DWI performance issues - An annoying case of hiccups.

Pikachelsea · Trick Member Joined: 30 Apr 2003 Location: Ellensburg, WA

This may be a long shot, but I figured it can't hurt to ask for any and all suggestions here...

As of today (and maybe a little yesterday), I have noticed that DWI "hiccups" a lot more frequently at various points throughout the song, especially while I'm playing courses. Does anyone have any idea what might be wrong?

Here are the facts...

- I have a decent computer (PIII running WinXP Home Edition) and I haven't done anything weird to it lately, like install different graphics drivers or something.
- I have DWI 2.49.00.
- I'm running DWI on 1024 X 768 resolution.
- I've never had these problems before.
- I don't have any other programs running in the background while playing DWI.
- I don't use any background movies or animations while playing DWI.

If anyone else here has experienced a similar problem, and can offer any insight at all as to what might fix it, I would be much obliged. Thanks in advance. (And no, I do not want any "Try StepMania instead" suggestions.

)

Crza · Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2003 10:14 pm Post subject:

This used to happen to me when I ran the older version of DWI with other apps running. Just make sure you have no other apps running i guess. Defragment your computer to make sure it's not a problem with the computer. But it's probably compatibility issues between your computer and DWI.

ComboFiend101 · Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2003 5:35 am Post subject:

it can either be that or you just need some ram buddy i used to use dwi untill i saw how smooth stepmania ran. dwi is a good program only if your computer is a beast.
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matt4596 · Trick Member Joined: 09 Jul 2002 Location: Orlando, FL

my dwi is unplayable the first song, but after that song all other songs run smoothly.. and i don't have a good computer at all.

Bemanixgamer · Trick Member Joined: 21 May 2003 Location: San Francisco

yeah, well hell, I'm not going to tell you to get StepMania, but I'm going to tell you that they have CVS releases, which loads songs at lightspeed paces, and it runs pretty smooth with almost all the songs. I do have problems with DWI, which I had to hack them, so they won't be much of a big deal.

Pikachelsea · Trick Member Joined: 30 Apr 2003 Location: Ellensburg, WA

Mikeh · Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2003 4:56 pm Post subject:

Don't have anything like KaZaA or downloading programs running...I can't even pass a song because it keeps on stopping and going...Also I think the messengers like AIM is fine, but put on an away message...You will fail right away. Also, don't have any internet explorers or sites minimized. Instead, close them.

Pikachelsea · Trick Member Joined: 30 Apr 2003 Location: Ellensburg, WA

Sivus · Trick Member Joined: 24 Jan 2002 Location: CT

/skipsearch
Also, do you have AIM running or AIM dead?

Mikeh · Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2003 11:14 am Post subject:

Today I had the same problems too...Try loading DWI, then quit it, then repeat it a few times and it will go away.

Sci-U · Trick Member Joined: 06 May 2002 Location: Waterford-Mi

IT happens to me too, and its not because i have other apps running because it just recently started.. a while ago i could play DWI no problem with kazaa and aim going,.. but now even if no other programs are running it still skips and slows down for some reason, i remember my freind messing with the bitrate or color bitrate(whatever it is i forgot) settings but i dont know where to go type that in
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Poochy · Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2003 10:37 pm Post subject:

Try using the /fps:60 command line parameter. If you use a shortcut, right click and select Properties. Click on the 'Shortcut' tab, and add '/fps:60' to the end of the 'Target' field.

You should end up with something like this in the dialog box:
Target: (path of DWI program file)\DWI2.exe /fps:60

Click OK, and you shouldn't have that problem anymore when you run it from the shortcut.

Explanation: Usually, the problem seems to be the amount of CPU usage for processing graphics. By default, DWI will use the CPU as much as possible for the graphics. The more CPU usage, the smoother the graphics. However, your monitor can only refresh so many times in one second, so the rest is wasted. If you set it to /fps:60, DWI will try to only process a frame every 1/60 of a second. This gives you the same framerate as the arcade, and usually at a fraction of the CPU usage. Problem solved.
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atomikobra · Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2003 9:45 pm Post subject: Same problem

I have Windows XP: Home Edition too but I have Stepmania instead of Dance with Intensity. I just got my computer not even a year ago and it runs fine on the first song, but at the end of the second song, it hiccups for a few seconds then completly freezes.
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illezt · Trick Member Joined: 20 Jun 2003 Location: Paramus, NJ

yeah, my DWI constantly freezes for some reason. and my computer is pretty beastly, so it's not hardware problems.
this just started happening a couple days ago too.

Mach X · Basic Member Joined: 14 Jan 2003 Location: NorCal

maybe its your song thats messed up. my computer is pretty icky, but its better than most of my friends'. my problem is worse than yours... instead of hiccuping, my dwi(note in the middle of playing time)'s music shuts off (and no its not my speakers) and the arrows freeze. if there happened to be an arrow right at the top (or bottom if i'm playing reverse) of the screen, i can register it. but the other arrows are quite still... and then i have to esc and quit and start all over again. *so now after i've rambled on and on...*

check your songs, if theres one that seems to always "hiccup" on you, just delete it. if you really like that song... just find a different version of it (yea thats illegal cause theres really supposed to be only one version of dwi cause kids are greedy and want credit...but whatever...)

i think i'll shuddup now

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dance piggy, DANCE like you NEVER HAVE BEFORE!

Pikachelsea · Trick Member Joined: 30 Apr 2003 Location: Ellensburg, WA

Well, I may have found the problem. I think there was some spyware/adware cluttering up my computer... I download Ad-Aware from http://www.lavasoft.de, ran the program, and deleted lots of bad files. Since then, DWI has been running smoother.

The problem wasn't the DWI files themselves... I get all my files from DDRUK, and they're quite good.

/skipsearch didn't help, but the /priority:1 command line seems to help a bit. I have yet to try the FPS tag line.

So, if anyone's DWI is still hiccupping, try running Ad-Aware, and/or giving DWI a higher priority.

dj_xero · Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2003 3:58 pm Post subject:

just installed the latest CVS last night and have only one issue, a big one, but one i think probably has an easy explanation, so for anyone with experience troubleshooting their CVS (doesn't jsan work there?)

everything works excellent
except the arrows have big blocks of white behind them, messing up the screen... i'm running in full screen, everything cranked up good, the only oudated piece of hardware i own is my VooDoo3500tv card... which i think might be the case... could it be my waaaay outdated hardware screwing with it?

i have a new vid card to install right away, but haven't wanted to mess with it until my cd is finished...

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Pikachelsea · Trick Member Joined: 30 Apr 2003 Location: Ellensburg, WA