Why is my framerate so low?

[fanklok]

I got Team Fortress 2 today (yeah behind the times and all that) for my PC since my XBL connection likes to suck sometimes. I made sure my PC could run it and it went past the Recommended settings but when I play the FPS sits at a pitiful 4 in game. It makes absolutely no sense to me I can run it no problem and my interwebs connection isn't bad I can play COD:4 online with it at a much higher FPS and I barely pass the minimum specs for it.

For discussion value has this ever happened to anyone else? You got a game that your PC should be able to run no problem but it still goes slow.

 

[Samurai Goomba]

Valve's source engine is very processor-intensive, I have heard. That might explain why your PC has trouble with it but is fine with the fancier CoD4.

But this is really just a guess, you've given us no information at all about your computer or graphics card.

 

[fanklok]

Right I forgot about that stuff since the RD:R video review part decided not to load properly.

Operating system:Windows 2.6.0.6002 (SP 2)
CPU type: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.20GHz
CPU Speed (GHz):3.235
System memory (GB):1.999
Graphics card model:NVIDIA GeForce 8400 GS
Graphics card driver:nvd3dum.dll

According to can you run it my PC shouldn't have any problems with it.

 

[cerebus23]

Might try on the actual gaming forum, or the valve support forums, or team fortress forums or google search.

something is amiss 4 fps is stupid low, but without lest processor and gfx card values and driver versions and os etc noone is going to be able to help you much at all period.

 

[Citrus]

Try running it in DirectX 8 (go to Set Launch Settings for TF2 and add "-dxlevel 80"). Another solution would be to set the affinity; when the game is running, go to the process (via the Task Manager), right click, go to Set Affinity, and uncheck the second CPU box (so there is only one left checked). This may help. DirectX 8 is almost guaranteed to let you play it, but the game will be less graphically impressive as a result.

I've had some troubles with Source games as well with my computer and those are the two tips that have helped me out the most. My computer is worse than yours, though, and I can play TF2 on it without having to use any tricks, so I'd encourage you to keep looking for the cause of the problem.

EDIT: Wait, wait. What's Windows 2.6.0.6002? You need XP or higher.

 

[TheComedown]

-snip-

What resolution you have it set too? if that's too high could explain a lot, try lowering the resolution if you can and see it that helps.

 

[fanklok]

EDIT: Wait, wait. What's Windows 2.6.0.6002? You need XP or higher.

It's Vista, I'm not even sure there's a working PC in the house that has anything older then XP on it.

-snip-

What resolution you have it set too? if that's too high could explain a lot, try lowering the resolution if you can and see it that helps.

It set itself it high for most of the settings and I turned them down to no avail. It's very puzzling.

 

[cerebus23]

I gotta say i am cringing thinking of vista running on a pc of those specs.

 

[The Shade]

Have you tried enabling cookies? That seems to fix a lot of things.

...

I'm sorry. That probably wasn't very helpful.

Reboot (to clear the RAM) and try knocking the graphics down to lowest possible settings. It won't be pretty, but if the problem persists, then at least you've narrowed it down. Probably wouldn't be a graphics card problem at that point.

I remember having this problem with games in the past, but can't recall what I did. (Though I do seem to recall tossing new hardware in my PC, but I did that a lot.)
Dang... it's been so long since I've done anything on a PC, let alone one running Vista.

 

[Penguinness]

From what I've gathered through using Hammer Editor.. lights slow it down to buggery. This was a perfect example on CSS; I would have 20-25 fps fine which was enough to play.. however on one level the CT spawn point (as well as bomb planting site) had a flickery light, which lowered my FPS down to 2-4.