Crysis 2 (fully updated) dropping CPU thread

[mpyusko]

It only happens in Crysis 2. I'll be playing along and at some random time the game will suddenly freeze (almost freeze) and when I alt-tab out, I'll notice one of my 2 CPU cores is not longer processing the game. Core 1, I've never seen Core 0 drop a thread. It only happens with Crysis 2. It never happens with Crysis, Crysis Warhead, MP modes (except in C2) Battlefield 3, Dirt 2, etc.... It does not seem heat related because my system stays reasonably cool. I'm not sure if the CPU is defective, because it always happens with core #1, or if it's a software bug, video issue? Has anyone else experienced this? It's a Pentium Dual-Core e6700 3.2GHz. The first time it happened at factory clocks so I OC'd it up to 3.5GHz to see if it that would help, it didn't. Surprisingly the CPU seems to otherwise handle the load really well. I have a AMD HD6950 2GB in it, so the system plays really nice.

I've thought about upgrading it to a core2 quad q8400 (Socket 775/g41 doesn't leave me a lot of options) but I'm not sure if the CPU really is the problem. Besides that.... the core speed would be lower. :-(

To elaborate, the game still moves but extremely slowly. It'll take a solid minute or more to Esc to the game menu. Then about 15 seconds to change from menu item to menu item. Then when I exit the game (not the program entirely) and reload from a checkpoint, it suddenly picks back up and moves along like normal.... for a while until it happens again. This can be extremely frustrating since C2 is checkpoint based and some of those checkpoints can be far enough apart where I'll have to replay 5 or 6 times before I can move on (just because of this issue, not including the number of times I'll die in the process).

Thanks.

 

[evidence01]

It only happens in Crysis 2. I'll be playing along and at some random time the game will suddenly freeze (almost freeze) and when I alt-tab out, I'll notice one of my 2 CPU cores is not longer processing the game. Core 1, I've never seen Core 0 drop a thread. It only happens with Crysis 2. It never happens with Crysis, Crysis Warhead, MP modes (except in C2) Battlefield 3, Dirt 2, etc.... It does not seem heat related because my system stays reasonably cool. I'm not sure if the CPU is defective, because it always happens with core #1, or if it's a software bug, video issue? Has anyone else experienced this? It's a Pentium Dual-Core e6700 3.2GHz. The first time it happened at factory clocks so I OC'd it up to 3.5GHz to see if it that would help, it didn't. Surprisingly the CPU seems to otherwise handle the load really well. I have a AMD HD6950 2GB in it, so the system plays really nice.

I've thought about upgrading it to a core2 quad q8400 (Socket 775/g41 doesn't leave me a lot of options) but I'm not sure if the CPU really is the problem. Besides that.... the core speed would be lower. :-(

To elaborate, the game still moves but extremely slowly. It'll take a solid minute or more to Esc to the game menu. Then about 15 seconds to change from menu item to menu item. Then when I exit the game (not the program entirely) and reload from a checkpoint, it suddenly picks back up and moves along like normal.... for a while until it happens again. This can be extremely frustrating since C2 is checkpoint based and some of those checkpoints can be far enough apart where I'll have to replay 5 or 6 times before I can move on (just because of this issue, not including the number of times I'll die in the process).

Thanks.

I have the same issue. E6600 at 3.2. 7850 oc 1gb. Only 2gb of ram. Windows 8 64bit. I'm waiting on more ram and a q6600 to see if it helps. When I open task manager during this time my system memory usage is 80%. That's very high. You seem to have 8gb and it still happens. ...

They recommend quad core for dx11 so ill report back when I get those two items in.

Jacek.

 

[mpyusko]

I even experienced it a couple times using the same system to play Crysis 3. Experienced it back during the Alpha testing too. But in the grand scheme of things, I know they recommend quad-core, but my dual-core is still very much playable. It starts to bog down when there is a lot of water on screen, my guess is the physics are too much for it. But only a small percentage of the time is it when water is around. Usually I'm alone in some darkened building or tunnel. I'd love to get my hands on a q6950 or something, but at that price I'll just wait until i'm ready to upgrade the mobo and CPU.

 

[absxiith]

I was Googling,looking to buy a physical copy of Crysis 2 (went out of stock everywhere) and then I chanced upon a thread on EA/MyCrysis...Though I do not remember the exact thread,it suggested something about GPU Usage dropping to 0% in Crysis 2 (Fully updated with Hi-Res Textures and DX11),but that thread's problem and your thread have the same ''symptoms'' . Monitor GPU usage and see if it is dropping to 0 .The possible solution for that thread was to revert to DX9 and stop the game from Auto-Updating,since it was suggested that it was an issue with DX11 and Tessellation .Or try changing to Application Tessellation Settings in AMD Catalyst Control Center.Hope this helps.

Update:can't find that thread anywhere,but found a couple of others-

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=149218

http://hothardware.com/News/Indepth-Analysis-of-DX11-Crysis-Shows-Highly-Questionable-Tessellation-Usage/

 

[mpyusko]

I was Googling,looking to buy a physical copy of Crysis 2 (went out of stock everywhere) and then I chanced upon a thread on EA/MyCrysis...Though I do not remember the exact thread,it suggested something about GPU Usage dropping to 0% in Crysis 2 (Fully updated with Hi-Res Textures and DX11),but that thread's problem and your thread have the same ''symptoms'' . Monitor GPU usage and see if it is dropping to 0 .The possible solution for that thread was to revert to DX9 and stop the game from Auto-Updating,since it was suggested that it was an issue with DX11 and Tessellation .Or try changing to Application Tessellation Settings in AMD Catalyst Control Center.Hope this helps.

Update:can't find that thread anywhere,but found a couple of others-

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=149218

http://hothardware.com/News/Indepth-Analysis-of-DX11-Crysis-Shows-Highly-Questionable-Tessellation-Usage/

My problem is the CPU core drops not the GPU. With the 6950 in it, my CPU can't feed it fast enough to fully utilize it. I update the driver, added a second screen and play Crysis 3 (which is the same engine as Crysis 2) in 1080p. The second screen has a widget that monitors the GPU. Even with the my CPU cranked up to 3.6GHz and maxing out the game as much as a can, it only utilizes 45% of the GPU. It turns out I an really bottlenecking with my CPU/Mobo. But like I said, as long as both cores are running, I get a great game. Lose one CPU thread, and I can't even navigate the menu to close the program correctly.

 

[absxiith]

Does your game ''almost'' freeze/go to 1-2 FPS suddenly?While the music in the background continues?I still stick with my words,it's a problem with the game's DX11 implementation,not your hardware.Tell me one thing-Does it occur in other games as well?If your bottleneck (I myself owned a bottlenecked GPU and CPU combination) is that severe,then it should affect all your games.Not only Crysis 2 and that too only in in DX 11 mode.Try reverting to DX9 and tell me if you face the same problem.And do not update the game to patch 1.09(not sure about the exact patch number).

 

[mpyusko]

Does your game ''almost'' freeze/go to 1-2 FPS suddenly?While the music in the background continues?

That is exactly what it does. And when it does that, one of the 2 cores is no longer processing the game.

I still stick with my words,it's a problem with the game's DX11 implementation,not your hardware.Tell me one thing-Does it occur in other games as well?

It occurs in Crysis 2 and Crysis 3, but none of my other games. I played BF3 from beginning to end (SP mode) one night and never encountered an issue. Other games I don't play nearly as intensely as these so it is hard to say for sure.

If your bottleneck (I myself owned a bottlenecked GPU and CPU combination) is that severe,then it should affect all your games.Not only Crysis 2 and that too only in in DX 11 mode.Try reverting to DX9 and tell me if you face the same problem.And do not update the game to patch 1.09(not sure about the exact patch number).

Too late for all that. Since I re-purchased them on Origin and it auto updates.

 

[absxiith]

mpyusko,
Crysis 3 as well? By the way,just for the purpose of testing Crysis 2,you could-
a)Un-install Crysis 2 and remove all traces with Ccleaner.
b)Open origin.
c)At the top-left ,click on Origin on the title bar.
d)In the drop down menu,select Application Settings.
e)In the general tab,scroll down to ''Updates''.
f)Uncheck ''Automatically Keep my games up to date.''
g)Re-install Crysis 2.
h)Play and check if the error occurs.

Hope this helps.

 

[mpyusko]

Yes, Crysis 3 too.

 

[absxiith]

Hmm,don't know about C3,but could you try disabling DX11 in C2 (if it's possible) and then check?