Major combat framerate drop

Here is the problem. I turned on /showfps 1 and run on an average of 130-145fps, defeat one enemy and it drops to 50-60fps for about 10 seconds then goes back up to normal. Defeat a large group of enemies, and it drops to 5-10fps for about 10 seconds then goes back up to normal. I have tried this on bare minimum to my normal settings (which are listed in the CoH Helper information below). All my drivers are up to date, my drives are defragged and I have even tried re-installing a fresh copy of CoH. Suggestions would be helpful.

---System information gathered by CoH Helper version 0.1.1.8---

DxDiag gathered at October 3, 2009 13:38 (-04:00)
Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 3 (2600.xpsp_sp3_gdr.090206-1234)
System Manufacturer: System manufacturer
System Model: System Product Name
BIOS: Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG
Central Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU E6850 @ 3.00GHz (2 CPUs)
Memory: 2046MB
.Net Memory Report: 374MB out of 2046MB available
Page File: 8469MB (1599MB currently in use)
C Drive: (Hitachi HDT725032VLA360) 22578MB out of 51199MB (44%) free
D Drive: (Hitachi HDT725032VLA360) 91154MB out of 127029MB (71%) free
E Drive: (Hitachi HDT725032VLA360) 79244MB out of 127013MB (62%) free
F Drive: (Hitachi HDT725032VLA360) 45577MB out of 102398MB (44%) free
G Drive: (Hitachi HDT725032VLA360) 96192MB out of 101418MB (94%) free
H Drive: (Hitachi HDT725032VLA360) 10181MB out of 10236MB (99%) free
I Drive: (Hitachi HDT725032VLA360) 4042MB out of 12284MB (32%) free
J Drive: (Hitachi HDT725032VLA360) 30475MB out of 78905MB (38%) free
M Drive: (SEAGATE ST3250820A USB Device) 143165MB out of 238472MB (60%) free
Y Drive: (LITE-ON DVDRW LH-20A1H) zero-size drive
Z Drive: (LITE-ON DVD C LH52C1P) zero-size drive
Windows directory location: C:\windows
DirectX: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DirectX Diag version: 5.03.2600.5512 (32-bit version)

Display Notes: No problems found.
Sound Notes: No problems found.

No problems found.
Input Notes: No problems found.

Monitor: SyncMaster 245B/245BW/245BPlus(Digital)
Monitor's Max Resolution: 1920,1200
Video Device Name: ATI Radeon HD 4800 Series
Manufacturer / Chip: ATI Technologies Inc. / ATI Radeon Graphics Processor (0x9442)
Video Memory: 512.0 MB
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.6999
Driver Date: 8/13/2009 10:27:20 PM
Driver Language: English

Sound Device Description: Realtek HD Audio output
Driver File: RtkHDAud.sys
Driver Version: 5.10.0000.5643
Driver Date: 6/13/2008 5:11:16 PM

Sound Device Description: Logitech USB Headset
Driver File: usbaudio.sys
Driver Version: 5.01.2600.5512
Driver Date: 4/13/2008 2:45:12 PM


WMI Information
Motherboard Manufacturer: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
Motherboard Model: (empty)
Motherboard Product: P5N-E SLI
Motherboard Version: 1.XX
BIOS Manufacturer: Phoenix Technologies, LTD
BIOS Name: Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG
BIOS Version: VELOCI - 42302e31
BIOS Release: 20070611000000.000000+000

Registry Information for Current User
Resolution: 1920x1200
3D Resolution: 1920x1200 (Not using renderscale)
Full Screen: Yes
Maximized: No
Screen Position: 0, 0
Refresh Rate: 60Hz
Vertical Sync Enabled: Yes

Physics Quality: High
Maximum Particles: 25050
Max Particle Fill? 10.000
Physics Card Enabled: No

Anti-aliasing: None
Anisotropic Filtering: None
Texture LOD Bias: Smooth
Water Effects: None
Bloom: 1.000 (turned off)
Depth of Field Enabled: No
Desaturation Effects (Sepia) Enabled: Yes
Shader Detail: High

World Texture Level: Very High
Character Texture Level: Very High
World Detail Level (Vis_Scale): 2.000
Entity Detail Level: 2.000
Shadows Enabled: Yes
Gamma Correction: 0.687
Geometry Buffers (VBOs) Enabled: Yes
Suppression of Extra Player FX Enabled: No
Suppression of FX When Camera Close Enabled: Yes
Close Suppression Range: 3.000
Show Advertisements: No

Audio Mode: Compatiblity
3D Audio: No
FX Sound Volume: 0.052
Music Sound Volume: 0.000

Show Advanced Graphics Options: Yes
Overall Graphics Quality: 0.600
Reverse Mouse Buttons: No
Save Login Username: Yes
Transfer Rate: 2046190 bytes/second
Current Game Version: 1600.20090918.4T2
Installation Directory: E:\City of Heroes

Mod files in the Data directory
No modifications found

I dunno if 2GB of RAM is making the game hit the page file during heavy action. Just a WAG.

And what is the problem running 2GB of RAM? This issue just started only a few days ago, had no issues prior. No new software nor hardware installed in that timeframe. I play more demanding games on my pc without a hiccup in framerate. Never had issues with the game before, so do not know why it is doing it now.

This happens to me as well. I just ordered a new computer because I couldn't find a solution.

In the meantime I found that doing /suppressclosefxdist 300
has helped a lot (make sure suppress close fx is enabled in options also). Though it makes it hard to tell what powers are on.

make sure your video card fan isn't on it's way out. alot of FPS problems have been due to this and i have experienced this myself.

Video card is less than a year old. It is an ATI HD4870 512mb. I didn't buy it, it is what NCSoft/ATI sent me earlier in the year. Temperatures are good on the card, runs CO, Sims 3 and Supreme Commander maxed out with no hiccups at all. So I don't know. :-/

As an ATI card you should look at Bill Z Bubba's ATI guide stickied on this board. There are certain graphic options that don't work well together.

Now whether or not that's the cause of your dips, a kind of doubt it.

Yeah, I know about Bill's setup, that is how I am set up atm and have been since being back on an ATI card. But the issue persists even when I drop all the graphics and sound settings to zero.

Edit: Tried the /suppressclosefxdist 300 with no difference.

if your card supports it, update to directx 10. and this is going to sound wierd but update the sound drivers if possible. then do a disc clean up and defrag.

I have this exact same problem, I posted on it here and got no replies earlier. This is the *third* time this has happened, I get a massive frame rate drop when using AOE powers, sometimes to the point where it is unplayable.

I get a large green bar on my netgraph and my FPS drop down to below 5. Going from all settings maxed out to the bare bare minimum has zero effect on the FPS plummet. Its a new machine, new video card (EVGA nVidia 250 GTS 1 GB), 4 gigs DDR3 RAM and I have zero clue what is going on with it.

The thing is, it will just randomly go away I can change all the settings on my nVidia control panel, my in game settings, everything. No effect. Defrag the hard drive (Already does it once a week) Virus/Malware Scan, verifiy all COH Files, everything nothing seems to effect it when its happening. Its a CoH specific issue also, everything else works fine.

(Its Happening right now, again.)

*edit*

I'll even go so far as to say its the exact same problem. I usually run at maxed settings 50 FPS. Defeating one foe drops it to around 42 FPS Go for 4 or more and it will drop it down to 10. Go for 10+ foes it practically freezes the game. (Seems to run fine when I super speed from one side of the zone to the other though, only happening when I attack)

Edit Number 2!!!!!

I figured out what my problem is.... and it was beyond weird. So this lag comes out of no where on my Elec/SD scrap, My Fire Mental Blaster and My Fire/Kin controller. I log on my Plant/Storm Controller.... figuring the worst is going to happen. Its what I'd consider the most visually taxing powerset. Two tornadoes using particle physics to herd little bits of trash up and keep them in the cyclone. Hurricane going, 2 thunderstorms, Creepers, roots, freezing rain, steamy mist, the works. I find a group of Nem's in PI. Brace for the worst!!!!

Nothing happens.....

No FPS loss, nothing. Everything runs beautifully. Then it hit me... I've been having this problem off and on with my Elec/SD and my Fire/Ment. My Fire/Kin this was a first, and just last night I turned on "Chat Logging" sure enough I turned off the option and everything cleared up. No clue why this happens every so often. (Some nights the characters would run just fine)

I've been having a similar issue with a different rig since I got it 9 months ago. I'll check chatlogging. Maybe I turned it on by accident.

No dice. Mine wasn't turned on. I guess I just have to deal with it.

Click for Hot Sun Splitter Action

Okay, lets add to the weirdness of this. I am still having the major lag on my main account (nearly 66 months), but when I play my other account (21 months) I don't have any lag issues whatsoever, on the same machine, on the same settings.

I was running a shield/mace tank on main account, severe fps drops in combat, but ran an equal level spine/fire scrapper on the second account, nothing happens.

I highly doubt it is account linked, but does seem very odd.