[PDelaney]

Please can someone help me with this mystery:

In IL2 when a bomb I've dropped explodes or when a target I shoot at explodes the game pauses just for a fraction of a second.

It does that regardless of game settings Perfect/Excellent so I figure it's hardware - but I'm still not sure as it does the same with my old P4 3.6 and with the different graphics adapters I've tried? I'm starting to think it's by design and it's supposed to happen...


CPU: Core 2 Quad Q9550 2.83ghz
GPU: GeForce 9500 GT 512MB
HD's: 2 x WD 74GB 10k Raptors
RAM: 2 x 1GB DDR2 Ballistix Tracer
PSU: Jeantech Storm 700W Modular
OS: Windows XP Pro


TIA

[Taska]

It could be hard to say exactly what causes this without a bit more detail of your problem.
Are you actually looking at the explosion when it happens? If it's a bomb exploding behind you
and you're not looking at the explosion/damage then it's probably not a graphics issue.

A lot of people ignore the fact that audio processing is quite intensive too and without a decent
soundcard (decent soundcards do not include anything by Creative, i.e. Audigy etc and anything
"onboard" is a definite no-no) your sounds can add quite a load. Especially if you're using new
sounds which can be significantly bigger files.

This is just one idea, it may be the load of calculating the damage done, new dead meshes
or any number of possibilities. Try to work out in what circumstances the pause happens.
What you're destroying, are you looking at it, has any part of it been modified. It may turn out
to be easier to find than you think.

Good luck

[{HVY-E}Jinxx]

First thing to check is your Conf.ini file for IL-2 and see what your effects is set to.
If it's anything higher than 1, change it. If it's already at 1, try 0.

Then let us know if you're still having problems.

As far as what Taska has said about sound, it's partly true. On board sound has come a LONG way. If you have a current, high end mother board, the on board sound is most likely better than previous versions of the SB. For example..... My On board sound has FULL THX 7.1 Dolby sound support. Not simulated, Full THX.

More than like though, the culprit is going to be the particle effects from the explosions.

[Silverback]

Just my oppinion, I think it mite be a sound problem. Try turning some of your sound MODs off.

[Saburo Sakai]

i have always had this issue, since i first got the game some 10 years ago, i figured it was just the game.
i use the xfi platinum sound card, full thx dolby eax etc and use the 9600 vid card hd ready blah blah blah.

[PDelaney]

Thanks for the replies

I don't mind testing because I'm determined to reach a conclusion - this is the progress so far

Specifics:
The pause only happens when I am looking at an explosion, either through the gunsight or by pressing F7 (I set bombs to detonate with a 2 second delay)
As a test I used the Okinawa map in QMB with Armour as the target

Late model P39 with 37mm cannon and an F4U-1C (4x20mm Cannon) with 8xHVAR + 2000lb bomb

Vehicles that explode when hit by 50cal, 20mm or rockets do not seem to cause the game to pause for a fraction of a second!

Vehicles that explode when hit by a 37mm cannon or a bomb do!

If I'm not looking directly at the explosion all that happens is the cockpit lights up from the flash


Sound:
The mainboard is a 2008 Asus P5QL Pro and I'm using the onboard Realtek HD Audio.
I can see the reasoning behind it being the sound card but, like Suburo Sakai, I also have had this problem since 2002 when I first started using IL2. And over the years on at least three different pc's all hand built with different sound cards. I think this is probably the first time I've used an onboard but it is of superior quality and as {HVY-E}Jinxx said they've come a long way! (the first pc I had didn't have sound)

I don't have a sound mod installed (at least I don't think I have)

I disabled sound in the game - still the same


Conf.ini
I've made very few edits to the file - only to improve the water, so I'll leave that till last as the only visual effect that I don't like is the default water view plus my hardware setup has got to be good enough to render the sea in the game surely?


The particle effects from the explosions
Now that could definitely amplify the problem
I have 3 candidates:
HitEffectMod_v1.2_Mvn
Crater F_IV
NEWSHCK


EDIT: Ok I've removed those three folders from my Mods folder and tested the game. Then I changed the video options (changes Conf.ini settings) to nothing above high and tested the game...

Could it be a Graphics adapter setting?

[Taska]

On board sound has come a LONG way. If you have a current, high end mother board, the on board sound is most likely better than previous versions of the SB. For example..... My On board sound has FULL THX 7.1 Dolby sound support. Not simulated, Full THX.

Trust me on this one, onboard may have developed to the point where it can support all
manner of things. This does not mean it does it well.

If any serious sound manipulation is being done (this does not include pre-recorded sounds
with 3-D placement and relevent reverb/effect algorithms (of which THX is one example))
"gaming" class hardware will crumble, even the so-called "best" PCI card will fail to deliver.

However, it would appear, from what has been reported, that this is not the issue at hand.

If the same thing happens in an unmodified version of the game, it's most likely a Graphics
Adapter issue, like was said. If not, then you need to really investigate your mod folder
some more.

Once again, good luck.