p3d 2.5 stutter every 3 seconds

[him225 51]

Hi

 

I have just installed p3d 2.5 on an old machine- q9550, gtx560ti. With default baron at the airport I am getting smooth 35-40fps but simulator is causing slight stutter every 3 seconds or so, killing the immersion. I have tried lowering all settings yet the stuttering remains. I have used FFTF=0.1 and affinitymask=14 tweak. Using 355.6 driver. Any suggestions on what could be causing this?

[louisdecoolste 12]

First, remove the tweaks. Affinity Mask optimisation is already built in to 2.5 and 0.1 is probably not a suitable FFTF setting for your old system.

 

P3D has no 3-second cycle process by default so the problem is not with the sim, it's with the system, settings or some other software - I'd look at your anti-virus for  a start as that has the kind of polling rate you describe. The other problem may simply be that your GPU is simply being overloaded. Turn evreything to minimum settings and see if that stops the stuttering. If not, then it's likely the problem is elsewhere in your system. 

 

As a considered choice I wouldn't install P3D on such a modest system.

[Petraeus 147]

I had that problem, but fixed it by unticking 'ground terrain casts shadows'.

[Jimm 437]

First, remove the tweaks. Affinity Mask optimisation is already built in to 2.5 and 0.1 is probably not a suitable FFTF setting for your old system.

 

P3D has no 3-second cycle process by default so the problem is not with the sim, it's with the system, settings or some other software - I'd look at your anti-virus for  a start as that has the kind of polling rate you describe. The other problem may simply be that your GPU is simply being overloaded. Turn evreything to minimum settings and see if that stops the stuttering. If not, then it's likely the problem is elsewhere in your system. 

 

As a considered choice I wouldn't install P3D on such a modest system.

Louis,

 

I too get the very same stutters.  I have changed my graphic settings, hoping it would help but it doesn't.  Frames are decent, not spectacular.  Perhaps deleting the P3D.cfg and letting P3D rebuild it would help?  I am at a loss.

 

-Jim

[louisdecoolste 12]

Might be worth looking at Process Manager or even Task Manager and seeing what background processes might be running ? Anything pulling more than 1-2% CPU time might be impacting on your sim experience ? 

 

You can also look at TM while the sim is running to see if Prepar3d.exe is pulling additional resources on a regular, cyclical basis.

[Gregg_Seipp 565]

Does it happen when you're flying out away from any airports? 

[Jimm 437]

Does it happen when you're flying out away from any airports? 

Not sure you are asking me personally, but I have observed that when the stutters occur, my HDD is accessing data so it is hard to say whether it is caused by the system or the sim.  I have all SSDs on my rig so I didn't think that accessing data would cause any type of bottleneck, and it shouldn't because the drive I have P3D on, also has my scenery, airports, etc.  I didn't mention though that currently, 98% of my content for P3D is ORBX, for scenery and I am flying an A2A aircraft with ASN for weather.

 

-Jim

Might be worth looking at Process Manager or even Task Manager and seeing what background processes might be running ? Anything pulling more than 1-2% CPU time might be impacting on your sim experience ? 

 

You can also look at TM while the sim is running to see if Prepar3d.exe is pulling additional resources on a regular, cyclical basis.

Louis, 

 

I hadn't looked into a process manager, but maybe I should because the stutters are highly annoying.  My graphics settings are not maxed out and as for traffic, it is toned down considerably from before.  I am running the latest nVidia drivers, but those don't allow for multiple settings changes for some reason so I may also consider using an older driver that allows the settings changes.

 

-Jim

[Gregg_Seipp 565]

Not sure you are asking me personally, but I have observed that when the stutters occur, my HDD is accessing data so it is hard to say whether it is caused by the system or the sim. I have all SSDs on my rig so I didn't think that accessing data would cause any type of bottleneck, and it shouldn't because the drive I have P3D on, also has my scenery, airports, etc. I didn't mention though that currently, 98% of my content for P3D is ORBX, for scenery and I am flying an A2A aircraft with ASN for weather.

 

Yes I was.  The reason I'm asking is that I had a problem with stuttering due to an ADX file at an Orbx airport (all airports have ADX files).  So, just a small theory, try flying way out away from any airports and see if it goes away. 

[Jimm 437]

Yes I was.  The reason I'm asking is that I had a problem with stuttering due to an ADX file at an Orbx airport (all airports have ADX files).  So, just a small theory, try flying way out away from any airports and see if it goes away. 

Ok, so if by flying away from airports causes the stutters to cease, then what would be a course of action to take?  I have a great many airports in the PNW region, so perhaps with all of them installed and active, this could be a cumulative issue?  I also have to wonder if there is some sort of disconnect happening between my SSD and the system or maybe it's in the way my graphics card is processing everything.  If that is the case, then I would need to install an earlier graphics driver in order to use nVidia Inspector to try an correct the issue...just a thought.

 

-Jim

[him225 51]

Tried with the tweaks removed as suggested but didn't help. I also have FSX installed which runs perfectly smooth with no such stuttering so I suspect it is something confined to p3d only.

[Gregg_Seipp 565]

 

 

Ok, so if by flying away from airports causes the stutters to cease, then what would be a course of action to take?

 

Good question.  For the one airport where I had the problem,, the solution was to disable the ADX, for now.  Not an appealing solution but it worked.  At least you'd know something and get people thinking about it.  BTW, I didn't have to remove that ADX in FSX...it was smooth as silk even with it there.

[him225 51]

Figured it were the shadows causing the stutters. Had to disable them all. Needed to restart the sim for changes to take effect. Too bad as I was looking to fly with them turned on. Hope there is a fix for it.

[Petraeus 147]

No need to disable all shadows. Just start with ground shadows. Then add the others only if that doesn't work.

[him225 51]

the stuttering returned upon installing additional scenery and complex aircraft. fixed by disabling hardware tessellation. now seems to be working fine, with all shadows enabled.

[Jimm 437]

Ok folks, I performed a couple of flights last night, one in a heavily populated area of PNW and the other, middle of nowhere.  My findings were not spectacular, but they did reveal something I had not thought of before.

 

Firstly, I did not touch my settings in P3D from what I quoted in yesterday's reply.  What I DID do is change my graphics drivers.  I was running 347.52, but up'ed it to 353.30.  Considering that the biggest issue i had with the driver I had was the inability to make changes to the settings in NI settings, even the nVidia control panel.  Anywho, after the driver replacement, I started off in Seattle, more specifically W16 (Monroe/Firstair).  It was a good place to start because this airport pretty much sits on the fringe of the Seattle metro area.  I flew from there to KSEA by way of a rough visual path across the downtown area at about 2300'agl.  My frames were set to 33 and I got low 20's and experienced the microstutters.  I then changed my frames to unlimited and I got upper 20's to low 30's but the microstutters were not so prevalent.

 

My second flight, was from CYYR to CYVX (due to time constraints), but flying out of Goose Bay, I had low 30's for frames and virtually non-existent microstutters.  I leveled off at 8000'agl and took my southerly route to CYVX.  Unfortunately, I was blanketed with heavy rains the whole trip, but my frames averages in the upper 40's to low 50's, but then again, this was Eastern Canada, near the coastline...not much there and not much to see when it's heavy rain in the dark of night.  Anywho, I landed at CYVX without issue and I really didn't even notice stuttering, it was that infrequent.

 

I don't have a definitive solution but it appears though that a change of the graphics driver did help.  I will continue tonight to investigate but overall I am a little more pleased with the results.

 

Please note that both flights were under the same conditions, with ORBX PNW/OpenLC NA Canada/W16 Monroe scenery, ASN weather, A2A C182 aircraft.

 

-Jim