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General FreeSpace => FreeSpace & FreeSpace Open Support => Topic started by: Meatball on November 26, 2020, 10:21:39 am

Title: Massive FPS drops
Post by: Meatball on November 26, 2020, 10:21:39 am
Hello! So I have issues I've not had before, granted I had a pause from playing Freespace Open for 6 - 12 months but I still have the same machine.

Currently I'm enjoying my first playthrough of Between The Ashes, but I have some SERIOUS framerate issues.
At the start of most missions, I sit steadily between 100-120 fps (the cap is also at 120) and when the fighting gets medium - heavy, it can drop as low as to 10 fps, and not stuttering, consistently.  A few times the game can stutter as well, freezeframe or drop really low, this usually happens when I'm up close to fighters or capital ships, usually it doesn't tho.

I don't know why, I got the default settings on I believe on Knossos. I'll write down my specs here.

CPU: Intel Core i7 4770k (max clock at 4.4 GHz)
GPU: MSI Geforce 970 4GB
RAM: 8GB 2133Mhz
SSD: Samsung EVO 850 sata
Monitor: Acer 27" 1440p 144hz
Title: Re: Massive FPS drops
Post by: starbug on November 27, 2020, 07:13:43 am
In the FSO settings on knossos have you disabled Vsync, it's in either graphics or gamespeed options. As I used to have bad frame rates, then I disabled the Vysnc and noticed a dramatic improvement of framerate. Also disabling environment maps and not using the advanced effects media vps if you are using them will increase performance.
Title: Re: Massive FPS drops
Post by: General Battuta on November 27, 2020, 10:12:09 am
I've been getting TERRIBLE framerates on recent builds though I'm not sure if it's for the same reason.
Title: Re: Massive FPS drops
Post by: Meatball on November 27, 2020, 11:21:10 am
It did help to turn off V sync but I still drop to very low framerates. I also tried disabling environmental maps and I never had advanced effects install in the first place, still I'm between 10-30 fps, it really depends on how heavy the fight is. But it's weird since I've had 60fps+ in even the heaviest of fights.

Could it have anything to do with the new hi-poly models? There's a lot of them now, my PC is quite old.
Title: Re: Massive FPS drops
Post by: starbug on November 27, 2020, 12:04:09 pm
Could be, have you tried fredding up some maps to see if you can find if it's a certain ship that does it. I know the new demon model does cause a few framerate drops esp if theirs more than one. Have you tried reverting to a previous build of mediavps to see if it is the newer one that's causing it. Also as battuta suggests have you tried using a older FSO build. To see if that is also the issue?
Title: Re: Massive FPS drops
Post by: Meatball on November 27, 2020, 04:11:45 pm
Could be, have you tried fredding up some maps to see if you can find if it's a certain ship that does it. I know the new demon model does cause a few framerate drops esp if theirs more than one. Have you tried reverting to a previous build of mediavps to see if it is the newer one that's causing it. Also as battuta suggests have you tried using a older FSO build. To see if that is also the issue?
Do I just install an older Knossos build or is it a mod build?
Title: Re: Massive FPS drops
Post by: starbug on November 27, 2020, 06:04:59 pm
So to change the build you need to go into the FSO settings of the mod your running in knossos, then where is has FSO build right at the top next to that there should be a drop down selection box followed by a browse box, click that and browse to where knossos installs your mods and fsopen builds in my case its c:\games\freespaceopen\bin now the bin folder should contain all the previous builds of fsopen that knossos has used.

Then it's a case of selecting an earlier version by the date it was created, its sadly going to be a trail and error to find one that gives you a smoother game.

If you dont have any earlier builds you will need to download them from the forum, I am not sure how to install them for knossos but I'm sure someone else can help with that.
Title: Re: Massive FPS drops
Post by: Meatball on November 30, 2020, 02:35:59 am
So to change the build you need to go into the FSO settings of the mod your running in knossos, then where is has FSO build right at the top next to that there should be a drop down selection box followed by a browse box, click that and browse to where knossos installs your mods and fsopen builds in my case its c:\games\freespaceopen\bin now the bin folder should contain all the previous builds of fsopen that knossos has used.

Then it's a case of selecting an earlier version by the date it was created, its sadly going to be a trail and error to find one that gives you a smoother game.

If you dont have any earlier builds you will need to download them from the forum, I am not sure how to install them for knossos but I'm sure someone else can help with that.

Hmmm, I just recently started playing again and installed so, I don't have any older versions of for example BtA, or any mods. Had a quick lookie on the forums but the just recommend knossos.
Title: Re: Massive FPS drops
Post by: starbug on November 30, 2020, 10:52:55 am
Unless somebody else here can tell you how to download other builds and get them working in knossos, as i am unsure. What you will need to do is go to the freespace source code part of the forum, download the latest version of the launcher https://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=67950.0 install it, there is an installer version. Then go to the nightly builds part of the forum and try some of those for example https://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=96915.0

Most of the FS mods do have an option to download manually without Knossos, you just need to make separate folders for you mods for example, C:\Games\Freespace\BlueplanetComplete etc. Run the launcher and direct it to your mod, and FSO build. You will need to disable the Vsync etc again. You can redownload the mods which come with or you can copy across your mods from Knossos and create a mod file for them.  I am assuming all your CPU, GPU drivers are up to date?

Another and this is most likely to help, route is to go to the Hard light Discord and ask there, you will probably get a quick response there and other tips on how to help with the problem. Also what will help is if you run the game in debug mode, via Knossos, same way you launch FRED. Then post the Debug log. That will help the coders identify what the issue is and able to give you a better idea what is causing the framerate issue.