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The "Can I Run Planet Coaster" thread
- Thread starter Schmittez
- Start date
Should be a fair bit quicker than that. I have almost the same system except for a GTX 970 and my 5820K is overclocked to 4.1GHz - I'm getting about 30ish FPS with a fully loaded park. With the video card you have, there shouldn't even be a difference in frame rate between medium and high as this game is typically CPU limited.
Edit: Unless you're running at 4k res in which case I cannot comment as I don't have any experience with that!
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I'm running on 1440p. I tried switching to 1080p and noticed a very slim improvement on the FPS, still being far off the 30-mark though.
GPU-Z shows me the GPU load of my GTX 1070 being on 100% as soon as I start the game. Is this normal? Is there a way to check if my GPU works properly? I just installed it this morning and already reinstalled all drivers.
Just had a quick play around to check what my GPU utilization was like. The worst park frame rate wise for me was getting about 24-28 fps in free look except when zooming into a large group of guests, then it would go down to 23~fps. When you ride the coasters it would climb to about 32fps or thereabouts. This is with every flat ride placed, five coasters, a fair few buildings and scenery objects.
The GPU use is around 50-70% while in game, this is at 1080 resolution though so I would expect it to be higher with 1440 res
Edit: That is with the GPU at stock clocks as overclocking it for this game makes no difference for me in frame rates.
The GPU use is around 50-70% while in game, this is at 1080 resolution though so I would expect it to be higher with 1440 res
Edit: That is with the GPU at stock clocks as overclocking it for this game makes no difference for me in frame rates.
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Just checked the spare machine I made for the kids to compare performance with. That seems to get around 15fps at 1920x1200 resolution with an old Xeon X3450, 8GB RAM and GTX 580 1.5GB on high settings.
Thanks for checking! This does not make any sense to me, though.
The benchmark tests I did all came back with fine results. When playing PC, my CPU usage barely goes up. I'm constantly around 10-15%, that's all the game needs. Still, I do notice that the computer becomes a bit laggy, and the GPU usage goes up to 100% immediately.
Any clues on what to do next? Other tests I can do? I am currently re-installing the game, although I doubt that that will help.
Thanks!
The benchmark tests I did all came back with fine results. When playing PC, my CPU usage barely goes up. I'm constantly around 10-15%, that's all the game needs. Still, I do notice that the computer becomes a bit laggy, and the GPU usage goes up to 100% immediately.
Any clues on what to do next? Other tests I can do? I am currently re-installing the game, although I doubt that that will help.
Thanks!
Interesting you mention that, its just for me, the CPU usage shoots up and the GPU usage is much lower as you can see in the picture. I would see if the reinstall fixes anything first but as for suggestions I'd have no idea where to start sadly saving for a full windows reinstall [sad]. I wonder if perhaps your parks are just way more detailed than mine and are therefore taxing your GPU that much more. You could always check the GPU is properly clocking up to it's full core clock speed with something like MSI afterburner.
Re-installation did not help, just as I thought.
GPU usage is on 100% even on an empty sandbox park. Also only 15 FPS there. When I load a premade park like the Kraken Pit I get 10 FPS.
CPU usage stays very low (around 10-15%). When stresstesting my CPU or when doing other CPU intense things, multiple cores are active and the usage goes up to and above 50% easily, so it doesn't seem to be the problem either. :/
GPU usage is on 100% even on an empty sandbox park. Also only 15 FPS there. When I load a premade park like the Kraken Pit I get 10 FPS.
CPU usage stays very low (around 10-15%). When stresstesting my CPU or when doing other CPU intense things, multiple cores are active and the usage goes up to and above 50% easily, so it doesn't seem to be the problem either. :/
CPU useage at only 15% when you are stress testing? Weird, what are you using to stress test it, and is it set to run 4 to 8 instances, so all the CPU cores are utilized. I'd really recommend to download MSI Afterburner, like I note below. Look at the graphs while the game is running, and see what the CPU is doing, and what the CPU temperature is.
The game dynamically adjusts its settings with the goal of achieving ideal frame rates on any type of hardware. That said if your CPU useage is staying low at 15% and you are having really choppy frame rates something is wrong with your computer. Planet Coaster might only be indicating the issue and not the one to cause it. Below is my experience on my computer, then I have some suggestions on how you can get some more information about your system.
I am using the High profile setting. I have a park made on the map with the big tree. Very basic, with just 5 rides, and the queues. Haven't built any buildings yet. When I load the park, my CPU useage goes up to the range of 60% to 70% and stays that way. I zoomed around and looked at different things and it always just stays right at that range. The game appears very consistent in its CPU useage.
My GPU useage goes up to around 90 to 98%. Depends on what I have in view. If I'm low to the ground with all my rides in view, it jumps to the high 90s, if I have just one ride it is in the 80s. My GPU ram useage at the desktop with no game open is around 600MB, with the game running that goes up to approximately 2.7GBs. People say the game doesn't use the GPU, but these results would indicate that it can use the full GPU.
My FPS depends whether I'm running it full screen or only using 2/3s the screen (have this the forums up and viewable on the right of my monitor. Full screen it appears to be around 45FPS. Using only 2/3rds the screen, it increases to 60FPS. The game feels smooth at all times with my current small park (5 rides).
Random recommendations to pinpoint the problem:
Can you install something like MSI Afterburner so that you can see what your system is doing? Afterburner has a whole bunch of graphs that chart your CPU, GPU, Memory, GPU ram, temperature of CPU and GPU, and other interesting things. Also make sure you CPU isn't getting too hot, Afterburner will tell you how hot your CPU is getting (if at 90C+ and your CPU may be throttling itself). Make sure your GPU is also not getting too hot.
Make sure Windows is set to using the High Performance Power Options mode in the Control Panel Power Options screen -- This is different than the setting in Planet Coaster -- I'm wondering if Windows is somehow throttling your CPU oddly. What happens if you pause your Antivirus?
How many rides do you have in that park? Each ride add 200 people at this time in the Alpha development.
What happens if you save your game under a new name (so you don't ruin your progress), next delete half the rides, and wait for the people to clear out. Is your FPS higher? I would not expect it to double the FPS, but I'd expect some improvement.
Zip up the folder with your Planet Coaster game save in it and upload it to a sharing website and post the link. Then one of us can load up your park and let you know how it runs for us.
Edit: added clarification about the Windows High Performance Power Options mode.
Edit2: I find it awesome that this game is so forward looking. It can scale up to future computer systems people buy. My CPU is 6 cores plus hyperthreading, so it makes me giddy that it can scale up and use it.[up] This is also good news for the people with the newest AMD systems that have 8 cores, or the big spenders who get the Intel 10 core system; this game will be able to use those processors to the max, and get the best park simulation possible out of them.
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Definitely something very wrong there, in an empty sandbox park or something like the Kraken pit I'm seeing frame rates in excess of 60 fps no problem even on that low end machine. You mentioned in your earlier post that you had upgraded to your current spec. Did you reinstall windows or just put the new hardware on top of your old windows install when you upgraded? Something is stopping your Planet Coaster install from utilizing your CPU properly. As Ethelind mentioned check that all of the cores are running (go to task manager, make sure "more details" is expanded > select the performance tab > select "CPU" > right click the CPU graph then change graph to show logical processors. You should see 12 mini graphs appear if your CPU is working correctly.
Edit: (I like my edits today!) I forgot to mention that GPU usage is much higher on empty parks like the Kraken pit and an empty sandbox park because the CPU isn't taxed calculating guest AI so it's able to run data through to the GPU much quicker and therefore the GPU is able to push far more frames out leading to higher GPU utilization. You should be seeing way more than 15fps on a blank park though, so there is an issue there.
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Okay, here is what I do:
I open the Launchpad and open PC. I load the Empty Sandbox Map. My overall CPU usage stays around 15%. I can see with MSI Afterburner that only every second thread is being used, all between 20 and 40%. The GPU load instantly goes up to 100% and stays there. The park is empty, no people, no rides. I get 15 FPS, it does not matter whether I play in Fullscreen or Windowed, and also switching between Low, Medium and High does barely nothing to the FPS (maybe 2-5 FPS difference). Nowhere near 30 or even 45 FPS.
Even with no other programs opened in the background it is exactly the same. The task manager shows me that every second core stays "parked", but as far as I know that is only because it is not used or "needed". So the question is, why isn't PC using more of my CPU power?
Thanks for all your help guys, you're awesome!
I open the Launchpad and open PC. I load the Empty Sandbox Map. My overall CPU usage stays around 15%. I can see with MSI Afterburner that only every second thread is being used, all between 20 and 40%. The GPU load instantly goes up to 100% and stays there. The park is empty, no people, no rides. I get 15 FPS, it does not matter whether I play in Fullscreen or Windowed, and also switching between Low, Medium and High does barely nothing to the FPS (maybe 2-5 FPS difference). Nowhere near 30 or even 45 FPS.
Even with no other programs opened in the background it is exactly the same. The task manager shows me that every second core stays "parked", but as far as I know that is only because it is not used or "needed". So the question is, why isn't PC using more of my CPU power?
Thanks for all your help guys, you're awesome!
Okay, here is what I do:
I open the Launchpad and open PC. I load the Empty Sandbox Map. My overall CPU usage stays around 15%. I can see with MSI Afterburner that only every second thread is being used, all between 20 and 40%. The GPU load instantly goes up to 100% and stays there. The park is empty, no people, no rides. I get 15 FPS, it does not matter whether I play in Fullscreen or Windowed, and also switching between Low, Medium and High does barely nothing to the FPS (maybe 2-5 FPS difference). Nowhere near 30 or even 45 FPS.
Even with no other programs opened in the background it is exactly the same. The task manager shows me that every second core stays "parked", but as far as I know that is only because it is not used or "needed". So the question is, why isn't PC using more of my CPU power?
Thanks for all your help guys, you're awesome!
As you have MSI afterburner, are you able to check the GPU clockspeed is ramping up correctly (listed as 'Core Clock' in afterburner)? Check on the actual graphs not just the adjustment slider, you should see it start off low while you're on the windows desktop, then when you load the game and open a park it should rise significantly to around 1500-1600MHz or higher depending on your card.
Okay, here is what I do:
I open the Launchpad and open PC. I load the Empty Sandbox Map. My overall CPU usage stays around 15%. I can see with MSI Afterburner that only every second thread is being used, all between 20 and 40%. The GPU load instantly goes up to 100% and stays there. The park is empty, no people, no rides. I get 15 FPS, it does not matter whether I play in Fullscreen or Windowed, and also switching between Low, Medium and High does barely nothing to the FPS (maybe 2-5 FPS difference). Nowhere near 30 or even 45 FPS.
Even with no other programs opened in the background it is exactly the same. The task manager shows me that every second core stays "parked", but as far as I know that is only because it is not used or "needed". So the question is, why isn't PC using more of my CPU power?
Thanks for all your help guys, you're awesome!
Does your Windows 7 Task Manager have 12 graphs in it? I'm wondering if you are hitting some sort of Windows setting issue. If only one processor is being used then 1/6 is 0.166 or 16%. Which is basically the 15% useage you keep seeing. Sadly I don't have Windows 7 anymore, or I'd show you what my graphs look like with my 6 core processor.
Did you do a new Windows install when you swapped your old CPU for the new one? Or maybe you bought a whole new system?
Drivers? If you go to your motherboards support website, have you installed all the newest drivers?
What happens if you run a CPU stress testing application? Prime95 is very popular. If you run that and click "Just Stress Testing" it'll load up a whole bunch of testing instances at once, and Windows should report 100% useage. Before running that if you also download the system reporting tool CPU-Z from here (I recommend the ZIP-English version, since it doesn't install it onto your system.). CPU-Z will tell you the instantaneous speed of your processor. Your CPU when fully loaded with Prime95 should scale up to 3.6GHz.
Edit: I say 12 graphs, because Windows 7 would show each hyperthread instance as 1 graph. Each CPU core can run 2 process threads at a time, so 6x2=12 graphs.
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Thank you for the detailed explanation!
When I do a stresstest via Prime95 all 12 CPU cores go up to 100%. I can see that both in MSI afterburner and the Windows Task Manager, so they definitely DO work. CPU-Z shows me a Core speed of 3,3GHz on all 6 cores during that time (I do not overclock at this time).
When starting the game and being in the lobby, the GPU load goes up to ~40%, when loading the empty park it goes up to 100. At this time, the Core clock reaches 1974MHz and the Memory Clock reaches 4007MHz and stays there. Again, CPU usage is only at about 15%, and half of the cores do not work because they feel that they are not needed.
I only upgraded the GPU, but I had the same issues before. As I thought that a new GPU would fix this, I didn't think to research before. My old GPU was a GTX770; I never looked at the FPS, but it feels like it should have been about the same. Given some posts here, it seems like that was too little also.
So, is the problem with the CPU or the GPU? My drivers are up to date, so it shouldn't be that. Prime95 tells me that my CPU works fine and benchmark tests like Furmark tell me that my GPU is fine. I don't really want to re-install my entire Windows without significant proof that it would help. Anything else we can try?
Edit: When I load turn 150 of a Civ5 game, 10 of my 12 cores are active during the loading screen. Ingame only 6 of them are, because there is not much left to compute. Also, during the game, the GPU load is between 40 and 70%.
When I do a stresstest via Prime95 all 12 CPU cores go up to 100%. I can see that both in MSI afterburner and the Windows Task Manager, so they definitely DO work. CPU-Z shows me a Core speed of 3,3GHz on all 6 cores during that time (I do not overclock at this time).
When starting the game and being in the lobby, the GPU load goes up to ~40%, when loading the empty park it goes up to 100. At this time, the Core clock reaches 1974MHz and the Memory Clock reaches 4007MHz and stays there. Again, CPU usage is only at about 15%, and half of the cores do not work because they feel that they are not needed.
I only upgraded the GPU, but I had the same issues before. As I thought that a new GPU would fix this, I didn't think to research before. My old GPU was a GTX770; I never looked at the FPS, but it feels like it should have been about the same. Given some posts here, it seems like that was too little also.
So, is the problem with the CPU or the GPU? My drivers are up to date, so it shouldn't be that. Prime95 tells me that my CPU works fine and benchmark tests like Furmark tell me that my GPU is fine. I don't really want to re-install my entire Windows without significant proof that it would help. Anything else we can try?
Edit: When I load turn 150 of a Civ5 game, 10 of my 12 cores are active during the loading screen. Ingame only 6 of them are, because there is not much left to compute. Also, during the game, the GPU load is between 40 and 70%.
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I just checked mine. When I'm sitting on the Planet Coaster Globe map screen I'm seeing 40% usage, and it is spread across all my cores. When I load a park I'm seeing ~70% usage and spread across the whole park, and it stays this way while I look around the park. Yours sounds similar, but I don't know why you then drop down to 15% CPU and stuttering -- if I'm reading your description right?
Your description of the GPU clock speeds and memory clock rate sounds right on also. I'd assume that it keeps those speeds while running the game, as mine does.
Can you take a screen capture of the task manager, while you have a park open in Planet coaster? Post the capture up on a sharing website, like Imgur or Flickr.
Are the CPU temperature OK?
Since you are seeing 12 graphs in Task Manager then Windows is detecting your CPU right, so that rules out a lot of setting problems.
You definitely should be getting a smooth experience. Your old GTX770 was definitely not the best, but your new hardware should be a beast.
I think it would be good to make a thread in the Alpha technical support forum here. Maybe get more eyes on the problem, and possibly even the developers replying. Maybe titled: "15% CPU utilization: Poor performance, "
I have to go now. Time for work.
Your description of the GPU clock speeds and memory clock rate sounds right on also. I'd assume that it keeps those speeds while running the game, as mine does.
Can you take a screen capture of the task manager, while you have a park open in Planet coaster? Post the capture up on a sharing website, like Imgur or Flickr.
Are the CPU temperature OK?
Since you are seeing 12 graphs in Task Manager then Windows is detecting your CPU right, so that rules out a lot of setting problems.
You definitely should be getting a smooth experience. Your old GTX770 was definitely not the best, but your new hardware should be a beast.
I think it would be good to make a thread in the Alpha technical support forum here. Maybe get more eyes on the problem, and possibly even the developers replying. Maybe titled: "15% CPU utilization: Poor performance, "
I have to go now. Time for work.
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Yeah I'd have to agree with Bergena Tanoak about creating a tech support thread. Your GPU is coming up to speed, for some reason though your CPU isn't being utilized properly despite showing correctly in windows. Your old GTX 770 should have gotten better performance as well. The machine that my kids use is dated and it's getting better performance than you're describing with an old Xeon X3450 and GTX 580. Your setup - even your old card should blow it away frame rate wise.
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Ok so I have not been on here in a while.
I have not purchased the game I have been playing RCT 3 and Theme Park Studio
This game looks awesome as I refuse to buy RCT World its not up to par
Not sure I want to waste money on this game due to my system specs
I like to build parks with lots of coasters and rides and make busy park
I am just afraid I will have too much slow down to enjoy the game.
I have the following specs: Dell system is 6 yrs old atlease
i7 920 @ 2.67 GHz
24 GB of Ram
Nvidia 970 GTX 4 GB Video Card
I know processor is low but with video card and Ram will I be able to play game on low to med settings as from images on line the low looks just like the high settings
I have not purchased the game I have been playing RCT 3 and Theme Park Studio
This game looks awesome as I refuse to buy RCT World its not up to par
Not sure I want to waste money on this game due to my system specs
I like to build parks with lots of coasters and rides and make busy park
I am just afraid I will have too much slow down to enjoy the game.
I have the following specs: Dell system is 6 yrs old atlease
i7 920 @ 2.67 GHz
24 GB of Ram
Nvidia 970 GTX 4 GB Video Card
I know processor is low but with video card and Ram will I be able to play game on low to med settings as from images on line the low looks just like the high settings
most games don't even use more than 4 cores,i hope planet coaster developer's address this.cannon lake, which should be called the 8700k due out next years is suppose to be the first mainstream 6 core cpu.i am not talking about x99 hardware.it's plenty time for more games to support more than 4 cores.also keep in mind that your 5820k is not highly clocked.i have read all over these forums that this game is very cpu dependent and clock speed's matter.that 5820k should run at 4.2 ghz, you will see a change in performance by raising the clock speed on that chip.