Prepar3D v5.3 released

[LRBS 944]

On 12/4/2021 at 7:40 PM, Rob_Ainscough said:

If one is having issues with P3D V5.3 "update" route, then unfortunately a clean full install and wipe all prior vestiges of P3D V5.x.  AND whatever add-ons you re-install, verify via the vendor that they work with P3D V5.3 before installing them (i.e. FSLabs Experimental option).

Not an optimal way to "update", but it will ultimately save time in the long run and you'll have a properly working P3D V5.3.

After that, you might want to "tweak" these settings in your Prepar3d.cfg:

[JobScheduler]
AffinityMask=65535
P3DCoreAffinityMask=65535
MainThreadScheduler=0
RenderThreadScheduler=2
FrameWorkerThreadScheduler=4

They will vary by CPU (HT or SMT on/off), GPU, and even OS settings (GPU scheduling on/off, game mode on/off) and version, so it's a case of trial and error ... also gets more complicated with "best cores" as defined in EFI or other tools.

I haven't run into any issues so far with the following:

• Orbx Global, Trees/Florra
• Orbx TE areas
• GSX 1 and 2
• HiFi ASP3D
• PMDG (all)
• FSLabs (all in experimental)
• LittleNavMap, Navigraph, Foreflight

FT EHAM V2, FSDT LFSB, slowly adding more back usually those airports that have "some" PBR support with FT EHAM V2 having full PBR support.  Partial PBR support is hit and miss, especially if runways/taxiways are not PBR materials (the mix can be distracting).

PBR does NOT inherently have a performance reduction, as with all things, it depends on how the textures/materials are created that may or may not have a performance impact.

As I pointed out in another thread, the old dog still can look pretty good WITH add-ons:

Cheers, Rob.

A very good day Rob,

 

Many of us will appreciate it if you would share your PC specs and P3D settings for each menu, any additional tweaks if the case is, Nvidia control panel settings including control color settings under Display, Change resolution where we can use default over Nvidia color and finally under Adjust desktop color setting your values.

Many of us will benefit from your expertise and we can use it as a start point for adjusting and improving our sim experience. Of course, each system is different, but we can have a start point.

As an example, regarding your very nice pictures, I can notice a very nice autogen, scenery draw distance plus that the colors are toned down to such a pleasant level.

 

Thank you.

Edited December 6, 2021 by Ray Proudfoot
Embedded images removed from quoted post.

[Ray Proudfoot 8,930]

Can I please remind everyone to consider those viewing the forum on slow or limited internet services. Please don’t quote a long post with embedded images.

Highlight text and use the Quote Selection option.

[SteveW 1,792]

The core affinity and HT knowhow is problematic. In the screenshot below I have tried to show how the JobSheduler section in Prepar3D.cfg v5.3 can be used, how Hyperthreading affects things and also how the JobSheduler assigns other programs. This is not a real configuration it is just to incorporate the settings and what they do:

Notes:

Above, the JobSheduler has loaded other programs and processes in core 1 (LPs 2 and 3) therefore these are not always on LP0 as is sometimes thought.

 

Avoid core sharing on time critical tasks with HT enabled:

The reason we see in the JobSheduler section defaults of (something like) AffinityMask - 65535, P3DCoreAffinityMask = 65535, MainThreadScheduler = 0, RenderThreadScheduler = 2 and FrameWorkerThreadScheduler=4 (0, 2, 4) is so that if HT is enabled the time critical tasks are not sharing cores: A time critical task on one LP and another on the sister LP of that core will reduce fps.

11,11,11,11,11,11,11,11 = AffinityMask = 65535
11,11,11,11,11,11,11,11 = P3DCoreAffinityMask = 65535
00,00,00,00,00,00,00,01 = MainThreadScheduler = 0
00,00,00,00,00,00,01,00 = RenderThreadScheduler = 2
00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00 = FrameWorkerThreadScheduler = 4

We can see above that with HT enabled the time critical tasks are assigned to one per core

Below we can organise the affinity to ignore second LPs and so we don't need to use 0,2,4 as 0,1,2 are not shared:

01,01,01,01,01,01,01,01 = AffinityMask = 21845
01,01,01,01,01,01,01,01 = P3DCoreAffinityMask = 21845
00,00,00,00,00,00,00,01 = MainThreadScheduler = 0
00,00,00,00,00,00,01,00 = RenderThreadScheduler = 1
00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00 = FrameWorkerThreadScheduler = 2

 

Can we get extra fps:

We cannot gain fps with Affinity Masks unless we are using them to avoid core sharing with the time critical tasks on cores. We should corral other process away from those time critical tasks and use the Prepar3D.cfg JobSheduler section to avoid core sharing.

We can share  Logical Processors of the same core to increase scenery loading speed. Utilising HT extra throughput available can only improve background processing of scenery and so on:

We can run background tasks in parallel on HT enabled cores and this can leverage the faster processing in HT whereby the task switching time overhead is reduced and while one thread is running the other thread can still continue loading data and instructions. However this doesn't benefit where we have monolithic threads so we place those one task per core in HT enabled systems.

 

Frame limiting and 100% core throughput:

With the internal frame timer this is not a limiter because it continues to render look ahead frames and only outputs at a regular time interval so we still see 100% core load.

With an external frame rate limiter (Nvidia Control Panel) and internal slider set to zero, we can see (in part 3 of the screenshot) that this actually caps the processing of frames and reduces the core load to less than 100% if the limit is low enough.

 

I hope that helps a little to unravel these new functions.

 

[Ray Proudfoot 8,930]

@SteveW, any chance you could do the same for those systems with HT Off please? And an example where VSync is on with 30Hz on the monitor would be very helpful.

All my 6 cores are assigned with an AM of 63.

[kevinfirth 1,392]

1 hour ago, SteveW said:

 

I hope that helps a little to unravel these new functions.

 

Beau's comments were:

"[JobScheduler]

//This has been upgraded to a full 64-bit value to support systems with more than 32 logical cores.

AffinityMask = 65535

//This is new. This mask tells Prepar3D what cores to use for our job schedulers. It should be a subset of

//the process mask. Masking off some cores from this will leave them open for 3rd party add-ons,

//and middleware dll which share processes space with Prepar3D.exe.

P3DCoreAffinityMask = 65535

the new core mask will largely have the same effect in terms of moving P3D's workloads onto those cores but without preventing other thread outside of our job system from using them. The ideal use case for this would be for a heavy add-on such as PMDG that may want to thread off some work."

I understood this to mean that add-ons that utilise heavy DLLs sharing process space with P3D would use cores specified in the Affinity mask but not contained in the P3DCoreAffinityMask.  Should this mean that add-ons like PMDG (specifically referenced by Beau), should be able to run at a higher performance level with these settings?

[Ray Proudfoot 8,930]

5 minutes ago, kevinfirth said:

Should this mean that add-ons like PMDG (specifically referenced by Beau), should be able to run at a higher performance level with these settings?

If you look back at my test results notice how a C&D Carenado PC12 only improved by 20% but the far more complex PMDG737NGXu enjoyed a 27% improvement with all systems and engines running.

[kevinfirth 1,392]

10 minutes ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

If you look back at my test results notice how a C&D Carenado PC12 only improved by 20% but the far more complex PMDG737NGXu enjoyed a 27% improvement with all systems and engines running.

But my test earlier in the thread showed zero changes for me.  Also, you are using the same mask for both the AM and the P3D Core AM, so you don't have any cores operating in the space that Beau mentions, and that my query to @SteveW is based around. Ergo, your apparent performance boost is down to something else.

Edited December 6, 2021 by kevinfirth

[Fiorentoni 4,153]

4 hours ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

I've updated to v5.3.

5.2 Client uninstalled followed by uninstall of main P3Dv5.2 entry in Control Panel.

Before doing that I performed my fps test at EGLL with both the Carenado PC12 (C&D) and the PMDG737NGu (systems running). I ran tests for both aircraft with VSync OFF and No AI to see the maximum fps possible for my settings.

The same test was performed 3 times at the same local time (12:00) to ensure consistency. After each test I opened FSUIPC.log and read the average fps for the session. That removes all subjectivity from the test.

I then installed v5.3 to the same location and ran exactly the same tests. I didn't delete prepar3d.cfg or the shaders folder but when P3D first started it showed a rebuilt of initial shaders.

Here are the averages for 3 tests of each scenario. The 5.3 results are in brackets.

Carenado PC12 (C&D); No VSync, no Ai. Avg fps = 67.6 (81.4) Performance increase = 20.4%

PMDG737NGXu (systems running); No VSync, No Ai. Avg fps = 53.3 (64.7) Performance Increase 27%

I have to say I'm very surprised by this increase but I was very careful with my tests. The only thing I didn't do was touch any ORBX software. I have FTX Global and AUS v2 and haven't reinstalled either. Relocating to Sydney I can see some black squares in map view so it looks like I need to Verify both packages to resolve that.

Now if after doing that the frame rates reduce then it looks like Orbx may need to do something with their textures as they may not be fully compatible with v5.3.

As I have HT turned off these are the entries in my prepar3d.cfg file. All look okay with my 6 core CPU.

[JobScheduler]
AffinityMask=63
P3DCoreAffinityMask=63
MainThreadScheduler=0
RenderThreadScheduler=2
FrameWorkerThreadScheduler=4

Have you done a comparison 5.3 default affinity mask (I think for 6 core it is 4095, at least it is for me) VS 5.3 your custom settings? That would be of interest for me.

[Ray Proudfoot 8,930]

4 minutes ago, kevinfirth said:

But my test earlier in the thread showed zero changes for me.  Also, you are using the same mask for both the AM and the P3D Core AM, so you don't have any cores operating in the space that Beau mentions, and that my query to @SteveW is based around. Ergo, your apparent performance boost is down to something else.

I’ll see what happens when I Verify my Orbx files. But the fact remains the PMDG returned a better performance improvement than the Carenado PC12. All settings were identical for both aircraft tests.

I really don’t understand all this core AM stuff. I just go off fps based on what LM put into my prepar3d.cfg and my settings.

Even they admit they don’t know what’s best for all processors. They’re hoping the community will help them out. You hear that @SteveW? 😁

[Ray Proudfoot 8,930]

1 minute ago, Fiorentoni said:

Have you done a comparison 5.3 default affinity mask (I think for 6 core it is 4095, at least it is for me) VS 5.3 your custom settings? That would be of interest for me.

That would require HT to be enabled. Currently it’s off. I’ll think about changing it but I’m concerned the extra heat generated may require my core speeds of 5.2 / 4.9 to be lowered.

[shivers9 1,174]

I am gathering files for possible upgrade to V5.3 and have a quick question. I use many of the older RealAir and A2A aircraft. Just wondering if the Reality XP 750 will still load using the "replace F1 GTN function" now that the Flight1 GTN units are not being updated?? If Memory serves they had to update the installer on every point release.

[coastaldriver 915]

4 hours ago, raymie said:

Hi Coastaldriver,

I am also planning to update my current P3D 5.1 to ver. 5.3. One thing I am still unsure of is this: Must I uninstall the "Prepar3D v5 Academic" app as well as Client, Content & Scenery apps? 

Thanks,

Raymie

Yes let the WIN10 uninstall app function do it all just say no to the prompt about deactivating the license. If you have all your stuff properly installed via the xml addon process and addons etc all that stuff and other key user docs, files etc associated with and part of the addon (aircraft or scenery) will stay where it is and the exe for the P3D install will pick it all up including the addon and scenery configs files and so all that stuff will still be there and then be reincorporated into the sim as it installs. The uninstall is not deleting non P3D files such as aircraft models etc. Apart from an ORBX verify and updating the Active Sky app I did not removed or have to add back in a single aircraft or scenery that was installed on 5.2 it was all there again after the install including my program settings for P3D but it is now all P3DV5.3. The uninstall does not delete the main P3D directory folder or sub folders in User Documents or Program files - it just cleans it out of all the older files that P3D uses. If you manually delete any folders etc they will be gone and you will have to do it again. Let the uninstall - install scripts handle it all! 

Moral of the story - always have a backup somewheres of all this stuff anyway - just in case!

[simon747 185]

1 hour ago, Fiorentoni said:

Have you done a comparison 5.3 default affinity mask (I think for 6 core it is 4095, at least it is for me) VS 5.3 your custom settings? That would be of interest for me.

Hi Fiorentoni, is the value of 4095 for a 6 core HT on?  I find this all a little confusing.  I have a 6 core with HT enabled, bit have no idea what AM setting to use for 5.3 if I go that route; a pity it can't just do it for you.

Edited December 6, 2021 by simon747

[RXP 2,338]

1 hour ago, shivers9 said:

I am gathering files for possible upgrade to V5.3 and have a quick question. I use many of the older RealAir and A2A aircraft. Just wondering if the Reality XP 750 will still load using the "replace F1 GTN function" now that the Flight1 GTN units are not being updated?? If Memory serves they had to update the installer on every point release.

Let me try to help with this!

The RXP GTN requires an update with each P3D update ONLY for the autopilot link. All the rest is supposed to be automatically compatible with future updates (unless they radically change their implementation and SDK from one version to the other - which so far they didn't). Just in case you've missed it, we're already released our updates compatible with P3Dv5.3 (both GTN and GNS v2).

The RXP GUI Panel Assistant is only concerned with the panel.cfg file. Regardless you have or not any of the gauges referenced from the panel.cfg file, it will work because it is only analyzing and changing the panel.cfg file alone.

[Dirk98 354]

2 hours ago, kevinfirth said:

Beau's comments were:

"[JobScheduler]

//This has been upgraded to a full 64-bit value to support systems with more than 32 logical cores.

AffinityMask = 65535

//This is new. This mask tells Prepar3D what cores to use for our job schedulers. It should be a subset of

//the process mask. Masking off some cores from this will leave them open for 3rd party add-ons,

//and middleware dll which share processes space with Prepar3D.exe.

P3DCoreAffinityMask = 65535

Please can somebody explain what is the difference between  AffinityMask and P3DCoreAffinityMask? 

AffinityMask= tells Prepar3D.exe which Cores or LPs (if HT On) to use.

 P3DCoreAffinityMask= This mask tells Prepar3D what cores to use for our job schedulers...? Beau lost me here.

Thanks.

Edited December 6, 2021 by Dirk98