On one of my workstations has Intel G41 chipset with built-in X4500 videochip. My Spring graphical setting are as low as possible. Most of maps are nicely playable (60-90 FPS), but on some maps in some areas FPS drops to 1. Here is an example (map is FolsomDamDeluxeV2, with water). On the first screenshot FPS is ok, but when i move camera slightly to the right it drops to 1. Draw world consumes 98%. CPU is loaded too. What's the nature of this drop? Some graphics computations are redirected to CPU? What does exactly cause this (because as i told above this happens on some maps, not every map)? Why second core is not used for graphics computation?

Because not everything has a second core? Yes, Spring is CPU heavy.

Are _all_ the settings at absolute minimum? It took me some tinkering to get my onboard playing nice when I still was using it. I found that even minimal decal settings caused catastrophic performance problems... and turning on shadows, even when they weren't being used, did similar problems. Also, try the ATI fixes and texture compression options.

Neddie, workstation has E6300. Second core was not used, even by Intel video driver.

Pxtl, yep, the lowest as possible. Hm, Z-buffer is 24 bit, not 16 bit. I'll try texture compression. How ATI hacks can impact Intel video?

intel graphics. that is all.

unfortunately, the only solution is to get a real gfx card; or, to be precise, one that has working drivers.

But it works in most cases. Also there is mini-itx case, i can't physically insert any videocard. Finally mobo does not have any PCI-e slot.

I'm sure there are players which uses (or have to use) Intel graphics. It can be helpful for them if problem will be solved.

I noticed this issue happens when rocks (real rocks, not rocks suitable to reclaim) appears in a camera view. Any thoughts?

Texture compression does not help.

People should not assume they can play real games with integrated graphics cards..

If you want to play games on your PC, get proper desktop machine with proper video card..

Thanx for trying to help. But your answer is kind of a boring bot answer triggered by tags "intel" & "graphics". I do have another desktops. I'm just interested why this problem occurs (cause it is not usual FSP drop) and what's the original source of this problem.

FYI


I'll try to update drivers soon but last time i did it my DVI out died. Had to rollback.

perhaps buggy drivers + card not made for gaming = random performance problems with scenarios gaming cards can handle fine.

try bios settings this worked for me.

I can run spring with my integrated chipset with an ok framerate.
Its some nvidea thing and i had to search a while to get the right drivers.

What also helps a lot is turning the resolution below the native resolution, it doesnt look pretty but it works.

But its a different kind of gaming with a real gfx card, you will get like 5 times the performance you have now