Unexplained poor performance? One helpful hint

[John_Cillis 2,406]

The other day I decided to take the IFDG airbus up for a spin (actually ended up flying real-time from SFO to Dulles). But I nearly fell out of my chair when my fps--even in the 2-d cockpit view, only managed to float in the 10-12 range. Granted I have an old P3/800, but I've already made the compromises I needed to average 25 fps or so. Why the drop in fps? Was it time for my first reinstall of MSFS? Was I hit with the dreaded unexplained fps hit?For some reason, I toggled the lights and suddenly all was smooth and blissful. FPS at 25, where I have locked the sim. Hmmmmm, so I toggled the lights again. Back to 10-12 fps in all views.So I loaded up a default aircraft. Back to 25. Loaded up IFDG's aircraft--back to 10-12.Can you guess where I am going with this? Lights are either defined in the 3-d model directly, or in the aircraft.cfg, and sometimes both places. The lights defined in the aircraft.cfg load via effects files. IFDG uses custom effects files for their A31x/A32x. I remembered during a spring "MSFS housecleaning" that I had deleted those files for some dumb reason. It seems that when a loaded aircraft is called upon to use effects for which it finds no file, there is a BIG performance hit. Replacing the IFDG effects fixed the issue.Many aircraft use custom effects--and not just for lights. If you get any odd performance issue that doesn't make sense, you may wish to consider what happened to me as something else to check. -John

[Guest Ozark Dogfighter]

Wow. I bet that counts with any effects, huh? That could explain a whole heck of alot. I never whould have thought of that, John. Thank you!:-wave You may have saved alot more people some serious headaches than you think ;)-Jeremy BurchThe Ozark DogfighterHappy Flying!Pilot-The friction locks are causing the throttle levers to stick.Mechanic- Umm, that's what they're there for...

[barryward12345 0]

Hmm - I use Flight Sim manager and it reports quite a lot of "effects" files missing for many of my addon a/c -- will have to look further into this. Why is it anyway that people put out a/c that have missing files -- mainly relates to missing sound files and missing efects filesBarry

[brucek 38]

Would a quick way to check this be to disable the "[EFFECTS]" section in the aircraft.cfg file?Thanks- Bruce.

[John_Cillis 2,406]

You'd have to disable the effects and lights entries to check it, since the lights entries can also use custom effects files. It's easier to do a file search for the suspect missing effects files though, I think, since it is so easy to lose track of edits made to aircraft.cfg files. -John

[barryward12345 0]

Hmm-- I downloaded and installed the Ifdg Airbus -- and deliberately didn't install the effects files . My FPS stayed the same regardless of whether I turned the lights on or off. Maybe there is something system specific about this?Regards Barry

[John_Cillis 2,406]

I can't say--perhaps the files exist elsewhere in your MSFS folder structure, or perhaps it's an issue more likely found the slower the system is. Perhaps your lights were off--who knows? :) I wasn't asking anyone to prove or disprove this--only trying to post something that may help some.-John

[Gypsy Baron 10]

>I can't say--perhaps the files exist elsewhere in your MSFS>folder structure, or perhaps it's an issue more likely found>the slower the system is. Perhaps your lights were off--who>knows? :) >>I wasn't asking anyone to prove or disprove this--only trying>to post something that may help some.>>-John This is indeed interesting. I've recently noted a drop in FR, down to the 10-12 range and although I've added a bunch of aircraft recently, many have been the iFDG buses. I've been flying the A3xx series alot as well. When I get a chance I'll have a look at my installations ( I have 4 instances of FS2004 on my system ) and see if I can verify the cause of the performance hit. Paul

[lcseale53 0]

John,What happens when you turn the landing lights on at night on either the runway or taxiway? I take a 5 FPS hit with the DF 727. This only occurs at night (I'm using Chris Willis' reduced intensity lighting) with the landing lights, but not the taxi lights. Other less complex a/c maintain the frames. I'm locked at 20 and I'll drop to 15 or slightly less - on a P4 2.8 system with 1 gig ram.Thanks,Leon

[phjvh 0]

Hi,I have a very small hint too:Experimenting with panels there is the draw order.Say gauge 4 must be drawed first of 11 gauges you could write:draw_order00=gauge04, gauge00, gauge01, gauge02,...etc..., gauge10 But you will get better FPS with:draw_order00=gauge04, gauge00draw_order01=gauge04, gauge01draw_order02=gauge04, gauge02etc,draw_order09=gauge04, gauge10Not sure why, but for me it works.Jan"Beatus Ille Procul Negotiis"

[ubersu 78]

Good catch!DJ

[brucek 38]

Thanks John.