Graphic issue

[Airmage]

Hi, i got a weird problem: when i fly very low to the ground, FPS drops down very badly, like 2-3 FPS; also during explosions and from smoke, same thing. I just got a new 2gb ATI R9 270 videocard and i was wondering where is the problem. Other than that, game runs great, ust can't fly very low. Is there any way to reduce explosion particles and ground detail(clutter/bushes setting won't have any effect)?

 

Thanks.

[Tone71]

What was your previous videocard and what were your frames like with that?

[Airmage]

My old card was GF260 GTX but this one is better. Did not record FPS on that one but since then there were several DCS updates and as my PC felt there were different requirements with most of the updates. Game runs fine at altitude but in Ka-50, Mi-8 close to explosions FPS goes down to almost nothing, so i was wodering if there is a way to reduce explosion smoke particles wich i think could help.

[Rhinox]

Maybe you could post your in-game GFX settings, with your HW configuration. With that card you can not turn everything to max...

[shagrat]

http://www.pcgameshardware.com/aid,698491/AMD-No-driver-support-for-DirectX-9-Ati-Radeon-under-Windows-7/News/

 

It took some years, but from what is going on since 2013 the "missing" support shows first effects. Try if the "supported" Driver knows your Graphics card, if not try any older AMD driver that does, or switch to Nvidia GPUs... or you wait for DCS World 2.0/EDGE, which is in the pipeline and will introduce DirectX 11 support.

 

Sorry, I have no positive news...

[shagrat]

My old card was GF260 GTX but this one is better. Did not record FPS on that one but since then there were several DCS updates and as my PC felt there were different requirements with most of the updates. Game runs fine at altitude but in Ka-50, Mi-8 close to explosions FPS goes down to almost nothing, so i was wodering if there is a way to reduce explosion smoke particles wich i think could help.

 

Ok, after they changed explosions to texture system, you will have got the same troubles with a GTX 260... you can try the older drivers with the ATI, though!

 

I'll cite the DCS Homepage: "Recommended system requirements: OS 64-bit Windows Vista, 7 or 8; CPU: Core i5+; RAM: 8GB; Hard disk space: 10 GB; Video: Shader 3.0 or better; NVIDIA GeForce GTX560 / ATI 6950 DirectX 9.0c or better; Sound: DirectX 9.0c - compatible; DirectX: 9.0C; requires internet activation."

 

EDIT Forget that R9 290 should be ok, performance wise. Seems to be really driver optimisation, or better lack thereof!

Edited August 25, 2014 by shagrat

[txmtb]

The R9-270 is roughly equivalent to the HD7870 and is a newer card.

Use the Catalyst drivers from 14.4 and newer for the best performance as most users saw a substantial boost when 14.4 was released.

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=123428&highlight=Catalyst+14.4

 

I'm guessing it's a CPU bottleneck so as Rhinox suggested post your settings and full system specs.

[Dudester22]

This Sim is more Cpu then GPU hungry. What is your Cpu and the rest of your specs?

[shagrat]

Yes, but it worked with the GTX 260... and CPU was always the dominant bottleneck.

@Airmage : Anyway a complete specs of your rig would be a good idea

[Dudester22]

Yes, but it worked with the GTX 260... and CPU was always the dominant bottleneck.

@Airmage : Anyway a complete specs of your rig would be a good idea

 

He never recorded his FPS so he wouldn't know.

 

Did not record FPS on that one but since then there were several DCS updates and as my PC felt there were different requirements with most of the updates.

[shagrat]

You will notice the difference between 2-3 and 15+ fps visually. Believe me. :D

[Godzila]

This Sim is more Cpu then GPU hungry. What is your Cpu and the rest of your specs?

 

 

Probably this

 

I have put new graphic card into 8 years old system and it performed worse.

[Airmage]

Specs are like this:

 

Motherboard: EX 58-UD3R

RAM: 6GB triple channel;

Processor: core i7 720 @2700MHz;

Video: ATI R9 270X 2GB GDDR5 5600MHz.

 

Recently added DirectX 11 files, maybe that was a mistake?

[shagrat]

Good point! Try reinstall/repair of DX9 first. Should be in the C:/program files/eagle dynamics/Dcs world/distr(?) Or so folder...

If not Google for Directx9 redistributable download on Microsoft website.

Edit: 2.7 GHz is not that much, so expect to reduce a lot of the shiny options... still you should get more than 2-3 frames...

[Airmage]

Thanks for the help! Your link was very useful Shagrat, i can feel some 10% fps boost with it. Basically the sim runs great, the only problem showes in Ka-50 or Mi-8 when firing a long burst of rockets at some ground units, right after impact and flying a few meters above the ground, that's when fps slows down, during the smoke spread after the blasts, but after that it starts running smooth again. Settings are all high for 1680x1050 res, MSQAA 16x, TSAA on, mirrors, tree shadows, but no HDR coz i like it better without.

[Airmage]

Is it possible that GF260 GTX did not have this problem because it was running on 448bit? My actual card is on 256 bit, so maybe particle processing such as smoke was better on the old one? Overall settings work much better on this one, on the gf260 i could not play the game with high scenes and visibility, but with R9 it runs perfect. Or maybe the smoke particles have been much improved in the game and now it takes much more to process?

[shagrat]

The later!!! Smoke was completely redone with particle shaders (3.0) and cause a tremendous frame hit even on hi end rigs. E.g. a CBU-97 strike is prone to kill fps on even big machines. The question remains: is the R9 290 suffering from unoptimized drivers for DX9 or is it a problem caused by the CPU?

Any chance to revert back to the GTX 260 and check framerates with the same settings? ...don't forget to deinstall drivers before changing between ATI and Nvidia cards.

Edited August 25, 2014 by shagrat

[shagrat]

Thanks for the help! Your link was very useful Shagrat, i can feel some 10% fps boost with it. Basically the sim runs great, the only problem showes in Ka-50 or Mi-8 when firing a long burst of rockets at some ground units, right after impact and flying a few meters above the ground, that's when fps slows down, during the smoke spread after the blasts, but after that it starts running smooth again. Settings are all high for 1680x1050 res, MSQAA 16x, TSAA on, mirrors, tree shadows, but no HDR coz i like it better without.

Ok, try reducing MSAA to 4x or 2x! Above 4x the improvement is negligible. Also TSSAA only affects transparent textures like fences etc. but eats a lot of performance. If you see no effect on fps when switching it off you may switch it on again, but usually it gains a bit of performance without sacrificing a lot of eye candy. Water set to medium also gives a good gain vs. Eye candy.

The problem with smoke and multiple explosions is a general isssue... we have to hope DCS World and EDGE will do something about it. Try not to fly through smoke and don't burst full 20 rocket salvos for the time being.

If you haven't already deactivate heat blur and reduce cockpit displays to 256! 512 is nice for external monitors in the A-10, but 256 is again quite ok and gives some fps, as well as you may deactivate mirrors. If you get into a dogfight or need 'em elsewhere simply hit 'M' on the keyboard to activate and deactivate them...

Edited August 25, 2014 by shagrat

[javelina1]

as txmtb stated, if you haven't already done so, install the AMD/ATI 14.4 or higher drivers.

 

they make a BIG difference! I'm using an HD7870, it was like night and day. you'll see the change.

[Airmage]

Already installed 14.4; is hydravision ok to have installed? Doesnt it interfere with the provided drivers?

 

Shagrat, the old gf260 is dead, burned GPU. MSAA and TSAA have no impact on fps, at least none that i can visually detect, neither mirrors and gauges resolution. I think the videocard does the job good actually. Thanks alot for the help! Maybe there will be a next release with easier particled smoke :)

[shagrat]

Well if you don't use multiple Monitors, you don't need to install hydravision. On Nvidia for example there is all this 3D crap. As I don't have a 3D monitor, I do not install it. The less things interfere or hook into the graphics pipeline, the better... even if it just checks for a feature to be used once, it will block a bit of memory to hook into the chain! Rule of thumb: you don't use it, you don't install it!

[Airmage]

Forgot to mention but, thanks for the help....

[BitMaster]

Well if you don't use multiple Monitors, you don't need to install hydravision. On Nvidia for example there is all this 3D crap. As I don't have a 3D monitor, I do not install it. The less things interfere or hook into the graphics pipeline, the better... even if it just checks for a feature to be used once, it will block a bit of memory to hook into the chain! Rule of thumb: you don't use it, you don't install it!

 

#1 Rule for fast Computing

 

=============KEEP IT SLEEK===============

 

What you don't need 100% does not get installed, especially any GFX driver parts and functions, network gimmicks, memory hogs etc.

 

If you have a WoolMilkPig kinda PC that does everything from Fax, Scan, Office, Banking, Video, Music etc. etc. you have a far more complicated setup than someone ( like me on my gaming installation ) that ONLY has Win7, Firefox, Updates, BINGO DONE finite, nothin else !!

 

I only use it for DCS and shoot everybody who wants to install anything on that particular Win7.

 

 

I can choose which OS I boot and I have a multi-install MS MAP license, so I can install 10 copies of Win7 that makes it easier( and cheaper ) for me to have multiple installs with dedicated purposes. It pays to work this way, believe me.

 

- I have a Mac for work and private pleasure ( any game but DCS, video, music etc..... nothing

beats the Mac in this )

 

- I have 1 Linux to work with for networks on my 2nd laptop ( Dell )

- I have 2 Win7 for Work ( 1 in VMware on Mac and 1 on my 2nd Laptop besides Ubuntu 14.04 LTS )

 

and finally 1 dedicated Win7 just for DCS. A no chances installation, nothing but what it really needs to fire up DCS and TS if needed. Firefox is the only thing I added. Speedy, sleek and till today reliable.

 

 

If your license model with MS allows a 2nd copy of Win7 and you have enough SSD space, consider a dedicated install.

 

Bit