Author Topic: Will There Be a Radeon Optimization? (Read 4313 times)

214thCavalier · « **Reply #30 on:** December 18, 2003, 05:09:09 PM »

9800 pro
AGP x 8
AGP aperture in bios 128mb

In Bios i always set system bios cacheable and video ram cacheable OFF.

I also use graphic cards fast writes on, as it has no adverse effects for me although i know it does for others.

No frame rate probs regarding stutters etc in AH2

Justjim just for info i originally did get stutters especially low even in AH1 and i was using a KR7a motherboard, i got so annoyed i did thr big upgrade to P4 and new MB and changed to XP.
No more problem.

JustJim · « **Reply #31 on:** December 18, 2003, 06:04:10 PM »

never really had the stutters until beta 7 i'm sure its just something that will be worked out eventually seeing as it wasnt there before.

thanks for the info though, i'm sure it won't be long before I do the latest and greatest for this week upgrade again

JustJim1
<< Dragon Hawks >>

ALF · « **Reply #32 on:** December 18, 2003, 06:21:33 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by guttboy
Man I would love to know how you guys are gettin such frame rates...do you have all the "eyecandy" turned on on your cards such as anisotropic filtering and anti aliasing?

I am running 2.0 Ghz machine, 256 megs ram, ATI Radeon 9800XT with 256 megs ram on it.

Also have the screen set at 1600x1200 and the next one down...NO MEASURABLE DIFF.

Any suggestions????

TG12:confused:

At this time, resolution seems to make ZERO diference in framerate. It seems VERY CPU bound or something.

Kaz · « **Reply #33 on:** December 18, 2003, 09:59:29 PM »

AGP 4x
Aperture size 128

bloom25 · « **Reply #34 on:** December 18, 2003, 10:11:15 PM »

Skuzzy, I ran a few tests to see if I could find something useful for you. Here's something I found - on my system the "triangle count" reported by AH2 seems to be the ONLY factor significant to framerate.

Here's what I did: Spawned a P51 on the runway at the default field (NE runway and looking straight ahead). Engine running but at idle. By adjusting the video sliders I was able to take a few different measurements at different triangle count levels.

I ran the test at 1280x1024 with 4x fsaa enabled 32bpp color. I will rerun the tests at other resolutions, but I do know going to back 2x fsaa has negligable framerate impact.

5000 triangles = 45 fps
7000 triangles = 39 fps
9000 triangles = 35 fps
12000 triangles = 28 fps
15000 triangles = 26 fps
20000 triangles = 24 fps

Now I turned off mip mapping for terrain and object, bump mapping, horizon, and transistions, and shift f3 mode for terrain. (They were all enabled before.) Rerunning the tests at the same triangle levels I found the results to be the same. Turning off all these features had no direct effect (it did slightly lower the triangle count, which of course increased framerate, but pulling the sliders up a bit to get the triangle count to the same level produced the same framerate).

Is it possible that system memory is somehow being used accidentally and that is causing the performance hit? I'm lead to assume this may be the case, because turning on FSAA isn't affecting the framerate significantly. I would assume if the problem was fillrate there would be a very large performance hit in doing so.

(AGP apt is 128 MB on my system BTW.)

bloom25 · « **Reply #35 on:** December 18, 2003, 10:53:48 PM »

Ok, something really interesting here. I just did a bunch of extra tests. I found that resolution and FSAA have very little to do with the framerate I'm seeing.

Another thing I noticed is that the total and active TexMemory in JustJims screenshot is MUCH lower than in any test I could run. Is this the case with all nVidia cards???

Check out this screen shot, with 3 shots taken from a P51 spanned on the default runway. (1280x1024 16bpp no fsaa, 1280x1024 32 bpp 6x FSAA, and 1024x768 32 bpp no FSAA) Notice that the framerate is almost the same in all 3. In fact the only real difference is the used video memory.

bloom25 · « **Reply #36 on:** December 18, 2003, 11:18:44 PM »

Another thing, but this may be normal:

Everytime I spawn a different vehicle the texture memory count goes up (and doesn't ever go down). For example, after spawning a P51d, spit14, fw190, me109, then m3 the active tex memory was up to 104 MB. From JustJim's screenshots, it looks like his active texture memory is was 16 or 17.5 MB, but even after spawning only a single P51, mine was 59.5 MB. It looks like we both have 128 MB video cards.

Interestingly though, the framerate was still the same as before, even after spawning all those different vehicles though. 35 fps when the triangle count was around 9000. It's also worth noting that if the triangle count was 9000, even while in flight, the fps was 35. Again, it seems that nothing but triangle count matters.

I hope all this helps you Skuzzy.

guttboy · « **Reply #37 on:** December 19, 2003, 08:09:18 AM »

Skuzzy,

like we talked on the phone....the Dell guys have my bios set at 64mb....the other setting is 256. I tried putting the 256 mb size on it and noticed a little bit of frame rate increase but not much....will run some tests here today to see what i come up with.

Just for my own education "exactly" what do the sliders in AH2 do? Thanks.

TG12:)

hitech · « **Reply #38 on:** December 19, 2003, 09:04:06 AM »

Top slider adjust the size/range at which entire objects drop out.

Bottom slider adjust the size at which individual polies drop out.

HiTech

guttboy · « **Reply #39 on:** December 19, 2003, 12:22:20 PM »

Thanks HITECH!

Some of us JABO freaks need to know which is which so that we can maximize the distance at which we see TGTS. Thanks a bunch.

If there are specific tests you would like people to run please let me know so I can help you all out!

Regards,

TG12:)

Skuzzy · « **Reply #40 on:** December 19, 2003, 12:34:34 PM »

Bloom, when you use AA, the video card is going to use up memory much faster as it needs to have additional samples, to be able to do the AA. We have no control over this. Just FYI.

The 9800Pro is going to run AA without much effect at all on frame rate. It is the nature of the card.

guttboy · « **Reply #41 on:** December 19, 2003, 01:20:11 PM »

Just another question for everyone.....

Just what does each of these boxes do?

1.Bump Mapping
2.Transitions
3.Horizon....saw this as taking out the horizon it seems
4.disable palletized textures
5.terrain mipmapping
6.object mipmapping

In addition how does each of these affect perfomance when checked or unchecked?

Thanks....running some tests this afternoon.

Bullethead · « **Reply #42 on:** December 19, 2003, 03:06:28 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Skuzzy
Just trying to gather more information. What AGP Aperature size are all you running at?

AGP 4x, which comes from having an older mobo I guess. I have no idea what the aperature size is, nor how to find that number.

JustJim · « **Reply #43 on:** December 19, 2003, 03:26:19 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Skuzzy
Just trying to gather more information. What AGP Aperature size are all you running at?

Quick question Skuzzy,

I am going to assume your running a AGP 8x mobo w/128 mb ATI

1: what Arpeture is yours set at for a 128 mb card or 256 mb card whichever you have.

2: (this goes for anyone running 8x agp) try running at 4x or 6x and see what difference it has.

Reason i'm bringing this up is I have read (cant remember where) that 8x agp isnt all its cracked up to be just yet, (this may have changed by now) but i'm still curious just the same.

My Tech has always set my Arpeture to twice what my vid memory is, He has always done this and I have never had any video problems since AGP was introduced in 1997.

Well so much for a quick question

Just a Thought,

JustJim1
<< Dragon Hawks >>

guttboy · « **Reply #44 on:** December 19, 2003, 03:40:11 PM »

Hey Jim!

From a former MassHo!e to another hello......

Ok for us guys that purchased "off the shelf " systems.....the agp settings on the Dell Dimension 4400 series will not let you change the bios at all....it is VERY un-tweaker friendly.

On my board the AGP settings are found under the video stuff and is 4x. The aperature size has 2 choices 64mb and 256 mb...THATS it.....running on the 256mb now to see what is up.

I really wish I knew more about puters before I went and got this rig....will be making one myself in the future....my frustrations are....supposedly i have the top o the line card the ATI Radeon 9800 XT with 256 mb on it.

Why am I running less than stellar rates in AH2....my thoughts are that the game is not designed to run with this card. Seen several posts on some guys getting insane rates....BTW im happy with anything consistent over 30's....

Dale, Skuzzy and pals...know you are working the issues hard. Let us know whatever we can do to help and Ill be more than happy to do so.

Regards...and great work on AH2...although I am not getting PRIMO stuff on it...it is a beta and I know that...keep up the great work......