Ok, computer people: if "Can you run it" says I can, but the demo lagged...

[Vohn_exel]

Ok, so I wanted to play "Amnesia: The Dark Descent." So, I downloaded the demo and it took it like...eight minutes to get past the "create new name" screen. Everything loaded slower than molasses on a winter's day in Siberia. So, I go and download Penumbra because "Can you run it" says I could play it.

I can, and I'm having a blast. Just for fun, I think "Hey, I wonder what it'd say about Amnesia." So, I go and check it out and...it turns out I have the same ability to play it as I do Penumbra. What am I doing wrong? All I had to do with Penumbra was adjust the resolution for maximum speed. I don't remember the trick working with Amnesia. Is there something I can do to be able to play Amnesia?

A little background: My computer couldn't seem to play Bioshock, but I didn't mess with the settings very much since I got it on PS3 like the next day. It can run Oblivion with a bit of lag whenever I reach shadows and outdoors, but it can still play it decently enough. So, if that helps any. Last, but not least, here is what DxDiag brings me:


Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) Dual CPU E2220 @ 2.40GHz (2 CPUs), ~2.4GHz
Memory: 2940MB RAM
(Here's the stuff on my video card.)
Card name: NVIDIA GeForce 7100 / NVIDIA nForce 630i
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip type: GeForce 7100 / NVIDIA nForce 630i
DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_07E1&SUBSYS_2A64103C&REV_A2
Display Memory: 1336 MB
Dedicated Memory: 121 MB
Shared Memory: 1214 MB
Current Mode: 1680 x 1050 (32 bit) (60Hz)

If anything else is needed, please ask. I've heard someone say that sometimes disabling something with the game will fix alot of problems, something called SSAO, but I haven't the slightest idea what that is. Again, any help is appreciated, especially while there's a Steam sale going on!

 

[mirror's edgy]

Half Life 2 demo ran perfectly. Full game won't even make it past the Valve logo. Computers mystify me sometimes.

 

[Flying-Emu]

What Temhota said.

Your rig is pretty weak.

 

[SJXarg]

Ok, so I wanted to play "Amnesia: The Dark Descent."


Card name: NVIDIA GeForce 7100 / NVIDIA nForce 630i
Current Mode: 1680 x 1050 (32 bit) (60Hz)

Not to be a douche, but I think I see the problem. Try a lower resolution (something like 1200x800), turn off SSAO, AA (if it's enabled), and try medium or low graphics presets. You *should* be able to run the game, just not with that level of quality on that card.

 

[Vohn_exel]

See I know my graphics card sucks. This computer was nice for an out of the box, store bought computer, but it still needs to be upgraded, lol. So don't worry about offending me.

Anyway, yeah I know resolution is a big problem for me, it was in Penumbra as well. I think the shadows is the biggest problem in this game. It just irks me that I get the same results on "Can you run it" as I did for Penumbra:BP. The shadows are the only thing I can think of that'd be messing with the FPS so bad, since that makes Oblivion lag for me.

AA isn't enabled, but how do I go about turning off SSAO. I googled it and I wasn't exactly sure where I'm supposed to go. If I can just get it to run without being so laggy (literally about a minute of lag per action) I can get it to where I can at least play the game.

Thanks for the help, btw

 

[Vohn_exel]

Those "Can You Run It" sites are bullshit, sorry but your rig is pretty weak no matter what those sites tell you. Amnesia: The Dark Decent kicks SLi/Crossfire systems in the GPUs till they cry.

7100 isn't a gaming card, but would have been adequate in 2002 , weak CPU and and shared VRAM is brutal. SSAO is Screen Space Ambient Occlusion which will make your PC cry, turn that off. Not like it will help much, maybe lower all settings and screen resolution.

Also I should add that this is the only one I've ever even heard of, the "Can you run it" site that is literally "Can you run it" on google. I didn't even know others existed. It's usually served me pretty well in the past, and so I started using it to reliably predict my problems. I'm in the process of redownloading the demo, so I can try SSAO (when I find out how to turn it off) and other things and see if I can get it to run.

 

[SJXarg]

Load Amnesia, the little launcher window should come up.
Click the 'Graphic options' tab
Click show advanced (bottom right corner of the tab)
UNtick SSAO, experiment with Edge smooth and World Reflection,
Set Anisotropy to 2x,
(just in case)
SSAO resolution to medium,
SSAO samples to 4,
(/just in case)
experiment with Parallax
experiment with Bilinear and Trilinear filtering, not sure which gives best performance

 

[Vohn_exel]

Load Amnesia, the little launcher window should come up.
Click the 'Graphic options' tab
Click show advanced (bottom right corner of the tab)
UNtick SSAO, experiment with Edge smooth and World Reflection,
Set Anisotropy to 2x,
(just in case)
SSAO resolution to medium,
SSAO samples to 4,
(/just in case)
experiment with Parallax
experiment with Bilinear and Trilinear filtering, not sure which gives best performance

Thank you! I turned off SSAO and that seems to have been the entire problem. The game does have verrrry miniscule lag around shadows, but it's practically unnoticable. I read somewhere else that I should turn Vista to "Basic" and it'll run better as well. After turning off SSAO, I can run the game fine! Once I beat Penumbra, here I come, Amnesia!

 

[Lord Legion]

The trick to getting Amnesia to work? I can't remember...
bahdum tish!

I am kind of in the same situation though, old computer with high end games. If you are using vista and feel the absolute need to get processing power, turn off UAC. It makes a VERY noticable difference.

 

[Vohn_exel]

The trick to getting Amnesia to work? I can't remember...
bahdum tish!

I am kind of in the same situation though, old computer with high end games. If you are using vista and feel the absolute need to get processing power, turn off UAC. It makes a VERY noticable difference.

What is UAC? My computer isn't that old and can play most of the games I own. The only two it can't play is Bioshock and Overlord. Most of it, so long as I play in lower resolution, is fine. Now that I've turned off SSAO, the game runs great. If it lags at all it's so miniscule that it's mostly unnoticeable.

 

[InkGoddess]

I've had the same issues with Bioshock, both on my laptop (which I knew was a stretch, I have a shit graphics card) and the large desktop PC which in THEORY should run bioshock.

Even on the lowest setting I still get stuck and frozen on the loading screens and can never get into the game.

I am...very mystified by this.

 

[Vohn_exel]

Also I should add that this is the only one I've ever even heard of, the "Can you run it" site that is literally "Can you run it" on google. I didn't even know others existed. It's usually served me pretty well in the past, and so I started using it to reliably predict my problems. I'm in the process of redownloading the demo, so I can try SSAO (when I find out how to turn it off) and other things and see if I can get it to run.

Good luck I hope it works for you, cause it is a great game.

I am kind of in the same situation though, old computer with high end games. If you are using vista and feel the absolute need to get processing power, turn off UAC. It makes a VERY noticable difference.

lol User Access Control makes a noticeable difference with game performance now does it? Funny...

@OP ignore this advice as I can image you know it is useless, and do not turn off UAC. This will bring your PC a step closer to the security nightmare that once was Windows XP. What you can do is turn off Aero effects, that does affect game performance.

I seem to be able to run it now. Eventually I'm gonna go through the demo and see how it turns out. I still have to beat Penumbra and Black Plague, anyway. I know they're not related, but they're spiritual sequels. Yeah, I'm gonna turn off Aero affects and see how that does, I've heard it'll really help the game. If anything at all, I only need a small boost in performance to run as well as I want it to. Infact, I might just be imagining things and it runs perfect now.

I've had the same issues with Bioshock, both on my laptop (which I knew was a stretch, I have a shit graphics card) and the large desktop PC which in THEORY should run bioshock.

Even on the lowest setting I still get stuck and frozen on the loading screens and can never get into the game.

I am...very mystified by this.

Yeah, I thought if I could run Oblivion I'd be able to run Bioshock. I could get into the game but it lagged too bad to try and play. It was really hard to shoot things when they teleported all over the screen, lol.