I have done as the Pundits have recommended and stabilized my P3D install, tweaked the graphics, amended the .cfg file and balanced the program. With ORBX Gold, REX 2 weather and graphics, flying over Sydney (YSSY) in the NGX I'm pulling around 17 fps. On approach it drops to around 14 fps. It's the smoothest 14 fps I've ever experienced, though and quite flyable. The assumption I was talking about is this. Even though I have a good graphics card and a 6 Core CPU, the only way I'll achieve higher frame rates is to OC the CPU. Fair assumption?

 

Jon

Yes        get a cooler and your in the 30 fps almost   everywhere  

 

 

3.2 MHz is to low  get your cpu to 4.5 (easy  )

Also please make sure your LOD is at 4.5, and not the default 6.5!!!

Also please make sure your LOD is at 4.5, and not the default 6.5!!!

LOD 6.5 will not affect FPS  it will get you a OOM ( maybe ...)cheers   (4.5  is default )

 

 

LOD 6.5 will not affect FPS it will get you a OOM ( maybe ...)cheers (4.5 is default )

 

Ah! Ok Charles, thank you for clarifying...  I thought the default was 6.5.  I used to run P3d 1.4 in my system (i5-2500 @3.2GHz + GTX 650 Ti 1GB GDDR5) with no problems,in terms of FPS, but my scenery was just the default...

I have just wiped my p3d.cfg and default LoD came at 6.5

Having said that, I have never had a crash in P3D and have very smooth textures with good frames.

What exactly does the LoD value of 4.5 change?

I have just wiped my p3d.cfg and default LoD came at 6.5

Having said that, I have never had a crash in P3D and have very smooth textures with good frames.

What exactly does the LoD value of 4.5 change?

Will,

 

The LOD (Level of Detail) is the draw radius. You'll notice when you approach an airport or are just flying across scenery that the "auto generated" objects start appearing at a certain distance. That's the LOD distance.

 

In FSX the default is 4.5 and in P3D the default is 6.5. I have successfully run the distance in FSX at 12 miles, but anything over that will cause an "Out of Memory" OOM error as the available 32 bit memory allocations get full.

 

I fly P3D at the default 6.5 and have no issues. Increasing that level will cause stutters for some people. More so in FSX than P3D as you're injecting more objects to process. I never worry about the FPS as long as it's smooth. Sometimes too much emphasis is given to the FPS rate being displayed when the emphasis should be whether the Sim is smooth and stutter free.

 

I do have my CPU overclocked, but I found that overclocking it too high can cause issues. Each person has to determine what settings work best for their hardware combination.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

I also fly with LOD at 6.5 all sliders maxed. No bloom, no ground shadows and no bathymetry. Have never had an OOM. CPU is at 4.74 with a GTX680. Constant 30 ( capped at 30) with occasional drops in dense areas (LAX, JFK) with clouds. But still smooth as silk.

 

Vic

 

I have just wiped my p3d.cfg and default LoD came at 6.5

 

Having said that, I have never had a crash in P3D and have very smooth textures with good frames.

 

What exactly does the LoD value of 4.5 change?

 

Will,

 

 

The LOD (Level of Detail) is the draw radius. You'll notice when you approach an airport or are just flying across scenery that the "auto generated" objects start appearing at a certain distance. That's the LOD distance.

 

 

In FSX the default is 4.5 and in P3D the default is 6.5. I have successfully run the distance in FSX at 12 miles, but anything over that will cause an "Out of Memory" OOM error as the available 32 bit memory allocations get full.

 

 

I fly P3D at the default 6.5 and have no issues. Increasing that level will cause stutters for some people. More so in FSX than P3D as you're injecting more objects to process. I never worry about the FPS as long as it's smooth. Sometimes too much emphasis is given to the FPS rate being displayed when the emphasis should be whether the Sim is smooth and stutter free.

 

 

I do have my CPU overclocked, but I found that overclocking it too high can cause issues. Each person has to determine what settings work best for their hardware combination.

 

 

Regards,

 

 

Steve

Many thanks Steve, my sim is very smooth and am a believer in leaving things alone if they don't need tweaking, your explanation makes perfect sense.

 

Thanks again

Thanks for your replies.

 

my sim is very smooth and am a believer in leaving things alone if they don't need tweaking

My philosophy.

 

I also fly with LOD at 6.5 all sliders maxed. No bloom, no ground shadows and no bathymetry. Have never had an OOM. CPU is at 4.74 with a GTX680. Constant 30 ( capped at 30) with occasional drops in dense areas (LAX, JFK) with clouds. But still smooth as silk.

Vic

I'm looking at that 4.74 OC with a little trepidation. I'm so new to this OC caper, I'm not too sure about the capabilities of my 3930 at the top end. I was hoping that 4 - 4.2 ghz would be sufficient to gain a few more frames. I have been doing a bit of forum surfing to ascertain a safe figure and 4 - 4.2 seems to be in the ballpark.

A question about memory (Not mine. I can almost hide my own easter eggs.): With all these really high figures I see around the joint, are these only attainable with high-end memory with specific timings? I have been recommended timings of 9-11-10 28. The thousand yard stare I'm looking at you with might lead you to believe I don't have a clue what I'm doing.

Jon

Just on that LOD RADIUS. I changed the default P3D figure of 6.5 down to 4.5. It gives me higher frames approaching large cities, which figures, I guess. 

 

Jon

Just on that LOD RADIUS. I changed the default P3D figure of 6.5 down to 4.5. It gives me higher frames approaching large cities, which figures, I guess. 

 

Jon

And if you reduce your sliders, disable the autogen, etc you can increase your frames even more BUT you will lose the visuals. A well tuned system running at 4.2 with a decent GTX480,580 or 680 will be perfectly capable of running P3D at 6.5 and 30FPS.

 

P3d defaults to 6.5LOD - I see no benefit in running at less than defaults. In that case, stay with FSX.

 

Vic.