When did these new performance issues start?

[Scoob]

Hey all,

I've just returned to the game (yesterday) after an at least six month break. Cobra V wasn't a thing when I last played, and the Mandalay was still early-access only, if that dates things. That's when I last logged-in - after an update - not when I actually played properly.

Taking part in the CG, I've just been doing some regular Pirate Hunting in a HazRes - I like this activity. However, ever few minutes performance tanks to near-unplayable levels, before recovering again 5-10 seconds later. Just me around, no other players - I'm alone in a PG - and nothing crazy going on. I could be fighting no Pirates, one Pirate or half a dozen pirates, it makes no difference to when the FPS tanks. Perhaps there's combat somewhere in the instance, it just doesn't have to involve me if it is the cause.

As I'm playing "casually" in a well-shielded ship that relies on Turrets - Anaconda - this isn't putting me in danger at all, just frustrating me. When I played last night, I had the bright ideal to head over to the CG system in my DBX "Taxi" then see what I could buy locally to fight with. Though it'd be a fun challenge. Got a really crappy Viper III with C1 Pulse and C2 Cannons - it was RUBBISH - but kept me on my toes. However, when the performance glitch hit, I was actively in DANGER. Unable to fight effectively, while still vulnerable to enemy fire. That's when I called in my Anaconda. Glad I did.

Anyway, just thought I'd ask when these huge FPS drops started. Is it recent, or have people been dealing with this for a while now? Hopefully it can be sorted soon, as solid FPS is important for a Combat CG to play nicely.

Also, what's gone wrong with Shadows? I'm approaching an icy ring, no shadows. Fine. I instance in and there are shadows on the closer ice asteroids, but not the more distance ones. I get that. Performance. However, as I approach, shadows alternate between rendered and not rendered. It's a little jarring.

 

[photomankc]

It was somewhere around the point of PP2.0 and it seems like Colonization on top of it has made it even worse. This thread will soon be closed as nobody is allowed to talk about it outside the now dusty original thread on it but yes it is recent. It has been acknowledged on the issue tracker and as we all know that can still mean a long time before anything happens, if ever.

 

[Lhorndra]

Also, what's gone wrong with Shadows? I'm approaching an icy ring, no shadows. Fine. I instance in and there are shadows on the closer ice asteroids, but not the more distance ones. I get that. Performance. However, as I approach, shadows alternate between rendered and not rendered. It's a little jarring.

Unfortunately, this particular bug has existed for some time now. I think it was re-introduced around Update 18 (4.0.18.08) in August 2024 or slightly later. It may help to lower the shadow quality, but not much.

 

[Dougie]

It was somewhere around the point of PP2.0 and it seems like Colonization on top of it has made it even worse. This thread will soon be closed as nobody is allowed to talk about it outside the now dusty original thread on it but yes it is recent. It has been acknowledged on the issue tracker and as we all know that can still mean a long time before anything happens, if ever.

Yeah - can't have people talking about a horrendous repeating stuttering issue in the main discussion forum. Got to let people buy new PCs / change GFX cards / swap internet providers and call in the cavalry instead of seeing on here that it is not their equipment at fault it is a game issue.

I thought it was a bad decision to shut down the last major thread about this in the DD forum - but we can't criticise can we.

edited for a rogue typo - sorry

 

[Clicker]

There's a ticket in on this issue.

Look for "stuttering" and upvote.

 

[galahad2069]

Unfortunately, this particular bug has existed for some time now. I think it was re-introduced around Update 18 (4.0.18.08) in August 2024 or slightly later. It may help to lower the shadow quality, but not much.

Actually you can get rid of the flickering shadows entirely, but only at the cost of turning directional shadows all the way off.

You need to modify the GraphicConfiguration.xml file (there is a user post somewhere in one of the last 5 pages of Morbad's thread about it).

 

[Scoob]

Thanks guys, I'll say no more! I need to remember that I'm currently playing a beta version of the game of course...

 

[Kamiyoda]

Thanks guys, I'll say no more! I need to remember that I'm currently playing a beta version of the game of course...

Thanks for your understanding in supporting this upcoming indie company

 

[DjVortex]

It has been acknowledged on the issue tracker and as we all know that can still mean a long time before anything happens, if ever.

I get the impression that sometimes they introduce a bug and it probably turns out to be so obscure and complicated that they take a long time to find and fix it. And sometimes, apparently, they don't find it at all.

We are still suffering from the effects of the shadows bug that was introduced in update 18. The situation has been improved slightly, but it has never been restored to the flawless pre-update-18 shadows. That one is a damn shame.

 

[heathenlamb]

The Trailblazer update has totally ruined my connectivity.

 

[galahad2069]

I get the impression that sometimes they introduce a bug and it probably turns out to be so obscure and complicated that they take a long time to find and fix it. And sometimes, apparently, they don't find it at all.

I don't understand what gives you that impression.

• They already fixed the flickering shadows bug once, which means it's absolutely fixable and they are totally capable of doing that.
• They just reintroduced it in a subsequent update, which is simply a sign of terrible version control (and it's not the only example of a reintroduced bug).
• They did not really come out of their way to fix even minor bugs of the PP2 and Trailblazer updates. They just called it a day after like one or two small patches that left most bugs unfixed, which means that by and large they just tend to ignore bugs.

The real reason why they don't fix bugs is that they don't even try, that's the only logical conclusion.

 

[DjVortex]

They already fixed the flickering shadows bug once, which means it's absolutely fixable and they are totally capable of doing that.

They may have fixed the flickering, but they didn't fix the shadows being cut off when viewed from a particular distance, which was also introduced with update 18 and never fixed.

 

[galahad2069]

They may have fixed the flickering, but they didn't fix the shadows being cut off when viewed from a particular distance, which was also introduced with update 18 and never fixed.

Odyssey had many bugs they never fixed, true that.

 

[Knuttin Atoll]

There are two shadow related issues aren't there - one is draw distance related the other is seizure inducing flickering. I think they had a go at the former but can't remember it for the latter (could be wrong though).

The flicker one is particularly nasty (I don't suffer from seizures thankfully but assume it must be horrible to those who do) and I don't understand why this hasn't justified an emergency hotfix shortly after it was introduced.

As for the stutter, it appears server related and doesn't matter what you do in game, it happens at set game times (5 mins past the hour usually for me is the worst) and is bad enough to cause rebuys or fines if you're unlucky, as you lose control of your ship temporarily. Another one that should've been hot fixed ages ago, and I wonder now as it hasn't been yet that doing so would break something else with PP2.0.

 

[aRJay]

I don't understand what gives you that impression.

• They already fixed the flickering shadows bug once, which means it's absolutely fixable and they are totally capable of doing that.

You are assuming that the symptom has the same cause this time around.

• They just reintroduced it in a subsequent update, which is simply a sign of terrible version control (and it's not the only example of a reintroduced bug).

This has been said a lot, I doubt it is universally true as per my first comment.

• They did not really come out of their way to fix even minor bugs of the PP2 and Trailblazer updates. They just called it a day after like one or two small patches that left most bugs unfixed, which means that by and large they just tend to ignore bugs.

The real reason why they don't fix bugs is that they don't even try, that's the only logical conclusion.

No but it is the easiest conclusion.

 

[Rat Catcher]

The Trailblazer update has totally ruined my connectivity.

That's sad...

Fortunately I only see the occasional serious stutter, just after the hour, so my connectivity remains the same as it has done for a while, mostly good, but, when it is bad, it is bad, briefly. (Yes, it needs fixing, but then, there are still some bothersome bugs in the game that started years ago)

 

[Ozric]

This thread will soon be closed as nobody is allowed to talk about it outside the now dusty original thread on it but yes it is recent.

The now dusty thread that was last posted in today, and has over 13 pages of responses? The thread that the OP could have easily found if they bothered to search?

Why do you think we close duplicate threads, for the hell of it, or to keep information in one place?

Scoob has, as usual, slammed multiple questions/issues into a thread that makes this more of a Grey area. But I'd be more than happy to close it to keep discussions in one place.

I thought it was a bad decision to shut down the last major thread about this in the DD forum - but we can't criticise can we.

Because making snide passive aggressive comments is a real good look isn't it? If you don't think a thread should be closed then report the closing post, it's quite simple. Saying nothing, stewing about how you feel that a "major thread" (3 pages...) is closed, does nothing to help anyone.

 

[Scoob]

I've not been monitoring system resource usage while playing, so I don't know if the fps drop is accompanied by a GPU spike, CPU spike, RAM getting full, VRAM Getting full etc. etc. basically all the usual suspects. Still, even if it were one or more of those, it's caused by software not hardware. If this were a closed beta, absolutely fine, I'm part of several and it's to be expected. However, as I've returned to the game to be part of a wider Beta test in the live game, it's less than ideal. Looks like some of the issues pre-date it though.

The now dusty thread that was last posted in today, and has over 13 pages of responses? The thread that the OP could have easily found if they bothered to search?

Why do you think we close duplicate threads, for the hell of it, or to keep information in one place?

Scoob has, as usual, slammed multiple questions/issues into a thread that makes this more of a Grey area. But I'd be more than happy to close it to keep discussions in one place.



Because making snide passive aggressive comments is a real good look isn't it? If you don't think a thread should be closed then report the closing post, it's quite simple. Saying nothing, stewing about how you feel that a "major thread" (3 pages...) is closed, does nothing to help anyone.

I think you're doing pretty well at the passive-aggressive comments yourself, judging by how you're talking about me here.

I've been away for a while, I don't know what the current buzz of conversation is, nor the general state of the game. I scan the first couple of pages of the forum, see if there's a current discussion on the topic, then create my own if not. This isn't a focused bug-reporting post, it's a general discussion post. I like it when other things are brought to my attention, I didn't know the things others have mentioned here. I'm not rude, I don't insult anyone, I just share my experience. Perhaps I'm overly verbose sometimes, but that's just how I am.

I was of course aware of the on-going beta test of the Colonisation stuff, however, I was unaware of how it might affect other aspects of gameplay. It's a general "state of the game" type post really I suppose.

 

[Rat Catcher]

It's a general "state of the game" type post really I suppose.

That thread got moved to off-topic ages back...
The thread that shall not be named...

3068 pages and still kicking...

 

[Ozric]

I think you're doing pretty well at the passive-aggressive comments yourself, judging by how you're talking about me here.

Well I for one enjoy your threads normally, that last line is certainly not aimed at you in a bad way. But if you're experiencing a huge issue, then a quick search is far more valuable than looking at a couple of pages of what's new.

And what it leads to, is 2 of the first 3 replies having a dig at moderation for something that's nothing to do with us anyway. Just another joyful day on the forums. I probably should be used to it after all these years, but sometimes it just gets to me.

I've not been monitoring system resource usage while playing, so I don't know if the fps drop is accompanied by a GPU spike, CPU spike, RAM getting full, VRAM Getting full etc. etc. basically all the usual suspects. Still, even if it were one or more of those, it's caused by software not hardware. If this were a closed beta, absolutely fine, I'm part of several and it's to be expected. However, as I've returned to the game to be part of a wider Beta test in the live game, it's less than ideal. Looks like some of the issues pre-date it though.

Yes the actual event that causes it used to only happen on loading in to the galaxy, since Power Play 2.0 it has run once every 5 minutes after initial login. I did some testing