Hi all, Happy XPX user here with the latest beta etc.

 

I using a triple wide display @ 5040 x 1050(120 degree FOV) to do my simming, and it is wonderful.  The problem I am having is with cloud loads in certain weather situations killing my frames.

 

I am using an overclocked GTX 680 with 4gb ram, so my hardware is pretty good(I hope!)  and a Sandy Bridge at 5.0 ghz.

 

I have tried some of the lighter cloud file packages, but still get overloaded and have so lower the AA level with HDR(HDR is a must).

 

Any other hints from the pros as to how to squeeze more out of the sim with acceptable clouds.

 

Thanks

 

I have a gtx 690 laying around (2gb ram/gpu) and could switch to that if needed.

Clouds are a real killer on X-Plane 10. 

 

I suggest you download a new cloud set which has been reduced in texture size:

 

http://maxx-xp.hiking-pa.com/?page_id=147

 

There are some more if you search X-Plane.org in the download section; but see how you go with this one.

 

Good luck!!

Hi all, Happy XPX user here with the latest beta etc.

 

I using a triple wide display @ 5040 x 1050(120 degree FOV) to do my simming, and it is wonderful.  The problem I am having is with cloud loads in certain weather situations killing my frames.

 

I am using an overclocked GTX 680 with 4gb ram, so my hardware is pretty good(I hope!)  and a Sandy Bridge at 5.0 ghz.

 

I have tried some of the lighter cloud file packages, but still get overloaded and have so lower the AA level with HDR(HDR is a must).

 

Any other hints from the pros as to how to squeeze more out of the sim with acceptable clouds.

 

Thanks

 

I have a gtx 690 laying around (2gb ram/gpu) and could switch to that if needed.

 

What do you have your clouds set too?

 

Try 50%.   I find they look very good at this setting and don't kill my FPS much.

As with everything, there are tradeoffs that everyone must make to keep a good balance between FPS and appearance.

 

 

Rob

I'm at 100% clouds and never go below 25Fps over cities and over 30-50fps at FL. My Monotor is at 1920x1080

 

 

Sent from my iPhone5 using Tapatalk 2

 

I'm at 100% clouds and never go below 25Fps over cities and over 30-50fps at FL. My Monotor is at 1920x1080

 

 

Sent from my iPhone5 using Tapatalk 2

 

Well done :clapping:

 

To answer the OP; it all depends on the users system.  I have a Mac Pro (5870) and max everything out pretty much with the exception of a few items; but that doesn't help you one bit;  so what I would suggest is maybe setting them to 10%.  

 

Yes it's low, but at least you'll get good results and if I'm honest with you, it doesn't really look that much different and leaves room for other GPU intensive goodies.  You'll just get less cloud puffs

 

Have a read here:

 

http://developer.x-plane.com/2011/12/tips-for-better-frame-rates-pt-1/

 

http://developer.x-plane.com/2011/10/x-plane-10-and-gpu-power/

 

When it comes to optimising X-Plane....start at the bottom and work your way up in regards to rendering settings.

 

Good luck; it's well worth the time and effort :smile:

 

 

 

Sent from my Nokia 3310 using NetBSD

Ping Pong, We have similar systems, your graphics card is stronger though.  I currently run a 2600K SB at 5ghz paired to an OC'd 670gtx. What I find is not so much the clouds killing performance, although they are hard on it, but HDR + High resolution settings is what crushes my frame rate.  I mitigate this a couple of ways...

 

1. when running in daylight over difficult dense urban areas or with intense weather I'll generally run without HDR enabled and allow my Nvidia Inspector settings to control AA & AS. that usually is enough to keep me above 25 FPS while still running a decent amount of clouds 50-70% depending again on how sever the weather.

 

2. At night I usually turn on HDR and run at the 4xSSAA +FXAA  setting if I'm struggling I'll drop a level of resolution and reduce some cloud and traffic levels to bring frames back up

 

Lastly, where your at in the sim is obviously a critical piece too. I can run screaming FPS over the American southwest or central Mexico but without touching a slider and then putting myself on a 3 mile final at Seattle or Washington DC and my sim will choke and tap out. At any rate I notice the greatest frame rate impact on my system is generated by HDR in combination with resolution, then clouds, (weather dependent) and then traffic.  The other settings trees,objects, roads and water I try to "set and forget"

Hey guys,

 

What your all kind of missing here is the that the OP is running over three screens. I'm running a similar setup and find that the clouds are just a no go even when set as low as possible. However. Reducing my resolution down to just a single monitor at 1920 x 1080 I can push the slider up to near full.

 

It seems that the way XPX draws clouds is really not conducive to triple screen flying. The clouds in general are a real frame rate hog and I often find my fps to be worse above the clouds than below, which is almost counter intuitive.

 

For now I can't see a solution. Hopefully LR can clean up the code on this to help get those clouds into play, or at the very least hope a 3pd can improve the situation.

 

Best wishes,

Jess B

What do you have your clouds set too?

 

Try 50%.   I find they look very good at this setting and don't kill my FPS much.

As with everything, there are tradeoffs that everyone must make to keep a good balance between FPS and appearance.

 

 

Rob

Rob, I am also staying around 40-50 percent.  Have grown use to it, and as you say, still looks good and gives me with Sim Heaven OSM, around 30 FPS.

 

 

What your all kind of missing here is the that the OP is running over three screens. I'm running a similar setup and find that the clouds are just a no go even when set as low as possible.

 

Two screens for XP and one for Fields of the Nephilim videos? B)

My set up has five monitors but only run XP10 over three. Thee other two are for charts maps and utility programs

Thanks guys for all of your replies, I will take down my cloud settings by quite a bit.  Coming from FSX I am not used to the graphics card being limiting in any way, for any resolution, but here in XPX I am hitting walls all the time.  Wonder how that 6gb GTX Titan is working out?