Framerate and CPU usage.

[Verrliit]

Is there any way to put a cap on the framerate?  

I\'m running heavy hardware, but with the framerate constantly pegged to between 150 and 340 fps, the CPU is always maxed.  Could be the cause of CPU, heat and lockup  issues for others as well, but I could find no reference to limiting the max framerate anywhere in the forums.

Much obliged,

Verrliit

AMD64
1 Gig Dual-Channel
ATI Radion 9800
multiple raid arrays
WinXP32 SP2

[provisionist1]

Hell, I wish I had a computer that could manage that kind of power. Man, in my opinion if you can afford that kind of computer you can afford a liquid nitrogen cooling system for it.

Xirius

[steuben]

given that the last time i ran ps i was getting spf, don\'t complain too loudly.

but, i seem to recall that there may be a setting in the setup program that you maybe able to play with. i\'m not at my computer right now so i can\'t check.

[Verrliit]

Looked at the setup program first, naturally.

Hoping for an .ini file setting or a command line switch.

Maxing out the CPU is something that many have complained about.  This may be why, and why some crashes occur.

And no, the hardware is no longer expensive.  CPU $150, socket 939 Nforce3 MB $90, memory $80, all with shipping included.  I already had the rest.  See pricewatch.com (buyer beware of the cheapest vendors), bizrate, froogle, shopping.com etc. The vendors that are the most reliable include zipzoomfly, newegg and monarch.

[Verrliit]

Still looking for a response from someone in the developer team.  Adaptive camera settings have no effect at all.

Anyone have any ideas?

[Xyl]

I noticed the same thing as Verrliit said.

I just built a new pc for myself with the following specs:

AMD 64 3200+ Venice
Gigabyte K8NXP-SLI
2GB Corsair DDR400 RAM
Radeon X600PRO 128mb PCI-E
Dual 160GB SATA in RAID 1
Win XP

And I also get the full CPU load. But I\'m not too worried as my system doesn\'t get any higher then the normal 36`c it runs at and it doesn\'t slow down or lag when playing music or surfing the internet (56k).

As for the idea for restricting frame rates (V-Sync), it might be a great idea for those who have lower end systems and need every clock cycle possible. I know this because Planeshift drags my old 1.6ghz Northwood down quite quickly when I hit some larger areas.

I can also see why you concerned Verrliit about the extra CPU load causing heat issues, those running the new Intels will exprience some toasty temps during gaming sessions

Does running Linux show a high percentage of CPU being used? or is it just a windoze thing :S

[Fish]

CPUs can be underclocked as well as overclocked.  My guess is that your hardware has that capability since it has every other bell and whistle probably ever conceived.  You can do it through the bios settings and sometimes there is a program shipped with a motherboard that can do it too.  Hope this helps.  

By underclocking you can reduce the power consumption on your CPU and maybe that will fix the problem.  Seems like a real shame though, doesn\'t it?  To do something like that?

[Ecolem]

Originally posted by Verrliit
CPU $150, socket 939 Nforce3 MB $90, memory $80, all with shipping included...

I dont know where you live but downhere its double that X(
You guys got it all there..(im guessing USA) ;(

[Xyl]

Ecolem, check out MSY Technology(http://www.msy.com.au), you\'ll be able to get a lot of parts dirt cheap from them. They are Melbourne based and there Brisbane branch served me extremely well with the parts I bought.

[Androgos]

If a hard FPS limit is a feature you want, create a Feature Request on the tracker and assign it to me.

there already is a limit on the login screen / char creation, so it shouldn\'t be any problem mkaing it apply ingame to

[Ecolem]

Great find, thanks for that Xyl

Though if im lucky i might be getting a Alianware system for my birthday   *Heres to hopeing...*

[Leeloo]

Doesn\'t Windows have a setting somewhere in control panel to limit FPS to what can actually be displayed? V-sync something...

I have that turned on (in Linux), and I won\'t get over 60 FPS no matter what level of detail I choose in PS (or any other game).

[Verrliit]

To clarify.

The in-game options page for video, contains a control for framerate.  But the control has no effect whatsoever.  

And my concern about load and heat was for those who run hot even at low usage, not for myself.  Nothing in my case ever gets hotter than 35C, full-load, even if I push the FSB to 250mhz.

[Leeloo]

I\'m not sure you are correct there. Yes, there\'s a setting in the options menu, for setting the mininum framerate. Last time I used it, it worked fine, cutting off the visible part of the world to make sure it got the framerate I wanted.

I prefer a lower framerate than houses popping in and out of view when walking through Hydlla though, so I turned that one off.

What it doesn\'t do however, is limiting the framerate, i.e. you can\'t use it to set a maximum. But the V-sync option (should be in control panel somewhere I think) does that nicely, limiting the framerate to whatever your monitor will display.