Possible cause of the stutters

[Kev367th]

Looked at the skins folder after noticing the game loaded significantly faster even when pre-caching skins.

Not all the skins are using the new naming convention, even within ones that are.
B17's are 1/2 and 1/2, as are 109f's, 109g6's and quite a few more.

Could it be the skins pre-cache is getting hosed and the stutters is the game attempting to load skins that should already be cached, but aren't.

[edit] This may only affect the hi-res pack.

[Overlag]

ive noticed that some planes at d800 have white lines around there outline..... looks squealing terrible. this might cause stutters when it returns to normal at d600

[Kev367th]

Ok tried a few things -

1) Checked what skins I have compared to the skins download page.
Lot of old model skins were still there, so I deleted them.

2) If your are missing any - download from the skins page BUT they are still in the old format at the moment so you will need to rename them.

i.e. model_skinnumber
old = spit162
new = spit16_2

2) Plane cache seems not to be working properly, a cache entry is not created until you actually view the plane in the hanger.

Going to try -
Go through all skins in the hanger to create cache entry then restart game.

[Kev367th]

OK went into the game went thru every model and every skin in the hanger.

Cache folder now contains all the skins.

Reloaded game - stutters gone.

[SlapShot]

Originally posted by Kev367th
OK went into the game went thru every model and every skin in the hanger.

Cache folder now contains all the skins.

Reloaded game - stutters gone.

Cool Kev ... now consolidate what you did and tell us exactly how to do this ?

[Kev367th]

Check - Look in the AH2 Cache folder - Every skin should be listed, but probably isn't, in fact very few may be listed. Many may still be in old format.

1) Check skins folder - delete any that arent in the actype_skin# format, these are old ones.
eg old naming would be spit163
new name spit16_3

Applies to ALL aircraft

So any that aren't in the actype_skin# format can be deleted.

If you are unsure you can cross check with the skins download page, bear in mind these are still in the old name format.

2) Delete cache
3) Start game cache rebuilds, but NOT completely
4) Go into game
5) Go thru EVERY plane, EVERY skin in the hanger, you will notuce they load slowly as they are comnig off disk
6) Exit game
7) Go back into game
8) Ctrl + I - Tex= should be around 808.8Mb using 1024 skins. If not you have missed some.

Only assume the skins name change wasn't accounted for in the cache build.

[Warchief]

I have an idea to make this easier on everyone who doesn't havew the time or has no clue how to do it.

SKuzyy but out a patch where it fixes the problem. Not even really a patch just put a folder called skins for people to download so they can dowload it and replace the old one.

[Noir]

does switching to 512 skins fixes the problem ?

[Kev367th]

It's not primarily the skins, but the cache rebuild thats the problem.

I would assume no matter what size skins you use as long as you precache them you'll have the same problem.

Here is a screeny of part of the cache folder fully populated -



Notice folders are also in the new name format.
This 'should' contain every skin in the game as well as some default folders.

After going through the lengthy process of selecting every plane and every skin in the hanger, got the cache fully rebuilt.

NO MORE STUTTERS.

[Noir]

ok thx

heard some patch was coming out

[SlapShot]

 ... thanks Kev

[mojo7]

Famous People Who Stutter:

Tiger Woods — professional golfer

John Stossel — 20/20 co-anchor

Mel Tillis — country singer

Nicholas Brendon — TV star "Xander" in Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Alan Rabinowitz — zoologist, conservationist, and author

James Earl Jones — Broadway, television, and movie star.

Annie Glenn — wife of former astronaut, Senator Glenn

Johnny Damon — outfielder for the New York Yankees

Ron Harper — basketball star

Winston Churchill — statesman and orator

Bruce Willis — actor

[Clifra Jones]

Makes send Kev when I turned on "Disable skins for other planes, the stutters stopped. I also turned off anti-aliasing on my vid card and moved the detail slider a bit to the right. BUT, I believe that the skins are the main culprit.

Kev, would clearing your cache folder help?

[Kev367th]

Originally posted by Clifra Jones
Makes send Kev when I turned on "Disable skins for other planes, the stutters stopped. I also turned off anti-aliasing on my vid card and moved the detail slider a bit to the right. BUT, I believe that the skins are the main culprit.

Kev, would clearing your cache folder help?

Not it doesn't, after clearing it and starting the game up again the only folders in it are the default ones.
There are no skins folders what-so-ever.

Few guys have tried the method I posted and said it cleared their stutters also.

[hitech]

Could it be the skins pre-cache is getting hosed

Yep that is the bug. The cache at first run is not  working correctly for skins.

HiTech