Weird stutter issue ONLY in Steam online mode

[KenpoJuJitsu3]

I'm having a weird issue with Steam games, and I've run out of ideas to try. I'm having an issue where several Steam games are having a microstutter in a regular cadence every ~5 seconds ONLY when Steam is in online mode. If I set Steam to offline mode the issue doesn't present, but then I can't play co-op with anyone. I've tried games from different release years, DX11, DX12, Vulkan, games on different drives, games with & without denuvo, etc., and the only common thing is that all these games only start this stutter as soon as they connect to whatever online system they use. The games start fine on splash screens, but as soon as they connect to something like online servers or accounts, the stutter begins. Games I have hundreds of hours in that weren't doing this before like MHW and NMS are doing it now.

Examples of games doing this: Monster Hunter World & Rise, No Man's Sky, Borderlands 3 Example games not doing this: Hot Wheels Unleashed, Outriders, World War Z, God of War (used as a game with no online/co-op functionality for control purposes)

Non-Steam games like The Division 2 do not do this, even when launched from Steam.

I've messed with Steam's network settings, cleared the browser and download caches, run the regular and beta clients, repaired the Steam client and Steam service, disabled and enabled Steam cloud and Steam overlay, disabled and enabled Windows Game Mode and Game Bar. The only thing that changes anything is launching Steam in offline.

Anyone have any other ideas? Basic specs are i7 8700K, 32GB RAM, RTX 3090.

[KenpoJuJitsu3]

Using Monster Hunter Rise as a single example, here's the frametime graph when the internet is enabled: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AMCsCkac-Q

And here it is when I disable the internet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPGY7I7z7Vg

[maciek karpatka]

...

[KenpoJuJitsu3]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Jake The Snake:

I'm experiencing this issue currently in CS:GO and Yakuza 5. Sent in a support ticket a couple minutes ago on CS:GO.

Just tested. Can confirm, also seeing the same behavior is CS:GO and Yakuza 5.

[KenpoJuJitsu3]

Also happening in Zombie Army 4.

[Iceira]

Have you test with clear webcache and cookie and ( steam flush command even, google it)

you might want to make own ticket at steam support, what if this is another of them 1000+ games own bug they said they have fix as i recall. or was it installed.

[KenpoJuJitsu3]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Iceira W10:

Have you test with clear webcache and cookie and ( steam flush command even, google it)

you might want to make own ticket at steam support, what if this is another of them 1000+ games own bug they said they have fix as i recall. or was it installed.

Yes, I've cleared Steam's web cache, download cache, etc.

I made a support ticket, reported what I'd found so far and directed them to this thread. I'm considering if I want to take the time to start going through my library testing notable games online and off and keeping a list in this thread of which are affected and which aren't.

Edit: I've even done several complete Steam re-installs, including removing entries manually from the registry to ensure they were completely fresh installs.

[Iceira]

Have you test the VC+++ from MS own page 2015 to 2022 ( you trigger a steam common redistributable install on any new installed game and validate game cache )
so you actual might restore old problem again and again and, i bet you get the point here.
i cant say its that, sense it use silent install on VC+++ ( silent install is ignore all pop issue msg with bugs or worse )

a few weeks ago i got issue with my GTA5 none steam game, and i just reinstall fallout4 i hope you can see the logic in this here, ( note i dont blaim steam for it , not easy to make a global update to all games, but sametime then it fail, its funny how my crash issue vanish after i did what i did. ( dont expect many know this or had same issue, and sense we all have diffrent hardware, its not that easy to ID )

[KenpoJuJitsu3]

Unclear on the possible connection between VC+++ and an issue that only occurs with an internet connection. I'm not versed on this aspect.

[Young•]

Nice

[Iceira]

Do the stupid test then, get a friends laptop or have spare pc to ruleout network into steam and if that work then its main pc issue and not a steam online game issue.

[KenpoJuJitsu3]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Iceira W10:

Do the stupid test then, get a friends laptop or have spare pc to ruleout network into steam and if that work then its main pc issue and not a steam online game issue.

Already done. I have multiple computers, laptops, and three Steam accounts. The issue only presents on the machine with the largest account (5000+) and the most Steam drives (4).

Other machines & accounts with less games and less drives are fine both online on the same network as well as offline. Using the same larger account on another machine that doesn't have as many drives also doesn't present the issue, same as reducing the number of Steam drives on the affected machine or simply switching off the internet.

Non-Steam games from all other clients I use (GOG, Ubisoft Connect, EA Origin, BattleNet, Rockstar Launcher, Epic) are completely unaffected, even when it's the same the games as on Steam since I have so many multiples to test.

The issue is effectively narrowed down to something the client is doing at regular intervals when online and in conjunction with the number of library drives I have enabled and/or games I have actively installed. Very similar to the client unresponsiveness issues for large install libraries like mine that was fixed in a patch a few months ago.

So going back to the initial question. How would a VC+++ issue only manifest when connected to the internet?

[KenpoJuJitsu3]

This fix linked here was a response to the last ticket I submitted (and surely a few other users who also reported the issue): https://store.steampowered.com/oldnews/89934

This issue here appears to be inline with this, and Steam support has already let me know they've acknowledged it and are investigating.

[Iceira]

Atleast thats something, so you know you dont stand alone, or should said your problem to figure it out. ( just in case ask own board for help or Brand name could be equal valid to do. steam dont fix other Brands Driver issue. and same with MS OS

cant even recall did you do the sfc /scannow ( google it )


ps.
dont get me wrong here, your choise and consequece of it. but
example if steam was default at c-drev and all other games is on other multi disk , what prevent you from do the crazy test unplug other disk if you have access to them to reduce steam huge library to test a reduce attached system.

this is only for user that know and have read other steam post, how to add them again and know what they are doing.

and pleaty of them how to reset steam and keep installed game even to test and rebuild it up again to see if that even help.

if you dont know this then dont do it.

you are not the first user in with steam act odd and somehow this was only way to get out of it.
and even old crappy system advice with reinstall windows or rollback to previous windows restore point can matter here.

most helper dont say such anymore because of you can end up at exatly same place, and just waste time doing it.

[Iceira]

other odd thing check that default steam is still that disk you think it is, im not kidding here, mine was change back to SSD on C-Drive and it was on my Slave disk before D-Drive.
im not sure but i think steam change this then C had more free room then D, because i did not change it. (and you can also try the repair steam library im sure you have done that before. )

[KenpoJuJitsu3]

Over a month later and still no idea what the issue is, nor any further help from Steam support.

Only other thing I've noticed is that when launching one of the affected games (again only while online) Steam accesses and/or modifies various workshop files and appmanifest.acf files for different games I'm not even playing across every library drive I have.