HELP GUIDE for those PiMAX users who're suffering terrible framing and stuttering issues with MT

[GayCavalier]

I had major issues with the MT version of DCS.EXE when I first had it running.  The ST version of DCS.EXE worked as before, but the MT version was causing all sorts of visual aberations, half the frame-rate (according to OpenXR Toolkit) and a completely unusable experience, unless I over-dosed on Dramamine.

After some messing around, I discovered that PiTool was treating the new DCS.EXE in the bin-mt folder as a completely different DCS, and applying default settings that are an absolute NO-NO for DCS.

Here's how to fix the issue:

In your DCS install folder, locate the DCS.exe in the bin-mt subfolder.  Create a shortcut in the same folder pointing at the local DCS.EXE, use arguments --force_VR --force_OpenXR   i.e.  :\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\DCSWorld\bin-mt\DCS.exe --force_enable_VR  --force_OpenXR  (same can be used for standalone, though without the SteamLibrary structure)   

In PiTool, go to the "My Games" tab.  Click the import button and locate the shortcut you just made.

Click on the new icon within PiTool to Start.  Once in the menu of DCS you can exit again.

In PiTool, now go to  PiTool>Settings>Games>Game List drop-down. 

The original "DCS World Steam Edition" is there, but now there's another one that didn't exist before, simply called "DCS" (or whatever you named the shortcut) within this settings page: Smart Smoothing is turned on by default, along with "vertical sync" set to 1/2, and Hidden Area Mask Enabled.  TURN ALL OF THOSE OFF!!

Now you can start the MT version of DCS from wherever you like:  a desktop shortcut, start shortcut, from within the folder itself, or from PiTool and it'll work.

It will still have some odd loading menu aberations, but once you're in the simulator, you should notice that the visual issues have gone away, and you'll be rewarded with around 40-50% better fps.

Edited March 11, 2023 by GayCavalier