Optimising FPS

[SAAFDirtyHarry]

Hi guys I just thought I would let you know what I figured out re: optimizing FPS.

 

Windows 7 64 bit. CPU i7 950. GPU NVIDIA GTX 465 x 2. RAM 4GB.

 

(1) Dropping a single resolution level does not seem to make a massive difference rather try to run in native res.

 

(2) When using SLI disabling it worsens performance.

 

(3) If using NVIDIA SLI using SLI AA mode I get better FPS than 3D performance mode. SLI AA 8x with AF 8x.

 

(4) Disabling HDR did not make a noticable difference.

 

(5) Using the HUD only view for combat makes a huge difference. So I tend to switch to cockpit only when I need too and use my HOTAS for most things - USE HUD ONLY MODE when possible results in MASSIVE fps gains.

 

(6) Using 512 cockpit did not result in a worthwhile performance increase.

 

(7) Scenes to medium and water to low result in a big fps bonus with not too much loss of eye candy.

 

(8) Textures to medium results in slightly better fps but ugly pit.

 

(9) VERY NB! With NVIDIA using driver to vsync results in MAJOR performance hit!!!!! Rather set to application controlled in driver settings and make sure MAXFPS in graphics.cfg is 120. I didn't notice any tearing with trackIR in a 15 minute flight. So if it occurs it only does so rarely. I would rather have fps averaging 60 with once in awhile tearing than fps averaging below 30!!!!!!!! This was the big one for me.

 

I will add to this the more I find out.

[skypirate]

Quick question:

 

In your thread about the Video settings your nVidia Panel settings are:

Nvidia Control Panel Settings

************************

Amb. Occlusion - Not supported

AF - 8x

AA Gamma - Off

AA Mode - Override

AA Setting - SLI 8x

AA Transparency - Off

CUDA - All

Max pre-rendered frames - 3

Multi display - Single display perf.

Power - Max. performance

SLI rendering mode - Custom (see AA setting)

TF Aniostropic opt. - Off

TF Negative LOD bias - Clamp

TF Quality - Quality

TF Trilinear opt. - On

Threaded opt. - On

Tripple buffering - Off

TF Anisotropic opt - Off

Vertical sync - Force on

 

Here your point No.9 is stating that the VSync is a performance hit...

Can you please confirm which one is to be used? Other users opinion about the vSync will be much appreciated either.

 

Cheers

[metalnwood]

I am using helios so I would like to use the hud only view as I have all the instruments below. I just wish there was some way to block the area you can scan because the immersion dissapears when you look down with the trackir and you are looking through where the nose of floor of the cockpit should be.

[Snoopy]

I am using helios so I would like to use the hud only view as I have all the instruments below. I just wish there was some way to block the area you can scan because the immersion dissapears when you look down with the trackir and you are looking through where the nose of floor of the cockpit should be.

 

Same here....

[skypirate]

I am using helios so I would like to use the hud only view as I have all the instruments below. I just wish there was some way to block the area you can scan because the immersion dissapears when you look down with the trackir and you are looking through where the nose of floor of the cockpit should be.

 

Why don't you manually restrain the view areas through the TrackIR software?

[hassata]

I am using helios so I would like to use the hud only view as I have all the instruments below. I just wish there was some way to block the area you can scan because the immersion dissapears when you look down with the trackir and you are looking through where the nose of floor of the cockpit should be.

 

SCSimulations have indicated that they are pursuing a HUD only view with wings etc. and no Wonder Woman cockpit with ED. Maybe we'll get lucky and get that in the release version.

[SAAFDirtyHarry]

Quick question:

 

In your thread about the Video settings your nVidia Panel settings are:

Nvidia Control Panel Settings

************************

Amb. Occlusion - Not supported

AF - 8x

AA Gamma - Off

AA Mode - Override

AA Setting - SLI 8x

AA Transparency - Off

CUDA - All

Max pre-rendered frames - 3

Multi display - Single display perf.

Power - Max. performance

SLI rendering mode - Custom (see AA setting)

TF Aniostropic opt. - Off

TF Negative LOD bias - Clamp

TF Quality - Quality

TF Trilinear opt. - On

Threaded opt. - On

Tripple buffering - Off

TF Anisotropic opt - Off

Vertical sync - Force on

 

Here your point No.9 is stating that the VSync is a performance hit...

Can you please confirm which one is to be used? Other users opinion about the vSync will be much appreciated either.

 

Cheers

Hi - Initially I used FORCE ON. Thinkin that it would result in smoother fps. HOWEVER I found I got the best results with VSYNC OFF! When I force off in my nvidia control panel, vsync for some or other reason stayed on. However when I put in on application controlled, vsync was off in game and frame rates much better. (I may have a bad driver installation?)

 

So I recommend VSYNC on application controlled in your driver control panel and MAXFPS 120 in graphics.cfg (default).

 

JP

[SAAFDirtyHarry]

I am using helios so I would like to use the hud only view as I have all the instruments below. I just wish there was some way to block the area you can scan because the immersion dissapears when you look down with the trackir and you are looking through where the nose of floor of the cockpit should be.

 

Hi I suggest you speak to Sheldon at scsimulations.com. He would best be able to advise you on that matter.

[Frogfoot1606687865]

Hi - Initially I used FORCE ON. Thinkin that it would result in smoother fps. HOWEVER I found I got the best results with VSYNC OFF! When I force off in my nvidia control panel, vsync for some or other reason stayed on. However when I put in on application controlled, vsync was off in game and frame rates much better. (I may have a bad driver installation?)

 

So I recommend VSYNC on application controlled in your driver control panel and MAXFPS 120 in graphics.cfg (default).

 

JP

My monitor is only capable of 60Hz refresh, and I have to have V-sync forced on othewise I get terrible tearing (even with MaxFPS set to 60)

[coolts]

Vsync OFF only improves fps on old CRT monitors surely. 60fps is max for TFT. without it you get awful tearing. wait till later betas as they've just started optimising

[Vullcan]

thats simply not true coolts, the amount of tearing you will see varies depending on video card, drivers and display. Most modern video cards and displays will have minimal to no tearing, but to know for sure you simply just have to try it on your setup.

 

You get a large performance gain turnign vsync off so I would keep it off unless you happen to be getting a lot of tearing.

 

Personally with a Nvidia GTX480 and Dell2408WFP monitor I see a small wrinkle in the image (not a large tear) maybe once every few minutes. It certainly doesnt bother me at all and its over in a split second.

 

You should always strive to get more than 60FPS if you can IMO. I get about 50 now but it is beta. I would strive to get your PC to pump out as much as possible (I like to aim for 70-100 FPS) so that when the SHTF and explosions are going on left and right your FPS doesnt drop below 30.

Edited January 10, 2011 by Vullcan

[SAAFDirtyHarry]

Vsync OFF only improves fps on old CRT monitors surely. 60fps is max for TFT. without it you get awful tearing. wait till later betas as they've just started optimising

 

Colts you cant just come onto a thread and say something is not true. I HAVE tested this, I am not sucking it out of my thumb... On MY system I DO get better FPS, maybe it doesn't help in your system but it does in mine. And I am not talking about simply getting higher AVERAGE rates. I am talking about 50 fps vs 30 fps in stable conditions.

 

So do with it what you want but I suggest at least trying this, for those folks who are having severe FPS problems.

[SAAFDirtyHarry]

Also just for the record I also have a 60Hz monitor and notice a little tearing sometimes, basically the tearing bothers me less than fps of < 10!

[BTTW-DratsaB]

I have a 120hz TFT monitor and I have to keep in game Vsync enabled or I get horrendous tearing when I pan my view with TrackIR. I don't where the myth that you have to exceed your monitors refresh rate in FPS to get tearing comes from, but it has never been true for me.

[SAAFDirtyHarry]

Just another couple of things I have done to push my FPS to 40-70...

 

(1) I overclocked my i7 950 slightly to 3.5Ghz. Easily done on stock coolers. Hyperthreading causes most of the over heating and is pretty uselesss so disable that.

 

(2) Instead of using SLI AA I use the ingame AA and leave AA application controlled in the driver.

 

(3) Make sure the game runs on single GPU mode. In SLI your get horrible shimmering and with SLI AA the FPS seems slower.

[BTTW-DratsaB]

(3) Make sure the game runs on single GPU mode. In SLI your get horrible shimmering and with SLI AA the FPS seems slower.

 

Odd, you should be able to have SLI enabled and get a boost in FPS. The only problems I have with with SLI at the moment are with it causing graphical corruption on the TGP and Mav cameras, which can be circumvented for the moment by using an "Every Frame"(512, as 1024 will negate any boost from SLI) option for the MFCDs.

 

I personally never saw the point in SLI AA in any game/sim.

 

PS dont make a profile for DCS A10. The Nvidia CP is using the DCS:BlackShark profile for DCS:A10 also. So just leave it set to "Nvidia Recommended" and it should be fine. trying to force SLI by using AFR1 or AFR2 will cause corruption in game

Edited January 11, 2011 by BTTW-DratsaB

[metalnwood]

Why don't you manually restrain the view areas through the TrackIR software?

 

I never thought of that. One thing I am not sure about is if I restrict the view in track ir can I do some of the same things as in game. I.e. I am lining up for a ccip drop and target is going under my nose but its not time to dove yet. I sometimes end up looking over the nose by ifting my head and looking down, this seems like a natural thing to do.

 

If I restrict the view in trackir wont it block that area entirely and the only way to look down would be to lower the nose? I will have a lok and see.

[djwave]

Hi guys, im sure is poor optimization of the Simulator. I Have Q9550@3,4 , Ati 5970, 8Gb Ram 800Mhz, and only get 19 Frames in trainning , takeoff mission default view, tested with cat 10.11 and 10.12.

 

I tested again with my comp re O.C to 3,84 cpu and 850, 1200 for 5970. And only rise 1 frame!!! its amazing.

 

Im waiting for Beta5 now.

[Woots]

I have a 120hz TFT monitor and I have to keep in game Vsync enabled or I get horrendous tearing when I pan my view with TrackIR. I don't where the myth that you have to exceed your monitors refresh rate in FPS to get tearing comes from, but it has never been true for me.

 

You will get tearing ANYTIME your game is updating at a rate OTHER than a multiple of your monitor refresh rate. For a 60HZ monitor, if you aren't updating at exactly 60/30/20/15/12/10/6/5/4/3/2 you will get tearing. VSYNC forces the game to "wait" until the monitor is ready for another frame.

[con3para]

Hi guys, im sure is poor optimization of the Simulator. I Have Q9550@3,4 , Ati 5970, 8Gb Ram 800Mhz, and only get 19 Frames in trainning , takeoff mission default view, tested with cat 10.11 and 10.12.

 

I tested again with my comp re O.C to 3,84 cpu and 850, 1200 for 5970. And only rise 1 frame!!! its amazing.

 

Im waiting for Beta5 now.

 

 

try 10.6 or 10.4 drivers ...

[ilikepie]

Hi guys, im sure is poor optimization of the Simulator. I Have Q9550@3,4 , Ati 5970, 8Gb Ram 800Mhz, and only get 19 Frames in trainning , takeoff mission default view, tested with cat 10.11 and 10.12.

 

I tested again with my comp re O.C to 3,84 cpu and 850, 1200 for 5970. And only rise 1 frame!!! its amazing.

 

Im waiting for Beta5 now.

 

have you got all the GPU settings in the ccc to application controlled and AI cataylat off?

 

i'm using 10.12's with a 5870, and slightly lower system specs than yours and 25 fps on taxi in fog, and constant 30 whilst flying. i have all settings on low except textures and........ another thing i cant recall right now. ;)

[djwave]

try 10.6 or 10.4 drivers ...

 

im tried this and my frames are the same. I put all options in low, no mirrors etc and still 19-20 frames!!! :cry::cry::cry:

[SAAFDirtyHarry]

Odd, you should be able to have SLI enabled and get a boost in FPS. The only problems I have with with SLI at the moment are with it causing graphical corruption on the TGP and Mav cameras, which can be circumvented for the moment by using an "Every Frame"(512, as 1024 will negate any boost from SLI) option for the MFCDs.

 

Thanks for that. Will give it a try

Edited January 16, 2011 by =SAAF=DirtyHarry

[Steel Jaw]

I have yet to hear that SLI is of any benefit with this sim. Opinions?

[scheffchen]

I have yet to hear that SLI is of any benefit with this sim. Opinions?

 

Hello and good morning,

 

i have built an SLI-rig this weekend:

I added a second gtx470 amp by zotac with 1,2gb vram to my system. In reviews I have read this combination beats a single gtx580 so it was the logical upgrade step for me.

To make things short: I gained a significant improvement in gamespeed. Especially when flying low or in airport regions or when using tgp+mav camera at one time. This coincidences with the posts that dcs wh is more graphic than cpu dependent compared to the dcs bs or fc2.:thumbup:

My system is a i7-930 @4ghz with 12gb ram. I am quite happy, that I do not see any microstutter at all, like it used to be in earlier generations of nvidia&Ati-cards.

 

If anyone is interested I can do some benchmarks (how?).

 

Have a nice monday :-)

scheffchen