Loss of FPS upon approach to KDFW

[chevy83]

Hello!

I have a pretty high end computer for FSX and have many of the FSDream team add-ons. I am noticing upon arrive on ILS into DFW, I am incurring a major frame rate loss, such dropping into the 5-8s versus the 15-23 FPS while at the airport with engines running. I don't see how this can be attributed to the AI traffic. I do also notice this on KMEM as well.

Is this an issue with the textures or perhaps a conflict between my ORBX Global scenery and the FSDT scenery itself?

[virtuali]

I have a pretty high end computer for FSX and have many of the FSDream team add-ons. I am noticing upon arrive on ILS into DFW, I am incurring a major frame rate loss, such dropping into the 5-8s versus the 15-23 FPS while at the airport with engines running. I don't see how this can be attributed to the AI traffic. I do also notice this on KMEM as well.

Even 15-23 FPS is really bad so, it's surely your settings are too high, you are using too much AI traffic, an airplane too heavy on fps, or a combination of all three.

As usual, when suspecting the scenery might have an fps problem (it surely doesn't, KDFW is known to be very fps-friendly), the first thing to test is to measure the fps with 0% Traffic of any kind (including cars, etc.) and with a default airplane.

If you see a significant difference, then you'll know the problem is not the scenery.

[cmpbllsjc]

I have a pretty high end computer for FSX and have many of the FSDream team add-ons. I am noticing upon arrive on ILS into DFW, I am incurring a major frame rate loss, such dropping into the 5-8s versus the 15-23 FPS while at the airport with engines running. I don't see how this can be attributed to the AI traffic. I do also notice this on KMEM as well.

Even 15-23 FPS is really bad so, it's surely your settings are too high, you are using too much AI traffic, an airplane too heavy on fps, or a combination of all three.

As usual, when suspecting the scenery might have an fps problem (it surely doesn't, KDFW is known to be very fps-friendly), the first thing to test is to measure the fps with 0% Traffic of any kind (including cars, etc.) and with a default airplane.

If you see a significant difference, then you'll know the problem is not the scenery.

Umberto,

I've noticed a little worse performance at DFW recently as well.

I haven't run any updates in ages and was still on an older version of GSX and addon manager for a long time. I noticed in the update log of fixes that is said KDFW LODs were adjusted. I wonder if this is what's causing my decrease as I notice it with the same settings I used prior to updating. I still have an older DFW pye file you sent me. Maybe I should revert to that pye file and see if I get the old performance back?

[virtuali]

I haven't run any updates in ages and was still on an older version of GSX and addon manager for a long time. I noticed in the update log of fixes that is said KDFW LODs were adjusted. I wonder if this is what's causing my decrease as I notice it with the same settings I used prior to updating. I still have an older DFW pye file you sent me. Maybe I should revert to that pye file and see if I get the old performance back?

Well, the LOD levels were fixed in KDFW, in a 2016 update, following so many reports from users wanting to use the airport at very wide zoom settings, for example this one:

http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php/topic,10208.msg80018.html#msg80018

See my last comment:

Just wait for the patch we are working at NOW. Of course, you'll lose some fps, nothing is free in this world...

We often get criticized for being so maniacally obsessed with fps, and that our product are "weird" because they "pop-up", cannot be used at extremely wide zoom angles, and why they cannot be just like any other scenery developer out there, with no pop-ups, but when we say this and there will be SOME performance cost associated, the usual reply is that hardware is getting better and better, and some performance loss wouldn't be a problem.

In any case, here's the fps I get at KDFW, in the worse possible spot, with most of the main terminals in view:

[cmpbllsjc]

I haven't run any updates in ages and was still on an older version of GSX and addon manager for a long time. I noticed in the update log of fixes that is said KDFW LODs were adjusted. I wonder if this is what's causing my decrease as I notice it with the same settings I used prior to updating. I still have an older DFW pye file you sent me. Maybe I should revert to that pye file and see if I get the old performance back?

Well, the LOD levels were fixed in KDFW, in a 2016 update, following so many reports from users wanting to use the airport at very wide zoom settings, for example this one:

http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php/topic,10208.msg80018.html#msg80018

I think the older pye KDFW file you sent me was after the 2016 updated. I still have it and will try it when I get home.

I don't run super wide soon levels, about .80 to .80 which I find looks more realistic and is generally easier on FPS. Don't mind a few pop ups if it increased FPS. Personally I thought the older LODs were fine and worked well, but I understand why you increased them since some people were complaining as in that thread.

[cmpbllsjc]

Well, the LOD levels were fixed in KDFW, in a 2016 update, following so many reports from users wanting to use the airport at very wide zoom settings, for example this one:

http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php/topic,10208.msg80018.html#msg80018

Umberto, I couldn't find the pye file but found the thread where you sent me the older pye file which works better for me. I redownloaded it and placed it in the appropriate folder, starteded FSX and selected KDFW. Once it loaded I got the pop up box that said it was out of date and to download addon manager.

Then I remembered you said this.

It's not possible that just the change of LOD levels would result in so much difference. We obviously measured first and before the patch, and on my system, with the whole airport in view on a default A321, I get 25.2 fps average before the patch, and 23.2 fps average after. 2 fps out of 25 is more or less what I expected to lose.

It's not a question of "getting the old files", we haven't updated any files, it's just an update to the Python script that handles KDFW, I can let you test as it was before, this way:

1) Uninstall, then Reinstall KDFW, in order to un-patch the files

2) Put the attached .PYE file in the FSX\fsdreamteam\couatl\KDFW folder

This file doesn't patch the LOD levels, so it's exactly as it has always been.

If I redownload and reinstall KDFW and then place the older pye file in the appropriate folder should it work this time? I don't remember reinstalling the scenery the last time to get the older pye file to work but will do it if required.

[virtuali]

If I redownload and reinstall KDFW and then place the older pye file in the appropriate folder should it work this time? I don't remember reinstalling the scenery the last time to get the older pye file to work but will do it if required.

Most likely not.