X-Plane PB16 improvements

[Pugilist2 878]

Impressive looking shots!  What a nice improvement to see the moon and stars.

[flybius 3]

I really wish that LR could finally fix the performance issue with clouds.  I took off today on the ground with a broken layer in the sky with a FR of 25 and the closer I climbed to the layers, the worse my FR got.... all the way down to 3-4 !

I hae configured my system per the LR instructions and settled on ~25FPS  on the ground at KBOS with broken weather settings. I can calibrate the competing flight sims to maintain the ground FR throughout the flight... I wish LR could fix XP-11 to do the same...

Maybe LR could introduce a 2D option for clouds? 

[Jimm 437]

2 minutes ago, flybius said:

I really wish that LR could finally fix the performance issue with clouds.  I took off today on the ground with a broken layer in the sky with a FR of 25 and the closer I climbed to the layers, the worse my FR got.... all the way down to 3-4 !

Maybe LR could introduce a 2D option for clouds? 

If you would like some assistance in attempting to diagnose the issue you are having, could you post your settings here?  I do know that the weather system will affect your frames, but to varying degrees, based on what your rendering settings are, as well as what add-ons you are using with the sim.  For example, during the beta phase, I have been using default aircraft with default weather and have seen my frames go from upper 30s on the ground, to upper 40's low 50's until I hit a cloud layer, then drop to upper 30's to low 40s, but I haven't experienced that type of dramatic drop for over the past three or so betas.

[flybius 3]

Thanks for offering to inspect my settings... I do not believe I have a problem with my config as I have followed the LR's procedure for performance config and I am happy with my performance config for all other areas of the sim envelope.  I will reveal that I am running a medium all around with no HDR and 2x AA. I am running on a MBP 13" 2015 with a 2.9ghz i5 with 8gb ram and Intel Iris 6100 GPU. 

It is also obvious to me that my computer is no barn burner... but I have been able to config a reasonable level of performance on all current flightsims that will stay constant throughout the entire flight. The only exception to this is XP11 when clouds come into the fold.

 

Thanks,

 

[Jimm 437]

4 minutes ago, flybius said:

Thanks for offering to inspect my settings... I do not believe I have a problem with my config as I have followed the LR's procedure for performance config and I am happy with my performance config for all other areas of the sim envelope.  I will reveal that I am running a medium all around with no HDR and 2x AA. I am running on a MBP 13" 2015 with a 2.9ghz i5 with 8gb ram and Intel Iris 6100 GPU. 

It is also obvious to me that my computer is no barn burner... but I have been able to config a reasonable level of performance on all current flightsims that will stay constant throughout the entire flight. The only exception to this is XP11 when clouds come into the fold.

 

Thanks,

 

I'm trying to understand what you are expecting for results, based on a laptop that is not running with a discrete gpu (the Iris 6100 is integrated cpu graphics, not a seperate card or chip), though you say that you have "medium" settings as well as a reasonable level of performance on all current flightsims...would those be FSX and P3D?  I've run them all at one point, on a laptop, with a discrete gpu always knowing that onboard graphics will not give you a smooth and stable level of performance.  To ask LR to provide 2D clouds would be a regression instead of progression, which is the path that LR is on right now.  Their system requirements are quite clear on their website, not to mention the LR has spoken out about the requirements, choices of cpus and gpus.  In general, you need a solid, high performance cpu to handle the content that is out there for all the sims, but you also need a good gpu to handle the rest.

If you like XP and want to use it with what you have, just set your weather manual, choose CAVOK weather and you're all set, but otherwise, you will continue to get a performance hit with any weather that develops.

[flybius 3]

I guess I am not making my point clear... Apologies.

My computer provides me with satisfactory performance using all current flight sims... except the single exception of the clouds in XP11. It is my observation that when considering all graphical elements in all current flight sims, I find the XP11 clouds to be the greatest impactors of graphical performance. I have read many comments from others (including LR) that the clouds tend to be a challenge... This issue is also confirmed with the release notes of PB16 confirming that efforts to improve cloud performance were implemented for lower graphic settings.  I can enable 2D clouds in the competing flight sims for a very minimal impact on performance... 

I was merely suggesting the option of 2D clouds. I do not believe that this is moving XP11 backwards,  in fact, I think this would improve the configurability of the sim and would resonate as a positive improvement... not a negative one. There are a substantial number of XP11 users that operate with an Intel GPU (search hardware profile stats for XP11) that would certainly benefit from this...

It is also 'clear' to me that, without XP11 cloud performance options, I need to set my weather settings accordingly.  

 

[Jimm 437]

1 minute ago, flybius said:

I guess I am not making my point clear... Apologies.

My computer provides me with satisfactory performance using all current flight sims... except the single exception of the clouds in XP11. It is my observation that when considering all graphical elements in all current flight sims, I find the XP11 clouds to be the greatest impactors of graphical performance. I have read many comments from others (including LR) that the clouds tend to be a challenge... This issue is also confirmed with the release notes of PB16 confirming that efforts to improve cloud performance were implemented for lower graphic settings.  I can enable 2D clouds in the competing flight sims for a very minimal impact on performance... 

I was merely suggesting the option of 2D clouds. I do not believe that this is moving XP11 backwards,  in fact, I think this would improve the configurability of the sim and would resonate as a positive improvement... not a negative one. There are a substantial number of XP11 users that operate with an Intel GPU (search hardware profile stats for XP11) that would certainly benefit from this...

It is also 'clear' to me that, without XP11 cloud performance options, I need to set my weather settings accordingly.  

 

So are you saying that in FSX and P3D, you can have clouds and get great performance, but in XP11 you cannot?  Are you using default weather in FSX and P3D or is it an add-on like ActiveSkyNext? That may be a valid point, but as you already know, this is Beta and we still don't know what is in store for us as far as a complete weather system feature.  They have only recently improved the cloud rendering, so again, there may be more coming to us soon.  I won't press the issue any more, I apologize for the misunderstanding.

[flybius 3]

Yes, with FSX and P3D I can enjoy real weather clouds, but only with the 2D option... No add ons (I have to manually config weather on P3D)

I understand that XP11 is still in beta. I was hopeful that a really substantial improvement to clouds would come along, but it was communicated in the release notes that after a quick PB17 release, they will probably head to RC... 

I also understand that the effort to create 2D clouds in XP11 may or may not be practical at this point in the development cycle (or maybe they cannot do it at all...)

Thanks Jimm!

[tonywob 4,768]

PB16 is superb. The autogen height data is a good improvement and makes some cities recognisable.

[flybius 3]

Tony, is the improved height data only in European scenery or worldwide?

[tonywob 4,768]

It's worldwide based on OSM data and it's a great solution. Not everywhere has good data in OSM (OpenStreetMap), but anyone can edit the OSM map and add building heights.