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Avoiding the PS3 Memory Leak issue (how-to)


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#1
Pearl (rip bioware)

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I've seen a few posts about this as of late, but couldn't find a thread that was specifically about ways to avoid this problem.

Also, this is definitely old news for most of the people on here, but it's still worth having around.

The what?
“Memory leak” is the technical term for the problem that Playstation 3 users experience which causes your framerate to continuously drop (making it look like you're watching a slideshow as opposed to a video game) to the point where the game becomes unplayable, forcing you to have to restart your system in order to play normally again.

There are multiple ways that the memory leak can present itself, most commonly as the framedrops, but occasionally it will first manifest as portions of the terrain vanishing or missing sound effects. Of course, since this doesn't effect every PS3 the same way, you'll have to go through trial and error to see what your console can handle.


The causes

Collectors
This is one of the biggest causes of the memory leak, which is why many PS3 players here avoid playing them altogether, instead preferring to rotate through the other three factions.

Hazard Maps
Second-most common cause, although Hazard Reactor does not typically cause problems as it's hazard is only rendered if you are inside the oven when it gets activated.

Firebase Goddess
Another common cause, although I'm not entirely sure what the issue with it is. I guess it's because of how graphically-intensive it is.

Firebase Jade
Although I personally have never had problems with this map, other PS3 users apparently have.

Playing for extended periods of time
This one is pretty self-explanatory. The longer you play, the more un-released memory exists.

Any combination of the above
Again, this is self-explanatory.


How to avoid
There are a few ways, most of which should be obvious from the list of causes.

Don't play Collectors on Gold+
Since this issue is significantly less prevalent on lower difficulties, play those instead if you want to play Unknown/Unknown or preset Collectors lobbies.

Don't play Hazard Maps
This one is not my preference, but for some people it may be necessary depending on how stable your system is.

Don't play Firebase Goddess
This one is fine by me; apart from having some pretty scenery, I don't really like this map.

Don't play Firebase Jade
This one is not okay in my book, Jade is one of my favorite maps. But, as was said previously, it may not be an option for some people.

Reboot often
Turning your system completely off essentially forces the memory to be released, meaning that when you turn your PS3 back on, you will be starting with a clean slate. It is recommended that you do this every 4-5 matches, but you should restart after every other game against Collectors, or after every game on either Goddess or Hazard Ghost.

Uninstall Reckoning and Retaliation DLCs
This will eliminate the issue entirely, but you will be severely limiting the number of people you will be able to play with, to the point where you will have to solo almost every match unless you convince your friends to do the same.


Will it be fixed?
Nope. BioWare has officially cut support for this game, as they are busy with the next Dragon Age, the next Mass Effect, and their new IP. Even if they wanted to fix it, I doubt that they could get the funding.

But I need to complete Collector Mastery/Hazard G+ waves/Goddess G+ waves!
As I said, Collector Mastery should be done on Bronze or Silver. Hazard waves can be done on any map, so if you don't mind doing the same two (Reactor and Glacier) over and over, that won't be a problem. As for Goddess waves, you should be fine as long as you reset after every match (or two if your system can handle it/you feel lucky), but I wouldn't recommend going for Gold/Plat waves on this map.

Does it matter if I'm host or not?
Not from my experience. The memory is going to leak no matter what, so I can't see how who's hosting would affect it.

What does it look like to the other players?
If you're not host, you'll just be randomly skipping across the map.
If you are host, then neither objectives nor the LZ will spawn regardless of how long they wait; enemies will remain motionless and invincible in their spawn. This is due to the fact that everything in a match is based off of the host's framerate.

Closing statements/tl;dr
lolpeaesstree no frames for u

Edited by FatherOfPearl, 19 January 2014 - 03:38 PM.

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#2
TMB903

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I reboot every 2 matches and avoid Collectors. I haven't had a memory leak in a while (did that sound naughty?) and I also avoid Collectors. However I have been getting frequent freezing at the losing screen after selecting multiplayer at the main menu.

#3
Hulk_Krogan

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My PS3 has frozen on Reapers/Silver/Vancouver before...so now what?

#4
David Diablo

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It was so the right decision to dump Playstation for Xbox all those years ago...
Very informative nonetheless. Should be stickied on the resource library.

#5
hall_gaz

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I just keep forgetting to restart my PS3 leading this to happen on glacier/reapers/platinum last night. Managed to extract but I sucked. I was hosting so I don't know how that affected the rest of the team.

#6
Olaf_de_IJsbeer

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biower pls l2mallocandfree

Perhaps I shouldn't be one to criticise because I always program in easy mode (i.e. Java). Nice of you to make a thread for this, by the way.

#7
Pearl (rip bioware)

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Hulk_Krogan wrote...

My PS3 has frozen on Reapers/Silver/Vancouver before...so now what?

If your PS3 just randomly froze without anything that I mentioned in the OP happening, then that is an unrelated issue.
If your framerate slowly ground to a halt like in the video, then you probably played too many games without resetting.

#8
NoReapers

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Avoid memory issues on PS3: Buy a PC.
:innocent:

Edit: Seriously, good job. Very helpful for those affected.

Edited by Kamiloni, 11 September 2013 - 02:13 PM.


#9
K_O_513

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I haven't had a freeze in forever. I also haven't played against Collectors on Gold in forever. I always get messed up sound though especially on Hazard Ghost.. It's so annoying.

#10
ANDYHUGFAN

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Nice thread OP, very informative for all PS3 Users. :wizard: I just had a system freeze on a Gold game on Goddess vs Cerberus. It was the 3rd or 4th game I was playing today. And normally I can play for hours without a freeze to happen. But yeah, lolps3noframes4u - working as intended. We PS3 scrubs must be some kind of masochists to still play this game on our toasters. :whistle:

#11
Maurader Sackboy

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Since I mainly pug off-host I get into gold hazard or collectors matches rather often. Have the occasional freeze but I guess I'm used to it. At this point I'd as soon pug UUG as try and dictate the map/enemy.

Funny point -- There used to be something on the PS3 menu that would ask, after a system crash, whether you wanted to send a message about it to Sony. Doesn't ask it anymore!!

#12
Azul

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Nice thread OP.

#13
chcknwng

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My PS3 now start having memory leaks with the first match I host. Especially if there are more than 1 Cluster Grenade spammer on the team. I think it's safe to add Jade to that list.

Somehow, Collectors and Hazard maps are not giving me that much problems.

#14
Pearl (rip bioware)

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wngmv wrote...

My PS3 now start having memory leaks with the first match I host. Especially if there are more than 1 Cluster Grenade spammer on the team. I think it's safe to add Jade to that list.

Somehow, Collectors and Hazard maps are not giving me that much problems.

Hmm... Is it real memory leak or is it your system not being able to render everything that's going on, I wonder?

Also, I've never had any problems with Jade, so I didn't originally include it. Added, and also put in some information about how it affects other players if the host has the problem.

#15
TMB903

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I've had issues with Jade and London as well.

#16
chcknwng

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FatherOfPearl wrote...

wngmv wrote...

My PS3 now start having memory leaks with the first match I host. Especially if there are more than 1 Cluster Grenade spammer on the team. I think it's safe to add Jade to that list.

Somehow, Collectors and Hazard maps are not giving me that much problems.

Hmm... Is it real memory leak or is it your system not being able to render everything that's going on, I wonder?

Also, I've never had any problems with Jade, so I didn't originally include it. Added, and also put in some information about how it affects other players if the host has the problem.


How could I tell if it's mem leak or system not being able to render? but it sounds like more like not being able to render. But it used to be ok...Now 2 Fury on the team and the game slows down to a slideshow...

EDIT: Hazard Reactor and white has the same problem, just not as extreme as Ghost, Dagger or Giant.

And offhost can slow down to a slideshow as well. 

Edited by wngmv, 11 September 2013 - 03:17 PM.


#17
cato potato

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wngmv wrote...

My PS3 now start having memory leaks with the first match I host. Especially if there are more than 1 Cluster Grenade spammer on the team. I think it's safe to add Jade to that list.

Somehow, Collectors and Hazard maps are not giving me that much problems.


If the first game I host is Platinum then I get serious frame rate drops and long enemy spawn and objective delays, regardless of map or enemy or teammates.

Jade has given me a few problems too but London is much worse in my experience.

#18
Anorak76

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ANDYHUGFAN wrote...

Nice thread OP, very informative for all PS3 Users. :wizard: I just had a system freeze on a Gold game on Goddess vs Cerberus. It was the 3rd or 4th game I was playing today. And normally I can play for hours without a freeze to happen. But yeah, lolps3noframes4u - working as intended. We PS3 scrubs must be some kind of masochists to still play this game on our toasters. :whistle:



Yeah was the only one left after restart of the wave  , didnt extract, did get credits.... but right before the next game I got disconnected

#19
chcknwng

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cato_84 wrote...

wngmv wrote...

My PS3 now start having memory leaks with the first match I host. Especially if there are more than 1 Cluster Grenade spammer on the team. I think it's safe to add Jade to that list.

Somehow, Collectors and Hazard maps are not giving me that much problems.


If the first game I host is Platinum then I get serious frame rate drops and long enemy spawn and objective delays, regardless of map or enemy or teammates.

Jade has given me a few problems too but London is much worse in my experience.


Does it help if you start with Gold and progress to Plat?

#20
Lucky

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In my experience the framerate grinding to a halt/ system lockup only happens to the host. Other people may freeze out of the blue when the host does, but they also may not. Basically, to me it seems the host gets the worst of the memory leak issues.

#21
K_O_513

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Weird how different maps give different players trouble. I've never had issues with Jade or London. It's just Hazard Ghost and Goddess for me. But every time I've had a freeze it's been on Giant. One time I froze against Cerberus on Giant.

#22
Pearl (rip bioware)

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wngmv wrote...

How could I tell if it's mem leak or system not being able to render? but it sounds like more like not being able to render. But it used to be ok...Now 2 Fury on the team and the game slows down to a slideshow...

Not 100% sure on this, but if you press and hold the PS button so the black screen comes up and it lags when you go to scroll, it's a memory leak as opposed to an overworked system.


wngmv wrote...

EDIT: Hazard Reactor and white has the same problem, just not as extreme as Ghost, Dagger or Giant.

And offhost can slow down to a slideshow as well.

Again, I only mentioned the ones I have had problems with but included all Hazard maps just as a warning. Ghost is by far the worst though. And host vs. offhost is also mentioned, as of 15min ago.

This thread is severely depressing me now. I knew it was bad, but I didn't know it was this bad.

Edited by FatherOfPearl, 11 September 2013 - 03:24 PM.


#23
Lucky

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Rad_Rage wrote...

Weird how different maps give different players trouble. I've never had issues with Jade or London. It's just Hazard Ghost and Goddess for me. But every time I've had a freeze it's been on Giant. One time I froze against Cerberus on Giant.


Yeah, a lot of my friends say London gives them trouble, but it never has for me. For my PS3 it is Jade, Goddess and any hazard map besides glacier and reactor that give me serious trouble.

#24
Lucky

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FatherOfPearl wrote...

wngmv wrote...

How could I tell if it's mem leak or system not being able to render? but it sounds like more like not being able to render. But it used to be ok...Now 2 Fury on the team and the game slows down to a slideshow...

Not 100% sure on this, but if you press and hold the PS button so the black screen comes up and it lags when you go to scroll, it's a memory leak as opposed to an overworked system.


wngmv wrote...

EDIT: Hazard Reactor and white has the same problem, just not as extreme as Ghost, Dagger or Giant.

And offhost can slow down to a slideshow as well.

Again, I only mentioned the ones I have had problems with but included all Hazard maps just as a warning. Ghost is by far the worst though. And host vs. offhost is also mentioned, as of 15min ago.

This thread is severely depressing me now. I knew it was bad, but I didn't know it was this bad.


At least PS3 got a kick ass version of Diablo 3! Posted Image

Makes me laugh/cry switching between the two at the severe lack of polish/bug fixing that ME3 on the PS3 got....

#25
ANDYHUGFAN

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Anorak76 wrote...

ANDYHUGFAN wrote...

Nice thread OP, very informative for all PS3 Users. :wizard: I just had a system freeze on a Gold game on Goddess vs Cerberus. It was the 3rd or 4th game I was playing today. And normally I can play for hours without a freeze to happen. But yeah, lolps3noframes4u - working as intended. We PS3 scrubs must be some kind of masochists to still play this game on our toasters. :whistle:



Yeah was the only one left after restart of the wave  , didnt extract, did get credits.... but right before the next game I got disconnected



Hi there! I'm glad to hear that at least one of you remained in game to earn the credits. So it was not wasted time. :)