Can increasing FSX settings increase performance?

[GHD]

Yes.

[DaveB]

I'm not at all sure I should have started this thread now

Thanks for those links Ian.. both excellent bedtime reading I'm sure Previously, I've made the settings according to a particular scenery install but with each new scenery, you get variations on a theme. Gary Summons will state one thing for best performance e t c yet another will recommend something different. I really can't be doing with changing settings according to where I'm flying so I eventually fall somewhere inbetween the lot. The new cfg changed all of that. I still have the last one and a number previous to that but I only ever make a new cfg when something has gone wrong so there seems little point in adding something to a new cfg that may have caused the old one to let go

The 2 simple changes I made above made a tremendous difference to Alderney and the Scillies but next to nothing for GUE. It looked better but ran little or no faster. GUE can get down to 9fps for me so I don't go there often. If I do, I fly around the island facing the sea I've not been elsewhere in the UK yet. Spent too much time in the Pacific North West but since I've covered most of the relevant airports via Harrier, I see no point in going back again.. not yet awhile anyway

I shall certainly keep an eye on what happens here and have the greatest regard for George as he knows what he's talking about so whatever I end up with will be based roughly on his comments. Not saying anyone elses will be disregarded.. I'm willing to try anything once but all our systems are different and no matter what 'the book says'.. what works on one is not guaranteed to work on another, even though it should

I'll go and have a look at Marham next and the surrounding countryside to see if I've ballsed that up

ATB
DaveB

[DaveB]

Hmm.. I didn't try Alderney at 30/3 (or should that be 3/30) but I did try GenXv2 out of ACG Marham at 5m mesh/1m texture (I can't set 1.2 George.. it's either 1 or 2!) and I don't know what I think. The previous 60cm from 2m didn't work particularly well there even though it works a treat at Alderney and 5/1 looked better and frames weren't bad but it was all a bit stuttery. Maybe it was my eyes.. I'll look again in the morning

ATB
DaveB

[DaveB]

Morning Comrades

Having read the manual (GenX that is), it's no surprise to find George's settings are bang on the money. Settings from the manual as follows..
LOD radius: Large
Mesh Complexity: 100
Mesh Resolution: 5m (for full terrain mesh)
Texture Resolution: 1m/2m (for 1.2m/2.4m scenery respectively)
Water effects: High 1x (depending on your system performance)
Land detail textures: OFF

It suggests a target FR of 30fps and Global texture resolution at LOW. A note on Global texture resolution.. at the LOW setting, my Cessna looked pony (at last, I've found the reason for this!) so I upped it to MED then HIGH. Global texture res effects the LOD of 3D objects! Funny the things you forget with the passage of time These settings didn't work badly it has to be said but as with FS in general, no one set of figures works for every machine and it's easy to end up fiddling and not knowing which was the best. I moved between a Texture Res of 1m and 2m and could barely notice what I'd done. FR's are so similar as to be indistinguishable and system performance neither here nor there
I'm not sure that targetting 30fps helps either.. my system seemed more foot loose and fancy free at 45 but that was before I started fiddling so now, I can't remember The 2 biggest changes in the list above are LOD Radius and Mesh Complexity. Mine were at Medium and 72 respectively.. Large and 100 as above equates to sliders hard right.

Where am I now? Well, I don't know

ATB
DaveB

[GHD]

The biggest fps hit is autogen followed by the water settings.

Treescapes is unusual, anything less than "Very dense" results in areas covered by lines of trees rather than random placement.

In my opinion, Water effects should be at least "Low 2.x" to see reflections.

"Ground scenery shadows" can introduce artifacts.

I run with "Global texture resolution" "Very high" and with "Advanced animations"

Regarding "Target frame rate", I find i better to run "Unlimited" but others find it better locked, you pays your money ...

[DaveB]

Hiya George

One thing I've always been aware of was water. I'm currently at Mid 2.x which was probably what the cfg rebuild put it at but I've learned that having it any higher really belts performance and any less leaves you with FS9 looking oggin. Going from GenX covered mainland to specialised areas like the Scillies and the CI (I have the Western Isles too but haven't popped up there yet).. if anything, this exercise has shown that it's important to match mesh and texture res to a particular scenery in order to a) get the most out of it and b) to provide a smoother visual experience.

I had FR's unlocked until very recently.. since I started using ACG I guess. Two levels of thought 'over there' say that if you're seeing lows of say 13fps, lock it to that while another says that if you're seeing highs of 40, lock it to that. This is where my 45 came from. So much depends on where it is you're flying and at what altitude and speed.. even what you're flying that the best you can do is find something inbetween that works.

Anyway.. I've left trees and houses for a while (though I still keep a weather eye on both) to pursue the ultimate settings.. settings I know aren't out there

Thanks for your continued input George. Nice to revisit the 'basics' every now and again

ATB
DaveB

[Airspeed]

Hi Dave,
Just wait till you get ORBX.....the standard Texture Resolution is 7cm!!

[DaveB]

Believe it or not Mike, ORBX PWN looked and ran just fine on my old default settings.. it ran pretty much the same as default. I appreciate though that there isn't a great deal to see up there but it has to be said.. Bowerman was great. It reminded me a lot of Emma Field for FS9. The main difference between the two is Bowerman has moving bods.. other than that, they're like for like.

I shall hang off buying FTX England until I've seen and heard more about it. Also, while enjoyed the day or so I had up in PNW, it's nice to know that flying over GenX.. it really is as real as it gets

ATB
DaveB

[ChrisHunt]

...but setting Autogen to off apparently increases stutters and reduces frame rates. The best setting for autogen is said to be dense even if you use photo scenery. This is one of those FSX things were it uses unecessary CPU cycles if you don't have enough building work going on! I did take this advice and I did notice an improvement in overall performance.

Regarding the white houses - was out for a walk this afternoon and took a photo of my town from a distance and b*gger me most of the houses were white or light grey!

Regards,
Chris

[DaveB]

Shall we call them light grey or 'weathered white'?

Yup.. it's one of those 'Catch 22's' isn't it.. damned if you do and damned if you don't. I have my Autogen on V.Dense despite not flying anywhere outside the UK for the most part. There seems little difference to FR's in sim.. just to the Treescape trees and they recommend 'Normal'.

ATB
DaveB