So.... P3D 2.4 and ATI video cards

[~Craig~ 10]

Hi folks,

 

I mentioned this briefly within the screenshots thread, but it's proper place is in a new thread here, so here we go.

 

I bought P3D 2.4 at the weekend and although I was able to see all the great features, such as the lighting and shadows and non-popping autogen, I had a problem with AA/AF that was so big, I ended up uninstalling P3D 2.4 by the end of the weekend.     I was wondering if anyone was able to help with this;

So P3D 2.4 was running great in terms of performance, frames, etc, even at high settings.   But I noticed that my Anti-Aliasing was looking awful.   I have it set at Supersampling within the ATI CCC panel which is the highest mode, and set to "Override" and in FSX this looks superb.  Really very smooth and no shimmers.

What I found with P3D 2.4 is that the "Override" on the AT console no longer seems to work.  Whatever mode I set "Override", "Enhance" or "Use Application Settings", I get very poor or no AA within P3D unless I set P3D's own MSAA setting to 8x (the highest).

The problem, is that when I set 8x in P3D 2.4, my frame rates more than half!    30 FPS in the Aerosoft A319, becomes a miserable 15......  :( 

I tried RadeonPro driver too, and similarly, I could not see evidence of it's AA settings actually displaying within P3D and again, I had to have P3D's AA setting to 8x.

I tried D3D Overrider and it gave me great Vsync but made no difference to the AA.

So it was literally a case of either using P3D2.4 for all it's great features and shadows, but with truly awful AA levels, (worse than in FS8 days) .......... or going back to FSX with my tail between my legs.

I was wonderinhg if any ATI card users of P3D2.4 could offer any advice, bearing in mind the above, on how you can achieve decent AA, without the massive performance loss of the 8x setting within the sim?

 

Thanks in advance

[rparson99 32]

Which card d o you have?  I have the 290x which I like, but I do not run with that level of AA...only 2x.  But, I am running high rez - 57xx by 12xx.

 

Looks great but I think nvidia is where I'll be in the future as performance is way better on that side...

[Dumont 9]

Hello Craig

His experience is very similar to mine.
I tried for several months but could not, then I noticed that my time spent trying to get the simulator, removed and am waiting.
Made a direct question in the forum LM, they replied that P3D2 is being made ​​to run on Nvidia or ATI platforms, but I believe it happens only on paper.
Many, including myself believe that LM makes P3D2 with an exclusive fullscreen many things can improve, but LM is reluctant to do so.
At the moment I use FSX and P3D1.4, have made ​​beautiful flights.

 

João Alfredo

[~Craig~ 10]

 

 

Which card d o you have?  I have the 290x which I like, but I do bot run with that level of AA...only 2x

 

I have a 7850 2GB HD card.   Honestly 2x looks really poor at my end.  The Supersampling set in the driver does not seem to be working in P3D2.4, because in FSX with Supersampling on and just 2x set, like you I get lovely smooth AA.

 

 

Made a direct question in the forum LM, they replied that P3D2 is being made ​​to run on Nvidia or ATI platforms, but I believe it happens only on paper.

 

Yes, I'm starting to think that's the case.  X-Plane 10 went the same way.  On release it was unusable with ATI cards.  They've improved it a little but performance is still hugely down compared to with nVidia.

I just wish with ATI cards we still had the option to "override" what LM have done with P3D's internal AA settings, and use the card settings instead.

 

[Guest JustanotherPilot]

I'm using the Asus R270X 2gOC card and found by increasing virtual memory on the drive used by FSX and P3Dv2.4 (win 7 64 bit) I'm getting improved performance. I've found the 4gig RAM limit imposed by the programs has been raised to a virtual memory of 6-8gig plus the 4gig real RAM. I've noticed an increase in fps and detail.

 

Here's what I did.  http://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/global/set-virtual-memory-paging-default.html.

 

There are numerous  "how to's" on google and youtube to assist.

 

No guaratees but it helped me immensly.

[Oliver Ooi 85]

we can still buy 'ATI' brand graphic card these days?

[~Craig~ 10]

we can still buy 'ATI' brand graphic card these days?

 

 

ATI / AMD.

[~Craig~ 10]

I really think I have cracked this problem.

As I said the issue was that P3D2.4's AA settings were no longer "overridable" by the ATI CCC Drivers, and the only way I could get acceptable AA was with CCC set to Supersampling mode (which still looked nowhere near as smooth as that mode looked in FSX) and with P3D's internal AA set to 8x.    

Although this combination gave a great AA appearance, performance was dire.

After deciding not to give in with P3D2.4 that easily, I reinstalled it this afternoon and tried setting the AA mode in ATI CCC to it's lowest mode setting (Multisampling).    In FSX, the Multisampling mode gives amazing frame rates but dire (almost not noticeable) AA results.

Anyway, with Multisampling set it ATI CCC and with P3D's internal AA set to 8x guess what ;

Really good AA appearance AND Excellent frame rate performance!



So that was my solution.   Hopefully if anyone else with a ATI card is new to P3D2.4 and experiences these problems, this post will help them.   Thank you for watching. Over and out.

[Dumont 9]

I really think I have cracked this problem.

 

As I said the issue was that P3D2.4's AA settings were no longer "overridable" by the ATI CCC Drivers, and the only way I could get acceptable AA was with CCC set to Supersampling mode (which still looked nowhere near as smooth as that mode looked in FSX) and with P3D's internal AA set to 8x.    

 

Although this combination gave a great AA appearance, performance was dire.

 

After deciding not to give in with P3D2.4 that easily, I reinstalled it this afternoon and tried setting the AA mode in ATI CCC to it's lowest mode setting (Multisampling).    In FSX, the Multisampling mode gives amazing frame rates but dire (almost not noticeable) AA results.

 

Anyway, with Multisampling set it ATI CCC and with P3D's internal AA set to 8x guess what ;

 

Really good AA appearance AND Excellent frame rate performance!

 

 

So that was my solution.   Hopefully if anyone else with a ATI card is new to P3D2.4 and experiences these problems, this post will help them.   Thank you for watching. Over and out.

 

Hello Craig

Well, I use ATI 6950 2GB, found that new drivers AMD, 13.4 or newer, including 14.9, are not good for P3D V2.4, but not bad for FSX or P3D V1.4.

I'm using 13.1 driver and now I'm satisfied with P3D V2.4.

It seems insane and was the best way I found.

 

João Alfredo

[kevinfirth 1,392]

I use the latest drivers on a 7950 o/c 3gb and find that maxed AA and AF within 2.4 rarely tax it to maximum (without any terrain shadows turned on though!). I've also set the CCC AA mode to multi sampling and that seems to work for me as well. If I turn on terrain shadows though my 7950 just can't hack it :(

 

I'm afraid my next GPU will be an nVidia given the specs of the 970/980's.....

[ziomalnik 7]

We should write petition to AMD graphics card drivers department asking for support Prepar3D :mellow:

[AviationEnthusiast 62]

It's running fine on my end (R9 280/7950). Latest stable drivers.

[~Craig~ 10]

Hello Craig

Well, I use ATI 6950 2GB, found that new drivers AMD, 13.4 or newer, including 14.9, are not good for P3D V2.4, but not bad for FSX or P3D V1.4.

I'm using 13.1 driver and now I'm satisfied with P3D V2.4.

It seems insane and was the best way I found.

 

João Alfredo

 

 

I use the latest drivers on a 7950 o/c 3gb and find that maxed AA and AF within 2.4 rarely tax it to maximum (without any terrain shadows turned on though!). I've also set the CCC AA mode to multi sampling and that seems to work for me as well. If I turn on terrain shadows though my 7950 just can't hack it :(

 

I'm afraid my next GPU will be an nVidia given the specs of the 970/980's.....

 

 

We should write petition to AMD graphics card drivers department asking for support Prepar3D :mellow:

Thanks guys - I gave up in the end because as Kevin said, although I could just about get the AA/AF up to scratch, the moment I turned on the nice Cockit Shadows in P3D2.4, my FPS just shot down to single figures.

 

P3D without any level of cockpit shadows just isn't worth the upgrade from FSX in my opinion.

 

So I failed to get satisfactory performance from P3D2.4, reverted to FSX and have been happy ever since.

 

I will definitely re-install P3D2.4 when I get my next GPU card, which will definitely be a nVidia!!   :smile:

[AviationEnthusiast 62]

Unless your card was faulty, it's not the GPU. It's likely the settings and incompatible addons. For example, I've been able to replicate single digit fps scenarios with incompatible and badly optimized addons (like the Carenado Phenom). Simply stay away from those.

 

With A2A C172 and Orbx scenery, I'm getting 60+ fps if I turn off the limiter (I usually fly with it locked at 30) on a R9. The AMD criticism is not at all warranted.

[Dumont 9]

Unless your card was faulty, it's not the GPU. It's likely the settings and incompatible addons. For example, I've been able to replicate single digit fps scenarios with incompatible and badly optimized addons (like the Carenado Phenom). Simply stay away from those.

 

With A2A C172 and Orbx scenery, I'm getting 60+ fps if I turn off the limiter (I usually fly with it locked at 30) on a R9. The AMD criticism is not at all warranted.

 

I agree with you, I do not use scenarios of others, but I will list here some good and bad, to P3D V2.4, only aircraft:

Bad:

Carenado- Phenom 100, King Air B200, B1900, TBM 850 (B200 I consider the worst)

 

Good:

Carenado- King Air C90, Cessna 206, 210,

A2A- C172, C182, Cherokee 180 (all excellent)

Milviz- B737-200, Baron 55

Real Air- Duke B60, B60 Turbine

Aerosoft- F14X, Twin Otter Extended (both excellent)

Some Alabeo also work well

Some companies are doing really compatible products, some just pasting a "compatible" label on the old packaging.

 

João Alfredo