Frame Rates Dropping in game

Charvel
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Re: Frame Rates Dropping in game

Post by Charvel »

I wouldn't be surprised if the game has a memory leak or some sort of overflow related to the graphics or cpu processing that's interfering with USB. The fact that it happens gradually over time would seem to support something along those lines.

TIR will get choppy if cpu resources get too much priority with some other program.

I've seen spyware programs that run in the background and do their dirty work over a network connection do this at the most inopportune times so you might want to double check this as well.
nealg
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Joined: Mon Nov 03, 2003 5:00 am
Location: Caifornia

Re: Frame Rates Dropping in game

Post by nealg »

Hi all. Wayne, this sounds real similar to the problem I was having last Winter/Spring, which you tried helping me with. Since that time, I have noticed one thing that is constant when this occurs ( it still happens to me, though not as badly as before ). Leads me to a question for those having the problem: Do you notice it happens frequently if you 'break' contact with the unit for more than a second or two?

IOW....if you get up to go get a soda, or turn away for a few seconds to get something, regardless whether or not you have the unit enabled or disabled, does this happen soon after? I have found I can cause it to happen, by doing this. If I break contact with the unit, then come back, soon I will see the frame drop - usually occurs as soon as there is heavy activity, or explosions that normally slow/drop the rate temporarily anyway - following this, frames do not return all the way. Or changing a map, like often happens online or in campaigns offline if you have several going as I do.

I can usually tell when it happens now, as panning around the view after it happens, I do not get a great fluctuation in frames like one does normally - IOW, looking straight up or back right/left will be almost identical to the rate looking straight ahead, and usually maxes at around 60-65. Normally in some of these views I get 80 to 135. ( Yes I have Vsync off ).

My drop is now anywhere from 3 or 4 up to 20 frames....disable the unit, frames go back up. Quit the mission and restart it, or go to another mission, frames return to stable normalcy.

I wonder if it isn't somehow related to the FB/AEP TIR implementation and changes made with patching - perhaps one of the patches created a memory leak. I use TIR now with Rowan's BoB and LOMAC, and haven't seen this - although admittedly, FB gets the Lion's share of my flight time, so that isn't 100% positive.

Guys, check that 'contact' thing...I find if I can keep from breaking contact, I can fly a long time without this happening. But dang, it's hard to just sit there for 30+ minutes without moving around...

[ July 06, 2004, 09:57 PM: Message edited by: Nealg ]
Wayne
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Location: Oregon

Re: Frame Rates Dropping in game

Post by Wayne »

Nealg,

That is interesting thank you.

VFS-22_SPaRX,

We have suggested that all those that are experiencing any problems with TrackIR1 to use the version 2.12 drivers for the present time.

I know that this is the IL2 thread, however is there anyone here having the same problem in other games?

Thank you for your patience in this, and know that I am looking very hard into what may be causing this.
exos
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Jun 04, 2004 5:00 am

Re: Frame Rates Dropping in game

Post by exos »

quote:Originally posted by Wayne:

exos,

Switching to "mouse emulation" is the same as not running the unit as far as IL2 is concerned .....interesting.
Would you be willing to try the 3.10 drivers on your system for me as your system looks ideal to try this?
If you dont have these I can send them to you.Wayne,

I originally was running the 3.10 when I discovered the framerate loss. upgraded to 3.11 to try and fix it.

Not sure if you missed that in my post above or not, but I'm game to try anything to help figure this out.

Right now I'm going to try and duplicate what Nealg commented on. (there are "pauses" during online games when another player "spawns"....that cause you to lose track for a second or two....very common occurance)
exos
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Jun 04, 2004 5:00 am

Re: Frame Rates Dropping in game

Post by exos »

Wayne,

I also put up some screen shots of the framerate drop, so you can see what we are talking about. Also, you can see what my normal framerates are when everything is running properly.

http://home.comcast.net/~exos/
exos
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Jun 04, 2004 5:00 am

Re: Frame Rates Dropping in game

Post by exos »

I wasn't able to induce the framerate loss by "losing track" intentionally....still was able to fly about 40 minutes until it started.
nealg
Posts: 50
Joined: Mon Nov 03, 2003 5:00 am
Location: Caifornia

Re: Frame Rates Dropping in game

Post by nealg »

Ah, well....thanks for trying exos. This problem, while not apparently widespread ( or, at least not noticed by many ) is proving elusive to track down. I confess that if I didn't run FRAPS constantly offline, I might never have noticed it.

Nice screens, BTW.

Still not certain it is a TIR problem in and of itself, more that it is the way FB implements it after the last few updates ( since 1.22? Don't think I noticed it prior to that ). I just don't fly my other sims long enough to say for certain it happens in them....Rowan's BoB with the BDG stuff locks the frame rate for smoothness, though, and it doesn't vary much ( mine is at 25, and seldom goes below 24 or above 26 ). FB on the other hand can wildly fluctuate, and after a period of time that may be causing the effect for some of us.

Don't mind me...just thinking out loud, so to speak.

Later: I experimented with Rowan's BoB, BDG - patched to v. 0.98, using the same technique, and had zero problems. I didn't have a long session, just a couple different Quick Shot missions - got up and walked away during one, came back, finished it, then flew another....worked smooth as silk. Not exactly controlled laboratory stuff, but brings me back to FB-related.

[ July 07, 2004, 05:35 PM: Message edited by: Nealg ]
Wayne
Posts: 891
Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2004 5:00 am
Location: Oregon

Re: Frame Rates Dropping in game

Post by Wayne »

Thanks for the updates guys.

I have been looking into a number of areas today and this evening, and I am waiting for two things to happen right now.

1) I am waiting for some info from Ubisoft.
2) We are changing our games system in the office which should be very close to what you guys are running for me to carry out some tests in IL2.

This is a very strange issue in the fact that this appears to be only happening in IL2 with the ACE expansion pack on, and only on a few systems, which makes the problem very difficult to identify.

Thanks for all the testing that you guys are doing and the help that you offer. I have some ideas, but I need to test a few of my theory's out first and that takes a little time.

One thing that I can say is that I am giving this a very high priority.
VFS-22_SPaRX
Posts: 61
Joined: Sun Jul 04, 2004 5:00 am

Re: Frame Rates Dropping in game

Post by VFS-22_SPaRX »

Wayne,

Thank you for your time devoted to figuring this out. Hopefully everyone realizes that these things cannot always be fixed overnight . But it is good to know that your are dedicated to keeping your product performing properly.

One more thing . Finally broke down and ordered a Trackir 3 Pro. Wanna check the status of my order for me . Cant wait to see the improvements you all have made.

Order Number: 9113

Thanks again

SPaRX
exos
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Jun 04, 2004 5:00 am

Re: Frame Rates Dropping in game

Post by exos »

Hi Wayne,

I've discovered that I don't have to shut off TrackIR at all....just covering my reflective dot with my hand while unit is on and the framerate jumps back up to 50.

Strange...

I'd also like to thank you for your time and willingness to help.

exos
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