Can Anyone Run MAX Everything?

[Changeup]

Just an update. I have been monitoring the utilization on my GPUs and CPUs and as previously discussed , it seems to be the CPU that is the bottle neck in my system. I have recently posted that setting the priority for Aceshigh in the task manager to "high" helped quite a bit, but the results were inconsistant. Some days it was till slow. Recently I did some experiments with setting the "affinity".  Now these results are for a Quad core Duo. When I run the game in default mode it seems to try to run everything on Core 0, which is typically 100% with spill over on teh other cores of 10-20%. Frame rates are limitted with relfections and self shadows on. But I have found the the optimum settings for me was to set the "affinity" for Aceshigh to cores 1,2,3 (just deactivate 0), and set TrackIr to core 1). When I do that core 1 runs at 85% and Cores 2 and three run 20-30%.. The game runs beautifully and conststanly between 55-60 FPS. It does take longer to Cache. When I take off after each sortie, the game runs at 20 FPS for about the time it takes to roll down the runway and lift off, but then it pegs at 55-60 and stays there, even in heavy action. 

I run Window7 64 bit, on a 2.66MHz Quad core Duo, with 8 Gig of Ram and Radeon 5970. The Graphics card is running 30% and 30% utilization on the GPUs.  That would suggest that the game is more CPU bottlenData Recovery Labs??????????????Data Recovery Labs??????????????Data Recovery Labs??????????????Data Recovery Labs??????????????Data Recovery Labs??????????????Data Recovery Labs??????????????Data Recovery Labs??????????????Data Recovery Labs??????????????‚Ë|‚Ë|       276614018MltCpy2.10 FILL FILLed Sector; ST500DM002-9YN14 (CC4H) S1D5GMZYData Recovery Labs??????????????Data Recovery Labs??????????????Data Recovery Labs??????????????Data Recovery Labs??????????????Data Recovery Labs??????????????/>Turn off real time Scanning in your Virus software (if applicable)
Start CH control manager
Start TrackIR 5.0
Start the Task Manager
Start AH and leave it at the first screen.
Go back to the Task manager screen....
    -Under processes tab
         - Right click on AH and left click on "affinity..."
             - you'll see 5 check boxes
                      Select all
                      CPU 0 (de-select this one)
                      CPU 1  {
                      CPU 2  {Leave these checked
                      CPU 3  {
             -  Click OK
         - Right click on AH and left click on "Priority"
              - left click on "High" (box will come up warning that changing priority can affect performance. select "Change priority")
         - Right click on TrackIR 5.0 and left click on "Priority"
              - left click on "High" (box will come up warning that changing priority can affect performance. select "Change priority")

Close the task manager.
        selct on-line arenas or other menue choice from AH and proceed as usual.

Make a 20-25 FPS difference on my machine. I've had this hardware for over a year and could never run 8192 Self shadows, let a lone with the Environment map at one notch. I am running 2048 graphics resolution, Bump map terrain, Realistic Water, with local water reflections on.

It's a joy to see the game in it's full glory. I pass this info on in the hopes that more will be able to enjoy it. Results may vary, but I think windows7 may not be scheduling optimumly without a little help. forcing the game onto certain cores  may help your rig as well. Good luck and Please poet results if it works, or hurts your set up. I will make screen dumps and post tonight when I get home.

thanks,

vinkman   

Skuzzy,

Do you think this could help other folks?  I understand what he's done but I don't understand why the CPU doesn't do it all by itself.  I thought CPU priorities were automatic based on need.  It sounds like they just allocate resources randomly.  Thoughts on what Vinky has done?

[Skuzzy]

It all depends on what is installed on the computer and if all the updates are done.  Microsoft released a recent update to Windows 7 which helps with current generation Intel CPU's.

However, some anti-virus programs also alter the scheduling for CPU's.  Once installed it is permanent.  The only way to revert back is to wipe out the hard drive and re-install Windows.

Aces High only uses 2 cores, at the moment.  On the other hand, DirectX can use any number of cores.  It will also depend on the sound card installed.  Some sound cards/chips are single-threaded, while others are not.

There is just too many variables for any one combination of things to hold true for all systems.

Certainly adjusting the priority of the application will help a little, but it may not help at all, again depending on the configuration of hardware and software installed.

[Chalenge]

I'm actually surprised he can keep audio in sync at all!

[LCADolby]

Vink's trick didnt help my system, turning off a core only made it worse.

[Drano]

Vink's trick didnt help my system, turning off a core only made it worse.

Same here. Saw no gains. Maybe a little stuttering. Set it back.

[Krusty]

Would simply having more available cores help reduce the problem of scheduling? For example 4 cores with HT for a total of 8 cores is less likely to have this problem just because any time a core is needed there is one available?

Just curious.

[Changeup]

Would simply having more available cores help reduce the problem of scheduling? For example 4 cores with HT for a total of 8 cores is less likely to have this problem just because any time a core is needed there is one available?

Just curious.

How would someone setup for using all 4 cores.  Hell I'll try it

[ebfd11]

Well I cant wait to see the difference my new parts are gonna make..LOL I will post here what I can and cannot do.

LawnDart

[Vinkman]

Same here. Saw no gains. Maybe a little stuttering. Set it back.

Did you fly the whole sortie or stop after a minute or two?

[Skuzzy]

Did you fly the whole sortie or stop after a minute or two?

It is not going to be uncommon for one thing to work on one Windows computer and not on another.  There are literally thousands of variables to deal with.

[Vinkman]

It is not going to be uncommon for one thing to work on one Windows computer and not on another.  There are literally thousands of variables to deal with.

This is big mystery. From one day to the next the difference in performaces changes as well. What is happening in the scheduling of the tasks that screws this up. What was clear from the log data was I never ran 2 cores at 100%. So there is always overhead to run the game at max settings. It also clear that the gameis coded to be split between the cores enough to enable max settings.

We just can identify, what mysterious service, or process, is interfering with the scheduling of tasks in the CPU that results in bottlenecking. for example yesterday I ran into a new problem. Frame rates at 60, but stuttering of head movement as I swivelled around. but the frames stayed solid at 52-60. so i figured it was Track IR synch issue. Tried a few things. Nothing fixed it. It was just "wednesday's" mystery. 

I don't know how you Code guys do it. The unstable ground you wonk on is like being asked to build a skyscraper on a strange planet who's soil properties are a function of every astronomical event in the solar system. God bless you. 

[zack1234]

I have noticed over the years people get very obsessed with FSP,Stutters and lag.

MY new top of the range PC gets blips every now and then.

I don't care anymore

Its getting obsessional

[Changeup]

I have noticed over the years people get very obsessed with FSP,Stutters and lag.

MY new top of the range PC gets blips every now and then.

I don't care anymore

Its getting obsessional

Good stuff! Lol