Massive stutter/FPS drop

[Lans]

Edit: selected answer was a temporary fix, not a permanent fix. Frames now drop from solid 60 fps to 15-20 fps regardless of graphic settings

I haven't played BG3 since around patch #1 or #2. I came back to patch #5 for honor mode.

I previously played up to Act 3 foundry area, with zero crashes and very little stutter or FPS drop - settings could easily run on ultra for act 1, and high for act 2 & 3 without issue. My computer runs Nvidia GTX 2060, SSD & 16 gb RAM; not the best, but certainly enough

Today I can play BG3 patch #5 for about 5 minutes before game breaking stutter happens. On high graphic settings it stutters with a massive FPS drop. On lowest graphic settings it stutters with a minor FPS drop. No matter what settings are chosen, the stutter will hit and affect me until I either close the game or reset graphic settings to default, then I get another 2-5 minutes of playtime until stutter happens again

Has anyone else had this game breaking stutter? Have you been able to prevent or fix it?

[Anima Mundi]

Did you try doing a file check on the game?
Also deleting your steam cache and the Larian Level cache?

Sometimes issues like this can also be solved quickly by simply going to the larian folder and deleting the settings files to completely reset

[Lans]

Yes, and went one step further with a total removal and fresh install. Stutter still happens 2-5 minutes after playing game, even standing still in camp

[Anima Mundi]

Originally posted by Lans:

Yes, and went one step further with a total removal and fresh install. Stutter still happens 2-5 minutes after playing game, even standing still in camp

I would go to the LArian folder and delete the whole thing after backing up your saves.
This will ensure you delete level cache, and also all settings files. Sometimes settings files can get corrupt after game updates, this happens to other games as well.

Also did you try starting a new game, or loading a save in a different campaign, to rule out possible problems with that specific save?

Edit: just a heads up that a fresh reinstall will not delete anything in your Larian folder.

[Lans]

Originally posted by Anima Mundi:

Originally posted by Lans:

Yes, and went one step further with a total removal and fresh install. Stutter still happens 2-5 minutes after playing game, even standing still in camp

I would go to the LArian folder and delete the whole thing after backing up your saves.
This will ensure you delete level cache, and also all settings files. Sometimes settings files can get corrupt after game updates, this happens to other games as well.

Also did you try starting a new game, or loading a save in a different campaign, to rule out possible problems with that specific save?

Edit: just a heads up that a fresh reinstall will not delete anything in your Larian folder.

This might be the issue, if the Larian folder is somewhere other than the Steam folder. I did a clean install and deleted the BG3 folder in steam library, but might have missed another Larian folder elsewhere

All my playtime since patch #5 has been fresh new games, I haven't loaded or even looked at my old act 3 campaigns

[Anima Mundi]

Originally posted by Lans:

Originally posted by Anima Mundi:

I would go to the LArian folder and delete the whole thing after backing up your saves.
This will ensure you delete level cache, and also all settings files. Sometimes settings files can get corrupt after game updates, this happens to other games as well.

Also did you try starting a new game, or loading a save in a different campaign, to rule out possible problems with that specific save?

Edit: just a heads up that a fresh reinstall will not delete anything in your Larian folder.

This might be the issue, if the Larian folder is somewhere other than the Steam folder. I did a clean install and deleted the BG3 folder in steam library, but might have missed another Larian folder elsewhere

All my playtime since patch #5 has been fresh new games, I haven't loaded or even looked at my old act 3 campaigns

This could very well be the issue, yes.
Like a lot of other games, they store settings, saves and other data in a separate system folder, so that you always have your stuff saved even on reinstalling.

C:\Users\%Username%\AppData\Local\Larian Studios\

You can delete the whole folder - After backing up your save files somewhere else ( 3\PlayerProfiles\Public\Savegames\Story )

That's how you erase all level cache, and the configs files for a fresh start

[Lans]

Revisiting this issue. The selected fix seemed to work for some time, but the stutter/fps issue came back

I went full nuclear on my computer to verify this is 100% caused by BG3. Reformat, fresh install windows ("downgrade" to windows 10), fresh clean driver installs, 32gb paging file, clean steam/BG3 install. The game ran great for about an hour, and then suffered massive FPS drop again.

There is no rhyme or reason to it. Sometimes it will FPS drop 30 seconds into gameplay. Sometimes I can play for 2 hours without any FPS drop. It happens in high graphic intensive areas like the commander zhalk fight, and it also happens when standing completely still in withers tomb. Sometimes it happens back to back after closing and reopening the game, and sometimes closing the game and reopening will let me play for an hour or more without any FPS issues

My computer is not overheating. My card is reading a stable 60° C, even during the FPS drop. I get a consistent 55-58 FPS on default Ultra settings, and a solid 60 FPS (currently capped) on default High settings & lower. Even at the lowest graphic settings, including disabling God rays and other bells and whistles, my frame rate is still down to 15-20 FPS when the stutter happens.

Has anyone else been going through this? Are there any other solutions?

[Anima Mundi]

Since you mentioned before that you're always starting fresh saves after each Update, i don't think it's a save related issue, otherwise i would tell you to try starting a new game.

I could also guess a memory leak problem, but i have not seen any confirmed case of memory leak in BG3 before.
Still, since you're already monitoring your hardware during play, how's the memory looking? Is it getting full when the stutters start?

[Lans]

I've started a stupid amount of new games. I'm getting sick of the nautiloid

CPU hits 40% max
Memory is running about 60%
SSD currently 0-1%
Nvidia RTX 2060 runs steady at about 35-40%, 66° C maximum. When it stutters the GPU usage hits 90-95%, but the temp doesn't increase

There is nothing running in the background, all resources are dedicated to BG3. Nonstop stutter is killing gameplay. I ran this game on EA and up to at least patch 1 on Ultra without any issue. I'm about ready to ♥♥♥♥ can it again for good this time

[Anima Mundi]

I mean i wouldn't blame you, i would have also lol
Though i'd probably go all the way into reinstalling my whole system before that.
With the info you've given im not sure what else i would try.
Sending a support ticket to Larian should be in order.

Also maybe apply the "temporary fix" again and play smoothly for a few more days ??
After all we had another Hotfix since then, maybe it borked things again.
Fresh out of guesses, sorry can't be much more of help

[Lans]

I did. Reinstalled everything. Suffering exact same issue

I'll open a ticket with Larian and see where it goes I guess

[アンジェル]

Originally posted by Lans:

Massive stutter/FPS drop
Edit: selected answer was a temporary fix, not a permanent fix. Frames now drop from solid 60 fps to 15-20 fps regardless of graphic settings

I haven't played BG3 since around patch #1 or #2. I came back to patch #5 for honor mode.

I previously played up to Act 3 foundry area, with zero crashes and very little stutter or FPS drop - settings could easily run on ultra for act 1, and high for act 2 & 3 without issue. My computer runs Nvidia GTX 2060, SSD & 16 gb RAM; not the best, but certainly enough

Today I can play BG3 patch #5 for about 5 minutes before game breaking stutter happens. On high graphic settings it stutters with a massive FPS drop. On lowest graphic settings it stutters with a minor FPS drop. No matter what settings are chosen, the stutter will hit and affect me until I either close the game or reset graphic settings to default, then I get another 2-5 minutes of playtime until stutter happens again

Has anyone else had this game breaking stutter? Have you been able to prevent or fix it?

Originally posted by Lans:

Revisiting this issue. The selected fix seemed to work for some time, but the stutter/fps issue came back

I went full nuclear on my computer to verify this is 100% caused by BG3. Reformat, fresh install windows ("downgrade" to windows 10), fresh clean driver installs, 32gb paging file, clean steam/BG3 install. The game ran great for about an hour, and then suffered massive FPS drop again.

There is no rhyme or reason to it. Sometimes it will FPS drop 30 seconds into gameplay. Sometimes I can play for 2 hours without any FPS drop. It happens in high graphic intensive areas like the commander zhalk fight, and it also happens when standing completely still in withers tomb. Sometimes it happens back to back after closing and reopening the game, and sometimes closing the game and reopening will let me play for an hour or more without any FPS issues

My computer is not overheating. My card is reading a stable 60° C, even during the FPS drop. I get a consistent 55-58 FPS on default Ultra settings, and a solid 60 FPS (currently capped) on default High settings & lower. Even at the lowest graphic settings, including disabling God rays and other bells and whistles, my frame rate is still down to 15-20 FPS when the stutter happens.

Has anyone else been going through this? Are there any other solutions?

Originally posted by Lans:

I've started a stupid amount of new games. I'm getting sick of the nautiloid

CPU hits 40% max
Memory is running about 60%
SSD currently 0-1%
Nvidia RTX 2060 runs steady at about 35-40%, 66° C maximum. When it stutters the GPU usage hits 90-95%, but the temp doesn't increase

There is nothing running in the background, all resources are dedicated to BG3. Nonstop stutter is killing gameplay. I ran this game on EA and up to at least patch 1 on Ultra without any issue. I'm about ready to ♥♥♥♥ can it again for good this time

Use this and then try again and report back
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3031161135
make sure that app is running properly in the background while you run Baldur'S Gate 3. It will also show you how much RAM is actually available than just how much is used. There is a limit to what the Windows taskmanager can do.

In addition to that: it could be as well that your PC is hitting its limits with just 16 GB RAM. But for what you described use the guide and the tool mentioned in the guide above first and tell us about the results.

[GavaecV]

I have the same thing, there were such drops in FPS first in Act 2 in the Tavern and Towers, then in Act 3. Graphics settings have no effect, FPS starts to drop after an hour or two of playing, deleting the cache does not help.

[jhb5015]

Same exact thing, but stutter didn't occur until Act 3. It becomes game breaking especially on the audio side.

[jait]

In Act3 the animations during cutscenes will also vibrate/shake rapidly at times for the same reasons. Just amateur coding.

[Expos]

Sorry for posting on this thread, but did you ever find a solution? It seems like I'm having the same problem.

For a few minutes at the start of a session BG3 runs absolutely fine, then slows down to the point it is unplayably stuttery. Have tried opening a ticket, but it doesn't seem like they have a solution

Originally posted by Lans:

Edit: selected answer was a temporary fix, not a permanent fix. Frames now drop from solid 60 fps to 15-20 fps regardless of graphic settings

I haven't played BG3 since around patch #1 or #2. I came back to patch #5 for honor mode.

I previously played up to Act 3 foundry area, with zero crashes and very little stutter or FPS drop - settings could easily run on ultra for act 1, and high for act 2 & 3 without issue. My computer runs Nvidia GTX 2060, SSD & 16 gb RAM; not the best, but certainly enough

Today I can play BG3 patch #5 for about 5 minutes before game breaking stutter happens. On high graphic settings it stutters with a massive FPS drop. On lowest graphic settings it stutters with a minor FPS drop. No matter what settings are chosen, the stutter will hit and affect me until I either close the game or reset graphic settings to default, then I get another 2-5 minutes of playtime until stutter happens again

Has anyone else had this game breaking stutter? Have you been able to prevent or fix it?