The gumbo of stutters, pauses, freeze and other ingredients

[Skuzzy]

I wonder if some reason it is server side?
Does the server get reset between maps?
Does the server get reset after an update is made?

So many people with varying systems suffer same symptoms....

I just set everything up to use DX9....can't take it anymore.

Sort of like shooting hand poured musket balls out of a sniper rifle with a high end vid card and having to fall back to DX9.

We can say with 100% certainty the servers have nothing to do with the graphic issues anyone is having.

Note, the DX9 version of the game looks the same (better in some cases) than the DX11 version of the game.  You are not giving up anything running the DX9 version of the game.

I don't have anything overclocked, if that is what you mean Skuzzy.

Odd.  The default clock speed for your CPU is 3.5Ghz, yet the DXDIAG showed it running at 4Ghz.  Even the boost speed of the CPU is only 3.9Ghz.

[Dobs]

Dx9 2160p resolution--67fps sitting on runway.

DX11 2160p resolution--120fps sitting on runway.

I'd say I'm giving up a lot for DX9...with framerates dipping below 30 when zoomed....I'm now back at DX11.

Good to know servers are not the issue...

So next common denominator would be maps... Maybe tracking which maps generate worst stutters would be worthwhile.

I've done all the "suggestions" from other people about disabling sound drivers, uninstalling HDMI Audio component drivers, etc....stutters still exist. Didn't exist in Beta at all though...

Dobs

[Skuzzy]

Odd, the frame rate difference, as most players get better in DX9 vs DX11.

Even those who are not getting better are only a couple of percentage points slower than DX11.  Really odd that you are getting such a wide variation.

In Beta we had very few players playing it.  That can make a big difference in of itself.  Enough difference we have to discount what anyone got in Beta.  We would have to roll out a Beta to everyone to get a basis for comparison.

[Dobs]

I really think the difference between 9 and 11 is due to me being in 2160p.....

Wasn't expecting to see a big difference...surprised me.

Dobs

[Skuzzy]

There are people running larger resolutions (triple monitor and 4K configurations) without that type of performance penalty.

[N95KF]

I get micro-stutters in 1920 x 1080.  Since I have DirectX 12 with Win10, and AH3 uses DX11, is there a DX11 patch I should update to, or delete DX12 and replace it with 11?  How does that work?

[Skuzzy]

DX12 is just the highest DirectX version the OS has available.  Windows 10 also supports DX11, DX10, DX9 and so on, as all those versions are also installed.

Just like Windows 7 supports DX11, DX10, DX9, and so on.

[JimmyD3]

Not sure if this is important or not but the Keyed Transmit stutter happens offline as well and shows up in the net status, see attached.

[Pudgie]

Odd, the frame rate difference, as most players get better in DX9 vs DX11.

Even those who are not getting better are only a couple of percentage points slower than DX11.  Really odd that you are getting such a wide variation.

In Beta we had very few players playing it.  That can make a big difference in of itself.  Enough difference we have to discount what anyone got in Beta.  We would have to roll out a Beta to everyone to get a basis for comparison.

Hi Skuzzy,

My experience is similar to Dobs......on my box I get much better FPS\game performance\smoothness from running AHIII Dx11 vs Dx9 but I also note that my CPU\GPU is taxed much less running AHIII Dx11 vs Dx9.....from looking at my graphs approx. 45%-50% less which isn't squaring w\ the fact of Dx9 creating less overhead on hardware than Dx11 but also running AHIII Dx9 I get none of the myriad of pauses\freezes I'm getting running AHIII Dx11. This gets worse when I have the Power Efficiency setting enabled (on by default in Crimson drivers) as when running AHIII Dx11 w\ PE enabled my GPU will down clock severely vs running AHIII Dx9 which causes even more stuttering simply due to lowered GPU power levels\clock speed which again isn't squaring w\ the fact of Dx9 creating less overhead on hardware vs Dx11.....all indicators on my box is stating the opposite. This has been the case since Beta Dx11 circa Patch 22 forward. I did run both the Beta Dx11 version starting w\ Patch 21 forward as well as the Dx9 version. I never got any screen pauses\freezes while running Beta Dx11 version but I did note the issue as stated w\ PE enabled vs disabled w\ Dx11 Patch 22 forward which caused a lot of stuttering due to GPU lack of power and down clocking. I also posted on this in several threads during the Open Beta period as well.......

From our experiences it clearly says that the version that Dobs & I would want to use is AHIII Dx11 from a hardware performance perspective but these "glitches" make it very annoying....as I'm sure that it does for y'all as well. From all the testing\checking that I've put into all this I'm fairly positive the issue is FE related but what exactly IS the issue(s) within the FE of AHIII Dx11 interfacing w\ Windows thru to the graphics card drivers\GPU that is causing these pauses\freezes is the mystery.

It makes sense to say that this FuryX of mine (and Dobs GTX 980Ti) should run better using Dx11 vs Dx9 as Dx11 is the prevailing D3D API being used by all the Tier I game titles so this FuryX (Dobs GTX 980Ti) was designed\drivers written and optimized w\ Dx11 performance in mind. I have recorded some graphs of running AHIII Dx11 on my FuryX w\ the in-game post-process FXAA disabled then setting the Crimson driver to override the game AA calls, set the driver AA level to 8xEQ, AA filtering to Edge Detect, AA method to Supersampling (uses the GPU to do this instead of the shaders....max driver AA settings) as well as TF set to High and this doesn't slow down this FuryX in the least (runs the same 78-80 FPS w\ slightly higher GPU usage% and a full 500-600 Mb extra mem usage) vs using the in-game FXAA setting and in fact is MUCH better looking graphically running AHIII Dx11 but when I try to run the AHIII Dx9 vers w\ the exact same settings this FuryX just will not run worth a darn....best FPS is 10 w\ GPU usage at 100%\GPU clocks at 1050 MHz\mem usage @ 1980 Mb and FT out the roof w\ stutters galore....utterly unplayable....which also again shows that for some reason AHIII Dx9 puts FAR more overhead on my hardware than AHIII Dx11 does.

I can send all this your way if y'all want it.

BUT due to the fact that when I run AHIII Dx9 using all in-game settings w\ Crimson driver set to default I get none of the issues....gameplay is near perfect vs running the same w\ AHIII Dx11....is very baffling to me. Every time I think I have it resolved it shows back up......but I also don't see this occurring as frequently on my box relative to the other players experience.

Just enough to let you know it's there. The vast majority of my playing time running AHIII Dx11 is picture perfect.

Just doesn't add up.........

Let me know if y'all need anything from me.

 

[Chalenge]

Skuzzy, when I play the DX9 version I have to turn shadows off to get the same frame rates that I get with DX11. DX( then plays smooth without dropping below 60fps, and with none of the small freezes that I get with DX11.

With DX11 I get the small freezes, but I also see what I think is the shaders being updated regularly. There will be a single frame where one 'layer' (for lack of a better term) turns white briefly (flashes) and then the shadows will flicker for a second, and then things will be what I would call 'normal' for a while until the entire thing repeats. In DX11 the atmospheric effects are more obvious (I do not even see them in DX9).

The knights are working hard to win the map at the moment, but I will try to record this now.

[N95KF]

I am wondering if this has something to do with background services or processes running.  It's very strange because back in early September, when I first purchased the new PC for AH3, I had zero problems with stutters and I am only now getting them after several update roll-outs.  The stutters are reminiscent of back when I used to play MS Flight Simulator and automatic updates were on scanning for updates, Windows Defender was scanning in the background, and Windows was sending/receiving information in the background.  Even thought I have all of these things turned off along with unnecessary services and background processes.  I am going to do a fresh installation of Windows 10 and see what happens.  If almost everyone is experiencing these issues it is most likely the game, but there are members of my squad with graphics maxxed our who are not experiencing these problems.  I'll let you know my findings, and please share anything new you all uncover.  <S> 

[Chalenge]

The flickering/flashing seems to be related to clouds and the cloud shadows. I think there is also an issue as the light fades out at dusk, but by the time I logged out, mirrored my display, and started recording it had ended. DX9 does not seem to have that problem.

It's really weird that only DX11 suffers from the pauses/freezes, but again you have to be recording when they happen. I caught few I think and I will post film and video (have to process it).

[DaddyAce]

Skuzzy, just want to add an update on my situation, in case you might find any clues that help.  I thought the mini-freezes and CTD's had stopped.  Then I flew 1 sortie Thurs PM and I had several mini freezes and 2 CTD's.  After logging from AH I looked and for some reason my Nvidia sound drivers were no longer disabled.  This may have something to do with an "unexpected store exception" that led to the BSOD, not AH related.   So I have since removed the Nvidia drivers.   I flew quite a bit yesterday evening, all I think in the DX11 version, with occasional mini freezes only.

Also, I am fine with running the DX9 version is that's what it takes for now.

Dxdiag attached in case there is something here useful.

[morfiend]

Last night in FSO, I knew the enemy was near by the stuttering and petite freezes that started,sure enough low 11 oclock there they were! Was over 40,maybe as many as 60 planes inside the fog ring and I was getting such bad stuttering I couldnt see tracers or who was even shooting at me.

  I wasnt the only one several other players complained of the same thing!

  2700K,7950,8 gigs and win7 I use low settings but had detail slider at max,post lighting off,no shadows,no AA and no bump mapping checked.

  If you need a DXdiag I will have to supply that at a later time as I'm on my laptop and the wife wont let me near the game room!


   

[DaddyAce]

Oh yes, also had similar experience flyin Allies, with apparent overload and freezes when you and your numerous buddies bounced us during FSO morfiend.