±Recent Visitors

Recent Visitors to Com-Central!

±User Info-big


Welcome Anonymous

Nickname
Password

Membership:
Latest: cgsimpson
New Today: 0
New Yesterday: 0
Overall: 6645

People Online:
Members: 0
Visitors: 750
Total: 750
Who Is Where:
 Visitors:
01: CPGlang
02: Community Forums
03: Community Forums
04: Photo Gallery
05: Community Forums
06: Community Forums
07: Your Account
08: Community Forums
09: Your Account
10: Community Forums
11: Downloads
12: Community Forums
13: Community Forums
14: Home
15: Community Forums
16: Community Forums
17: Community Forums
18: Community Forums
19: Home
20: Photo Gallery
21: Community Forums
22: Community Forums
23: Community Forums
24: Home
25: Community Forums
26: Home
27: Home
28: Community Forums
29: Photo Gallery
30: CPGlang
31: Photo Gallery
32: Home
33: Community Forums
34: Photo Gallery
35: Home
36: Home
37: Photo Gallery
38: Community Forums
39: Your Account
40: Community Forums
41: Community Forums
42: Photo Gallery
43: Community Forums
44: Community Forums
45: Treasury
46: Community Forums
47: Photo Gallery
48: Home
49: Home
50: Community Forums
51: Community Forums
52: Community Forums
53: Photo Gallery
54: Community Forums
55: Photo Gallery
56: Community Forums
57: Community Forums
58: Community Forums
59: Community Forums
60: Photo Gallery
61: Downloads
62: Community Forums
63: Community Forums
64: Community Forums
65: Home
66: Community Forums
67: Community Forums
68: Community Forums
69: Community Forums
70: Community Forums
71: Community Forums
72: Community Forums
73: Community Forums
74: Downloads
75: Community Forums
76: Community Forums
77: Community Forums
78: Your Account
79: Community Forums
80: Photo Gallery
81: Community Forums
82: Home
83: Community Forums
84: Community Forums
85: Community Forums
86: Community Forums
87: Home
88: Community Forums
89: Community Forums
90: Photo Gallery
91: Your Account
92: Photo Gallery
93: Community Forums
94: CPGlang
95: Your Account
96: Community Forums
97: Community Forums
98: Photo Gallery
99: Community Forums
100: News Archive
101: Photo Gallery
102: Community Forums
103: CPGlang
104: Community Forums
105: Community Forums
106: Community Forums
107: Community Forums
108: Community Forums
109: Community Forums
110: Downloads
111: CPGlang
112: CPGlang
113: Community Forums
114: CPGlang
115: Community Forums
116: Home
117: Community Forums
118: Home
119: Community Forums
120: Photo Gallery
121: Community Forums
122: Statistics
123: Downloads
124: Community Forums
125: Community Forums
126: Your Account
127: Home
128: Community Forums
129: Community Forums
130: Community Forums
131: Photo Gallery
132: Community Forums
133: Community Forums
134: Community Forums
135: Downloads
136: CPGlang
137: Community Forums
138: Home
139: Community Forums
140: Community Forums
141: Downloads
142: Your Account
143: Community Forums
144: Downloads
145: Community Forums
146: Community Forums
147: News Archive
148: News
149: Photo Gallery
150: Community Forums
151: Home
152: Community Forums
153: Community Forums
154: Community Forums
155: Community Forums
156: Photo Gallery
157: Community Forums
158: Community Forums
159: Community Forums
160: Photo Gallery
161: Community Forums
162: Community Forums
163: Home
164: Community Forums
165: Community Forums
166: Home
167: Community Forums
168: Community Forums
169: Photo Gallery
170: Community Forums
171: Community Forums
172: Community Forums
173: Community Forums
174: Community Forums
175: Community Forums
176: Community Forums
177: Photo Gallery
178: Community Forums
179: Community Forums
180: Community Forums
181: Community Forums
182: Community Forums
183: News Archive
184: Community Forums
185: Community Forums
186: Photo Gallery
187: Downloads
188: Community Forums
189: Home
190: Community Forums
191: Home
192: Community Forums
193: Community Forums
194: Community Forums
195: Community Forums
196: Community Forums
197: Community Forums
198: Community Forums
199: Community Forums
200: Community Forums
201: Photo Gallery
202: Community Forums
203: Community Forums
204: Photo Gallery
205: Downloads
206: Community Forums
207: Community Forums
208: Community Forums
209: Community Forums
210: Community Forums
211: Community Forums
212: Community Forums
213: Community Forums
214: CPGlang
215: Community Forums
216: Community Forums
217: Downloads
218: Community Forums
219: Photo Gallery
220: Community Forums
221: Community Forums
222: Community Forums
223: Community Forums
224: Community Forums
225: CPGlang
226: Community Forums
227: Community Forums
228: Community Forums
229: Photo Gallery
230: Community Forums
231: Community Forums
232: Home
233: Community Forums
234: Community Forums
235: News
236: Community Forums
237: Photo Gallery
238: Community Forums
239: Community Forums
240: Community Forums
241: Community Forums
242: Community Forums
243: Community Forums
244: Photo Gallery
245: Community Forums
246: Home
247: Community Forums
248: Community Forums
249: CPGlang
250: Photo Gallery
251: Community Forums
252: Community Forums
253: News
254: Community Forums
255: Community Forums
256: Community Forums
257: CPGlang
258: Community Forums
259: Photo Gallery
260: Photo Gallery
261: Community Forums
262: Community Forums
263: Home
264: Community Forums
265: Community Forums
266: Community Forums
267: Community Forums
268: CPGlang
269: Photo Gallery
270: Community Forums
271: Community Forums
272: Photo Gallery
273: Community Forums
274: Community Forums
275: Photo Gallery
276: Your Account
277: Downloads
278: Home
279: Community Forums
280: Community Forums
281: Photo Gallery
282: Community Forums
283: Community Forums
284: Home
285: Photo Gallery
286: Community Forums
287: Downloads
288: Community Forums
289: Community Forums
290: Community Forums
291: Community Forums
292: Community Forums
293: Your Account
294: Your Account
295: Community Forums
296: Community Forums
297: Community Forums
298: CPGlang
299: Community Forums
300: Community Forums
301: Community Forums
302: Community Forums
303: CPGlang
304: Home
305: CPGlang
306: Community Forums
307: Home
308: Member Screenshots
309: Community Forums
310: Photo Gallery
311: Community Forums
312: Photo Gallery
313: Community Forums
314: Community Forums
315: Community Forums
316: Home
317: Community Forums
318: Home
319: Community Forums
320: Community Forums
321: Community Forums
322: Community Forums
323: Photo Gallery
324: Home
325: Photo Gallery
326: Photo Gallery
327: Photo Gallery
328: Community Forums
329: Downloads
330: Photo Gallery
331: Community Forums
332: Community Forums
333: Community Forums
334: Community Forums
335: Community Forums
336: Community Forums
337: Community Forums
338: Community Forums
339: Community Forums
340: Community Forums
341: Community Forums
342: Community Forums
343: Community Forums
344: Photo Gallery
345: Community Forums
346: Downloads
347: Member Screenshots
348: Photo Gallery
349: Community Forums
350: Community Forums
351: Home
352: Community Forums
353: Community Forums
354: Community Forums
355: Home
356: Community Forums
357: Home
358: CPGlang
359: Community Forums
360: Home
361: Community Forums
362: Photo Gallery
363: CPGlang
364: Photo Gallery
365: Community Forums
366: Community Forums
367: Community Forums
368: Community Forums
369: Photo Gallery
370: CPGlang
371: Community Forums
372: CPGlang
373: CPGlang
374: Photo Gallery
375: Photo Gallery
376: Community Forums
377: Photo Gallery
378: Community Forums
379: CPGlang
380: Member Screenshots
381: Community Forums
382: Community Forums
383: Community Forums
384: Photo Gallery
385: Community Forums
386: Community Forums
387: Community Forums
388: Member Screenshots
389: Community Forums
390: Community Forums
391: Photo Gallery
392: Downloads
393: Community Forums
394: Community Forums
395: Photo Gallery
396: Photo Gallery
397: Home
398: Community Forums
399: Community Forums
400: Search
401: Downloads
402: Photo Gallery
403: Community Forums
404: Photo Gallery
405: Community Forums
406: Community Forums
407: Photo Gallery
408: Your Account
409: Photo Gallery
410: Community Forums
411: Photo Gallery
412: Community Forums
413: Community Forums
414: Downloads
415: Community Forums
416: Community Forums
417: Community Forums
418: Photo Gallery
419: Community Forums
420: CPGlang
421: Photo Gallery
422: Community Forums
423: Home
424: Photo Gallery
425: Community Forums
426: Community Forums
427: Photo Gallery
428: Community Forums
429: Community Forums
430: Home
431: Community Forums
432: Community Forums
433: Community Forums
434: Home
435: Community Forums
436: Community Forums
437: Photo Gallery
438: Community Forums
439: Home
440: Community Forums
441: Photo Gallery
442: Community Forums
443: Photo Gallery
444: Community Forums
445: Home
446: Photo Gallery
447: Community Forums
448: CPGlang
449: Community Forums
450: Photo Gallery
451: Photo Gallery
452: Community Forums
453: Community Forums
454: Photo Gallery
455: Statistics
456: Photo Gallery
457: Home
458: Community Forums
459: Photo Gallery
460: Community Forums
461: Community Forums
462: Community Forums
463: Community Forums
464: Community Forums
465: Photo Gallery
466: Community Forums
467: CPGlang
468: Community Forums
469: CPGlang
470: Community Forums
471: Photo Gallery
472: Community Forums
473: Community Forums
474: Community Forums
475: Member Screenshots
476: Community Forums
477: Community Forums
478: Home
479: Community Forums
480: Community Forums
481: Community Forums
482: Home
483: Photo Gallery
484: Photo Gallery
485: CPGlang
486: Community Forums
487: Community Forums
488: Community Forums
489: Community Forums
490: Community Forums
491: Photo Gallery
492: Community Forums
493: CPGlang
494: Community Forums
495: Community Forums
496: Community Forums
497: Member Screenshots
498: Photo Gallery
499: Search
500: Community Forums
501: Photo Gallery
502: Photo Gallery
503: Community Forums
504: Photo Gallery
505: Community Forums
506: Community Forums
507: Community Forums
508: Community Forums
509: Statistics
510: Community Forums
511: Community Forums
512: CPGlang
513: CPGlang
514: Community Forums
515: Community Forums
516: Community Forums
517: Downloads
518: CPGlang
519: Community Forums
520: Community Forums
521: Home
522: Community Forums
523: Photo Gallery
524: Community Forums
525: Community Forums
526: Community Forums
527: Community Forums
528: Community Forums
529: Community Forums
530: Home
531: Community Forums
532: Community Forums
533: Community Forums
534: Photo Gallery
535: Community Forums
536: Your Account
537: Photo Gallery
538: Photo Gallery
539: Community Forums
540: Member Screenshots
541: Community Forums
542: Community Forums
543: Community Forums
544: Photo Gallery
545: Downloads
546: Photo Gallery
547: Community Forums
548: Photo Gallery
549: Community Forums
550: Community Forums
551: Community Forums
552: Community Forums
553: Photo Gallery
554: Photo Gallery
555: Community Forums
556: Community Forums
557: Downloads
558: Photo Gallery
559: Photo Gallery
560: Community Forums
561: Community Forums
562: Community Forums
563: Home
564: Community Forums
565: Photo Gallery
566: Home
567: Downloads
568: Community Forums
569: Community Forums
570: News
571: Downloads
572: Community Forums
573: Downloads
574: Community Forums
575: Home
576: Home
577: Community Forums
578: Community Forums
579: Community Forums
580: Community Forums
581: Community Forums
582: Community Forums
583: Community Forums
584: Community Forums
585: Photo Gallery
586: Home
587: Photo Gallery
588: Community Forums
589: Community Forums
590: Community Forums
591: Community Forums
592: Photo Gallery
593: Community Forums
594: Downloads
595: Community Forums
596: Community Forums
597: Community Forums
598: Home
599: Photo Gallery
600: Community Forums
601: Photo Gallery
602: Community Forums
603: Community Forums
604: Community Forums
605: Community Forums
606: Member Screenshots
607: Community Forums
608: Community Forums
609: Community Forums
610: Photo Gallery
611: Community Forums
612: Community Forums
613: Member Screenshots
614: Community Forums
615: Community Forums
616: Community Forums
617: Community Forums
618: Community Forums
619: Photo Gallery
620: Community Forums
621: Photo Gallery
622: Photo Gallery
623: Community Forums
624: Community Forums
625: Home
626: Your Account
627: Your Account
628: Community Forums
629: Community Forums
630: Community Forums
631: Photo Gallery
632: Photo Gallery
633: Photo Gallery
634: Community Forums
635: Community Forums
636: Community Forums
637: Home
638: Community Forums
639: Community Forums
640: Community Forums
641: Community Forums
642: Downloads
643: Community Forums
644: Photo Gallery
645: Community Forums
646: Community Forums
647: Community Forums
648: Community Forums
649: Community Forums
650: Community Forums
651: Home
652: Photo Gallery
653: Community Forums
654: Community Forums
655: Community Forums
656: Community Forums
657: Community Forums
658: Home
659: Community Forums
660: Photo Gallery
661: Home
662: Community Forums
663: Photo Gallery
664: Home
665: Community Forums
666: Home
667: Photo Gallery
668: Community Forums
669: Photo Gallery
670: Community Forums
671: Community Forums
672: Community Forums
673: Community Forums
674: Home
675: Community Forums
676: Home
677: Photo Gallery
678: Community Forums
679: Downloads
680: Community Forums
681: Community Forums
682: Photo Gallery
683: Photo Gallery
684: Photo Gallery
685: Community Forums
686: Home
687: Your Account
688: Community Forums
689: Community Forums
690: Community Forums
691: Community Forums
692: Home
693: Community Forums
694: Community Forums
695: Home
696: Photo Gallery
697: Community Forums
698: Community Forums
699: Community Forums
700: Community Forums
701: Community Forums
702: Community Forums
703: Photo Gallery
704: Community Forums
705: Community Forums
706: Community Forums
707: Community Forums
708: Community Forums
709: Downloads
710: Community Forums
711: Community Forums
712: Community Forums
713: Photo Gallery
714: Community Forums
715: Member Screenshots
716: Community Forums
717: Photo Gallery
718: Community Forums
719: Photo Gallery
720: Community Forums
721: Community Forums
722: Community Forums
723: Photo Gallery
724: Community Forums
725: Community Forums
726: Home
727: Community Forums
728: Community Forums
729: Community Forums
730: CPGlang
731: Community Forums
732: Community Forums
733: Community Forums
734: Home
735: Photo Gallery
736: Member Screenshots
737: Community Forums
738: Photo Gallery
739: Member Screenshots
740: Community Forums
741: Community Forums
742: Community Forums
743: Community Forums
744: Community Forums
745: Photo Gallery
746: Photo Gallery
747: Photo Gallery
748: Downloads
749: Home
750: Community Forums

Staff Online:

No staff members are online!
Framerate as low as 3FPS on PIV 3 GHZ, with frame rate block :: Archived
This is for General Discussions about the CFS3 game.
Go to page 1, 2  Next
Post new topic    Revive this topic    Printer Friendly Page     Forum Index ›  CFS3

Topic Archived View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
gunslinger
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Apr 15, 2005
Posts: 6

PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2005 12:26 pm
Post subject: Framerate as low as 3FPS on PIV 3 GHZ, with frame rate block

Hello, I'm new. I've a P IV 3 GHZ with 512 RAM, 800 MHz bus, GeForce FX 5950 Ultra graphic card with 256 MByte ram.

I've tried playing CFS3 on my machine and it runs SLOWER than it ran on my old 1.2 GHz PC.

I've tried all the tweaks stated in Stoopy thread. No way.
I've also lowered everything as low as it can get, and still it's slower than on my old machine.
On normal settings ground attack missions when wingmen fire their guns I get as low as 1-2 FPS, which slightly improves at 3-5 on lowest settings!
Best FPS I get is 18-20.
It's as if my graphic card just isn't there. Neutral

I add that I'm playing CFS2 at HIGHEST settings with silk smooth performance, and I'm also playing Delta Force Black Hawk Down, Call Of Duty and other such graphic intensive games with full satisfaction, so the problem presents itself just with CFS3.

A firend of mine could play CFS3 on his 2,8 GHz PC with a much older graphic card and got around 30-35 FPS with overall graphic quality at 3 and 1024x768 32 bits.

Do anybody have the slightest idea about why this happens?
Back to top
View user's profile
JG300-Stoopy
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 05, 2005
Posts: 5840
Location: Group W bench
PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2005 12:56 pm
Post subject: Re: Framerate as low as 3FPS on PIV 3 GHZ, with frame rate b

Hi gunslinger.

I recently upgraded also to a system very much like what you describe and am very, very shocked and surprised to hear this.

One thing is: the "CFS3 Tweak and Tune Guide" documents everything needed to make CFS3 fly smoothly on a far older, and much more crusty, system. There's a fair amount of tweaks in there that you should be able to just flat-out ignore on a new hotrod system.

The only tweaks I applied on my new system (P4 3.2Ghz, 1MB dual-channel DDR RAM, 256M ATI 800XL PCIExpress video) were:

1) The basic CFS3Config settings (video resolution, Z-Buffer, disable dual-pass render, that section) - most of the changes there are still needed to make CFS3 less gamey-looking anyway.

2) The "MAX_FPS" settings in the XML files - to get rid of stuttering or even mini-stutters I think you ALWAYS need those no matter what.

3) Turned sound acelleration down to "Basic". Picky CFS3 thing.

Everything else, like video drivers, and all that, were left as-is although with an NVidia card it never hurts to check for the latest drivers.

How about this: Before you did any of the tweaks, did it run as slowly? I mean, on a nice fast modern system, it should pretty much run like a tiger straight out of the box. Did it? Or did the tweaks perhaps degrade performance in some way?

If it ran like dog poop right out of the box before the tweaks (but at least with basic video information set) then I'd suspect a corrupt install or some problem related to the media. Sounds like you have all the other latest directX stuff too what with the other games you got, so it definitely sounds focused on the CFS3 source. Ahhh...but then again I forgot that you were running this before on another system. CD's must be good. Damn.

And...interesting you remark about your video card not even being there. When you run the CFS3 config tool, the first thing it will show is the video system it is using - sometimes, a system will see TWO video drivers or systems, is your NVidia system the only one in the list, and if there's another system, is the NVidia system the selected option?

_________________
"Once your reputation is ruined, you can live quite freely."
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
gunslinger
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Apr 15, 2005
Posts: 6

PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2005 1:29 pm
Post subject: Re: Framerate as low as 3FPS on PIV 3 GHZ, with frame rate b

The CD is not only the same I used on my older system, but the very same this friend of mine used on his PC, and it worked perfectly for him. It's original from MS (just in case you are wondering Wink ) along with the Battle Of Britain expansion.
He lent me the disk since he doesn't like sims much (wonder why he bought the game AND the expansion! Rolling Eyes ).

So, to answer your questions, the game was real crappy out of the box.
It's for this very reason I started to tweak it without any improvement.
The one and only video card shown by CFS3 Config is the one I have installed.
I'm utterly confused...
Moreover, even if I think it's totally unrelated, when I finish some missions (all goals achieved in the map view) I don't get the red box for mission finished and if I just exit I get the log stating "Mission Complete" but no credit in terms of experience points or "fame" points...
???
Back to top
View user's profile
JG300-Stoopy
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 05, 2005
Posts: 5840
Location: Group W bench
PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2005 2:00 pm
Post subject: Re: Framerate as low as 3FPS on PIV 3 GHZ, with frame rate b

Shucks!

Something's pretty rotten to be sure. Dangit, CFS3 is SO WORTH IT when you can run at all 5's with good frame rates. How about some more info to help pin this down.

What about your disk drive and operating system? That's all fresh and healthy and all that? Windows XP and latest updates, defragmented, all that good stuff?

If I didn't know any better I'd guess it's an overall system problem but no way jose,, all the other stuff runs fine.

AND one more thing....when it ran like poop 'out of the box' you mean exactly that, right? Pure stock, no add-on downloaded planes, effects, or other modifications, right? Sorry to ask again but this is worth double-checking.

I would consider a bad install as the possibility. Even if the CD's are good this can happen.

If you're up for it, uninstall the program properly (through the control panel "Add Remove Programs" or CFS3 Uninstall icon) and then be sure to delete all 3 folders that can be left over:

1.The one in "Program Files\Microsoft Games"
2. The folder in your "My Documents" folder (save any screenshots or stuff you can't live without)
3. The folder in your "Documents and Settings\{Your User Name}\Application Data\Microsoft\Combat Flight Simulator 3 folder.

Then do a disk cleanup, defrag, and reinstall. IF you have more than one CD drive in your system you could also consider reinstalling from the second one, and don't use the CD drive you installed from originally.

If the idea of losing all the work involved in the tweaks is not appealing, one thing you can also do is copy the folders to somewhere else and ZIP them up. Then do the uninstall/clean/reinstall thing. Your old stuff will be archived.

Just some thoughts. Something about your mentioning the wingmen firing guns is nagging at me.....did you turn the sound accelleration down to basic? Do you have an odd sound card?

Oh..as for campaign/mission problems....sorry but can't help you there. Only did a little of that stuff a couple years ago when I first installed the program. After venturing around in the menus and finding the "Multiplayer" button, there's been no going back....MP's where it's at!

_________________
"Once your reputation is ruined, you can live quite freely."
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
gunslinger
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Apr 15, 2005
Posts: 6

PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2005 3:33 pm
Post subject: SOME MORE TESTING...

Yes, I know it's good... I'm getting all the more pissed right because of this... The game would be plainly excellent to play and everybody seems to get a good time... but me... Rolling Eyes

Anyway, I've done some more testing (um... been 3 hours in front of my PC... my wife is starting to look pissed too Mr. Green Rolling Eyes )
I uninstalled completely the game and any expansion, deleted the directory, cleaned the registry with RegSeeker (get it, it's avery good registry maintenance utility, very safe), reinstalled and tested it. Still crappy.
It seems to get worst when somebody ELSE fires guns.
When bombers or wingmen fire their guns, FPS drop from as good as 9-10 FPS to 1-2!!

OS is Win XP Pro SP2
Disk not defragged (I know, can impair performance, I'll have it defragged this night).
Disks are super-duper S-ATAs so, they should pose no problem.

I installed the game CLEAN of everything else (including the patch) and the with the patch. No difference. Poopy before, poopy after Rolling Eyes

I'm running the program with firewall, antivirus and all accessory services that appear in the taskbar DISABLED.
As naked as it can get without messing with the services utility in control panel.

I TRIED THE SOUNDCARD AND GOT A GOOD IMPROVEMENT!
Now FPS is at 15-19 at its worst... Almost 3 times what it was before. Still pretty slow, but playiable.
What could I do to bring the FPS up to say 25-30?
Back to top
View user's profile
JG300-Stoopy
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 05, 2005
Posts: 5840
Location: Group W bench
PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2005 3:56 pm
Post subject: Re: Framerate as low as 3FPS on PIV 3 GHZ, with frame rate b

First thing I'd do now is get that Max_FPS setting into the XML file, and run FRAPS to make sure it's taking effect. Set your max to your target of 25 or 30 and no higher for now. What is it locked to at the moment? You mention the lowest rate, what is the highest you're getting now after the reinstall (I know before it was 18-20)?

Interesting that you got such a good improvement by adjusting the sound accelleration. I am wondering if that's pointing to more attention that should be given the sound card, and it may not hurt to check the sound card drivers for updates (even tho everything else works...this is a Microsoft product and ya never know, they could be taking advantage of a system call that your other games don't know about or use...).

Does this system have on-board audio AND a sound card, and I wonder what Direct X thinks about that.

Sorry to waste your time on a reinstall but, you never know until you try.

And...don't get pissed. The gremlin WANTS that to happen. And your wife might want that too...... Smile Start getting even with it now by staying calm, cool and collected. If it sees it can't rile ya, it might give up and move on.....

_________________
"Once your reputation is ruined, you can live quite freely."
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
JG300-Stoopy
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 05, 2005
Posts: 5840
Location: Group W bench
PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2005 4:16 pm
Post subject: Re: Framerate as low as 3FPS on PIV 3 GHZ, with frame rate b

One other idea before stepping away for a while:

You're a prety savvy guy so try this, it should tell us a few things:

Run CS3 in windowed mode (tweak guide shows you how) and fire up the task manager to check your utilization. If youre P4-3Ghz processor is anything like mine, you should be around 30 to 40% utilization flying around and shooting.

While you're there, do whatcha do to get your biggest FPS hits and just maybe, you'll see what's making the spike.

If your CPU utilization stays within reasonable limits (as you know it will naturally spike on system events anyway) but you still get FPS hit, hey presto..the problem isn't tweaking CFS3 per se but at the component level (sound card for sure,probably).

I know, I know...does't make sense if everything else works fine but flight sims are a different breed of animal....they are not just graphic-intensive, like your other games, but what with flight dynamics,sounds, all that, stress the whole system. And even though everythign else works good, guess what....CFS3 also worked good on the old system so you could just as well say CFS3 can't be the culprit either...it's just the first to show the symptom of the problem. This is such a strange one, there are no gaurantees yet where it is!

_________________
"Once your reputation is ruined, you can live quite freely."
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
JG300-Stoopy
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 05, 2005
Posts: 5840
Location: Group W bench
PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2005 5:37 pm
Post subject: Re: Framerate as low as 3FPS on PIV 3 GHZ, with frame rate b

Oh...and one more thing to check (this one is quick). In your system BIOS, what is your AGP Aperture size set to? 256 to match the card?

_________________
"Once your reputation is ruined, you can live quite freely."
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
Guest






PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2005 8:12 pm
Post subject: Re: Framerate as low as 3FPS on PIV 3 GHZ, with frame rate b

Go to nvidia and get the latest driver (71.89) if you don't already have it. Also if you are using a newer driver make sure you have directx 9.0c.

Would be worth making sure you have the latest chipset drivers for you machine also.
Back to top
gunslinger
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Apr 15, 2005
Posts: 6

PostPosted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 2:28 am
Post subject: Re: Framerate as low as 3FPS on PIV 3 GHZ, with frame rate b

I'll try the tests you suggested between today and tomorrow.
Meanwhile I completely disabled audio acceleration (emulation only) and got much better framerate, but sound went down the drain (now it's sound stuttering :lol:) so I enabled the least level of accel and got good sound but slower framerate.
I also defragged the HD but without any relevant improvement.
I'll do the tests and see what happens.
In the meanwhile thanks for the suggestions.
I'll be back soon with some results (hope positive ones Rolling Eyes )
Back to top
View user's profile
gunslinger
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Apr 15, 2005
Posts: 6

PostPosted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 3:58 am
Post subject: Ok, here some new data.

BTW, Don't worry about me reinstalling. I wanted to do it anyway and I'd done it even before reading your advice Smile

I ran the game trying for windowed mode but no way, it stays full screen (should I disable Intro?).
Anyway, using the quick quit hotkey (CTRL - SHIFT - Q) I can exit instantly at any given time and I get a clear view of the usage graphic.
It's more about 70-80%.
Then I used FRAPS in my new config (sound at minimnum indispensable to get decent audio) and got 13 min FPS, 33 max.
My MAX FPS setting in the config file is 30. Is it normal I get 33? Or is "30" intended as "about 30"?

OK: here the latest news:
The Aperture Size was indeed 64. I thought "BINGO!" and set it to 256. The game indeed runs more smoothly. With fraps I'm getting at worst 9-10 FPS but that's just for an instant, during explosions of bombers (sound again?). On normal flight I'm now getting around 28-31FPS and during combat it doesn't get worst than 18-20.
This with everything at 3 but clouds (1) and no reflexes.
I tried everything at 5 but clouds (3) and I couldn't get better than 17 FPS... gues I shouldn't get too cocky for the results Laughing
Anyway, the average framerate stays good even during combat. I'll try against ground targets, where the number-crunching is at its worst and let you know. Still, I feel I should be getting much better than 17-18 during combats...
Back to top
View user's profile
JG300-Stoopy
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 05, 2005
Posts: 5840
Location: Group W bench
PostPosted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 7:55 am
Post subject: Re: Framerate as low as 3FPS on PIV 3 GHZ, with frame rate b

Well, hey, progress at least, that's a good sign!

"Guest" above makes a solid point - what version of NVidia drivers are you running?

Yep, disable the intro for running CFS3 in windowed mode. The command line in the "target" setting (when you right click and go to "Properties" for the CFS3 program icon) should be:

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Combat Flight Simulator 3\cfs3.exe" -intro -windowed

I did a quick copy/paste of the CFS3 icon so I have two of them, one normal, one windowed.

That useage is higher than I would have expected but then again I don't run my tests in combat missions with other planes - just quick combat 1-on-1.

Oh.....regarding the sound stutter...the tweak for that references a file that you can download, that pre-loads some sounds that the system normally fetches from the hard drive (like, machine gun fire!). This causes the monetary stutter when you FIRST fire guns. The link for that may be broken, so I'll see if I still have the file, upload it, and fix the link.

And...yep, frame rate cap of 30 equates to "about" 30....the system is always trying to get beyond that. It's like an NHRA Dragster being held at the starting line by a big ol' bungee cord....it wants to GO but something keeps yankin it back.

That gremlin is gettin nervous and scared now, can you feel it? Smile

_________________
"Once your reputation is ruined, you can live quite freely."
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
JG300-EXOS
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 15, 2005
Posts: 495

PostPosted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 10:23 am
Post subject: Re: Framerate as low as 3FPS on PIV 3 GHZ, with frame rate b

Put the "performance" option in your Nvidia driver to "Quality" and try these settings in CFS display options : Plane at 4, Terrain at 4, Clouds at 1 and the rest at 2.

_________________
JG300-EXOS

Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail Photo Gallery
JG300-Hoppa
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 10, 2005
Posts: 583
Location: vernon BC
PostPosted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 1:02 pm
Post subject: Re: Framerate as low as 3FPS on PIV 3 GHZ, with frame rate b

well I dont have much I can add myself,,,,,I'm not the guy for advice but more the seeker of.......that brings me to this question,,,,,,I mentioned this to you last night Stoopy and you hadn't heard of this before,,,,so lemmee tell you in long form what is happening......

well as we all know I am just getting back into this sim after the lengthy vacation since last WEC,,,,,,but now when I enter a game,,,,,,it seems any sort of lettering on the screen,,,(everything from the damage info, TAC stuff,,,,blue aircraft info on right, players tags ,,even the chat that appears in the top left is gone,,,,,,,),,not totally gone but either fuzzed out or in block form out in the colour that those words would normally be.....this is very strange indeed and I can fix by repeatedly exiting and re-entering the game,,,,,,I'm thinking a reinstall,,,what about you??????,,,,but before I do this I would like see if you had any ideas,,,,,,also,,,,,,,upon getting a new hard drive I transferred this,,,FS9 and another game over to it from C drive,,,,,,could maybe something in the transfer gone wonky?????,,,,,after all,,,,,those big files took quite awhile to transfer.......

sorry Gunslinger to make use of your thread for my question but it seemed rather appropriate to use rather than making new thread,,,,hope ya' dont mind ,,,,,glad all is coming together for you and hope to see ya' kikin' butt in multiplayer../....

_________________
_

______________________________________



-----------------------------------------------------
Many thing's in life are dirt cheap.........
"Dirt"
is not one of them.....
Back to top
View user's profile
JG300-EXOS
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 15, 2005
Posts: 495

PostPosted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 1:27 pm
Post subject: Re: Framerate as low as 3FPS on PIV 3 GHZ, with frame rate b

I'm thinking reinstall too....

_________________
JG300-EXOS

Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail Photo Gallery
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic    Revive this topic    Printer Friendly Page    Forum Index ›  CFS3
Page 1 of 2
All times are GMT - 6 Hours
Go to page 1, 2  Next

Archive Revive
Username:
This is an archived topic - your reply will not be appended here.
Instead, a new topic will be generated in the active forum.
The new topic will provide a reference link to this archived topic.