Which computer component upgrade will enhance my SoR performance the most?

[xmojo]

I have a reasonably decently-specced PC which runs SoR pretty well. I'm not looking to replace the PC with a new-generation screamer, but I can upgrade certain components within the limitations of the motherboard. I've listed the components that I can upgrade which I think will improve SoR performance, but in your humble opinion, which single component upgrade will give the most improvement to SoR?

1. CPU: currently have an Athlon64 3000+ socket 939, can upgrade to an Athlon64 x2 4600+ (dual-core)

2. Memory: currently have 1GB dual-channel memory, can double that to 2GB

3. Graphics card: currently have ATI Radeon 9600XT 128MB AGP, motherboard can support up to GeForce 6800 GS 256MB AGP (256/512MB memory) or Radeon X850 XT 256MB AGP

4. Broadband connection: currently have 2Mbps connection, can upgrade to 3.5Mbps connection

[totnkopf]

graphics and memory are the biggies. I have 2 gigs of ram and SoR uses nearly all of it. the graphics card helps with the graphics (obviously).

SoR tends to be extremely hard on any system... it just tends to be better looking on the new ones

[rushin]

yeps, get the memory definetly, only £40 or so for a gig of decent ram so you should be able to sneak in a new gfx card too, much cheaper and more worthwhile than the cpu

[kibsword]

Graphics then RAM I think here. With RAM, be careful to ensure both sticks of RAM are compatible.

My ATI x800xl Graphics card runs supreme with Ryzom and 2Gb of RAM on a AMD64 3800+, the processor you shouldn't need unless you plan on doing lots of things at once, dual screening etc.

[magick1]

More RAM is nice, but I have never seen SoR use more than around 700MB (all at max).
If you do upgrade that, make sure it works with your current RAM (same timeings etc.). Best bet is to buy exactly the same ones that you have.
Also check how you motherboard/CPU handles 2*dual channel (4 sticks), some don't handle it well and you have to lower the speed on the RAM or change the timeing.

The graphics card is what I would change though, it gives you better options at anti-alias, more details and higher resolution/FPS.

A CPU upgrade might be good as well, but unless you have to run two appliciations at full load, you are better off with a single core (cheaper too).

[khyle]

More RAM is nice, but I have never seen SoR use more than around 700MB (all at max).

True, the task manager says SoR uses about that much, but when I recently upgraded from 1GB (dual channel) to 2GB (dito), loading times were almost halved. Before the upgrade, it took about 2:45 to start from character selection to Atys, now it loads in under 1:30. In-game (zoning) loading times are shorter, too, but not as much, but the frequent lags when moving around (presumably from loading/sawapping textures) have almost vanished.
There are still "lags" of several seconds when for example I am crafting or digging for a while, not moving, and then try to turn around, I almost always have to wait in the range of tens of seconds before my view gets updated - it feels as if this had become worse with one of the latest patches (500?), so is probably more related to the game engine than to system setup...

I'd go for RAM first, graphics card next, and if you still have money to burn, then maybe consider a faster CPU - can't comment on the influence of cache sizes, but I think a dual core processor is most certainly not worth it (at least not for playing games).

PS.: Also with more RAM, it's easily possible to have other apps running in parallel - I hated it swapping started because I had my web browser active... no more swap activity now

[geezas]

If you have some money left investing in a fast HD can up your performance a bit to. I've found that a faster disk makes loading times shorter.

[ajsuk]

More RAM is nice, but I have never seen SoR use more than around 700MB (all at max).

Yeah, don't forget it uses paging file too though. So the more RAM the better really when it can use up the best part of 2gigs given the chance, as morg says.

In my exp as far as RAM goes with Ryzom:
512MB = Poor, slow & crash happy.
1gig = Good improvment over 512, alot less crashing and bit better loading times.
2gig = What you really want to run Ryzom well, great loading times, and no crashing.
2gig+ Is great if you have the money to spend but I'd sy 2gig is what you should really aim for, or 1gig at least to enjoy the game at all.

If you have some money left investing in a fast HD can up your performance a bit to. I've found that a faster disk makes loading times shorter.

This is also something I've been wondering about, will have to try one of those new Raptor drives at some point, I'm waiting for them to get a little larger and cheaper first though. If anyone happens to have one already with their OS and Ryzom running on it I'd be interested in some feedback.

[geezas]

This is also something I've been wondering about, will have to try one of those new Raptor drives at some point, I'm waiting for them to get a little larger and cheaper first though. If anyone happens to have one already with their OS and Ryzom running on it I'd be interested in some feedback.

It's faster, can't tell for how much but startup is faster and loading after TPing is faster. Can't say by how much exactly cause it varies (the TPing anyway) but startup is 10 seconds faster then on my old gaming rig.

I'm using a raptor btw

[totnkopf]

This is also something I've been wondering about, will have to try one of those new Raptor drives at some point, I'm waiting for them to get a little larger and cheaper first though. If anyone happens to have one already with their OS and Ryzom running on it I'd be interested in some feedback.

they're great. Loading times are shorter, etc. Not as large a difference as say a new graphics card, but its nice to not have to wait 20 mins when TPing into Zora.
10k RPM 40 gig Raptor drive