Performance Bug in last few versions, and partial fix

Tyrsis · April 2013

After build 243 I started getting some significant performance issues. My input would feel "laggy" compared to how it used to feel, and it was throwing me completely off. Even though my FPS was respectable, it still felt wrong. I tried the usual suspects of making sure everything was closed before hand, etc, but nothing worked. After launching a bunch of times, I came into the game and it felt fixed, so I figured I had closed or changed something that made it better. My input felt normal and I could play normally. I figured it was fixed, but I was wrong. Coming back another time the lagginess was back. So the issue was intermittent. Basically what I found out is that if I join an empty server and the ready room FPS is not close to 200 FPS, I will experience this laggy issue. If I close and relaunch NS2, after a few times I'll be able to get the 200 fps. Here are screenshots that show it from the same map, both empty, but with significantly different fps. No settings were changed, I just relaunched a few times and finally got 200. This works for me because I know when performance is normal, FPS will show up as 200. Anything less and I'm experience this "bug". For other people with lesser systems, this will vary.

The following image shows the lower FPS. If I try playing with that fps (even though it's respectable), it will feel laggy, almost like my input is completely lagged behind. Also it will look and feel choppy, almost like the CPU is really straining.

The next image shows my FPS when things are normal. If I play the game after seeing FPS like in this screenshot everything will feel fast, crisp, and no laggy input or choppiness.

While I have a somewhat beefy system (overclocked with dual vid cards), I can only imagine that if others experience this, it will be a lot more a lot more pronounced, and may be the source of some of the complaints people have about performance.

Kouji_San · April 2013

Hmm, I'm sure Matso would love to see the performance logs for both instances (200FPS and laggy FPS). To do this, boot up a game and type the following in the console:

plog_all

And record it for about 30seconds for both the smooth and laggy FPS. You can then find the plog files in your "%appdata%\Natural Selection 2" folder called xxxx.plog.

Tyrsis · April 2013

It was p_logall and p_endlog. Interestingly enough I tasked out to see if the files were being written, and when I tasked back in during a time it was laggy, the lagginess had disappeared. So tasking out of the game and back in appears to fix the issue. Kind of a strange bug. I have plogs of both situations though.

ScardyBob · April 2013

Mind posting your comp specs and the contents of your log.txt when the lagginess occurs?

Tyrsis · April 2013

Here's a combination of cpu-z and dxdiag. And before it gets mentioned, ever driver is up to date, as that is the first thing I checked.

cpu-z dump of cpu:
Name Intel Core i5 2500K
Codename Sandy Bridge
Specification Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-2500K CPU @ 3.30GHz
Package (platform ID) Socket 1155 LGA (0x1)
CPUID 6.A.7
Extended CPUID 6.2A
Core Stepping D2
Technology 32 nm
TDP Limit 95 Watts
Core Speed 4596.6 MHz
Multiplier x FSB 46.0 x 99.8 MHz
Stock frequency 3300 MHz
Instructions sets MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, EM64T, VT-x, AES, AVX
L1 Data cache 4 x 32 KBytes, 8-way set associative, 64-byte line size
L1 Instruction cache 4 x 32 KBytes, 8-way set associative, 64-byte line size
L2 cache 4 x 256 KBytes, 8-way set associative, 64-byte line size
L3 cache 6 MBytes, 12-way set associative, 64-byte line size
FID/VID Control yes

dxdiag of vid cards:
Card name: AMD Radeon HD 6800 Series (x2)
Manufacturer: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
Chip type: AMD Radeon Graphics Processor (0x6738)
DAC type: Internal DAC(400MHz)
Display Memory: 4095 MB
Dedicated Memory: 3072 MB
Shared Memory: 1023 MB
Current Mode: 1680 x 1050 (32 bit) (60Hz)

Log:
Date: 04/15/13
Time: 14:09:07

Build 245
Steam initialized
Render Device: AMD Radeon HD 6800 Series (8.17.10.1172)
Sound Device: Speakers (Realtek High Definition Audio) stereo
Record Device: FrontMic (Realtek High Definition Audio)
Mounting mod from C:/Users/Jeromy/AppData/Roaming/Natural Selection 2/Workshop/m5f65ef1_1349013050/
Loading config://ConsoleBindings.json
Loading config://FavoriteServers.json
Main Menu Initialized at Version: 245
Steam Id: xxxxxxxxxxx
Error: Direct3DDevice::Unable to get render target data
Error: Direct3DDevice::Unable to get render target data
Error: Direct3DDevice::Unable to get render target data
Error: Direct3DDevice::Unable to get render target data
Error: Direct3DDevice::Unable to get render target data
Error: Direct3DDevice::Unable to get render target data
Error: Direct3DDevice::Unable to get render target data
Error: Direct3DDevice::Unable to get render target data
Error: Direct3DDevice::Unable to get render target data
Error: Direct3DDevice::Unable to get render target data
Error: Direct3DDevice::Unable to get render target data
Error: Direct3DDevice::Unable to get render target data
Resource 11bd9428
Resource 10ef68c0
Resource 11b39f68
Resource 1776af28
Resource 11b5a030
Resource 11610208
Resource 178a8c50
Resource 10a8cf40
Resource 1ce9ffb0
Resource 11b3eb30
Resource 12241a78
Resource 1160f780
Resource 116102c8
Resource 178a92e8
Resource 1160fa58
Resource 178a9310
Resource 11b4eef8
Resource 11bb4d38
Resource 17828448
Resource 10a90b60
Resource 1ce9e918
Resource 116101e0
Resource 10efb568
Resource 11b65b88
Resource 122594d0
Resource 11bd9450
Resource 115ad618
Resource 1ce9ff88
Resource 1ce9df90
Resource 115ba708
Resource 115b0f08
Resource 11bd4e38
Resource 10ef6de0
Resource 178aad98
Resource 11b72ad0
Resource 11bd7598
Resource 1224a350
Resource 11bd1758
Resource 11610090
Resource 11b445b0
Resource 10eff198
Resource 1785ff98
Resource 17766e88
Resource 11bd9478
Resource 1224d588
Resource 11b7c0a8
Resource 11b62d68
Resource 116102f0
Resource 122418e8
Resource 115ad640
Resource 11b62c48
Resource 11610790
Resource 178bcfc0
Resource 116107f0
Resource 115a2468
Resource 11bcf438
Resource 178a17f0
Resource 11ba8150
Resource 10efba28
Resource 11bce6c0
Resource 11b3eb58
Resource 10efb538
Resource 1160fe60
Resource 10ef6958
Resource 11bce9e8
Resource 1160fe38
Error: IDirect3DDevice9::Reset to 1440x900 failed (Invalid call)
Connecting to server 74.121.183.203:37350
Downloading mods
Finished downloading and installing mods
Mounting mod from C:/Users/Jeromy/AppData/Roaming/Natural Selection 2/Workshop/m5f65ef1_1349013050/
Loading config://ConsoleBindings.json
Loading config://FavoriteServers.json
Loading 'maps/ns2_refinery.level'
Error: Couldn't open file 'models/cinematics/exoreveal/page_1_panels_1-11 - onosemerges/camera7.model'
Building pathing mesh for level maps/ns2_refinery.level
Finished loading 'maps/ns2_refinery.level'
Error: Couldn't open file ''
Error: Couldn't open file ''
Chat All - PM - Admin: Welcome back, tyrsis!
L 4/15/2013 - 15:09:21 - ServerConsole executed sv_psay Welcome back, tyrsis!
Chat All - PM - Admin: STATS: Total Kills: 113 Total Deaths: 12 KDR: 9.4
L 4/15/2013 - 15:09:21 - ServerConsole executed sv_psay STATS: Total Kills: 113 Total Deaths: 12 KDR: 9.4

Ghosthree3 · April 2013

If it's on and off, sound's like your CPU is overheating a bit, run a temp checking program in the background and see what your CPU is next time it lags.

Tyrsis · April 2013

That is not the case, as I've checked that already. Let me reiterated that I have eliminated everything that is driver and hardware based. This is definitely something that is happening in game, and is repeatable.

Ironsoul · April 2013

The 6000 series from AMD were fairly notorious for huge Micro Stutter issues in game. I won't go into detail about how or why micro stutter happens, but the end result is an experience that feels laggy, choppy, an worst case scenario, worse than half your reported framerate. E.G. 120fps == less than 60fps feeling.

I'm not saying this is indeed the issue, it's just a very possibly possibility. I'm quite sensitive to input lag in games and get frustrated when it occurs. I have a 2500 (non k) and a 7970. I learned that Ambient Occlusion in NS2 causes some input lag so I turn that off, and Anti Aliasing possibly causes input lag so I turn that off too. Anyway, I get about 80+fps most of the time in NS2 and it feels incredibly responsive since build 244, before then it was quite the frustration fest.

Tyrsis · April 2013

From my understanding of micrstutters, they happen consistently. This does not happen consistently, and I can completely fix the issue by either restarting the game or tasking in/out.

IronHorse · April 2013

Plogs!!

ScardyBob · April 2013

Ah, the unable to render target data error. I was getting this issue when using a HD 6950:

There is a workaround where if you restart NS2 after changing your resolution to below your native one.

Tyrsis · April 2013

IronHorse wrote: »

Plogs!!

I sent plogs to max

Hopefully he'll forward it on to whoever looks at them.

Tyrsis · April 2013

ScardyBob wrote: »

Ah, the unable to render target data error. I was getting this issue when using a HD 6950:

There is a workaround where if you restart NS2 after changing your resolution to below your native one.

Yeah I may have the same issue, but my work around seems to work fine (tasking out, waiting, tasking back in, in full screen). Though I also sometimes get full speed even while getting that error, so I'm not sure it's completely related to that.

IronHorse · April 2013

@tyrsis do you get this same error /issue when using fullscreen windowed?

Tyrsis · April 2013

I don't get the same error, but I get the same issue.

IronHorse · April 2013

Is that a riddle? :-P

Well, anyhow its in go- er.. Max's hands now.

Performance Bug in last few versions, and partial fix

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