PSU: Tree-related slowdown...?

[Saphion]

Hello!

Being a fan of the Phantasy Star series and being an impatient sod, I recently imported Phantasy Star Universe from Japan.
The game runs fantastic, even at 1280x1024 and the specs at full.

HOWEVER.

For some reason I just can't understand, there are two areas which cause MASSIVE slowdown making the game just about unplayable, and they both feature trees.

The reason I know it's the trees is because the game only slows down while the camera is looking at them - look elsewhere and it's fine again! I've tried minimising the specs (clipping et all) but to no avail, in fact the only size it runs at a decent speed is 640x480, but the window is so small it makes my eyes bleed (not really, but it feels like it!).

Does anyone know what it is about the trees that makes the game run so slow, and if there is anything I can do to fix it?
I'll post some screenshots of the trees in question if it'll help.

http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/4471/psu20061002001038001cc2.th.png (http://img501.imageshack.us/my.php?image=psu20061002001038001cc2.png)

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/9071/psu20061002001834002hm8.th.png (http://img522.imageshack.us/my.php?image=psu20061002001834002hm8.png)

As you can see, they're basically just a bunch of flat textures. Also, it seems worse the further away they are, if I get up really close to them it becomes fine again.

And here are my specs:

------------------
System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 9/30/2006, 12:30:33
Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp.050622-1524)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Dell Inc.
System Model: Dell DM051
BIOS: Phoenix ROM BIOS PLUS Version 1.10 A04
Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.00GHz (2 CPUs)
Memory: 1022MB RAM
Page File: 342MB used, 2116MB available
Windows Dir: C:WINDOWS
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
DxDiag Version: 5.03.2600.2180 32bit Unicode

------------
DxDiag Notes
------------
DirectX Files Tab: No problems found.
Display Tab 1: No problems found.
Sound Tab 1: No problems found.
Sound Tab 2: No problems found.
Music Tab: No problems found.
Input Tab: No problems found.
Network Tab: No problems found.

--------------------
DirectX Debug Levels
--------------------
Direct3D: 0/4 (n/a)
DirectDraw: 0/4 (retail)
DirectInput: 0/5 (n/a)
DirectMusic: 0/5 (n/a)
DirectPlay: 0/9 (retail)
DirectSound: 0/5 (retail)
DirectShow: 0/6 (retail)

---------------
Display Devices
---------------
Card name: RADEON X600 Series
Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.
Chip type: RADEON X600 (0x5B62)
DAC type: Internal DAC(400MHz)
Device Key: EnumPCIVEN_1002&DEV_5B62&SUBSYS_06021002&REV_00
Display Memory: 256.0 MB
Current Mode: 1280 x 1024 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor: Plug and Play Monitor
Monitor Max Res: 1600,1200
Driver Name: ati2dvag.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.6635 (English)
DDI Version: 9 (or higher)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 8/23/2006 02:53:30, 260096 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
VDD: n/a
Mini VDD: ati2mtag.sys
Mini VDD Date: 8/23/2006 02:53:14, 1723904 bytes
Device Identifier: {D7B71EE2-1822-11CF-596A-0826A1C2CB35}
Vendor ID: 0x1002
Device ID: 0x5B62
SubSys ID: 0x06021002
Revision ID: 0x0000
Revision ID: 0x0000
Video Accel: ModeMPEG2_C ModeMPEG2_D ModeWMV8_B ModeWMV8_A ModeWMV9_B ModeWMV9_A
Deinterlace Caps: {6E8329FF-B642-418B-BCF0-BCB6591E255F}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,1) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
{552C0DAD-CCBC-420B-83C8-74943CF9F1A6}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,2) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{6E8329FF-B642-418B-BCF0-BCB6591E255F}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,1) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
Registry: OK
DDraw Status: Enabled
D3D Status: Enabled
AGP Status: Enabled
DDraw Test Result: Not run
D3D7 Test Result: Not run
D3D8 Test Result: Not run
D3D9 Test Result: Not run

I should probably point out that my PC skills are less than adequate.

Thanks in advance!

~ Saphion

[VioletSkye]

What happens if you slide OBJECTS & SCENES clipping all the way to the left?

[Saphion]

There's a very slight improvement at 800x600, but at 1024x768 upwards it's same ol' same ol'.

It's weird - it's just those trees that cause slowdown. It doesn't happen anywhere else in the entire game.

[Ryna]

I think you misunderstood VioletSkye. He wants you to adjust the graphics settings on the configuration menu. Look at the second screenshot in this guide to see where those settings are:
http://www.pso-world.com/sections.php?op=viewarticle&artid=2432

[Saphion]

Sorry - I must have worded that wrong, my bad.

What I meant to say was, that even with the objects & scenes clipping all the way to the left, there's a slight improvement over what it was when the game is run at 800x600, but 1024x768 and upwards it doesn't make any difference at all.

Sorry!

Thanks for the help anyway - I think my best bet is to wait out for the english version to come out and see what that's like, and if it still runs slow I'll upgrade my video card.

[Ryna]

I doubt the English version will run any better on your system than the Japanese version. Have you tried lowering the values for "Level of Detail"? Also, what happens when you set the overall settings to "Low"?

[Saphion]

No difference at all - I've messed around with all the settings and the only thing that makes a difference is setting the clipping for SCENES down to the lowest, but the difference that makes is too minimal to really count.

Mind you, one of the benefits of the english version being released is that there might be some sort of SEGA PSU technical support to help (as at the moment, it's only available in Japanese). Still, it's an excuse to get a better video card! http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wink.gif

[Ryna]

When I'm playing the game on my laptop, I can only get it running at a decent speed by putting the graphics settings on the lowest. Even then, I always run into slowdown when I walk around large areas. I'm usually able to temporarily remedy the problem by pointing the camera down so it looks at the ground. In a fighting situation, I rotate the camera to look at a close-by wall and fight using the radar.