Need for Speed Undergound 2 Problems

[BadDriver]

I have had issues with framerates in this game since I have had the thing. It will start off fair enough 55-65 FPS and then drop in some cases into the teens.

I have tried everything, updated to cat 4.12s, run dxdiag, reinstalled directx, etc.

I don't have a weak system except the processor is getting a bit dated. Still it has twice the power of the recommended of 933 mhz.

If anybody has any ideas, I'd appreciate hearing them. I am getting stumped. The machine is as follows.

Athlon XP 2400+ @333 FSB 2009 mhz
1 gig of 2700 ram
430 watt truepower PSU
Radeon X800XT PE

Is this just a poorly written engine or is something wrong on my end?

[MJCfromCT]

I've had similar problems where i'll be getting decent framerates, but some parts of some races will run very choppy. It could be a combination of a poorly-written game, inefficient coding, and system requirements. Do you have the game patched? If not, here is the link:

http://www.eagames.com/official/nfs/underground2/us/patches.jsp

[BadDriver]

Yeah MJCfromCT, I am patched up and can play the game fine as long as I don't crank up to high settings. Not super high but 1 tick from the top end. I run it in 1024x768 and not super high. I think it is some sloppy coding actually.

I have played through it once, but am going back through on "Hard" settings. I can run Doom 3 (if I liked it) on high and maintain great frame rates. It just seems like certain parts of races (the beginning usually) will drop to the low 20's and then recooperate to 45-50 FPS for the rest of the race.

It is too bad because the game is fun, just annoying when this happens. I can run it on low and maintain fine but then it looks terrible. Oh well, as long as it isn't just me I guess I can cope. Thanks Man. :)

[MJCfromCT]

Just out of curiosity, does the choppiness happen on StreetX races in particular? That is where it hits me the hardest. That, and the beginning of many of the URL races.

[BadDriver]

Yes, exactly the same. Sometimes at the beginning of a drag depending on the track. Street X all the way is rough, but only the beginning of the URL's.

I mean the game is playable, and maybe there will be a patch but my system definitely should play it. Like I said the weakest link is my CPU and it isn't all that weak. OH well, nothing to have fits about I guess. I have been trying for over a month to get it figured out. I have googled my heart out.

MJCfromCT, You wouldn't happen to be running an Nforce 2 board with onboard sound would you? That is the only thing I haven't tried that I can think of, a seperate sound card.

[MJCfromCT]

Actually I am, I have an Asus A7N8X-E Deluxe with onboard Nvidia SoundStorm audio....perhaps at parts of races where there are many cars on the screen (such as close StreetX races or the beginning of URL's with 6 cars close together), the number of sounds playing puts a draw on the system.

[BadDriver]

I might be on the right track. I am using an A7N8X-X, a cheaper version but still the same onboard. Man, I'd hate to buy a soundcard to find out. I have a card here but it is an old job for 98/ME and I'd be lucky to find drivers for it.

I might pick up a cheapie somewhere just for grins but if that isn't the problem I'd feel bad about returning it so I'd be stuck with it. :(

[BadDriver]

I did manage to find drivers for this old POS sound card. It is an als4000 which should give you some idea how old it is. It has helped somewhat. The game is smoother and the FPS are staying at least near 30 in the same nasty spots.

The sound is actually better and I think it would be nice to have an whql certified set to see if that helped. Not going to happen though. Avance has been gone for years. :)

[MJCfromCT]

Thats a very interesting find, kudos on the good detective work :t

[BadDriver]

It still slows down, just not as bad. Instead of 17 FPS at the beginning of a URL I am at 25-27 depending. It is just some bad coding but with the sound and all the graphics at the start I can understand some of it.

Not all, just some.

[Greymack]

Hi

I just got need for speed 2 underground for christmas amd i'm running quite similar systems to you guys although my motherboard is an MSI but still nforce 2.
I also use a SB audigy card and i don't get too bad frame rates, i've noticed the odd stutter but it doesn't last long.

I'm playing on 1024x768, i'd love to go higher but it won't let me, is it possible to play on 1280x1024?

[MJCfromCT]

It very well could be, different people have different opinions on what is a "playable" framerate, and if you tweak your settings to run at 1280x1024, you very well could get it playable.

[BadDriver]

Just an update. I went and bought a soundblaster 24 bit that supports hardware buffering yesterday and it helped some more with the start of the races and big time in street X. I had 60+ FPS in street X races at some points. I can't watch fraps too closely and still keep the game moving properly but I saw 62 FPS in street X.

That is a BIG improvement. Is is worth 29 bucks? I guess if you are a driving game freak it is. It was to me, and I really needed better than the onboard anyway. Still I bought a cheap card. I found out that 3dmark03 actually has sound tests. ;) ( I knew it did, but not 3 of them)

[germanNiklas]

my baby

[germanNiklas]

my baby

sorry wanted to cut out only the car but i was to stupid :D

[BadDriver]

Here is my pig. I like the TT best myself. Best in the game all around IMO.

[germanNiklas]

?! . . . . sorry for double post
first time i wanted to reply it said page cannot be displayed oh well

yes i love the TT
but its fun tuning the hummer :D