FSX Blurries

[PilotManChase 0]

Okay, so I know there have been several posts about the "blurries" in FSX.  But I have decided to start my own topic for this reason: I can't find an applicable answer to my problem anywhere.  Sure, this COULD be because I haven't looked hard enough, in which case I would ask you to kindly refer me to the place I should be.  However, I feel as though the more likely case is that I have a rather unique situation...

 

I'll keep it short and sweet.  Here goes...

 

I used to be able to run FSX at the settings that I wanted (with some sacrifices naturally).  No issues.  Used some tweaks.  They worked magically.  

 

Fast-forward to now.  

 

My scenery won't even try to keep up it seems!  From the time I leave the departure field, the scenery blurs and never grabs back hold of itself.  I can pause to let it catch up.  This takes around a minute to work.  A full 60 seconds AT LEAST of just sitting there.  After that, the same issue.  I leave that area and it won't catch up.  Period.

 

Now to try to answer some of your questions early.

 

Do I use intense addon aircraft?

 

Why yes I do, thank you.  I love to fly the PMDG 777.  Best purchase I have made.  Simple as that.  Not the issue.  Or at least I don't think so.  I have been flying intense addons for a while.  Including back in the good ole days when everything "just worked."  These include various Captain Sim products, PMDG products, GEX/UTX, ect...  So nothing new here.

 

I just can't get my head around it.  I have tried the trusty delete-the-cfg-and-thank-me-later approach, but it doesn't seem to cut it.  I may have to start unistalling scenery packages to see if this is the issue.

 

I used to use UTX/GEX for the US.  I then upgraded to FTX Global.  Or maybe I actually downgraded if it turns out to be the issue.

 

I am open to all suggestions, but bare in mind that I haven't applied any new tweaks since the issue started, so that is likely not the problem.  

 

I may post my cfg later if needed.  Right now I am on a different computer getting ready to count some sheep.  :Sleepy:

 

 

 

See you with the morning light,

 

Chase

[cianpars 1,164]

Blurries are mostly a result of an overloaded system.  Over the years, we all add extra scenery, system taxing aircraft, etc and wonder why fsx can't keep up and we get blurries.

 

I know, I've done the same myself and when I disable the addon aircraft and sceneries, I don't get the problem.

 

Over the years, you may have more background processes running, overtaxing your system more.

 

FSX needs a high sped CPU and you need to overclock to get the best from it.  I'm at around 3.8 GHz and even that is a bit to slow.  4 GHz min and 4.5+ ideal.

 

You can try a few tweaks like increasing the fiber rate time fraction setting a bit.  With some of my photoreal scenery, I need to use a high LOD radius.

 

However results can vary depending on systems, set ups and what you have loaded into fsx.

 

Set your system up using NickN or Kostas guides and that's a good start.

 

IAN

[Jim Young 2,356]

You need to check out the AVSIM FSX Configuration Guide located to the right of this forum under Hot Spots. I agree with cianpars that blurries are a result of an overloaded system. The higher the settings, the more likely you will see blurries as fsx just cannot keep up with the rendering process. You have to figure out how to get more rendering to happen while using FSX. You can have high FPS but still have the blurries. The AVSIM FSX Configuration guide has some good basic settings to get you started both for FSX and, if you have a NVidia video card, the NI settings. These settings are based off of the guides in the FTX/Orbx scenery manuals and from NickN (as well as other Sources). GEX replaced all of your default textures and I can guarantee you that they are optimized for the best performance. I cannot comment on FTX Global but those textures should work just as well in FSX. If you have any photoscenery, it will be loading in the background whether you are using it or not. So, if you are not flying in the photoscenery areas, disable those sceneries. I use SceneryConfigEditor to enable/disable scenery for FSX/P3D. I'll only enable the addon scenery I plan on using during a particular flight session. I get faster startup times and FSX seems to run much smoother. I do get the blurries occasionally as I have my LOD_Radius set to 6.5 and my Texture_Max_Load set to 2048. Those tweaks take up more resources. I use no other tweaks though as I don't need them because I have a very powerful system.

 

In the AVSIM FSX Configuration Guide, you will see that setting the AA Transparency Supersampling too high will make it difficult for FSX to run efficiently. Again, I recommend using the AVSIM Guide and get rid of any tweaks in your FSX.cfg as many tweaks will cause your system to work harder if not employed properly. I know I tried the Bufferpool settings recommended by NickN (who has exactly the same system as mine)(I got mine first), and I saw nothing but major issues with FSX so got rid of the so-called tweak.

 

Another excellent suggestion in the AVSIM FSX Guide is to increase view distance in Spot View, Wing View and/or VC view. It provides more realistic views especially for photoscenery users.

 

Make sure your HDD's (not SSD's) are defragmented. FSX/Acceleration throws the program all over your HDD in no semblance of continuity. Anytime you reinstall FSX, you should immediately defrag the HDD.

 

If you are running any Internet Browser in the background, it takes up a tremendous amount of resources while running FSX. Make sure your browser is shutdown while running FSX.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Best regards,

[FreeBird(Josh) 314]

A clean fresh install always works nice.

[PilotManChase 0]

Thank you all for the replies.  I decided to revert back to the US UTX and GEX stuff.  By doing that, I noticed similar loading issues with textures.

 

Hmm...  I could've sworn that they look great before.  I have Youtube videos to prove that.  So I decided to investigate.

 

I redid my cfg.  That helped some.  I had to do so many flight tests that I can't remember the specifics of that action.

 

Long story short, I changed one of my "tweaks."  I had set AffinityMask=84 for my quad core system.  Previously this had helped ease the CPU load and make my flights smoother.  In combination with BufferPools=0 (adding GPU load), I thought I had found a setting that worked... WRONG (from what I think I found).

 

I reset the AffinityMask to 14, and now I see sometimes high CPU loads, sometimes not.  Just depending.  The blurries seem to be greatly reduced, however.  I really only get them bad when flying say maybe 1000ft at 280kts+.  But when do you do that?  Hardly ever.  So, I am pleased right now.

 

I will continue to test my sim and report back as I learn if this worked.  I am currently reinstalling FTX Global.  Fingers crossed.

 

Your XC Pilot,

 

Chase

[cianpars 1,164]

1000 feet at 280 kts - ha ha - You do that when you are flying military aircraft, which I used to enjoy in fs9.  However, my system won't keep up with these speeds in fsx.

 

I generally fly low and slow these days.

 

IAN

[PilotManChase 0]

1000 feet at 280 kts - ha ha - You do that when you are flying military aircraft, which I used to enjoy in fs9.

 

True, true.  

 

Still, from my tests with FTX Global so far I have gotten good results.  Stupid Affinity Mask!

 

I'm trying it out now with the T7 KMEM-KMSP.  Cause I am the pilot and I make the rules!

 

I'll let you know the results.

 

Always yours, 

 

Chase

[PilotManChase 0]

Update from FL320:

 

So far, so GREAT!  Textures are now loading in nicely.  I am seeing a higher VAS, but this is to be expected since the textures are actually loading now. (PMDG T7 + FTX Global = lots of resources)

 

I see the CPU working hard (usually 60-90% range from Process Explorer.  I'd say it averages 75%, but it isn't uncommon to see 90%.), but not the straight 95-98% it seemed like I was seeing before the BufferPool=0 trick.  The GPU is much more active now, taking a load of roughly 40% in Process Explorer.

 

Performance has dropped slightly.  That is to be expected though, I know.  I am back to being a happy 777 pilot!

 

Hope this helps others!  Remember to set AffinityMask correctly!  Don't just jump in with whatever you think!  I sure did see a performance increase with the AffinityMask=84 (heck the CPU averaged probably 55%), but those blurries where TERRIBLE.

 

Just to restate: on MY SYSTEM AffinityMask=14 and BufferPools=0 are the best settings.

 

From the Wonderful World of FSX,

 

Chase

 

PS:

I'll give one finial update after landing.  If all is still well, I will call this SOLVED!  Thanks again

[Bert Pieke 7,584]

AF=84 is a setting that might work for a hyperthreaded CPU (i7)...

 

AF=14 is good for a quad CPU (i5 or i7 with hyperthreading turned off).

 

:rolleyes:

[PilotManChase 0]

AF=84 is a setting that might work for a hyperthreaded CPU (i7)...

 

AF=14 is good for a quad CPU (i5 or i7 with hyperthreading turned off).

 

:rolleyes:

That's exactly the realization I came too.

 

Thanks all for the help!  My landing was spectacular! (scenery wise that is!  :blush: )

 

Blue Skys,

 

Chase

[cianpars 1,164]

Affinity mask definitely 14 for a quad core without hyperthreading.  Bufferpools tweak also works well for me - note that some get the syntax wrong - see below for correct syntax:

 

[bufferPools]
UsePools=0

 

You can use a reject threshold if you wish - if a system works well with the above though, no need to.

 

IAN