Screen Tearing Only With Planetside 2

[HiroshiChugi]

So I decided to run on high graphics last night instead of my normal low graphics. I had MAJOR lag and fps problems, so I just dropped down to medim. Still horrid fps, but easier to play. I went to go gun on a liberator, and next thing I know, I have screen tearing everywhere I look. Hardly any place where I didn't have it. The prople is, this only happens on Planetside 2. I play on ultra settings on A.V.A. and I have no lag whatsoever, so I'm just guessing that this may be a problem for lower rig players on Planetside 2?

Specs (as far as I know):

2011 Toshiba Satellite C655 Laptop
Windows 7 64-bit Operating System
Intel Core i3 Processor at 2.5 gHz
4 GB RAM
Integrated Graphics Card

I'm thinking that I just need to get a new and better graphics card? After all, this WAS built for gaming... sort-of... cost me about 1,000 USD. It makes me mad and depressed. >_<

[ChipMHazard]

Try running a stress test. Something like FurMark, Unigine Heaven or Kombustor

[HiroshiChugi]

Try running a stress test. Something like FurMark, Unigine Heaven or Kombustor

Explanation please? O.o As I am not extremely smart when it comes to computers :D

[ChipMHazard]

Well the best way, afaik, to determine that something is wrong with your GPU, or rather if the GPU is the issue, is to run a stress test program to stress your GPU. The test should determine if you're having problems with overheating, which might be the cause of the artifacts (screen tearing). Of course seeing as you are using a laptop it may simply be a heating issue when trying to tax the machine too much.
Sadly you won't be able to replace or upgrade your integrated GPU. Also have you ever had similar issues in the past when playing PS2 on medium?

Edit: From what I've read about your laptop's specs then you probably shouldn't be trying to run PS2 on anything but low:p

[HiroshiChugi]

I only had problems running it on medium and higher back when it first released. by the time that GU 02 was released, one my old clan mates had found a solution for us lower-end rig users to be able to play on high and such. I used it, which was basically changing some things in the Useroptions.ini folder, and I was able to run on high graphics with about 50-60 fps in low population areas and 30 fps in high population battles and such. after GU 03 hit, it went back to shit, and I have no idea why.

[ChipMHazard]

I only had problems running it on medium and higher back when it first released. by the time that GU 02 was released, one my old clan mates had found a solution for us lower-end rig users to be able to play on high and such. I used it, which was basically changing some things in the Useroptions.ini folder, and I was able to run on high graphics with about 50-60 fps in low population areas and 30 fps in high population battles and such. after GU 03 hit, it went back to shit, and I have no idea why.

You were actually able to run it on some high settings? Colour me genuinely surprised.

It could be because of the optimization changes they've made with patch or it could be symptoms of another issue, I don't personally believe that the screen tearing is caused by your FPS being out of sync with your screen's refresh rate.
Try turning vsync on, just to be sure.

I'm sure Goku and Rbstr will be able to give you a more educated answer:D

[HiroshiChugi]

Yes, yes I was :D I was ecstatic at the results, no screen tearing whatsoever, amazing night battles with explosions lighting up everything, sniping a cloaked infiltrator at 300+ meters (yes, it really did happen :D as I saw him cloak, I aimed for the general area of where the head would be when he was running, and BAM! Headshot :D), and just overall greatly improved gameplay. It was SO much smoother than before...


Edit: Grammar.

[Ruzy]

Which brand video card do you have? Intel, nVidia, or AMD?
If its an intel video card, you should definitely be playing on low. If its an nVidia, which type is it? For example, 530M, 660 Ti, 620M, etc.? Same if you have an AMD brand video card, is it a 7770, 6220, etc.?

Also, define "tearing". Usually tearing means when half of your screen updates faster than the other half of your screen and there's a split between them for a fraction of a second. This usually happens when your framerate goes above 60, and is a common problem for people who have really high end gaming rigs.
If you mean black lines jumping around your screen, those are artifacts and usually mean an overheating or dying video card. If you mean that the game is going really slow and unsmooth, pausing frequently, or pausing infrequently, then you most likely are experiencing a low framerate.
If you mean that the objects and things in the game stop moving for a period of time, and then things suddenly rush to catch up to you, that's lag, and has to do with your network connection.
I apologize if this is stuff you already know, just trying to help. :D

Anyhow, if its the first problem it can be solved by enabling Vsync. This will cap your framerate at 60 (or a number divisible by 60, like 30, 20, 15, 10), so that it doesn't go over your monitor's maximum and cause tearing. If you have an nVidia card, go into your video options and enable something called Adaptive Vsync. This will just limit your maximum framerate to 60, without killing your framerate if you get below 60.

If its the second two problems I've listed, try updating your video card drivers. You can find the latest ones for nVidia and AMD at http://www.nvidia.com/Download/ and http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/Pages/index.aspx.

If its the last problem I listed, then you need to stop downloading things while playing games, haha.

[HiroshiChugi]

If you mean black lines jumping around your screen, those are artifacts and usually mean an overheating or dying video card.

This is the closest to what I'm experiencing. I have grey polygonal shapes all over the screen, but only on Planetside 2 when I play on medium or high graphics, but not low graphics. I mean, it's not that big of a deal if I can't play on medium or high settings, but it would be a plus/bonus if I could. But all in all, I can deal with low settings. It just gets boring after a while. :D

[ChipMHazard]

This is the closest to what I'm experiencing. I have grey polygonal shapes all over the screen, but only on Planetside 2 when I play on medium or high graphics, but not low graphics. I mean, it's not that big of a deal if I can't play on medium or high settings, but it would be a plus/bonus if I could. But all in all, I can deal with low settings. It just gets boring after a while. :D

So, you do have artifacts. Well that would indicate heating issues or defective hardware.
I don't know how well MSI Afterburner runs with an integrated graphics card, but knowing what temperature it's running at while the artifacts appear would be helpful.

[HiroshiChugi]

Well I'm not sure how to tell. can you tell me how to measure that? xD

Oh, and here's my dream Laptop at 3,852 USD x_x:

• *BASE_PRICE: [+1299]
• ADAPTER: Full Range AC adapter 180W, AC in 100~240V ~ 2.5A 50~60Hz, DC output 19.5V, 9.5A
• BAGS: None
• BATTERY: 9-Cells Lithium-Ion battery pack 11.1Vdc 7800mAh 87Wh
• BLUETOOTH: Built-in Bluetooth
• CD: 8X DVD±R/RW/4X + DL Super-Multi Drive (NB-FANGBOOK-DVDRW)
• CPU: Intel® Core™ i7-3940XM Mobile Processor 3.00 GHz 8M Smart Cache, Max Turbo Freq. 3.90 GHz [+920]
• FLASHMEDIA: Built-In 4in1 Media Reader
• HDD: 480GB Corsair Neutron GTX SATA-III 6.0Gb/s SSD - 555MB/s Read & 511MB/s Write [+498] (Single Drive)
• HDD2: 480GB Corsair Neutron GTX SATA-III 6.0Gb/s SSD - 555MB/s Read & 511MB/s Write [+550] (Single Drive)
• INVERTER: None
• KEYBOARD: Built-in Keyboard
• MEMORY: 8GB (8GBx1) DDR3-1600 SODIMM Memory [+28] (Corsair Vengeance Gaming)
• MONITOR: None
• MOTHERBOARD: Intel HM77 Express Chipset Mainboard
• MOUSE: BUILT-IN TOUCHPAD
• MSSD: 120GB (2x60GB) Intel 525 Series SATA 6Gb/s SSD - 550MB/s Read & 520MB/s Write [+287] (Dual Drive Ultra Raid (2x60GB) Raid 0 Extreme Performance - Up to 900MB/s Read)
• NETWORK: Built-in Killer E2200 10/100/1000 Mbps Network Card
• NOTEBOOK: CyberPowerPC FANGBOOK 17.3" FHD LED-Backlit 1920x1080 Display w/ Red backlit performance keyboard with programmable keys, Built-in 720p HD webcam, HDMI Port, Li-Ion Battery, & Universal AC Adapter
• NOTEBOOK_COVER: Fangbook Cover
• OS: Microsoft® Windows 8 (64-bit Edition)
• RAID: Non-RAID Storage
• RUSH: No Rush Service, Estimate Ship Date 10 Business Days
• SERVICE: STANDARD 1-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY AND LIFE-TIME TECHNICAL SUPPORT
• SOUND: Built-in 3D Premium Surround Sound
• SPEAKERS: Built-in Stereo Speakers System
• TABLET: None
• TVRC: None
• USB: Built-in 2x USB2.0 Ports + 3x USB3.0 Ports
• USBFLASH: None
• USBHD: None
• VIDEO: NVIDIA GTX 680M 4GB PCIe Video (NB-FANGBOOK-680) [+270]
• VIDEOCAMERA1: Built-in HD Webcam
• WNC: Built-in Intel N2230 (WLAN802.11b/g/n + Bluetooth4.0) Combo Card
• WTV: None
• _PRICE: (+3852)
• _view_: {D5DC852D-FF0B-47E2-8192-2284BF89C90F}
• _load_: 3/15/2013 10:00:49 AM



and here's the link to where the specs are saved at:

http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/saved/1EYCUJ

[Rbstr]

Do you have a discrete graphics card? (Control Panel -> device manager -> Display adapters. If it says Intel HD Graphics Family you're on integrated. If it's something else, post it)
You will not have a playable experience at high settings with Intel-integrated graphics.
Whatever "high" settings you were at would certainly be something really compromised somehow.

You cpu is also on the low end. I find it this close to impossible to believe you were holding at 30fps in big battles when desktop i5 cpus seem to be required for that.


(just so ya know, infantry draw is limited to 300m. Any head-shots after that distance are actually impossible, you do no damage to the un-rendered)

[Rbstr]

What'd you do for that laptop, check all the most expensive boxes on the way down?
Buy a $1500 notebook and $1700 computer + monitor for that and you'll more useful versions of both.

If you want a new computer we can help you with that.

[HiroshiChugi]

I checked what I wanted... The base price was at 1,299 USD, and it had practically just a few more things than my current laptop. I had to add extreme gaming gear. But like I said, it's my DREAM laptop . :D Not necessarily one that I need. Anyways, I'll be building my own desktop whenm I get the money, and possibly hooking up to my flat screen to get better fps.

[HiroshiChugi]

Actually, I just built this onE for almost HALF the price of the laptop, and IMHO, it's much better than the laptop :

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=dpcwny1&model_id=alienware-aurora-r4&c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19