Any *Must Have* Tweaks with P3D 3.2?

[G-YMML1 582]

This one looks like a bomb 

http://www.avsim.com/topic/489018-prepar3d-tweak-assistant-pta/

[Guest]

Agree with Steve, you'll need the various FSX legacy SimConnects installed ... on a side note, I really don't understand why devs (like PMDG, A2A and others) that have P3D "exclusive" versions of their products don't simply operate on P3D's built in SimConnect removing the need to install Legacy SimConnects?  This has always been a mystery to me, perhaps someone can enlighten me?

 

Keep in mind that more 3rd party content you add that is "bound" to P3D versions (ASN, Orbx, F1 GTN, etc.), you'll have a wait for them to update their products for each new version of P3D BEFORE you update you existing P3D version ... P3D is still moving forward on the development front so stay tuned.

 

Cheers, Rob.

[SteveW 1,792]

 

Agree with Steve, you'll need the various FSX legacy SimConnects installed ... on a side note, I really don't understand why devs (like PMDG, A2A and others) that have P3D "exclusive" versions of their products don't simply operate on P3D's built in SimConnect removing the need to install Legacy SimConnects?  This has always been a mystery to me, perhaps someone can enlighten me?

If P3D only products are configured to use the simconnect installed with P3D, then there is no further action required by the user or complications arising for the installing routine. This is obviously the target quality desired for a P3D addon product installation and a strict requirement of my own products.

 

However problems come for some apps where changing headers and possibly object hierarchy or some other issues can arise and where real coding is required, not just editing manifests. So to be fair, since P3D supports all versions, it's possibly more reliable, rather than easier for some addons to continue using their original simconnect versions that came with FSX.

[Guest]

However problems come for some apps where changing headers and possibly object hierarchy or some other issues can arise and where real coding is required, not just editing manifests.

 

Agree, but P3D version products are priced relative high (certainly on the PMDG, A2A front) so I would expect that work to be done.

 

Cheers, Rob.

[SteveW 1,792]

Agree, but P3D version products are priced relative high (certainly on the PMDG, A2A front) so I would expect that work to be done.

There's a lot more complications where that's concerned with the upcoming 64 bit platforms.

 

:smile:

 

[B777ER 2,484]

If you are going to use any addons that also support FSX you may find they use the simconnect versions from FSX era. Install the three legacy simconnects from the redist\Interface\ folder:

 

example double-click the msi

 

C:\Program Files (x86)\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v3\redist\Interface\FSX-RTM\retail\lib\simconnect.msi

C:\Program Files (x86)\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v3\redist\Interface\FSX-SP1\retail\lib

C:\Program Files (x86)\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v3\redist\Interface\FSX-SP2-XPACK\retail\lib

 

 

One other thing to do is to set User access to the P3D files since many addons like PMDG require it:

 

Navigate to the P3D program files folder in Explorer, right-click it, choose Properties, choose Security tab, click Edit, select the Users group, check Modify, Apply, OK.

Thanks Steve, very good information. Will implement all your recommendations.

Agree with Steve, you'll need the various FSX legacy SimConnects installed ... on a side note, I really don't understand why devs (like PMDG, A2A and others) that have P3D "exclusive" versions of their products don't simply operate on P3D's built in SimConnect removing the need to install Legacy SimConnects? This has always been a mystery to me, perhaps someone can enlighten me?

 

Keep in mind that more 3rd party content you add that is "bound" to P3D versions (ASN, Orbx, F1 GTN, etc.), you'll have a wait for them to update their products for each new version of P3D BEFORE you update you existing P3D version ... P3D is still moving forward on the development front so stay tuned.

 

Cheers, Rob.

 

Thanks Rob. I saw that and not planning on any updates until 3rd party dev's like Orbx, etc... catch up.

[Raven9000 272]

Agree with Steve, you'll need the various FSX legacy SimConnects installed ... on a side note, I really don't understand why devs (like PMDG, A2A and others) that have P3D "exclusive" versions of their products don't simply operate on P3D's built in SimConnect removing the need to install Legacy SimConnects?  This has always been a mystery to me, perhaps someone can enlighten me?

 

Keep in mind that more 3rd party content you add that is "bound" to P3D versions (ASN, Orbx, F1 GTN, etc.), you'll have a wait for them to update their products for each new version of P3D BEFORE you update you existing P3D version ... P3D is still moving forward on the development front so stay tuned.

 

Cheers, Rob.

Rob, can you recommend any specific places to test out the sim in that can be considered "average"?

 

Yesterday I was trying to see what performance I get, and I started a scenario in KLAX, with the default/built-in Baron 58. To my surprise FPS was around low 20s sometimes dipping into high 10s...

 

Tried playing around with sliders, settings, etc. and nothing seemed to have much effect.

 

My sim has:

 

FTX Global

FTX Vector (yes I tried disabling this)

FTX Open LC EU

FTX Open LC NA "part 1"

FS Global Ultimate Mesh

REX 4TD

FSUIPC

 

Hardware:

i7 4790K

32GB 2400Mhz RAM

ASUS Strix OC 980 Ti

 

 

I went to a more "desolate" place, like 29 Palms, and fps was in the 60s-70s, both with the Baron 58 and with the Aerosoft Airbus I tried for kicks...

 

So is KLAX just that hard andI ned to forget about it? Or am I (probably) doing something wrong? What places should I do tests in to see what I could conside an average for my system?

 

Edit: Had no other add-ons like airports installed, until yesterday after testing 29 Palms location, when I did install (precisely) 29 Palms to see if it affected anything (it didn't).

[jabloomf1230 2,445]

I assume that you are using the default KLAX or did I miss something? Major international airports are the downfall of performance in both P3d and FSX. Even the default versions have a lot of detail and objects which drag performance down. If that wasn't bad enough, two items that LM hasn't yet significantly offloaded to the GPU (building autogen and AI traffic) are coincidentally taxing to most hardware setups. Building autogen and AI traffic both are commonly more numerous near an airport like KLAX and both items are CPU-bound in the worst way. If that wasn't bad enough, there are special effects like moving jetways just to push everything over the cliff. And there's probably more highway traffic near KLAX which doesn't help either.

 

In any case, what you described is a fairly typical result. The obvious solutions are to turn various settings down, like building autogen and AI traffic densities. An alternate to the latter is to use the Air Traffic Manager app which allows one to limit the number of AI aircraft within the user's reality bubble. KLAX will easily have hundreds of AI aircraft on the ground or near it on a given weekday. Limiting the total numbers will make the airport seem a bit emptier, but it will help with frame rates and smoothness.

[Raven9000 272]

I assume that you are using the default KLAX or did I miss something? Major international airports are the downfall of performance in both P3d and FSX. Even the default versions have a lot of detail and objects which drag performance down. If that wasn't bad enough, two items that LM hasn't yet significantly offloaded to the GPU (building autogen and AI traffic) are coincidentally taxing to most hardware setups. Building autogen and AI traffic both are commonly more numerous near an airport like KLAX and both items are CPU-bound in the worst way. If that wasn't bad enough, there are special effects like moving jetways just to push everything over the cliff. And there's probably more highway traffic near KLAX which doesn't help either.

 

In any case, what you described is a fairly typical result. The obvious solutions are to turn various settings down, like building autogen and AI traffic densities. An alternate to the latter is to use the Air Traffic Manager app which allows one to limit the number of AI aircraft within the user's reality bubble. KLAX will easily have hundreds of AI aircraft on the ground or near it on a given weekday. Limiting the total numbers will make the airport seem a bit emptier, but it will help with frame rates and smoothness.

So yes, default KLAX. What Inforgot to mention is I also have all the ORBX regions. Tried some other places like Toronto International, San Diego and got about 50-70/40-50 respectively.

 

Not sure about the AI since I recently tried starting from scratch with the .cfg file and I think all traffic is set to 0.

[Guest]

If you are running Orbx SoCal region then I recommend you use FTX Central to open the configuration options for SoCal, uncheck all of them.  Now turn AI road traffic down considerably or even OFF.

 

If you're looking for areas with detail airports and good performance there are many, just not KLAX.  FlightBeam KDEN with FTX Global is a good location for high detail airport with very good FPS.  There are many other large airports with high levels of detail that have good performance, but that's a good start. Items that can really impact performance at high detailed airports are:

 

1.  SimObject shadows

2.  Dynamic Reflections (if used by airport dev)

3.  AI traffic

 

For high detailed airports in very dense locations that have many airports:

 

1.  Road traffic OFF

2.  AG trees/building down 2 notches

3.  Building shadows receive OFF

4.  Water = Medium

5.  Terrain Shadows OFF

 

There are so many variables, but that's a starting point.  I typically keep 3 graphic settings (P3D allows you to save/load Graphics profiles) ... I setup an Extreme, Moderate, Low ... I've not needed to use Low yet.  I can fly a PMDG 777 on Extreme, but I'll need to select my airport/location (i.e. Pago Pago) carefully as all is not created equal.

 

For GA flights I usually use my extreme graphics settings and adjust ASN and/or the GA airport configuration to hit my 30 FPS mark.

 

My extreme settings. 

 

My Orbx Vector Settings.

 

My REX settings. 

 

My ASN setting need to be udpated for B5926 (disable multiple visibility layers) but here are the older settings.

 

Cheers, Rob.

 

EDIT: keep in mind my target is 30 FPS because I operate my monitor at 30Hz 4K res.

[Raven9000 272]

If you are running Orbx SoCal region then I recommend you use FTX Central to open the configuration options for SoCal, uncheck all of them.  Now turn AI road traffic down considerably or even OFF.

 

If you're looking for areas with detail airports and good performance there are many, just not KLAX.  FlightBeam KDEN with FTX Global is a good location for high detail airport with very good FPS.  There are many other large airports with high levels of detail that have good performance, but that's a good start. Items that can really impact performance at high detailed airports are:

 

1.  SimObject shadows

2.  Dynamic Reflections (if used by airport dev)

3.  AI traffic

 

For high detailed airports in very dense locations that have many airports:

 

1.  Road traffic OFF

2.  AG trees/building down 2 notches

3.  Building shadows receive OFF

4.  Water = Medium

5.  Terrain Shadows OFF

 

There are so many variables, but that's a starting point.  I typically keep 3 graphic settings (P3D allows you to save/load Graphics profiles) ... I setup an Extreme, Moderate, Low ... I've not needed to use Low yet.  I can fly a PMDG 777 on Extreme, but I'll need to select my airport/location (i.e. Pago Pago) carefully as all is not created equal.

 

For GA flights I usually use my extreme graphics settings and adjust ASN and/or the GA airport configuration to hit my 30 FPS mark.

 

My extreme settings. 

 

My Orbx Vector Settings.

 

My REX settings. 

 

My ASN setting need to be udpated for B5926 (disable multiple visibility layers) but here are the older settings.

 

Cheers, Rob.

 

EDIT: keep in mind my target is 30 FPS because I operate my monitor at 30Hz 4K res.

Thanks Rob, lots of good info there, I will make sure to go and read all of it now.

 

If default KLAX is like that, even though I have yet to install it I kinda regret buying the FSDT version then... How do people even use it?

 

As a general rule of thumb, besides the settings, is it also recommended to disable all add-on airports you have installed previous to a flight except the start and finish ones?

 

I think your 30 target is fine, I'm not lookgin to get super high fps, just a nice and smooth/stable experience.

 

Also not sure if the many many many posts on Nvidia CP and inspector settings are still relevant?

 

Also would you suggest trying to OC the CPU more, and not so much the GPU which should even be overkill?

 

Last piece of info: I run at 3440x1440

 

Edit: saw the extreme settings, but are the Low and med anywhere?