Reducing the slideshow

[Dep]

I had always thought that the best way to reduce the occasional "slideshow" in TS2010 was to put the resolution settings at the lowest possible levels. Today I was looking around at suggestions for increasing video card performance and came upon a webiste where they suggested INCREASING screen resolution to get better performance. I thought "what a load of manure", but I gave it a try anyway. Surprisingly, it DID increase video performance and smoothed things out nicely. I went from 1024X768 to 1280X1024, which is about the middle of the list of resolutions. My graphics card is pretty dated...Nvidia 9800GT 1 Gig RAM but I don't have the big $$$ to go with a dual-slot sized card.

Here is the link of other suggestions for graphics improvement:
http://www.ehow.com/how_5033320_make-graphics-card-function-better.html

 

[whitepass]

If you have an LCD monitor you should set every thing you use to the "native" resolution, if you do not your monitor will re-size the image and that is slow.

 

[Dermmy]

My graphics card is pretty dated...Nvidia 9800GT 1 Gig RAM but I don't have the big $$$ to go with a dual-slot sized card.

Mine is a 9800GTX with 512Mb, it runs Trainz fine at 1920 x 1080. I used to run trainz at lower res but there honestly wasn't a lot of difference. To avoid the lo-res slideshow you need to (a) run it windowed, not full screen and (b) make sure the aspect ratio of the window is the same aspect ratio as the native resolution. I ran it windowed at 1600 x 900 and it was fine, slightly higher fps than native res but not enough to be worth losing full screen for.

Andy

 

[Dep]

If you have an LCD monitor you should set every thing you use to the "native" resolution, if you do not your monitor will re-size the image and that is slow.

Thanks for that suggestion. I did it and things are working even better!!!

One other thing to increase framerates....it's something I learned in MSTS, and now that TS2010 and 2012 are starting to have a negative effect on framerates for less powerful machines, it works with it too. The fastest framerates can be achieved by changing the view to directly over the train. So, for instance, you are looking right down the smokestack of a steam loco. Or straight down from above at the diesel horns. The closer to the train, the faster the framerates are. This eliminates all the eye candy that you would see from a side view. Not exactly a view I would want to stay in for the whole session, but if you enter an area where framerates take a major hit, it will eliminate the slideshow. I guess I am going to have to do some measuring and see if a dual-slot video card will fit in my comp. But geez those dang things are expensive.

 

[SD45T-2]

I read on the trainz wiki that running windowed is slower.

It seems true for me.

 

[Dep]

Mine is a 9800GTX with 512Mb, it runs Trainz fine at 1920 x 1080. I used to run trainz at lower res but there honestly wasn't a lot of difference. To avoid the lo-res slideshow you need to (a) run it windowed, not full screen and (b) make sure the aspect ratio of the window is the same aspect ratio as the native resolution. I ran it windowed at 1600 x 900 and it was fine, slightly higher fps than native res but not enough to be worth losing full screen for.

Andy

Hmmm...never tried it windowed. I'll give it a try. Thanks Andy!

 

[JimDep]

I know you can point the camera straight down on your feet in Cab View. That will improve your frame rates from wallet pics to a slide show.

Enjoy the view.

TRS 2006 was fine with older computers, but of course we have been booted out of the Download Station and reduced to "non contributing status" regardless of previous contributions.

Not everyone owns oil wells or gets free room and board with our parents, therefore we have to do the best we can with what we have.

TRS 2006 it is.

 

[JCitron]

Thanks for that suggestion. I did it and things are working even better!!!

One other thing to increase framerates....it's something I learned in MSTS, and now that TS2010 and 2012 are starting to have a negative effect on framerates for less powerful machines, it works with it too. The fastest framerates can be achieved by changing the view to directly over the train. So, for instance, you are looking right down the smokestack of a steam loco. Or straight down from above at the diesel horns. The closer to the train, the faster the framerates are. This eliminates all the eye candy that you would see from a side view. Not exactly a view I would want to stay in for the whole session, but if you enter an area where framerates take a major hit, it will eliminate the slideshow. I guess I am going to have to do some measuring and see if a dual-slot video card will fit in my comp. But geez those dang things are expensive.

Instead of looking down at the fans and smokestack, try turning your head in the cab to either side. I used to do this in MSTS and it worked well, and I do the same in Trainz.

There reason for this is because there is less work for the video card to do. Instead of trying to draw all the surrounding scenery as well as the track, and close-up stuff, the card is working on just the close up stuff. This is the same as staring at the smokestack, but a little bit more interesting.

John

John

 

[Dep]

Yep...the cab view works in some instances. Although there are some routes that are just so insane with scenery that even the cab view doesn't help. I know there is one in TS2012 where you are hauling a coal train powered by a steam engine through a lot of trees and foliage. Even the cab view doesn't help much with that.