Here's something to think about. Impact of the CPU on FPS - i.e. the stutters.

J

JCitron

Trainzing since 12-2003
We've increased our GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) speed and added more memory to video cards to overcome the stutters, but a recent study has shown that the CPUs ability to handle the throughput of the data plays a big part in this too.

http://www.extremetech.com/gaming/134999-measuring-the-impact-of-cpu-choice-on-gaming-performance

So having said that, I'd say we should choose a more than a baseline CPU for Trainz use. Instead of going for the least expensive i5 versus an i7, for example, go for the i7. At least this will have the bandwidth and horsepower to mitigate the stutters better.

John
 
JCitron said:
We've increased our GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) speed and added more memory to video cards to overcome the stutters, but a recent study has shown that the CPUs ability to handle the throughput of the data plays a big part in this too.

http://www.extremetech.com/gaming/134999-measuring-the-impact-of-cpu-choice-on-gaming-performance

So having said that, I'd say we should choose a more than a baseline CPU for Trainz use. Instead of going for the least expensive i5 versus an i7, for example, go for the i7. At least this will have the bandwidth and horsepower to mitigate the stutters better.

John
Click to expand...

I agree. FSX players on YouTube boast about having 4.6 GHz processors run their flights, and the improvement in graphic performance over the standard consumer 2.1 GHz is staggering.
 
I run an i7 3ghz cpu. But I do have to add that that is backed up with 8gig ram and 2 gpu's with 2gig ram on each of them. Yes it runs good but not everyone can afford it. Im sure trainz would run equally as well on less than I am using if set up right
 
FSX is very CPU bound, the last patch allowed textures to be loaded by other cores but basically it is only a single core application, so based on that we all overclock our machines and it helps a lot, speed is everything then GPU and memory, pointless having a GTX680 if the CPU cant bet data to it. As for Ram 6 gig is enough for gaming, may sound impressive putting in more but unless you are doing some heavy video editing it just wont get used.
 
I run an I5 at 3.0 Ghz with 6 gigs of Ram and typically see CPU usage running around 25-30%, with TS12, and I get no stutters with everything at max. To me the GPU is the weak link in the chain, and with my GTX550TI my frame rates are mostly in the 40's and 50's with occasional 60's. FS9-FSX , is a decade old technology, and never ran well on any system I had, stutters were the norm, not to mention CTD's and lockups. I finally took it off my hard drive.
 
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As usual the route used for the impression is critical. I also have an I5 2550 at 3.5ghz (turboboost) with 8gb and a 550TI 1gb. I get significant stutters at some points on my favorite routes. My guess that is the time new items come into the view of the program and it goes to disk to get them. Now I am at the mercy of the disk, the CPU followed by the GPU. The slowest animal is the disk. Listen to the improvements people with Solid State Disks (SSD) see before gettin new CPUs or GPUs (video cards). I know that if I have a recent defragment my stutters are negligable. Otherwise Trainz will stop for about a second waiting for something.

Given the age of the program there may be new ways to get disk data. The algolrithim telling the program what to get next may need some tuning, etc...
 
boleyd said:
As usual the route used for the impression is critical. I also have an I5 2550 at 3.5ghz (turboboost) with 8gb and a 550TI 1gb. I get significant stutters at some points on my favorite routes. My guess that is the time new items come into the view of the program and it goes to disk to get them. Now I am at the mercy of the disk, the CPU followed by the GPU. The slowest animal is the disk. Listen to the improvements people with Solid State Disks (SSD) see before gettin new CPUs or GPUs (video cards). I know that if I have a recent defragment my stutters are negligable. Otherwise Trainz will stop for about a second waiting for something.

Given the age of the program there may be new ways to get disk data. The algolrithim telling the program what to get next may need some tuning, etc...
Click to expand...


I have my windows schedule set up to do a defrag on a weekly schedule. SSD is probably a good alternative, for the system and Trainz, but would fill up rather quickly if one didn't have a second drive for storing large files.
 
I have a gaming laptop with an i7 2760m CPU, a GTX 560m GPU and all my Trainz installations are on a separate 500GB Momentus hybrid drive (built in 4Gb flash drive) and running ECML whether in Kings Cross or York I rarely get stutters, I've always put this down to the Hybrid drive as my processor speed is only 2.4ghz with turboboost up to 3.6.

Ken

PS I forgot to mention that I capped my frame rates at 30 as I don't think the human eye can detect speeds greater than this.
 
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I clean my filters regularly. Right now it's as quiet as can be, but sometimes it sounds like there's something trapped inside. I'm on "vacation" next week, so I'll take it apart and give it a good once over then. You know you've been working a job too long when you have to take vacation days before you lose them!
 
Euphod said:
I clean my filters regularly. Right now it's as quiet as can be, but sometimes it sounds like there's something trapped inside. I'm on "vacation" next week, so I'll take it apart and give it a good once over then. You know you've been working a job too long when you have to take vacation days before you lose them!
Click to expand...

I know exactly what you mean re the vacation time. That's how I ended up storm chasing. In late 2007 I got called in to the "big office". The company was doing poorly and I figured I was canned. Well the GM handed me a check for $6,000, after taxes, and told me to never do that again. I about 240 hours of vacation outstanding. In early 2008 I saw a TV program on the Travel Channel about storm chasing tours and I did some investigating. Ever since May 2008, I've gone out storm chasing with Roger Hill and or is tour company Silver Lining Tours. www.silverliningtours.com You do it once and your addicted for life!

I too keep my fans cleaned regularly. It helps a lot with the computer.

John
 
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