Never been so in love/frustrated with a sim!?

[erick]

This is a very long performance related rant. I apologize in advance. For the record this is the best current flight sim by a long margin. I completely understand that it is in an alpha/beta state and will improve with time. I love this sim so much and want it work well so badly! I have purchased many modules with the most recent being the F-86 and I want to purchase many more ....but the current performance woes are holding me back... and giving me way more grey hair!!

 

My system specs are in my sig. I play at 2560x1440 on a 60hz monitor. Always have vsync on. Current nvidia drivers. No trackir or vr. DCS (non steam) is installed on a fresh 500gb samsung ssd and the user/saved games folders are on my another samsung ssd that has my os (windows 10) installed on it. Graphics settings are between medium and high.

 

I first downloaded the free DCS World a long time ago. Fell in love right away. My SLI worked like a charm (using the nvidia sli profile) and I had both cards pumping away at around 80% giving me smooth locked 60 fps under all scenarios at basically max settings. I bought my first module "flaming cliffs 3". Life was good!

 

Then the updates began. First thing to go was SLI. The "DCS blackshark" nvidia sli profile was rendered dead. I used Nvidia inspector to completely get rid of it and start a fresh blank profile to make sure only one card was running. OK, no problem. I lowered a few settings and I was able to get one of my 980's running it pretty well. Constant 60fps and smooth for the most part. I went ahead and bought a few more modules. Blackshark 2 and the Mirage 2000. It all worked well. Life was pretty good.

 

Then out comes Nevada. A dream come true. I live in Canada and have spent much time in Nevada and around Nellis AFB and the surrounding areas. I'm also obsessed with fighter planes, so this was a no brainer! Bought it right away. The textures were crisp and clear. The performance was fantastic. A little shakey right over downtown Vegas but otherwise, really good. Life was still really good.

 

Then comes the latest batch of updates (the past 2-3 for both 1.5 and 2.0) With 2.0.4. and 2.0.5. the terrain textures have become blurry and low resolution and the dreaded "stuttering" is ever present!! No matter the adjustments made in game graphics settings or with nvidia cp or inspector, the performance has taken a dive. With 1.5.6. the dreaded "stuttering" is even worse than in Nevada. No matter what adjustments I make, the stuttering continues. I swear I am seeing stuttering in my dreams. FPS never really seems to be a big issue in either version. It is mainly the "stuttering".

 

I have been testing this like crazy in every possible configuration and I can't honestly say if it's a DCS udpate, a Windows 10 update or an Nvidia update that has caused these problems. I just know that it used to work great and now it doesn't. Obviously I would love to have SLI back and I am still hoping that will become a reality again. But in the mean time, 1 card was doing the trick and now it totally isn't. I have tried adjusting terrain shadows from flat to default to off. There doesn't seem to be a corresponding change in game regardless. Very weird. I have tried raising and lowering both visibility and preload radius. Makes no difference! (other than lowering fps somewhat when maxed). I have tried changing trees/clutter etc. No effect on terrain stuttering. I have changed just about everything and the only thing I see is that overall fps will drop a bit with settings that are really high. Otherwise nothing seems to effect the stuttering. The one thing I can't help but notice are the odd looking trees and their ever present shadows. No matter what I choose as far as settings (even shadows off) they are still present. They even flicker sometimes. My performance seems the worst when I am near them. Weird. Anyway life sorta sucks right now!

 

Rant over!

 

ps- I am optimistic.

 

If you read all of this, then you are as obsessed with DCS as I am! lol

Cheers :)

[MadDog-IC]

+1

 

Right with you there, very depressing when you favorite stuff just doesn't work right.

[Mutley082]

I am in the same boat as you with no idea on what to do. 1.5.6 is ok with very minor issues here and there. NTTR is not good and has never got any better from day one. But all said and done I still love the Sim. My only worry is when they bring the two together into one and it may or may not work. Make a copy of what works for you now, put it away and should the World of DCS fall upon your head you can get the old copy, dig your way out and carry on playing.