MSFS 2020 Auto FPS App v0.4.2

[Shrek1970 5]

50 minutes ago, Reset XPDR said:

FYI, I will be releasing progressive update builds for the next AutoFPS version, which is only planned to be a minor maintenance release so they are more a preview than full on test builds, the latest version of which you can always get here. I will also keep all previous test build installers there from now on so you can go backwards or forwards anytime you want, mainly the former if you experience issues with the latest test release.

Note that I have changed the test build naming convention to be numerical for the last digit e.g 0.4.3.1-test, 0.4.3.2-test etc. This is so users always know what test build they are on when after it is installed as it will be shown in the running app, which should clear up confusion with the DTG convention used previously that only applied to the installer.

eg. you'll see something like this:

 

Edit: Oh, and I may as well mention what is in this new test build.

Initial Test Version 0.4.3.1-test:

• Added last window position saving/restoration on next startup. This may only work for single monitor as I haven't worked out how to place the app on a specific monitor yet, but it seems to be working fine on my dual monitor setup. If something goes wrong and it doesn't appear anywhere, you can just go into the config file and delete the two lines windowLeft and windowTop and it should reset it back to default.
• Improved MSFS settings saving and restoration to immediately reset cloud quality if a previously abnormal shutdown of either MSFS or this app was detected and to provide more log file detail on MSFS settings saving and restoration activities.
• Enhanced logging of cloud quality settings to use the actual textual description from the MSFS settings menu rather than the numeric it is stored as in MSFS memory.

could we get "pause when MSFS loses focus" as an option on the screen if expert options is not selected?

[Cpt_Piett 4,814]

2 hours ago, Shrek1970 said:

could we get "pause when MSFS loses focus" as an option on the screen if expert options is not selected?

I believe that questions was already answered.

I can see now that it can get a bit confusing having two threads covering AutoFPS, as people are posting both places. 

[mikeymike 366]

6 hours ago, Cpt_Piett said:

@mikeymike As you're using auto target fps the app should manage TLOD, OLOD and clouds to give you decent FPS. Are you saying that FPS is too low? Or that it changes too much?

Although AutoFPS in auto target fps mode does a great job at giving a decent frame rate based on your hardware, it's important to know that it will not eliminate all causes of stutters. Stutters can be there for a variety of reasons - even at higher FPS. 

@mikeymike sorry to tag you again, just wanted to say that I edited my post, you might want to re-check if you already read the original version. 

it is not changing TLOD from 300 and the clouds from ultra to high. It stays the same

thanks 

[Cpt_Piett 4,814]

AutoFPS Expert Options Guide

After the formal release of 0.4.2, I've been able to experiment with a wide range of settings, flying various aircraft in different locations, with or without AI traffic. As such, I decided to type up a little guide based on my observations.

I'd like to start by saying that I see no issue with using non-expert mode (I've tested that a fair bit too in the test builds leading up to this release version). Non-Expert mode (with or without auto target fps) is very robust in giving a very decent balance between performance and visual quality. But I like the added flexibility that expert mode gives in order to get the best outcome in different situations. 

Key points 

• The most important settings in expert mode as I see it, is target FPS and TLOD min. These are the settings that will influence performance and visual quality the most. 
• Don't set target FPS too high, as this will only result in the app lowering all values in a futile attempt to chase an elusive target.
• Set a "reasonable" TLOD Min based on your planned flight (see below).
• When using frame generation, aim for a native FPS of at least 30, or things tend to get a bit too "stuttery/artifacty" (nothing to do with Reset's app).

I'll go through my current settings, but please be aware that this will be highly hardware-dependent. If you have similar hardware to me, you should be able to use similar settings. If lower specs - adjust your settings accordingly. Just experiment a little - and find your settings, you will. 

TLOD Min

Flying in dense areas: 

When flying around big cities and departing or arriving at major hubs, I set TLOD min to 50 with the + checked (will give an additional 50 if there's enough headroom). I see no need for any higher than 100 as usually the view distance is limited to the airport area. 

Flying in remote areas:

I've tested with TLOD min of 400 which has worked well. When there's not much else going on, there's usually enough headroom for this. Especially when doing scenic flights in mountainous areas, as more scenery will be seen from lower altitudes incl. ground. See my post in the screenshot forum for comparisons. 

TLOD Max

After extensive testing, I've decided to set it to the app's maximum, which I *think* is 975 - unless Reset has implemented some hidden clickspot that activates premium-ultra mode!

The reason for this is that TLOD will only go as high as your hardware can handle. If the FPS limit is reached, TLOD will not increase further. 

In the screenshot forum, I think I've been able to demonstrate that there is a significant difference using different TLOD settings, all the way up to the maximum that your hardware can handle. The difference is of course larger at higher altitudes, as more of the scenery will be visible. 

So I've concluded that I'd like the highest TLOD my system can handle, simple as that.

TLOD Base

For me 1000ft works well. What this value means is that TLOD will gradually decrease on descent, until reaching Min at base altitude. Then it stays locked below that. 

Avg Descent Rate

I've had it set to 1500 without any issues. Default is 2000. 

IFR/VFR

• Dense areas: IFR. This is because in these situations I need the TLOD min lock on ground landing, for a stable approach into a busy airport. The video at the end of my post is a very good example of this.
• Remote areas: VFR. Regardless of aircraft type. The difference in expert mode is that TLOD Min and descent rate will be handled automatically in VFR mode. Also, in VFR mode, TLOD Min is only used as the lowest TLOD the app will go to and can be much higher on landing.

OLOD

As this have a much lighter impact on performance, I set Max to 1000 at 2000ft and Min to 20 at 10,000ft. I have autoOLOD checked. 

Cloud recovery

I just check the + and this will be relative to my TLOD min (e.g. if I set it to 50 with a TLOD min of 100, cloud recovery will be at 150). I've realised this is far easier than having it unticked (i.e. absolute).  

FPS sensitivity

I've not done any testing with anything other than 5

Final thoughts - for now

• Remember, in expert mode, these settings will apply regardless of what's been set in MSFS menu or usercfg.opt.
• I think it's a good idea to adjust settings based on the worst possible scenario for the planned flight. It's easier when flying from heavier scenery to less dense (as one can test which TLOD min to use at the departure airport). When unsure, I just set TLOD Min to 50 which will cater for all situations. 

And please refer to the readme for more in-depth information on every aspect of this genius app. I've used it extensively during my testing to try to wrap my head around some of the more intricate settings. I might create a PDF-guide with comparison images if someone finds that useful, as it could be more accessible than trying to find some random forum post. 

And last but not least - my recent trip to downtown Rio de Janeiro in the Fenix A320. I made this video as I wanted to showcase how good the sim can look (and fly!) using AutoFPS. I chose Rio as my destination as the scenery is absolutely gorgeous, but also relatively demanding due to the high number of objects in the area. There's also two airports in near vicinity of the of the downtown area. And because the area is surrounded by lush green hills, it's also a demonstration of how valuable higher than default TLODs can be even at lower altitudes. 

I might also add that this was one of my absolute best simming experiences so far!

 

[Cpt_Piett 4,814]

1 hour ago, mikeymike said:

it is not changing TLOD from 300 and the clouds from ultra to high. It stays the same

Ok, so based on what you wrote in your previous post, it seems you are running in IFR expert mode with auto target fps set, TLOD min 170 and max 300. And also autoOLOD at 200 min and max. 

I'm still having some trouble understanding what your problem is. Do you mean that TLOD is staying at 300 all the time? I.e. it never goes any lower? And the clouds stay at ultra? Or high? 

You also mentioned in your previous post that you're getting stutters and FPS fluctuations, but I don't think you mentioned what your target FPS is, which is the most important setting IMO. Make sure you don't set it any higher than your hardware can handle. And btw see my guide above as it might be helpful. 

Since you're new to the app, it might be better to use non-expert mode before starting to experiment with the different expert settings. 

Edited March 18 by Cpt_Piett

[jarmstro 2,405]

1 hour ago, Cpt_Piett said:

When using frame generation, aim for a native FPS of at least 30, or things tend to get a bit too "stuttery/artifacty" (nothing to do with Reset's app).

Could you clarify this for me please. I use FG. What does the fps figure in the app show? Is it with or without FG? What figure for target  fps should i use assuming that, without FG, I would be happy with a minimum of say 30fps? 

[Reset XPDR 1,359]

18 minutes ago, jarmstro said:

Could you clarify this for me please. I use FG. What does the fps figure in the app show? Is it with or without FG? What figure for target  fps should i use assuming that, without FG, I would be happy with a minimum of say 30fps? 

You should be aiming for 30+ non-FG FPS because FG works better that way and will give you less artifacts. All of the other questions have answers in the readme.

Edited March 18 by Reset XPDR

[mikeymike 366]

1 hour ago, Cpt_Piett said:

Ok, so based on what you wrote in your previous post, it seems you are running in IFR expert mode with auto target fps set, TLOD min 170 and max 300. And also autoOLOD at 200 min and max. 

I'm still having some trouble understanding what your problem is. Do you mean that TLOD is staying at 300 all the time? I.e. it never goes any lower? And the clouds stay at ultra? Or high? 

You also mentioned in your previous post that you're getting stutters and FPS fluctuations, but I don't think you mentioned what your target FPS is, which is the most important setting IMO. Make sure you don't set it any higher than your hardware can handle. And btw see my guide above as it might be helpful. 

Since you're new to the app, it might be better to use non-expert mode before starting to experiment with the different expert settings. 

I’ve had read the above post with video and had made it much clearer on how to use it.

and now it works wonders .wow !!!

 

Thanks 

mike 

[Reset XPDR 1,359]

9 hours ago, Shrek1970 said:

could we get "pause when MSFS loses focus" as an option on the screen if expert options is not selected?

Already answered but can I ask why you want this with the non-expert option? If a compelling reason, like when using FG in this mode causes TLOD hunting when switching focus between MSFS and the app, then I could hard code it in for that particular configuration, but only if it makes sense for everyone's use in that configuration.

Edited March 18 by Reset XPDR

[Cpt_Piett 4,814]

2 hours ago, jarmstro said:

Could you clarify this for me please. I use FG. What does the fps figure in the app show? Is it with or without FG? What figure for target  fps should i use assuming that, without FG, I would be happy with a minimum of say 30fps? 

This tends to be a bit confusing, and the reason is this:

When MSFS is not in focus (e.g. you’re browsing through this thread, trying to figure out what the fps figure in the app shows)l FG is inactive (by GPU driver I believe). In this case, the FPS value under sim values will not show FPS with FG active (cause FG has been temporarily deactivated). 

‘What it will show instead is native FPS, which is half of FG-FPS. Now, if the sim is never in focus (e.g. you’re in here for hours desperately trying to resolve this issue), AutoFPS will usually reduce all settings to minimum, as it thinks your FPS has suddenly plummeted (which indeed it has).

If you want the app window to show FPS when FG is active, you need to tick the “on top” option. I do this a lot when I want to see the visual difference between different values (e.g. TLOD 5 and 5000). 

So, to make matters clear (hopefully):

When using FG, always set target FPS based on that. Just keep in mind that when MSFS is not in focus, the numbers will “go red” i.e. decrease to minimum. And when you return to the sim, it’ll take a while for the app to gradually change the values back. 

This is why some people prefer to use the option “pause when MSFS loses focus”, as in this case AutoFPS will just “freeze” TLOD, OLOD and cloud quality (until the focus returns to MSFS).

1 hour ago, mikeymike said:

and now it works wonders .wow !!!

Wonderful! 🥳 Enjoy

Edited March 18 by Cpt_Piett

[FakeWayne 84]

I'm running VR with a 45 FPS lock (via openxr toolkit).  So if I'm understanding correctly, I should set my FPS target for lower than this?  Say somewhere around 35 or 40?

[Cpt_Piett 4,814]

5 hours ago, Cpt_Piett said:

Expert NON-expert mode (with or without auto target fps) is very robust in giving a very decent balance between performance and visual quality. But I like the added flexibility that expert mode gives in order to get the best outcome in different situations. 

Sigh, I always end up leaving some mistake behind no matter how many times I edit my posts 😅 And now its editing window has expired. And I’ve already bothered mods with a re-edit request a couple of times during the last few days.

Hopefully the spelling mistake won’t generate too much confusion…

[Cpt_Piett 4,814]

32 minutes ago, FakeWayne said:

I'm running VR with a 45 FPS lock (via openxr toolkit).  So if I'm understanding correctly, I should set my FPS target for lower than this?  Say somewhere around 35 or 40?

I don’t think it’s any different in VR. Just a couple of fps below should be fine. And I’m sure Reset will correct me if I’m wrong.

[Sonosusto 695]

This makes me just want to upgrade from my current hardware.... KJFK with 40TLOD, cloud quality and OLOD checked and still get poor performance. Though without this mod and the FG mod for for my 2080ti....it would be terrible.

Edited March 18 by Sonosusto

[vincentrouleau 71]

Can we have an option to flip between TAA  <-> DLSS Quality instead/with cloud reduce option. Now manually I with a flow plugin to change that. I would prefer change that instead of cloud quality.