Physx question

RiskkeRiskke Join Date: 2012-10-31 Member: 165036Members
edited November 2012 in Technical Support
<div class="IPBDescription">Only CPU use</div>Hey there, I turned on the visual indicator of Physx in my Nvidia control panel and that's what I get in the NS2 menu even I'm forcing the use of the GPU.

Maybe is this the problem of the high use of CPU on the game as it avoids the GPU for physics ingame.

<a href="http://imgur.com/Xplmw" target="_blank">Image</a>
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Comments

  • RiskkeRiskke Join Date: 2012-10-31 Member: 165036Members
    I've seen a huge impact on the FPS by reinstalling my Nvidia drivers (306.97) without the Physx software, I've reach 30 fps on combat.
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  • IronHorseIronHorse Developer, QA Manager, Technical Support & contributor Join Date: 2010-05-08 Member: 71669Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Developer, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Subnautica Playtester, Subnautica PT Lead, Pistachionauts
    Thanks for the info, going to test this out
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  • Jarl Ballin'Jarl Ballin' Join Date: 2012-11-25 Member: 173203Members
    So this is irrelevant to AMD users? I have an XFX HD 5770. But I noticed that physx shows up on my "Uninstall Programs".
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  • gluttoglutto Join Date: 2012-11-27 Member: 173464Members
    edited November 2012
    <!--quoteo(post=2036221:date=Nov 27 2012, 08:09 PM:name=Jarl Ballin')--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jarl Ballin' @ Nov 27 2012, 08:09 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2036221"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->So this is irrelevant to AMD users? I have an XFX HD 5770. But I noticed that physx shows up on my "Uninstall Programs".<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    I just noticed that my full AMD system did not have the Physx system driver installed. I went <a href="http://physxinfo.com/news/category/physx-drivers/" target="_blank">here</a>, downloaded and installed it, and had no slowdown at all even at endgame. This is a very welcome change, since NS2 was unplayable before this. I was previously stuck playing defensive gorge, and playing it badly.

    In the last few years I do remember various games installing Physx for various reasons, but I checked and it was not there. It seems to disappear fairly often. I vaguely remembering this happening before.
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  • Jarl Ballin'Jarl Ballin' Join Date: 2012-11-25 Member: 173203Members
    What I'm curious to know is if AMD graphics card users experience a performance increase from removing physx or if there is a way to set it to CPU for AMD users as well.
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  • gluttoglutto Join Date: 2012-11-27 Member: 173464Members
    <!--quoteo(post=2036260:date=Nov 27 2012, 09:10 PM:name=Jarl Ballin')--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jarl Ballin' @ Nov 27 2012, 09:10 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2036260"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->What I'm curious to know is if AMD graphics card users experience a performance increase from removing physx or if there is a way to set it to CPU for AMD users as well.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    I believe Physx automatically uses CPU when no suitable hardware is detected.
    Removing the software is probably not a good idea. Games likely do not check if it's installed, but try to use it anyways, but this is AFAIK.
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  • Jarl Ballin'Jarl Ballin' Join Date: 2012-11-25 Member: 173203Members
    edited November 2012
    <!--quoteo(post=2036261:date=Nov 27 2012, 07:24 PM:name=glutto)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (glutto @ Nov 27 2012, 07:24 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2036261"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I believe Physx automatically uses CPU when no suitable hardware is detected.
    Removing the software is probably not a good idea. Games likely do not check if it's installed, but try to use it anyways, but this is AFAIK.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    I'm going to give the latest physx drivers a shot. I have an older version from back in March 2012. Hopefully I see the same benefits as you.

    Edit: This is my performance thread I started if you're interested. Lots of logs, info and pictures about the issues I've been experiencing. Hoping to crack the mystical clues of performance degradation.

    <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/forums/index.php?showtopic=125318" target="_blank">http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/forums/in...howtopic=125318</a>
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  • Jarl Ballin'Jarl Ballin' Join Date: 2012-11-25 Member: 173203Members
    Updating to the latest physx did nothing. Performance is still the same. :/
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  • gluttoglutto Join Date: 2012-11-27 Member: 173464Members
    Well, I tried several things all at once, so perhaps it was a combination of factors:

    I installed 12.11beta8 Catalyst drivers.
    I installed the Physx system drivers.
    I set processor affinity in Windows Task Manager on NS2.exe to only 2 of my 8 processor cores. (odd, but it seems to work. I just tried full processor affinity)
    I set CPU priority in Windows Task Manager on NS2.exe to high.

    I may have done more, but I can't remember at the moment. I run the game in windowed mode with all graphical options set to the lowest, either low or none, except for multicore rendering which is enabled.

    Good luck. It took me nearly a month of tinkering around for my system.
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  • Jarl Ballin'Jarl Ballin' Join Date: 2012-11-25 Member: 173203Members
    edited November 2012
    I do have the 12.11 beta drivers installed. I also updated the physx drivers. I've also been setting the CPU priority to high. I haven't tried limiting my 4 cores down to 2 though. I shall give it a whirl.

    Also: Would the batch file look something like this to run on 2 processors?

    Start /affinity 1 ,2 /high NS2.exe
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  • gluttoglutto Join Date: 2012-11-27 Member: 173464Members
    edited November 2012
    <!--quoteo(post=2036659:date=Nov 28 2012, 01:35 PM:name=Jarl Ballin')--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jarl Ballin' @ Nov 28 2012, 01:35 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2036659"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I do have the 12.11 beta drivers installed. I also updated the physx drivers. I've also been setting the CPU priority to high. I haven't tried limiting my 4 cores down to 2 though. I shall give it a whirl.

    Also: Would the batch file look something like this to run on 2 processors?

    Start /affinity 1 ,2 /high NS2.exe<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    It's probably easier to do this:
    <a href="http://blog.tune-up.com/windows-insights/assign-processor-affinity-to-improve-performance/" target="_blank">http://blog.tune-up.com/windows-insights/a...ve-performance/</a>

    Edit: Task Manager doesn't save affinity on its own, but you can use <a href="http://www.prnwatch.com/prio.html" target="_blank">Prio</a> to save it.
    Edit2: Upon further research, Prio might not be needed for saving affinity, but it should properly save CPU priority.
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  • Jarl Ballin'Jarl Ballin' Join Date: 2012-11-25 Member: 173203Members
    edited November 2012
    Ah I found it. It's "Start /high /affinity 3 NS2.exe" to start it high priority and on cores 0 and 1. I'm going to test it out now and see if there is any change in r_stats or performance.

    Updated: I tested it out and it slightly made performance worse for me. Returning back to 4 cores. The difference between 2 and 4 cores is very minimal though. I don't think the game is utilizing 4 cores the way it should.
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  • gluttoglutto Join Date: 2012-11-27 Member: 173464Members
    Well, I do wish you luck. I've run out of suggestions.
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  • Jarl Ballin'Jarl Ballin' Join Date: 2012-11-25 Member: 173203Members
    <!--quoteo(post=2036792:date=Nov 28 2012, 03:23 PM:name=glutto)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (glutto @ Nov 28 2012, 03:23 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2036792"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Well, I do wish you luck. I've run out of suggestions.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Thanks. I keep trying. Although now that I've returned to my previous settings my game crashes more than usual. *sigh*
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