How is performance in DCS 2.0?

[Jamesp1]

Hi,

 

I haven't played DCS since before 1.5 was released.

 

My plan was to wait until the virtual reality headsets get released and then almost certainly buy one of those, a new PC and then have some very immersive fun!

 

As I have the Nevada map anyway though (A-10C pre-purchaser) I thought I might give it a go now.

 

How is the performance & features of the new map/version? My gaming PC is 3.5 years old.

 

Also, do any modules have any missions or content to play on the new map beyond quickplay missions?

I may get the A-10C campaign for it but again am tempted to wait until I can play it in glorious virtual reality :-)

[BIGNEWY]

what is your system spec?

[Jamesp1]

Unsure of my desktop spec, but I've benchmarked it vs my laptop and the laptop gets about the same score assuming DCS World is in directx11 (in directx9 the desktop is better).

 

I'd probably use the laptop as it's my go-to computer. Just didn't want to confuse the thread with "laptops are no good for gaming" comments.

This one's not as good as a new desktop, but it's ok :-)

 

Laptop spec:

i7 4700HQ cpu (overclocks to 3.4Ghz)

16GB RAM

GTX 850M 2GB graphics card

[Jamesp1]

Downloading it now and I'll give it a try: Currently downloading at 8-10MB/s.

 

Nice!

[BIGNEWY]

see how you get on.

 

current requirements

 

Minimum system requirements: OS 64-bit Windows 7/8/10; DirectX11; CPU: Core i3; RAM: 8 GB; Free hard disk space: 60 GB; Video: 2 GB RAM card, DirectX11 - compatible; requires internet activation.

 

Recommended system requirements: OS 64-bit Windows 7/8/10; DirectX11; CPU: Core i5+; RAM: 16GB; Hard disk space: 60 GB; Video: NVIDIA GeForce GTX780 / ATI R9 290 DirectX11 or better; Joystick; requires internet activation.

[AG-51_Razor]

Can't say specifically regarding 2.0 and the NTTR map, but almost everyone in my squad reported a dramatic boost in video performance when DCS 1.5 came out. Assuming that this was a result of the new EDGE graphics engine, and knowing that 2.0 is based on this, I can only assume that anyone, such as yourself, that is coming back to the game after leaving it in 1.2.xxx will see a very much improved performance. I doubt very much that you will be disappointed.

[Enduro14]

well performance is good in 2.0 unless you go above 1080p for example 4k over vegas is a stutterfest. Its early im sure things will get better.

[Ignition]

Why this game use so low cpu? With missions with multiple units like 80+ my FPS have a massive drop to 20-28, but the cpu stays at around 20% almost all the time.

 

I have an I7 2600k, 8GB RAM, GTX980. The game should perform better I think.

[Jamesp1]

Hi, just reporting back to say performance is great!

 

On high detail in a SU-25 free-flight, I got 60+fps over the desert, 40fps upside-down over Nevada at 3,000 ft and never below 20fps upside-down in Nevada at streetlevel.

 

Nevada looks like it'll be amazing for a helicopter-campaign.

 

I'll copy this to my desktop and see how performance is looking there.

 

Overall I am very impressed both with the graphics and performance. Well done Eagle Dynamics!

[flying rabbit]

@ Ignition

 

If you talk about the summed cpu load, 25% is one of four cores at full load. If you are using hyperthreading its two "cores" at full load. You should check the load of the individual cores.

[Kuky]

Game engine as far as I recall, has 1 thread for simulation engine and 1 thread for the sound engine. Sound engine has been separated into separate thread while ago.

 

The single thread usage of the simulation engine can use 1 core at the time only (and I think you don't see 1 same core used 100% because OS somehow spreads the load onto all cores, so that you don't have 1 core at 100% and others at low utilization.

[Worrazen]

Well this game is mostly CPU bound, I have an sandy bridge i7 Overclocked to 4 GHZ with any power saving features and I tried it today (i usually play with stock CPU) and average is around 55 FPS with dips to 24 and highs around 120. Usually it dips to 16 and highs are around 100, average would be 40, it's not optimal considering i have a 144hz monitor.

 

I played once when I forgot to disable CPU throttling, I played the game using 60% CPU and that was like from 3600 mhz down to something like 2200 and it was very choppy so choppy I noticed it and was wondering why it's not doing so well for like 15 minutes before I figured it out, so it had a massive impact.

 

With textures all to high but everything else to low and off, post effects all off, visibility range and water medium, no AA, and 1080p.

 

I put the water on low now. Let's see what kind of difference just this makes considering someone asked and it appears the water is still rendered underneath terrain in the old map.

 

With 8 threads, one of them was 75% used, the other 3 were like 20%, and the other 4 were bascially idle. So with this game, I don't know if DX12 is going to improve the actual CPU performance it self but it should definitely help, this game really needs CPU optimizations and badly.

 

I have a soundcard, is the game even using it to alleviate the CPU, hardware audio just isn't appreciated by the gaming masses out there so most games don't focus on it, but this game needs all the CPU for the main game since physics simulation has to be done way way more than any other game so I think it should be logical to try to optimize and find ways to get all the misc stuff off the CPU.

Edited March 3, 2016 by Worrazen

[OneBlueSky]

It's brilliant for me with all options maxed out in cockpit. More FPS than I ever got pre-1.5/2.0 even with some options disabled or set lower back then. However on any exterior view it stutters like mad unless I turn off depth of field. Not sure why it breaks down like that on the exterior view.. Livable though as aside from screenshots I'm never on external anyway.

 

Overall though it's gorgeous and performs brilliantly for me.

Edited March 4, 2016 by OneBlueSky

[DarkFire]

The EDGE engine is vastly more CPU efficient than the old 1.2 engine was.

 

I'm using what is by now a pretty old i7 960 at 3.2 Ghz with 16 Gb of RAM and an Nvidia 760. Both 1.5 and 2.0 produce easily double the frame rates I was getting with the old game engine. It varies between low 30s while taxiing around up to above 100 at high altitude.