Oblivion Pauses...

EvilFranky · 21 May 2007 at 23:47

Just recently started playing this and I'm really enjoying it, except for one highly annoying issue.

The stupid stupid pauses that I keep getting.

Upto 5-6 seconds at a time, noticed it happens as I deliver the fatal blow to an opponent. Thats just one of the times.

Even does it while scrolling through my inventory, even indoors. So no scenery to cache or anything like that.

I've googled it and seen a lot of people suffer from this, but no answer.

My spec:-

C2D 6600 @ 3ghz
2GB Geil 800 mhz DDR2
X1900XT 512MB
XFi Music
Windows XP Pro

So i'm doubtful my PC isn't upto it :rolleyes:

I've gone through the tweakguides article on it and it made no difference.

Any help from you Oblivion veterans would be most appreciated

Relentless · 21 May 2007 at 23:53

Thats odd, i have a C2D E6420, 512mb 1950pro, 2 gb ram and vista 64 and it runs, with everything maxed without a single problem at all.

Got the lastest DX installed?

Im using the 7.4 cats.

FrenchTart · 22 May 2007 at 00:56

Are you running 5 billion texture upgrades and high AA/res?

Oblivion can actually use over 512MB of texture memory with the above so you could in theory be pausing due to the ram swapping about...

Meridian · 22 May 2007 at 07:15

Are you running any kind of DC program - SETI, Folding etc? Because I find my games stops for a few seconds when a new unit loads. Ob is optimised for dual-core, so a heavy task like that will steal from the game.

M

Crowze · 22 May 2007 at 09:35

Aekeron said:
Are you running 5 billion texture upgrades and high AA/res?

Oblivion can actually use over 512MB of texture memory with the above so you could in theory be pausing due to the ram swapping about...

I am, and also get occasional pauses. It's only of the order of quarter of a second, but it can be irritating at times. Try removing the mods.

MooSey-UK · 22 May 2007 at 10:06

The pauses are the cell buffers loading up new landscape etc as you move around. There is no complete fix (even 360's do it). you say you read the Tweakguide. have you followed his advice and set your oblivion.ini?
The only other solutions are;
load Oblivion onto a seperate and fast hdd from your o/s.
make sure your pagefile is at the right size and has fixed values
if you have the disks, move your pagefile onto a seperate fast hdd.
make sure you implement the tweakguide advice.
Do not run high resolution landscape texture packs ie Qarls 3.
Set your graphics options to optimal values, not what you "think" your rig will manage!
try a performance mod, STREAMLINE is good.

when you talk about your inventories lagging, how long have you been playing for?
its a known fact that repeatedly using the inventories causes them to slow down (no idea why? clogging registers?)
the only solution is to load up the game again.

you probably won't ever eradicate the stutter, but all of the above reduce it considerably.
if you are getting really big stutters in the outside world it would pay to use lower resolution texture mods, less AA/AF and tweaking the gfx sliders.
Oblivion is a bitch. It's why im selling a grands worth of fishing gear to get an 8800GTX!!

After re-reading your post im thinking somethink else is going on. are you lagging badly inside dungeons etc?
the normal advice on the bethesda forums is to try a clean boot. make sure there's no AV or firewall running. also you could try posting a "dxdiag" report onto the hardware section of the bethesda forums. you may find there's something like a codec causing issues.
go HERE

LoadsaMoney · 22 May 2007 at 13:12

I used to get that exact problem, i found it was due to a codec i had installed, once id removed it it went back to being perfect, as it was fine before id installed the codec, but then id never played it for a while, and so when i went back to it i noticed this weird pausing all the time that i never got before, and then i remembered the only new thing id installed was this codec, but i cant for the life of me think which codec it was now.

EDIT: Just remembered, it was something like Vodei.

FrenchTart · 22 May 2007 at 13:24

Don't want to sound like I'm flaming or arguing but I have to say that I don't completely agree with Moosey. The pauses you are describing sound very different to those that you might experience whilst loading new areas.

Plus some of the terminology is....odd. First thing to try is reducing your texture upgrade useage/res/AA (as Moosey also mentioned). Make sure you're not running stuff in the background...etc.

ATI Tray Tools can sometimes cause weird problems too. It messed up my X1950XT-X something rotten.

DJammyRasta · 22 May 2007 at 15:05

LoadsaMoney said:
I used to get that exact problem, i found it was due to a codec i had installed, once id removed it it went back to being perfect, as it was fine before id installed the codec, but then id never played it for a while, and so when i went back to it i noticed this weird pausing all the time that i never got before, and then i remembered the only new thing id installed was this codec, but i cant for the life of me think which codec it was now.

EDIT: Just remembered, it was something like Vodei.

I have heard people have success with this before... but sadly it didn't work for me when i has the same problem as the op.. i gave up and went to play a game that wasn't so buggy that thousands of people couldnt play it

MooSey-UK · 22 May 2007 at 15:46

Aekeron said:
Don't want to sound like I'm flaming or arguing but I have to say that I don't completely agree with Moosey. The pauses you are describing sound very different to those that you might experience whilst loading new areas.

Plus some of the terminology is....odd. First thing to try is reducing your texture upgrade useage/res/AA (as Moosey also mentioned). Make sure you're not running stuff in the background...etc.

ATI Tray Tools can sometimes cause weird problems too. It messed up my X1950XT-X something rotten.

I re-read the OP and added the paragraph at the end straight away

it does'nt sound like load stutter.

Just had a quick look at Bethesda's hardware faq. Oblivion is very sensitive to non window codecs. Use this UTILITY to clear any problem codecs out. The link to the hardware forum is in my thread above.

FrenchTart · 22 May 2007 at 16:23

Ah. Cool stuff

EvilFranky · 22 May 2007 at 19:05

Sorry guys, only just got back to read this.

Yeah, it don't feel anything like area/texture loading stutter. What i'm experiencing are total stop dead pauses that last upto 5-6 secs at a time without any HD activity.

Yes i'm experiencing them in dungeons and indoor areas. I do have natural environments installed, but this problem occured even before I tried that MOD.

I've just uninstalled that vodei codec and will try it again. Then I'll try that utility and see if removing the non standard codecs works.

Really appreciate the help lads

EvilFranky · 22 May 2007 at 19:30

LoadsaMoney said:
EDIT: Just remembered, it was something like Vodei.

Thats it!

I just tried it after uninstalling that codec and the game is as smooth as a babies backside!!!

God i'm so relieved, that has made a world of difference to my Oblivion experience.

Thanks lads!

Moosey - Might be worth adding this to your post

LoadsaMoney · 22 May 2007 at 20:12

EvilFranky said:
Thats it!

I just tried it after uninstalling that codec and the game is as smooth as a babies backside!!!

God i'm so relieved, that has made a world of difference to my Oblivion experience.

Thanks lads!

Moosey - Might be worth adding this to your post

What a coincidence that was, glad your sorted, it had me baffled for a bit till i remembered about that codec being all id installed since the last time i played it, was well annoying, i didn't actually think that un-installing it would make any difference at the time, luckily i still decided to give it a whirl.

MooSey-UK · 22 May 2007 at 22:49

EvilFranky said:
Thats it!

I just tried it after uninstalling that codec and the game is as smooth as a babies backside!!!

God i'm so relieved, that has made a world of difference to my Oblivion experience.

Thanks lads!

Moosey - Might be worth adding this to your post

I've already got links to bethesda's hardware FAQ forum post that talks about codecs but I'll put a specific mention in.
Im just testing some new mods etc before doing an update + need some more screenies of a minxy girly character I've made

but will do.
glad you sorted it.