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Framerate issues, revisited again


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  • Aerosoft

As the previous topic got a bit messy and it was hard to support the customers there I made a new one.

We currently have 32 customers in our list with people who have FPS that are way lower then expected, we believe a part of those did a reset of FSX and solved their issues but we still like to keep track of the remaining (and any new ones) to see if we can support them and if we can find a reason for the issue,

Is there a problem on your system?

The best way to find out is to compare the default FSX/P3D Airbus with the our Airbus. Under exactly the same conditions we would expect a decrease in FPS between 25% (with no weather, no huge range set on the ND) and 50% (with the weather radar scanning a complex weather pattern and/or a lot of information displayed on the ND). You would expect similar results with nearly every complex aircraft add-on. But clearly the inclusion of a weather radar that actually works with all weather add-ons is a load that no other aircraft yet had to face up to (the PMDG 777 does not scan the weather, it displays the weather one specific weather add-on makes).

This is best tested under load, so on a complex airport but without weather. That will give you a baseline. If you then set a complex multilayered weather pattern you can see how that affects the default bus and our bus. Of course tweaking FSX so it shows Average fps and not instant fps is needed for a good result. Here you see this on my machine, I get 51 fps with our Airbus compared to 72 fps with the default airbus. Just as we would expect.

post-43-0-63448100-1416226803_thumb.png post-43-0-59307600-1416226815_thumb.png

In other words, if you get 28 fps average with the default bus on Aerosoft Heathrow Xtended, you should not expect super good fps with a far more complex aircraft!

What can you do to increase FPS (when it is abnormally low)?

  1. We find that a lot of problems are caused by silly tweaks to FSX.cfg. We advise only the highmem tweak. All other tweaks might have an effect but will have side effects!
  2. In our experience almost all means of limiting frame-rates are counterproductive. The one inside FSX is just silly and the external ones all seem to reduce possible FSP with 25 to 50%. Try without and you could be seriously surprised.
  3. Almost all people who have problems use ASN. Now that is a super weather tool but it can create weather patterns that are very very complex and that are hard to scan. Now this is NOT a incompatibility between ASN and our bus. We do not read any data from ASN as we scan the actual weather in FSX (that is why it works with any weather tool or even default FSX weather). Some ASN users have reported that switching off the "repeating overcast pattern fix" in ASN's visual fixes tab helps.
  4. On a few systems the Weather Radar has shown to cause severe drop in frame rates combined with some advanced settings in weather tools. It is now possible to edit some functions via the AB_ND_GDI.ini (to be found in MyDocuments\Aerosoft\Airbus. The options are explained in the comments in that file. To activate the options remove the red // character

    [WXRadar]

    //WXBackgroundScan=2
    //Remark: Some WX data are normally required to be scanned in background even when WX Radar is switched off. Due to performance reasons on some customersystems currently the user can select between following background scanning modes: 0 = COMPLETE OFF best frame rates), 1 = LIMITED SCAN, 2 = FULL SCAN (normal status). As long as WX Radar is switched on, this parameter has no affect! This parameter is allowed to be changed at runtime (just change this parameter in INI file and safe it)
  5. If you got a modern graphics card, make sure the software ECAM rendering is off. Note that almost no laptop is able to handle this in hardware!
    post-43-0-06453800-1416225565_thumb.png

I get highly fluctuating FPS!

That is possible. In contrast to many other add-ons there are many things we have to calculate in a frame by frame base (because of the FBW and the fact we need to intercept the throttle commands). This puts a constant high load on the system. We offset that partly by having other modules only take resources when needed. This creates a fluctuating FPS. It should not be a problem though as our FBW system is robust enough to handle a second of low fps. A fluctuation of 15% to 20% is normal. As long as your base FPS is not too low that should not be a problem. Please note that you need to let this test run for a few minutes before you get stable results.

Will there be a fix from Aerosoft?

No. Although we continuously will try to optimize things there is precious little to gain. The issue with unexpected low fps only occurs on a few systems and not on tens of thousands of others. Also we have never seen this happen on a cleanly installed system and we have had numerous customers who solved these issues by doing a clean install of FSX and it's add-ons (and yes we do understand this is not a nice advise, sorry).

But the fill in your aircraft that has better fps does not have this!!!

We know. FSX/P3D is rather mysterious in many ways. On some systems for example the PMDG 737 NGX is faster, on most it is slightly slower. Exactly what causes that is not known to us (or PMDG, yes we have discussed that with them).What is clear is that the Aerosoft Airbus loves CPU cycles more than most other complex aircraft because of the high demand in continuous background tasks (throttle and FBW) that are running. Also all the additional things other 3rd party add-ons do not have (semi intelligent voice checklists, digital flight data recorder, build in web server) all take their toll.

Can you help?

Perhaps. If you got indeed a more than 50% drop in FPS between the default bus and our bus we would like to know. Send us your screenshots with the AVERAGE fps so we understand what you see. Do not get your hopes up because in most of these occasions we'll never know what happened.

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Hi,
Mathijs. I think that I solved my problems with A320.
I read your post and I Looked info Airbus configurator. I disabled "AirbusXConnect" and "Force ECAM software rendering" Options and now it works fine. No FPS oscillations, I used Terrain on ND and the weather Radar and the FPS has never decreased under 27 FPS. In cruise It runs around 35-40 FPS. No more oscillation at 15 FPS. Also with A319 IAE that before gave me problems now is ok.

Thanks

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yesterday i was testing between a route with average weather and addonairports! the crazy thing is i have no more than 22 fps, somtimes going down to 15-18, also in cruise level but no stuttering, all is smooth with 15fps for example! courios!

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Hi to all,

unfortunatly yesterday evening I encountered the same problem of FPS oscillations with A320. I started FSX to test a new AFCAD and I noticed the FPS problem.

On Monday I had solved the problem by opening "Airbus Configurator" and removed the flag on "Force ECAM software Rendering" and "Airbus Connect Extended". I loaded the Fuel Planner to load the Fuel and the Payload and then FSX. I set the A320 in Cold and Dark Configuration but since the beginning the FPS was very good without oscillation.

Yesterday when I noticed the FPS oscillation I loaded again the "Airbus Configurator" acting on the following parameters:

- "Force ECAM Software Rendering"

- "Airbus Connect Extended"

- Select your NavData Source, selecting NavData pro or Navigraph.

I Reloaded FSX and, in one event, the FPS was Normal without variations. I think that there is something in the Airbus Configuration that could impact on this event but I don't know what. Where can I check if the options "Force ECAM Software Rendering" and "Force ECAM Software Rendering" are effectively disabled?

Have you other suggestions?

Thanks

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Hi to all,

unfortunatly yesterday evening I encountered the same problem of FPS oscillations with A320. I started FSX to test a new AFCAD and I noticed the FPS problem.

On Monday I had solved the problem by opening "Airbus Configurator" and removed the flag on "Force ECAM software Rendering" and "Airbus Connect Extended". I loaded the Fuel Planner to load the Fuel and the Payload and then FSX. I set the A320 in Cold and Dark Configuration but since the beginning the FPS was very good without oscillation.

Yesterday when I noticed the FPS oscillation I loaded again the "Airbus Configurator" acting on the following parameters:

- "Force ECAM Software Rendering"

- "Airbus Connect Extended"

- Select your NavData Source, selecting NavData pro or Navigraph.

I Reloaded FSX and, in one event, the FPS was Normal without variations. I think that there is something in the Airbus Configuration that could impact on this event but I don't know what. Where can I check if the options "Force ECAM Software Rendering" and "Force ECAM Software Rendering" are effectively disabled?

Have you other suggestions?

Thanks

Hi,

problably a video with the event will better explain the situation. How can I send you a video?

Thanks for support.

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  • Aerosoft

Francecom, you can just attach a video to a post. But I doubt it can be useful. A variation in fps is simply part of this product. To see if the software rendering is active or not is simpler, the small black v is shown or not.

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Francecom, you can just attach a video to a post. But I doubt it can be useful. A variation in fps is simply part of this product. To see if the software rendering is active or not is simpler, the small black v is shown or not.

Hi Mathijs,

attached you can find the videos. Sorry for the poor quality but i have not a video Recorder inside my PC so I used my Phone.

FS condition:

- FSX default (without scenery).

- No weather.

The two video represent:

- A319 CFM where you can see normal oscillation of the FPS and all its Ok both on ground and in flight. Today I flew with Weather Radar On and Terrain on ND for 1h and 20 mins with FPS never below 28 FPS.

- A320 CFM as soon as I released the parking brake. As you can see the FPS drops to a minimum of 12 and and the oscillation is not similar to the A319 behaviour. These oscillation lead to a loss of fluidity and the Sim starts to jerk especially during view change (this is not happen with A319).

I could understand if this behaviour always happen but as I explained in the post above on Monday I flew with A320 for more than 1 Hour with the same behaviour of the A319 with normal FPS oscillation, after removing the flags to "Airbus X Connect extended" and "Force ECAM Software Rendering".

Now I have the same setting but it doesn't work correctly.

What could it be?

Thanks for support.

A319 CFM.MOV

A320 CFM.MOV

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Hi again,

after a lot of tests I found out the the problem that involves the oscillation of the FPS.

1. First of all I Replaced the A320 "Panel_FallBack" folder with the A319 one, starting from the consideration that A319 CFM works fine.

2. With the file of A319, A320 works fine too.

2. I started to replace file by file with the original A320, each time restarting FSX to test the performance.

3. I found that when I Replaced this file : "Airbus_ECAMD2D.dll" with the orginal file of A320 the problems is came back, with oscillation of FPS.

With the "Airbus_ECAMD2D.dll" of the A319 the FPS oscillation stops, but it is impossible to control the Engine Thrust since when I increase the Thrust the engines remain at IDLE.

Is it possibile to adapt the A319 file for the A320 (or modify the A320 dll with the same standard of A319) in order to solve the problems definitively?

Thanks

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Hi again,

after a lot of tests I found out the the problem that involves the oscillation of the FPS.

1. First of all I Replaced the A320 "Panel_FallBack" folder with the A319 one, starting from the consideration that A319 CFM works fine.

2. With the file of A319, A320 works fine too.

2. I started to replace file by file with the original A320, each time restarting FSX to test the performance.

3. I found that when I Replaced this file : "Airbus_ECAMD2D.dll" with the orginal file of A320 the problems is came back, with oscillation of FPS.

With the "Airbus_ECAMD2D.dll" of the A319 the FPS oscillation stops, but it is impossible to control the Engine Thrust since when I increase the Thrust the engines remain at IDLE.

Is it possibile to adapt the A319 file for the A320 (or modify the A320 dll with the same standard of A319) in order to solve the problems definitively?

Thanks

francescom

an interesting & encouraging find !

i don't have the 318/9 & i have only flown the 320IAE so can't add any further to your efforts .... so hope another can "duplicate" your results for either model !

i do note however that others reported the "problem" on the 319 prior to the 320's release, but then that may have been before the various "fixes etc" to the 319 after its release.

john

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francescom

i am surprised you have not heard from others ... given i thought there was many like you & i that have the " issue".

have you updated to vers 1.1 of the a320/1 yet ... i was wondering if inadvertently / accidently there was a solution therein / it has disappeared !

i will be updating soon, just haven't had the time !!

having simmed other complex aircraft on the same pc / same add-ons including the axe, i find it hard to believe it's not a "stress glitch" in the a320/1 somehow (as you have possibly identified).

cheers

john

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for me a new fsx.cfg and a new instalation of ASN doesnt help. no more than 14-22 fps down to 8-10 in some situations!

the new Airbus is a misterium in the long jorney with my fsx so far!

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I'm recently only encountered this as well after uninstalling Airbus x Extended and installing Airbus v1.10 of A320/321..No issues before this. Version 1 appear to perform swell, as did my A318/A319 V1.00 and the current. Something had to happen after A320/A321 V1.10 install. My FPS went to 4-9. I'll give it a shot to uninstall ASNXT and reinstall it. Its far less burdensome than to reinstall 743 addon scenery by an FSX reinstall.

Update

I followed above + reinstalled ASNXT wha laa....all is normal again fps 14-19...and no stutters. next flight I'm going to reactivate Force Ecam..Software to try and isolate the issue.

Update 2.

This issue seems to be tried to SP1 of Active Sky next specially as it pertains to the "Repeating overcast texture pattern fix" . After deactivating it my fps returned to normal. 18 - 25

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Hi,

because as I explained in post #8 for me the problem seems to be related to "Airbus_ECAMD2D.dll". With the same file of the A319 my frame rate is ok and the product can be use normally.

So I think that there is something in the A320 Version that cause the problem, so i Would like to see the differences from both file. If somebody from AES would you like to help me I would be happy do not touch the original file.

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Sorry, but you completely misunderstood something, as there is no file to edit.

In fact I will try to edit by myself. At the moment A320 for me is unusable due to the problem reported above. I would like to use it in the same way as A319.

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  • Aerosoft

Hi to all,

just for info, is AES investigating about the problem related to FPS abnormally oscillating or not?

If you need further information about the event I am happy to help you.

Thanks

No, we have so far been unable to find any relation. And it actually would be extremely strange if there would be one as AES is dormant until it is called up.

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