Guide to playing with lower than recommended specs.

Discussion in 'Player Created Resources' started by jammaplaya, May 27, 2018.

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  1. jammaplaya

    jammaplaya Avatar

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    Hail Avatars,

    I've decided to write this guide to running the game as smoothly and enjoyably as 6gb of RAM will allow! I am not certain if the game will even load with anything less, but 6gb RAM seems to be more than enough if you follow the instructions below.

    I've clocked nearly 2000 hours on one of my older laptops that has only that much, and still the experience has been exceptional, even while under the officially recommended system requirements.

    You can of course purchase a RAM upgrade for your machine to boost performance, or purchase an SSD (solid state drive) which will decrease load times, but of course this guide is for those who are otherwise unwilling to make those purchases.

    So how is this possible? Let me first list a few things that will help get the game running smoothly on the technical side:

    1) Ensure nothing else is running in the background. Anything that is expendable needs to be eliminated. Pin Task Manager to the taskbar, and in the details tab, click memory until the programs with the most memory usage are at the top. Right click and End Task on anything that isn't necessary.

    If you have windows updates on automatic, or if you're using Windows 10, you'll want to keep a vigilant eye out for anything to do with windows updates. If windows is updating, you'll want to wait until it's finished before running the game, because it tends to take a huge bite out of game performance.

    You may want to shut the game down by ending the task via this menu as well. I always do, as the game has never shut down normally without freezing for me in the last two years, but that may be for other reasons than RAM alone. This way doesn't seem to have any consequences and shuts the client down immediately.

    2) In the same menu as End Task, you will also see the option to Set Priority on the game client. You can increase the priority of the game client. However, I've never really needed to do so, but it may help if after everything you find that your performance is still lacking for your preference. Once in the game, you won't want to be opening your browser or other programs if you do choose to increase the priority for the game client, as everything else will only run at a snails pace.

    3) Disable superfetch. At least, a common problem I've found is that superfetch can absorb massive CPU usage from time to time. Google for the instructions on how to do so if you notice superfetch running up your CPU in the task manager. Most testimony I've seen from other people who have done so indicates that there are no side effects from doing so and that programs seem to run smoother afterwards.

    4) You might want to increase the size of your paging file. There is an automatically recommended amount that you can increase the size to, and I don't recommend exceeding that limit. Simply google "How to increase the size of my paging file" with the name of your operating system for instructions on how to do so.

    5) Keep your graphics card updated in the device manager.

    6) Once at the main menu of the game, you can use the options menu to change the video options to the "fastest" setting. This is optimal if performed before entering the game, as changing the video settings I believe will force the zone to reload.

    7) Change the multiplayer settings to private. Other players are unpredictable and can cause lag simply by existing. You will be able to play in full multiplayer mode but it certainly isn't optimal, especially when farming or hunting.

    The Low Performance playstyle:


    As far as it goes for playing the game with only 6 gigglers of RAM, you may want to make some playstyle adjustments until you can get a faster machine. Here I will list some options as for how to optimize your experience:

    1) Use a bow. Using a bow will help you keep at a distance from mobs that use performance draining special effects during combat. The idea is, the more pixels on your screen that are part of the special effects, the lower your performance will go, right up until you are no longer able to move or make inputs with your keyboard etc (And possibly crashing when using spells like death touch). Melee mobs will typically not slow you down, but mages can be a nightmare.

    One workaround that I've found for up-close encounters with mobs that drain performance with their attacks is to look away from them by looking straight up at the roof. Once those effects are off the screen, performance will resume as normal, and you will have the full ability to resume attacking with your combat deck. Of course you wont be able to see where your enemy is, so in this situation I recommend using AoE attacks.

    2) Hunt or farm in smaller areas with smaller map sizes. I've personally found that the smoothest gameplay option is to mine in underground areas, such at Etceter Crag Mines. This is a great option for an activity while playing with low performance, and for anyone who enjoys crafting. For anyone choosing to do this, I suggest using Polearms. You have a little bit of range, and a good AoE attack that will help greatly when fighting off sometimes 6-7 lag inducing ghosts at a time. Simply look straight up and blast them away with AoE and multiple target attacks.

    3) Use the mail system for all your trading. You can use the mail system by accessing a mailbox which are located at most banks. The benefit is that you will not need to leave private mode to do exchanges with other players, which can be difficult while playing on a machine with lower than the recommended specs. Simply send the item to the Avatar of their choosing once the payment has been received.

    I hope this guide helps you enjoy Shroud of the Avatar and if anyone has any other suggestions please feel free to leave them in the comments below and I will adjust the guide accordingly. Also feel free to open a conversation with me if you encounter any other issues on the technical end and I will try to assist you anytime.
     
    Last edited: Oct 6, 2018
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