[Benchmark3D] Microstutter Case Study: Skyrim

[humbug]

Like I said, I don't care and I will take your lack of an answer as agreeance

You asked me to agree on something that i was not disputing.

For whatever reason you changed your argument, you quoted me making that statement about WoW with a slide from Skyrim.

WoW has a 2 FPS fluctuation on the 7970 (at best) this is probably because the 7970 is just that little bit less performance than the GTX 680 and there in just drops slightly away from the 60 FPS frame rate limiter every now and then, where as the GTX 680 is able to maintain 60 or more FPS so it does not go under the limiter.

the 7970 dropping to 59 or 58 every now and then does not make it any less smooth than the GTX 680, its nothing to do with frame latency, its to do with GPU grunt in that particular game.

The very same thing may well happen with the GTX 670, given that its got less GPU grunt it may also drop just a little below 60 FPS and it will also make no difference what so ever.

I play games at settings that have my GPU droping off the frame rate limiter by just a few FPS, the only reason, (really the only reason) i know its happening is because i can see it on MSI AB's OSD.

@ Rusty, it was only a matter of time before you came running to fight his corner.

 

[Gregster]

You asked me to agree on something that i was not disputing.

For whatever reason you changed your argument, you quoted me making that statement about WoW with a slide from Skyrim.

WoW has a 2 FPS fluctuation on the 7970 (at best) this is probably because the 7970 is just that little bit less performance than the GTX 680 and there in just drops slightly away from the 60 FPS frame rate limiter every now and then, where as the GTX 680 is able to maintain 60 or more FPS so it does not go under the limiter.

the 7970 dropping to 59 or 58 every now and then does not make it any less smooth than the GTX 680, its nothing to do with frame latency, its to do with GPU grunt in that particular game.

The very same thing may well happen with the GTX 670, given that its got less GPU grunt it may also drop just a little below 60 FPS and it will also make no difference what so ever.

I play games at settings that have my GPU droping off the frame rate limiter by just a few FPS, the only reason, (really the only reason) i know its happening is because i can see it on MSI AB's OSD.

Go read that forum you linked to and you will see AMD owners agree that it isn't smooth in WOW OR Skyrim. What does it matter? I am sure AMD will have a fix.

If people are noticing the stutter, roll back to 12.8 (if you have a 7950 or 7970). The frame rates are more than enough and without a counter, you wouldn't be any the wiser.

If you have less than a 7950 and roll back, you will just need to turn some settings down to get decent frame rates. No biggie and win win all round

 

[Rusty0611]

@ Rusty, it was only a matter of time before you came running to fight his corner.

Not really. That comment just stuck out like a sore thumb so I responded to it. But you can think that if you wish .

 

[humbug]

Go read that forum you linked to and you will see AMD owners agree that it isn't smooth in WOW OR Skyrim. What does it matter? I am sure AMD will have a fix.

If people are noticing the stutter, roll back to 12.8 (if you have a 7950 or 7970). The frame rates are more than enough and without a counter, you wouldn't be any the wiser.

If you have less than a 7950 and roll back, you will just need to turn some settings down to get decent frame rates. No biggie and win win all round

AMD themselves had said to are working to fix the Skyrim Issue, given that these are BETA drivers and the problem does not appear in other drivers i'm pretty sure they can work it out.
Its not uncomen for BETA drivers to need more work, you know

Anyway... I have not read the whole forum, just skimmed it after the WoW slides and i can't see anyone making any additions to WoW, perhaps i'm missing it, can you point out where you have seen it?

 

[Martini1991]

We should all settle this like men.
Go to an Indian restaurant (That isn't pathetic), and get a Phal, the last man standing is obviously right.

 

[humbug]

We should all settle this like men.
Go to an Indian restaurant (That isn't pathetic), and get a Phal, the last man standing is obviously right.

Can't stand spicy food, i give up

 

[imginy]

660ti ftw

 

[Gregster]

AMD themselves had said to are working to fix the Skyrim Issue, given that these are BETA drivers and the problem does not appear in other drivers i'm pretty sure they can work it out.
Its not uncomen for BETA drivers to need more work, you know

Anyway... I have not read the whole forum, just skimmed it after the WoW slides and i can't see anyone making any additions to WoW, perhaps i'm missing it, can you point out where you have seen it?

I say again "I don't care" and know full well AMD will get it fixed. No point in explaining how beta drivers work to me. Maybe if you was on another forum used by kids like the BF3 one, that comment may be usefull but here, it isn't required.

I just read a couple of comments regarding WOW and Skyrim (neither game I play) on that forum from AMD users and this is why I said that. If you want me to trawl through it quoting all the posts that do, that is fine?

 

[humbug]

I say again "I don't care" and know full well AMD will get it fixed. No point in explaining how beta drivers work to me. Maybe if you was on another forum used by kids like the BF3 one, that comment may be usefull but here, it isn't required.

I just read a couple of comments regarding WOW and Skyrim (neither game I play) on that forum from AMD users and this is why I said that. If you want me to trawl through it quoting all the posts that do, that is fine?

No i would like to read what they said is all, i just can't find it. perhaps you can help me?

 

[arc@css]

We should all settle this like men.
Go to an Indian restaurant (That isn't pathetic), and get a Phal, the last man standing is obviously right.

...and fifteen pints.

 

[Martini1991]

Can't stand spicy food, i give up

Spicy food gives me a reason to believe.

...and fifteen pints.

Think I'd flipping drown, I'm a short lad.
And spiced rum over pints any day

And the drinks would have to be afterwards, I like to taste my food lol.

 

[Gregster]

We should all settle this like men.
Go to an Indian restaurant (That isn't pathetic), and get a Phal, the last man standing is obviously right.

...and fifteen pints.

We should meet up My kind of night.

 

[Rusty0611]

660ti ftw

Yes if it was £50 cheaper .

Frame times are subjective. A graph showing them doesn't prove anything if both are not perceptible.

That said, I think for some users (and definitely multi GPU users) it is noticeable and AMD should fix it.

 

[Gregster]

No i would like to read what they said is all, i just can't find it. perhaps you can help me?

Honestly not sure how to read it, but I can vouch the two of us saw the stutter.

Info on the test:
WoW 64-bit client
All ingame settings on Ultra
CCC Force 2xSSAA
V-synch on

I flew back and forth facing some rocks in the Vale, I saw the stutter, called the GF over, she saw the stutter and then ended the FRAPs.

Fraps and ingame FPS meter fluctuated between 59 and 60.

Do the logs show the stutter?


EDIT:

I did the proptip suggestion and zoomed in on a portion of the frames:

Quick test of Skyrim with 4, 3, 2, and only 1 core affinity. The big problem is that lowering the active cores increases the actual stuttering. You can see more frequent and longer pauses in the single core graph than any other. There might be an argument for setting two core affinity, but overall I'm not seeing the microstuttering being awful. And this is in one of the most demanding areas of the game (open tundra at sunrise) with ENB, SSAO, 6GB+ texture mods, etc. to increase load. In dungeons where I'm pegged at 60FPS I don't see the issue. I'm sure Skyrim's engine could use more work, but that's always been the case.

i just got a 7970 and the stuttering in skyrim kills me. some people say its vsync issues and others say its mouse acceleration.

It sucks.

http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=34490525&postcount=400

As promised, here is the Hitman file I get with FXAA on: Stuttering mess
I do not have time atm to do the one dimensional distribution plot I did before, but I think this plot also conveys the message, it is a stuttering mess:

Just a couple I picked out for ya Humbug.

WOW Skyrim and Hitman.

Reading that forum, most would be banned if they were like that on here. It gets very heated.

 

[Rusty0611]

Admiral Huddy would have a field day on that forum .

 

[Final8y]

Reading that forum, most would be banned if they were like that on here. It gets very heated.

You aint kidding, its the worst of all i go too.

 

[Gregster]

Admiral Huddy would have a field day on that forum .

agreed.

 

[LtMatt]

You aint kidding, its the worst of all i go too.

You don't half get around a lot.

 

[Final8y]

You don't half get around a lot.

Staying in one Ecosystem has it drawbacks, its ripe for misconceptions and false information to propagate if you don't see other things for yourself, and hence why i also read the NV forums.

 

[humbug]

Skyrim we know about.

Average of 16.72 FPS in WoW is not at all surprising, has anyone advised him to turn his setting down? or get a better CPU / GPU?

Anything will stutter like crazy at 16 FPS.

Hitman does look a mess.

But amongst all this i do wonder if anyone is actually testing the Kepler cards?

for example.

and

Fermi was not problem free either.