HL2 (inc E2) still stutters to this day?

[dwell]

I'm pretty upset to realize HL2 still stutters (for me at least) when loading levels. It happened to me when HL2 first came out. Two rigs later and it does the same thing. I thought it was my sound card, or my video card, but on three disparate configs it still stutters.

What I mean is when a level loads the sound stutters in a loop. Does this happen to everyone or is it just me?

 

[DAPUNISHER]

I never experienced that. I used to get hitching with HL2, particularly with the FF mod, but moving from 1gb to 2gb of ram cured that.

 

[blckgrffn]

Originally posted by: Chris
I'm pretty upset to realize HL2 still stutters (for me at least) when loading levels. It happened to me when HL2 first came out. Two rigs later and it does the same thing. I thought it was my sound card, or my video card, but on three disparate configs it still stutters.

What I mean is when a level loads the sound stutters in a loop. Does this happen to everyone or is it just me?

oh yeah, hardcore again with ep2...

Nat

 

[abaez]

I get the sound stuttering, but when the level loads it goes away. Lasts for about 3 seconds and doesn't bother me at all.

 

[Canai]

Never had any stuttering problems, except when I was running HL2 on my Athlon XP 1900+ with 512mb of ram and GeForce ti4600

 

[tigersty1e]

Are you talking about a sound stutter only when the level loads... or is it a constant sound stutter forcing you to shut down the game?

If the former... not a real problem. If the latter, then that is a serious issue.

 

[brikis98]

just google half life 2 stuttering, it's a common problem with the source engine. check out sites like this and this. i only notice it right after a level loads and after 1-3 seconds it's gone, so i don't see it as a huge problem, but it's still odd that it hasn't been fixed after this many years.

 

[ja1484]

Originally posted by: Chris
I'm pretty upset to realize HL2 still stutters (for me at least) when loading levels. It happened to me when HL2 first came out. Two rigs later and it does the same thing. I thought it was my sound card, or my video card, but on three disparate configs it still stutters.

What I mean is when a level loads the sound stutters in a loop. Does this happen to everyone or is it just me?

I get it for a few second as a level loads.

Trivial thing to complain about IMO.

 

[Canai]

Originally posted by: ja1484

Originally posted by: Chris
I'm pretty upset to realize HL2 still stutters (for me at least) when loading levels. It happened to me when HL2 first came out. Two rigs later and it does the same thing. I thought it was my sound card, or my video card, but on three disparate configs it still stutters.

What I mean is when a level loads the sound stutters in a loop. Does this happen to everyone or is it just me?

I get it for a few second as a level loads.

Trivial thing to complain about IMO.

It's data being sent to your RAM from the HD. Some games just do it if you don't have hardware they like (2142 comes to mind for me... )

 

[blckgrffn]

Originally posted by: ja1484

Originally posted by: Chris
I'm pretty upset to realize HL2 still stutters (for me at least) when loading levels. It happened to me when HL2 first came out. Two rigs later and it does the same thing. I thought it was my sound card, or my video card, but on three disparate configs it still stutters.

What I mean is when a level loads the sound stutters in a loop. Does this happen to everyone or is it just me?

I get it for a few second as a level loads.

Trivial thing to complain about IMO.

Do the console versions do it? I would think that Valve would get lit up in reviews for leaving a problem like that in, whether or not it affects gameplay. It's just freaking sloppy.

Nat

 

[ja1484]

Originally posted by: blckgrffn

Originally posted by: ja1484

Originally posted by: Chris
I'm pretty upset to realize HL2 still stutters (for me at least) when loading levels. It happened to me when HL2 first came out. Two rigs later and it does the same thing. I thought it was my sound card, or my video card, but on three disparate configs it still stutters.

What I mean is when a level loads the sound stutters in a loop. Does this happen to everyone or is it just me?

I get it for a few second as a level loads.

Trivial thing to complain about IMO.

Do the console versions do it? I would think that Valve would get lit up in reviews for leaving a problem like that in, whether or not it affects gameplay. It's just freaking sloppy.

Nat

Doubt it. Consoles are a helluva lot easier to program and test for as everyone knows. I'm willing to bet this issue only occurs on PC, and only on certain hardware configs, because while developers do their best, the PC hardware spectrum is kind of an untamed jungle.

 

[Canai]

I went back and started a new campaign last night with the most recent version of FakeFactory's Cinematic mod, and I get three sound stutters whenever the level first loads, after that it's fine.

 

[Tiamat]

I get about 20 seconds of stuttering whenever I try to save, or load previous, but I dont really mind. I get maybe 2 seconds stuttering on normal in-game loads.

This on Tbred-b 1800+, 1gb ram, 9800pro.

 

[ja1484]

I only get the stuttering when loading a new game or save. There is no stuttering during in game loads.

 

[skace]

Originally posted by: brikis98
just google half life 2 stuttering, it's a common problem with the source engine. check out sites like this and this. i only notice it right after a level loads and after 1-3 seconds it's gone, so i don't see it as a huge problem, but it's still odd that it hasn't been fixed after this many years.

It's only odd if you assume they can fix it, or they want to fix it. It could be the design, if so that means "fixing it" might change something else. Like increasing load time. And then if you are given the choice of a slight sound stutter while textures or whatever cache and more load time, most would choose the slight stutter.

 

[blckgrffn]

Originally posted by: skace

Originally posted by: brikis98
just google half life 2 stuttering, it's a common problem with the source engine. check out sites like this and this. i only notice it right after a level loads and after 1-3 seconds it's gone, so i don't see it as a huge problem, but it's still odd that it hasn't been fixed after this many years.

It's only odd if you assume they can fix it, or they want to fix it. It could be the design, if so that means "fixing it" might change something else. Like increasing load time. And then if you are given the choice of a slight sound stutter while textures or whatever cache and more load time, most would choose the slight stutter.

Meh, I don't know. When I've got the surround sound cranked and have to shut my receiver off when I load, then turn it back on afterwards (because the mute button on the keyboard doesn't respond during the stutters) I'd probably take a little longer load time.

It's a triple A title with a glaring annoyance for some people - whether you don't mind it or not, it's still there.

I'm sure if they wanted to, they could fix it without noticeable negative impact elsewhere.

 

[zerocool84]

I remember when HL2 first came out, studdering was pretty bad. Defragging/more ram/patch fixed it afaik.

 

[imported_Uber]

I never had that problem...

 

[RajunCajun]

I'll chip in on this message. I bought HL2 when it first came out and it stuttered a lot with my 3.0ghz P4 and 6600GT, but ran real smooth otherwise. Upgrading to 1.5gb of DDR2 cured ALL of it with NO other changes!

Fast forward to present. HL2-Epi 2 stutters since installation > same 3.0 P4 but now with a 7900GS! Everything maxed at 1680x1050, full HDR & motion blur, 8xAF/4xAA. Getting rid of 4xAA & motion blur did NOT help much, if at all.

Curiously, running the exact SAME game config & resolution on my now old m170 (below) with 2gb DDR2 runs perfectly - NO stuttering! Of course it's not quite as fast as the 7900GS, but the additional ram gets rid of it. AFAIK the Pentium M760 @ 2.0ghz is a faster gpu for gaming than my old P4, but it's basically a wash.

BTW I run Steam/Orange Box on a removable USB hard drive and can easily swap from PC to laptop. In fact, I now run ALL my games like this. IIRC there were a couple that had some problems, but I was able to fix those. If anyone else does this, just make sure the USB drive has the SAME DRIVE LETTER for all the PCs you're using - those partitioned harddrives on some laptops (drive letter C/D) will balk unless you reassign the letters.