Hi forum,

I'm hoping to get some tips for reducing in-game pauses in IL2. I'm aware that this is not exactly a new problem - I've done a lot of googling and found (remarkably few) helpful forum posts on this, including the one just a few topics down (at the time of posting) from this one. However my problem seems to be somewhat unusual in that I'm not at all short of memory.

First allow me to describe the problem: I'm not talking about a low framerate problem, nor am I referring to motion artifacts caused by Vertical Sync, nor am I referring to the stutter caused by shaded water (which I did have, but it was fixed for me after applying the 4.09 patch, then applying the new beta DLL's, and then reducing the texture filtering to "triple" in IL2 Setup). What I am talking about is temporary freezes, each lasting a few seconds, which somewhat spoil my otherwise high framerate and smooth gameplay. These freezes tend to happen when I fly campaign missions, and the worst freezes tend to happen during large-scale engagements. I am using DCG with everything maxed, so quite a lot is going on "in the background" on these missions.

I read in the other thread that low memory can cause this, however my system has 2Gb of RAM and I'm running XP in an extemely "streamlined" configuration (minimal background services and applications). I've monitored memory usage during IL2 missions and the total memory usage barely manages to get above 1Gb, leaving me with almost half my system RAM still available. I assume, therefore, that lack of system memory is not causing the problem. My HDD is regularly defragmented (using a real defragmenter, not the Windows one) so I don't think that's the problem either.

I've noticed that reducing the landscape detail from 72km (Perfect Mode + LandGeometry=3) to 36km (Perfect Mode + LandGeometry=2) seems to *slightly* reduce the amount of stutter. Turning off Perfect Mode altogether reduces it further, although even then it's far from being completely eliminated.

Given this, I thought perhaps the problem might have more to do with Video RAM (I have 256Mb) rather than system RAM, so I tried increasing my BIOS AGP Aperture Size to 512Mb. This doesn't seem to have helped much; in fact I'm not even sure it had any effect at all, because total memory usage during play is still maxing-out around the 1Gb mark, not increasing to 1.5Gb as I would have expected.

My setup:
AMD Athlon FX-55 (the latest official AMD driver is installed)
Abit AV8 K8 (the latest official VIA Hyperion drivers are installed)
ATI Radeon X800XT (the Catalyst 7.12-based Omega drivers are installed)
Creative Audigy2 ZS (the lastest official Creative drivers are installed)

Contrary to the advice given upon installation of the Omega drivers, I do have fastwrites enabled (as disabling them causes stutter during high-definition video playback).

If anyone has any advice or tips, I'm all ears!

Thank you,
OLC

Try these settings in il2setup:


I don't think you'll get rid of stutters completely with an AGP card, but maybe these settings can reduce it further.
This is what I use for my X1950Pro.

If you install Cat drivers, use 7.11 All later ones will be slower. Omega/NGHQ optimized drivers are pretty good though. Increasing Aperture size will not help. It's a bandwidth problem, not the size of the transfer area.

Thanks for the tips.
I've given S3TC a try just now. I ticked 'Use Palette' as well, just for good measure. I can't say I noticed any difference in the stuttering.
I'll "downgrade" my Omega 7.12 divers to the official 7.11 drivers and see if that helps at all, but my framerate really isn't an issue. For some reason I get framerates comparable to results posted by many people with much better systems than mine... not that I'm complaining. But these stutters are a killer (sometimes literally, at low altitude).

This message has been edited. Last edited by: onelifecrisis,

Please post a copy of your conf.ini file and just for giggles, try running without the SB card active. Ie; no sound.

WV

Do you have those stutters more when flying low over cities like Berlin? Then it's probably the texture transfer to the Gfx card. The X800 is a great card. It's in the same league as the X1950.

It might be a bit older, but that does not mean it's bad.
There should not be much difference between optimized 7.12 and normal 7.11

quote:

Originally posted by MaxMhz:
Do you have those stutters more when flying low over cities like Berlin? Then it's probably the texture transfer to the Gfx card. The X800 is a great card. It's in the same league as the X1950.

It might be a bit older, but that does not mean it's bad.
There should not be much difference between optimized 7.12 and normal 7.11

Yeah, I think I did good when I bought this comp in late 2003 - it's doing amazingly well for it's age! 8D

I've only recently bought the game and I've not reached/tried Berlin yet.

But I have flown very low over other cities (well, towns) and they did cause significant framerate drops, but *not* actual stutters (freezes). I cured the low framerate by reducing AA from 6X to 4X. Now I can fly over towns with no problem.

I did some further testing and found that I don't get stutter at all during quick missions, even when making a 16vs16 dogfight with AAA. I only get stutter in the campaign. I'm using DCG, and I was using it maxed out (Full Density, Four Flights Per Squadron) so my current thinking is that maybe if I turn down the number of aircraft in DCG, it might cure the stutter. I'll let you know how I get on.

quote:

Originally posted by willyvic:
Please post a copy of your conf.ini file and just for giggles, try running without the SB card active. Ie; no sound.

WV

I think I've exhausted all of the possible conf.ini tweaks. I've also tried changing the sound. I changed the number of channels, the sound quality, the hardware extensions setting, plus I lowered/turned off acceleration in the control panel, lowered sample rate conversion in the control panel, turned off radio chatter in the conf.ini file, forced EAX1 in the conf.ini... hell, I even tried changing the number of speakers. None of it made difference to the stutters. I'm pretty sure the sound card isn't causing the stutters. If it was then I'd expect the stutters to coincide with new sounds being played, but they don't.

Anyway, here's my current conf.ini:
[il2]
title=Il2-Sturmovik Forgotten Battles
hotkeys=HotKey game

[window]
width=1024
height=768
ColourBits=32
DepthBits=24
StencilBits=8
ChangeScreenRes=1
FullScreen=1
DrawIfNotFocused=0
EnableResize=0
EnableClose=1
SaveAspect=1
Use3Renders=0

[GLPROVIDER]
GL=Opengl32.dll

[GLPROVIDERS]
Open GL=Opengl32.dll
DirectX=dx8wrap.dll

[NET]
speed=100000
routeChannels=0
serverChannels=31
localPort=21000
remotePort=21000
SkinDownload=1
serverName=No Name
serverDescription=
remoteHost=
localHost=
socksHost=
checkServerTimeSpeed=1
checkClientTimeSpeed=0

[MaxLag]
farMaxLagTime=10.0
nearMaxLagTime=2.0
cheaterWarningDelay=5.0
cheaterWarningNum=-1

[chat]
region=(dx=0.6925,dy=0.071666665,x=0.0,y=0.0)

[game]
Arcade=0
HighGore=0
mapPadX=0.6503906
;Width is 0.35
mapPadY=0.40104166
;Height is 0.6
viewSet=52
Intro=0
NoSubTitles=1
NoChatter=0
NoHudLog=1
NoLensFlare=0
iconTypes=0
eventlog=eventlog.lst
eventlogkeep=0
3dgunners=0
ClearCache=0


[HotKey game]
PrintScreen=ScreenShot
P=pause
Pause=pause

[HotKey gui]
Escape=activate

[HookViewFly Config]
timeFirstStep=2.0
deltaZ=10.0

[HookView]
MouseLeft=Len

[HookView Config]
AzimutSpeed=0.1
TangageSpeed=0.1
LenSpeed=1.0
MinLen=1.0
DefaultLen=20.0
MaxLen=3000.0
Speed=6

[HotKey builder]
MouseLeft=objectMove
MouseRight=popupmenu
Enter=freeView
Shift MouseLeft=worldZoom
Alt MouseLeft=select+
Alt MouseRight=select-
Alt Ctrl=unselect
PageDown=change+
PageUp=change-
End=change++
Home=change--
Ctrl MouseLeft=insert+
Insert=insert+
NumPad-0=insert+
F=fill
Ctrl MouseRight=delete+
NumPad.=delete+
Delete=delete+
Backspace=cursor
Tab=cursor
F10=land
F11=onLand
NumPad-=normalLand
NumPad+=toLand
NumPad-5=resetAngles
NumPad-8=resetTangage90
NumPad-7=stepAzimut-5
NumPad-4=stepAzimut-15
NumPad-1=stepAzimut-30
NumPad-9=stepAzimut5
NumPad-6=stepAzimut15
NumPad-3=stepAzimut30

[MouseXYZ]
F1=SpeedSlow
F2=SpeedNormal
F3=SpeedFast
MouseRight=XYmove
F4 MouseRight=Zmove
MouseMiddle=Amove
F5 MouseRight=Amove
F6 MouseRight=Tmove
F7 MouseRight=Kmove

[MouseXYZ Config]
RealTime=1

[HotKey Console]
Shift Tab=Activate
[Console]
HISTORY=1024
HISTORYCMD=1024
LOAD=console.cmd
SAVE=console.cmd
LOG=0
LOGTIME=0
LOGFILE=log.lst
LOGKEEP=0

[sound]
SoundUse=1
SoundEngine=1
Speakers=0
Placement=0
SoundFlags.reversestereo=0
RadioFlags.Enabled=0
RadioEngine=2
MusicVolume=5
ObjectVolume=14
MusState.takeoff=0
MusState.inflight=0
MusState.crash=0
MusFlags.play=0
MasterVolume=14
Attenuation=7
SoundMode=0
SamplingRate=2
NumChannels=3
SoundExt.occlusions=0
SoundFlags.hardware=1
SoundFlags.streams=1
SoundFlags.duplex=1
SoundExt.acoustics=0
SoundExt.volumefx=0
SoundFlags.voicemgr=0
SoundFlags.static=1
VoiceVolume=13
Channels=2
SoundExt.extrender=0
SoundFlags.bugscorrect=0
SoundSetupId=8
ActivationLevel=0.02
Preemphasis=0.85
RadioLatency=0.5
AGC=1
PTTMode=1
SoundFlags.UseRadioChatter=0
SoundFlags.AutoActivation=0
RadioFlags.PTTMode=0
RadioFlags.PlayClicks=0
ActLevel=0
MicLevel=0
SoundFlags.forceEAX1=0

[rts]
ProcessAffinityMask=1
mouseUse=2
joyUse=1
trackIRUse=1
DisableIME=0
locale=

[rts_mouse]
SensitivityX=1.0
SensitivityY=1.0
Invert=0
SensitivityZ=1.0

[rts_joystick]
X=0 1 4 9 16 25 36 49 64 81 100 0
Y=0 1 4 9 16 25 36 49 64 81 100 0
Z=0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
RZ=0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 0
FF=0
U=0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 0
V=0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 0
1X=0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 0
1Y=0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 0
1Z=0 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 0
1RZ=0 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 0

[Render_DirectX]
TexQual=3
TexMipFilter=2
TexCompress=0
TexFlags.UseDither=1
TexFlags.UseAlpha=0
TexFlags.UseIndex=0
TexFlags.PolygonStipple=1
TexFlags.UseClampedSprites=0
TexFlags.DrawLandByTriangles=1
TexFlags.UseVertexArrays=1
TexFlags.DisableAPIExtensions=0
TexFlags.ARBMultitextureExt=1
TexFlags.TexEnvCombineExt=1
TexFlags.SecondaryColorExt=1
TexFlags.VertexArrayExt=1
TexFlags.ClipHintExt=0
TexFlags.UsePaletteExt=0
TexFlags.TexAnisotropicExt=0
TexFlags.TexCompressARBExt=1
TexFlags.TexEnvCombine4NV=0
TexFlags.TexEnvCombineDot3=0
TexFlags.DepthClampNV=0
TexFlags.SeparateSpecular=0
TexFlags.TextureShaderNV=0

HardwareShaders=0

Shadows=2
Specular=2
SpecularLight=2
DiffuseLight=2
DynamicalLights=1
MeshDetail=2
VisibilityDistance=3

Sky=2
Forest=2
LandShading=3
LandDetails=2

LandGeom=2
TexLarge=1
TexLandQual=3
TexLandLarge=1

VideoSetupId=4
ForceShaders1x=0
PolygonOffsetFactor=-0.15
PolygonOffsetUnits=-3.0

[Render_OpenGL]
TexQual=3
TexMipFilter=2
TexCompress=2
TexFlags.UseDither=0
TexFlags.UseAlpha=0
TexFlags.UseIndex=0
TexFlags.PolygonStipple=0
TexFlags.UseClampedSprites=0
TexFlags.DrawLandByTriangles=1
TexFlags.UseVertexArrays=1
TexFlags.DisableAPIExtensions=0
TexFlags.ARBMultitextureExt=1
TexFlags.TexEnvCombineExt=1
TexFlags.SecondaryColorExt=1
TexFlags.VertexArrayExt=1
TexFlags.ClipHintExt=1
TexFlags.UsePaletteExt=0
TexFlags.TexAnisotropicExt=0
TexFlags.TexCompressARBExt=1

TexFlags.TexEnvCombine4NV=0
TexFlags.TexEnvCombineDot3=1
TexFlags.DepthClampNV=0
TexFlags.SeparateSpecular=1
TexFlags.TextureShaderNV=0

HardwareShaders=1

Shadows=2
Specular=2
SpecularLight=2
DiffuseLight=2
DynamicalLights=1
MeshDetail=2
VisibilityDistance=3

Sky=2
Forest=2
LandShading=3
LandDetails=2

LandGeom=2
TexLarge=1
TexLandQual=3
TexLandLarge=1

VideoSetupId=17
Water=2
Effects=1
ForceShaders1x=0

PolygonOffsetFactor=-0.0625
PolygonOffsetUnits=-1.0

My game used to stutter every time any wingman would give an audio message, so I turned off the audio messages and just get subtitles and it solved the stuttering from that.

Also I don't know if you have a dual or single core processor, if you have a dual (or more) cpu then force the game to run on one processor, this reduced a lot of stuttering for me.

Also turn off threaded optimization if you have that option under your video card's settings (if you have a dual core machine)

Sounds like you've tried a lot of stuff though.

You've done some good troubleshooting there onelifecrisis.

The only thing I see that is out of the "norm" in your config.ini is:
PolygonOffsetFactor=-0.0625 Many have it set to 0.15
PolygonOffsetUnits=-1.0 Many have it set to 3.0
The latter figures were a troubleshooting fix for flickering airfields at altitude.

The reasoning behind looking at the SB card was to eliminate any chance of an old problem that used to crop up with the Audigy2 ZS cards. One of the easiest troubleshooting techniques was to just disable the card and check the game.

I wish you well in relieving the stutter issue. Please post with your eventual fix.

WV

quote:

The only thing I see that is out of the "norm" in your config.ini is:
PolygonOffsetFactor=-0.0625 Many have it set to 0.15
PolygonOffsetUnits=-1.0 Many have it set to 3.0

So I've read, but I saw no difference in image quality or framerate by setting it to those values, so I returned them to defaults.

quote:

The latter figures were a troubleshooting fix for flickering airfields at altitude.

Ahhhh... yes now that you mention it, I think I have seen that. I'll test again... and this time I'll know what to look for! Thanks!

quote:

The reasoning behind looking at the SB card was to eliminate any chance of an old problem that used to crop up with the Audigy2 ZS cards. One of the easiest troubleshooting techniques was to just disable the card and check the game.

Hrm, okay, I don't like the sound of that but I'll give the game a go without any sound and see what happens. Thanks again.

Gents,
I got a chance to play today and I have an update: after a freeze, if I shift+tab I see that a new "Time Overflow" message has appeared in the console. A new one appears after each freeze. I'm hoping one of you knows what this means and whether it is helpful at all in working out what the problem is. Or is the game just (un)helpfully logging the fact that it froze?
Thanks,
OLC

WV, I tried it with the sound off (SoundUse=0) but the freezes still happen just as regulary. I also turned down the number of aircraft in DCG to half what they were, and got an fps boost but again no change in stuttering. *sigh*

Are you using mods?


Check out this thread, he also has stuttering.

http://forum.1cpublishing.eu/showthread.php?t=2688


Might be worth an uninstall and reinstall.

quote:

Originally posted by Xiolablu3:
Are you using mods?


Check out this thread, he also has stuttering.

http://forum.1cpublishing.eu/showthread.php?t=2688


Might be worth an uninstall and reinstall.

I'm already there. Yesterday I uninstalled everything, then re-installed 1946DVD and patched to 4.08m and tried that. I still get the same stutters, exactly as before. Patched to official 4.09m beta and no change.

I found a mission which consistently produces a bad stutter in the same place every time, so I've been using it for testing. I'm now running the game in 16 bit color with all of the graphics turned down to the absolute minimum possible level, with my CPU overclocked from 2.6 to 2.8, AA off, AF off... everything is off! And guess what? It still stutters!

I ought to demand my money back from Oleg! Does he know what "recommended spec" actually means?

Disable the soundcard and run it and see if it still stutters.

quote:

Originally posted by NDS_Camp.:
Disable the soundcard and run it and see if it still stutters.

You mean disable sound in IL2?
(I already tried that, as posted above)

Or do you mean actually disable the sound card itself in the device manager?

quote:

[rts]
ProcessAffinityMask=1
mouseUse=2
joyUse=1
trackIRUse=1

Maybe just go back to spec -
;ProcessAffinityMask=1
?
The FX55 is not a dual-core processor

quote:

Originally posted by x6BL_Brando:

quote:

[rts]
ProcessAffinityMask=1
mouseUse=2
joyUse=1
trackIRUse=1

Maybe just go back to spec -
;ProcessAffinityMask=1
?

I left that semi colon in place after the re-install.

I think maybe Max was right and I'll never completely lose the stutter on my machine.

I have managed to reduce the stutter somewhat, at least. I'm using S3TC compression as suggested by Max. In addition to that, TexLarge=0 and TexLandLarge=0 both seem to help a bit. Using "Medium" clouds, instead of "Detailed", eliminates the lag which happens whenever I fly into a new part of the map and new clouds are loaded/generated. These things reduce image quality of course, but not too bad. Curiously, I cannot turn off clouds altogether: if I set "No Clouds" the setting simply goes back to "Medium Clouds" as soon as I start a mission. It's probably just as well: I'd rather not lose the clouds altogether!

Anyway, with these settings I can at least fly a mission and not die as a result of freezes that last long long enough to make me black out, or stall, or both. I still get freezes, but they're usually less than a second in length, and not nearly as frequent.

I'll post if I find anymore useful information.

I see you added:

quote:

The FX55 is not a dual-core processor

Yes, I'm aware of that. It was just another try at fixing the stuttering. At this stage, you can't blame me for assuming their code is rediculous.

Hey folks,

Long time lurker but first time poster here.

My computer is a few years old but it has enough juice to play the game with decent settings. I too have a stuttering issue but I didnt think it had anything to do with graphics settings.

My game always pauses for a second or two when enemy formations suddenly appear on the map, even if they are out of my sight range. This seems to happen no matter what map I am on.

I wonder if you are having the same issue