Stutters / Weather.

[toutenglisse]

I've found an obvious link between stutters (fps blocking - nothing hitting 100% but fps going to 0 for a short instant in same time than GPU usage - happening often while a unit is destroyed / hit / crash but sometimes nothing pecular), and weather.

 

(it seems to be similar to what happens with static Lot20 Hornets)

 

Could someone with "stutter" problem, whatever the settings, try one of his mission whatever the module with this test :

1) with a "weather" (some clouds should suffice, …but the more weather the more stutters)

2) with no weather (a clear sky option, with nothing, no clouds/précipitations/fog)

 

Trying with zero weather gives me zero stutter on the same mission/duty (just the weather being the difference) against "many" stutters if I use a weather. (at least 8 or 9 big)

 

Here 2 monitoring pictures of the same F-18 A/A + A/G mission with wingman and IR mavs. 1st a weather is set (see 3rd picture - weather setting), and 2nd clear weather.

(1 or 2 stutters in monitoring picture may be simple fps drop because GPU is high but most are real ones shortly blocking fps)

 

Of course there are other way to get stutters but knowing that any weather setting induce stutters may be good. (if it's the case)

This is in VR if any relevance.

 

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[bandit648]

I've noticed the same stuttering around clouds except I don't use VR so it's not a VR specific issue. Clear out the clouds and little to no stuttering.

 

Also I've noticed different performance and issues between the different maps. In the Caucus and Persian Gulf map, textures seem to load very fast with minimal stuttering while flipping around the F2 view of aircraft in the region. Nevada stutters horribly when viewing aircraft in different areas of the map. The FPS drop by half and the game stutters while the textures slowly load in, then its back to 60 fps.

 

Mirrors are another issue. They don't seem to affect FPS for me but they do create TrackIR microsuttering when looking around the cockpit. I lock at 60 fps to keep TrackIR smooth but with mirrors on I get the annoying microstuttering.

[toutenglisse]

Yes it seems that weather/stutter is a known subject. I was not aware of but often I don't correctly read posts …

[BitMaster]

Weather, ressource management, ATC, AWACS and alike ... aren't those perfect candidates for their own thread/core? ;)

 

Justify my Threadripper dream !

[toutenglisse]

I don't have a clue why weather gives this stuttery behavior and what the fix should be.

 

On my usage it seems to be the main source of this issue.

[Wolf8312]

Noticed and reported a long time ago as it is especially apparent in VR, but if you have clouds on, as oppose to a clear sky random stutters/fps drops will occur.

[River]

Try dynamic weather, the preset weather options cause stutter. If I use the sliders to set up base, thickness, etc. it always gives me those short freezes and hickups. Just go to dynamic to the right and type in what you like.

[toutenglisse]

Hard to tell - with dynamic weather I don't manage to have as much coverage/thickness than the static weather in exemple. (wich gives strong stutters)

 

But setting a static weather to match what I see with dynamic weather gives the same very few / very short stutter issue (near zero but not zero).

 

Good point for dynamic is that the weather don't auto clear whan you navigate trough units with F2.

[Lixma 06]

Mirrors are another issue. They don't seem to affect FPS for me but they do create TrackIR microsuttering when looking around the cockpit. I lock at 60 fps to keep TrackIR smooth but with mirrors on I get the annoying microstuttering.

 

Same here - it's frustrating, particularly when the mirrors have no appreciable impact on FPS.

 

I'd love to keep them on but it ruins smooth head-tracking.

[Headwarp]

So, eyeballing this thread over the last few days.. I finally got around to checking this out myself.

 

I've mostly been using the Hornet Instant Action ACM 8V8 Su-27s and Mig-29's, but for some reason kept stuttering while flying this mission, on both my monitor and VR. Not a constant stutter, just a pause here and there on the monitor, or in VR I get the steamVR room/loading screen and it's only for a moment, but enough for me to consider it a problem.

 

At this point my PC is about as top of the line as it gets for gaming purposes. I've spent quite a few hours over the last few months trying to put my finger on something causing said stuttering, as well as getting around to PC upgrades that I've been wanting for some time now. I'm pretty meticulous about ensuring my system has up to date drivers that are installed correctly and making sure my hardware works. It never occurred to me that it might be the weather engine in DCS.

 

 

This particular mission has very thick cloud cover. I went and opened it in mission editor and changed the weather to "Summer - Clear sky no wind"

 

Stutters are completely gone. Something bad going on with clouds or weather it seems. I'm open to suggestions if anybody's experience differs to mine. Tested dynamic weather and seems less likely to happen, but did encounter one small stutter and have no clue what exactly about the weather is causing it, perhaps a combination of weather and missile launches? Going back to clear skies, seems to run smooth as butter 100% of the time.

 

More info - my visibility is set to medium, and the stutter on the same mission with clouds has been present regardless of changes to my in-game settings.

Edited December 4, 2018 by Headwarp

[Headwarp]

Just chiming in to say after the latest update to openbeta I'm still running smooth as butter without clouds at least in the Hornet Instant action ACM 8v8 mission, as well as still running into occasional stutters with clouds on.

 

I'm not saying I expected fixes in this patch or anything, just stating this seems to be the only thing giving me performance issues whatsoever when it comes to a single player instant action mission.

 

I can live with flying in clear skies for the time being to have a smooth experience and won't attempt to speculate on Eagle Dynamic's priorities regarding development of the sim, just think this is something that likely deserves attention.

 

I'm starting to wonder just how many complaints of stutters on these forums might be related to weather settings in the mission editor, more specifically clouds. I think a solution to this would go a long way. If DCS always ran on my rig like it does with clouds off I'd be a pretty happy camper.

 

Really my only complaints with the sim at the moment aside from the general weirdness when first joining a MP server with lots of aircraft in the role selection list, and clouds causing stuttering.

 

Other than that.. lots of good things coming to us in the future.

Edited December 7, 2018 by Headwarp

[BitMaster]

The weather drama.

 

imho, it's gonna be fixed with Vulkan. Why put lots of time into fixing things that might get thrown over anway.

 

I think, many of the bugs we now have have no priority for a reason that serves us well. Get Vulkan going and THEN fix that stuff once and forever.

[toutenglisse]

absolutely

[Headwarp]

The weather drama.

 

imho, it's gonna be fixed with Vulkan. Why put lots of time into fixing things that might get thrown over anway.

 

I think, many of the bugs we now have have no priority for a reason that serves us well. Get Vulkan going and THEN fix that stuff once and forever.

 

That depends on how long it's going to take them to implement Vulkan imo. We'd all like Vulkan sooner than later. If it were coming between now and a couple months and solves whater's causing the stutter from clouds, sure, focus on that.

 

But looking at the track record of how long API conversions tend to take in the simming world, if it's going to take 3-6 months months or even years, I think it's worth hunting down whatever makes clouds cause a stutter in 2.5

 

Using steamVR stutters are more than just a momentary pause of the game. You get loading screens and are taking out of the experience.. Even on my monitor it's not pleasant for the game to pause out of nowhere.

 

Like I said. I'm cool with flying in clear skies til something can be done about this, whether it be vulkan, or a bug hunt with clouds. You got how many posts of people trying to eliminate stutters in these forums? Lol. I'd like those people to start chiming in on how their rigs perform with and without clouds.

 

Also there's the question of whether this is a bug with clouds, or a limitation of dx11. Vulkan isn't a guaranteed fix.. clouds in general also have a pretty huge place in flight sims.

 

Anyway, none of us can or will decide anything for ED. I think a more useful response to anything in these posts might be whether you are seeing similar results with clouds on or off.

 

For me - this has been driving me nutty for a few months now. Enough to discourage me from flying when I get the urge. Honestly pretty thankful this thread came up, as it's saved me more headaches @ troubleshooting... could've taken even more months before I ever thought to try clear skies in the ME.

Edited December 9, 2018 by Headwarp

[BitMaster]

Correct, I‘ll check myself asap.

 

 

 

 

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[BitMaster]

Obviously, I am too stupid to generate a mission with above mentioned weather(s), uaaahh LOL.

 

Can you provide those missions so we can compare ?

 

 

*I need to look deeper into this mission builder, it's just way beyond my available free time.

[Revs]

Try what I did on “1989 fighter sweep” mission from f18 mini campaign. Check for FPS in cockpit then F2 (view) up to far away Aircraft, then go back to your cockpit and you’ll get about more 10 fps. Note if you kept going with the F2, you’ll loose all the cloud.

[Headwarp]

Obviously, I am too stupid to generate a mission with above mentioned weather(s), uaaahh LOL.

 

Can you provide those missions so we can compare ?

 

 

*I need to look deeper into this mission builder, it's just way beyond my available free time.

 

I just used the hornet instant action over Caucasus ACM 8v8.

 

By default it's heavy cloud cover. You can run it as downloaded with the hornet module for a mission with clouds if you own the hornet in the instant action menu. For me the misison is found in -

 

D:\games\DCS World Openbeta\Mods\aircraft\FA-18C\Missions\Quickstart\Caucasus FA-18C BVR 8v8.miz

 

Once opened in the ME there's an icon on the left that looks like a cloud and the sun. Click it and on the right weather settings appear. At the bottom, there will be a drop down box where you can select "Summer - Clean skies, no wind." And to the right of that will be a series of icons one of which will generate the preset weather condition for clean weather once clicked. You can then save this as another filename or in another folder.

 

I'll upload my modified mission file for clean weather to make it easier, and also so you can keep the default instant action mission cloudy for comparison. Just rename mine or keep it in a separate folder from the original. Unfortunately, I didn't think to make a backup of the original mission before editing it, but I guess I could redownload the hornet for the default version if needed and you or others could remove the player hornets and insert aircraft of your choosing. Hope ED doesn't mind the usage of the instant action mission for these purposes.

 

Caucasus FA-18C BVR 8v8.miz

 

And don't feel bad I'm mostly clueless when it comes to the mission editor myself. Forgive me if I'm assuming incorrectly that you have access to the Hornet. The default version with clouds causes a stutter even on my monitor with no trackIR. Clean skies smooth as butter even in VR.

 

This is with a minimum framerate in the 80's on my 21:9. Send your flight in to attack bandits and use the mountains for cover imo to survive long enough to form a conclusion. lol. Should shooting your enemies down not be a simple task I guess. It's good missile evasion practice none the less.

Edited December 11, 2018 by Headwarp

[BitMaster]

Ahh, OK, sure I got the FA18, will look tonight when I have time.

 

Great ! Thanks ;)