A HONEST view on how P3Dv3 performs...

[AnkH 2,261]

Hi all,

 

Although the switch from FSX to P3Dv3 increased again my flying time over the tweaking time a lot, I still struggle sometimes due to the fact that I am suffering from rather low performance. However, when browsing through avsim and other forums, I am always amazed about FPS number reports from here and there with users running their P3Dv3 on similar builds as mine and from time to time, I start to wonder again what am I doing wrong. But, over the years I started to think that maybe it is just a "showing off" issue, that's why I created this thread and that's why I would be happy if other people come here and comment (and maybe provide THE TRICK to have high FPS numbers).

 

For a start: I use an already a little bit "aged" system with an overclocked i7-3770K running currently at 4.5GHz (HT enabled). Along with this CPU I have 2x8GB DDR3 RAM with 2133MHz clock speeds and a PALIT 980Ti Super Jetstream. I use Windows 10 and the current nVidia driver. Prepar3d is installed on a dedicated 500GB Samsung EVO SSD, Windows is on a dedicated 128GB Samsung PRO SSD. As a monitor, I use a DELL S2716DG, 1440p Monitor with 144Hz and G-Sync. To fly, I use a Madcatz Fly 5 stick and sometimes I also use TrackIR. That's about it.

 

Now: I read plenty of guides how to properly setup Prepar3d v3 and also read some threads about tweaking, especially regarding AF and FFTF. Currently I use AF=85 and no FFTF tweak, regarding the rest of the cfg, I am back to stock values for anything else. Within P3D itself, I use rather high settings, basically those of Rob Ainscough (http://www.robainscough.com/Prepar3D_V3.html) with the adaptations that I ticked all shadow boxes, all water reflections but instead have the special effects sliders both only on medium. For NVI, I also use the settings from Rob as listed on his homepage (http://www.robainscough.com/P3DV3_Settings_NI.html).

 

Using those high settings, I can almost perfectly do VFR flights for example with an A2A Cessna on a ORBX airport in nice weather with locked 30FPS. I never tested how high my FPS are when using unlimited, as my setup tends to produce blurries quiet fast using unlimited FPS.

 

However, as soon as there are slightly more cloudy conditions and/or I am using a plane harder on FPS, such as the Aerosoft Airbus, on a bigger airport such as LSZH v2 or EDDF v2, there is NO CHANCE that my FPS reach 30 anymore. Usually, I am down to 20 in such a scenario, with really overcast situation I am even down below 20. The only "trick" I found so far is using a different preset in the P3D settings I called "IFR medium", where I basically reduce the settings down to the "very low" preset from Rob (http://www.robainscough.com/P3DV3_Settings_Very_Low.html). Fair enough that he also correctly states what you get with those settings: "25-30FPS on EGLL".

 

Now, that's my reality. Without lowering the settings quiet dramatically, there is NO chance on my build that I get anywhere near this 30FPS cutoff. In the end, this thread should just calm down people who also do not reach those ominous high FPS numbers continuously reported in the avsim forums and other forums. You are not alone, guys, I almost NEVER reach those numbers :wink:

 

So, of course I would be happy if there is anything I can improve. However, if I compare my hardware with the one of Rob on his homepage, I somehow doubt that I can expect anything significantly increasing my FPS (besides lowering the settings even further).

[ErichB 3,640]

After many years of chasing a silver bullet obsessively for high FPS, I simply shut down my FPS counter and use reasonable settings. My fps range is between 20-60 but the whole range is perfectly flyable. I get some stuttering in heavy cloud, but I've learned to live with that.

 

Don't obsess too much about FPS. It diminishes your enjoyment of simming tremendously

[Sethos 4,333]

Like you, I also have a G-Sync monitor. And I'd highly suggest you don't use neither Vsync nor Triple Buffering as that will just gobble up performance in most cases. Triple Buffering readies another frame in advance, to 'steady' the framerate / decrease tearing and juddering. With G-sync, you have the golden egg for getting rid of all that with zero performance hit. Then you also want to turn on "Enable G-sync for windowed and full screen mode" as P3D does not run exclusive fullscreen.

 

Personally, I wouldn't use any of those AF / FFTF tweaks either. I've found them to do more harm than good after version 3, despite what all the tests online might say. So I'd try and delete that .cfg and let the game recreate a fresh one.

 

Look into Process Lasso: https://bitsum.com/ - You can set per-application power profiles, priority etc. and it has its own power profile that also unparks cores. Though I wouldn't suggest increasing the applications process priority, that can sometimes lead to decreased performance for some reason I've found. 

 

Per Rob's settings, I'd turn down shadow quality, as that can be quite a hog and ESPECIALLY the Scenery Objects. Scenery in this game is incredible performance intensive and putting everything on Extremely Dense would bring most computers to their knees, unless you do bush flying where you'll on average render 3 huts and a bog. 

 

Personally I use FXAA + 4 x MSAA for AA. 8 x MSAA is also very intensive. P3D's FXAA implementation is excellent as it doesn't introduce much blur and cleans up the image really well. If you do find it adds too much blur, I suggest using a ReShade to add some Lumasharpen. I personally see no reason to use sparse grid supersampling, as many do. It's a complete performance hog.

 

Lastly, download something like RivaTuner Statstics Server. It has a per-profile framerate limiter. Set Vsync off, Triple Buffering off, Target Frame rate to Unlimited, G-sync to Windowed + Fullscreen and then cap with RTSS. 45-50FPS feels very smooth with G-sync enabled.

 

These are just my personal tweaks / findings. Some may disagree with a few of them but it's worth a look I can happily sit in my Dash 8 with 40-45FPS in a FlyTampa airport (EKCH).

 

Oh last thing. Maybe look into disabling HT unless you use it regularly. There's quite a few reports that it reduces performance slightly and increases VAS usage.

[onebob 125]

I have almost the same spec as you, fly vfr only and maintain good quality and frame rates. Don't use NI or NCP. At the moment using ftx Australia and ftx so cal.

Last night did a flight out of Sydney, with ASN 5 , at the time I thought how good this flight simulator is and how much its improved over the last few months.

Re your NI settings did you notice Rob ' notes above .

 

bob

[SierraHotel 976]

This gives an honest view of the average performance I get with P3D v3. I never show, or even, know what my FPS is, all I seek is smoothness. Apart from all the usual i.e. REX4 & SC, ASN, UT2 with 2015 schedules, Opus FSI (only for DHM and Cams) Orbx Norway etc, I also use Aivlasoft EFB and ProATC X. All run on a single system (Specs under vid on YT) except for the EFB Display module, whch I run on my second machine. Start vid @ 36mins in.

 

[AnkH 2,261]

 

 

Per Rob's settings, I'd turn down shadow quality, as that can be quite a hog and ESPECIALLY the Scenery Objects.

 

You are right, I forgot this. I have the Shadow Quality slider only on medium already. No need for "ultra" in my case.

 

 

 

I personally see no reason to use sparse grid supersampling, as many do. It's a complete performance hog.

 

It is a performance hog, but in my case only because of the clouds (although both LM and REX developers always claim that they solved the performance issues of clouds and SGSSAA). However, I can not stand the shimmering issue of many of my AI traffic textures without SGSSAA, and no, FXAA does not eliminate this. So, I have to use SGSSAA it seems...

 

 

 

Set Vsync off, Triple Buffering off, Target Frame rate to Unlimited, G-sync to Windowed + Fullscreen and then cap with RTSS. 45-50FPS feels very smooth with G-sync enabled.

 

As mentioned, I can not use "target frame rate unlimited" as I instantly get blurries like this. And, I can not use my G-Sync as I have my FPS capped at 30 and anyway in most cases dont reach above 30FPS. Simply turning down the settings so far that I can use the G-Sync is no option at the moment, maybe I have to change my mind regarding this.

[Sethos 4,333]

As mentioned, I can not use "target frame rate unlimited" as I instantly get blurries like this. And, I can not use my G-Sync as I have my FPS capped at 30 and anyway in most cases dont reach above 30FPS. Simply turning down the settings so far that I can use the G-Sync is no option at the moment, maybe I have to change my mind regarding this.

 

Have you tried turning off HT, creating a new CFG without all those FFTF / AM entries, then running unlimited? See if that introduces blurries. 

 

Using the internal frame rate limiter also adds pre-rendered frames, which takes a HUGE performance hit at times. I can sit in my Dash 8 with 50FPS, enable the internal limiter to 50FPS and my FPS will drop like a rock, down to sub-30. I generally advise against using it. 

[Bobsk8 12,669]

Best decision I ever made was turning off the FPS counter. As long as it is smooth, who cares. 

[AnkH 2,261]

Have you tried turning off HT, creating a new CFG without all those FFTF / AM entries, then running unlimited? See if that introduces blurries. 

 

Using the internal frame rate limiter also adds pre-rendered frames, which takes a HUGE performance hit at times. I can sit in my Dash 8 with 50FPS, enable the internal limiter to 50FPS and my FPS will drop like a rock, down to sub-30. I generally advise against using it. 

 

I will not turn off HT as I use it for everything else I am doing with the same computer. To cumbersome to switch this only for P3D. Besides that, there are many reports that the sim behaves almost equally comparing HT off or a proper affinity mask setting (here on avsim). And I do not see such an impact on my FPS. On a heavy airport, I maybe get a max. of 10% more FPS when running unlimited at the cost of the blurries I mentioned. A new cfg. is also not needed, as I have ONLY the AF tweak in now, I already tested several times how my P3D reacts with different AF settings and no AF setting at all, and I can say that AF=85 is definitely the best thing to do on my build. BUT: I never tried with AF and unlimited FPS, I will try this again the next time.

 

But, as I stated in my above post, the fact is that all those tweaks will never provide me suddenly 100% more FPS on a heavy airport using a demanding addon aircraft along with cloudy conditions. It is simply impossible, that's the main message of this thread.

[Michael Moe 495]

Honestly there is often also a big differents sitting in an airport with 30FPS vs an approach to the same airport.

 

I am fiddling with my NGX 4K@30HZ locked at the moment . So far "sitting" with Vsync gives me 30FPS, but always tricky (airports has different perfomance hit (read:demanding)

 

I will accept a config for IFR and VFR for now

 

Almost same hardware as you btw. HT is on but i might try out this to off again. 

 

 

But just for the record . 4K/30HZ/30FPS Vsync ON - unlimited FPS - tripple buffer ,  is the most smoooth flight experience so far on any platform i have experienced

 

Michael Moe

[Cargostorm 151]

Have you tried turning off HT, creating a new CFG without all those FFTF / AM entries, then running unlimited?

 

I was recommending the same. I use a non-tweaked prepar3d.cfg and can maintain >30 also in heavy environments. I do only use cloud shadows though and no graphics slider is at the most right position!

 

I will not turn off HT as I use it for everything else I am doing with the same computer. To cumbersome to switch this only for P3D. Besides that, there are many reports that the sim behaves almost equally comparing HT off or a proper affinity mask setting (here on avsim). And I do not see such an impact on my FPS. On a heavy airport, I maybe get a max. of 10% more FPS when running unlimited at the cost of the blurries I mentioned. A new cfg. is also not needed, as I have ONLY the AF tweak in now, I already tested several times how my P3D reacts with different AF settings and no AF setting at all, and I can say that AF=85 is definitely the best thing to do on my build. BUT: I never tried with AF and unlimited FPS, I will try this again the next time.

 

But, as I stated in my above post, the fact is that all those tweaks will never provide me suddenly 100% more FPS on a heavy airport using a demanding addon aircraft along with cloudy conditions. It is simply impossible, that's the main message of this thread.

 Well, obviously your system must suffer for one reason, otherwise you would get the same results as other people. Personally, I would optimize the PC for P3D. If you have other priorities, then you have to live with it.

[AnkH 2,261]

Well, obviously your system must suffer for one reason, otherwise you would get the same results as other people. Personally, I would optimize the PC for P3D. If you have other priorities, then you have to live with it.

 

Hmm, sorry to say but I think you did not get the point of this topic... the "get the same results as other people" is the culprit here, that's what I am always talking about. You never get the same "as other people" as long as you not put all the sliders and checkboxes to exactly the same and most people do not provide the relevant information to do so. Similar as you, you say that you get more than 30FPS in most heavy environments and then you add the absolutely diffuse addition "I only use cloud shadows though and no graphics slider is at the most right position". Of course, if I set up my P3D according to this super precise information, I will also have more than 30FPS... you know what I mean? You at least give SOME information, most people do not even give that much...

[TheNerd 12]

See, what I do for best performance in P3D is put the FPS limiter to unlimited. Keeping it on has such a big performance hit it isn't ideal IMO. I simply limit the sim to 30fps using Nvidia Inspector. No blurries while getting the consistently high performance of P3D when it's framerate limiter is at unlimited. Even on my potato computer, I can maintain 27-30fps even at big airports with bad weather generated by ASN.

[Sethos 4,333]

See, what I do for best performance in P3D is put the FPS limiter to unlimited. Keeping it on has such a big performance hit it isn't ideal IMO. I simply limit the sim to 30fps using Nvidia Inspector. No blurries while getting the consistently high performance of P3D when it's framerate limiter is at unlimited. Even on my potato computer, I can maintain 27-30fps even at big airports with bad weather generated by ASN.

 

You should consider something other than NVI to cap your framerate. Nvidia's implementation of the framerate limiter is very poor, tends to use up excess CPU cycles. Just a suggestion

[Ted Striker 338]

Ankh, I have the same CPU, overclock, and RAM speed as you. Differences are I have a 780gtx, 8 gb Ram, HT off, and a 3960 x 1024 triple monitor setup. My performance is similar to what you are experiencing. I run at 30 FPS locked in the sim as this is the smoothest for me, I just need to adjust sliders to keep it above 30 FPS locked. As Sethos stated, if I run unlimited FPS my FPS is higher, but not as smooth. The single largest framerate killer for me is AI traffic. Next is complex aircraft cockpits. After that is heavy weather, scenery and autogen density. I do not use NI or SGSSAA and just put up with the shimmering. After awhile I get used to it.....until I go back and take a flight in FSX with DX9. I adjust the scenery density and traffic levels to depending on the weather and aircraft I am flying. Fortunately, the more clouds you have the less you notice turning down the scenery density and traffic until you arrive at the terminal.

 

Reducing my sim window to one monitor gives me a good boost in FPS. However I prefer to reduce the graphic detail than loose my peripheral vision.

 

Do to the heavy performance hit of ORBX scenery and complex aircraft I keep them separate. I run my GA aircraft and ORBX in P3dv2. I use P3Dv3 for complex aircraft with GEP3D/UTX.

 

One last thing. If I load the default baron and put all of my sliders to minimum my FPS goes to 300. So unless those posting unbelievable high performance post all of their settings, I would take it with a grain of salt.

 

Ted