Age of Empires lag issue :(

[Ascyron]

Well, here's the deal. Me and a friend like to play multi-player games of Age of Empires, Rise of Rome (yes it's old, so sue us). Only... it keeps lagging massively, sometimes dropping one/both of us from the game, and sometimes just freezing.

The lag and dropping we don't mind - too much - but the freezing is getting to be a real pain. Basically what happens is, we both are playing away, making our little armies, when the game will just stop. Men will stop moving midstep, units will stop building, every bird man building and tree in the game will freeze.
We can still scroll around the game and give orders to our people, but the orders will be ignored.

Anyone got any ideas why this is happening? How to fix it? :(


Notes: I've read the !---IMPORTANT: Please Follow These Steps Before Posting---! thread. Here are the notes:
1) I have all system requirements (it would be hard not to, the game is 10 years old
2) This has been happening every day since we started. We have both restarted computers repeatedly.
3) No mods.
4) No background tasks.
5) I have quite limited bandwidth, so haven't managed to download the latest DX yet. I'm running DX9.0c.
6) I have all the latest drivers.
7) I have the latest patch.
8) CD is fine, no scratches or damage.
9) We've both reinstalled the game at least once.

   Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 3 (2600.xpsp.080413-2111)
           Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.        
       System Model: F3E                 
               BIOS: Default System BIOS
          Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU     T5550  @ 1.83GHz (2 CPUs)
             Memory: 2040MB RAM
          Page File: 627MB used, 3304MB available
        Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
    DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DX Setup Parameters: None
     DxDiag Version: 5.03.2600.5512 32bit Unicode

------------
DxDiag Notes
------------
  DirectX Files Tab: No problems found.
      Display Tab 1: No problems found.
        Sound Tab 1: No problems found.
        Sound Tab 2: No problems found.
          Music Tab: No problems found.
          Input Tab: No problems found.
        Network Tab: No problems found.


---------------
Display Devices
---------------
        Card name: Mobile Intel(R) 965 Express Chipset Family
     Manufacturer: Intel Corporation
        Chip type: Mobile Intel(R) 965 Express Chipset Family
         DAC type: Internal
       Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2A02&SUBSYS_14E21043&REV_03
   Display Memory: 256.0 MB
     Current Mode: 1152 x 864 (32 bit) (60Hz)
          Monitor: Plug and Play Monitor
  Monitor Max Res: 1600,1200
      Driver Name: igxprd32.dll
   Driver Version: 6.14.0010.4837 (English)
      DDI Version: 9 (or higher)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
 Driver Date/Size: 6/6/2007 08:48:40, 57344 bytes
      WHQL Logo'd: Yes
  WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
              VDD: n/a
         Mini VDD: igxpmp32.sys
    Mini VDD Date: 6/6/2007 08:48:58, 5761728 bytes
Device Identifier: {D7B78E66-6942-11CF-1661-E834A2C2CB35}
        Vendor ID: 0x8086
        Device ID: 0x2A02
        SubSys ID: 0x14E21043
      Revision ID: 0x0003
      Revision ID: 0x0003
      Video Accel: 
 Deinterlace Caps: n/a
         Registry: OK
     DDraw Status: Enabled
       D3D Status: Enabled
       AGP Status: Not Available
DDraw Test Result: Not run
 D3D7 Test Result: Not run
 D3D8 Test Result: Not run
 D3D9 Test Result: Not run

-------------
Sound Devices
-------------
            Description: Realtek HD Audio output
 Default Sound Playback: Yes
 Default Voice Playback: Yes
            Hardware ID: HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0660&SUBSYS_10430000&REV_1000
        Manufacturer ID: 1
             Product ID: 100
                   Type: WDM
            Driver Name: RtkHDAud.sys
         Driver Version: 5.10.0000.5324 (English)
      Driver Attributes: Final Retail
            WHQL Logo'd: Yes
          Date and Size: 11/16/2006 07:34:40, 4225920 bytes
            Other Files: 
        Driver Provider: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
         HW Accel Level: Full
              Cap Flags: 0xF5F
    Min/Max Sample Rate: 8000, 192000
Static/Strm HW Mix Bufs: 33, 32
 Static/Strm HW 3D Bufs: 33, 32
              HW Memory: 0
       Voice Management: No
 EAX(tm) 2.0 Listen/Src: Yes, Yes
   I3DL2(tm) Listen/Src: Yes, Yes
Sensaura(tm) ZoomFX(tm): No
               Registry: OK
      Sound Test Result: Not run

            Description: Modem #0 Line Playback (emulated)
 Default Sound Playback: No
 Default Voice Playback: No
            Hardware ID: 
        Manufacturer ID: 1
             Product ID: 81
                   Type: Emulated
            Driver Name: 
         Driver Version: 
      Driver Attributes: 
            WHQL Logo'd: 
          Date and Size: 
            Other Files: 
        Driver Provider: 
         HW Accel Level: Full
              Cap Flags: 0x0
    Min/Max Sample Rate: 0, 0
Static/Strm HW Mix Bufs: 0, 0
 Static/Strm HW 3D Bufs: 0, 0
              HW Memory: 0
       Voice Management: No
 EAX(tm) 2.0 Listen/Src: No, No
   I3DL2(tm) Listen/Src: No, No
Sensaura(tm) ZoomFX(tm): No
               Registry: OK
      Sound Test Result: Not run

I think that's all the DXdiag information you need, tell me if you require more.

Finally, thanks for taking the time to read this and (hopefully) help me

[pharoah]

that laptops integrated graphics is the problem.

[Ascyron]

Originally Posted by pharoah

that laptops integrated graphics is the problem.

Are you sure? Is there something I can do to stop the problem? Any other thoughts?

[RockmasteR]

while you are in the game, press alt+ tab to minimize it, press ctrl + alt + det and then go to processes and right click the game process, choose set affinity and uncheck all but core 0
this is to launch the game with one cpu

[Tiber Septim]

I don't think it would be. It's a very old 2D sprite game. Certainly doesn't need much GPU power.
Have you tried running it in compatibility mode for say, Win 98?

Would you happen to have a copy of an older version of Windows? 95, 98?
If so, you could try running the game under the older OS in a virtual machine.

[Ascyron]

Originally Posted by RockmasteR

while you are in the game, press alt+ tab to minimize it, press ctrl + alt + det and then go to processes and right click the game process, choose set affinity and uncheck all but core 0
this is to launch the game with one cpu

What exactly would launching with one CPU do? Wouldn't the two mean it's more powerful, so doesn't have so many problems? *feels like he isn't so good with computers*
EDIT: I just did those steps, and found it was already only using CPU 0. I didn't need to change anything.

Originally Posted by Tiber Septim

I don't think it would be. It's a very old 2D sprite game. Certainly doesn't need much GPU power.
Have you tried running it in compatibility mode for say, Win 98?

Would you happen to have a copy of an older version of Windows? 95, 98?
If so, you could try running the game under the older OS in a virtual machine.

I am running in Compatibility mode for 98 at the moment, and it just happened again...

Yes, my dad does have a copy of Win98 which I should be able to borrow next time I visit.
How do I set up virtual machine? Do I install Win98 on my d: drive, or is there some special way of doing it? *feels like he REALLY doesn't know computers*





EDIT2: I just discovered, when my friend quits the game it suddenly starts working again, and I can keep playing... don't know if this means anything?

[Emporer_D]

What you described sounds exactly what happens when the server is lagging. It would explain everything stopping and you sometimes getting dropped from the game. Unfortunately I wouldn't know how to fix that.

Edit: By dropping do you mean getting booted from the game or the entire application crashing? If it's the latter then it probably doesn't have anything to do with the server.

[RockmasteR]

thank you for your comments
just to let you know, I know about PCs enough to help people out!
and if I have any info that I'm not sure of I won't say it!
and believe me I know PCs!!
you think 11 years expertise isn't enough? ;)

[Ascyron]

Originally Posted by Emporer_D

What you described sounds exactly what happens when the server is lagging. It would explain everything stopping and you sometimes getting dropped from the game. Unfortunately I wouldn't know how to fix that.

Edit: By dropping do you mean getting booted from the game or the entire application crashing? If it's the latter then it probably doesn't have anything to do with the server.

That's what I thought it might be...
I've always been the server, because for some reason when she was acting as server I could never find her games...

Any solutions on how to make this game run better so I don't lag? :S

[Ascyron]

Originally Posted by RockmasteR

thank you for your comments
just to let you know, I know about PCs enough to help people out!
and if I have any info that I'm not sure of I won't say it!
and believe me I know PCs!!
you think 11 years expertise isn't enough? ;)

No, I didn't mean you... I was saying that I felt like I knew nothing about computers :o
Sorry if I confused you :(

[RockmasteR]

lol
it's my fault then. Sorry about that :)
maybe I need to sleep more :P
anyways, are you sure that the affinity is set to one core?
you said earlier that 2 cpus means faster, you are right, but with older apps and games, this could create some issues

[Ascyron]

Originally Posted by RockmasteR

lol
it's my fault then. Sorry about that :)
maybe I need to sleep more :P
anyways, are you sure that the affinity is set to one core?
you said earlier that 2 cpus means faster, you are right, but with older apps and games, this could create some issues

Yep, I double-checked.

Since it has been running on one CPU and having these problems, would it work if I tried to run on two?

The other thing I'm going to do is test if my brothers computer has the same problem...

[Tiber Septim]

If it is lagging when she joins and you can never see her games it may simply be a firewall or router blocking her.
If you are using a router, make sure the ports for the game are forwarded. Also, make sure Age of Empires is in the exception list in any firewalls you are both running.

[Ascyron]

Originally Posted by Tiber Septim

If it is lagging when she joins and you can never see her games it may simply be a firewall or router blocking her.
If you are using a router, make sure the ports for the game are forwarded. Also, make sure Age of Empires is in the exception list in any firewalls you are both running.

How do I check that the ports are forwarded?
And, we've both made sure AOE is in the exceptions list for our respective firewalls.

[Tiber Septim]

Go to this site.
Select whichever brand/model router you are using and it will take you through the steps to forward the ports for AOE.

[Ascyron]

Originally Posted by Tiber Septim

Go to this site.
Select whichever brand/model router you are using and it will take you through the steps to forward the ports for AOE.

Tried that. Here's what the site said:
"The F5D5730au will not allow you to forward enough ports, to run Age of Empires. You should try using the DMZ portion of this router if it is available. Alternatively you can try switching the router to bridged mode. You will need to contact your ISP to switch to bridged mode, so they can make the required changed on their end."

I seem to recall that the DMZ is the "demilitarized zone", but I have no idea how to use it... any help?
*still feels like a clueless newbie*