Stuttering (FPS Drop) Issues

Hello all!

I recently discovered DCS World and am thrilled about it because I always wanted to fly a P-51 Mustang. Over the weekend I bought the P-51D Mustang from thee ED website and installed DCS World 1.5.6. I have successfully installed the Mustang module as well but have been experiencing performance issues.

I am experiencing stuttering (sharp FPS drop every second or so). The video below is me flying the P-51D Mustang, but the stuttering also exists in the other 2 free modules (Su-25 and TF-51D). This is the Instant Action/Take Off Batumi mission, though I also experience the same stuttering in other missions as well. :cry:

I have tried low, medium, and high graphics settings. I have tried turning in-game V-Sync on and off, as well as NVIDIA control panel V-Sync options (On, Off, Adaptive, Adaptive (Half), Fast). All with same results.

If someone can help me iron out this problem I would truly appreciate it! It's a beautiful game and I'd love to be able to experience it without this issue! :thumbup:

System Specs:

CPU: Intel i5-4690k 3.5 GHz Quad-core

GPU: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1060 G1 Gaming 6GB

Driver: NVIDIA 378.78

RAM: Corsair Vengeance DDR3 4GB x 2

HD: PNY 240GB SSD

OS: Windows 10 Pro

Resolution: 1920x1080

Monitor: Asus VX238H 23 inch

YouTube Video Link

Before you try anything else, try putting V-sync to adaptive, and press ALT + ENTER when you enter the game. (To go into true Fullscreen). Then report back if you still have the stutters.

Before you try anything else, try putting V-sync to adaptive, and press ALT + ENTER when you enter the game. (To go into true Fullscreen). Then report back if you still have the stutters.

OnlyforDCS, will do! Just to be crystal clear, is that Alt + Enter after the game fully loads?

Yes, after you enter the cockpit for the first time. Another question, is the game installed on your SSD?

OnlyforDCS,

Ok, I will enter the game, start an Instant Action mission, and hit Alt + Enter.

I will set the V-Sync on the NVIDIA Control Panel to Adaptive before I start up the game, but do I set the V-Sync in the in-game options to Off? I might as well post a screen shot of my options screen when I report back.

The game is indeed installed on my SSD.

I am not at home so cannot try it yet, but will do so and report back as soon as I do. Thanks for being patient!

No problem. It's best to leave vsync off in the ingame options, it will be overridden by the Nvidia setting of adaptive vsync anyway.

If you use only one monitor in Nvidia control panel -> manage 3d settings -> Multi display/mixed GPU acceleration set to "single display perfomance mode" And you should get instaFPS boost!

But shhh, don't tell anyone ;)

Pedro's out

I hope this works for you. Please report if it does or doesn't. I bought a new system just for DCS and i'm so mad I uninstalled it. I have the same vid card as you, but I have more cpu and 32g of ram. (overkill but it came with the system)

I get stutters while getting 200 fps, but like you it's jumping all over the place. Even with all settings maxed out I still get 120 fps. No matter what I do it stutters. More like single split second pauses which I guess is a form of stutters.

I've tried all the vsync settings including adaptive and no help. However, I never tried the ALT-Enter trick. I wasn't aware that full screen was important when you run the native res of the monitor?

I hate to install DCS again to see the Alt-Enter doesn't work. I might punch my monitor. So, i'm hoping it works for you.

I don't have this problem with any other sim. IL2 BOS, IL2 COD, Asseto Corsa, Project Cars. and iRacing. I can run all of them as smooth as butter and they're all a heavy load on a system. What's wrong with DCS? Why don't they fix this problem before coming out with new modules? It's not like this is a new problem.

Hell, I can't wait. I'm installing DCS again. I'll try and hold off punching my monitor.

How about the rest of the Nvidia settings? How should I set it up?

BuzzU, thanks for responding! I'm still at work so cannot try it out just yet...

I hope it works out for you too. It's a shame that you have such a great system and yet the game STILL stutters for you (by the way, what you described is exactly what I am experiencing, I think; I turned on the FPS counter after filming the video and mine hovered at 100+ fps but then every second or so would dip to ~20 and back up again; so yes, it does look like split second pauses... very prominent in the video at around the 00:58 mark).

I'm sure there must be something about our systems that is similar so that it is causing this... And if we can help fix it, better for other future DCS players who may come to experience it!

Yes, it appears we have the same problem. I've tried to ignore the pauses, but I can't. I still have hope, but i've deleted DCS 3 times now. I'm afraid one more time will be it. It's almost downloaded.

Keeping fingers crossed.

Something to try. In control panel/system settings/virtual memory check the box to "automatically manage paging file size".

Good luck Shark. I tried everything. I got the pauses to a minimum by doing everything above and running everything on low settings. I didn't spend all this money to run on low settings. Not when i'm getting 120fps on high settings, but with pauses.

It's a shame ED can't fix this for everybody. Uninstalled for the last time. I'm back to IL2 BOS. it runs perfect on the highest settings.

Cya.

Good luck Shark. I tried everything. I got the pauses to a minimum by doing everything above and running everything on low settings. I didn't spend all this money to run on low settings. Not when i'm getting 120fps on high settings, but with pauses.

 

It's a shame ED can't fix this for everybody. Uninstalled for the last time. I'm back to IL2 BOS. it runs perfect on the highest settings.

 

Cya.

BuzzU,

You're experiencing this with DCS World, 1.5.6 release version (to confirm)?

just curious as to your full specs. you have a GTX1060, 32GB RAM. You're using an SSD? and what is your CPU?

Also, curious as to what nVidia driver version you're using as well?

thanks,

-Jav

BuzzU,

 

You're experiencing this with DCS World, 1.5.6 release version (to confirm)?

 

just curious as to your full specs. you have a GTX1060, 32GB RAM. You're using an SSD? and what is your CPU?

 

Also, curious as to what nVidia driver version you're using as well?

 

thanks,

 

-Jav

Sure. I'm using SSD and 1.5.6. I just changed the vid drivers to 381.78, because of the Creators update.

Here's my system. Not the best, but it should be enough for DCS

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883102273

I also have stuttering and I have similar system with OP (GTX 1060 6GB, i5 4690k oc to 4.2G, SSD and 16Gb of RAM). The difference is the stuttering only occurs in MP, in SP its smooth as butter and my DCS setting at high.

Is it possible that Geforce Experience causes this ? Because with my old GTX 960 I don't have this problem and I didn't install GeForce Experience.

I think I'm gonna try to uninstall it and report the result :D

Cheers

I have Geforce Experience installed, but i've never used it. I think without using it nothing happens.

I wonder if the 1060 is the problem?

No problem. It's best to leave vsync off in the ingame options, it will be overridden by the Nvidia setting of adaptive vsync anyway.

OnlyforDCS, thanks again for leaving a note. I tried what you suggested - I shut V-Sync off in the game, and set V-Sync in NVIDIA control panel to Adaptive. Then, after going in-game, I hit Alt+Enter, after which the screen went black for a second and came back on. Unfortunately, the stutters / micro-pauses remained...

In the meantime, I will try a couple more of the suggestions on this thread.

If you use only one monitor in Nvidia control panel -> manage 3d settings -> Multi display/mixed GPU acceleration set to "single display perfomance mode" And you should get instaFPS boost!

 

But shhh, don't tell anyone ;)

 

Pedro's out

Thanks Pedro! Unfortunately, this did not work, either ):

I also have stuttering and I have similar system with OP (GTX 1060 6GB, i5 4690k oc to 4.2G, SSD and 16Gb of RAM). The difference is the stuttering only occurs in MP, in SP its smooth as butter and my DCS setting at high.

Is it possible that Geforce Experience causes this ? Because with my old GTX 960 I don't have this problem and I didn't install GeForce Experience.

I think I'm gonna try to uninstall it and report the result :D

Cheers

What is your nVidia driver version? (needing a data point).

Something to try. In control panel/system settings/virtual memory check the box to "automatically manage paging file size".

Thank you for the suggestion, cthulhu68! No joy unfortunately...

What is your nVidia driver version? (needing a data point).

Javelina, mine is 378.78. I haven't updated to 381.65 because there were reports that it was problematic with IL2: Cliffs of Dover...

Runs fine for me in COD. What problems were reported?

Oh, wait! I have 381.78

Runs fine for me in COD. What problems were reported?

 

Oh, wait! I have 381.78

I think there may have just been loading issues. If you have windows 10 I guess updating to 381.78 won't be harmless, but then again it sounds like it doesn't fix the stutter issue on DCS. ):

Sorry that didn't fix your problems, going true fullscreen eliminated all of my micro-stuttering and I had the exact same symptoms.

Another question how much free space do you guys (BuzzU, SharkBait) have left on your system drive. There could be some strange things happening with the page file. I've got 16GB ram, and I've disabled the virtual memory page file. I wouldn't recommend it on a system with only 8GB of ram though?