Resource Cache Size and DirectX/OpenGL

lewisner

Well-known member
In an ongoing programme to improve my PC I recently installed an Nvidia GTX 460 1GB GPU and when I intially tried to open TRS2009 I found that I could not move any trains. I had previously had it set to OpenGL but when I tried switching to DirectX suddenly everything worked!
At the same I noticed that Resource Cache Size is set to 32 but there's an option to set it to (I think) 1024.
So , a couple of questions 1) What actually determines whether you use DirectX or OpenGL? I know this may sound silly but I like to understand WHY I need to do something as well as whether I should do it.
2) Since I can set the Resource Cache Size, how do I know what size to set it to?

Thanks in advance.
 
For resource cache size may be resource memory # which use to be set at 50% of your RAM in 2006. I've found using this option # in trainzoptions causes frame stutter.
I believe trainz auto sets to OG, but having altered mine yesterday to DX I've found a leap in FPS, 50% approx. Which pleases me no end.
Having re read your post you have 2009, I have 2010 so whether any of my whaffling is relevant is dubious.
 
Well I have 4GB of RAM so I guess it can't be half of that otherwise it would show 2048? I tried setting it to 1024 and on my own route I get between 50 and 60 FPS with a high of 70 depending which angle I look at the loco from.The loco I used was the RENFE Confederacion since I figure being such a high detail loco it was a good test of FPS.
 
Cab mode FPS ? I get mid 40's tracking, cab mode 70.
My card is an nvidea 9600 GSO 768mb.
What improvement did you get upping from 32-1024?
The real test is a killer route FPS wise then compare. Dermmy's clovis sub fits that bill, had mine on its knees 13fps and less at times.
 
I also have had a large improvement in framerates when using DirectX instead of OpenGL in both 2006 & 2009. I think this improvement primarily comes from using DirectX instead of OpenGL rather than the value of the resource cache size.

I do feel however that the resource cache size does affect the smoothness of the framerate (ie stutter) but although I play about with this it is hard to find the optimum value to use. I expect the optimum value will very much depend on individual computer hardware and software setups and will need to be found by experiment.

However I have never been able to find out if setting -resourcememory=xxxx in the trainzoptions.txt file is the same thing as setting the Resource Cache Size in the Launcher/Options/Advanced Options screen. If they are the same thing, why bother altering the trainzoptions file, why not just alter it in the Launcher/Options screen? If they are both present but different values, which one does the program use? If they are different things, does anybody know what each does?
 
Well the previous GPU I was using was an Nvidia 8800GT 512MB and it worked with OpenGL but not DirectX. So I presume the change in graphics engine is down to the newer more powerful GPU?
I've never really to tried to measure FPS in any systematic way and I've never bothered using any Trainz routes but my own for several years but I can tell with my eyes that running on my own route is very smooth even in the heaviest detail area.
What I may try doing is to reduce RCS to 32 then gradually raise it it maximum and see if there are any noticeable differences.
My Mobo (ASUS M4N82 Deluxe) includes a Turbo Key feature and I'll try that too.
My current PC specs are
HAF 932 Case
ASUS M4N82 Deluxe Mobo
AMD II X$ 635 CPU
Nvidia GTX 460 GPU
Seagate 300 + 320 HDD's 7200 RPM
4 GB DDR2 667 RAM

Thanks for the replies.
 
I'm weary of using DirectX mode, as it seems to increase the chance of fatal errors (basically, I don't get the errors in OpenGL) - the error I get most in DirectX mode is the 'unable to read block' or the KernelStandard_7c.dll one.

Shane
 
I also have had a large improvement in framerates when using DirectX instead of OpenGL in both 2006 & 2009. I think this improvement primarily comes from using DirectX instead of OpenGL rather than the value of the resource cache size.

I do feel however that the resource cache size does affect the smoothness of the framerate (ie stutter) but although I play about with this it is hard to find the optimum value to use. I expect the optimum value will very much depend on individual computer hardware and software setups and will need to be found by experiment.

However I have never been able to find out if setting -resourcememory=xxxx in the trainzoptions.txt file is the same thing as setting the Resource Cache Size in the Launcher/Options/Advanced Options screen. If they are the same thing, why bother altering the trainzoptions file, why not just alter it in the Launcher/Options screen? If they are both present but different values, which one does the program use? If they are different things, does anybody know what each does?
All I can add is don't use -resourcememory=??? in trainzoptions, definately does not help.
 
I'm weary of using DirectX mode, as it seems to increase the chance of fatal errors (basically, I don't get the errors in OpenGL) - the error I get most in DirectX mode is the 'unable to read block' or the KernelStandard_7c.dll one.

Shane

That doesn't seem to be an option for me.With OpenGL what happened was that I opened the route and when I clicked on the Drivers head to "Navigate To" the cursor jumped a couple of inches away from the driver.The manual driving controls wouldn't respond to the cursor at all.
 
Cab mode FPS ? I get mid 40's tracking, cab mode 70.
My card is an nvidea 9600 GSO 768mb.
What improvement did you get upping from 32-1024?
The real test is a killer route FPS wise then compare. Dermmy's clovis sub fits that bill, had mine on its knees 13fps and less at times.

I found that I could actually up the RCS to 2048 so I tried the RENFE and found that in the cab when looking out of the right hand window I got about 45 FPS and looking out of the right as high as 70 FPS. With RCS reduced to 32 I actually improved FPS by about 10! FPS are noticeably reduced when looking forward into a group of Tree Objects.
 
System Tweaks

Last night I was messing around with Trainz 2010 and I found some settings that work with ATI 5700 series cards. I am running 32 bit Vista 3 gig of ram
on a Asus board (AMD Athlon 64 x2 500+) cpu (Acer triple monitors) I set ATI Overdrive GPU clock to 860 (since I am running single channel memory I left it at 1150 and enabled manual fan to 70% and then profiled it to activate when Trainz 2010 is clicked._ then I went into AMD fusion and profiled "Gaming mode" so all background apps stop. Then optimize your ram in win utilities and it runs pretty smooth., I have not tried it on all routes but with what I have for a system at the moment it works pretty well.:)
 
Back
Top