New Pilot needs performance help

[vyrago 0]

Hi everyone, really excited about finally getting my copy of OFF but im having some performance issues. I know theres alot of settings/tweaks that are important, I just dont know where to start. During quick fights everything runs fine, its during the campaign that things really get choppy.

 

My computer:

 

AMD X2 3800 (dual core)

2 GB RAM

GeForce 9800 GT

320 GB HD

 

Can anyone recommend some settings to help with the framerate during the campaign? I've tried all kinds of resolutions, they all seem to be about the same? My detail settings are at 2.

[ConradB 0]

Vyrago,

 

You can start here: http://www.com-central.net/index.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=118

 

Just make the tweaks in your CFSWWI Over Flanders Fields folder instead of the CFS3 folder. It's a good place to start for the basics, and you can go from there.

[sitting_duck 3]

I have ati, so not sure if this is going to apply to you. Hopefully someone is sending me a Brand new nvidia (it wont fit in his case lol), so i can test this out on another card.

 

the process involves alot of starting and stopping the game, alot so recommend you navigate to your cfsww1 directory and find your cfs3.exe, and make a shortcut to it on the desktop, then you wont have to start from the off manager every time.

 

this is what i did on my computer.

 

reset your cfs3config to default, then make only one change, set your resolution to whatever it is you want.

 

if possible,,reset your nvidaia control panel to default (assuming you know what settings you prefer in the nvidia control panel)

 

run the game, with lables off..tack off,,hud off, and look at your frame rates, write them down.

 

got back to cfs3config, and make one change,,uncheck dual pass render,,the play the game again, and look at the framrate to check if it got better or worse.

 

then keep up this process,,starting with your sliders first, I did mine one slider,,,on click at a time, but if your not patient, you could accelerate the process...

 

do your plane slider, then your effects slider, then your clouds slider, just make sure you play the game after each setting change, and write down the results.

 

when you do your scnery and terraind sliders, i would use the one click at a time. I found these are the ones that have the biggiest impact on fps. If you see a change in settings that makes your fps drop too much, go back and change it back.

 

after sliders are done, make your overide settings on setting at a time, and again play the game, and write down the effect of fps

 

then your texture info...

 

when i did this on my computer, i found the ONLY recommended setting that improved my fps was the unchecking dual pass render box. All the other recommended tweaks dropped my fps, and gave me no noticable improvement in the game.

 

after i was finished with cfs3config, i went back to my video card control panel, and set all my settings to high, and my fps still stayed at where it was.

 

should you do this, would be interested in what results you got,,

 

if the process only happens to apply to me, will stop bothering ppl with this ....lol

[vyrago 0]

um....what? region?

 

anyways, i've tried various tweaks and still cant get rid of stuttering when playing a campaign mission. espescially when over enemy territory.

 

Am I doing something wrong, or is this just a 'known issue'?

 

(that wouldnt make sense, since I can newer games like Rise of Flight with no problems whatsoever.)

[vyrago 0]

I've tried setting my region to US, and made sure my language was set to English US. I still often get around 12 fps during campaign flights over enemy territory, whereas free flight/quick combat I get about 35. (i have max framrate=35)

 

I gotta find some FPS somewhere although I remember reading that the campaign is very CPU intensive, and so graphic tweaks may not really give me the boost I need.

[Herr Prop-Wasche 7]

35 fps may be a little high for your system. Try lowering it to 32 or even 30.

 

Also check your virtual memory settings. With 2 Gigs of RAM, you should set VM to 3.5 Gbytes.

[vyrago 0]

My detail sliders are already at 2. :(

 

Lowering to 1, doesnt seem to help the campaign very much. I've narrowed it down to Airbases being the problem it seems. When im flying over or around airbases, the fps drops to about 11 or 12.

 

 

 

 

[vyrago 0]

At this point, I really gotta agree with you. Its too bad, cuz I'm really enjoying the gameplay. Now I find myself really drawn towards Rise of Flight, and amazingly, it runs so well on my machine.

 

My request for advice still stands to anyone else who stumbles across this post and has a tweak I might try.

[ConradB 0]

Vyrago,

 

One thing that may help, is to get a second harddrive that is compatable with the one you have, and set them up in a RAID. It can help to pump things up, and is a lot less expensive than a new video card.

 

Just out of curiosity, how much memory does your 9800 GT have?

[vyrago 0]

My Geforce 9800 GT has 1 gb DDR3.

 

I have all my games installed on a separate drive which is brand new and very fast. I dont think thats the problem, im pretty sure its my processor.

 

That being said, I've been able to tweak the hell out of and may have found a 'happy medium'.

 

I'll try to sum up my tweaks:

 

1. max FPS = 20

2. Overall detail 2. Aircraft 4, Terrain 2, Scenery 2, Special Effects 2, Clouds 1

3. Dual Render Pass, unchecked.

4. High Resolution Z-Buffer and Terrain Detail Texture checked.

5. Texture Info set according to: http://www.overflandersfields.com/Tips.htm

6. Nvidia Nhancer set as per this thread: http://forum.combatace.com/topic/52702-nhancer-utility-for-nvidia-card-users/

 

 

These settings seem to work during the campaign, the slowest i've seen now is 14.86 FPS. Thats just about tolerable at this point I suppose.

 

Im always open to new suggestions and tweaks, I'd love to find a few more FPS. I'd also like to be able to turn Terrain and Scenery up to 3 but that seems to cause alot of stutters during a crowded campaign mission.

 

If I find anything new, i'll post here.

[ConradB 0]

You could try reducing the ground object density in the Workshops, and see if that will afford you a few more FPS. The less stuff on the ground being drawn, the better. Also, any of the info stuff that crops up on the screen can be turned of in the checkboxes where the Dualpass Render stuff is at. The targeting cone, and then also things like disabling shadows and all that kinda stuff.

 

Is your CPU the 3800+? Those usually kicked some butt. And they were very friendly to overclocking.

[vyrago 0]

wow....I think I might have it. I lowered the ground object density and really think I've found a stable setup. Campaign is working great so far, although I havent had any 'major' encounters yet, just skirmishes.

 

I'm really liking everything so far, although it lacks the visual appeal of Rise of Flight it really has the gameplay edge.

 

Thanks so much to everyone who pointed out some tweaks to me, its been a LONG testing process but I think i've got everything setup just right. *fingers crossed*

 

 

 

 

[Creaghorn 10]

you should also set air activity to light. it's not only more realistic, it will also give you a very good boost to the performance. with the years air-activity will increase anyway

 

 

[Von Paulus 8]

wow....I think I might have it. I lowered the ground object density and really think I've found a stable setup. Campaign is working great so far, although I havent had any 'major' encounters yet, just skirmishes.

 

I'm really liking everything so far, although it lacks the visual appeal of Rise of Flight it really has the gameplay edge.

 

Thanks so much to everyone who pointed out some tweaks to me, its been a LONG testing process but I think i've got everything setup just right. *fingers crossed*

 

 

 

 

Like ConradB said also disable the shadows there is no great visual impact and helps with FPS.

[vyrago 0]

It seems my air activity was already set to Light. oh well.

 

As for shadows, I like them. I sometimes use them to tell the altitude of low flying aircraft. I'll keep them on for now, but if I decide to turn them off how do I turn off all shadows?

[Von Paulus 8]

It seems my air activity was already set to Light. oh well.

 

As for shadows, I like them. I sometimes use them to tell the altitude of low flying aircraft. I'll keep them on for now, but if I decide to turn them off how do I turn off all shadows?

In the overrides section in cfs3config; that's the place where you've set Dual Render Pass unchecked. One of the options is disable shadows.

[vyrago 0]

I'm usually above, looking down. It seems the only trees that cast shadows are the ones part of airbases, the autogen trees dont seem to cast any shadows. I'll try turning it off and see how much I miss having it.