Wipeout SLOW on XP

[AGgravated]

Hey All,

So Wipeout looks and sounds great on my XP machine (always w/VDMSound, sometimes w/just the built-in backwards compatibility), but it runs SLOOW. By this, I mean super fast in the menus, but in the actual racing sequences it is running about twice as slow. The framerate is smooth, but the actual gameplay is slow. I.e., one second on the race/lap timer is a bit longer than one real-world second.

Anyway, you get the point...does anyone have an inkling as to what's causing this weirdness?

[Lance]

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it would help people to give you ideas if you give more data about the computer, such as processor speed, video card, installed XP service packs,other applications that might be running at the same time, etc.
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[AGgravated]

Sorry about that...P4 2.8 Ghz, 512mb RAM, SBLive! Value, GeForce2 MX400.

I'm running e-mail and Word in the background, and also Google Compute running in the background. I figure if I can play Episode 1: Racer w/these things on the background fine w/o any slowdowns, then WipeOut shouldn't be a problem...but it's menus are super fast, while the actual racing is in a smooth-functioning slow motion.

Thanks for hte help in advance

[Sumimasen]

Not sure if this is any help whatsoever, but when I run 2097 on my Mac, you have the option to change the frame rate. When you start up vector, for example, at 30fps it's running at the correct speed, but by setting the fps at 60, the whole game runs twice as fast. (vector looks like phantom!)

Anyway, maybe you should check that your fps is not set too low (ie. below 30)?

Like I said, probably no use, but it's all I can think of... 8O

[Lion]

AGravated: I can't even get the original wipeout to run on my XP machine. Definitely not with XPs compat mode, and I haven't had any luck with dosbox either. Could you please tell me what you had to set to make this work? or any other apps you are using along with vdmsound to make this work?
if it's more convenient, feel free to add me to your ICQ or MSN (my details should be below my post) so we can discuss this more easily

oh and sumi: there's no framerate options on any of the PC wipeouts unfortunately. 2097 needed one as it runs way too fast, and the original wipeout is a dos application

[AGgravated]

At first all I can say is this: The game doesn't work right out of the box, for sure. I should note that I'm using the cracked version available on that abandonware site...abandonware-france.org I believe...I figure it isn't stealing since I also own a retail version of the game. I'm not sure if this is making a difference or not.

It's installed to C:\Wipeout, and I have all the program files set to "Win95 compatibility" and have all the memory options checked/maxed out. If I uncheck the "Win95" compatibility from "Wipeout.exe" then the game just won't run. Additionally, it will also NOT run if I attempt to start it from "Wipegame.exe." When it runs, usually the sound is laggy or stuttery. That's where VDMSound is handy, and makes the sound crystal clear again. I put whatever CD in for the music I want...usually the original music works best for the mood :-P

However, now I'm stuck at the problem of the accelerated menus and slow gameplay.

Edit: It's running at more or less 1/2 speed. Running "wipegame.exe" w/VDMSound works, also.

Is it possible that the DOS simulation is just too much for even a 2.8ghz P4 to handle, even when the original requirements of the game were so little?

[Lion]

I just tried for about 30 mins with my retail copy and could not get it working, then tried downloading the one you mentioned and it worked first try, and I did not even need vdmsound to make it sound right (audigy2zs)
yes it runs slow for me too (P4 2.4c, HT enabled, 1Gb ddr400) but it's playable. the menus are really messed up. if I try rebind my keys I get left and right both stuck on one key.
so I played with the mouse ;)
that abandonware rip is missing some textures or something, the ships looked wrong.
I'll mess with it a bit and see if I can make any progress on smoothing out the speeds.

[AGgravated]

Sounds good...I think I'm about stumped as to getting it up to speed, but let me know if you've figured something out. As for the menus, they are super-fast and therefore extremely sensitive and touchy...I just played it with the default key config. Calibrating the joystick is difficult but entirely doable.

I just checked things out more...it's running at a little faster than half-speed...one lap on the first track was about 2:04 in real time, and 1:13 in the game time. I checked CPU usage during the playign sequence--it's above half but no where near 100%, so I'm guessing the 2.8ghz should be technically fast enough to play WO at full speed...

Maybe it has something to do w/videocard compatibility...?

[Lion]

being a DOS app I highly doubt that. my guess is that the timer tic that the game is reading is completely out of whack with reality. and unfortunately ticking the box for compatible timers doesn't help at all.
I think it might be time to dig out the old PC running win98