GTA4's VSync - Problems

[mark007]

Hi,

 

I have found some issues with gta4's own vsync setting, at least using my GTX 295. It doesn't behave like other games vsync control where they normally ask the gfx card to control the vsync.

 

Instead vsync in GTA4 seems to simply reduce the maximum frame rate to below the refresh rate of the screen. For example on my HDTV, at 50hz, using GTA4's vsync control, my fps maxes out about 45fps (seen with fraps).

 

This of course gives a slight judder every second or so rather than perfect 50fps vsync. I also notice in strenuous areas of Liberty City, using GTA 4's own vsync control, the frame rate is much lower than when using the gfx cards own vsync control.

 

For this reason, I decide to set force vsync on in the nvidia control panel, and vsync off in gta 4. This allows me perfect 50fps in areas that arn't very detailed, and gives me higher, and smoother frame rates in detailed areas of the city, if only by a few frames per second.

 

The only problem with disabling vsync within gta4's options, is instead of taking 10-15 seconds to load the city, it takes 5-10 minutes to load the city. So I think rockstar should address both of these issues.

 

1) Vsync On: GTA4 should do proper vsync like other games, not simply reduce the frame rate to make it be lower than the refresh rate.

2) Vsync Off: GTA4 shouldn't take a lifetime to load with vsync set to off.

 

Regards,

Edited May 21, 2010 by mark007

[ikt]

Hi,

 

I have found some issues with gta4's own vsync setting, at least using my GTX 295. It doesn't behave like other games vsync control where they normally ask the gfx card to control the vsync.

 

Instead vsync in GTA4 seems to simply reduce the maximum frame rate to below the refresh rate of the screen. For example on my HDTV, at 50hz, using GTA4's vsync control, my fps maxes out about 45fps.

 

This of course gives a slight judder every second or so rather than perfect 50fps vsync. I also notice in strenuous areas of Liberty City, using GTA 4's own vsync control, the frame rate is much lower than when using the gfx cards own vsync control.

 

For this reason, I decide to set force vsync on in the nvidia control panel, and vsync off in gta 4. This allows me perfect 50fps in areas that arn't very detailed, and gives me higher, and smoother frame rates in detailed areas of the city, if only by a few frames per second.

 

The only problem with disabling vsync within gta4's options, is instead of taking 10-15 seconds to load the city, it takes 5-10 minutes to load the city. So I think rockstar should address both of these issues.

 

1) Vsync On: GTA4 should do proper vsync like other games, not simply reduce the frame rate to make it be lower than the refresh rate.

2) Vsync Off: GTA4 shouldn't take a lifetime to load with vsync set to off.

 

Regards,

That's very odd. Turing Vsync off usually results in faster loading, and turning it on results in very slow loading. Could you try turning off both the Vsync options, in both the game and the GPU driver?

[mark007]

Yeah i did out a table one night with 1.0.5.0 of the diff combinations of vsync on / off in game and nv control panel. I think having both on back then was fastest, but lastnight, with nvidia cp on, gta 4's off, it took forever to load. I'll do another speed test tonight with different combinations.

 

I'll also report on gta4's vsync anomalies, ie frame rate being reduced unnecessarily as an alternative to the correct way to do vsync like other games do.

 

Please feel free to post your load time differences also with all combinations below. I am just going to time the load time of the particular part of the city I last saved in.

 

GTA Vsync=On

GFX Card Vsync=On

Load Time=18 seconds

Max FPS Seen With Fraps=45fps on 50hz

 

GTA Vsync=On

GFX Card Vsync=Off

Load Time=1minute 58 seconds

Max FPS Seen With Fraps=45fps on 50hz

 

GTA Vsync=Off

GFX Card Vsync=Off

Load Time=1 minute 57 seconds

Max FPS Seen With Fraps=50fps on 50hz

 

GTA Vsync=Off

GFX Card Vsync=On

Load Time=18 seconds

Max FPS Seen With Fraps=50fps on 50hz

Edited May 21, 2010 by mark007

[SNAKE DOC]

A little bit off-topic but how well is GTA running with your 295? Whats your avg fps? And what CPU do you have? Wondering cause I also have the same card but performance wise I'm not satisfied.

[Gilly1987]

ive always used a tool that comes with riva tune

called d3doverider what adds vsync (you dont have to be running rivatune)and that caps the fps at 60

[mark007]

OK updated post above with load times, basically no matter what the combination, the gta4 vsync setting being ON, reduces the maximum frame rate, and with gta 4 vsync off, increases the load time x6.

 

What I think is happening is

 

With gta vsync on, its just reducing the frame rate to make sure it doesn't go above refresh rate, but this also has an impact when running at lower fps, they will be reduced also.

Also with vsync off in gta and in nvidia control panel, the frame rate during the loading sequence is capped at 60, and this somehow holds back the load times. When gta4 vsync is on, its like the load times don't get hampered anymore.

 

This is a serious pain in the a$$ because I just want the game to load fast, and also have a proper vsync implementation along with it, not this fudged way rockstar seems to be trying to achieve vsync.

 

Yeah I use rivatuner with games like Street Figher IV where nvidias vsync setting doesn't have an impact, thats not the case here, nvidias vsync settings do work in the game, just rockstars vsync settings are messed up, and the loading sequences go awfully slow with gta's vsync off.

 

cornflakes, I have a core i7 920 @ 3.6ghz, 6gb of 1600mhz ram. With 1.0.6.0, at 1920 x 1080, with everything on maximum (using norestrict command line option), but with traffic set to 51, I get about 25-35fps average with single gpu, and 35-45 with 2 gpus enabled, but of course double gpu's adds flickering which is supposed to be fixed in the upcoming 256 nvidia drivers.

 

I wish vsync / load times could be fixed, this along with the new 256 nvidia drivers would be a step in the right direction

Edited May 21, 2010 by mark007

[SNAKE DOC]

 

OK updated post above with load times, basically no matter what the combination, the gta4 vsync setting being ON, reduces the maximum frame rate, and with gta 4 vsync off, increases the load time x6.

 

What I think is happening is

 

With gta vsync on, its just reducing the frame rate to make sure it doesn't go above refresh rate, but this also has an impact when running at lower fps, they will be reduced also.

Also with vsync off in gta and in nvidia control panel, the frame rate during the loading sequence is capped at 60, and this somehow holds back the load times. When gta4 vsync is on, its like the load times don't get hampered anymore.

 

This is a serious pain in the a$$ because I just want the game to load fast, and also have a proper vsync implementation along with it, not this fudged way rockstar seems to be trying to achieve vsync.

 

Yeah I use rivatuner with games like Street Figher IV where nvidias vsync setting doesn't have an impact, thats not the case here, nvidias vsync settings do work in the game, just rockstars vsync settings are messed up, and the loading sequences go awfully slow with gta's vsync off.

 

cornflakes, I have a core i7 920 @ 3.6ghz, 6gb of 1600mhz ram. With 1.0.6.0, at 1920 x 1080, with everything on maximum (using norestrict command line option), but with traffic set to 51, I get about 25-35fps average with single gpu, and 35-45 with 2 gpus enabled, but of course double gpu's adds flickering which is supposed to be fixed in the upcoming 256 nvidia drivers.

 

I wish vsync / load times could be fixed, this along with the new 256 nvidia drivers would be a step in the right direction

The same thing happens to me. My frame rate drops with vsync on, and the load time is longer than the intro song.

 

Nice system. I would expect GTA to run better on that setup, but I could be wrong. My fps is the same as yours, but I get no flickering with multi-gpu enabled. Though my frame rate drops to the early 20's at times.

 

Lets hope the new drivers does something good

 

PS: I just installed my old 2 x XFX 8800GTX (SLI disabled) to test performance in game, and GTA runs smoother than with the 295.

[mark007]

That's impressive alright. You sure you have everything on 100 and set to very high including shadows, 16x anisotropic, 1920 x 1080. Can anyone else reproduce vsync load time problems.

Edited May 22, 2010 by mark007

[WIGILOCO]

My fps is capped @ 56fps when using GTA IV vsync. My monitor is 60hz and GTA IV options know it is 60hz. It is weird.