Poor Frame Rates w/ ActiveSky 1.9

[SteveLewis 0]

I've got a major problem using ActiveSky v1.9 with FS9. I've tried three (3) flights now with v1.9 and it has brought my system to its knees every time -- I mean down to 1 fps for an extended period - so, it's not just a "flicker". I'm using FSUIPC v3.04 (Payware version), have unchecked Render to Texture, have my 3D clouds set to 100%, and have most all of my sliders are under Max. Using FS9 with the default weather engine I normally get frames in the range of 8-24 depending upon the cloud cover. I've got a 2.4 Ghz P4 with a 533 FSB but I am still using Windows 98Se so I only have 512 Mb of RAM. Could upgrading to Windows XP Home and adding another 512 Mb of RAM help? I'm ready to purchase those if they will only help get me up to 20 fps with ActiveSky, FS9, and Radar Contact 3.1....:-zhelp

[Guest Jacek_KORD]

I guess your machine is not pulling it off, I have a faster CPU and more RAM and clouds percentage set to 60, as at 100 I've had a framerate drop. I would definately consider tweeking your clouds settings, that should help.

[vgbaron 3,486]

Steve - You don't say which video card and drivers you're using. There's your major hangup. I run on XP Pro and get a steady 18fps with a drop to 10 if the clouds are heavy.AMD XP2700+Asus A7N8X/333fsb1G pc2700 DDRGeForce 4 TI4600/128M Omega 4403 drivers1600x1200x323D max 100% - Autogen normal 4xAA 4X AnisTried same setup on 98SE with same resultsFWIW, it took a bit of time and tweaking to get the sliders, driver, etc to give me a steady frame rate but it's worth it. WxRE has no effect on FR on my system at all.HTH,Vic Baron

[Guest Lobaeux4]

I see the same drop in frame rates as well. Not sure if it's actually Activesky, or the fact that I run activesky off of a second computer.1st computer:AMD XP 2700512 MB 3200 RAMATI Radeon 9800ProFSUIPC 3.04Win XP Pro1600x1200x32Omega 2.4.74a drivers3D max 80% - Autogen normal 4xAA 4X Anisusing both default Cessna 172 and Viewpoint Bus.2nd computer:Celeron 500128 MB RAMGeForce 2 MXWin 98SEI've got the render to texture box unchecked, clouds at 80%, detailed clouds and cloud slider to high. Most every other slider in whole sim is set at mid or to just under full right. No scenery or aircraft shadows. Don't have a single slider all the way to the right. Using this configuration, I get a steady 14.9 (locked at 15.0) pretty much everywhere. That's using MS wx, even when IMC/TS. Using Activesky, over WideFS, I get 14.9, until wx becomes close to full IMC. Then using VC, I can pan around (KSEA for example) and I'll get serious stutters and frame rates that dip to 1.0 - 2.0, then they'll shoot up again. I can't believe that Activesky would cause this, just that it doesn't happen when I don't use it. I think I've narrowed it down (with my seriously non-scientific, good ol' boy, Ozark technique) to either WideFS or Activesky.

[SteveLewis 0]

Thanks for the responses, guys. I have a MSI GeF4200 128Mb RAM video card. I'm going to try some additional tweeks tonight and see what happens. Part of my problems may also lie in the two panels I've tried: PMDG's 737NG has been reported to cause a slight drop in fps and Bill Grabowski's ERJ panel (which I was testing in FS2004) has also been reported to cause a drop.I have tried two flights using FS2004 weather and don't get the drop in fps so that's why I thougth it might be ActiveSky. Might be a red herring. Could be something else.Speaking of Ozark minds, I'm originally from Kansas City and spent a lot of time (way, way back when) around Table Rock Lake and Branson -- when all there was in Branson was Sammy Lane's Resort. Now, that was a long time ago!!!! (1958-66):-wave

[Guest Lobaeux4]

LOL, know the branson airport very well. Used to do a lot of pro rides into Branson, but haven't been there since last summer. I'm not originally from this neck o' the woods, but Little Rock/Arkansaw area ain't too bad.I agree, Activesky causing poor frame rates might not be true, but I've come up with the same results you have, using the ERJ panel (that's all I've been flying in FS2K4, PSS Airbus and the Oleksiy Dash 8 still don't work).I havne't really seen any posts in the ERJ forum about a frame rate impact, maybe we need to start one, see if we can find out what it is.