Game runs worse on dedicated GPU than integrated GPU

[SilverSpireZ]

So recently I had to restore my computer since it wouldn't boot up. This game ran perfectly fine beforehand, and I have more than 40 hours with mods from that time. I finally decided to try the game out again, but it's running like complete garbage now. I've tried to run it on both my integrated GPU and dedicated GPU and it runs better on my iGPU for some reason. I've tried reinstall drivers and the game, set my control panel exactly how many of the guides here say, run it in borderless windowed mode, running at 640x480... nothing works.

Integrated GPU: Intel HD Graphics 630
Dedicated GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050
CPU: Intel Core i7-7700k

This build can run games like Doom Eternal perfectly but can't run a 20 year old game... Even though it used to!

[Underdog]

Can you define "runs like garbage"? There's not much help here with the information provided... what is wrong, what isn't it doing, etc...

[SilverSpireZ]

The framerate is incredibly low, even when running at 640x480. The menus run fine for the most part on the iGPU, but runs very slowly everywhere on the Nvidia GPU. And there's also no music, but the sounds work fine.

[Underdog]

I don't have any experience with using two graphics cards... maybe that is messing with it, especially if it used to work. Not really sure what to suggest. As a long shot, you can go to your Nvidia panel and the Sonic Adventure 2 game profile and limit to FPS to 60. Although, that being a solution normally hinders on the fact that the game runs too fast and not too slow. But it could be some kind of FPS issue. I'd recommend turning off any vsync for this game, too. I think for Nvidia, you have to download an extension to make specific game profiles

There is a blurb in this guide that goes over it. Could also check that config file and make sure it isn't at some other FPS. Do note that I don't have to set my monitor to 60hz to make it work, like the guide says. Simply having it limited in the game profile on your graphics card panel works for me. I've only had this happen to me when my graphics card tried running it at 144 FPS and the game went super fast haha... but maybe some odd setting is forcing you to be under 60 FPS

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1653037457

[SilverSpireZ]

Thanks, but I've looked at that guide already. Tried everything in there, and the frame limiter helps it not run too fast when going borderless window, but the slow framerate and music issues are still a problem for me. Tried V-sync both on and off, and nothing changed.

[Smash45]

For starters I'd say uninstall the game and delete everything related to it (except your save file if you want) then install it back, install the Dreamcast conversion or BetterSADX and see if it's OK.
If it still has issues then there might be a problem with the drivers on your end, sadly I don't think anyone here can help you with that.

[SilverSpireZ]

Tried that. And this is for SA2, not SADX. Thanks, though

[Smash45]

Originally posted by SilverSpireZ:

Tried that. And this is for SA2, not SADX. Thanks, though

Oh sorry, mistook the forums since I just was on the SADX forums and thought I was still on them while I saw your post. My bad.
I did have problems with this game on an nVidia GPU too, although it was more about how there is not enough GPU memory for it and it only caused the game to freeze for a couple of seconds, a fix for it was to set the game to "prefer maximum performance" on the Nvidia settings

[SilverSpireZ]

Originally posted by Smash45:

Originally posted by SilverSpireZ:

Tried that. And this is for SA2, not SADX. Thanks, though

Oh sorry, mistook the forums since I just was on the SADX forums and thought I was still on them while I saw your post. My bad.
I did have problems with this game on an nVidia GPU too, although it was more about how there is not enough GPU memory for it and it only caused the game to freeze for a couple of seconds, a fix for it was to set the game to "prefer maximum performance" on the Nvidia settings

No worries! But yeah, I tried that too. It might just be a Windows thing at this point, since it worked perfectly fine last year before I had to restore my computer.

[SilverSpireZ]

So a bizarre development here. I just tried hooking up my laptop to an external display, and... IT WORKS PERFECTLY! I use my internal display and it messes up again. It has to be something with my laptop display drivers...