"Hello, In SL I am helping others to increase their frames per second, mainly for melee combat. I know all the basics in preferences and how to turn off all prims, etc. ...  but I was wondering if there is anyone you may know who has some advanced tips (in the client and server parts of the menu, for example) to increase FPS.  I searched the blog and did not get very far.  Any help is greatly appreciated."

The reason I found this interesting is most SL players don't look beyond reducing lag in terms of game performance, because most SL players aren't hard-core gamers. Now as we've discussed before, lag and frame rate, or frames per second, are two different things. Lag is just a delay in the information getting to your machine from Linden Labs.  Push too many people or too many scripted objects onto one server and that machine has to do a lot more work to get you your game data in a timely fashion.

Frames per second, however, has a lot to do with your machine and it's something you can influence. So if you find yourself getting cut down by that furry in manly combat over and over again, just think H. O. S. S.!  Oh boy! I love acronyms!

H. O. S. S. stands for (fanfare) hardware, optimization, software, system settings.  Because computers are so different, I  can't give you specifics on this; think of this more as a strategy of attack.  And before we get started, put down your shopping bag and strap on your rifle, because if you really want your machine to be lean and mean, you need to stop thinking Second Life, and start thinking first-person shooter. Because if you really want a fast moving machine you need to be thinking Gordon Freeman, not Governor Linden. 

There is no lag at Black Mesa.

Hardware

Don't worry, I'm not going to ask you to get a new computer. Unless your computer saves to cassette tape, starts with a motorcycle kick starter, or is a Mac, it's probably going to be acceptable for running Second Life. (boooooo) What? No Mac jokes?  Wow, tough room. But you might want to look at adding RAM or upgrading your video card if your machine allows this. 

RAM will allow your computer to load more of the program in advance, and a brand spanking new video card will take a lot of the load off your processor.  Both can drastically increase your frame rate. But if you've got the cake, splurging on a fully loaded gaming PC is an option. 

Optimization

The next step, optimization, is all about making sure that what you have is working the way it should. Defrag your hard drive so that all of the information is in the same place.  A fragmented hard drive means your Second Life client is all spread out across your hard drive and your system has to skip around to find it all. Make sure your wireless network is configured correctly, and plug in directly to your Internet with a cord if it's possible. The older your wireless network, the less likely it's as fast as an ethernet cable. Make sure your system is free of viruses and spyware that could be lagging down your system by running your antivirus and spyware sweep. "Mac's don't get viruses!" Yeah, well, who'd bother. (BOOOOOOOO)  OK, OK, no more tweaking the Mac users.

Software

Now jump into your Second Life software and make sure that it's set to reduce your lag.  You can look back at our Emmy award-snubbed episode "Reducing Lag in Second Life" for most of these settings. Remember though, when you're trying to get a more responsive program, you're actually going to be REDUCING the graphical settings, not increasing them. You want frames, not detail. You don't need to see every silken thread of your opponent's kimono to behead him. 

System Settings

Finally, your system settings. Now here's my boilerplate warning on this. This step is for people who A) back up their computers, and B) have a solid understanding of computers.  You'll have to do research here, but when you do, don't look up optimizing system settings for Second Life. The real pros at this are those digital soldiers who play first-person shooters.  Search for tips on optimizing your system for games like Counter-Strike, Half Life 2, Battlefield, Gears of War, and so on. These are games where you live or die by your gaming rig and these guys have optimization down to a science. And while you're at it, play a few first-person shooters. Despite what many Second Lifers believe, twitch gaming will not give you polio.