HL2 Episode 1 Stutter Issues

[Shoal]

Okay, so I've searched the forum and read all the information I could find regarding the stuttering issues that many people seem to be having (myself included).

Here's what I've done:

- I've changed the heapsize of the game to half my physical memory, 1024000.
- Using the game's config file, I forced both the client and the server to preload memory.
- I created an autoexec.cfg file in the same directory and placed a command within it to force managed textures into my video card's physical memory. This and the config editing above are supposed to kill all stuttering, but...
- I defragmented E1's GCF files through Steam.
- I validated E1's GCF files through Steam.

And, well, nada. Didn't help at all. Here's my system:

Intel Pentuim 4 ~ 3.4 GHz (2 CPUs)
eVGA nVidia Geforce 6800 Ultra 256 MB
2048 MB DDR RAM
Windows XP Professional ~ DirectX 9.0c

The stuttering is by far the worst in the train while escaping the Citadel. Inside the train -- a time meant to be emotional -- the stuttering is so bad that Alyx is virtually unintelligable and all drama is effectively lost. The rest of the time (with the occasional stutter) the game is silky smooth at high settings.

Anyone have any ideas?

Shoal

 

[Saketi]

dont worry i got these problems alot too, i had to turn my texture quality to medium. Only stutters now when its auto saving the game.

 

[Shoal]

Yeah, I was just about to post an edit that I tried playing through the train at the absolute lowest graphical settings possible without going into the config files. Though this helps considerably (making it bearable), there is still a slight stutter in the train.

And anyway, I shouldn't have to set the texture quality at Medium in order to skip the stuttering. Sure, that might work for second+ times through, but what about that first time? For example, what's going to happen regarding this issue in E2? How am I supposed to know when it's time to change to Medium and when to change back to High? Why should I have to damage my immersion that way? That's just not cool; not cool at all.

 

[Saketi]

I know how u feel, HL2 runs perfect stutter free in MAx settings, but EP1 stutters to fek.

I fink its slightly more demanding than HL2, still looks good with med textures. If u have a Nvidia card change ur AA settings to 2x & AF to 4x & post back if that improves ur stutering.

If i have 0AA & 0AF i play a slide slow, but i put 2xaa & 4xAF & im rolling.

 

[Shoal]

I play the game using internal 2AA and 4AF; I don't use my external nVidia controls. I've actually noticed in many games that using an internal setting is often better than a forced external one, even if they produce the same results. Perhaps I'm wrong?

 

[DrDevin]

I also get stuttering throughout all Source based games.

If you want try using:

snd_mixahead 0.4

Type that into the console or put it in your config and see if it helps.

 

[andrew_e1]

join the club...

Ive got an X2 4200, x1900xtx, x-fi and it still stutters...

btw, i think you mean pentium D


btw, you got instructions for those configs? i wanna try them

 

[Shoal]

I got all my config instructions from:

Half-Life 2 Tweak Guide
http://www.tweakguides.com/HL2_1.html

 

[Shoal]

Okay, here's the dilly: I set snd_mixahead to 0.5 (as suggested), and a weird (but good) thing happens: the movement stuttering doesn't go away, but the audio stuttering is completely gone! To me, the movement stuttering was irritating but never really hurt the game, it was always the audio skipping that bugged me. Now, the train scene is still choppy in terms of movement, but all the audio plays fine.

What exactly does this option do? Have I decreased or increased sound quality?

 

[S.T.A.R.S.]

LOL same thing happened to me also.In Episode 1 I put texture quality on worst and it was freezing while I was shooting or walking....and things like that.But maybe this can help you:
1.Uinstall whole game.
2.After that check your computer for viruses with Norton Antivirus 2004.
3.After that check your computer for adwares and spywares with Ad-Aware SE Personal.
4.After that go in "MY COMPUTER",right click on disk C,"properties","TOOLS",
"CHECK NOW",and then in "CHECK DISK OPTIONS" put both:
--->"Automatically fix file system errors"
--->"Scan for attempt recovery of bad sectors"
and then click "START".You will probably need to restart your computer so
click yes.After computer is restarted,disk checking will start automatically.
5.After disk checking is complete,again go in "MY COMPUTER",disk C,right click
on it,"properties","TOOLS","DEFRAGMENT NOW",then the "Disk Defragmenter"
will turn ON.Then again click on "DEFRAGMENT",(which must be right of "ANALYZE").
6.Right click on desktop,"properties","settings",and then put on 32-bit color
and resolution 1024x768.After that click "APPLY" and then go on "APPEARANCE","EFFECTS" and then put like here on picture--->

After you have done that,click on "OK","APPLY" then again "OK".
7.Right click on "MY COMPUTER","PROPERTIES","ADVANCED",and then click on
first button "SETTINGS".I mean on this --->

After that put on "Adjust for best appearance".After that click "APPLY","OK"
then again "OK".
8.After that right click on desktop,"properties","Settings","Advanced",and you
should get something like this--->

There you can find options for your graphic card so PUT EVERYTHING ON
BEST QUALITY!!!
For example I have OpenGL and Direct3D.
OpenGL--->

Direct3D--->

But don't pay attention on my options for graphic.I didn't put everything on
best quality because my graphic card has 64 MB.But you put EVERYTHING on
best quality because you probably have more MB in your graphic card!!

After you have done this,again install Episode 1 on your computer,or extract
those RAR files for Episode 1 if you have downloaded it.
The solution is VERY simple.First extract all those RAR files.After you have done that you should get this--->

http://img433.imageshack.us/my.php?image=howtosolvetheprobleminhalflife.jpg
After that go in that BIN folder,(which you can see the first on the top).
After that go on "TOOLS","FOLDER OPTIONS..." then on "VIEW".
Then that advanced settings put like this on this 2 pictures--->

http://img174.imageshack.us/my.php?image=howtosolvetheprobleminhalflife.jpg
http://img433.imageshack.us/my.php?image=howtosolvetheprobleminhalflife1.jpg
After you have done that,go on "APPLY" then go on "OK".After that turn OFF
all that and TURN OFF STEAM ALSO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
After that wait 10 seconds and the Half-Life: Episode 1 should work every time if the STEAM IS TURNED OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Enjoy in game...I played it whole and it's very very good.Better then Half-Life
Ohh yea...one more thing.If you have an ATI graphic card,go on this link: www.ati.com
Then go on "DRIVERS AND SOFTWARE",then go on "WINDOWS XP",then go on "Windows XP Drivers and Software",then go
on "Notebooks with ATI Graphics",then go on "HYDRAVISION - For RADEON and Mobile ATI Products",then click on
"HYDRAVISION Full Edition 3.25.0006" and download it.After you have downloaded it,install it and restart your computer.
THAT'S IT!!!
Download that driver even if you don't have notebook/laptop.That driver works fine on ATI graphics,SO DO IT!!!
Now after you have read all my text and saw pictures,do the same as I said here and Half-Life: Episode 1 should work every
time!!!

After you have done ALL this Half-Life: Episode 1 should work every time without any freezing when you are walking,shooting,
opening the doors....and things like that.If you have 256 MB in your graphic card,Episode 1 will work very good on BEST quality
if you do exactly I said.

 

[Saketi]

im still stuttering even in HL2 now, its annoying me, Ive had this issue well over 5months is there no where to fix this issue, Specs in sig.