Would using SLI (2 GPUs) Benefit in EQ2?

[Netzoko]

Question here for the techys. Would EQ2 benefit from using 2 nVidia 8800 Ultras rather than 1? I have two of them, but some games run better using just one. Would enabling SLI help performance in EQ2? Or just hurt it?

[Netzoko]

Well, I just tried it, EQ2 froze when I tried to log in.Is anyone able to get SLI to work with nVida 8800 ultras?

[Visual]

Don't do it, you will get better performance with using one card rather than two.I forget which threads I read them in but it might have been in the stickies for EQ2 at the top of this page:<a href="http://forums.nvidia.com/index.php?s=d213bc8ed0ac85c3c598db8177451d9e&showforum=19" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://forums.nvidia.com/index.php?...mp;showforum=19</a>regardless, the eq2 engine is old and I wish they would update it to benefit the CPUs of the present and not that of the P4 HT ones =(

[willnotuse]

SLI doesn't really affect the performance of this game.  It also has issues with some older games like Vampire.  I would suggest that unless you need SLI for a specific game other than EQ2 that you should sell the extra video card and instead upgrade another part of your system.  The CPU, faster HDD, etc.

[Zichius]

<p>Hi all,</p><p>just want to share other tests i did:</p><p>Install any graphics utility to monitor your GPU core temperature. (Nvidia monitor, Atitool or whatever you desire).</p><p>Now start a stress utility for the GPU (Atittool has one built in).</p><p>You will see that the Core temp will rise a LOT, using 100% GPU con raise temp to 85-90°C.</p><p>This to let all understand that every CPU load can be tested by monitoring his temperature.</p><p>Well at this point here what i see:</p><p>I have a 8800 Ultra that in stand-by, room temp 22°C , is about 68-70°C.</p><p>After 8 hours of eq2 1920x1200 all maxed out GPU temp is less than 75° C. So basically i can assume that GPU load is not more than 15-20% !!!</p><p>This is another proof of the thing that EQ2 USES CPU ONLY !</p><p>EVERY 8000 series nvidia GPU is overpowered for running eq2 !</p><p>Just my 0.01Euro</p>

[infy567]

No. EQ2 is compatible with, but not written for SLI or Dual-Core CPUS.I have two Nvidia 8800 GTS cards in SLI mode. There is no performance difference between single or dual mode. Even with drivers specifically tailored around EQ2 settings, there is absolutely no performance difference between it.Biggest problem is that EQ2's rendering engine is out-dated. It still uses much of the CPU to render things like shadows and geometry, rather than allowing the GPU to handle load.I think nobody will be able to play EQ2 in 100% everything on mode until CPUS get up over 10 gig.Of course, SOE could spend some money and fix the engine, but I knowing SOE's track record (been gaming a long time), you can just forget it.

[Dark_Grue]

<cite>Zichius wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>I have a 8800 Ultra that in stand-by, room temp 22°C , is about 68-70°C.</p><p>After 8 hours of eq2 1920x1200 all maxed out GPU temp is less than 75° C. So basically i can assume that GPU load is not more than 15-20% !!!</p><p>This is another proof of the thing that EQ2 USES CPU ONLY !</p><p>EVERY 8000 series nvidia GPU is overpowered for running eq2 !</p></blockquote><p>What...?!? <img src="http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/images/smilies/385970365b8ed7503b4294502a458efa.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" width="15" height="15" /> No, are you insane, or what?</p><p>Listen, your testing methods are invalid and your conclusions aren't justified. Processor heat dissapation isn't even close to being linearly related to load! Relating a stress-test tool to a real-world application is so many different flavors of wrong, I don't even know where to start. If I used your same logic, the fact that EQ2 doesn't <i>constantly</i> run the CPU at 100% means that it is wasting processor cycles, <b>OMG every CPU is overpowered for running EQ2</b>! Good grief...</p><p>Besides, you didn't even answer the question. The discussion is "Would EQ2 benefit from using 2 nVidia 8800 Ultras rather than 1?". The answer, as it currently stands, is that even theoretically that it wouldn't benefit significantly until you started working at higer resolutions and AA/AF settings. EQ2 is remarkably CPU-bound, so you'd hit other performance limits well in advance of any benefits. </p><p>Practically-speaking, differences in driver, hardware, and firmware implementations also make just getting SLI working at all difficult, and EQ2 is well-known for not working well (or at all) with SLI turned on. Cost and headaches involved strongly warn against attempting it.</p>

[thyriel81]

even if it would work right in SLI you would have no perfomance increase at all. All the things lowering fps under 50 are things done on CPU like shadows, water, some spell effect things and like that. On everything turned on max its not even heating nowadays middle priced graphic cards but would not get enough of 2000$ CPUs...