Some Issues I'm Trying to solve

So, I'm running DCS on two monitors in windowed mode and I'm getting great FPS, 60 to 90 with out vsync on.

Unfortunately I get the big blocks of white when flying over water that is just annoying.

I saw some where that using sofTH to force full screen solves this. I applied the sofTH x64 dll as per the readme, but I get horrible FPS now....like in the 20 to 30 range and even as low as 19 when close to the ground.

What am I doing wrong ?

Is there anyway to clear the white patches over water in windowed mode or is my only hope sofTH ?

Turn off HDR.

I was hoping that would not be a solution. I hate turning off a feature like HDR to solve a bug, but I'll give it a try and see how it looks.

So turning off HDR didn't solve it, still have the big white patches over water in windowed mode.

Note, this is different than the ati flashing little white boxes bug that I remeber HDR off would solve.

As for my issues with SofTH, I still can't figuar out why I get such awefull performance when forcing fullscreen. You would think it would be boosting performance.

I must be setting it up wrong.

For windows 7 64bit OS you use the x64 dll sofTh, right ?

In Fullscreen mode, SLI should "work", in Windowsed Mode SLI is Disabled.

Is the white blocks ON the water? (screenshot availible?)

Sounds like Z-buffer fighting or something? Tried changing water details (low- med- high?)

I will see if I can get a screen shot of it. Water is on low now, i'll try med and high to see how that looks.

Here's some screens of what I'm talking about, see attachments.

Changing the water setting didn't help.

>>>

A Plea for View-Export/Multi-head/TH Users.

 

(...)

 

1. When you use a smaller aspect-ratio than 1 you have missing Sea-textures:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

>>> More info and workaround for it: A-10c 1.1.1.1 water disappears

Edit:

...But, this workaround sadly triggers another bug....

>>> Shallow water doesn't match with coastline

 

 

 

(...)

 

Thanks for the info PeterP that explained it perfectly.

So basically I have to decide whats more annoying missing water or tsunamis off the coast of georgia.

I did notice the missing water is gone when using sofTH, I assume this is because it's forcing fullscreen as if it's one big monitor. What baffles me is the huge unplayable performance loss in fps I get when using SofTH. It's such an extreme difference that it leads me to believe that I'm not setting it up right. Any insight to this ?

Any insight to this ?

Well, how about giving us some insight first?

Your in-game settings, .. your SoftThconfig, ... and your desktop-layout would help very much to give you a answer .

Here's softTH config, the default one, haven't made any adjustments.

I am running a 2 monitor setup stacked vertically. The top monitor is the main with a native res of 1920x1200 and the bottom monitor is a 22" touchscreen with a native re of 1920x1080.

Total res of 1920x2280.

options lua:

SoftTH config :

My current monitor lua in use :

_

Try this , my changes are marked in bold:

options lua:

SoftTH config :

monitor lua :

And use this following settings to get rid of the missing sea textures by using a 1:1 aspect ratio while maintaining right screen aspect via Softth.

- Be aware that the F10 map will be buggy as you have missing (not visible) 180px at each side, but you can make everything visible at your main-monitor by using the ApplicationKey+S combo.

options lua:

SoftTH config :

monitor lua :

That definately solved the missing water and it looks pretty good. Nice job arranging it into a 1 aspect.

Some text displayed in the top left corner might be cut short but I'll live with that.

The F10 map is very buggy like you said. When I switch out of it, half is locked on the bottom screen.

I don't have an app key on my keyboard, what exactly is the app key + S called so I can bind it in game. I don't have this function by default.

I will also have to learn to live with no alt tabbing as well which will be hard when managing team speak. Could be a good app for someone to add, an in game teamspeak display toggle. That would be beyond my ability though.

 

I don't have an app key on my keyboard, what exactly is the app key + S called so I can bind it in game. I don't have this function by default.

Application key

Use the attached Autohotkey script. (Run it as administrator)

It maps Shift+F10 to send AppsKey+S while DCS is active.

This is the used code:

So I just applied the setup without sofTH and just ran in windowed mode with 1 aspect. It runs great with no missing water, so that problem solved.

My FPS in windowed mode is great, it actually gets worse when I force full screen with softTH. It's weird because most people seem to get a boost from fullscreen.

Is there issues with DCS and sli in fullscreen, I'm wondering if that is whats causing the huge performance difference. I'm wondering if my 690 dual gpu card that runs in sli is actually more effective in windowed mode where the sli can perform better.

Yes, your card performs faster in windowed mode because

SoftTh doesn't works with enabled SLI.

So you have to choose:

Enabled SLI and windowed and also a slight wrong aspect-ratio (squeezed together)

or single GPU and Fullscreen with right aspect.

Some more questions for you PeterP, is there a way to display the f10 map at a different resolution ? In MP missions we use the f10 map to give out lat longs as jtacs, but my current aspect cuts off the first few digits displayed in the top left corner. Any work around for this ?

Also is there a way to have combined arms only display on my top monitor only? Currently it displays on both and it seems the crossairs are off.

Is there a way to adjust the disply of external views ? when I take screen shots it only captures the top monitor so the shot is cut off. Would it be better to recenter it or just display it on the top monitor only ?

The answer is :

no,- the F10 map is a relict of lockon and the render-size is as far as I know hard-coded. And up no now no one came up with a solution.

no, - only possible way is to use a own monitorsetup profile that has the Center camera at the top - but this is very inconvenient when you switch in a aircraft.

no, - SoftTh is again the only solution as it doesn't captures the Desktop - it takes the render directly out of the back-buffer of your card before it is drawn on your screens.

To get the overall contend drawn on a Single screen you have to use SoftTH and the Appkey-S function as a workaround.

Thanks again for the reply, these few questions are just small issues I could live with. It seems that to correct them I may have to add 2 additional monitors on the sides of the top monitor in a "T" formation.