Configuration and tweaks

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Configuration and Tweaks

http://www.bullseyecrosshairs.com/

http://www.speedguide.net

Before we begin with some tweaking, please make copies of all your CFG files in your \half-life\tfc folder and copy them somewhere safe. All the CFG files will fit on one floppy disk. If you don’t like the changes, just copy the files back and it’s returned to the way it was. I got most of these tweak ideas from http://half-life.pcgame.com/. There are several tweaks listed at that site. I only experimented with the ones below. I will not be responsible for your hosed system – SO BACK UP! If you’re squeamish about tweaking several settings, then I suggest you find someone that knows how or just don’t try them. Let’s begin.

RATE xxxxx:
Here is the most important setting for modem users!!! It sets the rate that clients send to the server in bytes per second (suggested starting values: 1000-4000 modem, 5000-7000 ISDN, 6000-10000 cable/DSL, 7000-20000 T1, 20000 LAN). Incorrect values will cause LAG! Bring down the console and turn on the net_graph 3 to help evaluate different values, and try non-integers like 4001.0528. I good place to start would be your connection rate x 100. So if you connect at 36k, then you should start with a rate setting of 3600. Bring down the console and type rate 3600 and press the enter key. If you’re still getting lag, reduce the rate value by 100 until it starts to smooth out.

Even though I connect at 48k, I have mine set at 4101.0528 for my 56k connection. This is a setting that you have to experiment with while using the net_graph 1 command. Yellow and Red lines are bad and indicate packet loss. Keep lowering rate until it's mostly green lines with the occasional yellow or red. Also, net_graph 1 can be a drain on system performance (fps). Use it for course testing (it’s easier to see red and yellow lines than numbers while playing). When you think you have it right, switch it over to net_graph 3 and look at the packet loss and choke values. To turn off the connection information, type in net_graph 0.

Also note that the default value for RATE is 9000!!! So if you’re a modem user, lower the value. Don’t rely on using the configuration via the menu system in Half Life by selecting your connection type in the box. This is a setting that you have to play with for an hour or so until it feels right.Another note here is the cl_rate command. According to what I have read, it’s the same as the rate command, BUT… I have discovered problems with this paRAMeter. It does not remain set if you specify a value in either your autoexec.cfg or config.cfg files. It’s not related to the patch either, as version 1.1.0.1 exhibited the same behavior. The default value for cl_rate is 9999.0000 as reported by the console. I’ve tried several configurations and determined that cl_rate does not affect my ping or game play. I set it to mach my rate and I saw no change in my game play and ping times. So after this testing, I think the best thing to do here is stay with the rate command instead and ignore the cl_rate command.

cl_download_ingame “0”:
This line is also an important one. It will NOT allow downloads to your pc while your playing. This might explain why you get spikes while playing because new resources (logos etc) have to be downloaded to your pc while your playing. Set this value to “0” like in the above example. The other paRAMeters, cl_allowdownload and cl_allowupload should be set to “1”.
EXAMPLE:
cl_allowdownload "1"
cl_allowupload "1"

pushlatency -100.0512:
Set pushlatency (try around -1/2 to -1 times ping) -- some people say using non-integer values (like -100.0521) reduces lag (remember to use negative values). The value above is what I'm using. The default is -50. Again, try different values after you determine your RATE first.

mp_decals 1000:
Set max number of decals to display in multiplayer (set lower for performance boost, but blast marks and logos will disappear sooner). The default is 2000. I have mine set at 1000.

cl_cmdrate 30:
Sets the number of times per second that the client will update the server. Leave at 30 (or lower) for modems, set to 35-55 for Cable or DSL, 50 for LAN games. The default is 30. I have not played around with this variable. If you are still having problems, try reducing the value.

fps_max 72:
Sets the maximum number of frames per second that the game will try to render. Similar to the old fps_modem command, but no longer affects network lag like in the old 1.0.1.6 code. I have mine set at default of 72. If you still have problems like flush entity errors, then try reducing this value to see if it helps. If you use this command, make sure to change your fps_modem xx command to fps_modem “0” from your autoexec.cfg and config.cfg files. I have noticed that if you remove the old fps_modem command and use the fps_max command, the config.cfg file will say fps_modem “0”.

TURNING OFF DATA COMPRESSION:

When playing TFC online, turning off data compression can significantly improve your latency. To turn off data compression, go to your dial up connection in the Dial-Up networking area of your computer, usually found in Control Panel. Click once on your connection, then right click and go to 'Properties'. Click on the Server Types tab at the top and uncheck the software compression box. You might be prompted to reboot the PC.

SET UP A PERMANENT SWAP FILE for Windows 95/98:
No matter how much physical RAM you have, you still need a swap file. Setting up a permanent file instead of a dynamic file (one that grows and shrinks automatically), will give you a little boost and curb that crazy hard drive activity when playing TFC. I have a 200 MB permanent swap file setup, even though I have 128 MB of RAM.

To set one up properly and avoid fragmentation, reboot your PC and when at the desktop, do a CTRL-ALT-DEL and shut down all open applications except for Explorer and Systray. Then, right-click on My Computer icon and select properties. Select the Performance tab. Click on the Virtual Memory button. Click on the “let me specify my own virtual memory settings”. Make the maximum and minimum values the same, and then select OK. You will get a warning, but ignore it and you will be prompted to reboot. Don’t reboot just yet. Now is a good time to defrag your hard drive. Once the defrag is finished, reboot your PC. You will now have a permanent swap file in the root directory of your hard drive. You can also specify a different hard drive or partition instead of using drive C. If you have only 64 MB RAM, you might want to set it at 300 MB.

WINDOWS 98 USERS: If you’re using Windows 98, open up your SYSTEM.INI file and locate the [386Enh] section. Add this line to that section: ConservativeSwapfileUsage=1
What this will do is change the way Windows98 manages the permanent swap file to the way it was managed under Windows 95. What this means is it will force Windows 98 to use your real RAM first, before going to the hard disk. So if you have lots of RAM, then you will see benefits from this paRAMeter. I would not recommend using this paRAMeter if you have 64 MB or less of physical RAM in your system.

INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF RAM TO TFC AND MESSAGE BUFFER:
If you have 128 MB RAM or more, you can increase the amount of RAM to TFC by using this command line paRAMeter: D:\Half-Life\hl.exe -console -game tfc -zone 512 -heapsize 20000. (You'll have to enter the drive letter where your Sierra Directory is on your Drive...)

The default value is 16 MB. The setting above will give TFC 4 MB more of memory than default. Also, add the zone –512 to increase the message buffer. If you use lots of communication binds, then that command will expand the message buffer from the default value of 128.

IMPROVING YOUR FPS (fRAMes per second):
All the paRAMeters below are basically eye candy, and when added together, it can give you a good boost in fRAMe rate, especially if you’re playing on a low-end system. My definition of a low-end system for TFC play is a Pentium 1 200MHz CPU with 64 MB of RAM. My computer is a PIII 600, 128 MB of RAM, 13 gig 7200 rpm hard drive, a Voodoo3 3000 AGP video card, and a US Robotics Courier V Everything 56k external modem. I connect at 48k to a local ISP.

gl_picmip 2 Set rendering quality (0,1,2, higher is faster and lower quality). Try raising the default from 0 to 1 or 2 to improve performance. I have mine set at 2.

gl_playermip 2
set player rendering quality (0,1,2, higher is faster and lower quality). Try raising the default from 0 to 1 or 2 to improve performance. I have mine set at 2.

r_dynamic 0
Enable dynamic lighting -- the light reflections glowing objects make on other objects nearby, such as rockets and the flashlight (0 may improve fps). I have mine set to 0.

r_mirroralpha 0
Enable reflective textures (0 may improve performance). I have mine set at 0.

joystick 0
Turn off sampling of the joystick port. The default is on (1). If you don't use a joystick, turn it off to improve performance.

cl_gibcount 4
Sets the number of gibs to spawn when blowing an enemy to bits. Lower or 0 may improve FPS. The default value is 4. I have mine set at default. If you have a low-end system, try lowering this value.

cl_giblife 25
Sets the time in seconds that gibs remain before disappearing. Lower or 0 may improve FPS. The default value is 25 seconds. I have mine set at the default. If you have a low-end system, try lowering this value.

s_a3d 0
Disables A3D support. You really should not have this turned on unless you have a fast system with a fast connection. The default value is 0, so verify in your config.cfg file that it’s in fact set at 0.

s_eax 0
Disables EAX support. Just like s_a3d, turn it off to improve performance. The default value is 0 (off).

loadas8bit 1
Set to 1 to force 8-bit, lower quality (s 11kHz) sounds. The default value is 0. I have mine set at 1.

Bgmvolume 0
Enable CD audio. When you’re playing on line, you don’t need to take precious resources for playing a music CD. Listen to it on your stereo system instead. The default value is 0. Verify that it’s set at 0.

CONCLUSION
After applying most of these tweaks, my ping is actually lower than before by 20 points, and I don’t have spikes during games anymore. I still experience some connection warnings, but I really think that it’s on the server side of things. I’m sure there will be a patch to fix this shortly from Valve.

If you try any of these settings, please backup your all your CFG files first! Don’t be a llama and hose your game settings because a patch or tweaks changed something. I hope this information contained here helps your connection and improves your game play experience.