Some HDD access Data during WoW

[Sam DeathWalker]

Im using DiskMon from system internals.

During a busy time in org you can expect to do 100 reads in a second (thats kinda on the top side) with 40 bytes being the average data in each read. This is after you have been sitting in the same spot for awhile and have stabilized, just new people comeing in and out of view.

Thats a 10ms each time with only a 4K/sec transfer rate (ya 4 K /notM/ a sec ....).

Using Raptor Drives and same motherboard/cpu on each:

All tests in Org during Prime Time Ping about 37/258 to 92/370.




Spin / Fly around Test (all about the same) Nvidia440 3GVideoRam 5 Clients (4 in background on lowest options); I play full screen 1920 X 1200.

5 Clients: Low Options: 13fps Ultra: 9fps

1 Client: Low Options: 27fps Ultra: 14fps (63/361 ms ping)



Spin / Fly Around / Stationary Test (all about the same) Nvidia460 1GVideoRam 5 Clients (4 in background on lowest options); I play full screen 1920 X 1200.

5 Clients: Low Options: 22fps Ultra: 14fps

1 Client: Low Options: 35fps Ultra: 19fps




In all tests there was no "lag" or "stuttering" even with the low frame rates. Even at 9fps it was very playable. I have previsly with worse system hardly been able to move in Org sometimes. Even when going from Valley of Strenght to the drag or to Wisdom there was no lag (cept the low fps).

One conclusion is that transfer rate is meaningless. (I.E. buss speed) with only 4K/sec of data being transfered (much more during loading no doubt though). And access times under 10ms seem to be not necessary (thats basically 2 velociraptors in raid zero). In fact its possible that having an access time less then your ping is useless.


Its also clear that the game will render a screen when missing textures, just not showing the characters whose textures it does not have. Even under the worst conditions it should take no longer then 1/2 second for a new character to be shown after you get data showing that the character is there. Sure is not clear how much time advantage you can gain with a superior system by seeing an enemy before it see's you, seems that ping time is going to overcome whatever disk access time you advantage you have.

I am assuimg that Titan Panel is properly reporting my FPS and Pings.


Looks like I am limited by my GPU power in these tests, but the difference from 5 clients to 1 client (and thus more avalible ram) does show increased FPS, showing that with 5 clients there is some ram issue. But lets see what others have to say. Keep in mind I stress my cards a lot less by playing in full screen without tiles. If you are using tiles and have max resolutions in your background clients you will need more then a nvidia460 to even get these poor frame rates.