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Troubleshooting performance issues: Difference between revisions
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* you're already fiddling with the settings but can't get any FPS out of it | * you're already fiddling with the settings but can't get any FPS out of it | ||
* you're trying to track down who's responsible for [[some artifact]] you're seeing. | * you're trying to track down who's responsible for [[some artifact]] you're seeing. | ||
By progressively following all the hints of this page, in fact, you'll slowly get to a [[minimum startup profile]] in which most properly configured machines should | By progressively following all the hints of this page, in fact, you'll slowly get to a [[minimum startup profile]] in which most properly configured machines should have no problems. | ||
== Performance in FlightGear == | == Performance in FlightGear == | ||
=== What can I aim at? === | === What can I aim at? === | ||
It depends on many things as you'll see | It depends on many things as you'll see. It's easier to tell you what you ''should'' aim at: at least 20 FPS (frames per second). Under this value, things get very choppy and especially flying [[VFR]] will be more difficult. A much more decent value is 30 FPS, also to face better possible stuttering. | ||
It makes no sense to exceed the refresh rate of your monitor. This is typically 60 FPS, but some monitors support speeds as high as 120 FPS. | |||
=== How do I see my framerate? === | === How do I see my framerate? === | ||
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=== How do I use this page? === | === How do I use this page? === | ||
Below, you'll find a list of performance factors. | Below, you'll find a list of performance factors. Each of them affect performance, but it's not the same for everyone. So, to find out what you can give up for a more regular FPS, or what's killing it, or what could be causing certain artifacts, you'll have to check each of them. | ||
Most important, you'll have to '''check them singularly''', otherwise you'll never be sure if one of the factors | Most important, you'll have to '''check them singularly''', otherwise you'll never be sure if one of the factors is more determinant than others. Also, make your experiments in a fixed environment, like always starting with the same aircraft on the same runway. | ||
The list order is reasoned, so try to follow it, unless you know what you're doing (e.g. everything worked, until you have fiddled with some particular options and broke it.) We know it's boring, but this is the only way to try to fix these issues. | |||
== Performance factors == | == Performance factors == | ||
=== Operating system and driver setup === | |||
*'''Background programs''': Check that your operating system is not cluttered by unnecessary programs running in the background. Have as little programs running as possible. | |||
* '''Maximize power performance settings''': If you're running a laptop, chances are your system defaults to a power-saving mode, even with the laptop plugged in. Adjust these settings to maximal power while running FlightGear. | |||
* '''Disable Optimus/Hybrid Graphics''': Most notebooks that run Windows 7 have the so called Optimus Technology (NVidia) or Hybrid Graphics technology (ATI) onboard. This is meant to increase battery life, by automatically switching of the powerful graphics card when it's not needed. However, FlightGear needs it all the time, even if Optimus says it doesn't! This miscommunication results in low framerates (because your computer will run Flightgear on the weak onboard processor) and often FlightGear will quit with the following error: | |||
Unknown exception in the main loop. Aborting... | |||
Possible cause: Not enough space | |||
* '''Linux users''': Many newer Linux distributions come with 3D enhanced, composite desktop environments (KDE4, Compiz, Fusion...) They're known to consume CPU and GPU resources, even slowing FlightGear down by 10 FPS. Choosing another window manager from the login screen, like XFCE, results in higher FlightGear performance. Setting "Compositing" to "off" in KDE4 might also help. | |||
=== Graphics drivers setup === | |||
*'''Graphics card drivers''': Ensure that the manufacturer's graphics card drivers are installed. You may be able to download and install drivers specific to your card from the manufacturer's site. See [[Graphics drivers configuration]]. If you think you're done, a sure way to check is the following: | |||
:* Set log level to "info": FlightGear launcher (fgrun.exe) > button "advanced" in the third window > tab "debugging", select info for "log level" > click OK. | |||
:* Launch FlightGear and find in the console window the line reporting your graphics card: | |||
Finished command line arguments | |||
Initializing splash screen | |||
GeForce4 MX 440 with AGP8X/AGP/SSE2/forceSW | |||
Max texture size = 2048 | |||
: That "forceSW" indicates that the hardware acceleration is software emulated, so the OpenGL drivers are not configured, or worse you simply lack hardware support for OpenGL. '''Remember to set back to "alert" the log level!!!''' Logging affects performance! | |||
* '''Graphics drivers settings''': Disable Anti-Aliasing and Anisotropic Filtering or at least set them to their lowest settings. Decreasing the setting for Mip-Mapping to its lowest setting can also help. | |||
=== FlightGear setup === | |||