Why does Cafe World go so slow at some times and fast at others?
Edited:
I have done some research on this problem and have found several things that may (or may not) help your Cafe World application run faster.
First off are computers that have dual processors. Apparently, Cafe World application will run MUCH faster if you set your computer to using only one of the processors instead of both. I don't have a computer with dual processors - I have a dinosaur puter' but it still runs good, so, anyway, I stole the information from an answer on another sight, as pasted below:
"OK, I figure out a way to solve this problem. This seems to occur only on those multiple processors systems. I have both a quad processors and duo processors systems. This is how you fix the problem. Open Facebook and go to Cafe World, then open Task Manager, you will notice the memory spike up for iexplorer.exe and resulting your Cafe World running really slow. Right click on it and select Set Affinity. You will see all the number of CPU on your system checked. You ONLY need one check. Select which CPU you want to run Cafe World. After you do that, you will notice your Cafe World run smoothly and fast. You might have to do this everytime you run Cafe World. Hope this help for those who love to play Cafe World. Now go cook, cook and cook......hahahahaha"
Second, try upping the amount of virtual memory your computer has allocated. I set mine at maximum. Your computer will automatically up it - but - you can manually set it for higher value and possibly make the game run a little faster and smoother.
Third, Beta applications are always hogging up EVERYTHING in your cpu's memory. Turn off everything else when you are attempting to play Cafe World - close all tabs, shut off any software, basically, the only thing you want running is the Cafe World application itself.
Try using a different browser. Firefox is "highly" recommended, I haven't tried it yet. There are a host of free browsers available out there besides Firefox such as Google Chrome; Opera; Safari; etc.
Make sure you have the latest version of Adobe Flash Player - 10 - simply go to Adobe's site for the free download: http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/?promoid=BUIGP
ALWAYS clear your cache/history before playing, every single time. For whatever reason, I always find that clearing it and rebooting the computer helps immensely. You should also consider frequently using the Defragmenter found under your Control Panel. If you haven't done this recently, definitely run the program and it's almost sure to help Cafe World run faster.
Decrease the graphics level. This may degrade the clarity of the game - but it WILL cause it to run faster.
Finally, if you really want to get the problem solved - go buy a new computer. Seriously, a processor with a gazigibytes worth of memory and all the bells and whistles in ram and such will definitely make the thing run like finely tuned hemi. I am stopping short of that, we are, after all, in the middle of the worst recession since the Great Depression and spending money on a new computer is out of the question for me - at least for now.
Oh, and to get an idea of just how much of your computer's cpu this game takes up, simply open up your task manager - central; alt; delete - click on performance. Mine automatically goes to 100% usage the entire time I have Cafe World up and running. THIS is why I strongly recommend you shut off any other applications/software/whatever you have running on your computer to help the game work faster.
There are numerous things you can do, in other words, without spending money, to get the application to run faster and smoother. I added all of the above to this entry because I found my answers below a bit lacking in the amount of content it provided.
End of Edit.
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A small portion of the problem could be found in your computer, the rest of it is because Zynga simply hasn't invested enough money to get the equipment needed to make the game go faster - as more and more people play the game, the software is slowed down substantially.
I have found there are certain days and times of the day when the game runs much faster, such as Sunday morning, when most people apparently aren't playing the game. When the game is running at a good speed, it is actually fun to play it - you can get all kinds of stuff done quickly. When there are too many people playing the game - well that's why you came to this particular post via Google search - the game drags and there's nothing you can do about it.
However, if it's running REALLY slow, then perhaps it's something to do with your computer or your internet speed or a combination of both. I found early-on in playing the game that to get optimum speed is to clear your cache - all history, turn off any software you may have running in your computer (for example, I have a video surveillance system running at my house that is recording the activities off of 4 cameras that definitely slows the game down, I usually turn that off while I'm doing the cooking stuff) and then turn your computer off and back on.
If you have a slow internet speed - that undoubtedly will also affect the performance of the game, and unless you are willing to pay more for a faster connection speed, there isn't much you are going to be able to do about that.
Look, a gazillion people have been complaining to Zynga for some time now about the slowness of the game - it doesn't seem like they get the message. Some people actually quit playing the game because of it. I haven't quite arrived at that point yet, but it is a concern. I am currently at level 69 with over 500,000 Cafe points - the game doesn't give you much to work for after you get to higher levels, so that is one of my gripes, that they would add more incentives to continue cooking food and racking up the points.
That's it for this Cafe World Tip posting, for what it's worth, continue to enjoy the game!
Edited: I have gained a bit more experience with trying to keep the game moving on my blog, please go to my latest update on Cafe World slow to see some better information:
http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=5728287180412980995&postID=1340420064836443763
