Tips, Fixes and performance increases!

Originally Posted by derJones

When i try to start the game i see the background of the main menu, but 1 second later i'm back at the desktop.
any ideas??
i already tried starting it in windowed mode..


oh and i got win XP and Geforce 9600 GT

Please, anyone, no ideas?

[shackanaw]

Try verifying the game's cache files by right clicking Alien Swarm, going to Properties, then the local files tab, then click the verify integrity of game cache button.

[Vaddam]

A never-updated sticky ftw?

[RJackson]

Originally Posted by roothorick

sv_maxrate quickstart
Does everyone complain and ragequit when you host games? This should help!

Thanks roothorick, I have just added that to the original post. +rep to you.

Originally Posted by Vaddam

A never-updated sticky ftw?

I add links if people post to make me aware of them (I'm not on Steam Forums for hours on end keeping an eye out for topics for this list). I also have quite a high standard of what kind of threads I'm letting get on this list: they have to be clear, informative and instruct the player on steps to take to solve their issue - as opposed to giving some automated "fix".

Originally Posted by shackanaw

Try verifying the game's cache files by right clicking Alien Swarm, going to Properties, then the local files tab, then click the verify integrity of game cache button.

Still the same problem

[shackanaw]

Try this: http://forums.steampowered.com/forum...11&postcount=5

hell yeah, thanks a lot, that worked!

[vyce]

Is there a command to turn off the little screen on scenes like the Cargo Lift ones?

getting tired of typing hehe, posting here for future cut/paste. will grow it over time.


I do this on win7 machines at work to speed up low-end laptops. you'll gain about .3-.6 in your windows 7 performance score.

1. change color scheme to “basic” or a specific color: find out here: http://j.mp/aZhGlv

2. turn off transparency: http://j.mp/aZhGlv

3. change display to 16bit (gain .3+ in system score)


4. turn off aero service

5. turn off extra display features (system)

6. change AV software from high-cpu/memory intense apps to more efficient free software. currently microsoft security essentials is rated the highest and is free. vista=win7 for version compatability:
http://filehippo.com/search?q=essentials

7. as always update your machine at windowsupdate.com, your manufacturer's site. basically get all your drivers.

8. get latest vid card drivers:
http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us

or

http://game.amd.com/us-en/drivers_catalyst.aspx


9. play at 1024x768 with no anti-aliasing and no AF. turn off vsync on low end machines.

10. upgrade your vid card lol
'

[COLOR="rgb(244, 164, 96)"]**if internet / ping issues ***[/COLOR]

1. what type of ISP do you have? are you in USA? most likely the servers are. try finding a dedicated server or hosting your own.

2. is anyone p2ping (file sharing) on your network? if so have them stop, this greatly hurts your performance with ping rates.

3. try upgrading your network card drivers.
-visit your pc manufacturer's website or windowsupdate.com or find the NIC model and get the drivers from the vendor.

4. try tweaking your connection:
http://www.speedguide.net/downloads.php

5. flush your dns, reset you tcp/winsock table.
this can very depending on your o/s :


and:

6. do you have spyware? this can eat up network bandwidth if a virus/spyware is sending crap to a host.
-try cleaning up your pc with malwarebytes from malwarebytes.org

7. have any errors/issues? try searching on 5secondnews.com, i tend to archive via "delicious" every support issue i come accross as a NOC tech.

8. add the game to your firewall exception list

9. if wireless, try adjusting your antennas and make sure you have excellent signal strength.

[COLOR="rgb(244, 164, 96)"]*****motherboard and intel vid card/mb chipsets ********[/COLOR]
you can get the latest drivers here:
http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Default.aspx

search for the graphics card motherboard chipset for your o/s. if you have a intel chipset (motherboard) get this update as well, can give you various driver improvements.

if your not sure your make/model of your motherboard, identify the make and chipset model with cpu-z:
http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html

i then go to intel or the motherboard maker's website for the latest drivers (or find the driver type, and get the drivers from another vendor that are even newer). for instance, your motherboard maker may have a driver from 2008, but VIA might have a driver from 2010 (Intel, Nvidia, ATI etc)


[COLOR="rgb(244, 164, 96)"]***more compilation***[/COLOR]

1. have latest sound and video drivers?
2. have latest motherboard chipset drivers
3. firewall exception in windows for steam and aswarm
4. clean install? (uninstall > ccleaner > reboot > install)
5. add the game to your antivirus allow list... or use microsoft security essentials (search esentials on filehippo.com) since its compatible with alien swarm without adding an exception.
6. scan with malwarebytes, best antimalware software just do it!
7. in an elevated command prompt (right click run as admin)...
sfc /scannow
-this verifies windows cache files
8. have all your windows updates?
9. do you have a crash report/error? if so post here!
10. try lowering your resolution to 1024x768, and adjust your quality settings to medium or low. turn off antialiasing and AF
11. adjust all nvidia/ati options in display panel (outside of the game, in windows) to low or medium.
12. scan your pc with hijackthis, pm me your log i will research it for you.

low end computers/crashing issues, modify dx, resolution etc. i'd try 640x480 or 1024x768:
Launch options:
-dxlevel 90 -w 480 -h640

Paste these options into a file. Save it as autoexec.cfg in C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\alien swarm\swarm\cfg

//Alien Swarm
//http://jamesgecko.com/2010/07/alien-swarm-low-end-config/
//Integrated graphics card config.
//http://jamesgecko.com/alienswarm

// Vastly improves performance of Alien Swarm on integrated graphics cards
// Unfortunately, that's not saying much. Expect 20 FPS, tops. Maybe 5 FPS in areas
// with lots of fog.

//Misc
cl_showfps 2 //0 off, 1 fps, 2 smoothed fps.
asw_spinning_stim_cam 0 //disables "picture in picture"
ai_expression_optimization 1 //People don't make faces when you aren't looking at them.
mat_disable_ps_patch 1
mat_vignette_enable 1
r_dopixelvisibility 0
r_drawbatchdecals 0
r_drawdetailprops 0
r_fastzreject -1


//Filtering
mat_disable_bloom 1 //Disables bloom
mat_hdr_level 0 //Disables HDR
mat_grain_enable 0 //Disable film grain
mat_grain_scale_override 1 //Disables film grain. Again.
mat_aaquality 0
mat_antialias 0
mat_bloom 0
mat_bloomscale 0
mat_disable_bloom 1
mat_disable_fancy_blending 1
mat_forceaniso 0

//Models
r_modellodscale 0.10 //reduce quality of models
r_lod 8 //Level of detail. -8 is best, 8 is worst.
mat_max_worldmesh_vertices 0

//Lighting
r_maxdlights 0 //maximum dynamic lights
r_dynamic 0 //No dynamic lighting
r_shadows 0 //No dynamic shadows
r_lightinterp 0
mat_filterlightmaps 0
mat_softwarelighting 1 //1 uses CPU over gfx card.
mat_disable_lightwarp 1
r_shadowrendertotexture 0

//Textures
mat_compressedtextures 1 //Integrated cards are too slow for uncompressed textures
mat_specular 0 //Reduce shiny
mat_showlowresimage 0 //very low quality textures.
mat_mipmaptextures 0 //makes textures look even worse. Character selection screen unusable.
mat_fastnobump 1
mat_picmip 4 //texture detail setting
mat_parallaxmap 0


//Water
r_water_drawreflection 0 //Disables some water effects
r_waterdrawrefraction 0 //Ditto

//datacachesize 128

//Disabling fog/particles
fod_enable 0 //cheat. This would really help with performance
r_drawflecks 0
r_drawrain 0
r_drawparticles 0 //cheat This would really help with performance
r_particle_timescale 0 //Particles aren't animated
r_particle_sim_spike_threshold_ms 0

r_decals 5 //number of visible blood, bullet holes, etc.
r_3dsky 0 //We never see the sky

//Ragdolls
g_ragdoll_maxcount 0
ragdoll_sleepaftertime 0
cl_disable_ragdolls 1 //cheat
cl_ragdoll_collide 0

//Glibs from boxes and such
props_break_max_pieces 0
prop_active_gib_max_fade_time 0
prop_active_gib_limit 0

//Multicore
r_threaded_particles 1 //I've got a core 2 duo. Disable this stuff on a netbook.
r_threaded_renderables 1 
snd_mix_async 1
mat_queue_mode 2

***** collection of fixes***

Originally Posted by WillsShadowruby
It's a problem w/ permissions go to steam, steamapps, common, alien swarm. right click on swarm.exe click on properties make sure that it isn't read only then go to security and edit give it full control and hit apply this should fix it

Wills

general crashing: (grabbed from aliennetwork)
Open Steam > Games> View Games> Right Click on Alien Swarm on the list> Properties> Local Files Tab> Verify Integrity of Game Cache.

router crashing/timeouts: thanks! moosenukes
https://support.steampowered.com/kb_...4487-YUOC-6922
-update firmware on router
-adjust router settings

c++ 2008 runtime files for c++ crashes:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en

***[FIX] "Swarm.exe Has Stopped Working"***
http://forums.steampowered.com/forum....php?t=1374578

black screen/black loading screen/no display:
todd bear:
"tried making the game run in windowed and it worked:P library>leftclick AS then properties>setlaunchoptions and type"-windowed" after that i got in the game and tried going options and vido then fullsqreen that worked, then went out to steam and took away launch options and now it opens perfectly everytime, hope this helps."

wbk:
'i fixed my problem, it seems that zonealarm firewall and some steam games dont get along so well, ive changed to comodo firewall and everything works fine now. hope this helps some of you."

direct x errors:
try reinstalling direct x. try drivers etc:
http://www.filehippo.com/download_directx/


general links/tips/troubleshooting:
http://5secondnews.com/2010/08/13/al...ide-from-2009/

crashing/cant connect/router issues/cant host games:
open the tcp/udp port on your router.
-make sure your game is on the allow list for windows and 3rd party firewalls
-if you use peerblock/peer guardian unblock their servers
-make sure its not blocked by your av software

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_...6776-MYXU-0480

crashing/cant connect/router issues/cant host games:
open the tcp/udp port on your router.
-make sure your game is on the allow list for windows and 3rd party firewalls
-if you use peerblock/peer guardian unblock their servers
-make sure its not blocked by your av software

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_...6776-MYXU-0480

[Hardun]

If anyone actually can't get the game to start up, try running it under -window & -noborder in the launch options.

[Keneda]

Could you please add this to your game fixes list : http://forums.steampowered.com/forum....php?t=1507100

In order to cure the game vidéo and audio stuttering in game events, just remove all custom combat musics you have!

Thanks Mr-Mx for this!

[Mr. Reid]

Unsure if this is the right place to post this but I'm having troubles with my server. Alien Swarm Parasites crash my server when ever present on the users screen. Any similar issues with fixes? I've tested this multiple times, the swarm enters the screen and everyone including the server crashes.

Edit: I found the issue and it turns out it was a sourcemod plugin, I feel a bit stupid now for not noticing.

swarmtools was the name of the plugin, I switched it out for astools.

[Nub.Seskiness]

Change these settings in your config file newmapsettings.cfg:


mat_motion_blur_enabled 0
mat_grain_enable 0
mat_grain_scale_override 0
mat_local_contrast_enable 0


This fixed ALL the jitteriness I was having (And I was having massive amounts) in Alien swarm with my Asus DCU2 TOP GTX 670.

I was having similar issues with my 7970 and I haven't been able to check this on the 7970 because it's not working at the moment. Can someone verify this fixes the jittering on their 7970 as well?

Other specs I have:

1100T AMD cpu
asus M5 motherboard
8 gigs ddr3 ram in dual channel
64 gig ssd for windows
raid 1 3tb array for games


Another fix for jitteriness that occurs only when you are playing videos or listening to music in another player while playing alien swarm is to set the player/web browser to use only (affinity in task manager's exe) two cores or less (last two work well for me).