SC2 Artifacting

Scráib

Hi all,

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this as all the other threads seem more related to the game rather than anyting technical but sure here goes...

Ever since I installed SC2 on my PC it starts artifacting during gameplay. Sometimes I can play for hours and not get it, and other times it comes after 10 minutes. It's really annoying. I've been from forum to forum on this and there seems to be no one answer to this. Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibUcO4hVqRo

The most common answer is that the GPU is dying, but I installed a new GPU just yesterday (NVidea 560Ti) and it started artifacting during play. That's a brand new card that went in. I checked the temps and the CPU is running at 30'celsius while the GPU is running at 32'celsius.

Has anyone come accross this one before? It's a pain in the head as I love the game but I'm getting nowhere with it. I'm not sure if it's windows, the NVidea drivers or a SC2 bug.

Any help will be rewarded by a cheque for a million euro*!

(*: Note, may be a lie.)

Lafortezza

Have you tried adjusting all your gfx\resolution\detail options?
Weird that it's only in the game screen not the overlay across the bottom of the screen. Any issues with other software or games?

Scráib

I haven't adjusted the grahics settings down yet, but since I've had the problem with two graphics cards and with the side off the case the whole time to allow for better cooling to boot I'm not sure if that'll help.

I have Skyrim, and since that has to be a heavier game on the GPU I'll launch into that and keep an eye on the GPU/CPU temps after a few hours of play. I'll have to check the GPU temp mid game too as I only installed a GPU monitor there last night.

One thing I noticed on the forums I visited is that Starcraft 2 seems to be notorious for these kinds of bugs and there are loads of different solutions available. Hopefully one of them will fix the problem.

RoyalMarine

edit your sc2 variable file and set a max fps limit

Scráib

I set the max FPS limit. I played for 40 minutes last moght with no problems but the GPU temp was a bit erratic. It would stay at 60'C, and then rocket up to 80'C plus occasionally.

While I'm still not convinced about the problem being fixed here's what I've done in case anyone else on here has an issue in future:

- Literally taken the side off of the case to allow for the best vetination possible
- Set a max FPS limit of 60 in the SC2 variables.txt file
- Turned shader settings down from 'Ultra' to 'High' (apparently there was a bug with this)
- Reinstalled the NVidea drivers

It definitely looks like the GPU is simpy being overheated but why is a bit of a mystery since the card defaulted to high settings when I installed it which I would assume means it should be able to handle the load of Starcraft and I've been playing with only three sides to the case for weeks now so there can't be a ventilation problem.

Arciphel

Quick question - does it happen typically just before a big engagement? Like two big death balls attack-moving into each other? I sometimes have similar issues.

Scráib

It tends to happen like that alright, when I have lots of units out and there's a big battle happening.

It also completely crashes my PC though. As in when the artifacting starts the game will crash & the PC bluescreen about 30 seconds later so I think it might be a driver problem causing the overheating.

I'm grasping at straws here for causes & solutions, all I know is that it's a royal pain in the... um, am I allowed to swear!?

Kirby

Scráib wrote: »

all I know is that it's a royal pain in the... um, am I allowed to swear!?

Royal pain in the toss will do fine.

CluEleSs!?

Just listen to this while it happens and it'll all seem normal:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8s-LapyHHow