30fps cap option?

[Sir Jasper Trund]

Following on from BlackLionPT's excellent guide (http://steamcommunity.com/app/212480/discussions/0/648814845380895943/) - would it be possible to have a 30fps cap option built in to the launcher or the game options...?

I'm someone who's experienced a lot of stutter with this game, and capping the game to 30fps is the only way to smooth this out (this system will not run the game at 60fps with any amount of persuasion). Theoretically, Vsync should do this but it just...doesn't. For whatever reason, Vsync for this game just doesn't do this on my system. I'm sure I can't be the only one.

Apologies if I've missed anything fundamental on a technical level, or if I've misunderstood something. But, if there's no other way to reduce stuttering at frame rates that aren't 30 0r 60, then it would be convenient to have this option built in rather than via third-party software.

Keep up with the great job being done on the game!

[BlackLionPT]

Hi! The only way to get a stutter free experience (with vsync, meaning, no tearing) nowadays (other than using the frame capping methods) is using Nvidia G-Sync. It requires both an Nvidia Card that's G-Sync Capable, and some very expensive G-Sync Ready Screens, unfortunately.

If you don't like to use Bandicam to cap your framerate (or don't like messing your settings for recording in case you use it), There's another software that can cap the frame rate at 30FPS: RTSS Rivatuner Statistics Server (Download here)[www.guru3d.com].

It's pretty straightforward, it has a clear "cap framerate" option.

Getting an option for in-game capping it's up to developers themselves. I've talked with IceBlade beforehand doing the tutorial, since he knows very well how the engine works, and there isn't any option you can edit to change the target frame rate unfortunately.

But it would be very cool for the devs to add a frame cap option yes, since the game runs wonderfully on weaker systems with Frame Cap at 30FPS. Some weaker systems can even get the game maxed out just by capping the frame rate at 30FPS!

[kingddd]

I can support this. My laptop which runs this game in subpar 25 to 30 fps at max settings runs very smoothly.

[BlackLionPT]

Btw, i forgot to mention this: You can find the explanation for why Vsync causes stuttering when Frame Drops occur in the guide itself. I even have 3 graphs that explain why 30, 20 and 60 do not cause stuttering (on 60 Hz screens), and why any other number will cause it. The graphs are a "Dumbed down" version of how the PC does the stuff, but can be used to understand why it happens ;)

It's mostly because the screen has a fixed refresh update rate, as in, it can only receive the frame at that moment. A tiny bit after / before, and you have tearing. (and if the GPU skips one frame because it wasn't ready (to prevent tearing), you get stuttering :x)

G-Sync from nvidia fixes this because it makes the screen's refresh rate variable: When the frame is ready to be displayed (as soon as the GPU finishes it), it shows the frame, that's it. But since the technology is very recent, it's very expensive.

[Sir Jasper Trund]

Originally posted by BlackLionPT:

But it would be very cool for the devs to add a frame cap option yes, since the game runs wonderfully on weaker systems with Frame Cap at 30FPS. Some weaker systems can even get the game maxed out just by capping the frame rate at 30FPS!

Originally posted by BlackLionPT:

Btw, i forgot to mention this: You can find the explanation for why Vsync causes stuttering when Frame Drops occur in the guide itself. I even have 3 graphs that explain why 30, 20 and 60 do not cause stuttering (on 60 Hz screens), and why any other number will cause it. The graphs are a "Dumbed down" version of how the PC does the stuff, but can be used to understand why it happens ;)

Indeed, after capping the game at 30 to avoid the stuttering I was experiencing, I was able to max out the game's graphics without the framerate ever dropping below 30.

My understanding of VSync is that, given the nature of how it works, if I was experiencing framerates below 60, VSync would effectively need to 'cap' the framerate at 30 to ensure that the screen was refreshing all at once. For whatever reason, this doesn't seem to happen on my system woth this game. It seems to be the case in some other games.

I read this section of your guide entirely - it was very informative and helpful, so thanks for posting it. I use Bandicam to cap the frame rate; previously, I used Nvidia inspector but I prefer Bandicam because I find it more convenient. It's not exactly a hassle but a built-in option would be preferable if possible.

[HedgiePT]

The game is probably using triple-buffering, which allows you to have v-sync and framerates that aren't factors of your refresh rate... at the expense of having stuttering :P

Some games actually have frame cap built-in (Sleeping Dogs comes to mind; GTA San Andreas has it as well, I think)

[Sir Jasper Trund]

Originally posted by JohnTH:

The game is probably using triple-buffering, which allows you to have v-sync and framerates that aren't factors of your refresh rate... at the expense of having stuttering :P

Some games actually have frame cap built-in (Sleeping Dogs comes to mind; GTA San Andreas has it as well, I think)

Hmm, that's true, I'd forgotten about the ol' triple buffering, but I'm sure the devs mentioned to me that Vsync should smooth out the stutter by, pretty much, capping the frame rate.

If not, a 30fps cap option for low-mid enders would still be very useful. You could even just have a 'lock framerate' or 'console FPS lock' tickbox which, if left unticked, allowed the game to attempt to hit the big 60 and, if checked, kept things at 30.

(I say 'just' - of course, feature implementation is always easier said than done!)

[HedgiePT]

I'm pretty sure they said that to those that get framerates above 60, which causes massive stuttering.

[Sir Jasper Trund]

Originally posted by JohnTH:

I'm pretty sure they said that to those that get framerates above 60, which causes massive stuttering.

It also happens elsewhere - as outlined in BlackLionPT's guide, stuttering happens at framerates that are not 60, 30 or 20, regardless of Vsync. A 30fps cap option in-built, rather than via third-party software as suggested in his pinned guide, would help low-mid enders.

Any dev feedback on this concept?

[BlackLionPT]

Pretty sure it has nothing to do with Triple Buffering. I even recommend forcing it ON to reduce input lag (as suggested by IceBlade), so 99.99% sure the game does not use Triple Buffering. There just isn't any way to prevent stuttering when the game isn't running at 20 / 30 or 60 Solid FPS. The only way is limiting the game to run at the only speed it can archive.

Guess we just have to wait and see if S0L sees this thread, since a built-in option would be very epic! The suspense is killing me :D

[Sir Jasper Trund]

Originally posted by BlackLionPT:

Pretty sure it has nothing to do with Triple Buffering. I even recommend forcing it ON to reduce input lag (as suggested by IceBlade), so 99.99% sure the game does not use Triple Buffering. There just isn't any way to prevent stuttering when the game isn't running at 20 / 30 or 60 Solid FPS. The only way is limiting the game to run at the only speed it can archive.

Guess we just have to wait and see if S0L sees this thread, since a built-in option would be very epic! The suspense is killing me :D

Thanks for the concise explanation, as ever, and glad you agree!