34 replies to this topic

[miracle]

Hi Everyone,

 

I use Flight simulator X , it's a hudge CPU consumer and we can pass entire days tweaking the conf to grab some FPS.

To save precious CPU cycle,  we use a tool called FPS limiter to limit the render to a certain value.

 

Because most screen don't display over 60Fps (my screen cab is 60Hz) i wonder if theyre is a similar tool for VP ?

Draw 1000Fps on a 60Hz screen is not relevant since the real thing is to be able to display a constant 60Fps.

 

My cab pc hardware is at the limit to run some table like Terminator 2 Chrome Mod.

I display 300Fps, but it can drop to 30Fps in certain circomstances.

Using a FPS limiter, i should have a more smooth experience (like we do in FSX).

 

I don't found such tool to use with VP...

 

Ced

 

 

 

[htamas]

In the latest build of VP, there is a checkbox in Video Options that's called Adaptive Vsync. It does exactly what you want.

 

Be aware though that (at least in my experience) this may cause some pretty annoying jerky ball movement. Not constant stutter, just the occasional slight hiccup. I wanted to use this feature because it fixed coil whine in my setup, but due to the visibly worse gameplay, I had to deactivate it.

Perhaps it will work better for you.

Edited by htamas, 05 December 2012 - 05:52 PM.

[Slydog43]

In the latest build of VP, there is a checkbox in Video Options that's called Adaptive Vsync. It does exactly what you want.

 

Be aware though that (at least in my experience) this may cause some pretty annoying jerky ball movement. Not constant stutter, just the occasional slight hiccup. I wanted to use this feature because it fixed coil whine in my setup, but due to the visibly worse gameplay, I had to deactivate it.

Perhaps it will work better for you.

I had the same experience with the new option.  Really loving the new builds though, as I seem to get next to no micro stutter on any table, Yeah!

[toxie]

It indeed does that, but i guess the original question was more targeted at not only limiting the framerate, but "doing useful work" instead..

Currently VP just basically idles (i.e. at least more time for PinMame in theory) when limiting the framerate..

 

I'll see if there could be something more useful done there like increasing the amount of cycles spent in the physics code instead of just idling..

[htamas]

I'll see if there could be something more useful done there like increasing the amount of cycles spent in the physics code instead of just idling..

 

That would be great, but it will be a moot point if adaptive Vsync causes ball hiccups...

[jimmyfingers]

It indeed does that, but i guess the original question was more targeted at not only limiting the framerate, but "doing useful work" instead..

Currently VP just basically idles (i.e. at least more time for PinMame in theory) when limiting the framerate..

 

I'll see if there could be something more useful done there like increasing the amount of cycles spent in the physics code instead of just idling..

That would be great Toxie if you were able to keep the physics code still cycling as fast or even faster with the saved FPS while using the new v-sync option as it does seem there is some nuances regarding aim / shots with certain flippers when the limiting is applied. So, that would seem to possibly fix that. 

 

@slydog43 and htamas - Are you on Windows 7 or Windows XP?  I have found that I can enable the v-sync in Windows 7 and get really smooth game play but the key is that I had to disable desktop composition in the compatibility for the vpinball.exe.  This effectively made it more like I was running it on Windows XP and without the v-sync did / does re-introduce flipper tear, however, when you enable the v-sync it does resolve that and was very smooth (I tested this theory on the recent version 1.0 of The Simpsons table that was quite stuttery and v-sync really smoothed it out to the point a mod might not have been necessary).  Like I say though, I can't use that option still as I see some flipper shots get thrown off on hugely wide angles. 

 

There is one other small problem though in that the v-sync option, at least in Windows 7 as described above, as it still produces some tearing on alpha flashers.  The tearing is resolved by re-enabling desktop composition and disabling v-sync in VP.  So unfortunately there's at least two things I see that would still need to be fixed - the physics cycles affecting some behaviour on the table (i.e. flippers) and the tearing that still happens on alphas / flashers

[htamas]

I'm on XP SP3.

[miracle]

Great !

Thanks for the latest build, i'll test it quickly.

Does it a "Final release" ? or beta ?

Where did you find it ?

Thanks you Toxie to take time to try optimize this fantastic pinball emulator

[koadic]

They are just compiles I am doing from source when Toxie updates the code... you can find the link to the most recent version I have compiled along with a link to a folder with all compiles in my signature.

[miracle]

Ok,

Wich difference with these release and the Visual Pinball 9.1.4 FULL Install 9.1.4 ?

 

Does it is official release ?

 

Cheer.

 

Ced

[xio]

It's a developpement build so it's not supposed to be as stable as official release should be, so you could come with some unpredictable errors.

But as it's only one exe file, it doesn't matter as you don't have to replace your existing files to run it.

[miracle]

Thanks, i just see the post about this

 

http://www.vpforums....showtopic=12951

 

Cheer.

[bent98]

I saw Randy Davis added some DX7 files to VP in build 377.  Is he going to participate in any new development work?

[htamas]

Would it be possible to enhance the features of adaptive vsync and allow a custom FPS setting?

 

Currently, the vsync-ed FPS value is limited at (or close to) the display's refresh rate. This means that a table that otherwise would show 1000 or more FPS with F11 when the ball is present, it will max out at 60 FPS regardless if the ball is in play or not. However this also may result in the occasional hiccup in ball movement or generally speaking a less pleasant overall view of the game.

If it was possible to set a certain maximum FPS limit, this may eliminate the hiccup and allow some fine tuning so that everybody could set a high enough max. refresh rate that makes game play smooth but also reduces the load associated with high FPS. It could be the best of both worlds...

 

Another benefit (for me at least) would be that by setting a high enough FPS, I could get rid of that coil whine that plagues many tables on my system. I could set a maximum which I know wouldn't cause whine yet but is still high enough to not get hiccups at the same time.

 

So the suggestion would be to have an additional field for adaptive vsync where the user can set the maximum FPS that vsync would go up to. Kinda like now where VP changes the frame rate higher when the ball appears and drops it when it drains. There could also be a 'Default' button which sets this value to the current one which is the refresh rate of the display.

 

Does this make sense? Can it be done?

 

The ultimate of course would be the possibility of setting this on a per table basis (perhaps in the Registry), allowing to turn adaptive vsync on or off for tables that do or don't need it. But I wouldn't go that far... a value across the board could be sufficient.

[Slydog43]

I saw Randy Davis added some DX7 files to VP in build 377.  Is he going to participate in any new development work?

 I heard that Randy might do some VP stuff again, but I just didn't believe it.  Wow I hope he stays for a while!

[RipleYYY]

back to the original ask of the topic : the CPU use

 

... cause i'm not sure that's the problem (until you dont have a Duron600 of course)

 

as told already i think, tested my system, a P4 3.4 HT, and i'm always at 65-70% use of the CPU

 

Edited by RipleYYY, 08 December 2012 - 08:58 AM.

[destruk]

I saw Randy Davis added some DX7 files to VP in build 377.  Is he going to participate in any new development work?

 

He can change anything he likes with his program.  He said he was going to look at some of the software rendering bugs or balls showing on top of flippers.

[bent98]

Sweet. I wish he would convert vp to dx9

[RipleYYY]

for me, vsync (activated) also cause slutter on ball movement...

[faralos]

Ok,

Wich difference with these release and the Visual Pinball 9.1.4 FULL Install 9.1.4 ?

 

Does it is official release ?

 

Cheer.

 

Ced

from what I understand the full install also includes Pinmame

while the other installer only includes the vp editor vp9.1.4

so for those who already have vp9 you just go with the latter of the two

but for those of you who have NO vp at all then you go for the full install

at least I think that is how it works