEngine=0

Also my Nvdia drivers and windows are all up to date as well.

Something else I noticed too, using the /mqsettings. If I just stand still in the guildhall, with just me and another toon in the zone and I look at the other toon. The FPS will jump around.

All the way down to below 10fps and Im not moving a single thing, just standing there staring at the other toon who is also NOT moving. It is something about looking at toons that does it because if I look at the wall or the floor the FPS stays high.

 

[MamaBear]

Well, it does the same for me, I kinda got use to it.

5800x3D
7900XT
32GB RAM
2TB nVME

The stuttering is insane, in PoK ~5FPS.

I tried it all, nothing works.

Funny is, for some reason the game runs much better on my way weaker laptop, the stutters are still there but less.

i5 10th gen
3050Ti
16GB RAM
512GB nvme

I have send a request to AMD if they can add support to Everquest 1 in the drivers, lol.

After all, its an old nVidia game title.

Exactly! It is so weird, this is a very good spec computer for EQ. Seriously overspec with 32gb RAM, RTX 2080, NVME HDD, and i7 8700k.

It should be running great. But my laptop running SIX toons is outperforming this good desktop running THREE toons. Its crazy.

 

[Many_Whelps]

You should have 2.0 Pixel Shaders and Post Effects turned on. These are not going to hurt your FPS and are essential to seeing many of the graphical cues that are used in the game.

Do you use ISBoxer? Also, what is your CPU usage per individual core? You said "3% overall" but EQ does not distribute it's load evenly so you can easily be CPU limited on the main core that EQ is using while other cores are nearly idle which will make your overall usage appear low.

 

[Granditos]

Btw, it is recommended to leave all client core at -1 which is the new default, which is why eq changed the setting to be called client core instead of cpuaffinity

-1 let's windows handle cores

I, personally, don't think you should change it

So i should change this to -1?

CPUAffinity1=1
CPUAffinity2=2
CPUAffinity3=3
CPUAffinity4=4

ClientCore0=-1
ClientCore1=-1
ClientCore2=-1
ClientCore3=-1
ClientCore4=-1
ClientCore5=-1
ClientCore6=-1
ClientCore7=-1
ClientCore8=-1
ClientCore9=-1
ClientCore10=-1
ClientCore11=-1
ClientCore12=-1
ClientCore13=-1
ClientCore14=-1
ClientCore15=-1

 

[MamaBear]

You should have 2.0 Pixel Shaders and Post Effects turned on. These are not going to hurt your FPS and are essential to seeing many of the graphical cues that are used in the game.

Do you use ISBoxer? Also, what is your CPU usage per individual core? You said "3% overall" but EQ does not distribute it's load evenly so you can easily be CPU limited on the main core that EQ is using while other cores are nearly idle which will make your overall usage appear low.

I dont use ISBoxer. Would that help somehow?

These are the 3 instances that are running:

 

[Sic]

So i should change this to -1?

CPUAffinity1=1
CPUAffinity2=2
CPUAffinity3=3
CPUAffinity4=4

ClientCore0=-1
ClientCore1=-1
ClientCore2=-1
ClientCore3=-1
ClientCore4=-1
ClientCore5=-1
ClientCore6=-1
ClientCore7=-1
ClientCore8=-1
ClientCore9=-1
ClientCore10=-1
ClientCore11=-1
ClientCore12=-1
ClientCore13=-1
ClientCore14=-1
ClientCore15=-1

Nothing to change.

As I said the cpuaffinity is vestigial, and is no longer used. Clientcore is new, and will default to -1

 

[Many_Whelps]

I dont use ISBoxer. Would that help somehow?

These are the 3 instances that are running:

View attachment 67502

That's not per core utilization. Select the performance tab of task manager.


Each box is an individual core on my CPU. See how one core has a much higher utilization than the others and some have virtually none? Guess which one EQ is using. EQ is not a multi-threaded application and it's main thread is going to live on mostly one CPU core. If that core is constantly maxed out, you're going to have these sort of graphics issues because EQ is more CPU bound than GPU bound.

 

[stuff]

Please explain the client core thing in more detail. I didn’t know about this setting. Is there a way of identifying how many cores I have available for EQ?

It's an updated setting in the ini. If you google "eq client core" the current top post is from the old eq forums about the changes. It would have more depth than what I could explain.

Before figuring out I had a bad AIO water cooler (computer was overheat shutting down), I was playing with this setting. After replacing the water block and reinstalling windows, I let eq handle it.

 

[stuff]

That's not per core utilization. Select the performance tab of task manager.

View attachment 67503
Each box is an individual core on my CPU. See how one core has a much higher utilization than the others and some have virtually none? Guess which one EQ is using. EQ is not a multi-threaded application and it's main thread is going to live on mostly one CPU core. If that core is constantly maxed out, you're going to have these sort of graphics issues because EQ is more CPU bound than GPU bound.

If your just seeing one box when you click on performance, right click and select logical processes.

 

[MamaBear]

That's not per core utilization. Select the performance tab of task manager.

View attachment 67503
Each box is an individual core on my CPU. See how one core has a much higher utilization than the others and some have virtually none? Guess which one EQ is using. EQ is not a multi-threaded application and it's main thread is going to live on mostly one CPU core. If that core is constantly maxed out, you're going to have these sort of graphics issues because EQ is more CPU bound than GPU bound.

Mine looks like this, from what I can see the usage on any of the cores does not seem to be excessive?

 

[BlueBug]

Cpuaffinity is just vestigial at this point, can be left or removed.

Clientcore should all, imo, be -1 which lets windows handle your cores

HEy Sic. I'm not having this issue but know nothing about Clientcore. My Google-Fu failed me on this.

What is Clientcore? Is it JUST letting Windows use whichever core it wants?

Thanks,

BB

 

[durango773]

HEy Sic. I'm not having this issue but know nothing about Clientcore. My Google-Fu failed me on this.

What is Clientcore? Is it JUST letting Windows use whichever core it wants?

Thanks,

BB

Yes, shouldnt have been brought up, its a historical artifact now.

 

[Algar]

HEy Sic. I'm not having this issue but know nothing about Clientcore. My Google-Fu failed me on this.

What is Clientcore? Is it JUST letting Windows use whichever core it wants?

Thanks,

BB

it sure as heck did

 

[stuff]

Mine looks like this, from what I can see the usage on any of the cores does not seem to be excessive?

View attachment 67505

If you are still having this issue, tracking down the cause may be a needle in the haystack, as most of what has been mentioned would fix the majority of problems.

Here are some thoughts for you to try and fix the issue:

• - [extreme last resort] reinstall windows (this is something I do every couple year(s) for a refresh).
• - download the eq_setup from everquest.com and install it in a new folder with a full install. After download run it without MQ and see if you get the same issue. This could point to either it being a settings issue within your eq deployment or an issue with something in windows. (Or some other issue). If you have run EQ for a long time there may be a lot of legacy left in your folders.
  • - If you have no problems at this point, start adding things until you get to the same point as your normal set up. Keep track of what you do. You may end up "rebuilding" to your normal setup and it works.
  • - If you have problems, I would look at what you have running outside of EQ with a vanilla install.
• - https://everquest.fanra.info/wiki/Graphics_and_performance_settings_guide gives you some history and tweaks that can be done. This is also a good reference for the prior step.
• - https://forums.daybreakgames.com/eq/index.php?threads/eq-stutters-use-windows-try-this-fix.267412/ and https://forums.daybreakgames.com/eq/index.php?threads/massive-game-lag-on-a-new-computer.294792/ are two threads I found that could point to causes.

With your issue not being fixed by common adjustments, it may take time to track down where the issue lies.

Hope this helps.