Counter Strike Source Loading Times

Associate
Joined
7 Nov 2005
Posts
48
Location
Leeds
Hi.

I have recently purchased a Western Digital Raptor 36GB and rebuilt my system. Unfortunately I've misplaced my Half Life 2 DVD so I let Steam download Counter Strike Source and install that.

However, I have noticed both with this install and the last install I did on my old HD from Steam that after CSS loads, then connects to a server, the time it takes to connect and the time it takes to change maps seems to be a lot higher than when CSS is installed off of the official DVD.

Has anyone else noticed this?

I have also noticed that installing from Steam, everything goes under C:\Program Files\Steam but when done from the disc everything goes under C:\Program Files\Valve.

I tried to install the Nextwish buy script and it couldn't find a file called Platform.gcf so I created an empty file and gave it the right name and it installed fine. That also struck me as odd as I never had that problem when I installed CSS from the disc.

I've done the Steam file verification thing which reports no errors.

My system details are in my signiture and my PC is hard wired into a Netgear WGT624 and then to a Telewest Motorola Surfboard on the end of a 4MB cable line.

Any ideas anyone?

Thanks.
 
Associate
Joined
18 Sep 2003
Posts
1,701
Location
London
i get a little bit annoyed by the loading times, but i find they change for the different servers, but hey, it doesnt matter when you are in the game soed it?
 
Soldato
Joined
19 Oct 2005
Posts
10,465
Location
Kernow
Did you post on steam forum aswell, i saw a post like this on there.

I updated my hard drive and i dont notice anything wrong. Maybe you were expecting too much of the raptor.
 
Associate
OP
Joined
7 Nov 2005
Posts
48
Location
Leeds
I've read threads on various forums and people who use Raptor's generally say they are always first on a server. Since download CSS from Steam, the loading times have definately increased. I've no idea why, maybe it's something to do with the installation path which is unlikely but the installs are obviously different due to the lack of the Platform.gcf file I mentioned.

I'm going to borrow the Half Life 2 disc off of a m8 and I'll install it with my product key and see what the difference is. Definately a strange one though.
 
Soldato
Joined
29 Dec 2003
Posts
3,950
Location
UK
Not quite the same thing, but with my new opteron rig when I quit CSS or any source mod it takes about 2 minutes to get back to my desktop ?? :confused:

Anybody else have that ?
 
Soldato
Joined
17 Aug 2003
Posts
20,158
Location
Woburn Sand Dunes
AP0ll0UK said:
I've read threads on various forums and people who use Raptor's generally say they are always first on a server. Since download CSS from Steam, the loading times have definately increased. I've no idea why, maybe it's something to do with the installation path which is unlikely but the installs are obviously different due to the lack of the Platform.gcf file I mentioned.

I'm going to borrow the Half Life 2 disc off of a m8 and I'll install it with my product key and see what the difference is. Definately a strange one though.


your not the only one actually. I'f noticed a perculiar problem with mine as well. it will tell me its downloading the custom maps from a server that i already have. That can increase loading times no end. That's with a dvd install aswell, mine werent downloaded.

Devious said:
Not quite the same thing, but with my new opteron rig when I quit CSS or any source mod it takes about 2 minutes to get back to my desktop ?? :confused:

Anybody else have that ?

Yup get that too. Get's worse the long i've been playing css. Seem's like css is using a crap load of memory. If i alt tab and bring the task manager up quick enough, memopry usage is well over 500mb before it quickly halfs. Must a memory leakage in the code or something.
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Dec 2004
Posts
6,568
Location
London/Kent
Hmmm, I get this too. Even with my RAID I've noticed it's becoming increasingly slower. I know for a fact it's not my HDU because COD2 loads just fine - first on map however, despite being one of the first on CSS or DOD:S, it's never the same and hasn't been for a while now. I even tried using a specified heapsize of a whole 1GB of my 2GB but still it's slow. Apparently though there are some switches you can use to reduce this, I just don't happen to know them :(. It also varies drastically server to server. Retrieving server info of whatever and parsing game info - the worst things ever hving to sit through those.
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Dec 2004
Posts
6,568
Location
London/Kent
Stellios said:
takes about double what it used to for me, i get annoyed with it ocassionally but then i remember how long BF2 takes :o
Where do you lot play? I want to get back playing CSS after my year long stint in DOD, DOD:S and CoD2 (sorry for going off topic). I am in (or should I say was) a clan called [AG]. Then the summer came and it kinda all went to pot and I just gave up and played DOD. Might give them a contact after my exams to get playng again and I need some praccy.
 
Back
Top Bottom