Fallout 4 GPU usage (R9 290)

[nj4ck]

I'm still experiencing pretty decent stuttering and frame drops into the 40s in Fallout 4. I do have Vsync enabled, so take this with a grain of salt, but here's my GPU usage:

 

 

Now with Vsync on at 60fps, there's obviously no surprise that it isn't locked at 100%, but the amount of time the GPU spends hardly working at all does seem weird to me. I'm running a 4670k @ 4.2GHz and an R9 290 with the latest crimson drivers. Anyone else having issues?

[AresKrieger]

Don't have a 290 but I know someone who does (I also don't understand anything amd driver related)

 

@App4that

[SubTract]

So I have a 390

I've got the same problem. (Although I have now fixed the CPU issue with ihwthread line in the fallout ini file)

70hz vsync

[BoredErica]

Hmm, if you'd like I can capture GPU usage for me (6600k @ 4.848ghz, 980ti). Normally I am GPU bound I think, but whenever I go under 60, it's always CPU bound. That's not a surprise, given this is a Bethesda game.

 

 

Also guys, Fallout 4 Performance Manager is out now:

http://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/1762/?
 

See what's going on while you're playing the game.

[App4that]

Welcome to hell, I pulled the tag off of a mattress. What did you do?

 

What you're experiencing is a CPU bottleneck. Fallout 4 likes multiple threads, as in more than the 4 the 4690k has. We've gotten used to the strong single core speed of the 4690k making up for it's lack of threads, but Fallout 4 laughs in the general direction of that. So you can wait for a patch that might help, upgrade to a 4790k like I am in case this is a trend, or live with the fps drops. Setting the shadow distance to medium will help a lot, but not cure the problem and impact the look of the game negatively.

 

Proof of what I say.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-2015-the-best-pc-hardware-for-fallout-4-4023

[Guest]

So I have a 390

I've got the same problem. (Although I have now fixed the CPU issue with ihwthread line in the fallout ini file)

70hz vsync

2015-11-13 19_50_57-Task Manager.png

What does that ihwthread line do? 

[nj4ck]

Welcome to hell, I pulled the tag off of a mattress. What did you do?

 

What you're experiencing is a CPU bottleneck. Fallout 4 likes multiple threads, as in more than the 4 the 4690k has. We've gotten used to the strong single core speed of the 4690k making up for it's lack of threads, but Fallout 4 laughs in the general direction of that. So you can wait for a patch that might help, upgrade to a 4790k like I am in case this is a trend, or live with the fps drops. Setting the shadow distance to medium will help a lot, but not cure the problem and impact the look of the game negatively.

 

Proof of what I say.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-2015-the-best-pc-hardware-for-fallout-4-4023

DAMN YOU BETHESDA!

 

My next CPU upgrade will be to broadwell-e, so a 4790k isn't really an option. Oh well.

 

Although I must say, CPU utilization doesn't exceed 80% on any of the cores either. I'll post a screenshot later, but there's no evidence of a CPU bottleneck that I can find in this case.

[nj4ck]

What does that ihwthread line do? 

Yes, I too would like to know this. @SubTract

[App4that]

I don't go over 80% ether, but anything past 60% usually causes dropped frames. The problem is the CPU not keeping up, not that it's hitting 100%.

 

But yes, it's Bethesda's fault for making a shit port. I will not buy the DLC until it's fixed.

[nj4ck]

I don't go over 80% ether, but anything past 60% usually causes dropped frames. The problem is the CPU not keeping up, not that it's hitting 100%.

 

But yes, it's Bethesda's fault for making a shit port. I will not buy the DLC until it's fixed.

That's a real shame, especially given that it's such a great game. But knowing Bethesda, we'll be lucky to get a patch by the end of next year, if we get one at all.

[SubTract]

Welcome to hell, I pulled the tag off of a mattress. What did you do?

 

What you're experiencing is a CPU bottleneck. Fallout 4 likes multiple threads, as in more than the 4 the 4690k has. We've gotten used to the strong single core speed of the 4690k making up for it's lack of threads, but Fallout 4 laughs in the general direction of that. So you can wait for a patch that might help, upgrade to a 4790k like I am in case this is a trend, or live with the fps drops. Setting the shadow distance to medium will help a lot, but not cure the problem and impact the look of the game negatively.

 

Proof of what I say.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-2015-the-best-pc-hardware-for-fallout-4-4023

 

You also say that its a very multi threaded game. By default it doesn't appear to use more than 2 threads at all. (At least with AMD CPU's) I had to add lines to the games config files to get it to use more threads. Which spreads the load a lot but that's not how it ships.

 

When I finish work I will screencap the Task Manager and MSI monitor again with the ini tweaks.

My above screencap was taken with me wandering the wasteland between sanctuary and tenpines bluff. I rarely see drops below 70.

[App4that]

You also say that its a very multi threaded game. By default it doesn't appear to use more than 2 threads at all. (At least with AMD CPU's) I had to add lines to the games config files to get it to use more threads. Which spreads the load a lot but that's not how it ships.

 

When I finish work I will screencap the Task Manager and MSI monitor again with the ini tweaks.

My above screencap was taken with me wandering the wasteland between sanctuary and tenpines bluff. I rarely see drops below 70.

You can see how many threads are being used in the ini files. For a AMD CPU it should be 8. There have been other articles covering this, the problem is optimization. The more cores you have the better Fallout 4 plays because the game is horrible at using what you have efficiently. So it's not the conventional bottleneck where the CPU/GPU runs out of power, it's not being used properly so the more threads you have the better the CPU can counter act this.

 

Basically this. Imagine the chocolate is frames.

 

[SubTract]

What does that ihwthread line do? 

Yes, I too would like to know this. @SubTract

 

Check your fallout4.ini file and add the appropriate lines. (Obviously modify iNumHWthreads to the thread count of your CPU (i5 =4)

[General]bMouseAcceleration=0uInterior Cell Buffer=12uExterior Cell Buffer=144bUseThreadedBlood=1bUseThreadedMorpher=1bUseThreadedTempEffects=1bUseThreadedParticleSystem=1bUseThreadedAI=1bUseMultiThreadedFaceGen=1bUseMultiThreadedTrees=1iNumHWThreads=8iPreloadSizeLimit=262144000

bMouseAcceleration=0  

Turns off mouse accelleration

 

uInterior Cell Buffer=12

uExterior Cell Buffer=144  

Sets a cell buffer limit for inside and out of buildings (Cells are the units in which the game sections the game map)

 

 

bUseThreadedBlood=1

bUseThreadedMorpher=1

bUseThreadedTempEffects=1

bUseThreadedParticleSystem=1

bUseThreadedAI=1

bUseMultiThreadedFaceGen=1

bUseMultiThreadedTrees=1  

Enables multi threading for all of the game systems (These may or may not work well for you)

 

iNumHWThreads=8*

Sets the amount of threads your CPU can use

 

iPreloadSizeLimit=262144000

This one should fix any framerate drops you can get when you enter a new area. (It will however cause a slight delay upon loading the game initially)

It sets the amount of memory the game can use to pre-load assets (This may cause issues if you have low VRAM or System memory.

 

There are also some more things you can enable multithreading for from the in game console.

Press tilde to open the console in game "~"

tMta ONtMtrdfl ONtMtr ppld

I can't remember what these stand for but the game tells you what they are when you enter them.

tMt = Toggle multi-threaded

[xAcid9]

The game is drawcalls bottleneck, so far i've tested AMD driver hate anything over 5k drawcalls, performance will drop below 60fps. Sometime even when you look at nothing the drawcalls is high in Fallout 4.

 

Fallout 4 | 12k drawcalls | 23 FPS

 

Fallout 4 | 9.1k drawcalls | 29 FPS

 

Fallout 4 | 1.7k drawcalls | 60 FPS (capped)

 

Fallout 4 | 4.2k drawcalls | 57 FPS (actually 60 cap)

 

pCars | 8.3k drawcalls | 46 FPS

 

Just Cause 3 | 9.5k draw calls | 39 FPS

 

 

Well drawcalls is just part of the issue.

[MoonSpot]

I will not buy the DLC until it's fixed.

 

@Dabombinable How did that scenario work out for you with the elderscrolls?

[SkilledRebuilds]

.

Screenshots - Pcars is Fallout 4

[Dabombinable]

@Dabombinable How did that scenario work out for you with the elderscrolls?

I bought Elderscrolls after I upgraded from my Pentium III...at the start of last year. Needless to say Bethesda still hadn't fixed the bugs by then.

[Kinda Bottlenecked]

I bought Elderscrolls after I upgraded from my Pentium III...at the start of last year. Needless to say Bethesda still hadn't fixed the bugs by then.

Beth? Fix bugs? Yea maybe in the opposite world :lol:

[Dabombinable]

Beth? Fix bugs? Yea maybe in the opposite world :lol:

Until I'd upgraded my rig, the newest game I could play was Halo 1........

[App4that]

Until I'd upgraded my rig, the newest game I could play was Halo 1........

Playing KOTOR II myself right now. Forgot how awesome a game can run.