[FIX] Macro Stutter Fix until proper patch. (UPDATE 4/23)

[Xbob42]

If you've been getting the micro stutter that ain't quite so micro, pulling your hair out like me, this solution worked for me instantly and I think I went cross-eyed when it did because it's so dumb. (This is for people who get stutters every few seconds including in videos and menus! I don't think it's for people who get a stutter when picking up items or anything.)

All credit to this thread (correct me if the origins are elsewhere, it's just where I found it)

https://www.reddit.com/r/darksouls3/comments/4ej2ej/pc_support_megathread_2/

"From /u/Haseltine, removal of the GameOverlayRenderer.dll and GameOverlayRenderer64.dll from the Steam installation folder to another folder may fix stuttering related to the Steam overlay."

That's it. I just opened up my Steam installation folder (NOT the game folder) and moved these files to another folder. Worked perfectly. Disabling my Steam overlay did NOT work, ONLY this worked! Now the game runs flawlessly aside from the really annoying fact that I can't use the overlay, but this will do until a patch hits.

I hope this works as well for you as it did for me.

UPDATE: Marking GameOverlayRenderer.log as Read Only seems to have solved the problem as well, and does so in a much more permanent manner, allowing you to use the Steam Overlay AND get no stuttering! Will update if this method has any flaws.

[Kaiser]

I can confirm that this brings a significant boost in performance! thank you very much!

[Sad Old Man]

thanks this helped a bit for me

[Groovy Poney]

I had this terrible stuttering issue on launch day, the game was unplayable as it would freeze (for ~1s) for no reason (when fighting, rolling, walking, looking at the ground..) every 30s or so.

The way I fixed it, was by using the recommanded settings in Geforce Experience.

Everything was left maxed out, but it changed a couple of options that were not available in the games options.

Now, it runs smoothly, I just have the item-pickup micro stutter.. but at least I can play the game.

Specs: i7-2700K, GTX 970, 8 GB, Windows 10
Game is not installed on an SSD (but OS is)
Playing with the steam controller, the steam overlay is active.

[Kareeda]

This fixes my stuttering as well. It appears that the lag is coming from the log file it creates. It keeps spamming the same thing alternating.

Tue Apr 19 00:36:43 2016 UTC - DInput:KB FOREGROUND
Tue Apr 19 00:36:43 2016 UTC - DInput:KB NONEXCLUSIVE
Tue Apr 19 00:36:43 2016 UTC - DInput:KB FOREGROUND
Tue Apr 19 00:36:45 2016 UTC - DInput:KB NONEXCLUSIVE
Tue Apr 19 00:36:45 2016 UTC - DInput:KB FOREGROUND
Tue Apr 19 00:36:45 2016 UTC - DInput:KB NONEXCLUSIVE

If anyone could solve why it's doing that we could solve the stutter without losing the UI.
Sadly I can't use the steam controller with my game so I have to use my laptop instead of my main desktop. I wonder if it has to do with Keyboard or something like that?

[Nyamses]

Holy mother of fixes, this COMPLETELY removed the stutter/fps drops I was having. I reset all my settings to Default on the Nvidia Control Panel just to be sure, and everything is running buttery smooth after I removed the 2 .dll files.

I was constantly getting fps drops from 60 to ~40, and my GPU usage was going down to 0-25% for some reason. This completely fixed the issue. PRAISE THE SUN!

[Xbob42]

Keep in mind that these files come back each time you restart Steam, so maybe keep a shortcut to the folder handy.

[Zera314]

Originally posted by Kareeda:

This fixes my stuttering as well. It appears that the lag is coming from the log file it creates. It keeps spamming the same thing alternating.

Tue Apr 19 00:36:43 2016 UTC - DInput:KB FOREGROUND
Tue Apr 19 00:36:43 2016 UTC - DInput:KB NONEXCLUSIVE
Tue Apr 19 00:36:43 2016 UTC - DInput:KB FOREGROUND
Tue Apr 19 00:36:45 2016 UTC - DInput:KB NONEXCLUSIVE
Tue Apr 19 00:36:45 2016 UTC - DInput:KB FOREGROUND
Tue Apr 19 00:36:45 2016 UTC - DInput:KB NONEXCLUSIVE

If anyone could solve why it's doing that we could solve the stutter without losing the UI.
Sadly I can't use the steam controller with my game so I have to use my laptop instead of my main desktop. I wonder if it has to do with Keyboard or something like that?

Where is the log file you found?

[Semifreek]

Had the same issue, game would pause for about half second or so every 20 seconds, roughly.

Based on the above info, I just disabled the steam overlay. Right click on Dark Souls game in the library, click on "Properties" and uncheck the "Enable Steam Overlay" box. Eliminated stutters for me, and no need to remove files.

[Xbob42]

Disabling the Steam overlay alone did absolutely nothing for me, as I said in the first post. It does work for some people! But failing that, you've gotta do this. I'm about to try making the log that's causing all the issues read only with the overlay enabled to see if I've got a final fix.

[Xbob42]

Update: Making the overlay log read only seems to have fixed the stuttering AND allows use of the Steam overlay! Please try it and report if it works for you.

[JohnRobertBlood]

This also removed all stuttering related to the loading flame and reading/closing messages/looting. I can't believe this actually worked, thank you so much!

edit: I only made the .log file read-only after emptying it of content (it was over 50mb pure text) and it worked.

[Fast Pooper]

My logfile is only a few KB, and I don't have any stuttering. I have been using Big Picture Mode, however.

[recurvedshedua]

Glad I found this thread. Had the game open for about two hours last night and the log file is over 220mb. Only a little at the top appears relevant the rest is millions of those two repeated lines mentioned above. Something is clearly wrong. Playing with steam overlay disabled and a 360 gamepad. The game major stutters all the time, when the flame appears in the top right, when any HUD element is brought up or closed, when I use emotes....etc. Owe many a death to this 0fps stutter. Thanks for posting this.

[McDs]

I just wanted to thank you Xbob. I don't normally post in forums or anything else much, but you just made me so happy. I made the file read only - instantly can play this game without micro stutter. Thank you so so much \ [†] / ☼

[blueoasis]

Unfortunately, none of these steps helped fix my micro stuttering.

I did the following:

1) moved the two overlay dll's out of the steam folder.
2) emptied out the .log file and then made it read only
3) set my texture settings to performance in the amd control panel
4) disabled steam overlay

I'm running:
i7-4770k
r9 290x
16GB
SSD