clouds?

[EricK]

I just wanted to know if anyone else experienced a serious drop in frame rates when climbing through or flying level near clouds. In particular, I find it the worst when they are set to 'few clouds' rather than scattered or broken. I appears as though my machine is putting far too much effort into rendering them. My setting on the slider is 75% clouds. Any suggestions other than turning clouds off?

One last thing if anyone could tell me what the anisotropic filtering options is on my Geforce 4mx440 graphics card, it would be much appreciated?

Thanks

[visitor]

Ekuebler;

I have noticed the same thing
Just turn them way down, they
look better to me that way,
or more like the clouds here
look!!

Also turn down your visablity to
40 or 50 miles

X  

[darkhorse]

I have the PCI version of that card (not sure if Eku's is PCI or AGP) and I don't see any visual difference with having T&L, mip-mapping, Antialiasing, or the anisotropic filtering on or off.  Maybe a few FPS difference, but nothing worth worrying about even if there was a visual difference.  Although, I too would like a better explanation of those terms than what MSFS or my card gives.  I know what antialiasing does, but as I said, I don't see a difference when I fly 1024X768 res.  What should I be looking for in improvments with the others though?

[codered]

I also have noticed a slight frame drop when flying near clouds.  This is probably due to the rendering detail....  It is not that dramatic though.  Are you using FSW sky?  If not, I hear they are more frame rate friendly than the default FS clouds.  Just what I have heard.  

[EricK]

Hi there,

Thanks for the advise. I may try the FSsky option. But having had a chance to finally fly alot more after weeks of fine tuning, I have come to realise that it is not just the clouds that slow my game down. It slows down after longer flights, it slows down when many things are happening at once(ex. atc window, complex view, changing throttle, etc.) and it slows down when I change views alot.

I have a middle of the road computer that is basically maxed out. I also use the inferior PCI card. After talking to the guy at my computer store who installed my ram and graphics card, I have come to realize that it is simply the speed of my computer.

Unless someone knows some other fine tuning options or I drop my sliders down, I think it is time to just be happy with what I've got?! (That, or I go look up that Alienware website again and get my credit card ready.haha!)

Thanks

[JBaymore]

Ekuebler,

Hi.  I too am on a framerate quest  ;).

If you go to the thread called "More Frame Rates..... a Puzzling Problem" there are a couple of suggestions from some good folks here for fine tuning the system....... chipset drivers, caching,  and such....... and they DO make a difference if you haven't already done them.

Also....... I have been having a devil of a time with NVidea's drivers with a 256 Meg GeForce 5600 video card and Direct X 9.0a running Win XP.  Crashes the simulator.  Tech support from Asylum seems to know about it but no suggestions....... waiting for Microsoft to "fix" Direct X 9.0a.  See that other thread before you pick up a new AGP card  :P.  It might save a headache.

best,

...................john

[EricK]

Thanks for the reply,
After my last post I have made one more adjustment. It was to turn down the sound quality to basic in my control panel. After that I have just stopped mucking about with everything and it seems to have improved.  I don't think it was that adjustment but overall I have stopped doing to many things at once and for the most part I am pretty satisfied. I get about 20-25 fps on average and the only problem left is very crap sound performance when changing views inside the default mooney. (So I just stopped flying it!)

I just flew a freeware 737 from vancouver to calgary 1 hour and 40 minutes in varied weather and using all options. It was flawless. Framerates stayed around 25 and the sound was fine. Even near clouds. I think that FS2002 is just very sensitive (I dunno?) It seems the less I mess with it and if I exit the game after each flight, fs2002 is happier!?

Also, I have been following along with your post about framerates. It has been helpful.
Thanks
Eric

[darkhorse]

JB:  I don't know if this will offer any insight to your quest, but I'm running a PNY branded GeForce and had quite a few problems, and it was only AFTER installing DX9.0a and the Detonator 44.03 (or whatever is the newest) drivers that all but one problem was fixed.  My only problem now is some pink dots on my panels from time to time.  My point is that I would be swayed more to Asylum's problem since mine is working fine.  Only difference is I have a 64 meg PCI.  I don't see why the supposed better card would not perform like it should just because of the XP, DX 9, and NVIDA drivers combo.  I haven't seen anything like that on the hardware board.

[EricK]

I said I wasn't going to mess around anymore, but the problem with clouds effecting fps and sound was really bothering me. So I tried one last thing, and I can't believe it but I found my 'magic bullet'.

I had fs2002 set to 'bi-linear filtering'. I turned it to none but the problem was still there. Finally, just for fun, I turned it to 'tri-linear filtering'. Dammit if it didn't completely cure my problem. I can now fly right through scattered clouds at 50-100% on the slider and I'm getting 20fps. Unbelievable!?

This may be obvious stuff to all the veterans here but if there is any other rookies trying to get there set ups right and have these symptoms. Try this!!!

[JBaymore]

Ekuebler,

At one point in my frame rate quest with the prior 64 meg card I Had I figured that turning OFF filtering of course would improve frame rate.  

WRONG!

On that card I found trhe best rates on bi-linear.

Go figure on all this  ;).

best,

......................john