Low fps near cities or airfields

my rig:

I7 920 @4.0GHz

3GB DDR3 in Triple Channel

GTX 295 with latest driver

in-game GFX settings:

All maxed out except water

Full screen on

Res:

1280x1024 @ 75Hz

nHancer settings:

AA: 8xS AF: 8x

IQ: High Quality

V-Sync: On

All kinds of optimization: Off

Now open up the training mision 'Hover Control' and let the game load.

When I'm in the cockpit, open fps counter. It reads 32.

Unpaused the game, fps drops to 30.

Look around with TrackIR. The fps jumps to 50+ when looking through the right side-window.

Look down at the cockpit floor. Fps is fixed at 75, which is extremely smooth.

Now take the control. Take off and fly out of the airfield into the nearest city. The fps is still below 40 when city is still in the screen.

Then fly away from the city into the bleak plain. Fps is now fixed at 75.

My question:

How come the airfield and city can make such a huge hit in the performance?

I've tried turning off AA & AF. Turn down the in-game screen res to 512. The fps is still the same when I am near cities and airfieds.

Is the change noticable? Without the counter, I mean?

Cause with FPS that high, it's often hard to tell the difference.

I only get about 15 FPS, with settings as low as possible. I'm a little jealous, lol.

 

My question:

 

How come the airfield and city can make such a huge hit in the performance?

 

I've tried turning off AA & AF. Turn down the in-game screen res to 512. The fps is still the same when I am near cities and airfieds.

Yeah I average about 25 FPS near cities or crowded runways in both DCS Black Shark and Flaming Cliffs. I hope the devs are working on optimizing the engine...

Is the change noticable? Without the counter, I mean?

 

Cause with FPS that high, it's often hard to tell the difference.

 

I only get about 15 FPS, with settings as low as possible. I'm a little jealous, lol.

lol. Maybe I am a bit spoiled by the forever 75fps with ultra-high graphics settings in other sims like IL2 and FSX. To me any fps under 50 is not bearable.

And don't forget the stutter effect when fps is changing rapidly. Even you get a high fps number, It may still feel uncomfortable when the fps is changing rapidly.

I think this game really deserves an optimization.

I hope ED are finding new ways to optimize their engine, especially with multicore support because it's sadly falling behind the tech that is available. I've been playing Wings of Prey lately and the scenery is simply the best I could ever imagine and the best part is that it runs shockingly smooth and stutter free on my aging Q6600 and 9600gt at high res. Just imagine DCS looking and running like that one day. :joystick:

First of all, ED developes their sims for future systems (a bit too much if you ask me) There is not even a system that can run Lock On fully smooth (fixed at 60FPS) with all settings on max. It is the same story with Blackshark, so even if you have a system like you do, don't expect it to run perfectly all maxed out.

You will have to do some tweaking.

I would start with setting your water to medium (it is rendered also under land), put mirrors off, and tweak your visible range.

Go to Ka-50/Config/graphics.cfg (open with Notepad)

----------------------

High

{

near_clip = 0.1;

middle_clip = 4;

far_clip = 80000;

Subjects will be rendered (popup) between the first and second number.

structures = {75, 5000}; (all structures + city trees)

trees = {2500, 8000}; (trees in hills)

dynamic = {300, 8000}; (structure "activity")

objects = {5000, 20000}; (military activity)

mirage = {2500, 5000}; (civilian activity)

surface = {10000, 20000}; (certain surface details like airbases)

lights = {75, 20000}; (all sorts of lights)

lodMult = 4; (range of object high detail popup)

lodAdd = 0;

>>>>>>>>>>>>

LandLodDistances (LOD = level of detail)

{

LandDay (

{

L01 = 10000; (roads, rivers)

L12 = 20000; (distance terrain fades out)

}

LandNight

{

L01 = 10000;

L12 = 20000;

----------------------

What also helps a little is Ka-50/Config/Producer.cfg

----------------------

ForceFeedbackEnabled = false;

ForceTrackIR3ProZoomAxisToXAxis = true;

----------------------

For the ones having less than optimal systems (like me), you can edit Ka-50/Blackshark/data/scripts/options.cfg where you can put water to low (0) and control effects and lights.

And for those nasty frame drops during extensive flaring I added a very good flare mod (forgot who but was made by ED)

Flare Trail.rar

Tranks very much for your tips, Frazer.

But what's the problem with Force Feedback? I'm using MSFF2 as the cyclic stick. Will it still have return-to-center tension after I turn it off?

I don't think it is a matter of designing the program for future systems. Lockon came out how many years ago? About 7? And like you said a top of th eline computer cant run it perfect. That tell me the program coding is messed up. Even FS9 runs PERFECTLY on my system now. FS9 came out in 2002. And MS does the same thing with FS. Designs it with future systems in sight. I just don't think these guys have the technical know how to program it like it should be. IMHO

I don't think it is a matter of designing the program for future systems. Lockon came out how many years ago? About 7? And like you said a top of th eline computer cant run it perfect. That tell me the program coding is messed up. Even FS9 runs PERFECTLY on my system now. FS9 came out in 2002. And MS does the same thing with FS. Designs it with future systems in sight. I just don't think these guys have the technical know how to program it like it should be. IMHO

I agree Chief, no disrespect to the coders but the game needs to be optimized a bit more. Granted ED's team is small and their doing a heck of a job...

Yes. I have to say the graphics is just not that fantastic, comparared to FSX and recent WOP. And BS is still missing self-casting shadow inside the cockpit.

The very first tweak tip people must give is always: Windows XP or Vista/7? (Vista/7 gives you around 30-50% more fps in this sim). Some test did in the past with DCS:

Windows XP 32 E8400 @ 3.960GHz 2x2Gigs of PC8500 RAM at 1100MHz, 8800GTS (G92) at stock clocks vSynch and triple buff on on 178.24 drivers

Frames: 21281 - Time: 480107ms - Avg: 44.439 - Min: 10 - Max: 63

Windows7 (64) core 0+1 E8400 @ 3.960GHz 2x2Gigs of PC8500 RAM at 1100MHz, 8800GTS (G92) at stock clocks 178.24 drivers vSynch ON

Frames: 26647 - Time: 480074ms - Avg: 55.506 - Min: 27 - Max: 62

Windows7 (64) core 0+1 E8400 @ 3.960GHz 2x2Gigs of PC8500 RAM at 1100MHz, 8800GTS (G92) at stock clocks 178.24 drivers vSynch OFF

Frames: 28235 - Time: 479994ms - Avg: 58.823 - Min: 32 - Max: 93

Just tried out the tweaks you suggested, Frazer.

It has no improvement at all when I am in the airfields or cities. When the training mission starts, the FPS is still 30.

The very first tweak tip people must give is always: Windows XP or Vista/7? (Vista/7 gives you around 30-50% more fps in this sim). Some test did in the past with DCS:

 

 

Windows XP 32 E8400 @ 3.960GHz 2x2Gigs of PC8500 RAM at 1100MHz, 8800GTS (G92) at stock clocks vSynch and triple buff on on 178.24 drivers

Frames: 21281 - Time: 480107ms - Avg: 44.439 - Min: 10 - Max: 63

 

Windows7 (64) core 0+1 E8400 @ 3.960GHz 2x2Gigs of PC8500 RAM at 1100MHz, 8800GTS (G92) at stock clocks 178.24 drivers vSynch ON

Frames: 26647 - Time: 480074ms - Avg: 55.506 - Min: 27 - Max: 62

 

Windows7 (64) core 0+1 E8400 @ 3.960GHz 2x2Gigs of PC8500 RAM at 1100MHz, 8800GTS (G92) at stock clocks 178.24 drivers vSynch OFF

Frames: 28235 - Time: 479994ms - Avg: 58.823 - Min: 32 - Max: 93

Vista of course. I'm using 2 500GB hard disks in RAID 0. I would have needed to buy a floppy disk to install RAID driver if I planed to use XP.

Try multisampling AA instead of supersampling.

Mirrors are fps killer, I never use them.

Scenes at high might slowdown your computer by large in cities, depending on the area where you're doing a mission, select scenes at medium (in options, force options for all missions to be sure general options are applied over .miz mission specific configuration)

Also you say all kinds of optimizations OFF, don't turn off the threaded optimization in nvidia drivers (I think it affects, haven't really tried to turn it off myself)

Many i7 owners say turning HyperThreading OFF in bios make games way faster (it has some logic, check reviews in internet).

Skhval resolution "every frame" is not often used, instead use 512 or 1024 (no every frame)

Turn the cockpit instruments resolution to 512 instead of 1024 every frame, this will optimize performance when the shkval screen is in use. (This only changes the resolution of shkval and abris, the cockpit textures stay the same)

Mirrors do the trick.

After I turn it off, the FPS increase to 36 when I am sitting in the cockpit on the runway.

Then I turn the ABRIS res to 1024, now the FPS is 46.

Will test more.

FPS killers are:

Haze advanced

Visibility range HIGH

Scene files HIGH

MIRRORS !

find a balance.

DCS / ED does model ground objects like buildings in a very strange way (the swollow FPS) unlike Il-2 and its new standarts Ultra-Pack 2.0, where ground textures look by far bettern then in LO and building too. You can fly over entire cities wihtout getting that "uh oh urban-fps-killer stutter"

And it has nothing to do with extra avionics in Jets..not at all..its just a question, how you code things....

The biggest FPS (CPU) eater are structures, reducing the visible range gives FPS boosts but still, if that city is in range and fully in view the same amount of structures will be calculated. I would like to advice you not to test only one area. If you still demand higher FPS the only solution would be to fly with scenes on medium, or delete structures from the high scenery.

I found out what the most ugly and not important buildings are and so you could delete (after backing up) the following structures in Ka-50/bazar/terrain/structures/high

BUFET

BUFET_crush

CAFE

CAFE_crush

ceh_b

ceh_b_crush

F_ceh_b

ceh_c

ceh_c_crush

F_ceh_c

cinema_b

cinema_b_crush

dom2c

dom2c.LOM

domik1a

domik1a.LOM

garagh-small-a

garagh-small-b

home2_a

home2_a.LOM

home2_b

home2_b.LOM

hotel_c

hotel_c_crush

F_hotel_c

hozdomik_crush

hozdomik1

hozdomik2

hozdomik3

kazarma2

korpus_c

korpus_c_crush

kotelnaya_a

kotelnaya_a_crush

RESTORAN1

RESTORAN1_crush

saray_crush

saray-a

saray-b

saray-c

saray-d

saray-e

saray-f

saray-g

school_a

school_a_crush

stolovaya1

tr_budka

tr_budka_crush

It is a lot of efford for only little FPS increasement, but heck, for most of us every little FPS increasement is welcome. With this tweak you will barely notice any buildings are gone.

@jermin, I think you can be a very happy camper when you got 45 fps as your lowest.

DCS / ED does model ground objects like buildings in a very strange way (the swollow FPS) unlike Il-2 and its new standarts Ultra-Pack 2.0, where ground textures look by far bettern then in LO and building too. You can fly over entire cities wihtout getting that "uh oh urban-fps-killer stutter"

And it has nothing to do with extra avionics in Jets..not at all..its just a question, how you code things....

Still though, it is the love-hate relationship with LO/DCS that makes the sim so special :D

:joystick::helpsmilie::huh::cry::bored::surrender::poster_ban::unsure::weight_lift_2::no_sad::hehe: :drunk: :holiday::pilotfly:

Frazer, those are some nice tips for tweaking.

Any suggestions for smoke effects (decreasing quality at farther distances or...)? I get FPS hit when buildings are burning (damn random shooting artillery!) and when unguided rockets hit ground.

Well, for lockon there were some explosion fps tweaks though not sure if they work with BS. Still need to test that.

They work. Recently I've tested Grabs Explosion pack and something else. For me they helped.

For the ones having less than optimal systems (like me), you can edit Ka-50/Blackshark/data/scripts/options.cfg where you can put water to low (0)

I can't fly in that world. I won't!!!

Once I saw it at 3 there's no going back.

I can't fly in that world. I won't!!!

 

Once I saw it at 3 there's no going back.

Well, you are free to choose ofcourse. ;)