"Heavy missions" term in system requirements

[Wayc00lio]

Wayc00lio on my rig DCS uses all 4 cores (If I open task manager during game DCS' affinity is set to all cores by default).

There must be an issue on your rig / install / setting.

 

I agree. Affinity set to all cores by default here too.

 

Hmmmmmm. Thanks for the heads up on this. Must be a BIOS setting I missed or something. I'll look into this tonight.

 

Cheers guys.

[NOiD]

If you have several programs running along with DCS (TS, browser, etc...) you can also try to change the process priority to high, helped a bit for me :)

[sslechta]

Thanks for the heads up on this. Must be a BIOS setting I missed or something. I'll look into this tonight.

 

 

Not sure why it's not set correctly by default for you. Some folks use a tool called Process Lasso to force apps to the correct affinity by default. I couldn't find a quick answer on a tweak of your system to do this without an external app. You can also write a .BAT process to set it as well when your game launches. Lots of stuff on the Google. :)

[Fri13]

Even without the memory / performance issues, we still had users trying to run VR on a machine that barely meets Minimum Spec, Thus a Separate Recommended Specs for VR,

 

I wouldn't call specs in my signature as "below minimum specs" even when such setups (multiple similar with different combinations from manufacturers) run VR with default VR settings below 30 FPS.

 

That is why it is odd that even some missions get "heavy missions" statement when flying alone with five ground units sitting idle causes severe problems. What would then hundreds of units and thousands of scripts and triggers do?

[NineLine]

 

That is why it is odd that even some missions get "heavy missions" statement when flying alone with five ground units sitting idle causes severe problems. What would then hundreds of units and thousands of scripts and triggers do?

 

It would be helpful to know what mission with 5 units causes you grief. And if this is VR, we can have someone test to see if they get the same results.

[Wayc00lio]

Not sure why it's not set correctly by default for you. Some folks use a tool called Process Lasso to force apps to the correct affinity by default. I couldn't find a quick answer on a tweak of your system to do this without an external app. You can also write a .BAT process to set it as well when your game launches. Lots of stuff on the Google. :)

 

Me neither - It's all set correctly in BIOS, all set up correctly in Windows so don't know why DCS does not run all cores off the bat.

 

Maybe an X299 chipset issue with DCS?

[Wayc00lio]

Apparently some are set to all cores and some are not. Just depends on the system I guess.

 

Mine is set to only have core 0 checked.

 

I have found a fix though, means adding a line to the autoexec.cfg file. I cannot find this file in my save games/DCS/Config folder - has this changed now?

[Fri13]

 

So, question is, why no multiple core support? Why do I have to set affinity up in this way? Can DCS not do this automatically?

 

Because multi-core support doesn't work for a dynamic process where you don't know end-result. You can make a 3D modeling program to very efficient multi-core process very easily, as you just tell each CPU to render a given area of the frame.

 

But in games where there are many unknown future positions and tasks, you can't do that as you can't pre-calculate what has not yet happened as it is at the moment unknown what is happening in the future.

 

The one way to do a better multi-core support is to split different tasks for different cores, like player aircraft flight modeling to one core. A aircraft functions modeling to another core. A player view rendering to third core etc.

 

You will eventually lower the total load of single core that way, but still all are likely very dependent from each others performance so all is waiting every other core processing and that can end up to a loop or performance issues.

 

Even today top AAA title games use just 2-4 cores.

 

That is why a i3 and i5 processors are the best investment for gaming as you will maximize the performance for the money. The i7 and i9 processors are only benefitting when you are doing video or image editing or 3D modeling or other work where you already have a pre-defined results expected and it helps to run parallel all.

 

IF you would have one superfast core with lots of cache, it would be far faster than similar multi-core with multi-core game.

 

The multi-core CPU real benefits is that you can like have a video playing, word processor and web browser running same time, as each of them are different tasks and can run next to each other regardless what others are doing.

 

I would like to see DCS to have some basic multi-core support like ground units separated from air units. So when ground units collide and their CPU requirement goes to 100%, then the user aircraft would still fly totally smooth, while the ground units would warp around in ground or lag seriously. But you couldn't engage the units correctly at that moment, nor they engage you, as either one has no realtime information where they are.

[Fri13]

It would be helpful to know what mission with 5 units causes you grief. And if this is VR, we can have someone test to see if they get the same results.

 

It is any custom made mission on any system and on any map. acceptable 45 FPS is only when flying somewhere above 5-7km.

 

With a non-VR I can get all maxed out over 180-350 FPS with a no ground units. Adding a 10 vs 10 AI (like 10 T-55 to engage other 10) with a simple trigger (to start advancing to waypoint) when player aircraft enters to near by and FPS can drop to 20 because all units firing each others.

[sslechta]

I have found a fix though, means adding a line to the autoexec.cfg file. I cannot find this file in my save games/DCS/Config folder - has this changed now?

 

If you have not done a previous edit to the file, there won't be one. Just create one from a Notepad file or something and rename to autoexec.cfg. The system should pick it up on start. The folder you listed is the correct location.

[Wayc00lio]

If you have not done a previous edit to the file, there won't be one. Just create one from a Notepad file or something and rename to autoexec.cfg. The system should pick it up on start. The folder you listed is the correct location.

 

Fantastic - never knew that!

 

Cheers mate.

[Worrazen]

The new recommended specs are proper now, they better reflect the reality and that's exactly what I suggested that DCS simply drops the use of megnetic disc drives completely and goes to SSDs by default.

 

If you have been around in the last 2 years reading posts about stuttering and performance issues I have suggested that maybe it's not the engine optimization fault, heavier than usual stuttering which turned out to be a bug on my previous Win7 scenario, is actually that we were targeting for too low for what the game actually wanted, VRAM being quite a big deal as well, 2GB of VRAM was not enough even for early 1.5.0 DCS. Now for DCS 2.5, you should never get anything below 8GB VRAM these days. Ofcourse the optimizations and memory leak and garbage collection will improve over time, but so will the assets, textures, maps and you also need to count in all the custom missions with a lot of units, so it may seem like it never gets better, but that's just the illusion from the outside.

 

Also if there will be a move from BC2-BC3(DXT3-DXT5) to BC7 or even the latest ASTC textures, I heard someone said that may increase VRAM usage, but I haven't investigated that deep enough yet how much of an impact it would have.

 

https://developer.nvidia.com/astc-texture-compression-for-game-assets#_Toc398571911

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adaptive_Scalable_Texture_Compression

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S3_Texture_Compression#S3TC_format_comparison

 

To the shock of the new players or the old ones returning, guys, these actually more or less should have been the requirements for some time, since like 2.0 alpha.

 

EDIT: Reference https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?p=3444091

Edited April 6, 2018 by Worrazen
typo

[Wayc00lio]

OK, fixed my issue. I put a line in an autoexec.cfg file that sets affinity across 4 of my cores which stops the single core bottleneck.

 

Apparently DCS will do this automatically for some machines, but for mine it was locked at a single core - the autoexec.cfg line has sorted this!! Happy days. I'm just glad I found a workable workaround that is hassle free :-D

[sslechta]

Glad that worked! Please post the line of code so others may do it that have the same issue. Thanks!

[SkateZilla]

Glad that worked! Please post the line of code so others may do it that have the same issue. Thanks!

 

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=118535&highlight=CPU+Affinity

[Wayc00lio]

That's exactly the link - cheers SkateZilla :-)

[BitMaster]

32GB + big GPU + NVMe/SSD + 4.x+GHz@4-6 cores

 

anything below that will struggle imho.

 

but hey, it runs fluent without any of the said glitches on my rig with maxed out settings, lowest is 60ish fps.

 

Yes, that bar is a lot higher now. 8GB is nonsense, HDD is obsolete and a 2-core i3 or slow <4G wont pull the cart either, face it.

[sslechta]

Thanks Wayc00lio and SkateZilla.

[Falcon_S]

About Heavy Missions ... Memory, loading time...

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?p=3444812#post3444812

 

I do some tests for Heavy Mission term topic and in meantime this thread is started. Anyway, i agree... is not memory leak. Just DCS need RAM for HeavyMissions.

 

What are Heavy Missions?

The worst thing a that mission designer can do is to make mission "ALL INCLUSIVE".

They have to do thematic missions. If some aircraft/unit is not needed for mission - don`t include it. Simple and better for all.

 

If you guys are interested, look next charts from my testing.

 

Tested on GTX 780ti, 16GB RAM, AMD FX6100, SSD Samsung 850 evo.

 

 

M1,M2,...M14 - mission variations

 

M1-M7: All DCS ground units included and some ships.

M8-M11 and M12: No ground units, no ships

M13: No ground units., Ships included

M14: No Ships. Ground units included.

 

If you don`t have 64GB RAM avoid ALL INCLUSIVE servers/missions.

If you don`t have 8GB GPU and 32GB RAM avoid ALL INCLUSIVE servers/missions.

[EasyEB]

The already lifeless world of DCS will unfortunately feel even more dead now.

[DonutDudeDD]

Please mention which PC Gaming monitor that you guys are using, Mhz speed, refresh rate, etc. I would start with a monitor that can do all of the following: (it has made a world of difference in FPS):

 

In March 2018, I upgraded from my original 24 inch ASUS 60Hz monitor to the Dell S2716DG ‑ 27" LED Monitor ‑ WQHD. Bought it on sale at BBuy for $469.00 but I also bought a second one for my wife for $399.00 through Dell.com (Dell had a very short time limited sale at their website about a week ago). Highly recommend this monitor for single monitor players.

 

I am still on DCS 1.5.8 and it plays beautifully both offline and online (with the few multiplayer servers still over on 1.5.8.).

 

I don't need to see every tree or leaf, flower, I need FPS (I'm into the F-86 vs Mig15 bis dogfights), but the scenery is beautiful in 1.5.8.

 

It has made a tremendous difference in FPS (low to mid 120s to 150s) while playing all the time at 2560 X 1440 and G-Sync enabled. Has:

 

144Mhz refresh rate.

27 inch screen.

1Ms response time.

G-Sync compatible (with my GeForce GTX 980 card with 4Gb RAM on card).

Rev no. on outside of box says 'A08' and was manufactured Dec 2017. [i asked the BB salesman to read off the revision codes on the boxes he had stacked up in the showroom...A08 was the latest vs. A06 and A07 he had on the shelf]

TN panel but it is exceptionally better than the older TN panels.

 

My computer (purchased already built):

 

Lenovo Y900 Desktop tower – full size (2 years old – March 2016)

Processors: 6th Generation Intel Core i7-6700k (4.00GHz 2133MHz 8MB)

Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64

Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 4GB

Drives:

SSD: 256GB (78.4GB used--160GB free)

SATA Hybrid Drive: 2TB 7200RPM (DCS 1.5.8 is on this HD)

RAM: 16GB DDR4 2133MHz (note: is there a new GDDR6 RAM coming out?)

Mother Board? – Device Name 2F6B2C20-1D9F-458A-A664-C0CA0E535D88

Power Supply Unit: It says “610W MAX” (625W total). Note: an online comment mentioned that “a PSU is operating at its optimum when only 50% of the power is used….buy twice what you need...if you are using 400W then buy a 800W PSU...”

 

Note: Take a look at Wag's list of equipment he uses too...

 

FYI

[Wayc00lio]

I use a 4k Asus Predator, however for DCS, I use my Rift :-)

[falken76]

"heavy missions" - official term???

 

What is the norm for heavy missions?

 

We just need double our RAM because some mission masters don`t know when they oversize their mission?

 

Gentlemen from ED team: You make us fools i think. Instead of FIX we need now like donkeys hurry in PC SHOP`s to buy more RAM. You've switched the ball on mission designers. Isn`t it?

 

 

What? Of COURSE the author of a mission should take performance into consideration for their mission. That's the job of the author of the mission. When things improve, requirements change. I'm sure most of them are mindful of that. When they make a change that includes making all the trees collidable, then existing missions that were released prior to this MAY be impacted by performance now that things are different.

 

When I load old missions the performance isn't that great if there are a lot of units. I haven't tried a new mission yet with a lot of units. I can keep adding planes to the through the inferno mission. I had 8 of them flying around and task manager showed that only 3 gigs was being used to run DCS and those planes, if I add more the ram use went up by a small amount. That is 1.08 of through the inferno, I don't know if it's optimized for DCS 2.5 but it probably is since that version came out after DCS 2.5.

 

I think newer made missions will perform well on 8 to 16 gb ram. The more units on the mission the more ram you'll need.

[Pacetech]

I have a GTX750TI 2GB VRAM and 12GB RAM my processor is an old I7. What can I reasonably expect performance wise in 2.5? Will I need to run in low settings?

[BIGNEWY]

I have a GTX750TI 2GB VRAM and 12GB RAM my processor is an old I7. What can I reasonably expect performance wise in 2.5? Will I need to run in low settings?

 

yes you will have to reduce your settings, but you should be ok, You will need to fine tune your options to get the best mix of performance and eye candy.