First of all, I'm no VAS expert and I typically don't monitor it during my flights as I've only experienced a rare OOM.  But I was flying the PMDG 737 NGX from FSDT KLAS to FSDT KLAX on PilotEdge the other day, when on short final I got the dreaded OOM.  The next day I repeated the flight and it happened again, this time while taxiing to the gate at KLAX. Both flights were at dusk in cloudy weather and both flights were very smooth up to the OOM.

 

Now, I run my autogen and vegetation sliders at normal, road traffic at 5%, FXAA off, 8XMSAA, Anisotropic 8X, 2048 texture resolution, I use ASN weather with REX4 but I use 512 px cloud textures. As for shadows, I use medium quality shadows only (only cloud shadows and VC shadows are enabled; terrain shadows are disabled).  

 

As for sceneries, I run FTX Global with Vector (secondary and tertiary roads disabled), as well as the two airport sceneries mentioned above. All other sceneries are disabled using the Scenery Configurator before starting P3D.

 

As I stated above, I usually don't monitor VAS, but I decided to download Process Explorer and take some readings. Here are my findings:

 

After loading the NGX at FSDT KLAS, Process Explorer indicates my VAS usage is right around 2.8-2.9 GB. This is before loading weather or starting GSX. 

 

If I load the default F22 at KLAS, VAS is just under 2.4 GB

 

If I load up at FSDT KLAX, VAS usage is at 3.2 GB, again, before I do anything else.  

 

I decided to reduced the resolution of the KLAX texture files from 4096 to 1024 using a Texture Optimizer utility. Upon loading the lower resolution scenery with the NGX, VAS usage was 3.1 GB, so a very small gain if anything.

 

When I loaded the default F22 at KLAX with the 1024 texture set, VAS usage was just under 2.8 GB. Using the HD texture set, VAS usage is the same (2.8 GB).

 

That, to me, seems rather high for payware airport scenery, using only a default aircraft. Of course, I've never really paid much attention to this before so this may very well be typical for quality payware scenery.

 

I'm just curious what kind of VAS readings others are getting at these airports - is it in line with what I am experiencing?  If so, then I guess I'll have to drop my P3D settings even lower.

 

This may be a stupid question: Would a better GPU help with VAS usage or not? Right now I use a GTX 770, which has performed admirably.  I've been pondering an upgrade, which is why I ask.

 

I appreciate all the feedback!

 

Regards,

 

Todd

- PMDG 737 NGX

- FSDT KLAS

- FSDT KLAX

- PilotEdge

- road traffic at 5%

- ASN weather

- REX4

- cloud shadows

- FTX Global

- Vector

 

Would you like to add anything else to that mix? GSX perhaps, high resolution mesh, custom AFCADS?

Joking aside, you have chosen a combination of truly hard hitting add-ons and should not be surprised if you have an OOM, you have these options:

 

1. Optimise the textures included with those add-ons to reduce VAS consumption, size matters but correct format and compression matters just as much.

2. 2 cloud layers in ASN or use Opus FSI (lower VAS consumption)

3. No road traffic

4. Deactivate vector

 

Yes, you should be able to use all of these wonderful add-ons together 'out of the box' but the reality is that you will most likely overload the sim and it will crash.

 

I decided to reduced the resolution of the KLAX texture files from 4096 to 1024 using a Texture Optimizer utility. Upon loading the lower resolution scenery with the NGX, VAS usage was 3.1 GB, so a very small gain if anything.

 

 

See above, reducing the size will help but if the textures are not optimised, you will not see a noticeable reduction in VAS consumption. Buy a newer GPU if you want but it won't get rid of those OOM errors. You can solve those yourself for free.

 

 

I'm just curious what kind of VAS readings others are getting at these airports - is it in line with what I am experiencing?

 

Todd I also ran this flight not a week ago with FSDT KLAS and KLAX.  I ended with about 1 gig remaining VAS according to FSUIPC.

 

The difference though is I was using UTX-USA and GEP3D instead of global and vector.  I had max autogen (buildings and vegetation).

I was also running REX soft clouds with ASN (5 cloud layers).  Shadows on medium.  GSX for pushback at KLAS.

 

I use 4xMSAA plus 4xSGSS in NI.  AF at 16x.  Bloom was off.  1024 textures.

 

Hope you find the cause of your issue.

Todd,

 

I don't have P3D but the same rules of VAS apply as with FSX.

 

Essentially, complex aircraft + complex departure airport + complex arrival airport = OOM. As Toby has said a better graphics card won't help.

 

The simplest solution is to save your flight at the half-way point and exit P3D. Then restart it and reload the flight. That will give you enough memory for the remainder of your flight.

Although you can monitor VAS with Process Explorer a more elegant solution is to monitor remaining VAS via FSUIPC. Monitor 024C with type S32 and output the reading to the P3D Title Bar.

Have a read though my guide in my sig below.

Thanks for the feedback guys. Toby, I realize all of those addons can have an additive effect, but my sim settings are quite modest on tubeliner flights and I use very low resolution REX clouds. I try to be realistic with my settings and feel I am doing more than a lot of folks to prevent these kinds of problems. Just FYI, disabling Vector had zero impact on VAS when loading the sim. In ASN I use 4 cloud layers (perhaps 3 is better). Every other scenery that is installed is disabled for this flight. Remember these VAS numbers are taken right after loading the sim, sitting at the gates with no other addons loaded. I'm basically starting out of the gate with 2.8 to 3.2 GB VAS already spent. I'm just wondering if those VAS figures are too high and I have a bigger issue, because it seems others are having zero problems (like sgreen above, who has 1 GB free VAS at arrival with similar addons and similar settings).

 

I should also say that I did a flight from Flytampa Midway to T2G KSEA 2 weeks ago and used the same settings above plus 35% traffic. That flight is a lot longer and I had no problems whatsoever. Come to think of it, I've had zero problems up to this point period, so something has to have changed.

 

Ray, thanks for your feedback. I did fail to mention I do use FSUIPC as you suggested. I just installed Process Explorer yesterday after I encountered my issues.

 

My basic question is this - is starting out with 3 GB VAS consumed normal or is there something amiss?

 

Cheers,

 

Todd

For those addons, yeah, its pretty normal. Vector for me seems to have the biggest hit. I don't experience OOMs without it installed. With it, I often get it mid flight.

Its far from ideal, but I've been working around it by setting my texture resolution in the P3D settings menu down to the minimum. Its very noticable on the ground, but not noticable at all from anything over 3000 ft (in my opinion). It also has the welcome side effect of dramatically increasing frame rates for me.

 

Its just something we've got to deal with until LM release 64 bit, which could (understandably) still be a fair while off. Not to mention, we'll have to wait for addon developers to fix their addons for 64 bit. I'm no developer, but I imagine that will probably require almost a full rework of an addon.

Best way around it for now is to use the autosaving feature that I believe FSUIPC has. Doesn't work for people like me that use FS Economy though. :(

Have a read though my guide in my sig below.

Dave, I actually read your guide a while back and found it helpful. I do implement some of your suggestions. Thanks.

Glad it helped Todd

1. 64 bit is not the answer, while it will of course help, it does not solve the problem and I very much doubt that we will see a 64 bit P3D in the near future.

 

2. I don't own the PMDG 737, I wish I did, but I can easily trigger an OOM with the add-ons that I do use, even with optimised textures, just by changing the sliders in P3D.

 

3. If you disabled Vector and did not see any change, then it was not actually disabled.

 

4. Regarding ASN, 4 cloud layers use 4 times the amount of VAS that 1 layer will use and double the amount that 2 layers will use. I know that 4 layers looks great but if it is the difference between an OOM or finishing a flight, what would you choose?

 

5. Again, it is not just about the size of the textures, they also need to be in the correct format i.e. DXT1 or DXT5 DDS, for there to be a noticeable difference in VAS consumption.

 

6. Once your flight is set up, save it, quit P3D and then restart it by double clicking on the .fxml file. This will save you around 100mb VAS, you probably know this trick anyway.

 

7. You can try to fight a fire with a glass of water, meaning you can use FSUIPC to auto-save (and induce stutters), or you can save the flight halfway and restart (ruins the immersion), OR you can fight the fire with a hosepipe and spend some time optimising your add-ons and enjoy OOM free flights! There is no such thing as a free lunch in this simulation, everything costs VAS, it's up to you to choose how you want to spend it.

 

Regarding your comments about VAS levels once a flight has fully loaded, I regularly see around 2.3-2.5gb VAS consumption. Badly optimised airports can easily push this over 3gb. Default P3D will use around 1.6-1.8gb.

 

You also should always use AI Cull, or similar, to restrict the amount of AI loaded into memory. Using these techniques, I can fly with My Traffic 6 AI in an Accusim aircraft (high VAS consumption) over many custom VFR airfields (UK2000) using photoscenery without an OOM.

 

I haven't had any OOM errors since optimising my add-ons. This is why I invested so much time to write a guide to provide this community with the tools to help themselves, as it is not in most developer's interests to provide optimised add-ons.

1. 64 bit is not the answer, while it will of course help, it does not solve the problem and I very much doubt that we will see a 64 bit P3D in the near future.

 

2. I don't own the PMDG 737, I wish I did, but I can easily trigger an OOM with the add-ons that I do use, even with optimised textures, just by changing the sliders in P3D.

 

3. If you disabled Vector and did not see any change, then it was not actually disabled.

 

Well, it was disabled. But I already have secondary and tertiary roads disabled by default anyway, so that is likely why I didn't see a big difference.

 

4. Regarding ASN, 4 cloud layers use 4 times the amount of VAS that 1 layer will use and double the amount that 2 layers will use. I know that 4 layers looks great but if it is the difference between an OOM or finishing a flight, what would you choose?

 

5. Again, it is not just about the size of the textures, they also need to be in the correct format i.e. DXT1 or DXT5 DDS, for there to be a noticeable difference in VAS consumption.

 

Trying DXT5 textures is something I haven't tried. I use 512 px clouds but not DXT5.

 

6. Once your flight is set up, save it, quit P3D and then restart it by double clicking on the .fxml file. This will save you around 100mb VAS, you probably know this trick anyway.

 

Actually I got lazy and stopped doing this because I never had an OOM issue....until recently.

 

7. You can try to fight a fire with a glass of water, meaning you can use FSUIPC to auto-save (and induce stutters), or you can save the flight halfway and restart (ruins the immersion), OR you can fight the fire with a hosepipe and spend some time optimising your add-ons and enjoy OOM free flights! There is no such thing as a free lunch in this simulation, everything costs VAS, it's up to you to choose how you want to spend it.

 

I agree. And this is what I thought I had achieved successfully until these 2 recent OOMs.

 

Regarding your comments about VAS levels once a flight has fully loaded, I regularly see around 2.3-2.5gb VAS consumption. Badly optimised airports can easily push this over 3gb. Default P3D will use around 1.6-1.8gb.

 

 

Thank you. Your numbers are pretty close to what I reported above, so good to know that my VAS numbers are typical.

 

You also should always use AI Cull, or similar, to restrict the amount of AI loaded into memory. Using these techniques, I can fly with My Traffic 6 AI in an Accusim aircraft (high VAS consumption) over many custom VFR airfields (UK2000) using photoscenery without an OOM.

 

Yes, I try to use this tool as much as possible offline, although I haven't used it on PilotEdge which does use VFR drones, so perhaps I should try it.

 

I haven't had any OOM errors since optimising my add-ons. This is why I invested so much time to write a guide to provide this community with the tools to help themselves, as it is not in most developer's interests to provide optimised add-ons.

I appreciate your feedback, toby.

You also should always use AI Cull, or similar, to restrict the amount of AI loaded into memory.

Are you talking about the version in the Avsim library that's about a year old? Does it work in P3D 2.5?

 

Vic

Are you talking about the version in the Avsim library that's about a year old? Does it work in P3D 2.5?

 

Vic

Yes, that's the one Vic, works fine.

Hey guys… And gallons of coarse

 

I think the situation with OOM mags for us to spend a little bit more time in preflight preparation. By hey guys… And gals of coarse.

 

By that I mean I think we need to understand what our intentions are, I HAVE A FEW SUGGESTED PROFILE TITLES

1.flying VFR for Eye candy, GA aircraft-low and slow

 

2. IFR IMC ...LITTLE TO NO eye candy, weather and cloud priority

Agree. I have a couple profiles I use. Looks like I can add a couple more. IFR flights, in particular, can be real VAS vampires I am learning.