How to dial down the CPU usage of the game?

[shaosc3]

First, I'm become a huge fan of the game. Finally something different from Civ and I think it's heading toward the right direction. I'd rather have a deep game with tedious micromanagement than a streamlined shallow game, because the prior is fixable but not the latter. This game rocks especially with playing with the Anno soundtrack.

Now onto the main topic....

My problem is that this game often puts my CPU to roughly 95 degrees C (GPU stays around 65 degrees). I'm playing on a gaming laptop with Nvidia 4080, and it can run Cyberpunk with full path tracing max resolution, with CPU only around 80 degrees C.

However, after playing the game last night, my laptop's microphone stopped functioning and I couldn't detect it under "Devices" anymore. The overheating probably burned it out. That's alright, this game is worth it, even at its current state.

Is there anyway to lower CPU usage of my game?? I tried to lower FPS, but it doesn't do much. I suspect it may have to do with the simulation of all the little people walking around.

[hannibal_pjv]

Use smaller map, use less AI civilizations.

[martinolund]

Search the internet. Perhaps the phrase: how to throttle the cpu in windows 11
or perhaps: how to temperature throttle my windows 11 laptop

[MedjayBowman]

Hey, shaosc3. Maybe you can try the steps in this thread under the Performance & Fan Optimization category: https://steamcommunity.com/app/2021880/discussions/0/4849903793440003620/

[mr_root]

Maybe you have the option to get your cpu on eco mode in your BIOS.
You may also try to lower CPU frequency in Bios or to disable Boost mechanics.
Check your CPU Cooler for dust.
Check your Laptop position for good air intake.
Edit: Go to Windows Energy settings, advanced, set CPU max power from 100 to 90 or 80.
Ingame options: Use Framelimiter, this will mostly reduce the GPU heat, but maybe it also helps a little bit.
Lower you room temperature ;)

Besides: Ara is finally using multicore properly, so this a good thing but can heat up your gear of course, but this should be made for exactly this. Most Games just use 1-4 Cores.
Modern CPUs are doing fine on 80 degrees, some Intel CPUs are specified even hotter. So which CPU are you talking about?

[Ara: History Untold]

Sorry to hear you're experiencing this issue.
Please try the following:

1. Lower your max resolution scaling to 0.8

2. Change the max framerate to say 60.

Thanks for posting- hope this helps a bit. Please let us know how it goes!

[mr_root]

Originally posted by Ara: History Untold:

Sorry to hear you're experiencing this issue.
Please try the following:

1. Lower your max resolution scaling to 0.8

2. Change the max framerate to say 60.

Thanks for posting- hope this helps a bit. Please let us know how it goes!

Sorry, but this wont help. These settings will reduce GPU usage, but not CPU.

[shaosc3]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions, including the developers themselves!

Unfortunately, with the exception of the following, I have also tried all of the suggestions mentioned here, on Day 1 when i noticed the game is driving up my CPU temp.
-Unlike in other games, lowering FPS from 60 to 30 only decreased temp by 0.5 degrees.
-Already undervolt my CPU.
-Lowering max resolution helped with GPU but not CPU.
-I'm already playing on small map.
-the day before Ara came out, I had a local laptop vendor puts on a new thermal paste and clean my fans.

What I haven't tried: Go to Windows Energy settings, advanced, set CPU max power from 100 to 90 or 80.

[shaosc3]

By the way, @developers, just want to thank you again for continuing to support this game, taking feedback from us players. Most importantly, thank you for taking the risk and deviate from the Civ formula.

I have revised my review of the game to a "Recommended".

[mr_root]

Originally posted by shaosc3:

Thanks everyone for your suggestions, including the developers themselves!

Unfortunately, with the exception of the following, I have also tried all of the suggestions mentioned here, on Day 1 when i noticed the game is driving up my CPU temp.
-Unlike in other games, lowering FPS from 60 to 30 only decreased temp by 0.5 degrees.
-Already undervolt my CPU.
-Lowering max resolution helped with GPU but not CPU.
-I'm already playing on small map.
-the day before Ara came out, I had a local laptop vendor puts on a new thermal paste and clean my fans.

What I haven't tried: Go to Windows Energy settings, advanced, set CPU max power from 100 to 90 or 80.

Still interested in your system specs, especially cpu model and vendor. Latest intel CPUs going extremely hot, so some AMD do also.

I redommend running Prime95 CPU Torture test and check the temps! If this also getting up to 100 degree it is either a design issue of your laptop or a defective device or a cpu that just is made for that temp. If not, there maybe issues with the game itself.

[mr_root]

If it is an intel check for bios update, and newest nvidia driver (guess you already have that one). check for latest chipset drivers along with the new bios.

[jer]

Originally posted by mr_root:

Prime95 CPU Torture test

I was curious about this as my system gets hot as well. I looked at it but it seems like there are more than one test that you can use. Any particulare thing I should look at?

Also, I can change the P-Core and E-Core. Does that have any affect?

Processor 13th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i9-13900H 2.60 GHz
Installed RAM 48.0 GB (47.6 GB usable)
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU GDDR6 8GB
System type 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor

[mr_root]

Originally posted by jer:

Originally posted by mr_root:

Prime95 CPU Torture test

I was curious about this as my system gets hot as well. I looked at it but it seems like there are more than one test that you can use. Any particulare thing I should look at?

Also, I can change the P-Core and E-Core. Does that have any affect?

Processor 13th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i9-13900H 2.60 GHz
Installed RAM 48.0 GB (47.6 GB usable)
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU GDDR6 8GB
System type 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor

For CPU go short FFTs this is the maximum stresslevel.
Number of Cores should be selectable on the next page. (normally all)

Besides you CPU is specified 100 degrees!
TJUNCTION 100°C
Max. Operatingtemperature 100 °C

Ara is very demanding in terms of GPU all the time, so GPU will be at 100% while gaming. Also I guess to simultanous round calculation and the huge count of small moving objects will use lots of CPU Power also, so your laptop will run on full power while gaming in both chips.

[jer]

Originally posted by mr_root:

Originally posted by jer:

I was curious about this as my system gets hot as well. I looked at it but it seems like there are more than one test that you can use. Any particulare thing I should look at?

Also, I can change the P-Core and E-Core. Does that have any affect?

Processor 13th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i9-13900H 2.60 GHz
Installed RAM 48.0 GB (47.6 GB usable)
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU GDDR6 8GB
System type 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor

For CPU go short FFTs this is the maximum stresslevel.
Number of Cores should be selectable on the next page. (normally all)
Besides you CPU is specified 100 degrees!

TJUNCTION 100°C
Max. Operatingtemperature 100 °C

Good info. Thank you.

[mr_root]

Originally posted by jer:

Originally posted by mr_root:

For CPU go short FFTs this is the maximum stresslevel.
Number of Cores should be selectable on the next page. (normally all)
Besides you CPU is specified 100 degrees!

TJUNCTION 100°C
Max. Operatingtemperature 100 °C

Good info. Thank you.

Youre wellcome. I checked my CPU usage (5700x 8C/16T) while playing on my Desktop. 4T are 90% and all other 12 are at 50-60% usage.

[Ara: History Untold]

Originally posted by shaosc3:

By the way, @developers, just want to thank you again for continuing to support this game, taking feedback from us players. Most importantly, thank you for taking the risk and deviate from the Civ formula.

I have revised my review of the game to a "Recommended".

Thank you so much for those kind words. They are very much appreciated. We will continue to do our very best to exceed your expectations!