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[XiaNaphryz]

Figured this should have it's own thread with how fast the main SC2 thread is moving

From Blizzard's tech support forum:

Certain screens make your hardware work pretty hard

Screens that are light on detail may make your system overheat if cooling is overall insufficient. This is because the game has nothing to do so it is primarily just working on drawing the screen very quickly.

A temporary workaround is to go to your Documents\StarCraft II Beta\variables.txt file and add these lines:

frameratecapglue=30
frameratecap=60

You may replace these numbers if you want to.

Some may assume enabling vsync will also help as long as you don't have some crazy high refresh rate set, but that won't necessarily reduce your GPU load. From the SC2 thread:

No, the bug is legit. My GPU was running at 100% load during non-graphically intense portions of the game and I couldn't figure out why. This is with v-sync on, mind you.

Adding those two lines to the variables file changed that to about 43% load at the same screens and 20-30 degrees cooler. This is on an 5770, for reference.

At least one person has mentioned getting their hardware fried, this GameInformer guy:

Three hours of cursing later, I'm posting this from my wife's laptop because both my graphics card and my work laptop appear to be fried. Thanks for reading, everyone, and I hope to be back tomorrow with a functional StarCraft II machine.

 

[wipeout364]

Should be called Kotick's Revenge.

 

[Why would you do that?]

Oh dear... One missing line, and then video card anarchy.

 

[Visualante]

And they were unable to test this or identify it in the beta?

 

[DogWelder]

Wasn't this problem present in the beta as well? How did they not fix this...

 

[droopy]

So, it's just making the cards work at 100% load? Why can't they handle it?

 

[XiaNaphryz]

And they were unable to test this or identify it in the beta?

The more curious thing is that the date-stamp of the forum post is 7/15. And plenty of people brought up the issue in the beta. Sounds like a simple enough fix for them to simply patch in the updater as well.

 

[clav]

Wasn't this problem present in the beta as well? How did they not fix this...

Yeah it was a problem, and they blamed Nvidia for faulty drivers.

 

[Visualante]

So, it's just making the cards work at 100% load? Why can't they handle it?

Because not everyone has great cabling or good air flow. It is Summer, remember. And not all GPUs can actually cool themselves at 100% load for extended periods of times.

 

[Blizzard]

And they were unable to test this or identify it in the beta?

I believe it was mentioned in the beta, maybe even with the same workaround/solution.

 

[Corto]

 

[LaneDS]

I played a considerable amount in beta, but only in the last phase did I notice that the game made my fans go crazy (to the point it could annoy my 2v2 partner over Ventrilo). Obviously I'm not sure what changed between the time the beta went down and when they brought it back (and of course retail), but something isn't right certainly.

 

[Instro]

Wasn't this problem present in the beta as well? How did they not fix this...

Yeah it was a problem in the beta for ages as well, this fix has been available for months so Im pretty shocked that it wasnt added for the retail release. Was wondering why my card was running so hot at times. W/e though I cleaned out the dust in my computer and that mostly took care of the temp, but Ill add this fix as well.

 

[Chesskid1]

i use a program that speeds up my video card's fan as the temperature increases.

i understand it's a bug, but if a game uses 100% (when it's not a bug) of a video card's power and it overheats, that's on the video card manufacturer no?

 

[XiaNaphryz]

i use a program that speeds up my video card's fan as the temperature increases.

i understand it's a bug, but if a game uses 100% (when it's not a bug) of a video card's power and it overheats, that's on the video card manufacturer no?

It's also on the user, especially if they also built the system - if they're consciously playing at settings that's severely taxing their hardware for extended periods of time, they have to also realize the risks they're taking in doing so. If their hardware fries in such a case, that's really due to the user's actions.

From what it sounds like, I'm assuming the SC2 bug would affect systems even if all the graphical options are at the lowest setting.

 

[SapientWolf]

i use a program that speeds up my video card's fan as the temperature increases.

i understand it's a bug, but if a game uses 100% (when it's not a bug) of a video card's power and it overheats, that's on the video card manufacturer no?

Technically speaking, yeah it does, but on the other hand it would be a little irresponsible to market Furmark as a screensaver. People might spend a lot of time in the menu without expecting their card to be cooking itself.

 

[Demigod Mac]

I just want to know what's the point of allowing games to attempt to run at 300 fps [by default] when 99% of monitors out there can't even begin to approach the refresh rate needed.

Source Engine games do this too.

 

[Feep]

I just want to know what's the point of allowing games to attempt to run at 300 fps [by default] when 99% of monitors out there can't even begin to approach the refresh rate needed.

Source Engine games do this too.

I think it's an ePeen thing.

 

[freddy]

Lol, shame on you Blizzard. Yes you, the one reading this.

 

[jim-jam bongs]

I just want to know what's the point of allowing games to attempt to run at 300 fps [by default] when 99% of monitors out there can't even begin to approach the refresh rate needed.

Source Engine games do this too.

Input sampling.

 

[Easy_D]

I just want to know what's the point of allowing games to attempt to run at 300 fps [by default] when 99% of monitors out there can't even begin to approach the refresh rate needed.

Source Engine games do this too.

:lol I wish my source games ran at 300 fps by default. I'm happy if I can keep a solid 60

 

[J-Rzez]

Yeah it was a problem, and they blamed Nvidia for faulty drivers.

:lol ...but expected.

So, it's just making the cards work at 100% load? Why can't they handle it?

Because not all cards and cooling systems are designed well enough to dissipate the heat from a full-cycle load on the GPU. This will especially slay laptops. It's something to see Blizzard fall from the high place on throne placed there by their rabid fans due to their recent piss poor quality. Many problems in WoW, and now SC2. Unbelievable.

 

[Lostconfused]

:lol I wish my source games ran at 300 fps by default. I'm happy if I can keep a solid 60

No you don't. Running games at 100+ FPS just for the sake of frying the hell out of your video card is not fun.

 

[teiresias]

It's also on the user, especially if they also built the system - if they're consciously playing at settings that's severely taxing their hardware for extended periods of time, they have to also realize the risks they're taking in doing so. If their hardware fries in such a case, that's really due to the user's actions.

From what it sounds like, I'm assuming the SC2 bug would affect systems even if all the graphical options are at the lowest setting.

Isn't the point of this bug that it causes 100% load in less graphically intense parts of the game, hence the game is able to render fast enough to cause 100% load in the first place because of the lack of complexity in the scene?

So what's the user supposed to do about that? You seem to be putting the blame on the wrong party here.

 

[XiaNaphryz]

Isn't the point of this bug that it causes 100% load in less graphically intense parts of the game, hence the game is able to render fast enough to cause 100% load in the first place because of the lack of complexity in the scene?

So what's the user supposed to do about that? You seem to be putting the blame on the wrong party here.

I was agreeing with the post above me stating that in cases where it's not due to a bug, it's entirely on the user. Sorry for any confusion!

 

[Joseph Merrick]

Yeah it was a problem, and they blamed Nvidia for faulty drivers.

and nvidia did a driver update immediatly

 

[confused]

It's also on the user, especially if they also built the system - if they're consciously playing at settings that's severely taxing their hardware for extended periods of time, they have to also realize the risks they're taking in doing so. If their hardware fries in such a case, that's really due to the user's actions.

From what it sounds like, I'm assuming the SC2 bug would affect systems even if all the graphical options are at the lowest setting.

This isn't about OC'ing or doing anything your gpu is not supposed to. This is about idle screens trying to kill videocards due to bad programming.

 

[XiaNaphryz]

This isn't about OC'ing or doing anything your gpu is not supposed to. This is about idle screens trying to kill videocards due to bad programming.

Again, I have no issue with the legitimacy of the bug. I was replying the the post above me in regards to something else.

 

[Diablohead]

If this "bug" was in the beta why the hell did they try to shift the blame to a companies drivers? :lol especially when you know this game will sell big.

Keep on slipping down that slope.

 

[Easy_D]

No you don't. Running games at 100+ FPS just for the sake of frying the hell out of your video card is not fun.

I was merely implying that Source games can run like complete shit at times.

 

[Animal]

I don't get it.

Video cards should handle being pummeled at 100% for several hours at time.

 

[SUPREME1]

So, it's just making the cards work at 100% load? Why can't they handle it?

Could you run at 100% for... I don't know... a marathon?


No? Why? What would happen?


:lol

 

[Shambles]

Any card that can't handle running at full tilt for extended periods of time is a shitty card. This is also bad programming, but also is weeding out the poor build quality of some manufacturers. Which make of cards seem to be failing the most because of this?

Could you run at 100% for... I don't know... a marathon?


No? Why? What would happen?


:lol

You couldn't wait to hit post before spending 2 seconds to think of your analogy could you. smh

 

[Pimpbaa]

frameratecapglue=30
frameratecap=60

You may replace these numbers if you want to.

Obvious what frameratecap does, but what is frameratecapglue?

 

[Curufinwe]

If you have an Nvidia card you should be using a program like EVGA Precision to monitor your card's temperature at fan speed. You have to sign up for their forums to be able to download it, but that only takes a few minutes.

http://www.evga.com/precision/

I only started using it recently after Alien Swarm started overheating my card, but it's very a very useful program.

 

[BishopLamont]

I don't get it.

Video cards should handle being pummeled at 100% for several hours at time.

Not everyone's cooling is adequate enough to run at 100% at hours on end, especially if its custom built poorly.

Obvious what frameratecap does, but what is frameratecapglue?

I think glue is the in-menus cap, and the other is the in-game cap.

 

[evilernLeGG]

I really don't see how this is Blizzard's problem at all. They just have some inefficient/poorly-written (however you wanna say it, it doesn't matter) code that is constantly executing. Sure, bad form, but it's not on them to ensure that video card manufacturers keep their hardware designed to specs.

These pieces of hardware should be DESIGNED to run this way without breaking. Additionally, if it's the user error (poor cabling, bad airflow) it sucks, yes, but how is this Blizzard's problem again? I'm not saying they shouldn't correct it, but breaking hardware isn't their fault. By this logic, the durability of the hardware should be included in the system specs.

There are video cards that run 24/7 using CUDA to number crunch... and these are the same cards people use as gaming cards.

Anyways, my 2c.

 

[XiaNaphryz]

I don't get it.

Video cards should handle being pummeled at 100% for several hours at time.

Any card that can't handle running at full tilt for extended periods of time is a shitty card. This is also bad programming, but also is weeding out the poor build quality of some manufacturers. Which make of cards seem to be failing the most because of this?

I guess all laptop owners should go out and get external laptop coolers then? See also J-Rzez's post above.

 

[KibblesBits]

So they are going to patch this eventually right?
Not just leave it for people to deal with I'd hope.

 

[Animal]

Obvious what frameratecap does, but what is frameratecapglue?

Possibly the increments at which to lock framerate if maximum cap isn't reached? So if your machine can only do 45, it will lock it at 30.

 

[ZombieSupaStar]

i notice sc2 made my gtx280 hit near 80c which for me is hot ive never usually seen it above ~71c

i always use the evga precision tuner, i put the ini edit in there just now, but yeah 100% load will show issues really fast on poorly made coolers/case airflow cabling, I think the 280 is designed to downclock itself at 100c so it doesnt China Syndrome :lol but yeah anything near 80 (hell 70s) I get leary of.

usually under load its in the 50-60s.

 

[Shambles]

I guess all laptop owners should go out and get external laptop coolers then? See also J-Rzez's post above.

That's quiet the leap in logic to go from one guys shitty laptop breaking equating to every laptop out there being broken. Sure, I wouldn't be throwing a GTX 480M on top of my lap and run stress tests on it, but even then it should trigger thermal throttles.

 

[Curufinwe]

I really don't see how this is Blizzard's problem at all.

It's Blizzard's problem because they design and market their games to appeal to as many PC gamers as possible, which they know includes many people with laptops, old dusty desktops, old graphics cards, etc.

To release a game that causes video cards to run at 100% on menu and other light detail screens is a fuck-up on their part, pure and simple.

 

[DogWelder]

Possibly the increments at which to lock framerate if maximum cap isn't reached? So if your machine can only do 45, it will lock it at 30.

Quick Googling shows it's the menu framerate.

 

[Foliorum Viridum]

It's quite scary stuff like this happens. I don't play Blizzard games, so I'm okay in this case, but after buying a 5850 recently for over £200 if anything like this ruined my card I'd probably bomb the developers. :lol

No excuse for it if it was found in the beta, imo.

 

[clashfan]

thank god gaming on the 360 is reliable.

 

[Woo-Fu]

Sounds like the dark ages

Spoiler

of hardware.

Good hardware is smart enough to not burn itself up, regardless of how poor the airflow/cooling is. Bad airflow/cooling? Just means the hardware throttles itself that much sooner, increases fan speed that much sooner.

Can't really put this one on Blizzard. After all, where would they draw the line? They'd have to set an arbitrary cap, an arbitrary cap that would still redline some systems.

Seems to me that if it were this easy to destroy a videocard via software that we'd have an entire genre of virus devoted to doing just that.

 

[Loam]

Thanks for the info. Iv'e been playing on my laptop with an external cooler and things still heat up after awhile, hopefully the variables file fix will solve that. I'm surprised this got out of beta if it was a widely known issue.

 

[notworksafe]

thank god gaming on the 360 is reliable.

Very true. 360 has never had an overheating issue.

 

[Gattsu25]

Very true. 360 has never had an overheating issue.

:lol :lol