Severe Frame Rate Hits

[Guest]

Hi there!I'm very satisfied with ActiveSky, it's very well done, I especially like the smooth transition of the weather which is imho very realistic.Last evening and this afternoon, however, I ran into the following problem.I was flying from EHLE to EHRD with the default Cessna 172SP, the frame rate fixed at 20fps., when suddenly, on final at EHRD, the frame rate dropped dramatically, from 20fps. to 5-10fps.ActiveSky was running in the background but all weather updates were complete (i.e. it was not connecting to the internet).I think ActiveSky is causing the problems as frame rate was never an issue before buying ActiveSky (I bought it a week ago) as I run FS2K2 on a Pentium 2,20Ghz., with 512Mb., Geforce 4 128Mb.Which settings in FSUIPC (I own the latest donationware version) or ActiveSky could possibly lead to these odd frame rate drops?Please help me out!Best regards,Robert van Vaals (EHRD).

[Damian Clark 1,273]

Hi Robert, since this occured on final and throughout, as I understand it, I think this is related to the performance hit of clouds coupled with the detailed ground scenery of the airport. Which cloud set are you running? Many folks have better success and better looking clouds by experimenting with different sets... highly recommended is FSSWSE http://fsw.simflight.com. You can also reduce your cloud density slider a bit (60% is recommended for those who have problems) and perhaps reduce some ground scenery effects/detail. Let me know if this helps. Also if you continue to get this, try it at a different airport perhaps less detailed and let me know if there is an improvement. One more test you can do is to NOT run wxRE but instead manually create the cloud layers as described in the METAR report, and see if you experience the same problem (thus confirming it is related to FS2002 performance, not wxRE performance). Let me know what you find!-Damian[table border=0" cellspacing="30" cellpadding="0][tr][td align = "left"]Damian ClarkHiFi Simulation SoftwareDeveloper of ActiveSkyThe next-generation weather environment simulation for FS2002!http://hifi.avsim.net/activesky[/td][td]http://hifi.avsim.net/activesky/images/wxrebeta.jpg][/td][/tr][/table://http://hifi.avsim.net/activesky/ima...[/tr][/table

[Guest]

Hi there!Thanks for your quick response - much appreciated!I've done a lot of testing the last couple of hours and one thing I know for sure now: ActiveSky is not to blame as FS Meteo does show the same frame rate drop at EHRD.Weird isn't it?I will make it even worser... When I slew the aircraft to a different airport, different from EHRD but with the same weather (I don't press the refresh-button), the frame rate pops up from 5fps. to 20fps. again!So, what's to blame, I should say: EHRD, the airport!Very strange indeed, as almost everything of my copy of FS2K2 is default: the aircraft, the clouds, the airports - no additional cloud sets, no additional sceneries, etcetera. Does the FSSWSE cloud set offer better performance than the default one?With all this, read my lips, adjusting for example the slider of the cloud detail from 100% to 60% shows no significant improvement of the performance!Oh yes, one more last thingy, when I clear all weather at Rotterdam and thus shut down ActiveSky, the frame rate jumps up again.So, the problem has something to do with the weather, particularly at EHRD, however, when I use the same weather at other airports no drop in frame rate shows...If you have a clue what happens here please tell me :-)Thanks, greets, Robert van Vaals.

[Damian Clark 1,273]

Hi Robert it sounds like you just need to lower the detail a bit when flying into this airport. You can also try FSSWSE, some cloud sets are known to improve performance a bit, but I don't think it will be a huge difference. One more idea to try.. disable all turbulence and icing in clouds via FSUIPC options.. if you have lots of AI flying around this can lower frames as well when they encounter turbulence.Hope that helps!-Damian[table border=0" cellspacing="30" cellpadding="0][tr][td align = "left"]Damian ClarkHiFi Simulation SoftwareDeveloper of ActiveSkyThe next-generation weather environment simulation for FS2002!http://hifi.avsim.net/activesky[/td][td]http://hifi.avsim.net/activesky/images/wxrebeta.jpg][/td][/tr][/table://http://hifi.avsim.net/activesky/ima...[/tr][/table

[Guest]

Hi Damian!Thanks for your update! I switched off icing and turbulence and everything seems fine now at EHRD :-)I think it has something to do with the particular 'heavy' weather of the past few days in this region, I dunno: I mean, I think that's the reason of the framerate drop.Turning on icing and turbulence in FSUIPC again didn't result in a drop, however, which one should expect, so... it's not a 'definite' solution I feel, so to say, but I am heading in the right direction :-)As I have everything default I don't share your point of turning down detail but, hey, that's of no importance :-)Well, I close the topic now Damian, ActiveSky is not to blame; thanks for your follow up, much appreciated.BTW, the ActiveSky 1.8 version, is that a definite version, is it as reliable as the one I own now, version 1.7?Thanks!Robert van Vaals.

[Guest]

Hi Damian,Oops, when typing my last answer to you I had a Cessna 172 sitting on runway 24 at EHRD in FS2K2 at the same time, with icing and turbulence on, and when I turned from the forum back to FS2K2 again: framerate drop!Thus, you're right, the problem *is* caused by the icing and turbulence options in FSUIPC.When I leave them off what do I miss exactly?Which of the two has the severest impact on framerates, icing or turbulence?Thanks,Robert van Vaals.

[Damian Clark 1,273]

Hi Robert,With them off you won't get turbulence or icing effects. You can either do this, turn down AI traffic, or turn down scenery detail, or a combination, to achieve the best results and maximum realism that your system can handle. It sounds like it only has to do with this airport, so when flying in other areas you should leave everything on. Hope that helps! Icing and turb have similar impacts as far as I know...-Damian[table border=0" cellspacing="30" cellpadding="0][tr][td align = "left"]Damian ClarkHiFi Simulation SoftwareDeveloper of ActiveSkyThe next-generation weather environment simulation for FS2002!http://hifi.avsim.net/activesky[/td][td]http://hifi.avsim.net/activesky/images/wxrebeta.jpg][/td][/tr][/table://http://hifi.avsim.net/activesky/ima...[/tr][/table

[Guest]

Just a quick side note: when observing frame rates, it is easy to get apparently erratic behaviour. I have found this can easily be triggered by quick moves to new locations (the sim then has to catch up on the scenery), looks to the left and right (the sim has to improve the quality in those directions), and when flying through clouds (the sim has to catch up on drawing the scenery when you pop out of a cloud). I have also found huge changes in frame rate depending on how much detail is visible out of the cockpit windows. If it is just blue sky, frame rates can jump.So given all this, it is hard to measure frame rates without a lot of trials so as to get an average.Cheers,Peter

[Guest]

Hi Damian!Famous last words...I did a long flight this afternoon, from EHLE to EHRD, from EHRD to EBOS, from EBOS to LFAT (three stops). I encountered severe framerate drops not only at EHRD but also near EBOS and LFAT.Turning down the AI traffic helped a great lot, I think it's not the icing or the turbulence in the FSUIPC options, it's the AI traffic that makes the framerate drop.The setting I used for AI traffic was 100% and now I have it turned down to 15% which results in smoother flying.I still encounter stuttering, however, but I think that's (as you have indicated already) an influence of other settings (aircraft, scenery, etc.).Thanks :-)Robert van Vaals.

[Guest vortovor]

Hello Damian,The framerate wich goes deeply down when AS is updating the weather has nothing to do with clouds or scenery! When I use NO addons and clouds 60% (default FS Clouds)and a standard MS scenery AS is still taking performance wich I never see with other WX prgrams free or payware!After the first edition of AS its still eating performance. You told us to eliminate this soon. Also, first you told us that its machine sensitive!....now you tell us its has something to do with clouds , scenery etc...what is it???I think its is your program that makes the trouble.Normaly I use FSmeteo, with a update rate of 5 minutes for the WX and FlightMax. Why do I don't see performance loss whit lots of addons and heavy scenery's......the technique is the same! You told us to set the wx update rate at 30 min for the WX and 45 minute for FlightMax....for me its no fun at that update cycle, as you will mis some weather changing when flying online!Sorry but I need to say this.vortovor

[Guest]

Hi Damian and Vortovor,Final conclusion after a *whole* day of testing: have to agree with Vortovor.After a lot of testing and possible answers to questions about sharp dropping frame rates (it's not AS, it's AS, it's not AS, it's AS, it's not AS, it's AS) my eventual answer is: it's AS, as by moments AS affects frame rates very negatively.After turning down AI traffic from 100% to 15% I got much better overall performance in FS2K2, however, with AS active FS2K2 still stuttered severely now and then (frame rate drops from 20fps. to 10 fps. or less).Did a flight a couple of minutes ago, again a very long one, from LFAT to EGJB, with three stops and using FS Meteo, no such hang ups anymore!So, I'll use FS Meteo again, which is sad as I think AS is a much better product (i.e. FS Meteo -which is excellent in its kind-becomes a bit outdated).Looking forward to possible future improvements of this issue :-)Cheers,Robert van Vaals.

[JSkorna 137]

Robert and Vortovor,I am sorry to see both of you go. Since the first release back last fall, I have seen a few users with this problem. In many of the cases we were to improve framerates through FS settings and/or ActiveSky features. We will continue to work on all issues.JimActiveSky Support

[Guest LPD4005]

Howdy, I am also experiencing the sudden drop of frame rates while ASRE updates. I have FS2k2Pro with the latest FSIPC file. Im on a XP2800 Throughbred chip, 1gig of DDR 400mhz RAM, ATI Radeon 9700 Pro 128mg 8X agp video, SB 6.1 audiogy 2 sound, etc running on XP professional.Ive tried FS in various configurations of scenery and FSIUPC settings and regardless of settings or location of the a/c I drop from 60-70 FPS to a teeth chattering 3-7FPS during updates, Ive also tried a variety of settings on ASRE with no results. Im using a FSclouds as the cloud set.Any idea what is causing this problem? or when a possible fix for the problem? after all i built my machine personally as a FS power house and yet it with ASRE it acts like a 600 Mhz wather than a 2.3gig Robert P. lpd4005@aol.com

[JSkorna 137]

Robert,That is a serious problem. First of all it lookes like you have tried to fix this on your own, so I will not suggest the obvious things. Some other things to try:1. No un-necessary software running in the background especially anti-virus.2. Run AS minimized to the taskbar.3. In Options check the Force IDLE Priority box.4. Cloud Density set to 60%-70%.5. Another user discovered that lowering his AGP App. in BIOS solved his problem. It was set to 256meg and he lowered it to 64meg and his stutters went away. For your card, 128meg might work.I hope that you will try these and respond. I also would hope that others would try these and respond. We are doing our best to eliminate this for ALL users, but we need your feedback.Hope this helps,JimActiveSky Support

[Damian Clark 1,273]

"Vortovor",If you re-read the author's post you'll see that he was talking about frame rate hits ONLY WHEN in the vicinity of the airport he was attempting landing at, NOT during updates.With that said, nothing of what you mentioned pertains to his problem.Now, if you have an issue with performance NOW is the time to help us try to solve the problem as we are still in BETA on 1.8. Folks, without your help we cannot solve your problems. As we know this is not a common theme with all users.. only some users experience these frame drops during updates.Vortovor, this is the 4th or 5th time you have made comments like this but you still do not help, you only express your frustration. I understand, but please try to give us some positive helpful feedback specifically about your problems so we can fix it. Thanks!We can start with your settings... going less than 30/45 is NOT going to significantly improve 'updates'. It will only eat more system resources. If I recall, you normally set yours to 1/2min. This is NOT going to work (as I have explained before) because most of the time your FD updates are taking LONGER than 2 minutes.. you are going to be in a constant processing loop. Can you confirm that this is the problem? Frame rate troubles go away when you raise the interval? Please help..-Damian[table border=0" cellspacing="30" cellpadding="0][tr][td align = "left"]Damian ClarkHiFi Simulation SoftwareDeveloper of ActiveSkyThe next-generation weather environment simulation for FS2002!http://hifi.avsim.net/activesky[/td][td]http://hifi.avsim.net/activesky/images/wxrebeta.jpg][/td][/tr][/table://http://hifi.avsim.net/activesky/ima...[/tr][/table