How I Got Windows 8 to run SOW
Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 12:33 pm
How I Got Windows 8 to run SOW
DRAFT
**The SOW manual talks about having the hardware horsepower to run the game.**
I use Win 8.1 on a HP Lap Top I bought for about $400. (I don’t have a video card, it’s built into my Lap Top)
Compatibility Mode:
SOW: Run in WIN XP Service Pack 3
GCM: Run in WIN XP Service Pack 3
Power Options:
Set to High Performance. (In my case I found that my CPU needs to be at least 2ghz )
Graphics Settings:
Turned off unnecessarily high graphics settings.
Turned off Antialiasing
Turned off Anisotropic filtering
Free Up Memory & the CPU:
Closed web browser before starting MP game.
Closed unnecessary programs before starting MP game.
Desktop set to solid color & no sounds.
Play SOW in full screen, windows will give SOW priority.
Changed the “Performance Options”:
Visual Effects “Adjust for best performance”.
Advanced “Processor Scheduling Adjust for best performance of: Programs”.
Data Execution Prevention “Turn on DEP for essential program and services only”.
Disable Unnecessary Services: (Be careful & can be time consuming).
Palmer mentioned using “Auto Runs” to disable unnecessary services. It worked for the obvious services. But the other services( I feel are junk) that I disabled (changed to manual start) were harder to find, try this web page:
http://www.blackviper.com/service-confi ... gurations/
Connection Issues:
Set Windows Updater to:
Check for updates but let me chose whether to download and install them.
Close the GCM launcher, when you go to play online. (It checks for updates while you’re in game)
Firewalls:
Some do require that you open up for the game. (NORTON: make sure you “allow” SOW & GCM programs not “auto”, also run Norton in silent mode)
Disable All Win 8 Tiles:
(Also helps Memory & CPU)
Win 8 has a lot of ( I feel are junk ) programs (the tiles) updating themselves over the internet, I turned them all off. To make sure you have all of them turned off go to Task Manager ” App History then reset the history and keep an eye out for apps that weren’t disabled.
My Router:
I use a hard wired connection. (Found wireless causing me to drop)
I have reserved an LAN IP address on my router.
Set the MTU to 1464 from the recommended 1500. (Computer as well, helps with packet fragmentation)
Used SG TCP Optimizer
(Be careful, helped fine tune connection)
http://www.speedguide.net/downloads.php
Router over load:
Others running Netflix will cause obvious issues
SOW Game Settings:
My settings( I could lower a few more)
(The SOW manual discusses the game performance with game settings Pg. 46-50)
Uniform Quality: Low
Sprite Ratio: 0 (0 will default to 4 sprites)
Show all dead bodies: unchecked
Display Rife Smoke: checked
Display Artillery Explosions: checked
Hide Flag Icons: unchecked
Show road Path Icons: checked
Display Target List: checked
Foliage:
Percent Tees Showing 10% (I have used the KS settings of 75% and had good luck, I use 10% for GCM games).
Display off map trees: unchecked.
Max Transparent Trees: 80 Yards
Make walls transparent with trees: unchecked
Terrain:
Max Terrain draw distance: Best
Show Map Objects: High
Show Off Map Terrain: unchecked
Max Arty Hit Decals: 20
Max Draw Units Draw Distance: 1000 (You can still see unit flags over 1000)
Max Trees Draw Distance: 1000 (This setting affected the walls draw distance as well???)
Max Objects Draw Distance: 1000
Sounds:
Play Map Sounds: unchecked
Play Marching Music: unchecked
Camera:
All speeds are at 50.
In the “sowgb.ini” file under [Initialization]:
AntiA=0
Anso=0
GCM Mods:
GCM Terrain 4 is optional
GCM Sounds are optional
Mods Other:
Don’t Use Bugles and Flags mod for GCM Games* I would like to try and test with someone from KS*
Bloodbath mod is optional
Thoughts:
Some of the numbers that are mod able might be tooo abstract
Example:
Misfire as a percentage: 17.03843404 %
Better at 17.04 %
DRAFT
**The SOW manual talks about having the hardware horsepower to run the game.**
I use Win 8.1 on a HP Lap Top I bought for about $400. (I don’t have a video card, it’s built into my Lap Top)
Compatibility Mode:
SOW: Run in WIN XP Service Pack 3
GCM: Run in WIN XP Service Pack 3
Power Options:
Set to High Performance. (In my case I found that my CPU needs to be at least 2ghz )
Graphics Settings:
Turned off unnecessarily high graphics settings.
Turned off Antialiasing
Turned off Anisotropic filtering
Free Up Memory & the CPU:
Closed web browser before starting MP game.
Closed unnecessary programs before starting MP game.
Desktop set to solid color & no sounds.
Play SOW in full screen, windows will give SOW priority.
Changed the “Performance Options”:
Visual Effects “Adjust for best performance”.
Advanced “Processor Scheduling Adjust for best performance of: Programs”.
Data Execution Prevention “Turn on DEP for essential program and services only”.
Disable Unnecessary Services: (Be careful & can be time consuming).
Palmer mentioned using “Auto Runs” to disable unnecessary services. It worked for the obvious services. But the other services( I feel are junk) that I disabled (changed to manual start) were harder to find, try this web page:
http://www.blackviper.com/service-confi ... gurations/
Connection Issues:
Set Windows Updater to:
Check for updates but let me chose whether to download and install them.
Close the GCM launcher, when you go to play online. (It checks for updates while you’re in game)
Firewalls:
Some do require that you open up for the game. (NORTON: make sure you “allow” SOW & GCM programs not “auto”, also run Norton in silent mode)
Disable All Win 8 Tiles:
(Also helps Memory & CPU)
Win 8 has a lot of ( I feel are junk ) programs (the tiles) updating themselves over the internet, I turned them all off. To make sure you have all of them turned off go to Task Manager ” App History then reset the history and keep an eye out for apps that weren’t disabled.
My Router:
I use a hard wired connection. (Found wireless causing me to drop)
I have reserved an LAN IP address on my router.
Set the MTU to 1464 from the recommended 1500. (Computer as well, helps with packet fragmentation)
Used SG TCP Optimizer
(Be careful, helped fine tune connection)
http://www.speedguide.net/downloads.php
Router over load:
Others running Netflix will cause obvious issues
SOW Game Settings:
My settings( I could lower a few more)
(The SOW manual discusses the game performance with game settings Pg. 46-50)
Uniform Quality: Low
Sprite Ratio: 0 (0 will default to 4 sprites)
Show all dead bodies: unchecked
Display Rife Smoke: checked
Display Artillery Explosions: checked
Hide Flag Icons: unchecked
Show road Path Icons: checked
Display Target List: checked
Foliage:
Percent Tees Showing 10% (I have used the KS settings of 75% and had good luck, I use 10% for GCM games).
Display off map trees: unchecked.
Max Transparent Trees: 80 Yards
Make walls transparent with trees: unchecked
Terrain:
Max Terrain draw distance: Best
Show Map Objects: High
Show Off Map Terrain: unchecked
Max Arty Hit Decals: 20
Max Draw Units Draw Distance: 1000 (You can still see unit flags over 1000)
Max Trees Draw Distance: 1000 (This setting affected the walls draw distance as well???)
Max Objects Draw Distance: 1000
Sounds:
Play Map Sounds: unchecked
Play Marching Music: unchecked
Camera:
All speeds are at 50.
In the “sowgb.ini” file under [Initialization]:
AntiA=0
Anso=0
GCM Mods:
GCM Terrain 4 is optional
GCM Sounds are optional
Mods Other:
Don’t Use Bugles and Flags mod for GCM Games* I would like to try and test with someone from KS*
Bloodbath mod is optional
Thoughts:
Some of the numbers that are mod able might be tooo abstract
Example:
Misfire as a percentage: 17.03843404 %
Better at 17.04 %