gtx 670 and i7 3960x and dipping even to 10 fps (avarage = 30)

[redivider 1]

So, I have recently bought an asus dcII (non-top) gtx 670 and i7 3960x, 8 gigs of ram and so on... A whole new computer. BUT the fps with arma 2 is about 30fps avarage, if i try to max out almost everything, and max out the visibility slider, it is unplayable (to much lagging). What I am asking here is - is there anyway to get more fps? If not, I have to say to anyone - screw that pc shit, i am never building an expansive pc again. Now i finally see why people play on consoles! The whole console is cheaper then my god damn video card?! This is just unbelievably outrageous.

Please someone help me out here. Is this normal? Is it just the game? I am just so disappointed... Like my money went through the window, wasted.:butbut:. I can give you any more info you might need but this is just... No words for it. I went through the whole registration process to say this and I am a big fan of Flashpoint since 2000, but this is... meh

Have a nice day,

Alex

edit: Forgot to say that my gpu usage while playing doesnt even max out (like 98-99%) but just wiggles from 0% to like 56, like the gpu is hardly being used.

[nikiforos 450]

Redivider there is no question you have a powerfull system . IMO you should lower VD to max 3000 and trying to lower some other options as well . Your rig will run any game out there with full graphics but ARMA 2 is another story.

[redivider 1]

Do you maybe know why "Arma 2 is another story"? Also I have 1 more question - would having arma installed on a SSD help? I am thinking that the HDD isnt loading objects and polygons fast enaugh, so the GPU doesnt even have the time to process them; therefore the wierd patterns in gpu usage and über low fps. Because it only seems to happen if my VD is high.

Thank you for your fast response though, I appreciate it.

Alex

[bristow 1]

Most games on the market are very optimised to give a illusion of opulence and grandeur. Arma2 actually tries to give you all that.

Needless to say all games are dependant on single cpu core performance (slowest part) and Gpu power.

As suggusted lower Visual Distance to 2K-3K and maybe also lowering Terrain and Object Detail to Low will boost framerate.

[Leon86 13]

A system like that is always a waste of money. A 3930k is pretty much identical to the 3960x unless you're running some sort of niche application. Arma 2 only uses 3 cores effectively, and has no advantages if you go over quads. In other words a 2500K will perform identical to your system. Only way to improve performance is overclocking.

Arma 3 will have better multithreading but that's half a year away at best, although the community alpha might be there sooner.

[Horus 83]

Defragment HDD, disable Hyper-Threading (bios) and disable core parking (registry). Install last beta patch, if you run ArmA:CO, and in shortcut put this -cpuCount=6 -exThreads=7 and see if this help you.

[[vs-uk]jones 10]

Hi i run 920 co to 3.8 gtx670 and on ssd with all maxed and view distance set to 2800.

turn atoc to 0, ht makes no differance on or of in bios. patch game to laitest runs sweet at 30/40 fps all you need in this game, my monitor res is 2560*1600

language="English";

adapter=-1;

3D_Performance=1500000;

Resolution_Bpp=32;

Resolution_W=2560;

Resolution_H=1600;

refresh=60;

winX=16;

winY=32;

winW=800;

winH=600;

winDefW=800;

winDefH=600;

Render_W=2560;

Render_H=1600;

FSAA=0;

postFX=0;

GPU_MaxFramesAhead=1;

GPU_DetectedFramesAhead=1;

HDRPrecision=32;

lastDeviceId="";

localVRAM=2091581440;

nonlocalVRAM=2147479552;

vsync=0;

AToC=6;

PPAA=3;

PPAA_Level=3;

Windowed=0;

serverLongitude=1735746149;

serverLatitude=1678392120;

[nimrod_z 8]

the viewdistance is what kills performance (all cpu). i normally keep the view distance around 3000 and my cpu usage is 25-30 % . all the graphics options are all very high with the exception of DEFAULT for vid memory. i seem to be some of the few people that can usuall tell when a game is not running at least 60 fps, i will get a headache quick from that. luckily it doesnt happen that much even with arma because i have 2 EVGA gtx 680SC's, I7 2600k @4.9 and 16 gig of ram. that was a 1 time massive upgrade -- WAYYYYYYY to much money :p

[kklownboy 43]

Jones;2239981']...

FSAA=0;

...

AToC=6;

...

That combo doesnt work. You need FSAA for ATOC to work.

As everybody has said, VD is a killer.

[[vs-uk]jones 10]

That is why i said in my post to put atoc to 0

Lets all face it what works for one doen't work for all (not in this game) but hell is it worth the effort.

[redivider 1]

I have played the mission counterattack, with everything on highest (view distance on 10k), I also turned of hyper threading in the bios. Fps went from 15 - 44. I am also getting immense texture shimmering. Cpu is not overclocked, the gpu core is clocked at 1228, no memory overclock. Heres a pic of the cpu load after 15 mins of play.

I dont think the cpu is the problem, I think the problem is the HDD not loading the objects fast enough so the gpu cant render them, because the gpu usage just wobbles around, at other games its pretty much 99% constant (except loading screens of course).

Heres a 1sec vid of the shimmering. https://dl.dropbox.com/u/52953317/arma2oa%202012-10-24%2021-04-59-11.avi.MP4

[gunso 10]

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?141658-Viewing-Distance-Issue

no one use 10k viewdistance even with the most powerful pc available now, that's what causing problem.

need faster hdd to render all those 10k viewdistance faster.

[Leon86 13]

Cpu is not overclocked

what a waste, the most expensive unlocked cpu and leaving it on stock.

seriously, get it on 4.6 at least, you'll notice a massive improvement.

anyway, it's impossible to max out arma 2 on any machine, you have to choose between model/terrain detail and viewdistance, or run them about halfway.

[redivider 1]

Thank you gunso, I think it just how the game works, ill try with an SSD near future. As far as my cpu goes, it was not that expansive, lets just say i know some people. Second thing - I dont want to overclock it (yet) because I want to have it for as long as possible (4 years + AT LEAST) and please dont tell me its a waste. When you get such a CPU you will see for yourself, until then dont lecture me with overclocking the top of the line hardware, thank you. If you are dumb enough to overclock this, and maybe ruin it what are you going to do? 1k or more wasted :D, not a smart thing to try, right?

If you want to just go ahead, im not doing it yet though.

I still have no idea whats causing the shimmering, maybe a video driver update?

[MissileMoose 10]

Thank you gunso, I think it just how the game works, ill try with an SSD near future. As far as my cpu goes, it was not that expansive, lets just say i know some people. Second thing - I dont want to overclock it (yet) because I want to have it for as long as possible (4 years + AT LEAST) and please dont tell me its a waste. When you get such a CPU you will see for yourself, until then dont lecture me with overclocking the top of the line hardware, thank you. If you are dumb enough to overclock this, and maybe ruin it what are you going to do? 1k or more wasted :D, not a smart thing to try, right?

If you want to just go ahead, im not doing it yet though.

I still have no idea whats causing the shimmering, maybe a video driver update?

I dislike your attitude and insult towards Leon86 who was trying to help you, in-fact most hardware enthusiasts would back him up with his statement that you are wasting that chip by not unlocking its full potential. Your statement in regards to overclocking is partly incorrect and you seem to be uneducated on the matter. I suggest you research into the matter since the only likely factor which could kill your central processing unit is over-voltage (if you do not have sufficient cooling mechanisms in place). There are many safe and tested tutorials online that you could use to gain performance without damaging or noticeably degrading the life-span of you chip. Most high-end processors are designed to be overclocked, hence the fact that they are unlocked.

Before I upgraded to my i7-3820 I used an AMD Phenom II X6 1090t overclocked to 4.1GHz which I often left running for days on-end. The 1090t's on-time duration was probably over a year before I sent it to my brother around fourteen months ago. The SB-E series uses better architecture than the AMD varient, so unless you have a faulty chip or irresponsibly overclock the only difference which you are likely to notice is the massive boost in performance. Nobody is forcing you to overclock, you posted a question so people are trying to assist. Much like I am by writing this post. :)

TL;DR: Take the advice of an experienced hardware enthusiast and overclock your chip for a single day, using reference material which can be found online for your specific processor. The performance increase gained by overclocking to over 4GHz should be enough for you to leave it overclocked. By the time your i7 is nearing the end of its service life, you will likely be preparing for your pension (if you are in your thirties).

As for the actual cause of low performance, it is probably your view-distance. As always I will still recommend you update your chipset and graphical processing unit drivers. I will post my settings when I get onto my desktop since I have a similar system specification to you. My resolution which is not contained within my signature is 2560x1440.

I hope this gives you an insight into overclocking. I have some work to finish so will assist further in a couple of hours.

Edit: I forgot to mention that the read and write speeds of flash based storage of solid state drives will improve your entire system speed massively. I suggest an Intel 520 if you have the money, or alternatively the Crucial M4 with firmware updates for cheap 400MB/s read and write speeds.

Edited October 25, 2012 by MissileMoose

[Leon86 13]

I dont want to overclock it (yet) because I want to have it for as long as possible (4 years + AT LEAST)

4+ years shouldn't be a problem, you can overclock a chip to very high speeds and it's still the least likely part to break in the entire pc. Just have to keep the voltage on a reasonable level and the temps under control.

Edited October 25, 2012 by Leon86

[MissileMoose 10]

4+ years shouldn't be a problem, you can overclock a chip to very high speeds and it's still the least likely part to break in the entire pc. Just have to keep the voltage on a reasonable level and the temps under control.

Exactly, depending on a few variables a chip should last anywhere from five to thirty years.

[redivider 1]

Well, i am not trying to argue and I was not insulting Leon, but if you feel like I was, I apologize.

I will take your advice and overclock but probably just as a test. I will post If I get any results.

Second thing - I am 17 actually.

[chrisb 196]

I certainly think your wise not to oc it yet, it should do the job as is without too many problems, maybe think about that after warranty.

Agree with the view distance 10000 on the ground is going to eat fps, I run 2-3000 on the ground 5-6000 in the air in combat or 7-10000 just sightseeing depending on which terrain.

My settings here, 'object detail' can boost my fps, however I usually run 'normal' or 'high', if its a really heavy terrain this would be the one I would drop to 'low' for larger battles (lots of ai). Oh and yes that is vid-mem on V/high, gives me 5+fps minimum over 'default'

Shimmering could be down to the patch/beta your at, I am on 1.62-98220 and it feels pretty stable upto now, although I have lost ATV vehicle sounds:j:, however they have had issues with a few earlier 1.62 beta’s, problems similar to what you have there..

Overall I think the view distance is your biggest fps eater as ‘@gunso’ said, but tweaking settings is all part of the fun with the whole series, fortunately we have a few more settings to tweak now..

Hope you find the right setup, your pc and card should run it, I did say should, as we all know, or lets rephrase that, as we all ‘don’t know’, its fingers crossed time..

My a2 pc is much lower end than yours (although my a3 pc in waiting isn't;)), but runs the game very well on the settings above, so your pc should run away with it. I know that doesn’t always run to form as they say.

Someone with the same setup as you have there might come along and share their settings..:)

[MissileMoose 10]

I certainly think your wise not to oc it yet, it should do the job as is without too many problems, maybe think about that after warranty.

Agree with the view distance 10000 on the ground is going to eat fps, I run 2-3000 on the ground 5-6000 in the air in combat or 7-10000 just sightseeing depending on which terrain.

My settings here, 'object detail' can boost my fps, however I usually run 'normal' or 'high', if its a really heavy terrain this would be the one I would drop to 'low' for larger battles (lots of ai). Oh and yes that is vid-mem on V/high, gives me 5+fps minimum over 'default'

Shimmering could be down to the patch/beta your at, I am on 1.62-98220 and it feels pretty stable upto now, although I have lost ATV vehicle sounds:j:, however they have had issues with a few earlier 1.62 beta’s, problems similar to what you have there..

Overall I think the view distance is your biggest fps eater as ‘@gunso’ said, but tweaking settings is all part of the fun with the whole series, fortunately we have a few more settings to tweak now..

Hope you find the right setup, your pc and card should run it, I did say should, as we all know, or lets rephrase that, as we all ‘don’t know’, its fingers crossed time..

My a2 pc is much lower end than yours (although my a3 pc in waiting isn't;)), but runs the game very well on the settings above, so your pc should run away with it. I know that doesn’t always run to form as they say.

Someone with the same setup as you have there might come along and share their settings..:)

I agree. On second thoughts, I wouldn't advise you overclock just yet as what Chris is saying is correct. Your system should perform well enough without any major modifications. I will post my setup in ten minutes for you to compare.

Settings screenshot

Running with patch 1.62 I achieved an average of 45FPS on the E08: Benchmark mission. With mods (Mainly ASR-AI, ACE, Blastcore) I achieved an average of 54. My frame-rate rarely drops below 30 unless it is a demanding mission. While online I use the Instant View Distance to set it to between 2000-4000 depending on the mission (4k VD on Lingor is pointless for example).

Below are my configuration files if you wish to use them, I doubt it'll make a difference to your performance as there is probably another underlying problem. But at-least it's something to go off, right?

.Arma2OAProfile

.Cfg

You could try to:

1. Use a tool such as RealTemp to check your temperatures. If you have an over-heating problem, it could down-clock your CPU/GPU.

2. Update or reinstall video drivers. Download the latest from the Nvidia website.

3. If you system works well with other games, then it's probably a software/driver issue. Maybe try a reinstall? Or install Windows to another drive.

3a. If not, check that you have your video card in the PCI-E X16 slot, it could be a power issue? What PSU do you have?

Edited October 25, 2012 by MissileMoose
Added settings

[SavageCDN 231]

SSD will be the single best upgrade you can do for Arma and your setup.

Edited October 29, 2012 by SavageCDN

[redivider 1]

Yes I monitor both the cpu and the gpu. The gpu idles at 32 never goess over 68, the cpu about the same. Also the gpu is in x16 slot. Power seems to be fine as well. I dont have problems with other games; cod4 800fps, metro 2033 50fps, Crysis and modded Stalker were fine as well dont remember the fps though, I pretty much only play arma now.

Im just gonna post the whole specs:

case - HAF 922

mobo - intel dx79si

cpu - i7 3960x

cpu cooler - intel watercooler by asetek

HDD - seagate barracuda 7200 rpm 1TB

gpu - ASUS gtx 670 dc2 (non-top)

psu - corsair gs 700W

ram - corsair value edition 4 x 2GB (the cheap stuff, I just didnt feel like buying gangsta skill ripoffs)

LG dvd rom

four 120mm (1 is for cpu cooler) two 200mm case fans (I really like the enermax batwings which I just added)

At eo8 benchmark my fps was 35 with ace, jsrs, asr, blastcore and some other mods, everything on highest, view distance as well (10K), with hyper-threading off. The cfgs dont help much, I seems like it doesnt matter if I disable post processing and HDR the fps stayed exactly the same, its only the VD that makes the changes. I always update the drivers but it doesnt seem to fix much. Also I cant overclock the CPU because my psu is probably too week. Ill just have to buy an SSD now and see how it goes. Meh, its just the game and its complexity. Now we wait for arma 3.

[Minoza 11]

You may want to look at my post here:

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?127236-Super-low-GPU-usage-on-MP-only&p=2245079&viewfull=1#post2245079

Same card, same issue. Try what I suggested there and see if the same thing happens to you as well.

[Leon86 13]

Yes I monitor both the cpu and the gpu. The gpu idles at 32 never goess over 68, the cpu about the same. Also the gpu is in x16 slot. Power seems to be fine as well. I dont have problems with other games; cod4 800fps, metro 2033 50fps, Crysis and modded Stalker were fine as well dont remember the fps though, I pretty much only play arma now.

Im just gonna post the whole specs:

case - HAF 922

mobo - intel dx79si

cpu - i7 3960x

cpu cooler - intel watercooler by asetek

HDD - seagate barracuda 7200 rpm 1TB

gpu - ASUS gtx 670 dc2 (non-top)

psu - corsair gs 700W

ram - corsair value edition 4 x 2GB (the cheap stuff, I just didnt feel like buying gangsta skill ripoffs)

LG dvd rom

four 120mm (1 is for cpu cooler) two 200mm case fans (I really like the enermax batwings which I just added)

At eo8 benchmark my fps was 35 with ace, jsrs, asr, blastcore and some other mods, everything on highest, view distance as well (10K), with hyper-threading off. The cfgs dont help much, I seems like it doesnt matter if I disable post processing and HDR the fps stayed exactly the same, its only the VD that makes the changes. I always update the drivers but it doesnt seem to fix much. Also I cant overclock the CPU because my psu is probably too week. Ill just have to buy an SSD now and see how it goes. Meh, its just the game and its complexity. Now we wait for arma 3.

your psu is not too weak for an overclock, a typical gtx670 uses 200W, your cpu about 100W, rest of the pc probably 50 or so. Plenty room for overclocking and still have a large safety margin.