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New to FSX, need some help with tweaking please


mixen82

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Hi all,

 

first of all, I am new to FSX. I have been a simmer for the last 15 years and have my FS9 maxed out regarding visual appearance, AI traffic etc. I have changed my OS from Vista to Win7 and realised that there are some problems occuring in FS9 ( such as missing/not working textures, FS crashing to desktop when following AI traffic, amongst others ), so I decided to switch over to FSX. I now have real big problems getting it to work properly in regards of smoothness and visual appearance. I searched for some tweaking guides but found nothing really satifisfying. I also searched this forum but my search came up negative. If there are REAL useful guides, it would be greatly appreciated if the link to it would be provided.

 

I don't think that my PC is the problem. The specs can be found here:

 

http://www.sysprofile.de/id179229

 

The link is in German, but I bet you will find all entries right away :)

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated, as I would like to get into flying FSX, but at this moment it just isn't possible. and I haven't even started to mod FSX ( Sceneries, AI Traffic,....)

 

cheers

Mike

 

P.S.: Please no bashing.

 

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IMO the AVSIM FSX Configuration Guide is great, and with your specs it should not be hard to run FSX properly. However, you will need to keep in mind, that running FSX adn addons with everything maxed out is hardly possible (I just worte this, beacuse you mentioned that you were able to run FS9 maxed out) - but the overall visual experience will be better, even with some steps to the left.

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+1 to that guide ^

Imo, there are only two things you need to do for good framerates.

Go to www.venetubo.com/fsx.html, upload your fsx.CFG and the website will make the necessary tweaks. Note that the tweaks that are added here will not do all that much to performance. It will help more with stability.

Download this fsx.CFG and open it, and look for [bufferPools], under this there should be a line called RejectThreshold. Delete this line and replace it with PoolSize=0. Save the file and copy/paste/overwrite it at in [Your Name]/AppData/Roaming/Microsoft/FSX.

A few notes regarding FSX settings:

  • Never use lightbloom in DX9.
  • Never use ground scenery shadows
  • Never set water higher than HIGH 2X.
  • Don't use a cloud draw distance of more than approx. 80 nm
  • Be conservative with your AI traffic settings: even boats and road traffic can massively reduce your performance.

 

If you are struggling with smoothness you try and download NVIDIA Inspector. Then for the MS Flight Simulator X profile, set Vertical Sync Tear Control to 1/2 refresh rate for a 60 Hz monitor, and 1/4 refresh rate with a 120 Hz monitor (you want to end up with 30 FPS). Leave Vertical Sync Mode on Standard. Now save the changes and go to FSX, first try with unlimited frames. If it isn't smooth try setting your framerate limiter to 30 FPS. Note that any other external framerate limiters should not be used. If you can maintain a constant 30 FPS then FSX should display the frames in very constant sequence. Even though your FPS will now be "only" 30, they will be displayed fluidly without hiccups. 

Good luck!

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Hi FloG,

 

thanks for the link. I totally missed that one  :rolleyes: . I will now get into it and try the ones I haven't already tried. Regarding maxing out FSX: I just want to max out global AI traffic and airport sceneries. Ground textures in FSX already look better than even the best addon textures in FS9 ( except the colors in some areas, but that has already been solved ).

 

cheers

Mike

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I just want to max out global AI traffic and airport sceneries.

There's probably nothing worng with maxing out airport sceneries, except maybe that it's not always necessary, and perhaps it won't creat any additional immersion to the recommended settings (and those recommended settings are usually somewhere in the upper intermediate area).

Regarding maxed out AI traffic, please also read Arjen's post: AI traffic is known to be a frame hog in FSX (and with little benefits, if you use the default traffic), so one should rather keep it at intermediate levels. Addon traffic programs can create a lot more immersion with lower FPS impact, though.

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AI traffic is known to be a frame hog in FSX[unquote]

 

Well that would be a reason to take the efforts to find all glitches in FS9 and try to fix them. When it comes to AI Traffic, I just want it as real as it gets. That's why I have massive AI traffic in FS9 with approx. 90% of the global real world traffic, brought up to date in an 6-month interval ( summer and winter flight plans, I decided to drop the fall and autumn flighplans except for those airlines which haven't been updated for a while due to missing summer or winter flightplans ). If that won't be possible in FSX like it should, I will definetely stay with good old FS9 and squeeze the last little bit of life out of it  :ph34r: . 

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... and look for [bufferPools], under this there should be a line called RejectThreshold. Delete this line and replace it with PoolSize  UsePools=0. 

A few notes regarding FSX settings:

  • Never use lightbloom in DX9.
  • Never use ground scenery shadows
  • Never set water higher than HIGH 2X.
  • Don't use a cloud draw distance of more than approx. 80 nm
  • Be conservative with your AI traffic settings: even boats and road traffic can massively reduce your performance.

 

UsePools=0, because his proc is only doing 3.3 gig (he hasn't said he overclocked it) - and his GPU is quite fast.

 

 

 

AI traffic is known to be a frame hog in FSX[unquote]

 

Well that would be a reason to take the efforts to find all glitches in FS9 and try to fix them. When it comes to AI Traffic, I just want it as real as it gets. That's why I have massive AI traffic in FS9 with approx. 90% of the global real world traffic, brought up to date in an 6-month interval ( summer and winter flight plans, I decided to drop the fall and autumn flighplans except for those airlines which haven't been updated for a while due to missing summer or winter flightplans ). If that won't be possible in FSX like it should, I will definetely stay with good old FS9 and squeeze the last little bit of life out of it  :ph34r: . 

 

 

 

 I don't think that my PC is the problem. 

So many people think this.  A processor running at 3.3 with the settings you would like, it just isn't going to happen. Maybe at 4.8 - 5.0 gig and a 680 or a 780, but not with the rig you've got right now.

You should stay with FS9, my friend. Even with the 5 gig proc and a 780 - FSX can still crush my pc.


i7 [email protected] | 32GB RAM | EVGA RTX 3080Ti | Maximus Hero VII | 512GB 860 Pro | 512GB 850 Pro | 256GB 840 Pro | 2TB 860 QVO | 1TB 870 EVO | Seagate 3TB Cloud | EVGA 1000 GQ | Win10 Pro | EK Custom water cooling.

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UsePools=0, because his proc is only doing 3.3 gig (he hasn't said he overclocked it) - and his GPU is quite fast.


Huh? I always thought PoolSize=0 and UsePools=0 all do the same thing? I have tried it myself and I get the exact same performance with both settings. I have been running PoolSize=0 for ages now and never have I had any CTDs during normal operation of FSX.
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he hasn't said he overclocked it [unquote]

 

Hi Paul,

 

right, the CPU is not overclocked.....not yet. Until now, I was against overclocking, but who knows....

 

Anyway, I am planning to change my CPU to a Haswell I7 and an SLI 2xGTX 780, but that will take another few months until i can afford that  B) .

 

For now, I will stay with FS9 and will try to get all those glitches fixed that came up with the use of Win7 ( I managed to find and fix some of them, but not all ). And after I have updated my system I will run both sims simultanously, as it will take a while to get all that AI traffic into FSX again ( there are just more than 10 years of work in my FS9 right now ).

 

I just find it weird that a program that already is a few years old is so hardware hungry like FSX. My PC is able to run the newest games with all sliders to the right with absolutely no problems whatsoever. And from what I read here and in other forums throughout the net, FSX is even able to take rigs to their knees that are MUCH more powerful than mine. That is weird.

 

I'kinda sad, because I'm sure that FSX is a hell of a simulator visual wise compared to FS9. and I was looking forward to it  :Cry: .

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I just find it weird that a program that already is a few years old is so hardware hungry like FSX. My PC is able to run the newest games with all sliders to the right with absolutely no problems whatsoever. And from what I read here and in other forums throughout the net, FSX is even able to take rigs to their knees that are MUCH more powerful than mine. That is weird.

 

Yup - it's because every single thing you see on the screen is an object, and in most cases, must be handled individually. It's somewhat better when using DX10, as the GPU does more of the work. I expect that P3D will end up as a superior product, but it still needs the aftermarket addons to make it better than DX10 with the DX10 Fixer, and will still not be capable of using the legacy addons. A lot of us like our old FS9 aircraft and our old FS9 scenerys!

 

... and yes - a new rig will make you happy, but it still takes work!

 

All the best,

 

pj


i7 [email protected] | 32GB RAM | EVGA RTX 3080Ti | Maximus Hero VII | 512GB 860 Pro | 512GB 850 Pro | 256GB 840 Pro | 2TB 860 QVO | 1TB 870 EVO | Seagate 3TB Cloud | EVGA 1000 GQ | Win10 Pro | EK Custom water cooling.

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Huh? I always thought PoolSize=0 and UsePools=0 all do the same thing? I have tried it myself and I get the exact same performance with both settings. I have been running PoolSize=0 for ages now and never have I had any CTDs during normal operation of FSX.

 

Hi Arjen: UsePools=0 tells FSX and the GPU that the GPU is going to handle how many buffers, their size, whether static or dynamic, so that FSX has no part in this.

UsePools=1 tells FSX and the GPU that FSX is going to set these paramenters - "FSX" being you, the editor of the fsx.cfg, by specifying the PoolSize=xxxxxxx (in bytes), and a RejectThreshold (also in bytes).

Logically - "PoolSize=0" should mean no buffers at all - but I don't know that for sure, and I'm as guilty as many others in this respect, as I have used a couple of these buffer commands over the years since Bojote's work, while being totally unaware of their purpose or function. Even now after a ton of digging, there are still pieces of the puzzle missing. I wrote this pdf here, as a "clarifier", and am pretty sure that - while not covering all of the buffers and controls employed by FSX and the GPU - it's a fairly accurate, if simple, overview which works for me. 


i7 [email protected] | 32GB RAM | EVGA RTX 3080Ti | Maximus Hero VII | 512GB 860 Pro | 512GB 850 Pro | 256GB 840 Pro | 2TB 860 QVO | 1TB 870 EVO | Seagate 3TB Cloud | EVGA 1000 GQ | Win10 Pro | EK Custom water cooling.

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When it comes to AI Traffic, I just want it as real as it gets. That's why I have massive AI traffic in FS9 with approx. 90% of the global real world traffic,

 

You should read the MyTrafficX manual which states, in part:

 

"Traffic densities of 100% are defined as those that use all slots available on all airport just to the point at which traffic collapses. This ensures a lot of life on any of the airports visited by MyTraffic. For most airports, this way above reality. At regional airports a traffic density of 25% to 35% will be realistic. Most professional users of MyTraffic use such settings, and only increase when they come into very quiet areas or prefer spotting to flying themselves."

 

Best regards,

Jim Young | AVSIM Online! - Simming's Premier Resource!

Member, AVSIM Board of Directors - Serving AVSIM since 2001

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