fsx-se Pretty Good Rig, but still only 10-15 FPS! :-(

[Cjr60611 31]

Hello All

 

Lots of discussion in this and many other forums about rig specs, FSX.cfg files, FPS, etc... Some places you read people getting 50+FPS with settings maxed out!  Unfortunately, I haven't been able to come close to that type of performance with my rig.  The issue I'm having is my rig seems to be pretty good for FSX standards:

 

i5-4670 4.2Ghz (OC'd)

16GB Ram

Geforce GTX 760

Corsair H60

Windows 7-64

FSX is on separate Samsung SSD 120GB 

 

I know the specs aren't perfect but at "maxed out" settings FSX:SE averages 9-12 FPS (on departing and landing - a little better on cruise).  And, even at moderate settings I'm still only getting to 15-20 FPS!  Indeed I have a good amount of add-ons (who doesn't nowadays) but, I disable scenery that I don't plan on using during flights and I have my AI traffic (planes, cars and boats) set to >10% - I actually don't own a Traffic add-on.  

 

I have spent quite a bit of time on my FSX.cfg file reading advice from forums.  I've done many little fixes here and there to no avail.  Today I decided to scrap the extended FSX.cfg file and start over.  That helped a bit as I think the adjustments were actually slowing the system down.  Nonetheless, I'm still left with about 10-15 FPS.

 

***Keep in mind that my issues arise while on the ground and during approach and landing. No real issues during cruise.  (IMO the take-off and landing are the best parts of the sim experience)***

 

So, am I expecting too much from my rig???  I was considering upgrading my CPU to i7-4790 but, it's quite expensive and I'm not sure if it will get me to the 30 FPS I think will make my experience better...

 

Or, should I be more concerned about other problems that may be causing my system to slow down???  That said, I actually don't have a lot on this system - I really only use it for FSX.  When not using FSX and just surfing the forums (my new hobby) the most I use is 20-25% CPU and 18% Physical Memory.

 

Finally, I have read in other places that the 50+FPS "Maxed Out" expectation is too much for most systems to handle making me think "maybe I'm chasing the rabbit a little too far down the hole???" Is 30 FPS too much to ask for during TO/Landing for me?

 

Any help /advice would be appreciated..

[Boeing or not going 578]

No one can get 50 fps on the ground settings maxed, not even 30 in a detailed cockpit, unless they fly default airports no Ai traffic, default airplane, and in a city in the middle of a desert or ocean.  Default Ai traffic is heavy on frames, look to get Ultimate Traffic or MyTraffic, and 50% traffic or fewer, or use custom AI from world of AI for free. Have you followed the tweak guides from avsim or Nick on simforums? Also xxxxx has a blog that details tweaks.

[Cjr60611 31]

No one can get 50 fps on the ground settings maxed, not even 30 in a detailed cockpit, unless they fly default airports no Ai traffic, default airplane, and in a city in the middle of a desert or ocean.  Default Ai traffic is heavy on frames, look to get Ultimate Traffic or MyTraffic, and 50% traffic or fewer, or use custom AI from world of AI for free. Have you followed the tweak guides from avsim or Nick on simforums? Also xxxxx has a blog that details tweaks.

 

Thanks for the reply!  Info will help me for sure.  Haven't looked at avsim nor Nick's tweaks only because I have tweaked it so much without much gain that I was starting to question which ones really worked and others that don't.  Will take your advice and try them.

 

Also, you're totally right regarding the default airports and traffic, the airport that finally prompted me to post this was FSDT-KSAN and that was killing my FPS.  Been flying FTX KPSP today and frame rates are a lot better (even got into the 30's outside of town).

 

Cheers and thanks again! 

[cmpbellsjc 2,960]

the airport that finally prompted me to post this was FSDT-KSAN and that was killing my FPS.

FSDT makes KLAX and LatinVFR makes KSAN.

 

Also, one reason the default AI kill FPS are not only because they are not optimized for use as AI, but when they are at an airport that utilizes moving default jetways, the AI will cause the jetways to move to and from the aircraft. So, say your at an airport with 30 to 40 AI sitting at the gates and some are coming and going with jetways moving to and from the aircraft it can take quite a hit to FPS.

[Cjr60611 31]

FSDT makes KLAX and LatinVFR makes KSAN.

 

Also, one reason the default AI kill FPS are not only because they are not optimized for use as AI, but when they are at an airport that utilizes moving default jetways, the AI will cause the jetways to move to and from the aircraft. So, say your at an airport with 30 to 40 AI sitting at the gates and some are coming and going with jetways moving to and from the aircraft it can take quite a hit to FPS.

Thanks, Cmpbellsjc!

 

Stand corrected about KSAN - turned down all AI traffic and saw some better results.  

 

Cheers

[Boeing or not going 578]

KSAN is very poor on fps, especially looking at the marina. You can change display settings for that addon in the installer I believe. The graphic engine is not made for modern hardware. Follow the guides online and make sure you have all the latest drivers installed.

[levada 1]

The fastest way to solve a computer problem is by ruling things out and not by ramdomly fiddling. By just renaming your FSX.cfg and allowing FSX to create a new one, you could in a very short time rule out major issues with your configuration. The same story for files like exe.xml, dll.xm, scenery.cfg, etc.

 

Also look at your add-ons and their settings

 

 

 

And, even at moderate settings I'm still only getting to 15-20 FPS!

Depends on what you call moderate.

 

There is a little more we can do, since we don't know your add-ons, their settings, the content of FSX.cfg, scenery.cfg, exe.xml, dll.xml, your driver settings, where you're flying when you get low frame rates, what kind of weather you have, etc, etc.  I could list leterally close to a 100 things (if not more) that could affect your frame rates.

[Cjr60611 31]

KSAN is very poor on fps, especially looking at the marina. You can change display settings for that addon in the installer I believe. The graphic engine is not made for modern hardware. Follow the guides online and make sure you have all the latest drivers installed.

Yeah, I'm hearing that from others as well!  Thanks again for the insight...

[Kuragiman 227]

Oh lordy... he made the same mistake I made when I first came into this hobby.   I built a $3000 rig just for FSX and boy was I ###### off when I wasn't able to get more than 12 FPS in the PMDG 737NGX with max everything turned on and HD everything and all the other bells and whistles running.   I didn't do my homework before I dove into the hobby.

 

It is 3 years later now and I get 33 FPS locked at every airport in any weather situation with 30% AI traffic on at most payware airports.   

 

The secret is not in the power of the hardware, though that is important, but in how you set up the simulator.    So many people get big eyes and want it ALL but quite frankly because of the age of the simulation platform and that fact that it interfaces terribly with today's modern hardware you can't have it all and expect anything but a frustrating experience.

 

Poorly optimized add-ons/Overly Ambitious Add-ons + ridiculous OOM creating settings = My Sim Sucks!  It's the Sims fault!   We see it all the time here on AVSIM. 

 

Someone will probably argue with me on this but;  You DON'T NEED HD cloud textures.  You don't need HD Airport Textures.    You don't need 500 AI Airplanes taxing around creating a 45 minute pile up at the end of KLAX.   You don't need to see those little tiny 3d people walking around in detailed terminal interiors smoking cigarettes and ordering a #3 combo at that McDonald's modeled in the food court of the airport terminal.

 

This is a FLIGHT simulator.   What you need is a GOOD aircraft flight model,  a functional detailed Virtual Cockpit (or 2d Panel work if you don't like VC for some odd reason) and moderately realistic outside physic forces working against the aircraft to create the illusion of flight.

 

This is all achievable without Extreme Dense Autogen everything,  4k Textures, 32x AA and the like.    You just have to spend a little time under the hood and while we shouldn't HAVE to get under the hood at all since many of us are not programming or artistic photoshop masters, we do if we want that smooth stutter free flight through a hyper realistic detailed world that doesn't force us to compromise the flight model physics of the aircraft simulation.

 

Nick's guide is a good starting point and optimizing 3rd Party airport add-on textures can go a long way in improving your FPS and memory usage at Payware airports.  There are very good threads on how to do the latter recently on AVSIM as well.    If you set realistic settings and trim those textures back to something sustainable for simulation purposes (and not screen cap purposes) you will have your 30+ FPS even in thunderstorms with cats and dogs raining down on your cockpit windshield.

[Cjr60611 31]

 

 

Oh lordy... he made the same mistake I made when I first came into this hobby.   I built a $3000 rig just for FSX and boy was I ###### when I wasn't able to get more than 12 FPS in the PMDG 737NGX with max everything turned on and HD everything and all the other bells and whistles running.   I didn't do my homework before I dove into the hobby.
 

Hey Kuragiman - You definitely got me pegged!  Always been a big Flight Sim fan but, never had the guts (well, really the money) to go out and buy a system built for it.  I finally did and now my experience has become more frustration than fun.

 

Going to take everyone's advice and essentially start-over.  I will start with Nick's guide first (gotta find it) and go from there.

 

Thanks for your help and recommendations!

[ryanbatc 12,803]

You'll be ok though... it's a decent rig....  the nick n guide will help

[Kuragiman 227]

Hey Kuragiman - You definitely got me pegged!  Always been a big Flight Sim fan but, never had the guts (well, really the money) to go out and buy a system built for it.  I finally did and now my experience has become more frustration than fun.

 

Going to take everyone's advice and essentially start-over.  I will start with Nick's guide first (gotta find it) and go from there.

 

Thanks for your help and recommendations!

 

You will get it!   *points down*   33 FPS locked FPS with Very Dense everything, 1k textures, 512 textured clouds and payware airports galore all with downsized 1k textures for performance.  There is very little difference between this and MAX everything other than low FPS and VAS drainage.   Fly it!  Don't fight it!

 

 

[Cjr60611 31]

 

 

You will get it!   *points down*   33 FPS locked FPS with Very Dense everything, 1k textures, 512 textured clouds and payware airports galore all with downsized 1k textures for performance.

Hey Kuragiman - screenshots looks awesome!  Better than mine with REX running.  Took your advice and turned down the resolution in REX and made "Very Dense" adjustment in FSX.  But, excuse me for not knowing, what do you mean by "1k textures"?  is that something that's done within FSX?

 

Thanks

[Boeing or not going 578]

You will get it!   *points down*   33 FPS locked FPS with Very Dense everything, 1k textures, 512 textured clouds and payware airports galore all with downsized 1k textures for performance.  There is very little difference between this and MAX everything other than low FPS and VAS drainage.   Fly it!  Don't fight it!

 

 

Now tell me how many fps you get in the virtual cockpit on the ground with cloudy weather. no way it goes over 30

[Kuragiman 227]

Now tell me how many fps you get in the virtual cockpit on the ground with cloudy weather. no way it goes over 30

 

33 Locked.

Hey Kuragiman - screenshots looks awesome!  Better than mine with REX running.  Took your advice and turned down the resolution in REX and made "Very Dense" adjustment in FSX.  But, excuse me for not knowing, what do you mean by "1k textures"?  is that something that's done within FSX?

 

Thanks

 

It's duel meaning.... 1)   Change your texture resolution setting to 1024 x 1024 in your FSX settings.    Some add-ons will be like "4096k REQUIRED!"    Those are the add-ons to be weary of.    2)   Those very add-ons I just said to be weary of have 2k and even 4k textures.   Programs like DXTBMP and Optimize Textures can be used to re-size texture sheets down 1024 x 1024 sheets.   There are other threads that go into detailed discussion about what you should and should not resize.    I personally use Optimize Textures to gives all of my payware airport the quick 1024k compression treatment.  It makes automatic backups of your original texture folder so you can restore it if you don't like the results or you screw something up.

 

I also re-sized my virtual cockpit textures for the PMDG 737ngx and added MIP MAPs to them.  This solved my personal issues with readouts being to jaggy or shimmering.

 

Also note, my screen caps are from Prepar3D and not FSX but that does not matter.  The two engines are very similar for the point I am trying to get across.   My graphics look a little more insane because of a free program called Reshade.   I use it to change color palettes, perform all my AA needs and add other lighting visual FX to make the simulator look how I want it to look and how I think real world should look.   Reshade is free at Reshade.me and works in all version of FSX and Prepar3D with little risk to damaging your installation.   There is nothing to install.  Just follow the instructions, point the Reshader Mediator program at your FSX.EXE file and have fun with the shader packages trying to find your favorite look.  Discussions of Reshade as well as people profile settings have been talked about recently on AVSIM.  Search for it if you are unsure about using this program.

 

Another performance tip if you use Active Sky NEXT for cloud gen is to stop drawing 120 miles worth of clouds and you don't need 5 layers of clouds either.   You can get away with 3 cloud layers and I set my cloud draw distance to 83 miles and my visual distance to 80 miles because this is about what you see in real life at 38000 feet... the horizon blurs out into a grey mess because of atmospheric conditions and your own eyes limited ability to view extremely long ranges.

 

So on my rig I do 1k Textures, 1024x1024 Resolution, 83 mile cloud draw on High Detail, 30% AI Traffic or less (depends on airport), No AI car or boat traffic and Lock my FPS at 33 with Triple Buffering on and I sustain 33 FPS in most situations.   Certain airports and weather conditions can still push me into the mid-20's but I never stutter or have texture loading issues.   Again I am Prepar3D but FSX, properly tuned, should have similar results. 

 

Happy flying.