graphics very jerky - steam issue or just my computer specs?

[ActiveCrouton]

Good Morning fellow games people,

 

I recently installed Skyrim on my PC after a lot of messing about with the disk. I installed it by deleting the local content with steam, and finally got it to come up with the 'installing from disk' thing, and now I have been playing it. Here is my question:

 

When I play the game at anything higher than 'low quality' setting on the graphics, the game play is very jerky. It's still a bit bad with the low quality setting on, but at least playable. Now I really don't know if this is due to my computer or the whole 'Steam' thing. I thought my computer had good graphics ability, but I might be just wrong. If anyone can tell me how, on Windows 7, to find out what processor...graphics...RAM...thingys my computer has, I can do so and post them here...because maybe you guys will just say 'oh yes it's just your computer specs that make the game jerky'. You can see I don't quite know what I am doing here :)

 

On the other hand, I am wondering if it might be Steam (which I don't understand anyway) making my game go funny. I got the impression that if Steam is still connecting, then the game can be very slow.

 

I have tried putting Steam in offline mode, but the game simply comes up with an error that I cannot play it in offline mode and makes me restart Steam in online mode before playing. I definately did install it from the disk though, although (I don't know if this matters), it never, ever asked me for the install key on the actual CD packet.

 

During gameplay, I do get messages saying 'you have won X award in Steam!' which makes me think the game is constantly connected to the internet, and this might be slowing things down - as our internet is horrible speed.

 

If someone could help me please I would much appreciate it. Just remember you're talking to someone who doesn't know much computer jargon so please help me troubleshoot in small words :)

 

Thanks, I appreciate any help.

 

Crouton.

Edited November 13, 2011 by ActiveCrouton

[wolfsangeleyes]

Hi ActiveCrouton.

 

If you want to know/find the specs of your computer, then click on the ''start'' button, located on the bottomleft of your screen. This will pull up a list with the name of your pc on top, documents, images, etc underneath it. Find the one named ''computer''. Click on that.

On the top of the page there is a bar that says ''Organise" >''systemspecs (or qualifications, sorry my pc is in dutch) > ''Delete or Add a programme'', etc.

Click on the one that says ''systemspecs/qualifications''.

That will show you your pc specs and how much RAM you have, what type of processer, etc.

 

The specs of your video/graphic card can be found by rightclicking on your desktop.

A pop up screen will show up. Click on the one that says ''screenresolution'' (again my pc is in dutch, so i'm not sure if that is what it is called in english, but it has a little icon of a pc screen in front of it)

Once you click on that a new screen will show up, click on the tab that says ''Advanced ...something'' and that will give you a new pop up menu giving you all the details about your videocard.

 

There may be an easier way to find out this type of information, but this is how i do it. (took me ages to figure it out as i'm computer illiterate myself :biggrin: )

 

Hope this helps you. Good luck.

[protheus9]

Probably I have the same Problem and i´am sure that my hardware is not the problem. The automatic detection choose all settings to "ultra". But a smoove gameplay looks another way...

My Hardware is: AMD Phenom II X4 965@ 3,95 GHz, 8GB Ram, ASUS Geforce GTX560TI OC@900MHz on an ASUS Mainboard M3N-HT-Deluxe with Windows 7 Pro 64Bit.

Maybe another one has the same stuttering Problem. oh...sry for my english.. I´m from Germany.

 

^^

 

f.

[Hawke5781]

I am getting the same jerky/stuttering video, I know I am well above required or suggested spec's. What video card are you running? I am using an ATI/AMD HD6970. I am wondering if it could be an ATI/AMD thing. Other issue I am also having are blocky textures and what I think is missing textures.

 

Summoning Graphics

 

 

 

Rock Texture

 

 

 

Pink Barrels and Robe in Dawnstar

 

 

[ActiveCrouton]

Thank you for the help wolfsangeleyes, and other people. It's good to know I am not alone in this. Here are the specs I found for my computer:

 

Windows 7 Home premium

Service Pack 1

 

Manufacturer: Packard Bell

Model: EasyNote TM80

Rating (Windows Experience): 3.6

Processor: AMD Athalon II P320 - Dual-Core Processor 2.10 GHz

Installed Memory (RAM): 3.00 GB (2.74 GB useable)

System Type: 64-bit operating System

 

Here's what came up for the graphics card:

Adapter Type - ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4200

Chip Type - ATI display adaptor (0x9712)

DAC Type: Internal DAC(400MHz)

Adaptor String - ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4200

Bios Information - BK-ATI VER10.094.001.047.037601

Total Graphics Memory - 1405 MB

Dedicated Video Memory - 256 MB

System Video Memory - 0MB

Shared System Memory - 1149 MB

 

If this was just an ATI card thing, as you suggested Hawke5781, then why would protheus9 be getting the same error? Sorry if I missed something there.

Are any of your computers using Steam as well?

Also, is there a way to change the amount of memory / processing that a grapgics card gives to a game? Sorry if that question doesn't make sense, I was wondering if perhaps our computers had only allowed a certain amount of memory to the program so it wasn't getting the full use of the graphics card.

 

Of course, it could always be that we're all having a similar problem...but not for the same reasons!

[Hawke5781]

I am using Steam as well, I think that is the only way to install it. That is what they did with New Vegas. From Reading more on the issues I am seeing it is most likely a driver issue for me. I have not updated to the new AI driver yet because it seems to have more problem than the old one.

 

As for your issue, it may be the same. Looking at your Spec's, your system meets the minimums so I don't believe it is a hardware issue for you.

[Roji8]

For you personally Crouton, it's your PC. You're running it on a laptop with an ATI 4200 mobility chipset (A chipset that is 2 generations old at present) with only 3 GB of RAM (Memory) hence you have to play Skyrim on low or you get stuttering because it meets minimum but not much more.

 

Also Hawke, I'm having no stuttering problems with my PC and I'm running on Ultra and my ATI Drivers are the newest of 11.9, which work perfectly fine.

 

Protheus9, my recommendation is to update your drivers (if you haven't already) and try it. Your PC should do good on ultra, I see no reason why it wouldn't.

 

My Specs:

 

Core i7 950

12GB of DDR3 RAM

ATI Radeon 5850 (When ATI was still decent, My next card will be Nvidia)

Asus Sabertooth X58 Motherboard

Windows 7 64 Bit