Bad framerates on interiors

#1 Same thing here.. I've told GG but didn't recieve any clear response on what it could had been. Just to clear my drivers etc.

Anyway, what I did was switching between the demo binary and the recent build one.

With the demo binary I get a steady 70ish fps all the time.

With the HEAD binary I get around 2 fps all the time, but if I face away from the orc (or even better, the actual orcbase) I get up to 90 fps.

Also, when facing one of the collumns inside the orcbase, the fps gets worse and if I turn away from that one it's better. This collumn is very odd because it doesn't look the same as the other ones, it looks more detailed.. like it had specular mapping applied to it or something (which is not supported by my card, AFAIK).

The detailed look of that collumn does not exist in the demo build.

What I did was to turn off AA in my graphics driver, and Anistropic Filtering. Forced Vertical Sync and Mipmapping set to Trillinear (pointless though, I guess)

Now I get 5 fps increase with the HEAD build :) The demo build runs like before.

GeForce 4 ti4800.

My guess is that the new DX SDK (btw, which one is you using Anthony?) is messing something up. This didn't happen before I switched to that one, and the other testmachine with a GeForce FX 5200 crashes altogether with the HEAD build running.

Edit: The problem with FX5200 crashing is also mentioned in here: www.garagegames.com/mg/forums/result.thread.php?qt=21903

#2 I used the summer release.

Just got the demo and there is a vast improvement. Not perfect mind you but 25 - 45. There are some small periodic jumps, but the majority of the shaders worked with my G Force 3 which is too sweet. Looks great guys.

#3 I got pretty nice FPS with my GeForce4, but with periodic jumps.. like you.

On the other hand, GF3 and GF4 are not really considered top notch :)

#4 Guys, you realize they haven't even begun to optimize the rendering ?
That they've barely started to overhaul the scenegraph to overcome the state changing deficiencies in stock TGE ?
etc.
You also realize that a lot of the top graphic games out there chug along even on the top end cards ?
There is a world of difference between a tech demo made for a specific GPU running at 60 fps or more, steady, and a real game :)

#5 Nicolas, you're missing my point.. maybe my english fails again, let me rephrase.

I didn't compare this to another game. I didn't say it was bad. I compared it to the version of the demo that first came out, which had good FPS on all my systems. If they haven't done the optimizations now, then they hadn't done it back when the first demo was released either.

If I compile HEAD of TSE, I get around 3fps.
If I try any of these demos I get 60ish. (The demos of TSE, I might add.. not other games)

Can you see the difference?
No one is assuming that TSE is finished, mind you. :)

#6 Are you running in debug or release mode?

#7 Release :) Works better if I force AA off though.

I want to add that as soon as I turn my view to the door (from inside the orcbase) that is facing the terrain, the FPS drops from 60ish to 3. If I just look inside the corridor it's almost 40ish.

Edit: Earlier, I assumed this was because of a shader that was assigned to the collumn where the door was, but I think I was mistaken because this collumn exists inside the corridor as well and it doesn't lag there.

#8 Pretty mysterious. Have you tried using PIX on it?

#9 And what's that? I'd be happy to give it a fair try.

#10 DirectX PIX (Performance Analysis)

- Melv.

#11 Thanks Melvyn.

Seems like this is one of the tools that was in the SDK package, and I didn't install any tools. Just the libs and headers. And I don't have the SDK downloaded at home. :/

It says incorporating it into the application is optional, but it doesn't say what difference it makes. I'm a bit confused but I'll try and run it if I can get my hands on the tool.

#12 PIX can tell you what specific API calls are taking what specific duration at what specific time. Very useful for identifying performance problems, and figuring out if it's a driver or an app problem. A bit tricky to use but I'm sure you'll be able to figure it out! :)

#13 How was this issue solved?

I have exactly the same symptoms with my Geforce 3 (71.84 Drivers)

Logs show a "Memory Leak" tho... this is what i read from "D3D RefCount 6" at the end of the LogFile

EDIT: i'll test this PIX today and see what i can find

#14 Kill the terrainblock, Florian. That's what helped me, anyway.

#15 Thanx... i'll try that

That shouldnt be the right solution for that tho... i still need that terrain O_o
or at least a tool to convert existing terrain to Atlas.

If i can abandon current terrain i'll gladly do that but i cant explain to graphics staff
that they have to remodel all terrain from scratch... they'll kill me ^^

Cheers,

Florian

#16 No one said it's the correct solution. But for now that was what I had to do to get the framerates back up. You have to chose what's most important for you at the moment: Run around with 3 fps, with terrain. Or run around with alot more fps, without terrain.

Most likely there's some quirk with the old terrain, but as it is being replaced.. I don't really see the problem.. just switch.

#17 Yeah i'll see into that, thank you

Cheers,

Florian

#18 If i delete all Interiors the terrain runs smooth btw

i think it might have something to do with portal rendering.
And there is still this issue about that RefCount.

Did anyone test interiors with Atlas engine?
There is a Interior in the water_demo i know...
but this dif doesnt seem to have many portals

Cheers, Florian

#19 Florian,

Atlas seems to run fine with interiors, we have a few, all in the same general area, all portaled, and we havent noticed anything askew..

#20 Good to know...

then i just hope that this conversion tool is near :)