Contrails in DX10 killing performance

[honanhal 1,420]

Hi,

I use FSX-SE DX10, with Steve's fixer. I noticed that my framerate was getting hammered approaching cruise altitudes, and quickly realized that it was the contrails: as soon as I descend to a level where there are no contrails, the framerate shoots back up. While the custom volumetric contrail effects look great, they literally cut my framerate in half when they're active. Not talking about just a small hit here! This seems to be a DX10 thing--the same thing happens with the FSFX contrails, which is why I disable them in DX10 but use the FSFX weather effects.

 

Is there a way to disable these contrails and use standard FSX ones? Alternatively, is there some fix for DX10 that could be applied so they don't absolutely kill performance? As it is it makes cruise kind of a stuttery mess for me, unfortunately.

 

By the way, in case anyone is wondering: I'm using Windows 10, a 6700k @4.6 GHz, 16 GB of RAM, and a GTX1070.

 

Thanks,

James Hallock

[Avantime 81]

Maybe remove "fx_PMDG_747_contrail.fx" from the effects folder?

[Jet Tech 31]

James,

 

As has been outlined before,  we don't support Direct X 10 Preview mode since it is not fully implemented.

[downscc 1,327]

PMDG does not support DX10.  Never did.

 

Paul beat me.... and that is the official word.

[honanhal 1,420]

James,

 

As has been outlined before,  we don't support Direct X 10 Preview mode since it is not fully implemented.

 

Well, I have to say honestly that that's news to me (as a PMDG user for nearly a decade). Other PMDG aircraft don't have any issues in DX10 that I've ever noticed. Can I suggest that the lack of support for DX10 be noted on the product page for the QOTSII?

 

With the understanding that DX10 is not officially supported, can anyone suggest a workaround (will Iain's suggestion of removing the .fx file work or will that cause additional issues)? The aircraft otherwise works flawlessly and I'm getting great all-around performance (notably also in VAS, which is of course the reason I use DX10). It's literally just the contrails that are an issue.

 

Thanks,

James Hallock

[RogerWilco666 0]

Open your aircraft.cfg and replace "contrail=fx_PMDG_747_contrail" with "contrail=fx_dummy"...

[honanhal 1,420]

Open your aircraft.cfg and replace "contrail=fx_PMDG_747_contrail" with "contrail=fx_dummy"...

 

Thanks! That seems to have disabled the contrails entirely, which -- while not ideal -- is infinitely better than the insane performance hit.

 

James Hallock

[77west 139]

I also usually disable contrail effects as I rarely leave the flight deck, and they have always appeared a bit... underwhelming... to me anyway. The 744 ones are actually quite nice; have not turned them off yet.

[Boeing or not going 578]

Buy PrecipitFx to get compatible contrails, it also makes precipitation look more realistic and fixes the bug about rain effects on your tyres continuing through the flight. - David Lee 

[tf51d 284]

James,

 

As has been outlined before,  we don't support Direct X 10 Preview mode since it is not fully implemented.

 

I agree with this statement as it pertains to the original implementation by MS, Steve's DX10Fixer utility however changes all that. It not only fixes most if not all problems with the original MS implementation, it adds many new features, some previously only implemented in P3D, like VC Shadows in all aircraft. With his new Cloud Shadow addon, FSX capabilities, especially FSX/SE is much closer to P3D's today. There is no reason today developers should write off FSX in DX10 mode when used in conjunction with the DX10 Fixer.

 

Tom Cain

[CaptKornDog 281]

Have you tried turning down the special effects slider? It may help.

[ieydis 51]

I use DX10 and have absolutely no issues with contrails with a "lowly" 960 card.  Something else is going on.  Like Kyle says, check your settings mate - in FSX and Steve's control panel.

[Avantime 81]

I use DX10 and have absolutely no issues with contrails with a "lowly" 960 card.  Something else is going on.  Like Kyle says, check your settings mate - in FSX and Steve's control panel.

 

I definitely get better FPS with contrails (as well as that heat haze effect) disabled in DX10 mode, around 5 FPS more.

[andreh 125]

 

 

I use DX10 and have absolutely no issues with contrails with a "lowly" 960 card. Something else is going on. Like Kyle says, check your settings mate - in FSX and Steve's control panel.

 

I second this. I run DX10 with the fixer and an identical hardware setup as the OP. No issues with contrails and performance whatsoever.