P3Dv5 Extremely long loading times with Imaginesim WSSS

[Splynn 0]

I'm not sure if anyone is encountering a similar issue with any other addons, but for me, my copy of WSSS by Imaginesim takes way too long to load into. On a fresh install of P3Dv5, with no other addons installed and on default settings, loading up at the airport takes up to 10 minutes with the loading bar frozen at 5-6%. After the sim loads up, I don't encounter any other issue, and everything works fine while running at 50-110fps.

Flying into WSSS is also a headache. Everything works completely fine until I start to approach the airport and there are 2 things that could happen:

1) At around 40nm away, when the scenery starts to get loaded into the sim, the sim would freeze for 5-10 minutes. After which, everything works fine with no other performance issues.

2) There would not be any sim freeze, but only the airport terminal models are loaded in, without either ground or model textures loaded. Runways and taxiways are not visible.

 

On the Imaginesim operations center, I've tried unchecking all optional extras, while setting both the texture quality and parking density to the lowest settings. There is no difference made to the loading times. I've also tried installing and loading into other high detail addon airports. While the loading times are slower compared to a default airport, it is only around a minute long compared to the 5-10 I encounter at WSSS.

I'm at my wits end. Contacting Imaginesim support did not help much, they suggested that it might be due to high file fragmentation, and I should try reinstalling the scenery. I have reinstalled the scenery multiple times to no avail. My peers who own the scenery are reporting load times of under a minute, so I believe it's something to do with either my hardware or some other obscure software issue.

My hardware specs are as follows:

CPU: Intel Core i7 9700k turboed to 4.5-4.9GHz

Motherboard: ASUS ROG Maximus XI hero

GPU: ASUS ROG RTX2070Super 8GB

RAM: 2x GSkill TridentZ 16GB 3200MHz

SSD: WD Black SN750 1TB NVMe

OS: Windows 10 Pro Version 1909

Thank you in advance!

Darren

Edited June 8, 2020 by Splynn

[downscc 1,327]

Hi Darren:  I'd take a look at how the WSSS product is installed and I assume you have their version 2.1.  All of my Imaginesim products in v5 are installed with a single entry in the programdata add-ons.cfg file, which is a  DiscoveryPath in accordance with the P3D SDK.  This is an alternative to the autodiscovery method where the add-on.xml is in the documents folder for addons.  It's important to not use the scenery.cfg file as we used to do with all sceneries.

The first time P3D sees a DiscoveryPath, it searches all of the child folders to the location given as the discovery path and looks for add-on.xml files.  Any new ones found then create a Package entry in the same add-ons.cfg file, and the add-on.xml then provides the path information for loading the addon components.  Refer to the SDK for details.

[Splynn 0]

Everything is as you described. Imaginesim WSSS is listed as 'package.0' inside the add-ons.cfg file.

The full entry inside add-ons.cfg:

[Package.0]
PATH=C:\Program Files\Imagine Simulation\WSSS Singapore P3Dv5
TITLE=Imagine Simulation WSSS2_PD5
ACTIVE=true
REQUIRED=false

Where the path above points, there is an add-on.xml file. Contents are as follows:

<SimBase.Document Type="AddOnXml" version="4,0" id="add-on">
  <AddOn.Name>Imagine Simulation - WSSS Singapore V5.0</AddOn.Name>
  <AddOn.Description>Scenery for airport WSSS Singapore by Imagine Simulation</AddOn.Description>
  
  <!--
  add-on.xml will work "first read first in" such that the last component read will be on top.
  -->  

  <AddOn.Component>
    <Category>Scenery</Category>
    <Path>Singapore City Centre\Scenery</Path>
    <Name>Imagine Simulation - WSSS Singapore V5.0 City Center</Name>
  </AddOn.Component>

  <AddOn.Component>
    <Category>Scenery</Category>
    <Path>Prepar3D Scenery 0903\scenery</Path>
    <Name>Imagine Simulation - WSSS Singapore V5.0 Scenery 0903</Name>
  </AddOn.Component>

  <AddOn.Component>
    <Category>Scenery</Category>
    <Path>scenery</Path>
    <Name>Imagine Simulation - WSSS Singapore V5.0</Name>
  </AddOn.Component>
  
  <AddOn.Component>
    <Category>Scenery</Category>
    <Path>WSSS Singapore EarthData\scenery</Path>
    <Name>Imagine Simulation - WSSS Singapore V5.0 EarthData</Name>
  </AddOn.Component>

  <AddOn.Component>
    <Category>Effects</Category>
    <Path>Prepar3D Effects</Path>
    <Name>Imagine Simulation - WSSS Singapore V5.0 Effects</Name>
  </AddOn.Component>

  <!-- animations - !!! same as PD4 !!! -->  
  <AddOn.Component>
    <Category>Effects</Category>
    <Path>animations\Documents_Prepar3D v4 Add-ons\ImagineSim Airport Pawns\Effects</Path>
    <Name>Imagine Simulation - WSSS Singapore V5.0 APM effects</Name>
  </AddOn.Component>

  <AddOn.Component>
    <Category>SimObjects</Category>
    <Path>animations\Documents_Prepar3D v4 Add-ons\ImagineSim Airport Pawns\SimObjects\GroundVehicles</Path>
    <Name>Imagine Simulation - WSSS Singapore V5.0 APM GroundVehicles</Name>
  </AddOn.Component>
  
  <AddOn.Component>
    <Category>SimObjects</Category>
    <Path>animations\Documents_Prepar3D v4 Add-ons\ImagineSim Airport Pawns\SimObjects\Misc</Path>
    <Name>Imagine Simulation - WSSS Singapore V5.0 APM Misc Objects</Name>
  </AddOn.Component>
  
</SimBase.Document>
 

This however, does not explain why it seems to be only my machine that requires such a long time to load up.

Is it possible to comment out specific components of the scenery in order to isolate what part is taking such a long time to load in?

[Isaac Toh 1]

I have experienced the loading issue with Imaginesim WSSS since the days of v4.5 and now, v5.

My loading would struck at 5% for about 1 - 2 mins, P3D would either exit and I'm back to my desktop or on my lucky days, it loaded up fine after that 1 - 2 mins. 

It would usually load fine after several attempts of restarting P3D and loading WSSS after P3D exits to the desktop. 

The telltale sign is when my CPU fan spins down between the 1 -2 mins at 5%, I know for sure P3D is going to exit. If it spins up, it is going to load fine. 

The issue happens randomly and at times, it loads at the 1st attempt. 

 

 

[Nemo 1,305]

Unfortunately, this beautful scenery has issues since its appearance for  v4, CTDs, stutters , framerate and now loading time? I'm still hesitating to install it for v5

[vadriver 248]

32 minutes ago, Splynn said:

WSSS Singapore V5.0 Scenery 0903

i'm struggling with a similar issue (P3D452) but from day #1 i wondered what this folder is about & how it interfaces with others   ... ie what is it doing ??  

[Splynn 0]

24 minutes ago, Isaac Toh said:

My loading would struck at 5% for about 1 - 2 mins, P3D would either exit and I'm back to my desktop or on my lucky days, it loaded up fine after that 1 - 2 mins. 

I've personally never encountered a CTD while loading into the sim. It always takes its own sweet time to load up, after which, everything is fine and I can continue on my merry way.

[bondislacker 11]

I'm also getting a CTD with Imaginesim's WSSS in P3DV5. Sim loads for a few %, then CTD. 

Did you guys manage to find a resolution to your CTDs?

Cheers,

[captain420 3,099]

Strange, I don't have any problems with Imaginesim WSSS. But I did notice something odd about your install. Is there a reason it's installed in C:/Program Files? Could this be the problem? I have all my P3D stuff and add-ons outside of this location. As I heard there can be problems when installing into this location due to permission problems and what not.

[AnkH 2,267]

Same here, cant load WSSS, it results in a CTD. And of course, it is installed outside the sim or documents folder, in my P3Dv5 addon folder as most other addons.

[Michael Moe 495]

Hi, is this WSSS worth getting for v5 ?

Those CTD is it related to specific aircrafts or just random ?

My life is to short for CTD especially on longhouls.

 

Thanks

Michael Moe

[mpo910 2,112]

34 minutes ago, Michael Moe said:

Hi, is this WSSS worth getting for v5 ?

Those CTD is it related to specific aircrafts or just random ?

My life is to short for CTD especially on longhouls.

 

Thanks

Michael Moe

Michael. I can not recommend WSSS. I have it but after numerous tries uninstalled it. It stutters like crazy and I had also more then once CTD with this scenery. I also tried leaving out their ground vehicles as I thought it was that, but ctd stayed. 

The scenery itself looks really stunning. But in my eyes it is not worth the hassle. 

I would love to have a good WSSS....but this causes so many trouble....

Marcus

Edited March 6, 2021 by mpo910

[Michael Moe 495]

25 minutes ago, mpo910 said:

Michael. I can not recommend WSSS. I have it but after numerous tries uninstalled it. It stutters like crazy and I had also more then once CTD with this scenery. I also tried leaving out their ground vehicles as I thought it was that, but ctd stayed. 

The scenery itself looks really stunning. But in my eyes it is not worth the hassle. 

I would love to have a good WSSS....but this causes so many trouble....

Marcus

Thanks for the warning , 

Sadly as you say it looks like an Asian must have but strange they havent figured out the problems after so long.

i love KATL from them and havent had any issues with the developer.

Sometimes they might not know whats the issue (YBBN ORBX old version main terminal, TFDI Trueglass or Reallight , PMDG POP-UP displays)

Michael Moe 

 

[mpo910 2,112]

2 hours ago, Michael Moe said:

Thanks for the warning , 

Sadly as you say it looks like an Asian must have but strange they havent figured out the problems after so long.

i love KATL from them and havent had any issues with the developer.

Sometimes they might not know whats the issue (YBBN ORBX old version main terminal, TFDI Trueglass or Reallight , PMDG POP-UP displays)

Michael Moe 

 

Yeah it sad indeed. I recall it is a PBR scenery and one of the first airports which where made with PBR materials. Maybe that is a reason too. New und unexperienced with the performance impact using PBR? Just guessing here. Not sure about this. 

But I decided to leave off every scenery which I had trouble with to avoid getting CTD or unusable scenery and spoiling my sim and fun.

I have 200+ add-ons. So enough to fly from or to. But Asia is lacking some good airports in P3D......a bit sad but even though not worth spoiling my experience with this one. 

It is a personal decision. I tried a lot to get it running normally and recall even after a clean P3D install this one never performed like others which where cheaper and bigger.

I would love to fly from WSSS to Australia or Dubai. Long haul but not to long too. I like 6 to 8 hours....10 to 12 are not my kind of range.

Therefore WSSS was ideal.....I left it uninstalled and probably will never install it again. 

Marcus

[RW1 615]

I too uninstalled WSSS, VRM hog at 7.9 gb, Then load AI and GSX on top of that, Fire up a PMDG a/c and you get the dreaded GPU OOM, Long loading times, Mine gets stuck on 5% and takes 4-5 mins to load from there. All my other airports eg FB and Flytampa use 5.8, Even VHHH is nicer. And i refuse to move my sliders because WSSS is the only airport that does this.