Crazy lag for no apparent reason?

[browner87]

So I just installed a fresh copy of TMU Forever on my computer. I used to play this game with every single setting on max and still crank in 100-300fps. Now when I open the game, it lags around 3fps, sometimes completely halting for upwards of 3 seconds. And it's not just strictly graphics that are lagging, I can't click things either. The entire game seems to stutter. However Process Explorer says my CPU usage is never above ~20% per core and my GPU usage is <20%. Can anyone explain this? All drivers are latest.

FYI CPU - Core-i7 9xx
GPU - nVidea GTX470
RAM - 6GB Crucial Ballistix Tracer

EDIT:
FWIW - Whenever I start the game I hear "da dung" as if I'm unplugging a device from the system. Might this be related? I'm not physically unplugging anything...

[Cerovan]

Your unplug issue could be the reason.

Try also to have the checkbox "Enable D3D9Ex" checked (or unchecked) in the advanced options of the launcher in Display -> Compatibility to see if it changed your framerate

[browner87]

I couldn't find that exact setting, but I toggled a bunch of random things in the compatibility screen. No luck though. It's not really a "framerate" issue per se, it's a stuttering issue. The entire game just stops for 1-3 seconds at a time.

I'm confused because the CPU, GPU, and I/O of the program are very low and don't seem to spike at all during the lags. I'm thinking maybe nVidia has broken something in the past 6 months in their drivers. Maybe I'll try rolling them back some time...

[TMarc]

Try also to have the checkbox "Enable D3D9Ex" checked (or unchecked) in the advanced options of the launcher in Display -> Compatibility to see if it changed your framerate

See also the messages from Omnixor, this setting is not available with TMUF.
He also found a different solution, with some registry key.

[browner87]

That registry key doesn't exist for me, but I'm thinking that might not be the issue.

The weirdness I've discovered now is this:
I start a race - the screen updates every ~3 seconds
I benchmark settings from the launcher - screen updates every ~3 seconds while logging in, then when the race starts back to >100fps

So what part of the game isn't loaded during benchmarking but is normally?????

[Omnixor]

do you have any Saitek devices by chance?

[browner87]

A quick Google search tells me they are a Joystick/flying accessory company. I do not have any such devices, nor have I added any devices since I last successfully played this game. I have Logitech mouse/keyboard, Microsoft webcam, Microsoft MCE remote, and not much else...

[TMarc]

So what part of the game isn't loaded during benchmarking but is normally?????

Single player? Signs, mods
Multiplayer? Skins of opponents, signs, mods

Is it for every map like this, or only for the very first map you're playing at all during one session?

[browner87]

For absolutely everything after I click "Play" in the launcher. The menus have this delay (hovering my mouse over things doesn't highlight them for a second or two, clicking doesn't take effect for a few seconds), every map I've tried, options pages, EVERYTHING. EXCEPT the settings tester. The menus still stutter for it, and clicking/typing is delayed, but once the pre-defined and non-interactable race starts, it all works like normal.

[TMarc]

The menus are using some kind of internet browser technology, and they are downloading information from the master server and other servers as well like ads, announcements, games on servers, etc.
So if you already have a bad connection, everything is slowed down a lot already here.
A few days ago, I also experienced a unusally long starting, until all menus were completely loaded.
While you're playing on one server, there is not much connection to other servers then, except perhaps P2P for skin/horn/model exchange.

is your antivirus perhaps slowing down your system here?
Perhaps also clean the cache of ManiaPlanet if it is already relatively big and full?