Question about optimum settings for running TPA

[cammanchee]

Hello guys. I just downloaded steam and TPA on my computer and I have a question on some optimum settings or suggestions. I downloaded TPA on Steam because at the moment my original 8 year old PS3 is not working (YLOD, first time any problems) so I wanted to try out TOTAN/TPA on Steam. When I fired up the game, it ran very slow, basically like trying to play pinball in slow motion. The settings for TPA are the default, my selected screen resolution is 1440 x 900, I have an AMD athlon 64x2 dual core 5600+ at 2.8ghz, and an nvidia geforce 6500 se graphics card, and running Vista. I know, I know, I need to find a copy of Windows 7 and I would if I had the available funds. The wife and I have had a tough time staying employed since the financial collapse of 2008.

Anyway, if you guys have any optimum settings I could use in the configuration set-up for steam short of getting some upgrades or a new tower, I would greatly appreciate it. It sucks not being able to fire up the PS3 and play TPA, so I figured I could at least play TOTAN on Steam and see how I liked it until I can get my PS3 fixed, hopefully within the next week or two. I will say the graphics are very good and I could definitely see myself playing on my pc or a virtual pinball cabinet when that was on option. If I can find a correct setting, I would really like to see how well the game plays at regular speed and not slow motion.

 

[Vegard]

What kind of frame rates are you getting? I think the physics engine is tied to the frame rate, so if it runs slower than usual, chances are your computer doesn't have enough juice to run the game at your current settings. Try lowering all the settings, including resolution, as low as they go and see if there's any difference. Windows 7 would probably help somewhat, but I doubt it'd be enough. Seems the 6500 is PCI-E at least, so you could pick up a cheap upgrade - assuming the GPU is the bottleneck. You can find out how much gpu power is utilized by installing MSI Afterburner, for example, and the task manager shows CPU usage. MSI Afterburner can also display what kind of fps your current full screen program is running.

You have PS4 listed under your devices; if you have one of those, it'd be better to just play PA there. Hell, it's even better than the PC version at the moment (it has DX11 lighting effects).

 

[Biff]

(it has DX11 lighting effects)

PS 3 & 4 don't use Direct X.

 

[Vegard]

PS 3 & 4 don't use Direct X.

You know exactly what I mean. The OpenGL equivalent. The future lighting effects that will utilize DX11 on Windows.

 

[Biff]

I wasn't trying to be a smarta*s, I just don't like MS & DX.

 

[cammanchee]

Does anyone know how well steam runs on the PS3? When I was installing it on my computer the other night, there was an option/question about signing in to Steam on the PSN network and it had some instructions on running it/signing in on the PSN network. Is that possible with the PS3, or was that PSN network option for Steam a PS4 thing? If you could use Steam on a PS3 and be able to play TPA, that would be the way to go to to at least play the newer tables until the dlc was available for the PS3/4 or just play it using steam depending on how well it ran.

 

[Vegard]

I wasn't trying to be a smarta*s, I just don't like MS & DX.

I've just about had my fill of MS myself. Hoping SteamOS wil take off.

 

[xAzatothx]

i turned ball reflection off in the config settings panel. OK doesn't look amazing but you soon get used to it. Performance on my system is now flawless with PostProcessing on and AA off. Plays well in portrait (seems to tax processor more on my system). With ball reflection on and PP on I was getting some slow down and the old emulated tables were unplayable due to extra emulation engine code.

 

[Alex Atkin UK]

Does anyone know how well steam runs on the PS3? When I was installing it on my computer the other night, there was an option/question about signing in to Steam on the PSN network and it had some instructions on running it/signing in on the PSN network. Is that possible with the PS3, or was that PSN network option for Steam a PS4 thing? If you could use Steam on a PS3 and be able to play TPA, that would be the way to go to to at least play the newer tables until the dlc was available for the PS3/4 or just play it using steam depending on how well it ran.

Steam on PS3 was only used for Portal 2. If you bought it on PS3 you got the PC version free and players on either system could compete against each other.

 

[superballs]

i turned ball reflection off in the config settings panel. OK doesn't look amazing but you soon get used to it. Performance on my system is now flawless with PostProcessing on and AA off. Plays well in portrait (seems to tax processor more on my system). With ball reflection on and PP on I was getting some slow down and the old emulated tables were unplayable due to extra emulation engine code.

This is probably your best bet.

Drop the settings, especially reflections, anti-aliasing, post-processing, and texture filtering, I'm betting your graphics card is probably your biggest problem, i'm also guessing that a PCI-E card costing around 60-80$ at staples will do fine for TPA

Based on this site

http://www.nvidia.ca/page/geforce6200_pci.html

it's most likely that card, it's really a bottom of the barrel card.

For instance this card:
http://www.staples.ca/en/ZOTAC-GeFo...tion/product_214811_2-CA_1_20001#desc_content

Is orders of magnitude better for around 70$, and that's from Staples, the last place on earth I would look for quality graphics (but if you are on a budget you will get a passable card there).

 

[Dinkus]

I have the same issue. I can get some pretty amazing scores playing pinball in slow motion.

In my case at least, I think I'm running into a bug or some kind of conflict, because it's just as slow no matter what settings or resolution I play it in.

I've got a Q6600, 8GB RAM and an Intel DG45ID with Intel X4500HD onboard graphics running Win7. No, not a high end machine by any stretch, but based on some other configurations I've seen here, it should be able to play TPA at 1024x768 at more than 20% speed.

I've tried changing everything in the configuration utility with no change in performance.

/Edit: Eh, just bought a GT610 for $31 AR. Low end card but generations ahead of what I have now, maybe it'll help.

 

[striggell]

That gpu is a lot better than the x4500 but it's still pretty basic. I'd expect you'll still need to turn down some options. The Q6600 overclocks pretty well and could handle a much more substantial card. One of my rigs is a q9400 (q6600 replacement) with a hd6870 and it has no problems running tpa with all options maxed. It drops to around 40fps with pu3d though - that's going to be the future of virtual pinball.

My cabinet is well future proofed with a 2500k @ 4ghz and a gtx 760 though

 

[xAzatothx]

agreed you can get some high scores playing in slow motion - BUT you need the patience of a saint. Far more than I've got.

It's a shame TPA doesn't auto configure to ensure consistent frame rate for everyone.

 

[Alex Atkin UK]

The game requirements do not seem particularly high with post processing, AA and ball reflections off. I don't personally find the game looks that bad on those settings either.

 

[Tron]

Surprising how well it runs on i3 core/intel hd4000 laptop. Looks as good as PS3 if not better.

 

[Dinkus]

The GT610 is allowing me to play at 1280x800 with post processing on, AA 4x, texture filtering linear, and ball reflection off. Not sure if that's my best combo, but at least it works. It doesn't look very good to me, but I just want to play the games so I can know the rulesets when I play them in person. Good enough for now.

 

[Gordon]

I can good playing free Table Totan.
I have Winxp Pro. 2,5Gb Ram
Intel Core 2 6600 2,4 ghz
Invidia GT610 1GB Ram Full HD 1920x1080 32 Bit color
Post Processing = off
Anti - Aliasing = 2x
Texture Filtering = none
Ball Reflection = low
Focus - Sensitive Input = on

 

[rehtroboi40]

I am looking to get a new computer so I can play 1920x1080 on my 47" TV. I can only play 1280x768 and get a smooth frame rate (but still the occasional stutter) that still looks pretty solid. Trying to play it w/max resolution on my 5 year old HP with an AMD Athlon I-2.6 ghz and Nvidia GT610 2GB does not work well. TPA is one of the few "modern" games I can play with this system-although having logged in more than 125 hrs with it, I think that's enough for the moment.

 

[Jim O'Brien]

Focus - Sensitive Input = on

What does this feature actually do to the settings ?

 

[Mike Reitmeyer]

What does this feature actually do to the settings ?

Tells the game whether or not to accept input if whether or not the app is in focus.