Frame Rates

[Steve Hunnisett]

Hi.  Really enjoying the Islander but a little mystified by the low frame rates when 'inside' the cabin/cockpit.  My system doesn't have a big video card and I usually get by with  significantly boosted system RAM but this does enable me to run some pretty complex aircraft, many with demanding glass cockpits.  Using outside views at my usual low x-plane graphic settings the Islander gives me about 24-25 FPS, usually good enough.  Inside, however I get between 17-19 FPS- but this is constant and does not seem to be affected by scenery, clouds, etc.  X-Plane just about runs the Islander in this configuration but looking at the cabin/instrument panel textures I can't see anything there that would cause frame rates to run that low -I was recently using Vmax's 747-8 inter at higher graphic settings and getting about 28-29 FPS in similar desert scenery. 

I suspect there may be a plug-in conflict; I have tried turning off all the plug ins but this made no difference. Could I ask you to look through the attached log file to see if there's anything that can be done to improve the frame rates for the internal views?

 

Many thanks- the BN-2 is great!

Log.txt

[Coop]

1 hour ago, Steve Hunnisett said:

Hi.  Really enjoying the Islander but a little mystified by the low frame rates when 'inside' the cabin/cockpit.  My system doesn't have a big video card and I usually get by with  significantly boosted system RAM but this does enable me to run some pretty complex aircraft, many with demanding glass cockpits.  Using outside views at my usual low x-plane graphic settings the Islander gives me about 24-25 FPS, usually good enough.  Inside, however I get between 17-19 FPS- but this is constant and does not seem to be affected by scenery, clouds, etc.  X-Plane just about runs the Islander in this configuration but looking at the cabin/instrument panel textures I can't see anything there that would cause frame rates to run that low -I was recently using Vmax's 747-8 inter at higher graphic settings and getting about 28-29 FPS in similar desert scenery. 

 I suspect there may be a plug-in conflict; I have tried turning off all the plug ins but this made no difference. Could I ask you to look through the attached log file to see if there's anything that can be done to improve the frame rates for the internal views?

 

Many thanks- the BN-2 is great!

Log.txt

This is most likely due to VRAM usage, we are working on a 2K texture pack mod that should roll out over the next few days which should improve VRAM usage and performance. In the meantime, lowering the X-Plane texture settings should help.

[dresoccer4]

i noticed this as well, however i have a 1080 max-q. i will get 60fps over open ocean when in outside view, however it dips down to 30fps inside, but only sometimes. it's very strange and it's not for lack of VRAM. usually depends on a certain viewing angle. but that should now happen with this plane as even much larger ones don't have this effect. ill see if i can take some screenshots to show you what i mean.

still absolutely loving it

[Coop]

2 minutes ago, dresoccer4 said:

i noticed this as well, however i have a 1080 max-q. i will get 60fps over open ocean when in outside view, however it dips down to 30fps inside, but only sometimes. it's very strange and it's not for lack of VRAM. usually depends on a certain viewing angle. but that should now happen with this plane as even much larger ones don't have this effect. ill see if i can take some screenshots to show you what i mean.

 still absolutely loving it

Interesting, can you share your log.txt file? Are you on 11.41 or 11.50?

[dresoccer4]

58 minutes ago, Coop said:

Interesting, can you share your log.txt file? Are you on 11.41 or 11.50?

i'm on 11.41r1 and log attached.

so here I'm looking straight foward, getting a smooth 60fps (as shown in the upper left corner):

 

if i just look a little to my right, it's drops down to HALF that so <30 fps:

 

this happens when looking around the cockpit. i'll hit a smooth 60fps segment then immediately drop down to 30fps with just slight view change. external view maintains a constant 60fps no matter what angle

Log.txt

Edited April 26, 2020 by dresoccer4

[Coop]

That is quite odd. One idea I have, it might be the prop disc. Can you check to see if it only happens if the propeller is in the view?

[dresoccer4]

37 minutes ago, Coop said:

That is quite odd. One idea I have, it might be the prop disc. Can you check to see if it only happens if the propeller is in the view?

hmm that doesn't seem to be it. here's two more screenshots:

looking at prop getting >60fps:

looking away from prop towards rear getting <30fps:

[Coop]

@dresoccer4 Can you try at PMDY (airport in the middle of nowhere in the Pacific) to see if it might be related to scenery and isolate it to the plane. Once there if you turn off all the lights (exterior and panel) if that helps at all?

[clecorouge]

@dresoccer4 I optimized the livery you are using (I believe it is the "COWI Aerial Survey OY-CKS").

My optimized version is still png 24 and 4k but is 11mo instead of 18mo ;-)

Also in case the livery you are featuring in your screencap is the "Confused Screaming", I have also optimized it (with the same effectiveness > no magic just Photoshop CC export) and you'll also find it attached.

Hope it will make a difference for you ;-)

Let me know if this helps.

Cheers,

C

@Coop

COWI Aerial Survey OY-CKS optimized.rar

Confused Screaming optimized.rar

Edited April 26, 2020 by clecorouge

[dresoccer4]

9 hours ago, Coop said:

@dresoccer4 Can you try at PMDY (airport in the middle of nowhere in the Pacific) to see if it might be related to scenery and isolate it to the plane. Once there if you turn off all the lights (exterior and panel) if that helps at all?

here you go, taken at PMDY while cold and dark. i did a few different angles here to show the discrepancies: 

1) looking at cockpit 1 (60fps)

2) looking at cockpit 2 (30fps)

3) looking out right window at engine (60fps)

4) at rear of plane looking towards tail from inside (30fps)

[Coop]

@dresoccer4 What is the displayed VRAM usage in X-Plane graphics settings?

Edited April 26, 2020 by Coop

[dresoccer4]

7 minutes ago, Coop said:

@dresoccer4 What is the displayed VRAM usage in X-Plane graphics settings?

4515 MB of VRAM textures, and my GPU was running at 99%  

for comparison, I loaded up the new vFlyteAir DHC-3 Turbo Otter which uses high quality graphics and is a larger aircraft, and it uses only 2632 MB of VRAM and my GPU is running at 44%

[Coop]

8 minutes ago, dresoccer4 said:

4515 MB of VRAM textures, and my GPU was running at 99%  

 for comparison, I loaded up the new vFlyteAir DHC-3 Turbo Otter which uses high quality graphics and is a larger aircraft, and it uses only 2632 MB of VRAM and my GPU is running at 44%

You can try this out, it should help based on your texture settings: 

 

[dresoccer4]

2 minutes ago, Coop said:

You can try this out, it should help based on your texture settings: 

 

ill try it out, but my GPU has 8GB of VRAM so that shouldn't be an issue, right? would that be causing the frame rate issue?

[Coop]

The aircraft itself won't use that much VRAM, with scenery it can easily skyrocket. This is just a step for debugging in the process to figure out what is going on, as we can't replicate this issue

[dresoccer4]

2 minutes ago, Coop said:

The aircraft itself won't use that much VRAM, with scenery it can easily skyrocket. This is just a step for debugging in the process to figure out what is going on, as we can't replicate this issue

ok, back at PMDY with the new 2k texture pack installed. currently using 1999GB of texture memory.

more info: when outside the plane (external view), my GPU is at ~60%. As soon as i move into the cockpit view, it immediately rockets up to 99%

[Coop]

Just now, dresoccer4 said:

ok, back at PMDY with the new 2k texture pack installed. currently using 1999GB of texture memory.

more info: when outside the plane (external view), my GPU is at ~60%. As soon as i move into the cockpit view, it immediately rockets up to 99%

Can you make sure the Cockpit lights knob is turned completely off and the Cabin lights switch is turned off too?

[dresoccer4]

2 minutes ago, Coop said:

Can you make sure the Cockpit lights knob is turned completely off and the Cabin lights switch is turned off too?

confirm they're off

[dresoccer4]

its strange, even this view of the very back of the plane with hardly any textures knocks the FPS down and ramps my GPU up to 99%

[Coop]

Talked with one of our other devs, we have an idea that could be it, though we aren't sure. Can you go into the TorqueSim BN-2 Islander/objects/ folder and rename the "PPL" folder to "zPPL" 
This will force the people objects to never load, we are wondering if there is something going on with those objects causing the FPS tank.

[0zz]

35 minutes ago, Coop said:

Talked with one of our other devs, we have an idea that could be it, though we aren't sure. Can you go into the TorqueSim BN-2 Islander/objects/ folder and rename the "PPL" folder to "zPPL" 
This will force the people objects to never load, we are wondering if there is something going on with those objects causing the FPS tank.

Hi Coop,

I am also having a constant 50% FPS inside the cockpit. Between 12-14 depending the camera angle. External view is 25-30 fps. And this is with almost all addons turned off, world objects at minimal. As a comparison TBM900 (which is a quite heavy addon) is around 22 FPS and Zibo737 25 FPS, those are the most resource heavy addons I have, and those are with the addons and world objects at high.

I installed 2K textures, which didnt make any difference. I am getting same FPS as 4K.

I renamed the PPL folder and disabled passangers. That did not helped at all, FPS remains same.

I also attached my latest Log.txt file.

I hope you guys solve this quickly. It is literally unplayable at the moment

Log.txt

Let me know if you need any other info or test on my end, that would help you pinpoint the issue

Thanks

Edited April 26, 2020 by 0zz

[dresoccer4]

49 minutes ago, Coop said:

Talked with one of our other devs, we have an idea that could be it, though we aren't sure. Can you go into the TorqueSim BN-2 Islander/objects/ folder and rename the "PPL" folder to "zPPL" 
This will force the people objects to never load, we are wondering if there is something going on with those objects causing the FPS tank.

i made the folder name change, however fps still tanks in same locations as mentioned before

Edited April 26, 2020 by dresoccer4

[Steve Hunnisett]

19 hours ago, Coop said:

This is most likely due to VRAM usage, we are working on a 2K texture pack mod that should roll out over the next few days which should improve VRAM usage and performance. In the meantime, lowering the X-Plane texture settings should help.

Many thanks, Coop- will try these out.  I've had an ongoing battle with FPS for a few years now and usually resolve things OK but what's happening with the BN-2 is most unusual as there simply doesn't seem to be anything in the cabin that could soak up frames like this.  Culprits on other aircraft include the Librain plug-in (for Mac users), glass reflections, X-Plane animations (such as traffic or ships), clouds, 'glass' cockpits, AI aircraft and on one occasion the cabin lights.  

 The BN-2 is a cracking aircraft- I love the simple flight characteristics and 'feel' of it- shame there have been a few technical hitches... 

[dresoccer4]

is there a way to disable reflections? on top of it being a nice feature to have (option to turn reflections on and off) I wonder if it's having an impact at all

[Coop]

You can try temporarily removing these files from the "objects" folder, let me know if this works:

• glass_ext.obj
• glass_int.obj
• glass.obj