So the first major content patch... is zombies?

My computer was built this year in 2012 I just built it w

It won't make a colossal difference but it will make your FPS smoother and render engine priority faster than before. -M

Backstory: If your like me then your a gamer. You like games, be it WoW, Skyrim, Minecraft, Everquest and even Star Wars! The issue you are probably having is not quite FPS lag, but its not quite internet lag... its just game lag. You cannot explain it and everyone keeps telling you the same thing. So whats the issue? The Issue?: The issue is actual a little more complex than you might think it is. Mind you, this is from reverse engineering, packet logging, data logging and thread monitoring. Its from reverse assembly and core chunking and tuning to try and set the affinity process to make it crash so I could find entry points for debugging. Sorry BIOWARE but I have yet to see any official announcement so I stepped up to help alleviate it. The issue is caused by the rendering engine by the "HeroEngine". Do not get me wrong, the Hero Engine is an advanced beast and piece of software. The game itself is using a module based load ontop of the Hero Source. Its still unclear if SWTOR is using a ontop of system or its hardcoded into the Hero Source, but gathering that I can crash the UI element and it not have to reload the entire engine from scratch just re render the threadID I am going to go ahead and say that its module based. (Think UNITY for those game makers out there). The actual problem relies with passing information between both the game server and the client. From the clients OK and authorization back to the GPU and then to your screen. Whats happening is a bit of induced lag to ensure that its chunk updates at the same time the server does. Whats actually happening is SW and the Server are trying to talk in real time instead of saying "Hey this is what I am doing" and waiting for a ping back its "Hey I want to do this cool? (server replies) cool." Whats actually happening is that this, "Hey I want to do this, server replies with OK, server says go ahead, wait.. nevermind, You say I did it, then the server says, ok well you did it then, but were not starting the animation frames because your talking to us again." Basically you start to QUE up a stack and catch up, then slow down, then catch up. The Launcher is staying loaded in the background as the launcher is your AUTH system. Without it the SWTOR engine will not load or start as the entry bytes require that the PID (process ID) is loaded in the memory. The SWTOR game engine or the Render Engine talks through the Launcher for all of its activities. Because of this your system talks to itself causing internal confusion. SWTOR.exe ->SWTOR.EXE->SERVER->SWTOR.EXE->SWTOR.EXE. Because of this the thread count is doubling for no reason. Your system may be clogging itself. Ok enough jabbering you want the fix right? The FIX! ** Everyones computer is different. Everyone has there own set of rules custom loaded from the manufacturer and/or the computer owner. Your computer may become unstable. You assume ALL responsibility and cannot blame me nor hold me against any action you do. You are NOT overclocking your machine, however you will be adjusting the core's reaction to SWTOR and force it to treat it as an application that MUST be run as best as possible. ** STEP 1 : *Setting all the SWOR files as "ADMIN"* Right Click SWTOR short-cut on Desktop Select Properties Select "Shortcut" tab Click on OPEN FILE LOCATION [1] One new window will open up. You will see "Launcher.exe" highlighted Right-Click and Select Properties Click on "Compatability" tab Check the box [X] Run as Administrator Click "APPLY" Click "OK" You should be looking at the Launcher.EXE file being highlighted again, find the folder 'swtor' Open this folder Click on 'retailclient' and open this folder Right-Click on SWTOR.EXE and select properties Select Compatability then check the box for Run as Administrator as you did with the launcher APPLY Click ok OK Step 2: Run SWTOR -Open SWTOR and allow it to run/patch as needed. Login as needed. When you are at the Character Selection Screen move onto Step 3. DO NOT enter the game. **If you are not staring at the character selection screen, you must login to the client and wait until you are at this screen. DO NOT enter the game. Step 3: Core Altering! While in the game you are going to need to escape from the game without closing the actual thread. How this is done is Hold ALT (button next to Spacebar) and tapping TAB (button above CAPS LOCK). This will put SWTOR into the background. Next Follow this simple set of directions: Click the Windows Start Button If you are Windows 7 start typing "taskmgr", If you are Windows Vista you must click SEARCH and type "taskmgr" You will see the TASK MANAGER icon or TASKMGR.EXE, RightClick and Select RUN AS ADMINISTRATOR *** IMPORTANT *** If you are NOT running TASKMGR as ADMIN this will do NOTHING! Task Manager will open up. You will see a few tabs up top such as "Processes, Programs, Resources" Click on the "Processes" tab Click where it says "Image Name" or "Process Name" which will sort your list alphabetically. You will come across (2) TWO open programs known as "swtor" *32.exe running. One is a larger size than the other. On the smaller size one, Right Click, Hover over "Set Priority" and select "HIGH" On the Larger one repeat this process **YOU MUST SELECT THE SMALLER ONE FIRST IN THIS PROCESS** Now that both are on highest, select the smaller of the two again and Right Click, this time Select Set Affinity. If all the boxes are checked, your good to go. Repeat this for the Larger one AFTER you have updated the smaller one. Alt + Tab back into the game. Enjoy the smoother gameplay. You may have to accomplish this everytime you load up SWTOR, it depends on how your system is set up. -M

Make sure that if your using a multi-core system that all your cores are rendering starwars properly. The HeroEngine likes to set the thread process really low for some reason so adjusting your thread count/rate/response will also increase your ability for FPS.

Wrong, Hardcoded means the code is not a module based set. This means creating a recursive code that scrubs the system, or an underlying layer. Example we would get an API because the UI is hardcoded into the system so if we don't use the API the hardcoded UI which is hardcoded into the original project files would be loaded. WoW is not a "flexible UI" its a UI that is hardcoded in C and has an API which is coded as a modular system in LUA.

You sir win the internet stupidity of the day from me. There is no justification from your clause saying that an ADDON or a MACRO is a hack. You apparently do not program nor do you know anything about the way that basic computing works outside of the movie hackers and die hard. Please uninstall windows and go outside. I am going to explain to you how a hack, an addon and a macro differ before you hit the reply button and make yourself look even more retarded. 1. A hack is creating a section of code, or a strapped configuration, or anything that piggy backs or attempts to do unauthorized code, a work around for code, a incomplete code or a code cave in the attempts to create a subversion to a system protecting the action or a replication of moving code to a code cave causing a clash in what the code is doing and what the debugged return is. Example: $a = '2' + '2'; print $a. The hack would be, str_replace(2, 3); print $a which returns 6. Thats a hack. 2. An addon is simply the addition to compliment or complete code modules. In this example, the API calls for time(DD:MM::YYYY), if I call the code API, time(DD) it will just print the day, if I use an API time(DD::YY); trim(2::2(2)) it would return DAY 12. An addon allows me to parse the information sent by the game client in any customizable fashion that I want, be it timers, games, action bars, flashies, clickies, pictures, bags, maps, large text, DBM, combat parsing. ALL of them are numbers that I am parsing to how I want. 3. Macros are just the use of ingame mechanics being simplified: Ok let me try to get this forward to people that just are not grasping the concept of AddOn's and Macros. After reading and reading again and again it seems that people are arguing over AddOn's giving some sort of advantage over other players. The same goes for Macro systems. It doesn't not in any way possible. Here is why. First off, an addon does not change the code of the game. An addon is just that an additional online set of rules that your computer is going to follow to parse data. If your not understanding what I am talking about compare it to this: Lets say you get a check in the mail for 100$. You go to the bank and deposit this check and now your account balance is 100$. You check the primary source of information which would be the teller or ATM. It says, guess what.. you have 100$. Now lets say you download an application for your phone which links and "adds onto" the already existing bank account that has 100$. When you use that addon to your bank account its going to show you that you have guess what. 100$. But its not going to show you on something that spits out money, no instead its going to show you that you have 100$ on your phone. Because you didn't change anything, that doesn't mean you have 100$ extra on your phone and the original has 100$. Its a way to change out the standard view and make it easier for you to get the information that you want. Now for Macros, how do macro's simplify life. Lets say you want a statement every time you send 10$. You have to click through 5 different buttons to get the desired response to get it. If you macro the end result, or the rotation of clicking buttons that automation of repetition is still done, but in a faster fashion of not having to go through the monotonous steps. Lets say when you get to 40$ you want to send an email, the script could be something like Code: if($money = "$[money]" . < '40' && > float(0.01)); { do action } else {do this action} The psuedo code above is read if your money is less than 40 and greater than 1 penny do this action. In the example above lets say I want to send a text message to remind me to deposit money. What just happened? Did I cheat the system or was I systematically smart by automating the balance of my checkbook by Macroing it into my current rotation of spending? Point being, all addons and macro's use the defined scope of programming that the development allows. If its in the game and can be used through the game its accessible through the use of UI/Macro enhancements, someone wouldn't be allowed to create a program to automate trade.. thats called a BOT which is what 90% of this forum is apparently thinking when they hear the word "ADDON" [-M] Basically shut up unless you know what your talking about.

Ok let me try to get this forward to people that just are not grasping the concept of AddOn's and Macros. After reading and reading again and again it seems that people are arguing over AddOn's giving some sort of advantage over other players. The same goes for Macro systems. It doesn't not in any way possible. Here is why. First off, an addon does not change the code of the game. An addon is just that an additional online set of rules that your computer is going to follow to parse data. If your not understanding what I am talking about compare it to this: Lets say you get a check in the mail for 100$. You go to the bank and deposit this check and now your account balance is 100$. You check the primary source of information which would be the teller or ATM. It says, guess what.. you have 100$. Now lets say you download an application for your phone which links and "adds onto" the already existing bank account that has 100$. When you use that addon to your bank account its going to show you that you have guess what. 100$. But its not going to show you on something that spits out money, no instead its going to show you that you have 100$ on your phone. Because you didn't change anything, that doesn't mean you have 100$ extra on your phone and the original has 100$. Its a way to change out the standard view and make it easier for you to get the information that you want. Now for Macros, how do macro's simplify life. Lets say you want a statement every time you send 10$. You have to click through 5 different buttons to get the desired response to get it. If you macro the end result, or the rotation of clicking buttons that automation of repetition is still done, but in a faster fashion of not having to go through the monotonous steps. Lets say when you get to 40$ you want to send an email, the script could be something like if($money = "$[money]" . < '40' && > float(0.01)); { do action } else {do this action} The psuedo code above is read if your money is less than 40 and greater than 1 penny do this action. In the example above lets say I want to send a text message to remind me to deposit money. What just happened? Did I cheat the system or was I systematically smart by automating the balance of my checkbook by Macroing it into my current rotation of spending? Point being, all addons and macro's use the defined scope of programming that the development allows. If its in the game and can be used through the game its accessible through the use of UI/Macro enhancements, someone wouldn't be allowed to create a program to automate trade.. thats called a BOT which is what 90% of this forum is apparently thinking when they hear the word "ADDON" [-M]

As a programmer I will answer this post. :-) I make addon's for WoW. I actually am the author of several which are used by many on Curse. I will not name them as I do not want to be bombarded by PM's here asking when they will get converted to SW when the time comes. The way things work as an addon is not an advantage. It's a way to simply the way you do things already. Heres an example. Lets say that I need you to go to the store. This is your quest. I tell you and another person. What would you do? Hop in your car? Go to the store. Simple right? What are the steps? Go to your car, insert the key and start the engine, go to the store. Now lets look at an addons perspective. This person has the "Remote Start Mod". Is that an advantage? No, its a luxury. What it does is start the car for you ahead of time. It turns on the heat or AC for you, puts on some Jams, but gives you "0" advantage in getting to the store. It does not make your car faster. (in sake of prewarming the engine). It does not supercharge your car, no does it give you the ability to blow people up, or speed through speed traps. You still have to put the key in the cars ignition, and you still have to drive it. Thats how an addon works. DBM takes the luxury of notifying you of important events that are already notified to you, or are happening. Its triggered by watching the combat log for you and letting you know when the boss is casting xxx or he hit xxx health. It puts a count down bar saying when he will enrage... you can mimic the effect by setting an egg timer.. so there is no advantage. Decursive was the only advantage gainer back when the system was young. Thats not how addon's are supposed to be, that was more of a MOD/Hack than anything, but it fell under the addon system because it was an addon that was programmed in LUA (the programming language). DPS meters are not an advantage, DBM is not an advantage. Healbot is not an advantage, you can mimic Healbot by binding keys, making your UI smaller and click/Macro making. Its not hard. -Mayple (BTW I AM FOR) I hate where the map is. Me personally I like to see the minimap in the middle or top right. I hate that SW tried to put the unitframes on the bottom, as it forces you to look down which forces a click/castesque enviroment.