Source games in linux

[TuxXin]

I'm a bit of a linux noob, and I'm having trouble getting counter-strike source to run well in linux. Counter-strike 1.6 runs fine. In fact, it seems to be running better than it use to in windows. Source games, however, never get more than 30 fps, even when I run them at directX 7.

I'm running 2.6.25-gentoo-r7 AMD64.
Graphics card: Geforce 7600
CPU: Pentium D (800 series, if I remember right.)
RAM: 1GB DDR 333mhz
Wine: 1.1.0


Gentoo isn't running as fast as slackware did. Any suggestions? Do you think I could get a playable framerate? I was also wondering if Team fortress 2 might play. I doubt it though

[gruven]

I really wish I could help, but I don't have a problem with Source engine games on my rig.

It could be that you don't have enough power to run it?

My setup is:
Intel Q6600
Nvidia GeForce 8800GT
8 GB DDR2
I have some other stuff but those are the main things.

What resolution are you trying to run them at? I run mine at 1680x1050 full screen.

Are you running other things along with the games?

It could be your cpu, because if I recall Source games are cpu intensive.

[coopstah13]

Source is extremly cpu intensive, I had to upgrade my cpu to play the game when it came out, because I couldn't get more than 20-30 fps even though I had a nearly top of the line graphics card at the time

you might also try using opengl instead of directx, you should have better luck with that, use the -opengl command line argument when starting your source games

[TuxXin]

Ya, I think you're right. My cpu isn't powerful enough. I did, however, find a way to get a few more fps. Opengl for some reason didn't work at all. I looked nicer than DX 9, but also lagged much worse (15 fps avg.). I read somewhere that using DX 8.1 was faster than 7 or 8, but looked almost as good as DX 9. It turns out to be true, but the game is still too choppy to actually play. I think I'll just stick to 1.6 for now

[TuxXin]

Update: I was just in fluxbox, and I decided to run CSS to see if there is any significant difference between running it in Xfce4. The game now runs at a playable framerate. The video stress test now reports a 33 fps average, which is much better than the previous 15 fps average. I would hate to see what KDE + compiz would look like D:

[i92guboj]

Disable compositing and desktop effects. If compositing is on, framerate drops to a half, in my experience. In xfce and kde you should be able to disable compositing. You can't run compiz without compositing at all.

If compositing is disabled, the wm that you use shouldn't matter at all.

[TuxXin]

I'm not running compiz or compositing. I don't think I even have compositing enabled in my xorg.conf. I was just saying that it would be a nightmare to play with KDE + compiz.

[i92guboj]

I'm not running compiz or compositing. I don't think I even have compositing enabled in my xorg.conf. I was just saying that it would be a nightmare to play with KDE + compiz.

XFCE enables effect by default, if you see transparent windows (real transparency) then you have compositing enabled. And that would explain the framerate difference between xfce and fluxbox. That's why I spoke about compositing.

[TuxXin]

It also depends on the distro you use. For me compositing was disabled by default. It doesn't even show up in the Xfce setting menu unless I change up my xorg.conf. I'm not sure why there would be such a large difference. I was only expecting a minor increase. It might be that I had absolutely nothing running. I just installed fluxbox, and I didn't even have desktop icons yet, while I have been using xfce for sometime now.

ImageShack - Hosting :: sswindowmanagertweaksai2.jpg

[i92guboj]

I see, strange thing. Maybe something was stressing your cpu.