Aces High Bulletin Board
Help and Support Forums => Technical Support => Topic started by: Kingpin on October 07, 2016, 02:02:00 PM
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I've dialed in my graphics settings to get steady 40-60 FPS (usually it displays 59 FPS) in flight.
However, whenever I open the clipboard my FR drops to 12-18 and turns into a slide-show. It seems to have come and gone with different patches (usually about halving my FR), but the latest update has had the worst impact. Opening the clipboard now drops me to about a quarter of my normal FR. When I close the clipboard, the FR usually jumps to an intermediary number (30ish) for a second and then goes back up to normal (59 FPS) after a second or two.
First, is anyone else experiencing this?
Second, is the clipboard data really that graphics intensive?
I know there is more detail with the new icons, showing directional changes, bomber or fighter types, and there is even a little "shadow" below the aircraft icon on the map (which is cool looking, but IMO unnecessary). If this is an issue for people, perhaps the ability do disable some of the features on the clipboard responsible for the FR hit might be in order?
<S>
Kingpin
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Nobody else has their frame-rate drop (to half or a quarter or normal) when they open the clipboard? Really?
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I have tried to duplicate this and have not been successful, on three different machines of various configurations.
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This happens to me. It's happening right now, sitting in a tower, so I alt-tabbed to post a reply. This is trying the DX11 version.
59fps with the map closed, 20-24 fps when it's open. Regardless of the map zoom, it drops like that.
In flight, it's the same thing.
Some basic PC specs for reference:
i5-2500k OC'd to 4Ghz
ATI 7950 OC'd to 1108/1250
16GB RAM
2650 x 1440 res
106 FoV in game
4096 Textures
Plenty of resources left on my system.
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I just tested with the DX9 version, and there is no fps drop when opening the clipboard. Steady at 59fps.
I logged out, then back in with the DX11 version, and the fps dropped from 59fps to 18fps as soon as the clipboard expanded. It stayed at 18fps.
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I don't know about frame rate, but I do so the clipboard map slowly zoom out if I zoom in all the way.
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I have a 7950 in my home system, and running with default graphic settings I cannot duplicate this. You are running at a higher resolution (I am at 1920x1080) than I am and a higher FOV (i am running the default of 90).
The only options on the clipboard map enabled are "Field Names" and "Icons".
The arena was on the "CraterMA" map when I tested this.
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I have a 7950 in my home system, and running with default graphic settings I cannot duplicate this. You are running at a higher resolution (I am at 1920x1080) than I am and a higher FOV (i am running the default of 90).
The only options on the clipboard map enabled are "Field Names" and "Icons".
The arena was on the "CraterMA" map when I tested this.
Same map - CraterMA.
The options that I can recall being checked on the clipboard map:
Field Names
Icons
GV Spawns
Radar
Field Altitudes
I can't confirm until I get home tonight, but I emailed you about a bug, and the attached screenshot may show what I have enabled, if I forgot to list something above.
I also changed the default icon colors to blue and yellow, but I wouldn't think that has any bearing on it.
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I get a frame rate drop of up to 10fps when the clipboard is open...and with this latest patch, around large fields it drops to 6fps...
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I tried both DX 11 and 9 both sit at 75 FPS and when I open the clipboard one went up to 76 but I think that is just a quirk I get virtualy no frame rate change in tower on line in flight.
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Same map - CraterMA.
The options that I can recall being checked on the clipboard map:
Field Names
Icons
GV Spawns
Radar
Field Altitudes
I can't confirm until I get home tonight, but I emailed you about a bug, and the attached screenshot may show what I have enabled, if I forgot to list something above.
I also changed the default icon colors to blue and yellow, but I wouldn't think that has any bearing on it.
Try just checking the top 2 options and see if it makes any difference. I'll try your configuration when I get home tonight.
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Try just checking the top 2 options and see if it makes any difference. I'll try your configuration when I get home tonight.
Will do. I should be able to check in a couple of hours.
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I wasn't able to log in and test before the map changed. It's Montis now, and I'm not having the fps drop with the map open.
Edit: I tried the CraterMA map in offline mode, and had the same fps drop. When I unchecked everything but Field Names and Icons, the fps shot back up to 59 and held steady.
I added Radar - fps remained steady at 59
I added Altitudes - fps remained steady at 59
I added GV Spawns - fps dropped to 20-24
Removing GV Spawns, and leaving the other four options enabled gave me a steady 59 fps again.
Adding GV Spawns dropped fps back down to 20-24.
This was in the DX11 version.
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Yep, the GV spawns on the clipboard map are the culprit!
With GV spawns on, I open the clipboard, FR drops from 59 into the 38-49 range (on the Montis map). Close clipboard FR goes to 54 for a second and then 59.
If I open the clipboard and turn GV spawns off, FR goes to 54 for a second then 59 steady WITH clipboard OPEN.
With GV spawns off, I can open and close the clipboard with no FR hit.
DX11 version.
Note: the Montis map does seem to have the least significant drop due to this than any map thus far.
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I am not able to duplicate this on my home system with the 7950 video card.
I need to see a DXDIAG output from both of your systems. I need to verify drivers and any other differences.
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I am not able to duplicate this on my home system with the 7950 video card.
I need to see a DXDIAG output from both of your systems. I need to verify drivers and any other differences.
I just tested this on my box just now and outside of noticing the used mem amount displayed in HUD increasing approx. 2.2M (920.2M to 922.4M) when I brought up the selection menu with the clipboard open my FR never wavered more than 1-2 FPS (77-79 FPS) w\ GV spawns enabled or disabled, regardless of the other combination of selections enabled or disabled or whether the clipboard was open or closed.
So I couldn't duplicate it either.
Dxdiag's attached................
:salute
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On my AMD/ATI 4890 at the office, I can see a frame rate hit for each option, which I would expect. Not really seeing a significant difference between enabling GV spawns or Radar circles. They both seem to cause about a 4 frame rate drop each.
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By the way, the DX9 version is going to be faster when the clipboard is up. It has to do with the efficiency of the draw calls used. DX11 is not as efficient, in this particular instance.
Will continue reviewing this.
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I'll get you a dxdiag output tonight.
A few weeks ago, I updated the AMD drivers to the latest version, but I rolled back to an earlier version. I can't remember why though. My mind is full of work issues, so I tend to forget the minor problems with home PCs.
I'll install the more recent version again to do an apples to apples comparison.
I'll also post what ATI settings I have enabled as far as AA, etc.
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I would rather all the testing be done with everything at defaults (game and drivers). Makes it easier to do comparative testing.
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Will try to remember to post a new dxdiag tonight when I get home.
Thanks for looking into this, as it's been a real sticking point for me.
Might I be better off switching to use the DX9 version in the interim?
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Attached are two dxdiags for you. Dxdiag_1 is with my old driver, from last year. Dxdiag_2 is with the updated driver that I just installed.
I tested again, offline, everything set to defaults in the ATI control panel. Same result - Vehicle Spawns dropped the frame rate to 20. Turning them off, back up to 59.
This was with the old driver, then installing the new driver and running the test again.
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I've always noticed a big dip in FPS when the clipboard is open, especially in AHII. (2)
It's kinda' clear that the game is trying to keep tabs on players position, but then you add the clipboard. So now
it has to do it again. Notice if you zoom the map out it will slow the FPS. Zoom way into your position and it's all good.
Coogan
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Attached are two dxdiags for you. Dxdiag_1 is with my old driver, from last year. Dxdiag_2 is with the updated driver that I just installed.
I tested again, offline, everything set to defaults in the ATI control panel. Same result - Vehicle Spawns dropped the frame rate to 20. Turning them off, back up to 59.
This was with the old driver, then installing the new driver and running the test again.
Your old driver is one version older than what I am running on my system. I did note your monitor is higher resolution, which would add higher loads to the video card. I know it would be ugly, but try setting the resolution of the game to 1920x1080 and see what the results are. I am just trying to see if our computers can match video performance, or get close.
Would it be too much to ask if you would try running your CPU at default clock speeds? I am assuming you have over clocked it. If not, you must have caught it in boost mode when you ran the DXDIAG.
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I regressed to the 15.11 drivers. The newer driver wouldn't keep my GPU overclock speeds after alt-tabbing or exiting the game a few times. The older drivers work fine with it.
With both the newest driver and the 15.11, even at 1920x1080, the same thing happened.
I reset the CPU to the default multiplier (33) and had these results:
Res: 1440p, 59fps in the game, GPU 1108/1250, CPU 1.60GHz (3.30GHz)
First run: 2-3 fps drop when vehicle spawns enabled
Second run: game froze, and the screen ended up white. I had to end the AcesHigh process.
Third run: 2-3 fps drop, same as first run.
I then went back to BIOS, and set the CPU multiplier to 39 (so now, 3.9GHz).
When I tested again, adding the vehicle spawns dropped the fps to 18-20.
So, now we know there's something linked to the higher OC on the CPU. Max temps under load, even with the OC are only 51-53c per core.
What's the next step? It doesn't make sense to me.
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It's not the overclock, per se. If you overclock without paying attention to all the clocks it impacts, you can easily get parts of a system out of sync. You may overclock the CPU, but then other parts of the system may run slower so they can sync their clocks with the CPU.
Basic rule of thumb is to keep everything on a 33Mhz boundary (66Mhz will also do).
Also note, if you overclock after the OS is installed, it will be less efficient than if you install at the clock rate you are going to keep the system at.
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It's not the overclock, per se. If you overclock without paying attention to all the clocks it impacts, you can easily get parts of a system out of sync. You may overclock the CPU, but then other parts of the system may run slower so they can sync their clocks with the CPU.
Basic rule of thumb is to keep everything on a 33Mhz boundary (66Mhz will also do).
Also note, if you overclock after the OS is installed, it will be less efficient than if you install at the clock rate you are going to keep the system at.
Oh, yes, I understand. I've been OCing since the Celeron 300A days, and understand the relationships between the different parts.
I'm stumped on why this one piece of the game causes an issue. That's what doesn't make sense to me. What is the Vehicle Spawn, in just the DX11 version, adding into the mix that causes some bottleneck somewhere? Know what I mean?
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It is not a bottleneck. It is DirectX.
DX11 is just not efficient at drawing lines and needs more CPU than the DX9 version does. As to exactly why your overclock is causing the slow down, I would need access to your BIOS information to get a grasp on that.
Is your BIOS up to date? Could be a bug related to overclocking in the BIOS.
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Sorry, I wasn't insinuating a bottleneck due to your guys' code.
The MB is a Gigabyte GA-Z68XP-UD4. The BIOS is F6, which is the last BIOS before they released a Beta UEFI BIOS for it. I wasn't going to do that. However, the hardware and BIOS is from 2012.
I could give you all of the configs in the BIOS, but I wouldn't want to waste your time. Knowing what the issue is makes it easy to 'avoid', especially since I can reduce the clock on the CPU and solve it.
After get everything running on my new build, I think we could troubleshoot if the same problem appears.