±Recent Visitors

Recent Visitors to Com-Central!

±User Info-big


Welcome Anonymous

Nickname
Password

Membership:
Latest: HighestAce
New Today: 0
New Yesterday: 0
Overall: 6648

People Online:
Members: 0
Visitors: 1747
Total: 1747
Who Is Where:
 Visitors:
01: Home
02: Community Forums
03: Home
04: Community Forums
05: News
06: News
07: Home
08: Community Forums
09: Community Forums
10: Community Forums
11: Community Forums
12: Photo Gallery
13: Home
14: Community Forums
15: Community Forums
16: Home
17: Community Forums
18: Community Forums
19: Photo Gallery
20: Member Screenshots
21: Home
22: News Archive
23: Community Forums
24: Community Forums
25: Community Forums
26: Community Forums
27: Community Forums
28: Home
29: Member Screenshots
30: Community Forums
31: Community Forums
32: Community Forums
33: Member Screenshots
34: News
35: Photo Gallery
36: Community Forums
37: Downloads
38: Downloads
39: Community Forums
40: Community Forums
41: Community Forums
42: Photo Gallery
43: Community Forums
44: Photo Gallery
45: Community Forums
46: Home
47: Community Forums
48: Downloads
49: Home
50: Community Forums
51: Community Forums
52: Member Screenshots
53: Your Account
54: Community Forums
55: Member Screenshots
56: Community Forums
57: Community Forums
58: Member Screenshots
59: Community Forums
60: Community Forums
61: Community Forums
62: Community Forums
63: Community Forums
64: Community Forums
65: Downloads
66: News Archive
67: Community Forums
68: Photo Gallery
69: Community Forums
70: Photo Gallery
71: Community Forums
72: Community Forums
73: Community Forums
74: Home
75: Community Forums
76: Community Forums
77: Community Forums
78: Member Screenshots
79: Home
80: Community Forums
81: Community Forums
82: Community Forums
83: Community Forums
84: Community Forums
85: Member Screenshots
86: Community Forums
87: Member Screenshots
88: Photo Gallery
89: Community Forums
90: Community Forums
91: Community Forums
92: Community Forums
93: Member Screenshots
94: News Archive
95: Community Forums
96: Community Forums
97: Community Forums
98: Home
99: News
100: Downloads
101: Community Forums
102: Community Forums
103: Downloads
104: News
105: Community Forums
106: Community Forums
107: Member Screenshots
108: Member Screenshots
109: Community Forums
110: Community Forums
111: Downloads
112: Member Screenshots
113: News Archive
114: Community Forums
115: Home
116: Community Forums
117: Community Forums
118: Community Forums
119: Community Forums
120: Community Forums
121: Home
122: Community Forums
123: Home
124: Community Forums
125: Community Forums
126: Downloads
127: Photo Gallery
128: Community Forums
129: Community Forums
130: Community Forums
131: Community Forums
132: Community Forums
133: Community Forums
134: Member Screenshots
135: Community Forums
136: Member Screenshots
137: Photo Gallery
138: Home
139: Community Forums
140: Member Screenshots
141: Community Forums
142: Home
143: Community Forums
144: Community Forums
145: Community Forums
146: Home
147: Community Forums
148: Community Forums
149: Home
150: Community Forums
151: Community Forums
152: Community Forums
153: Photo Gallery
154: Home
155: Member Screenshots
156: Community Forums
157: Home
158: News
159: Community Forums
160: Community Forums
161: Community Forums
162: Home
163: Community Forums
164: Community Forums
165: Photo Gallery
166: Community Forums
167: Photo Gallery
168: Downloads
169: Community Forums
170: Community Forums
171: Community Forums
172: Community Forums
173: Community Forums
174: Community Forums
175: Community Forums
176: Home
177: Member Screenshots
178: Downloads
179: Community Forums
180: Community Forums
181: Downloads
182: Home
183: Community Forums
184: Community Forums
185: Home
186: Downloads
187: News Archive
188: Member Screenshots
189: Community Forums
190: Community Forums
191: Community Forums
192: Community Forums
193: News Archive
194: Downloads
195: Photo Gallery
196: Community Forums
197: Community Forums
198: Member Screenshots
199: Community Forums
200: Community Forums
201: Community Forums
202: Home
203: Community Forums
204: Community Forums
205: Community Forums
206: Community Forums
207: Home
208: Community Forums
209: Community Forums
210: Downloads
211: Community Forums
212: Home
213: Community Forums
214: Member Screenshots
215: Community Forums
216: Community Forums
217: Home
218: Home
219: Community Forums
220: Community Forums
221: Home
222: Member Screenshots
223: Member Screenshots
224: Community Forums
225: Community Forums
226: Downloads
227: Community Forums
228: Community Forums
229: Community Forums
230: Community Forums
231: Community Forums
232: Community Forums
233: Home
234: Home
235: Community Forums
236: Your Account
237: Community Forums
238: Community Forums
239: Home
240: Photo Gallery
241: Community Forums
242: News Archive
243: Community Forums
244: Community Forums
245: Community Forums
246: Member Screenshots
247: Community Forums
248: Member Screenshots
249: Community Forums
250: Community Forums
251: Member Screenshots
252: Community Forums
253: Community Forums
254: Community Forums
255: Community Forums
256: Community Forums
257: Community Forums
258: Member Screenshots
259: Home
260: News Archive
261: Downloads
262: Community Forums
263: Member Screenshots
264: Statistics
265: Community Forums
266: Community Forums
267: Community Forums
268: Community Forums
269: News Archive
270: Photo Gallery
271: Member Screenshots
272: Member Screenshots
273: Community Forums
274: News Archive
275: Member Screenshots
276: Community Forums
277: Community Forums
278: Community Forums
279: Community Forums
280: Community Forums
281: Your Account
282: Community Forums
283: Community Forums
284: Community Forums
285: Community Forums
286: Home
287: Photo Gallery
288: Member Screenshots
289: Home
290: Community Forums
291: Community Forums
292: Community Forums
293: Home
294: Community Forums
295: Home
296: Member Screenshots
297: News Archive
298: Member Screenshots
299: Community Forums
300: Community Forums
301: Contact
302: Home
303: Community Forums
304: News Archive
305: Community Forums
306: Community Forums
307: Community Forums
308: Downloads
309: Member Screenshots
310: Home
311: Home
312: Community Forums
313: Community Forums
314: Photo Gallery
315: Member Screenshots
316: Photo Gallery
317: Community Forums
318: Community Forums
319: Community Forums
320: Community Forums
321: Your Account
322: Community Forums
323: Community Forums
324: News
325: Community Forums
326: Community Forums
327: Member Screenshots
328: Member Screenshots
329: Photo Gallery
330: Member Screenshots
331: Community Forums
332: Home
333: Community Forums
334: Community Forums
335: Community Forums
336: Community Forums
337: Home
338: Community Forums
339: Home
340: Member Screenshots
341: Home
342: News Archive
343: Community Forums
344: Community Forums
345: Community Forums
346: Community Forums
347: Community Forums
348: Community Forums
349: Member Screenshots
350: Community Forums
351: Member Screenshots
352: Community Forums
353: Community Forums
354: Photo Gallery
355: Community Forums
356: Member Screenshots
357: Community Forums
358: Community Forums
359: Downloads
360: News Archive
361: Community Forums
362: Photo Gallery
363: Member Screenshots
364: Member Screenshots
365: Home
366: Community Forums
367: Home
368: Search
369: Community Forums
370: Downloads
371: Community Forums
372: Home
373: Community Forums
374: News Archive
375: Home
376: Community Forums
377: Community Forums
378: Community Forums
379: News Archive
380: Community Forums
381: Community Forums
382: Downloads
383: Member Screenshots
384: Community Forums
385: Community Forums
386: LinkToUs
387: Community Forums
388: Member Screenshots
389: Member Screenshots
390: Downloads
391: News Archive
392: Community Forums
393: Community Forums
394: Community Forums
395: Member Screenshots
396: Community Forums
397: Community Forums
398: Community Forums
399: Home
400: Community Forums
401: Community Forums
402: Community Forums
403: Member Screenshots
404: Community Forums
405: Member Screenshots
406: Community Forums
407: Home
408: Photo Gallery
409: Community Forums
410: Community Forums
411: Home
412: Community Forums
413: Photo Gallery
414: Home
415: Downloads
416: News Archive
417: Community Forums
418: Community Forums
419: Community Forums
420: Member Screenshots
421: Community Forums
422: Community Forums
423: Community Forums
424: Community Forums
425: Photo Gallery
426: Member Screenshots
427: Community Forums
428: Member Screenshots
429: Community Forums
430: Member Screenshots
431: Home
432: Community Forums
433: News Archive
434: Member Screenshots
435: Member Screenshots
436: Community Forums
437: Member Screenshots
438: Community Forums
439: Member Screenshots
440: Home
441: Community Forums
442: Community Forums
443: Home
444: Community Forums
445: Community Forums
446: Community Forums
447: Member Screenshots
448: Community Forums
449: Community Forums
450: Downloads
451: Community Forums
452: Community Forums
453: Community Forums
454: Member Screenshots
455: Member Screenshots
456: Member Screenshots
457: Community Forums
458: Community Forums
459: Home
460: Community Forums
461: Community Forums
462: Community Forums
463: Member Screenshots
464: Community Forums
465: Community Forums
466: Community Forums
467: Home
468: Photo Gallery
469: Community Forums
470: Home
471: Downloads
472: Community Forums
473: Community Forums
474: Community Forums
475: Member Screenshots
476: Photo Gallery
477: Community Forums
478: Community Forums
479: Community Forums
480: Community Forums
481: Community Forums
482: Community Forums
483: Community Forums
484: Your Account
485: Community Forums
486: Member Screenshots
487: News
488: Community Forums
489: Community Forums
490: Community Forums
491: Community Forums
492: News Archive
493: Community Forums
494: Community Forums
495: Community Forums
496: Community Forums
497: Member Screenshots
498: Community Forums
499: Community Forums
500: Search
501: Community Forums
502: Community Forums
503: Member Screenshots
504: Community Forums
505: Community Forums
506: Member Screenshots
507: Community Forums
508: Member Screenshots
509: Community Forums
510: Member Screenshots
511: Community Forums
512: Member Screenshots
513: Home
514: Community Forums
515: Community Forums
516: Home
517: Community Forums
518: Community Forums
519: Community Forums
520: Photo Gallery
521: Community Forums
522: Community Forums
523: Community Forums
524: Downloads
525: Home
526: Community Forums
527: Member Screenshots
528: Community Forums
529: Community Forums
530: Community Forums
531: Home
532: Community Forums
533: Community Forums
534: Community Forums
535: Community Forums
536: Community Forums
537: Community Forums
538: Community Forums
539: Community Forums
540: Community Forums
541: Home
542: Community Forums
543: Community Forums
544: Community Forums
545: News
546: Your Account
547: Community Forums
548: Member Screenshots
549: Community Forums
550: Home
551: Community Forums
552: Community Forums
553: Community Forums
554: Community Forums
555: Community Forums
556: News Archive
557: Community Forums
558: Community Forums
559: Home
560: Community Forums
561: Community Forums
562: Home
563: Community Forums
564: Home
565: Photo Gallery
566: Community Forums
567: Community Forums
568: Your Account
569: Home
570: Community Forums
571: Community Forums
572: Photo Gallery
573: Member Screenshots
574: Home
575: Community Forums
576: Downloads
577: Member Screenshots
578: Community Forums
579: Community Forums
580: Community Forums
581: Community Forums
582: Community Forums
583: Community Forums
584: Photo Gallery
585: Community Forums
586: Community Forums
587: Community Forums
588: Community Forums
589: Member Screenshots
590: Member Screenshots
591: Community Forums
592: Community Forums
593: Photo Gallery
594: Statistics
595: Community Forums
596: Community Forums
597: Member Screenshots
598: Statistics
599: Community Forums
600: Community Forums
601: Home
602: Member Screenshots
603: Home
604: Community Forums
605: Community Forums
606: Community Forums
607: Community Forums
608: Community Forums
609: Community Forums
610: Home
611: Community Forums
612: Community Forums
613: Community Forums
614: Community Forums
615: Community Forums
616: Community Forums
617: Home
618: Downloads
619: News Archive
620: Your Account
621: Home
622: Photo Gallery
623: Community Forums
624: Community Forums
625: Community Forums
626: News Archive
627: Community Forums
628: Community Forums
629: Community Forums
630: Photo Gallery
631: Community Forums
632: Member Screenshots
633: Member Screenshots
634: Member Screenshots
635: Community Forums
636: Community Forums
637: Community Forums
638: News
639: Community Forums
640: Community Forums
641: Community Forums
642: Community Forums
643: Community Forums
644: Photo Gallery
645: Community Forums
646: Member Screenshots
647: Community Forums
648: Member Screenshots
649: Community Forums
650: Community Forums
651: Community Forums
652: Community Forums
653: Statistics
654: Community Forums
655: Community Forums
656: Community Forums
657: Member Screenshots
658: Community Forums
659: Community Forums
660: Community Forums
661: Community Forums
662: Home
663: Photo Gallery
664: Member Screenshots
665: Community Forums
666: Photo Gallery
667: Downloads
668: Community Forums
669: Home
670: Community Forums
671: Community Forums
672: Member Screenshots
673: Community Forums
674: Member Screenshots
675: Member Screenshots
676: Member Screenshots
677: Community Forums
678: Community Forums
679: Community Forums
680: Home
681: Home
682: Member Screenshots
683: Community Forums
684: Member Screenshots
685: Member Screenshots
686: Community Forums
687: Community Forums
688: Community Forums
689: Member Screenshots
690: Downloads
691: Member Screenshots
692: Member Screenshots
693: Member Screenshots
694: Home
695: Community Forums
696: Community Forums
697: Community Forums
698: News Archive
699: Community Forums
700: Community Forums
701: Member Screenshots
702: News
703: Community Forums
704: Community Forums
705: Community Forums
706: Photo Gallery
707: Downloads
708: Community Forums
709: Photo Gallery
710: Community Forums
711: Member Screenshots
712: Community Forums
713: Community Forums
714: Community Forums
715: Member Screenshots
716: Member Screenshots
717: Community Forums
718: Photo Gallery
719: Photo Gallery
720: Member Screenshots
721: Home
722: Community Forums
723: Community Forums
724: Member Screenshots
725: Community Forums
726: Community Forums
727: Home
728: Member Screenshots
729: Community Forums
730: Community Forums
731: Member Screenshots
732: Community Forums
733: Community Forums
734: Community Forums
735: Downloads
736: Community Forums
737: News Archive
738: Photo Gallery
739: Community Forums
740: Community Forums
741: Community Forums
742: Community Forums
743: Member Screenshots
744: Community Forums
745: Community Forums
746: Photo Gallery
747: Community Forums
748: Photo Gallery
749: News Archive
750: Community Forums
751: Community Forums
752: Community Forums
753: Community Forums
754: Community Forums
755: Community Forums
756: Downloads
757: Supporters
758: Community Forums
759: Home
760: Community Forums
761: Community Forums
762: Member Screenshots
763: Photo Gallery
764: Community Forums
765: Community Forums
766: Community Forums
767: Community Forums
768: Downloads
769: Member Screenshots
770: Community Forums
771: Community Forums
772: Photo Gallery
773: Community Forums
774: Home
775: Community Forums
776: News Archive
777: Community Forums
778: Community Forums
779: Downloads
780: Community Forums
781: Community Forums
782: Member Screenshots
783: Home
784: Community Forums
785: Community Forums
786: Community Forums
787: Community Forums
788: News Archive
789: Community Forums
790: Community Forums
791: Photo Gallery
792: Photo Gallery
793: Community Forums
794: Home
795: Home
796: Community Forums
797: Community Forums
798: Community Forums
799: Community Forums
800: Community Forums
801: Community Forums
802: Member Screenshots
803: Community Forums
804: Community Forums
805: Community Forums
806: Member Screenshots
807: Member Screenshots
808: News Archive
809: Member Screenshots
810: Community Forums
811: Your Account
812: Downloads
813: Photo Gallery
814: Photo Gallery
815: Member Screenshots
816: Photo Gallery
817: Home
818: Community Forums
819: Community Forums
820: Community Forums
821: Community Forums
822: Contact
823: Community Forums
824: News Archive
825: Community Forums
826: Community Forums
827: Community Forums
828: Downloads
829: Community Forums
830: Community Forums
831: Member Screenshots
832: Community Forums
833: Community Forums
834: Community Forums
835: Community Forums
836: Member Screenshots
837: Community Forums
838: Photo Gallery
839: Community Forums
840: Your Account
841: Community Forums
842: Home
843: Community Forums
844: Community Forums
845: Community Forums
846: Photo Gallery
847: Community Forums
848: Community Forums
849: Downloads
850: Community Forums
851: Member Screenshots
852: Community Forums
853: Community Forums
854: Photo Gallery
855: Home
856: Community Forums
857: Member Screenshots
858: Community Forums
859: Community Forums
860: Community Forums
861: Photo Gallery
862: Community Forums
863: Community Forums
864: Community Forums
865: Community Forums
866: Community Forums
867: Community Forums
868: Community Forums
869: Community Forums
870: Home
871: Community Forums
872: Photo Gallery
873: Community Forums
874: Community Forums
875: Community Forums
876: Community Forums
877: Community Forums
878: Downloads
879: Community Forums
880: Community Forums
881: Community Forums
882: Community Forums
883: Member Screenshots
884: Your Account
885: Community Forums
886: Community Forums
887: Community Forums
888: Downloads
889: Community Forums
890: Community Forums
891: Community Forums
892: Community Forums
893: Downloads
894: Community Forums
895: Downloads
896: Community Forums
897: News
898: Community Forums
899: Community Forums
900: Member Screenshots
901: Member Screenshots
902: Member Screenshots
903: Community Forums
904: Community Forums
905: Community Forums
906: Community Forums
907: Community Forums
908: Photo Gallery
909: Home
910: Photo Gallery
911: Community Forums
912: Photo Gallery
913: Community Forums
914: Community Forums
915: Community Forums
916: Photo Gallery
917: Home
918: Community Forums
919: Community Forums
920: Community Forums
921: Community Forums
922: Community Forums
923: Community Forums
924: Community Forums
925: Home
926: Community Forums
927: Community Forums
928: Community Forums
929: Community Forums
930: Photo Gallery
931: Photo Gallery
932: Home
933: Community Forums
934: Photo Gallery
935: Downloads
936: Home
937: Community Forums
938: Community Forums
939: Community Forums
940: Member Screenshots
941: Home
942: Community Forums
943: Home
944: Community Forums
945: Community Forums
946: Community Forums
947: Community Forums
948: Community Forums
949: Downloads
950: Member Screenshots
951: Member Screenshots
952: Home
953: Downloads
954: Community Forums
955: Community Forums
956: Community Forums
957: Community Forums
958: Community Forums
959: Community Forums
960: Member Screenshots
961: Community Forums
962: Community Forums
963: Community Forums
964: Community Forums
965: Community Forums
966: Community Forums
967: Home
968: Member Screenshots
969: Community Forums
970: Member Screenshots
971: Community Forums
972: Home
973: Home
974: Community Forums
975: Community Forums
976: Community Forums
977: Home
978: Community Forums
979: Member Screenshots
980: Community Forums
981: Member Screenshots
982: Community Forums
983: Community Forums
984: Your Account
985: Community Forums
986: Photo Gallery
987: Community Forums
988: Community Forums
989: Photo Gallery
990: Member Screenshots
991: Community Forums
992: Downloads
993: Community Forums
994: Home
995: Photo Gallery
996: Downloads
997: Member Screenshots
998: Downloads
999: Photo Gallery
1000: Community Forums
1001: Community Forums
1002: Community Forums
1003: Community Forums
1004: News Archive
1005: Member Screenshots
1006: Home
1007: Photo Gallery
1008: Home
1009: Community Forums
1010: Community Forums
1011: Photo Gallery
1012: Home
1013: Community Forums
1014: Community Forums
1015: Community Forums
1016: Community Forums
1017: Downloads
1018: Community Forums
1019: Community Forums
1020: Community Forums
1021: Community Forums
1022: Home
1023: Community Forums
1024: Community Forums
1025: Photo Gallery
1026: Community Forums
1027: Photo Gallery
1028: Community Forums
1029: Community Forums
1030: Home
1031: Community Forums
1032: Member Screenshots
1033: Community Forums
1034: Community Forums
1035: Home
1036: Home
1037: Member Screenshots
1038: Home
1039: Photo Gallery
1040: Community Forums
1041: Community Forums
1042: Community Forums
1043: Downloads
1044: Community Forums
1045: Community Forums
1046: Community Forums
1047: Community Forums
1048: Downloads
1049: Community Forums
1050: Community Forums
1051: Member Screenshots
1052: Community Forums
1053: Community Forums
1054: Community Forums
1055: Community Forums
1056: Member Screenshots
1057: Member Screenshots
1058: Community Forums
1059: Home
1060: Member Screenshots
1061: Home
1062: Community Forums
1063: Member Screenshots
1064: Community Forums
1065: Community Forums
1066: Member Screenshots
1067: Member Screenshots
1068: Home
1069: Community Forums
1070: Community Forums
1071: Community Forums
1072: Community Forums
1073: Home
1074: Community Forums
1075: Photo Gallery
1076: Member Screenshots
1077: Community Forums
1078: Community Forums
1079: News Archive
1080: Home
1081: Community Forums
1082: Community Forums
1083: Community Forums
1084: Your Account
1085: Member Screenshots
1086: Community Forums
1087: Community Forums
1088: Community Forums
1089: Home
1090: Community Forums
1091: Home
1092: Member Screenshots
1093: Community Forums
1094: Home
1095: Community Forums
1096: Community Forums
1097: Downloads
1098: Community Forums
1099: Member Screenshots
1100: Home
1101: Home
1102: Community Forums
1103: Community Forums
1104: Community Forums
1105: Community Forums
1106: Community Forums
1107: Member Screenshots
1108: Community Forums
1109: Community Forums
1110: Community Forums
1111: Community Forums
1112: Community Forums
1113: Home
1114: Community Forums
1115: Community Forums
1116: Community Forums
1117: Community Forums
1118: Community Forums
1119: Community Forums
1120: Member Screenshots
1121: Community Forums
1122: News Archive
1123: Community Forums
1124: Your Account
1125: Community Forums
1126: Community Forums
1127: Community Forums
1128: Community Forums
1129: Photo Gallery
1130: Community Forums
1131: Photo Gallery
1132: Community Forums
1133: News Archive
1134: News Archive
1135: Community Forums
1136: Home
1137: Community Forums
1138: Home
1139: Community Forums
1140: Community Forums
1141: Community Forums
1142: Community Forums
1143: Community Forums
1144: Photo Gallery
1145: Member Screenshots
1146: Community Forums
1147: Community Forums
1148: Community Forums
1149: Community Forums
1150: Downloads
1151: Community Forums
1152: Photo Gallery
1153: Community Forums
1154: Member Screenshots
1155: Community Forums
1156: Community Forums
1157: Photo Gallery
1158: Community Forums
1159: Your Account
1160: Community Forums
1161: Community Forums
1162: Community Forums
1163: Community Forums
1164: Photo Gallery
1165: Community Forums
1166: Community Forums
1167: Community Forums
1168: Community Forums
1169: Community Forums
1170: Photo Gallery
1171: Community Forums
1172: Community Forums
1173: Community Forums
1174: Home
1175: Supporters
1176: Community Forums
1177: Community Forums
1178: Community Forums
1179: Community Forums
1180: Community Forums
1181: Member Screenshots
1182: Community Forums
1183: Community Forums
1184: Community Forums
1185: Home
1186: Community Forums
1187: News
1188: News Archive
1189: Community Forums
1190: Community Forums
1191: Member Screenshots
1192: Downloads
1193: Community Forums
1194: Community Forums
1195: Community Forums
1196: Home
1197: Community Forums
1198: Community Forums
1199: Community Forums
1200: Community Forums
1201: News
1202: Community Forums
1203: Community Forums
1204: Community Forums
1205: Community Forums
1206: Community Forums
1207: Member Screenshots
1208: Home
1209: Community Forums
1210: Community Forums
1211: Community Forums
1212: Home
1213: Photo Gallery
1214: Member Screenshots
1215: Community Forums
1216: Photo Gallery
1217: Member Screenshots
1218: Community Forums
1219: Community Forums
1220: Member Screenshots
1221: Community Forums
1222: Member Screenshots
1223: Member Screenshots
1224: Community Forums
1225: Member Screenshots
1226: Downloads
1227: Community Forums
1228: Community Forums
1229: Home
1230: News Archive
1231: Community Forums
1232: Community Forums
1233: Member Screenshots
1234: Photo Gallery
1235: Community Forums
1236: Community Forums
1237: News Archive
1238: Home
1239: Community Forums
1240: Your Account
1241: Community Forums
1242: Home
1243: Community Forums
1244: Community Forums
1245: Community Forums
1246: Community Forums
1247: Member Screenshots
1248: Community Forums
1249: Community Forums
1250: Community Forums
1251: News
1252: Community Forums
1253: Community Forums
1254: Home
1255: Community Forums
1256: Community Forums
1257: Community Forums
1258: Community Forums
1259: Community Forums
1260: Photo Gallery
1261: Member Screenshots
1262: Home
1263: Member Screenshots
1264: Community Forums
1265: Community Forums
1266: Downloads
1267: Downloads
1268: Community Forums
1269: Community Forums
1270: Member Screenshots
1271: Photo Gallery
1272: Community Forums
1273: Community Forums
1274: Home
1275: Community Forums
1276: Member Screenshots
1277: Community Forums
1278: Member Screenshots
1279: News Archive
1280: Community Forums
1281: Member Screenshots
1282: Community Forums
1283: Community Forums
1284: Community Forums
1285: News Archive
1286: Community Forums
1287: Your Account
1288: Member Screenshots
1289: Community Forums
1290: Photo Gallery
1291: Downloads
1292: Home
1293: Member Screenshots
1294: Community Forums
1295: Community Forums
1296: Community Forums
1297: Downloads
1298: Search
1299: Community Forums
1300: Photo Gallery
1301: Community Forums
1302: Community Forums
1303: Community Forums
1304: Community Forums
1305: Community Forums
1306: Community Forums
1307: Community Forums
1308: Member Screenshots
1309: Community Forums
1310: Member Screenshots
1311: Community Forums
1312: Home
1313: News Archive
1314: Community Forums
1315: Community Forums
1316: Community Forums
1317: News Archive
1318: Home
1319: Community Forums
1320: Photo Gallery
1321: Home
1322: Community Forums
1323: Community Forums
1324: Photo Gallery
1325: News Archive
1326: Member Screenshots
1327: Community Forums
1328: Community Forums
1329: Member Screenshots
1330: Community Forums
1331: Community Forums
1332: Community Forums
1333: Community Forums
1334: Downloads
1335: Downloads
1336: Home
1337: Downloads
1338: Community Forums
1339: Photo Gallery
1340: Community Forums
1341: Community Forums
1342: Home
1343: Community Forums
1344: Photo Gallery
1345: Community Forums
1346: Home
1347: Community Forums
1348: Community Forums
1349: Community Forums
1350: Community Forums
1351: Community Forums
1352: Home
1353: Community Forums
1354: Home
1355: Community Forums
1356: Community Forums
1357: Home
1358: Photo Gallery
1359: Community Forums
1360: Community Forums
1361: Community Forums
1362: Community Forums
1363: Member Screenshots
1364: Member Screenshots
1365: Community Forums
1366: Photo Gallery
1367: Community Forums
1368: Member Screenshots
1369: Community Forums
1370: Member Screenshots
1371: Community Forums
1372: Photo Gallery
1373: News
1374: Member Screenshots
1375: Community Forums
1376: Home
1377: Statistics
1378: Community Forums
1379: Community Forums
1380: Photo Gallery
1381: Community Forums
1382: Community Forums
1383: Member Screenshots
1384: News
1385: Home
1386: Home
1387: Community Forums
1388: Member Screenshots
1389: Community Forums
1390: Your Account
1391: Community Forums
1392: Community Forums
1393: Community Forums
1394: Home
1395: Community Forums
1396: Community Forums
1397: Community Forums
1398: Community Forums
1399: Member Screenshots
1400: Member Screenshots
1401: Community Forums
1402: Community Forums
1403: Community Forums
1404: Member Screenshots
1405: Photo Gallery
1406: Downloads
1407: Home
1408: Home
1409: Community Forums
1410: Community Forums
1411: Community Forums
1412: Photo Gallery
1413: Home
1414: Community Forums
1415: Community Forums
1416: Home
1417: Community Forums
1418: Home
1419: Community Forums
1420: Downloads
1421: Community Forums
1422: Member Screenshots
1423: Community Forums
1424: Community Forums
1425: Home
1426: Community Forums
1427: Supporters
1428: Home
1429: Community Forums
1430: Community Forums
1431: Photo Gallery
1432: Search
1433: Community Forums
1434: Photo Gallery
1435: Community Forums
1436: Photo Gallery
1437: Photo Gallery
1438: Community Forums
1439: Community Forums
1440: Community Forums
1441: Community Forums
1442: Community Forums
1443: Community Forums
1444: Community Forums
1445: Community Forums
1446: Home
1447: Member Screenshots
1448: Community Forums
1449: Community Forums
1450: Community Forums
1451: Community Forums
1452: Community Forums
1453: Community Forums
1454: Community Forums
1455: Community Forums
1456: Member Screenshots
1457: Community Forums
1458: Community Forums
1459: Community Forums
1460: Community Forums
1461: Community Forums
1462: Member Screenshots
1463: Community Forums
1464: Downloads
1465: Community Forums
1466: Community Forums
1467: Photo Gallery
1468: Community Forums
1469: News Archive
1470: Community Forums
1471: Community Forums
1472: Community Forums
1473: Community Forums
1474: Photo Gallery
1475: Photo Gallery
1476: News Archive
1477: Community Forums
1478: Home
1479: Community Forums
1480: Community Forums
1481: Your Account
1482: News Archive
1483: Home
1484: Home
1485: Community Forums
1486: Community Forums
1487: Community Forums
1488: Member Screenshots
1489: Community Forums
1490: Photo Gallery
1491: Community Forums
1492: Photo Gallery
1493: Community Forums
1494: Member Screenshots
1495: Community Forums
1496: Downloads
1497: Community Forums
1498: Community Forums
1499: Member Screenshots
1500: Community Forums
1501: Statistics
1502: Downloads
1503: Home
1504: Community Forums
1505: Community Forums
1506: Community Forums
1507: Downloads
1508: Downloads
1509: Member Screenshots
1510: Photo Gallery
1511: Community Forums
1512: News
1513: Member Screenshots
1514: Community Forums
1515: Photo Gallery
1516: Member Screenshots
1517: Home
1518: Home
1519: Home
1520: News Archive
1521: Photo Gallery
1522: Community Forums
1523: Community Forums
1524: Community Forums
1525: Photo Gallery
1526: Photo Gallery
1527: Photo Gallery
1528: Community Forums
1529: Community Forums
1530: Photo Gallery
1531: Community Forums
1532: Photo Gallery
1533: Community Forums
1534: Statistics
1535: Community Forums
1536: Member Screenshots
1537: Member Screenshots
1538: Community Forums
1539: Community Forums
1540: Community Forums
1541: Photo Gallery
1542: Community Forums
1543: Community Forums
1544: Community Forums
1545: Community Forums
1546: Community Forums
1547: Home
1548: Photo Gallery
1549: Community Forums
1550: Photo Gallery
1551: Home
1552: Community Forums
1553: Community Forums
1554: Community Forums
1555: Photo Gallery
1556: Community Forums
1557: Community Forums
1558: Member Screenshots
1559: Downloads
1560: Community Forums
1561: Community Forums
1562: Member Screenshots
1563: Community Forums
1564: Community Forums
1565: Community Forums
1566: Community Forums
1567: Home
1568: Community Forums
1569: Member Screenshots
1570: News Archive
1571: Photo Gallery
1572: Member Screenshots
1573: Member Screenshots
1574: Community Forums
1575: Community Forums
1576: Home
1577: Home
1578: Community Forums
1579: Community Forums
1580: Community Forums
1581: Member Screenshots
1582: Home
1583: Community Forums
1584: Community Forums
1585: Home
1586: Photo Gallery
1587: Community Forums
1588: Community Forums
1589: Home
1590: Community Forums
1591: Community Forums
1592: Community Forums
1593: Downloads
1594: Member Screenshots
1595: Community Forums
1596: News Archive
1597: Home
1598: Community Forums
1599: Home
1600: Community Forums
1601: Home
1602: Community Forums
1603: Member Screenshots
1604: Community Forums
1605: Community Forums
1606: Community Forums
1607: Home
1608: Member Screenshots
1609: Home
1610: News Archive
1611: Community Forums
1612: Community Forums
1613: Community Forums
1614: Community Forums
1615: Community Forums
1616: Community Forums
1617: Photo Gallery
1618: News Archive
1619: Community Forums
1620: Downloads
1621: Home
1622: Photo Gallery
1623: Community Forums
1624: Home
1625: Home
1626: Home
1627: Community Forums
1628: Statistics
1629: Home
1630: Community Forums
1631: Community Forums
1632: Community Forums
1633: Community Forums
1634: Community Forums
1635: Member Screenshots
1636: Member Screenshots
1637: Community Forums
1638: Community Forums
1639: Home
1640: Community Forums
1641: News Archive
1642: Photo Gallery
1643: Community Forums
1644: Community Forums
1645: Community Forums
1646: Home
1647: Community Forums
1648: Community Forums
1649: Member Screenshots
1650: Community Forums
1651: Community Forums
1652: Community Forums
1653: Photo Gallery
1654: Photo Gallery
1655: Community Forums
1656: Community Forums
1657: Member Screenshots
1658: Photo Gallery
1659: Member Screenshots
1660: Community Forums
1661: Community Forums
1662: Member Screenshots
1663: Community Forums
1664: Community Forums
1665: Member Screenshots
1666: Home
1667: Community Forums
1668: Photo Gallery
1669: Community Forums
1670: Member Screenshots
1671: Member Screenshots
1672: Community Forums
1673: News
1674: Community Forums
1675: Home
1676: News Archive
1677: Home
1678: Community Forums
1679: Home
1680: Community Forums
1681: Community Forums
1682: Community Forums
1683: Photo Gallery
1684: Home
1685: Home
1686: Community Forums
1687: News Archive
1688: Community Forums
1689: Community Forums
1690: Community Forums
1691: Photo Gallery
1692: Community Forums
1693: Community Forums
1694: Member Screenshots
1695: Home
1696: Community Forums
1697: Community Forums
1698: Community Forums
1699: Community Forums
1700: Community Forums
1701: Community Forums
1702: Member Screenshots
1703: Community Forums
1704: Member Screenshots
1705: Home
1706: Home
1707: Community Forums
1708: Community Forums
1709: Photo Gallery
1710: Community Forums
1711: Community Forums
1712: Community Forums
1713: Community Forums
1714: Community Forums
1715: Home
1716: Community Forums
1717: Member Screenshots
1718: Photo Gallery
1719: Photo Gallery
1720: Your Account
1721: Home
1722: Home
1723: Community Forums
1724: Home
1725: Home
1726: Community Forums
1727: Community Forums
1728: Community Forums
1729: Downloads
1730: Community Forums
1731: Home
1732: Downloads
1733: Community Forums
1734: News Archive
1735: Community Forums
1736: Community Forums
1737: News Archive
1738: Community Forums
1739: Member Screenshots
1740: Community Forums
1741: Member Screenshots
1742: Community Forums
1743: Member Screenshots
1744: Member Screenshots
1745: Community Forums
1746: Community Forums
1747: News Archive

Staff Online:

No staff members are online!
CFS3 Install, Tweak & Tune Guide! :: Archived
This is for General Discussions about the CFS3 game.
Go to page 1, 2, 3  Next
Post new topic    Revive this topic    Printer Friendly Page     Forum Index ›  CFS3

Topic Archived View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
JG300-Stoopy
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 05, 2005
Posts: 5840
Location: Group W bench
PostPosted: Fri Feb 04, 2005 9:44 am
Post subject: CFS3 Install, Tweak & Tune Guide!

CFS3 Install, Tweak and Tune Guide



From time to time, folks we fly with have had to reinstall CFS3 for whatever reason and the same questions come up: "What settings do you run at, what tweaks do you use". We find out the hard way that some of our buddies have been running for a long time in a degraded manner not knowing about some tweaks. And lotsa new guys always need some help.

The following info is an attempt to help address that, and provide a good checklist for anyone reinstalling or trying CFS3 out. This will also be a "living document" so more tweaks can be evaluated and added on their merit, so suggestions are very welcomed!

The info below stems from the efforts of many people who have found and shared many separate tweaks and tips over a great length of time, but which aren't necessarily together in one place or have much info on how each tweak reacts with another. A GREAT DEAL of thanks goes out to those folks who have researched, tested, and shared those tweaks and tips. CFS3 would NOT be the great game it is without ya.

We'll cover the installation and upgrade of CFS3, and the details of the most important and meaningful tweaks, with a specific eye toward using it in the MultiPlayer environment since there's so many squad types here (and since online flying is where it's at right? Smile ). Some of the items will be basic common-sense stuff but that not everyone may know about. Other tweaks will be deeper, may involve video card drivers, settings for those, and even a few add-ons that have been developed with the intent of making the game look better than stock - while at the same time maintaining, or even improving, those all-important Frames Per Second (FPS).

A quick disclaimer: as stated above, there's lots of great tweaks, add-ons and updates out there. The CFS3 community has done a fantastic job rolling up their sleeves and taking advantage of CFS3's open architecture to make the game better all the time. It's impossible to go into detail about each and every one of them, as a result the tweaks and add-ons discussed here were selected for their potential of getting the most out of CFS3 with as little initial effort as possible. There's no reason why it can't keep improving, but after so long the number of enhancements possible will depend to a large extent on the user's comfort level in file manipulation as well as the "FPS Budget" that their system has - not every 'enhancement' is a performance tweak, so once you have CFS3 running well, proceed with caution and add things one at a time so you can reverse any changes...and always back up original files!

If anyone feels that their favorite tweak or upgrade was omitted, it is not intentional. Just speak up about it and it'll be run through the mill for testing.

The Plan:
Our goal will be to install CFS3 on a 2-1/2 year old middle-of-the road average system, and then, to not only make it look much, much better than what MS gives us by default, but to end up with equivalent or better FPS performance at the same time. In short make it nice n'sweet with no performance losses. Realistically, that's a pretty decent goal.

The Test Mule:
Dell Dimension 4200, Pentium 4, 1.8Ghz Processor, 100 Mhz bus
1 Gb RAM (old slow PC133 SDRAM, not DDR)
NVidia GeForce FX5200 128MB Video card
Windows XP, SP1 with all updates.

Nothing special by today's standards, specifically the slow RAM and bus is the biggest performance limitation this system has. The 1 Gig of RAM is overkill and something with 512 to 768MB should perform similarly. The video card used is a fairly inexpensive commodity these days, and this system also responded well in an earlier effort with a 64MB NVidia card.

Most importantly, most of the info and tweaks below will appy to any system regardless of processor type, video card, operating system etc. Use what you can, where you can, and you'll be OK.

(The next bit is some detail on how this was all measured...if you're not a tweaker geek like some of us, it'll probably be kinda boring so feel free to skip ahead to the installation pre-checklist and tweaking parts).

The Test Tool:
Just as importantly, is the way in which performance will be measured. It's pretty common to see improvement claims of 5 or 10 or 15 FPS (funny how they usually round out at the nearest 5) for individual tweaks, and if you put them all together, you might expect to be getting 135 FPS. While some tweaks are very effective, the truth is that many times the results are judged in a fairly anecdotal and subjective way and their true effectiveness is more likely a percentage result of the system's unique performance. What I mean is, the same tweak applied to a system getting 50 FPS might get you 5 extra FPS, but when applied to a system running 20FPS, you might just get 2, maybe even 1, FPS improvement. So take those numbers with a grain of salt and most importantly, find a way to accurately measure them so you really know what you're getting.

The test tool used throughout this series is a great utility called FRAPS. If you are a casual user and not a "tweak demon" you can live OK without it, but if you ever plan on rolling up your sleeves and digging into your system a little, it's a fantastic tool and totally free if you download the 1.9D version from www.fraps.com. The payware 2.0 version and higher is arguably well worth the small price since it allows video capture and you can make some great CFS3 movies with it.

FRAPS allows logging of FPS data either as a summary or on a per-second basis. For this project, summary logging is used. The test system was set up in a standard flight situation with CFS3, the hotkey to enable FPS recording was pressed, a pre-planned set of flight maneuvers was performed, and the hotkey to end FPS recording was pressed. The total frames displayed, total capture time, FPS Average for this time, Minimum and Maximum FPS detected will be logged to a text file in the FRAPS directory which grows each time you use it. This is a nice feature because you can edit the file and add your own notes as you try different things.

(Note: If you don't have or want FRAPS, just press the "Z" key and you'll get some onscreen data which will also show your FPS...although that feature tends to soak up some FPS just by being present, it's the next best option)

The Test Process:
This is the other problematic thing - it's totally dependant what FPS you get based on what you're doing and what your nose is pointing at. You get killer FPs looking up at clear blue sky, so-so FPS looking at clouds, maybe miserable FPS looking at a complex structure. We need something that not only duplicates our intended environment (MultiPlayer, turn-and-burn stuff) but also exercises different display situations, has a meaningful amount of sample measurement (not just a few seconds) and is consistently and reliably repeatable.

So we'll fly the same plane, in the same place, in the same sequence of specific maneuvers that'll sample what CFS3 might throw at us - screenfuls of sky, clouds, ground, an airbase, water, and some flak all the way throughout. And we'll do it for a decent length of time so we know we're not just getting a few lucky frames.

Settings (use what ya like, but this worked really well)
Set location to Toulon France,
Select the FW190A-5, set 5000' spawn, 3/8 clouds, spring, no labels, cone or brackets. Hard flight model with TAC on.
Set up for 1 enemy aircraft (P47D-25).
Flight Procedure:
- Spawn in level Flight 5000 ft, heading Due North;
- Set view to HUD if you prefer, most do;
- Pause, set the TAC display to A/C only, set zoom full out, set Full throttle, Unpause
- Start pushing the nose over into a gentle dive...at 10 degrees nose-down, start the FPS recording.....continue to 20 degrees nose down;
- At 4200 ft, begin pulling up and over into a full loop - complete the loop, facing back to North heading....end with nose 10 degrees above horizon at about 4000 ft;
- At 10-degrees nose high, roll right 90 degrees to immediately transition into a hard 360-degree break turn to the right, all the way around to a North heading again, maintain 4000 ft thru the turn....
- Back at N heading, roll left 180 degrees to reverse the turn into a 360-degree break-left around to N heading again, maintaining 4000 ft....
- Back at N heading, immediately roll left 90 degrees to transition into a Split-S and pull through and up 10-degree nose high, wings level...
- You should now be facing South and looking at the airfield at Toulon now. Perform 3 quick aileron rolls approaching/viewing airfield;
- Stop FPS recording at wings level at end of 3rd roll.

The routine above takes about 90 seconds to complete in the FW190 and with 3/8 clouds and full zoom, and with lots of terrain being drawn, is a pretty fair workout for the system. Only at the top half of the loop will you have a screenful of sky, the rest of the time the system is rendering ground, flak, clouds....and water, which surprisingly turns out to be one of the FPS killers in a stock CFS3 setup!

_________________
"Once your reputation is ruined, you can live quite freely."


Last edited by JG300-Stoopy on Fri Feb 04, 2005 10:07 am; edited 1 time in total
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 Feb 04, 2005 9:44 am
Post subject: Re: CFS3 Install, Tweak & Tune Guide!

Installation...pre-checklist.
It's not the purpose of this discussion to go much into PC and operating system tweaks. Frankly there are much better resources on the web, starting with the thread called ""Tweaking for smoothness" right here in the Com-Central FS2002/2004 forum. There are also some great websites with plenty of info such as www.blackviper.com and www.theeldergeek.com particularly if you're running Windows XP. But it's pretty much a given right now that your system is properly set up, with no outstanding issues, viruses, spyware, trojans, BSOD's, etc. and has:

-Been very recently cleaned up with "Disk Cleanup" and "Defrag"
-Has the latest version of DirectX installed (version 9.0b as of this writing)
-Has plenty of good hard drive space and recent versions of video drivers
-Has no inordinate amount of background tasks running that you don't really need.

Installation - and updates:
Pretty straightforward. Install CFS from the two CD's. Choose 'Express Install' if you like although it's good practice to usually choose 'Custom Install' and then go with the defaults - it's usually the same thing, but at least you get a little more info on what the install program is really doing....Can't hurt!

You can check your exact version of CFS3 by going to "My Computer", selecting the drive volume that CFS3 is installed on, then navigate to the main CFS3 directory which is usually (on a default installation):
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Combat Flight Simulator 3

Find the file "cfs3.exe', right-click on it, choose "Properties" and then select the "Versions" tab. Version should be 3.1.0.30203 or higher.

Unless your copy of CFS3 is fairly recent, you probably have the 3.0 version and that won't cut it. You wont be able to join many multiplayer games and you're missing some critical fixes. Go here:

www.microsoft.com/games/combatfs3/

Get the 3.1 and 3.1a updates, and install them,. The last one may not really be necessary unless you intend to fly the B25 much, but its small, so get it, and install it too.

First run:
Well we're installed and updated so let's fire this thing up and see what we got. Hmmmm....default resolution it set up was...800 x 600. Let's set up our flight, and...holy moly!!!



Well OK maybe it aint much to look at....yet!! Still, let's put it on the rack and see what we get.

Going through our flight maneuver test as described above, FRAPS reports the following performance:

Frames: 2339 - Time: 95141ms - Avg: 24.584 - Min: 2 - Max: 32

So we're getting 24 FPS average, but the "Min" is a problem....2 FPS?? Well that's understandable if you'd seen the flight. Stock CFS3 is prone to tons of "stutter". At times the video is doing fine and then BAM....everything comes to a halt for a little bit. What happens is the video card starts claiming all the available overhead and gets ahead of the rest of the system....then everything has to catch up...there's the stutter. This is EASILY fixed and is the one of the first tweaks to do.

_________________
"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 Feb 04, 2005 9:45 am
Post subject: Re: CFS3 Install, Tweak & Tune Guide!

Kill Stutter by Setting MAX FPS

We'll keep the video card from trying to make 60FPS happen when it can't possibly by setting a limiting on the maximum frames per second we want to have. This is a little bit of a guess on our part but we kind of know where to start by looking at the FRAPS log. It reports a max of 32 FPS achieved. Obviously the stutter occurred in trying to get past that. So we'll go for a little happy medium...30 FPS for starters. We could go lower, like 24FPS, but 30 will do fine for now.

The point is the number we use will be REALISTIC and lower than the max achieved when we got stutter. This setting will NOT get you any higher FPS, but will help spread the FPS around a little bit, so the whole flight is much more consistently smooth.

To set the MAX FPS, from your desktop, double-click on your "My Computer" icon, and navigate to the folder named "default" in your main CFS3 folder, which should be:
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Combat Flight Simulator 3\default

First thing we'll do is back up the original file:
Look for the file called CFS3.xml - right-click on it, select "Copy", then right click anywhere in the file folder area (not on the filename) and select "Paste"...this makes a backup copy named "Copy of cfs3.xml".

Now, to edit it: Right-click on the original file again, choose "Open" or "Open With" (if you havent opened an XML file before, you'll probably only have an "Open" option when you right-click...choose the "Select the program from a list" option and then choose Notepad as the tool to open it with.



You will see text like the following (it may be jumbled together on some lines, but the content is in this order:

- >CFS3<
>Debugger DefaultDebugLevel="Alerts" DisplayFileLine="No" DisplayLevel="No" Watson="Yes"
DebugLog="cfs3debug.log" ExitOnAssert="No" OnlyLogMsg="No" UseDebugWindow="Yes" EnableAsserts="Yes"
SingleAssert="No"<
>Timer DefaultPeriod="0" Log="cfs3timer.log" OnlyLog="No" UseDebugWindow="Yes"<
>Counter DefaultPeriod="0"<
>Graphics<
>OldAircraftRender="No"<
>MaxFPS="30"<
- >ModuleDebugLevels<
>SampleModule PrintLevel="Normal" AssertLevel="Alert"<
>ModuleDebugLevels<
- >TopicDebugLevels<
>SampleTopic PrintLevel="Normal" AssertLevel="Alert"<
>TopicDebugLevels<
>/CFS3<

That line in boldface is the key - it will not actually have a value of 30 in there, but will be blank or have a value of zero like MaxFPS="0". Insert a number as shown in this pic (where you see "22" in the pic below):



Then from the Notepad file menu, save the file and exit. Then start CFS3 and do some QC - verify your FPS remain where you set them...they may jump slightly higher occasionally, but you for sure shouldn't see 60, or whatever, and the stutters should be pretty much gone if you used a reasonable number.

_________________
"Once your reputation is ruined, you can live quite freely."


Last edited by JG300-Stoopy on Sun Feb 15, 2009 2:08 am; edited 1 time in total
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 Feb 04, 2005 9:47 am
Post subject: Re: CFS3 Install, Tweak & Tune Guide!

Configuring CFS3

While were out of CFS3, might as well take the time to actually set it up the way we want to fly because the 800x600 resolution on our test mule is NOT gonna do it. And cranking the resolution up is gonna extract a performance penalty but we have ways of dealing with that.

First, to run the CFS3 config program, From the “Start" menu, go to "All Programs", then "Microsoft Games" and “Combat Flight Simulator". Select the icon for "Run CFS3Config". After the message displays telling you that "CFS3 has been configured" go to the File menu and select "Change Display Options". It'll look like this, and for the test mule, 1280x1024 resolution is selected which has plenty of detail to enjoy the game - if you aren't sure about your rig, try something less like 1024 x 768. 16-bit depth of color is selected instead of 32 at least for now, since the benefits of the deeper palette are negligible most of the time, at least to my tired eyes.



Now for the other settings we need. From the file menu, select “Custom Settings" and select "OK" at the warning prompt. The changes that will be put into place are not going to make your system behave erratically like the warning says!

Now you'll have this screen...for now, set the sliders to what are shown (these actually may not vary much from what you would already have at this point):



Next, from the “Window" menu, select the "Overrides" option and prepare to make a few changes as follows:



Some of these settings, like "Disable Intro Movie", "Disable Movie UI"‚ "Disable Weapons" and "Disable Targeting Cone" are personal preference.

Others, specifically disabling the "Dual Pass Render" option and enabling "High Resolution Z Buffer" are critical. So is "Disable Terrain Texture Ring Blend". "Disable Water Reflection" has a very positive effect too, if you are willing to do that. Other disables like Write-Only Vertex and Index buffers are tips that don't seem to hurt and generally help get a smoother feel.

There's one last screen to go play with. From the "“Window" menu, select the "Texture Info" option and change to the following settings:



Basically these are:
Composite Terrain Texture Pool: Set to D3DPOOL_SYSTEMMEM
Composite Terrain Texture Usage: Set to D3DUSAGE_RENDERTARGET
Composite Aircraft Texture Pool: Set to D3DPOOL_SYSTEMMEM
Composite Aircraft Texture Usage: Set to D3DUSAGE_RENDERTARGET
Index Buffer Pool: Set to D3DPOOL_SYSTEMMEM
Fullscreen Swap Effect: Set to D3DSWAPEFFECT_DISCARD

The "Vertex Buffer Pool" setting may be best left alone, setting to D3DPOOL_SYSTEMMEM has caused brown flickering polygons with some effects when used in conjunction with the Nvidia 52.16 and 56.64 drivers. The other settings are pretty innocuous and no side effects observed.

That's it for changes for now so select the "OK" option at the bottom of the Config utility screen (you might have to pull down the taskbar to see that part) and when you are back at the main CFS3Config screen, go to the File menu and select "Exit" - DO NOT close the program by selecting the “X" gadget at the top right of the window since that will exit without saving changes.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hot Tip: If you make any changes to the graphic settings from within CFS3, it has the nasty habit of REVERTING many of these settings. For that reason, either avoid making changes in CFS3 and use the Config tool, or make the Config file READ-ONLY. To set it to read-only, go to the CFS3 Application Data folder which is in a totally different place. It is in:

C:\Documents and Settings\{your user name}\Application Data\Microsoft\Combat Flight Simulator 3.0

Find the file called ConfigOverrides.xml, right-click on it, go to “Properties" and select the Read-only attribute at the bottom of the properties page. Don't forget to disable this property if/when you want to make any config changes again though!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, let's see what that gives us now. Fire up CFS3 and take it for a ride. Should look a lot better for starters:



But lets see how the performance goes...running our test again, FRAPS now reports:

Frames: 2471 - Time: 104313ms - Avg: 23.688 - Min: 16 - Max: 32

Well, not too bad, we lost about 1 FPS through the whole thing, but it looks MUCH better and most importantly, notice the minimum FPS experienced is now 16 - a big change thanks to the MAX_FPS tweak. But we can do even better...

Summary: Most Effective Changes were:

- Higher-res but 16-bit video mode

In “Overrides" Section:
- Dual Pass Render UNCHECKED
- High Resolution Z Buffer CHECKED
- Disable Terrain Texture Ring Blend CHECKED
- Disable Water Reflection CHECKED
(More on water reflection later when we get to MAX_Devil's new water textures)

In "Texture Info" Section:
- Composite Terrain Texture Pool: Set to D3DPOOL_SYSTEMMEM
- Composite Terrain Texture Usage: Set to D3DUSAGE_RENDERTARGET
- Composite Aircraft Texture Pool: Set to D3DPOOL_SYSTEMMEM
- Composite Aircraft Texture Usage: Set to D3DUSAGE_RENDERTARGET
- Index Buffer Pool: Set to D3DPOOL_SYSTEMMEM
- Fullscreen Swap Effect: Set to D3DSWAPEFFECT_DISCARD

- "Vertex Buffer Pool" setting...leave alone!

_________________
"Once your reputation is ruined, you can live quite freely."


Last edited by JG300-Stoopy on Sun Feb 15, 2009 2:19 am; edited 1 time in total
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 Feb 04, 2005 9:47 am
Post subject: Re: CFS3 Install, Tweak & Tune Guide!

Video Driver Comparison

At this point with a fairly flyable CFS3, it's time to get down to the foundation of the system once again and make sure all is really shipshape. That way, any further CFS3-specific tweaks will show maximum benefit without any second-guessing.

This means it's time to take a look at video card drivers and get that all taken care of. If you're happy with your video drivers and feel comfortable that they're pretty much up to date, you can skip this section and move on. Otherwise it's info for us tweaker geeks and folks who aren't sure if their system is optimized and want to do something about it. Since this part is long feel free to cheat and go right to the bottom to see the winner if you like!

Because the test mule is outfitted with an NVidia card which is fairly common, this section will focus only on that particular brand. Apologies to anyone who owns a different card such as ATI, etc. Hopefully much of the same information will apply however it won't be possible to go into unique details of that card and it's drivers. However, the good news is that ATI has new Catalyst drivers out, you can read up on them and get them at ATI's download site here:

www.ati.com/support/driver.html

Now - to emulate real-world circumstances, the test rig was set up running fairly old NVidia drivers when the installation and testing above was performed. A recap of these drivers shows we have the following performance:

Nvidia 43.45 Drivers, MAXFPS set to 30 to kill stutters
Frames: 2471 - Time: 104313ms - Avg: 23.688 - Min: 16 - Max: 32

For comparison, the next driver set we'll try will be "Omega" optimized drivers for the NVidia cards. These are specially-tweaked drivers that are not directly supported by Nvidia, and also may fail to be WHQL (Windows Hardware Quality Labs) certified. About all that last bit means is that DirectX Diagnostics might give you a small warning. Even Nvidia releases non-WHQL drivers.

The Omega drivers can be found at www.omegacorner.com and if you search the NVidia section you can find the older version like the 43.45's in the Nvidia archive section.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
An important note about updating NVidia Drivers:
Normally logic would tell you that it's a simple matter of downloading the latest driver install set, running the install routine, rebooting, and you're good to go. Sadly, the harsh light of reality steps in and shows this is NOT TRUE.

It's common for at least one file, called nv4_disp.dll, to be left behind in the process. Typical when a system file is in use and can't be deleted or overwritten. So here's one suggested method to completely update your drivers. It uses a file remover utility called NFR - "Nasty File Remover", available at www.guru3d.com. The exact link is:
download.guru3d.com/pa...amp;id=582

This utility will clean up leftover drivers left behind by the uninstall process, and should be used after the drivers are uninstalled but before Windows XP attempts to install the new drivers.

1) Uninstall the current video drivers by going to the Control Panel and launching the Add/Remove Programs applet. For Nvidia owners, scroll down the list and select the Nvidia drivers, and select the "Change/Remove" button. Select YES to continue. the drivers will be removed.

2) The system will then prompt you for a restart of the computer. Select "OK" and be ready to interrupt the boot process with the F8 key....right after the system BIOS check is complete. Tap the F8 key a few times and you should get the prompt allowing different startup options. Select "Safe Mode" at the top of the list and let the system boot up. Don't be alarmed by the low-res screen you get.

3) Now run the NFR application. Select "Nvidia" and select "Next" to let it search for leftover files in the system directory. Typically, it will find the one file mentioned above. Select the file and then choose the "Delete" option. When NFR is done, it will suggest another scan - let it scan again and it shouldn't find anything. Select "Exit" and you are done.



4) Now install the new drivers as per the recommended procedure (you did download them already didn't you). This should now proceed normally and when the system reboots, you may have to re-select your video settings (resolution etc) and maybe move a few icons back to their original positions with the mouse - that's it!

That's one method of several to use, but it eliminates any nagging doubt as to wether the drivers are REALLY all up to date.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OK now on with the show - here are the results for several different video drivers which were tested with the CFS3 configuration so far:

OMEGA 43.45 Drivers from www.omegacorner.com
(Two tests were run because the first results were unexpected)
Frames: 2186 - Time: 108016ms - Avg: 20.237 - Min: 13 - Max: 32

After having praised the Omega drivers, this seemed odd but there are the numbers. Stock NVidia 43.45's beat 'em out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NVidia 52.16 drivers:
Frames: 2000 - Time: 101844ms - Avg: 19.637 - Min: 1 - Max: 32

Oh no - even worse! And on top of that, some BAD NASTY brown flickering polygons started popping up in the middle of the flight test. After a whole bunch of digging, this was traced to the “Vertex Buffer Pool� setting in the CFS3Config program...it was set to DPOOL_SYSTEMMEM....setting it back to defalt settings cured the problem, so another test was in order, and the result was:

CFS3Config Texture Info:
Vertex Buffer PoolMust be set to D3DPOOL_DEFAULT
Frames: 2264 - Time: 99203ms - Avg: 22.821 - Min: 16 - Max: 32

Compared to Avg: 23.688 - Min: 16 - Max: 32, the 52.16's loose a little bit. However, keep in mind that these are much newer drivers and other potential benefits exist - like having better compatibility with other programs on the system.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back to OmegaCorner, because it still seemed hard to believe the "Omega Tweaked" drivers got beat out....here are newer Omega's being tested:

OMEGA 45.23 Drivers
Frames: 2271 - Time: 99500ms - Avg: 22.824 - Min: 11 - Max: 32

The Omega tweaks must be for stuff that CFS3 doesn't appreciate. No reason to run 3rd-party stuff if there's no other benefit.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back to NVidia again, more current stuff:

Nvidia 53.03 Drivers, WHQL Certified
Frames: 2317 - Time: 100968ms - Avg: 22.947 - Min: 11 - Max: 32

Still an overall loss to the 43.45's and only slightly better average FPS than the 52.16's....but the 11 FPS Minimum measurement is really not good. The numbers point to this driver being more "peaky" than others, and consistency is really the goal here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Finally, Nvidia's latest:

NVidia 56.64 Drivers, just released:
Frames: 2112 - Time: 97281ms - Avg: 21.710 - Min: 10 - Max: 32

Nice new features, but not the best performance. We'll wait for the next version.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Summary:
Of 6 different and fairly common driver sets, the two top performers were the Nvidia 43.45's and the NVidia 52.16's. The minimum FPS measurements were not only the same, but the highest of any drivers tested. The overall FPS is less than 1FPS difference and so the decision here is pretty easy - go with the latest drivers. There's other things that still can be done to make up some potential difference, and the overall system benefits by being more up-to-date.

So after another uninstall and cleanup with NFR, the 52.16's were put back in place and buttoned down for good.

*****************************************************

UPDATE: New NVidia Drivers

Since the above was written, NVidia has now produced a newer driver set, version 60.72, with even BETTER performance than the 52.16's so far. Please see the update on this page for more information:

216.176.86.154/cpg/ind...;p=234#234

*****************************************************

_________________
"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 Feb 04, 2005 9:48 am
Post subject: Re: CFS3 Install, Tweak & Tune Guide!

Nvidia Driver Optimization

(If you have an ATI card, my apologies but little to none of this may apply)

Best thing about having fresh new video drivers on the system, is going to see all the settings! Plenty of fun things to play with and check out. BUT:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CAUTION IS IN ORDER: Be advised, this section is the trickiest one. It potentially involves registry edits to turn on the advanced features of the Nvidia control panel, and will discuss areas that potentially could harm your system if abused or misused. The changes described below are considered relatively safe but still, PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK, MAKE ONE CHANGE AT A TIME SO YOU CAN BACK ANYTHING OUT, AND JUST BE CAREFUL. Neither the author nor Com-Central assume any liability for damage claimed done to your system by use of the below material.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Nvidia control panel allows access to many features by default, but not all the features you might need to access in order to increase performance. A switch called "Coolbits" exists to turn those features on, but it involves an edit to the Windows system Registry - not the safest or user-friendly environment to go into. Rather than duplicate it here, just click this link below to read up on it, and make your own call:

oc3dmark.octeams.com/tip02.html

Regardless of your decision, here are the items which were next modified on the test mule system. Some will be available without the "Coolbits" registry edit, others won't:

Access the Nvidia control panel by right-clicking anywhere on the Windows desktop, select "Properties", gO to "Settings" tab, click the "Advanced" button, then go to the "NVidia" tab. You'll find each item as you go down the list of entries on the left side of the NVdia control panel.

Here are the measured details of each change:

(Current CFS3 FPS Baseline: Average: 22.947 - Min: 11 - Max: 32)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Performance and Quality Settings:
Changed from "Quality" to "Performance"
Test Flight Result:
Frames: 2235 - Time: 100046ms - Avg: 22.339 - Min: 12 - Max: 32

Changed from "Performance" to High Performance"
Test Flight Result:
Frames: 2194 - Time: 96578ms - Avg: 22.717 - Min: 12 - Max: 32

Summary: Every little bit helps...picked up a little on the low end. Kept this setting at "High Performance".

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Set Anisotropic Filtering to "2X"
Result:
Frames: 2187 - Time: 97172ms - Avg: 22.506 - Min: 11 - Max: 32

MUCH better look to the graphics however. Rather than push to the "4x" setting, this was left at 2X and we moved on.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Set Direct3D -> Mipmap Level Detail to "Highest Performance"
Result: FUZZY GAUGES!
Frames: 2153 - Time: 95562ms - Avg: 22.529 - Min: 14 - Max: 32

Set Direct3D -> Mipmap Level Detail to "Blend"
Result: STILL FUZZY GAUGES!
Frames: 2123 - Time: 94297ms - Avg: 22.513 - Min: 12 - Max: 32

Set Direct3D -> Mipmap Level Detail to "Highest Quality" which is where it was at the start.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Set Direct3D Fog Table Emulation to "Disabled"
Result:
Frames: 2174 - Time: 95984ms - Avg: 22.649 - Min: 13 - Max: 32

Not enough difference to bother with - set back to "Enabled"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Set Direct3D Vertical Sync to "Always Off"
Result:
Frames: 2298 - Time: 97750ms - Avg: 23.508 - Min: 15 - Max: 32

NOW we're talkin'. Left at "Always Off".

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Set Direct3D "Render no more than" 1 "Frames Ahead"
Result:
Frames: 2230 - Time: 95234ms - Avg: 23.416 - Min: 15 - Max: 32

Ehhhh. Punted and put back to 2 since so many people claim this is a tweak.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Changed OpenGL settings:
"Enable Texture Clamp Behavior"
"Vertical Sync Off by Default"
2004-03-20 17:10:04 - CFS3
Frames: 2354 - Time: 99782ms - Avg: 23.591 - Min: 11 - Max: 32

Ewww. Don't mess with 'em. Reset to default.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AND LASTLY....The DREADED OVERCLOCKING........

(Note: Never been a big fan of overclocking hardware. Always seemed like a great way to slowly cook stuff and cause instability problems, so have always turned away from it. The hardware engineers who design this stuff know best, don't they? )

Nevertheless, since there's a control panel tool for it, and an "Autodetect" setting, it must be kinda okay. I mean Nvidia is giving a way to change it right here so how bad can it really be, as long as it's not abused?

Okay...since this is a test mule, let's test it. But only up to what the "Autodetect" function gives us. Again, DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK ON YOUR OWN SYSTEM.

Clicking the "Allow Overclocking" checkmark pops up a friendly little warning then gives access to the Overclocking controls. After selecting the Autodetect button, after a short time, the system will respond with something like the following settings (which really weren't too far above what it was already at):



After pressing "OK" and acknowledging the warnings and message that the changes would be applied on the next startup, the system was rebooted and another test flight was performed, and this very mild video card overclocking via "Autodetect" resulted in:

Frames: 2421 - Time: 100640ms - Avg: 24.056 - Min: 15 - Max: 32

It was rechecked for consistency a second time and we got:

Frames: 2334 - Time: 96781ms - Avg: 24.116 - Min: 15 - Max: 32

And THAT is good enough to wrap this area up for now. The original goal was to get "equivalent or better FPS performance" and we started with 24.5 FPS average in 800x600 mode fer cryin out loud, with a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 32 FP. At an average of 24.1, minimum of 15 and max of 32 in much higher res, that's close 'nuff for now. So the lid was closed on the video driver panel and the test mule was given a chance to rest.

Summary: Effective changes were:
- Performance and Quality Settings set to "High Performance"
- Anisotropic Filtering set to "2X"
- Direct3D Vertical Sync set to "Always Off"
- Mild Overclocking via the "Autodetect" function.

_________________
"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 Feb 04, 2005 9:48 am
Post subject: Re: CFS3 Install, Tweak & Tune Guide!

Install the MAX Cloud tweaks

Now with a good base of CFS3 Configs, video drivers, and settings, it's time to pop the hood on CFS3 again and take a hard look at waht MS gave us...and see what some people have done about improving on that.

An excellent gent by the name of MAX_Devil has spent what must have been an awesome amount of time making several improvements to the textures of CFS3, with the apparent goal in mind of not only making the game look much better, but making it do so while appearing to be set at higher quality settings than it really is. Question is, is it a visual enhancement or a performance improvement? For those of us who are used to thinking of the two as mutually exclusive, the results are very (and pleasantly) surprising

First we'll deal with the MAX_Clouds update for CFS3 since there's so much time spent looking at 'em in the test process. A comprehensive download of all MAX_Devils tweaks - Clouds, Terrain, Water plus a few other goodies - is also on the download server here at Com-Central.net's download section. Look for the CFS3 Utilities section.

http://com-central.net/index.php?name=Downloads&c=75

It's a large file but well worth the single download for all that stuff.

After downloading, open the ZIP file "MAXcloudsUPDATE.zip" and extract the contents to a test folder. Open the README file and follow the instructions. MAX is a man of few words (which is good, after you've read all THIS stuff) and the installation is actualy pretty simple.

Here's a shot of the 3/8 clouds before the mod:



Here's a shot of afterwards:



And test results give us:
Result - Frames: 2295 - Time: 95797ms - Avg: 23.956 - Min: 14 - Max: 32

Which is like, a difference of just over 0.15 FPS AVERAGE - enough to be attributed to measurement variations. Consensus? Keep 'em! Because the higher cloud settings that wil be run, the MORE positive effect there will be!

S! to MAX_Devil and his efforts on this one!

_________________
"Once your reputation is ruined, you can live quite freely."


Last edited by JG300-Stoopy on Sun Mar 05, 2006 12:34 pm; edited 2 times in total
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 Feb 04, 2005 9:49 am
Post subject: Re: CFS3 Install, Tweak & Tune Guide!

Install the MAX Terrain tweaks

MAX_devil isn't through kickin' CFS3's heiny yet. Next up, are his Terrain tweaks, which are even better. They yield great detail on distant scenery and really help bring the whole sim to life.

Same as before, MAX's Terrain tweak update can be downloaded from the download server here at Com-Central.net's download section. Look for the CFS3 Utilities section.

http://com-central.net/index.php?name=Downloads&c=75

It's a large file but well worth the single download for all that stuff. This is the same file as used in the above section if you've already downloaded it.

Open the ZIP file "MAXterrain Tweak FINAL.zip" and extract the contents to a test folder. Open the README file and follow the instructions again.

Here's a shot of the CFS3 terrain before the mod:



If you read MAX's instructions properly, you'll note that this mod calls for different settings in CFS3Config than what have been used here so far. So run CFS3Config and do as MAX sez....Terrain Slider goes to "1", Scenery goes to "3". Run CFS3 and check it out...AWESOME:



And test results give us:
Frames: 2199 - Time: 93969ms - Avg: 23.401 - Min: 12 - Max: 32

Well admittedly, thats a bit of a hit but no sweat, with scenery like this it's well worth it IMHO. Take my word for it, the shrunken JGP's just can;t do this stuff justice. Need the performance more? Well, it's your call but remember we're still not through yet.

Out of curiosity, the settings on the test system were moved back to where they were before the terrain tweak - against MAX's recommendations - and another test was performed, yielding:

Frames: 1939 - Time: 99453ms - Avg: 19.496 - Min: 14 - Max: 32

Well that says it all....Moved the Terrain and Scenery back to MAX recommended settings of 1 and 3 respectively.

Another S! to MAX_Devil for his efforts!!

_________________
"Once your reputation is ruined, you can live quite freely."


Last edited by JG300-Stoopy on Sun Mar 05, 2006 12:35 pm; edited 2 times in total
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 Feb 04, 2005 9:50 am
Post subject: Re: CFS3 Install, Tweak & Tune Guide!

Install the MAX Water Texture Tweaks

Apparently not one to rest on his laurels, MAX_Devil has one more trick up his sleeve, and it addresses the big one.....Water textures. If you recall at the outset of this project, it was said that water is one of the biggest FPS offenders in CFS3. Well you're about to see why that claim was made.

MAX's Water textures can be downloaded from the download server here at Com-Central.net's download section. Look for the CFS3 Utilities section.

http://com-central.net/index.php?name=Downloads&c=75

It's a large file but well worth the single download for all that stuff. This is the same file as used in the above two sections if you've already downloaded it.

Open the ZIP file "MAXwaterANIMATIONfinalRELEASE.zip" and extract the contents to a test folder. Open the README file and follow the instructions again. This time, you'll note that there are two different sets to choose form. UNZIP the whole contents to a test directory and look in both folders, there is a sample picture of each. The dark water texture was chosen for the test mule.

A note about this particular installation: This one overwrites some original files in the effects/fxtextures folder in the main CFS3 directory. So the first thing you should do is BACK UP the original fxtextures folder just in case. However, the original water texture had a strange habit of showing up again after a while....what it seems happened is CFS3 still searches for different effects no matter what folder they may be in. Solution was to ZIP the backup folder up....then I renamed it fxtextures.zip_original so it couldn't even look in the ZIP...problem solved, no more turqoise stock water textures!

Here's a shot of the stock CFS3 Water textures before the mod:



....and which resulted in this performance of:
Frames: 2199 - Time: 93969ms - Avg: 23.401 - Min: 12 - Max: 32

And here are the MAX WATER Textures.....



Anyone who can't see that this is a vast improvement, needs to get away from the computer NOW and go watch 6 straight hours of "Gilligan's Island". Unless that's been the problem. Anyway, sure it looks fantastic, but the proof is in the puddin'....so another test flight is in order (really enjoying the scenery now) and the numbers that come out are...(drum roll)....

Frames: 2351 - Time: 95531ms - Avg: 24.609 - Min: 17 - Max: 32

And THOSE are the best numbers yet. Particularly the Min FPS measurement....again, best yet. With the best scenery yet. Re-read the mission statement at the beginning of all this, and it's pretty safe to say Mission Accomplished.

A word about Disabling Water Reflection in CFS3Config
The install notes that MAX_Devil gives us instruct to have water animation activated and that water reflection is personal preference. Just my personal opinion here; the water animation seems optional too - you'll see the whitecaps move a bit with it turned on, but at 400MPH it's not always a significant detail. However, as to the other setting, the pictures above just don't do justice to what these textures look like with Water Reflections enabled...it's a whole different ocean, and looks gorgeous. Unfortunately, this was also accompanied by a noticeable FPS hit on the test mule. Bottom line is, if you have the extra FPS budget to allow it, turn on water reflections. If you are trying to squeeze every drop of performance out of your system, leave it off (and maybe go with the light blue water instead of the dark, which will look a little closer to what reflections would give you).

Either way, the Professor would approve highly. So would th'Skipper and Maryanne! Smile Matter of fact, MAX_Devil, everyone on this uncharted desert isle called CFS3 gives you a huge S~ !!

(at this point a break is called for as the tester is getting a little punchy)...:D

_________________
"Once your reputation is ruined, you can live quite freely."


Last edited by JG300-Stoopy on Sun Mar 05, 2006 12:36 pm; edited 2 times in total
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 Feb 04, 2005 9:50 am
Post subject: Re: CFS3 Install, Tweak & Tune Guide!

Sound Stutter fix

Anyone installing or tweaking along with this project surely hasn't been able to resist shooting down a few planes by now. Notice that annoying PAUSE when you first pull the trigger?

CFS3 has a nasty habit of pausing for a split-second when you first fire your guns at a plane in a room. That's because it has to go out and fetch the sound file for the machine guns or cannon. Same things happen on some explosions. Surely we've all noticed it and have been living with it.

If memory serves right, credit for this one goes to (no surprise here)...MAX_Devil again, who found this and shared with the community some time ago. There is a file called 'preload.xml' in the main CFS3 directory which has some sounds set up to already load in cache so they don't cause a stutter. By simply adding the gun sounds to this file, they wll be preloaded and the system stutter will completely disappear. Only side effect is you might have to train yourself to NOT expect it now!

For this one, the tweak is pretty simple and the info shared about it showed how to go modify the stock file. JG300 uses a file based on this information with one or two extras thrown in, so to make it simple, you can just download and install this tweak rather than edit an XML file. Quick, simple, and no pause or stutter when you pull the trigger. It contains the original file also so the change can be reversed for any reason if anyone finds a reason to.

Here it is: simple install, just run the EXE program in the ZIP:

216.176.86.154/jg300/Preloadfix.zip

Bottom line: Not like the rest of the tweaks that yield a smoother flight all the time, but it makes a big difference where it counts...it's definitely recommended!

_________________
"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 Feb 04, 2005 9:51 am
Post subject: Re: CFS3 Install, Tweak & Tune Guide!

Multiplayer: Windowed Mode test & MAX_FPS Revisited

Credit for this one goes to FOE_Pappy, a pillar of the CFS3 MP community, and this is A GREAT tweak.

This particular tweak addresses the issue of CPU performance specifically for Multiplayer. CFS3 pretty much claims all the CPU time it can, and this is not particularly good if you are hosting a game. Side effects can include lag, maddening "freezes" for the host and game quality overall can suffer. WHY? Well...going WAYYYY back up this whole list, the VERY FIRST tweak that was done, the MAX_FPS setting, has absolutely NO EFFECT on Multiplayer!

You don't necessarily have to do this "Windowed" trick but it's good info....you could instead just skip down to the section on MAX_FPS in Multiplayer and plug in the number you are already using for QC / Standalone mode....but there's no guarantee that will help unless you see your CPU usage.

Here's the whole salami....the following shows how to run CFS3 in "windowed" mode so you can assess how much CPU overhead is being eaten up.....this is important because anyone experiencing those momentary 1-4 second (or more) "freezes" should be able to eliminate them entirely by bringing your CPU load down to less than 100%. If you are running at 100% CPU load, especially in single-player, than CFS3 multiplayer is more than likely gonna give you this problem.....because the additional overhead needed for the comm packets and player handling, especially if you are hosting, has the system working overtime at that point. Which means it has to do some housekeeping and spool out to virtual memory occasionally, which is....yup, you got it.....the freeze-ups!

Basically it's pretty simple: Find your CFS3 icon (mine is on a desktop folder), and copy it, paste it, and rename it accordingly. Look below and you'll see one CFS3 icon and one for WINDOWED mode:



Now to make it actually run in windowed mode, just add the option -windowed in the target field in program properties - right-click the icon, select properties, enter the added text, hit OK:



Here's what it will look like when you run it - kinda funky but the great thing is now you can run some other tools like Task Manager alongside it....



...and the tool to use is Task Manager, specifically the CPU Usage histogram. In Windows XP you can invoke Task Manager by pressing CTRL-ALT-DELETE.....then select the "Performance" tab to see your CPU usage:



Relocate the task manager window down to the bottom so you can watch the graph as you fly. Here, you'll notice that CPU usage is PEGGED at 100% all the time (the jaggies are from switching back and forth as I got set up)....you gotta fly for a while to get consistent results. THIS IS BAD!!!!!



Now look at the difference below in CPU usage....THIS is much better. Notice that CFS3 hardly ever creeps into the 100% zone now - when it does, it's the explosions and smoke which seem to drag the
system down, and those only happen occasionally. But the overall average is far better. All it took to do this was to limited the frame rates in the regular game AND in multiplayer to 30 and 28 FPS respectively. Info on how to do this is immediately below ( you have to edit a seperate XML file for multiplayer frame rate limits). The thing to know about CFS3 is, it will run off with ALL your resources PLUS it will let the video card run away with itself unless you tell it not to.

With everything set up to run at lower CPU usage, once you go back to running in full screen, MP is TOTALLY smooth, no hangs or freezes ever. And the other benefit is, if you host games, the people who enter your rooms will also notice a big difference, because your system now has much more CPU time to process the game packets coming and going from everyone.

As a matter of fact, it's a good idea to try an MP session, or even hosting a game, while running in windowed mode. You'll see that as people come into your room, your CPU load goes up. A room full of about 10 people eventually drive my system up to 100% load, your mileage will vary, but only then does any lag become noticeable. Try it and see - makes a big difference.


_________________
"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 Feb 04, 2005 9:51 am
Post subject: Re: CFS3 Install, Tweak & Tune Guide!

Multiplayer: MAX_FPS Revisited - "FramerateCap"

More on this gem of a tweak from FOE_Pappy:

This is basically a continuation of the above subject, but putting it into practice to set Multiplayer FPS restrictions: CFS3 Multiplayer mode does not recognize the regular MAXFPS tweak. There is a different file in a different whole area to set the limit just for multiplayer. This is important because if you don't, you loose the benefits of freeing up CPU usage when playing online.

2) To set MULTIPLAYER frame rate limits:

You have to edit and add a little bit more to a file that is in a different folder - this is in your CFS3 Applications folder, which is located in:

C:\Documents and Settings\{your user name}\Application Data\Microsoft\Combat Flight Simulator 3.0

Locate the file called multiplayer.xml. Just like before, right-click on it, and copy/paste it to make a backup just like you did the other file. Then right-click the original file again and select "Open" or "open With...." and open it with Notepad.

-----------------------------------------------------
TIP: Don't see the file? Probably because you haven't yet hosted a Multiplayer game yet. It won't show up until you do. There is a similar default file in the CFS3 "default" folder (under C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Combat Flight Simulator 3) that seems to have effect if you edit it. But once you host a room, go check the NEW file that is created in the area described up above, and make sure it has this setting entered!
-----------------------------------------------------

This time, you have to add a whole entry which is FramerateCap="30" (or whatever number) as follows:

<Multiplayer>
<Configuration FramerateCap="30" GunServiceAddr="cfs3match.zone.msn.com"
GunServicePort="2300" Username="Whoever" Password="" Name="The Pigsty" Description="lets have fun" MaxPlayers="10" Publish="1"/>
</Multiplayer>

Make it look like this (except for the "Stoopy" stuff Smile )



Save it, exit, and start CFS3 to test.

That should do ya.....go slow and don't make any typos, an extra or missing quote mark or misspelling will hose you - heck, cut and paste from here if it helps. Remember, if something isn't working right, you can go DELETE the files and just RENAME the backups you made, delete of the "Copy of " part and you're OK.

Bottom line: NO MORE FREEZEUPS...better rooms hosted, with less lag...S~ Pappy!!!!

_________________
"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 Feb 04, 2005 9:52 am
Post subject: Re: CFS3 Install, Tweak & Tune Guide!

Multiplayer connection Settings

Speaking of Multiplayer, now that it's running really well if you've taken advantage of the info above, here's reminder info on hosting more players in a room than default settings allow. Not really a performance tweak or anyting, but this project is slanted towards multiplayer and is one of those easy little details that's easy to forget to share.

The default CFS3 settings assume a 56K modem connection, so broadband users are limited to 4 players unless this setting is changed. Go to "Multiplayer Options" and change the connection type to either DSL, CABLE or T1. T1 allows a maximum of 16 players, but you can dial it back from there - I use a T1 setting but dialed back to 10 players in the hosting options when starting a room.

Drawbacks: If set higher than your system is really capable of, players in your rooms will eventually complain of lag. SO make sure you have the CPU overhead to do this, and don't go nutzo with it.


_________________
"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 Feb 04, 2005 9:52 am
Post subject: Re: CFS3 Install, Tweak & Tune Guide!

'Airfield Creep' and the "No Parked Planes" Tweak:

Credit for this goes to Sugita for passing along....as well as a link to the ZIP file hosted at sim-outhouse which has no author (or instructions).

This tweak deals with the annoying issue of slow FPS when approaching or viewing an airfield. Everything is buzzin along great but slows to a dang crawl whenever you even LOOK at an airfield.
Pretty much most of the slowdown is caused by the aircraft sitting on the ground - the increased level of detail needed in order to render them sucks up performance. Logically the fix is to clear those planes out, and the supplied tweak (thanks, Sugita!) modifies a few CFS3 files such that airfields will not have spawned aircraft.

Now there's more than one way to skin the cat on this problem - the method used here is to edit the default airfield files themselves and to eliminate the positions reserved for any parked aircraft.

Another way to do it, is to edit the XDP file for each aircraft in your collection and to set the "Allowspawn" setting to "0" (this is done the same way as some things like the MAXFPS tweak - open the XDP file with notepad, edit, save). This method is more of a bummer because it's not uncommon to have gobs of add-on aircraft and who wants to edit 65 or 100 different XDP files. BUT for some planes, like fictional ones (GeeBees, etc) it's handy because then they won't spawn in missions, which is always kinda odd to see.

Anyway, back to this tweak, and the file for it which can be found in the downloads section:

http://com-central.net/index.php?name=Downloads&c=75

As stated, there is no readme or author or instructions and I hope it's okay just to post the link in the manner it was given to me (Sugita, if you know the creator, I'd like to contact them about permission to wrap it as a self-installing file). But here's what to do with it:

0) If you like, make a backup of your "facilities" folder in the C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Combat Flight Simulator 3 directory.

1) Download the ZIP from the link above. Open the ZIP, inside are two more ZIP files.

2) Open the "airfields_no_parked_planes.zip" file within the ZIP

3.a) Extract the contents of "airfields_no_parked_planes.zip" to the main CFS3 folder, which is usually:
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Combat Flight Simulator 3
...and because the correct pathname is included in the ZIP, they will automatically extract to the \facilities folder.

3.b) (Or extract them to a test folder and copy them to the CFS3\facilities folder manually)

4) Either way, allow it to overwrite the original files - by the way, the ORIGINAL files are in that OTHER ZIP file included, so keep it handy just in case.

Now - what's it do? Obviously it strips any parked planes from the airfields. So things maybe might look a little empty....but it's WARTIME and maybe those planes are just out on a mission like they oughta be :D!!!! And again, for dogfighting multiplayer stuff, this isn't terribly important...full-on realism buffs can make their own call here. Frankly, to me, I didn't notice they were gone unless I looked for 'em.

How effective is this tweak?

To test this out, a more specific and simpler test was set up:

Set up a "Freeflight", same parameters as the dogfight test but at 2500 ft.
Spawn, set full zoom out, TAC set to "Airfields"
Maneuver your aircraft 2 miles North of the airbase at Toulon, 80% throttle, descend to 500ft. altitude.
Turn South and fly straight toward base at 500 ft.
Set TAC to 1 Mile (CTRL-SHIFT-T a coupla times)
When the airbase appears on the edge of the TAC display, Begin FRAPS logging (1 mile out)
Stop FRAPS logging when tower disappears under nose

Flyby test, STOCK airfields and planes all over:
Frames: 218 - Time: 13343ms - Avg: 16.338 - Min: 14 - Max: 24

Flyby test, with "No Parked Planes" Tweak:
Frames: 272 - Time: 13187ms - Avg: 20.626 - Min: 19 - Max: 25

Obviously there's where a lot of the performance hit in the previous tests have been coming from...this is VERY exciting and when the full-scale 90-second dogfight test was performed again, the numbers come out to:

Full flight retest

Previous Baseline:
Frames: 2351 - Time: 95531ms - Avg: 24.609 - Min: 17 - Max: 32

"No Parked Planes" Tweak:
Frames: 2329 - Time: 90656ms - Avg: 25.690 - Min: 20 - Max: 32

HOOOHOOO!! Best numbers yet plus a really annoying problem solved! BIG THUMBS UP from the test mule machine!
:rocker: :-D :rocker:

_________________
"Once your reputation is ruined, you can live quite freely."


Last edited by JG300-Stoopy on Sun Mar 05, 2006 12:38 pm; edited 2 times in total
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 Feb 04, 2005 10:01 am
Post subject: Re: CFS3 Install, Tweak & Tune Guide!

Multiplayer "Blank Map" FIX

56th_Capt_Predator PM'd with this great tip!

While not a "performance tweak" per se, it's still a mind-blower and fixes a real nuisance problem in CFS3 where airfields don't always show on the map in Multiplayer rooms. While the FFA guys may not care, those of us who fly missions, official matches that require forming up over or near an airfield, or do cross-country airfield hops and air races really need this...because all too often, you hit the map key and get.....nuthin'. Just a empty map with no airbases!

Previously (at least to some of us) the only known fix was to exit MP, go into Quick Combat, set up a flight anywhere in the same country, spawn, check the map, exit, go back into MP, login, and re-join the room. Frikkin' headache.

Here's the PERMANENT fix: Go run CFS3Config again (don't forget to make the cfs3config.xml not read-only if you are using that tip) and uncheck the "Disable Movie UI" box right here in the "Custom Settings" -> "Overrides" section:



Yes, this will re-enable the "preview" screen in CFS3 where you see the airfield and the selected plane. Takes a few more seconds to load CFS3 too, so be prepared.

But from now on, the "M" map key will always show the airfields (yup, the screenshots are from verifying the fix...apologies to "the Editor" for popping in and out of his room to do this) just like this:



Much better eh? And the map is now also zoomed out, which was an unexpected result, but hey, it works!

Good one..thanks and ~S~ to 56th_Capt_Predator, and all the 56th gang!


_________________
"Once your reputation is ruined, you can live quite freely."
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic    Revive this topic    Printer Friendly Page    Forum Index ›  CFS3
Page 1 of 3
All times are GMT - 6 Hours
Go to page 1, 2, 3  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.