GUI elements cause lags in MP

[Aja]

Some GUI elements seem to result in minute-long lags in MP:

Description of problem:

All problems start when clicking on MP options in the main menu -> The server browser lags for about 15 before start listing the servers.

After joining the server it takes about 1 minute before some map texture loads and I can select the side I want to play.

After selecting the side it takes 30s before I am able to select a filter to choose the plane I want to fly.

After choosing the filter it takes 20s before I can select a specific slot.

After another 20s I can spawn and the cockpit texture takes about 15s to load, while the texture loading the FPS slowly raises approximately from 0,1 to 80.

When I call the radio my FPS drop under 5 for 2 seconds and when selecting the rearm and refuel options the FPS drop under 3 for another 3 seconds-.

Whenever the text with a radio message appears on my screen the FPS drops for 1s on under 3FPS.

When I hit ESC and choose Key  Binding the game freezes for 3s.

What I found out:

The problem is only in MP, in SP I have 100+ FPS with no problem.

I can start my simple mission in SP and I have no problem, when I start it in local MP it lags half as bad as in a normal public MP server.

I can connect on different servers and the problem is the same.

Deleting Metashade or fxo folder didn't help.

Deleting SavedGames/DCS didn't help.

Verifying game integrity didn't help.

Deleting DCS and downloading the whole 300 GB again didn't help.

Using the default configuration/settings after the new install did not help.

Trying different GPU drivers did not help, currently have the newest one.

Deleting SRS, or TacWiev didn't help.

Proces lasso and diferent core affinity didnt help.

PC:

AMD Ryzen 9 5900X

AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT

32 GB RAM

40-44 GB of pagefile

SSD Samsung SSD 980 PRO

 

DCS LOG:

dcs.log

 

 

[sleighzy]

I've dropped your DCS log file into the DCS log analyser which had the following feedback. Note, these items are performance related so are aren't strictly the cause of your loading time problem but worth resolving given the impacts that they have (and may help with that).

• Turn off SSLR.

• Turn off SSAO.

• Disable civil traffic.

• Consider using TAA instead of MSAA.

In addition to this I see you are also using the OH-6A mod, along with the gunner export script. This has known performance impacts on multiplayer servers with a large number of units. The advice on the GitHub site calls out this performance issue as well and has a recommendation to remove that script.

Remove gunner_export_hook.lua from Saved Games\DCS\Scripts\Hooks to avoid it (Doorgunner won't be functional anymore)

The log analyzer also states that your Windows version is out of date. There may be performance improvements in later versions.

If you haven't already then add an exclusion to your entire DCS installation directory in your anti-virus software.

Edited December 8, 2024 by sleighzy

[Aja]

17 hours ago, sleighzy said:

 

I've dropped your DCS log file into the DCS log analyser which had the following feedback. Note, these items are performance related so are aren't strictly the cause of your loading time problem but worth resolving given the impacts that they have (and may help with that).

• Turn off SSLR.

  • This had no impact on the lags (I have tested this option multiple times before and by deleting the save game folder)

• Turn off SSAO.

  • This had no impact on the lags (I have tested this option multiple times before and by deleting the save game folder)

• Disable civil traffic.

  • This had no impact on the lags (I have tested this option multiple times)

• Consider using TAA instead of MSAA.

  • This had no impact on the lags (Tested this first time)

In addition to this I see you are also using the OH-6A mod, along with the gunner export script. This has known performance impacts on multiplayer servers with a large number of units. The advice on the GitHub site calls out this performance issue as well and has a recommendation to remove that script.

• This had no impact on the lags, tested without mod completely multiple times now and before

Remove gunner_export_hook.lua from Saved Games\DCS\Scripts\Hooks to avoid it (Doorgunner won't be functional anymore)

• This had no impact on the lags

The log analyzer also states that your Windows version is out of date. There may be performance improvements in later versions.

• My Windows automatically downloads critical updates and security updates, I have prepared a new version ISO file to update the core system, but I need to buy a new HDD to create a backup in case something goes wrong

If you haven't already then add an exclusion to your entire DCS installation directory in your anti-virus software.

• This had no impact on the lags - tested first time

[silverdevil]

28 minutes ago, Aja said:

The log analyzer also states that your Windows version is out of date. There may be performance improvements in later versions.

• My Windows automatically downloads critical updates and security updates, I have prepared a new version ISO file to update the core system, but I need to buy a new HDD to create a backup in case something goes wrong

just FYI, your windows version reached end of life Nov 10, 2020

null

[Aja]

OK, I have taken the risk and installed a new version of WIN. I have been preparing for this moment for the last two years...

I updated from WIN 10 LTSC 2018 to WIN 10 LTSC 21H2.

I dont understand how, but now everything I have described in my first post is 20x quicker. It directly goes against every my experience with computers from the last 30 years of using PC!

Thank you for the final kick to try this solution, now the DCS after multiple months m will be a pleasure to play again.

 

 

[silverdevil]

19 minutes ago, Aja said:

OK, I have taken the risk and installed a new version of WIN. I have been preparing for this moment for the last two years...

I updated from WIN 10 LTSC 2018 to WIN 10 LTSC 21H2.

I dont understand how, but now everything I have described in my first post is 20x quicker. It directly goes against every my experience with computers from the last 30 years of using PC!

Thank you for the final kick to try this solution, now the DCS after multiple months m will be a pleasure to play again.

 

 

we have a saying in our office, "updates for the win."

have fun and thanks for setting your post as solution, even though @sleighzy had discovered you had a really old windows version.

 

PS why LTSC? this is considered niche OS and should be used for devices other that workstations.

Edited December 9, 2024 by silverdevil

[Aja]

13 minutes ago, silverdevil said:

we have a saying in our office, "updates for the win."

have fun and thanks for setting your post as solution, even though @sleighzy had discovered you had a really old windows version.

 

PS why LTSC? this is considered niche OS and should be used for devices other that workstations.

Sorry, I didnt know it was some kind of mark of pride (I thought it was OK to give like as a reward). I changed the resolution to the answer from sleighzy . Hope people will find out the specific point that resulted in the solution

 

Years ago I was afraid to install the WIN10 because of fearmongering of automatic updates, the LTSC was a compromise for me at the time.

[silverdevil]

17 hours ago, Aja said:

Sorry, I didnt know it was some kind of mark of pride (I thought it was OK to give like as a reward). I changed the resolution to the answer from sleighzy . Hope people will find out the specific point that resulted in the solution

 

Years ago I was afraid to install the WIN10 because of fearmongering of automatic updates, the LTSC was a compromise for me at the time.

not a pride thing for me. but a helper getting credit for a resolution shows the helper is not necessarily full of it.

"fearmongering of automatic updates" LOL. point taken but one can turn that off in mainstream Windows. i have been a sysadmin since 1987 and i have some good campfire stories to tell you about updates.