Game speed drops about endless-sky

[xX-Dillinger-Xx]

I need to have vsync on, I get screen tearing with it off.
'ship outline' on then off, did seem to do something but only in the shipyard. I never really noticed it before and isn't an issue.
I turned off "rotate ship in HUD" that seemed make a bigger difference. It's passable, reduced the FPS drop to less then 10.
I also noticed that even as the game is loading the GPU load and FPS bounce all over the place. It stabilizes once the main menu comes up.

[warp-core]

I believe the issue is related to the outline.
Converting from a normal sprite to the outlines can be difficult for older computers.
You've already seen this with the "Ship outlines in shops" option.
A single outline may not be too difficult, but the shop may feature many outlines, so the performance impact has been apparent there for a long time.
More recently, with some particularly large or complex sprites, it seems the single target outline (alongside the flagship outline) can also noticeable impacts on performance.

#9942 adds settings to switch between the sprite and outline modes.

[Koranir]

FPS run in the higher 90's with nothing selected and drop to the 80's with large ship selected.

Strange, Endless Sky should be locked to 60fps, the game isn't built to go any higher.

Also, do you have highdpi enabled?

[xX-Dillinger-Xx]

Well I wouldn't count on the xbox game bar overlay in windows for accuracy. Lets assume it was wrong.
No, I don't use highdpi and my zoom is set at 100.
It doesn't feel like it's a video issue. I've experienced video lag before and this feels different. Like I said, the surrounding action, number of asteroids, nor numbers of enemy and escort ships have an effect on the issue.

What calculations take place while you have a ship selected? I keep coming back to crew size.

[xX-Dillinger-Xx]

I edited the stats for a Korsmanath A'awoj and set the max bunks and crew to 19 and the problem still occurs.
Scratch crew size off the list..
I'll do some more testing tomorrow

[warp-core]

Do you know what components your computer has? Particularly, CPU, graphics card/GPU, and system memory capacity (RAM)?

Outline Test.txt
If you load this save file, take off, and select your Embersylph escort, what happens to the in game CPU and GPU usage readings?

[xX-Dillinger-Xx]

EDITED

@warp-core

I did not notice any reduction in game speed.
I did notice a slight reduction in game speed.
Test Results:

• drifting
• escort unselected
  • CPU 1% GPU 7% < in game
  • AMD Catalyst reports GPU at 88%
  • FPS is 60
• escort selected
  • CPU 1% GPU 8%
  • AMD Catalyst reports GPU at 99%
  • FPS is 38

[xX-Dillinger-Xx]

Added a Heron to Kor Fel'tar and confirmed that I get the same behavior.

• roughly the same reduction in speed as a Korsmanath A'awoj
• the reduction stays until I unselect, even if I jump back to Misam, and even if the targeted ship jumps.
• I've edited almost everything in the ship profile for the heron. No changes. (don't worry I made a back up)
  • crew and bunks
  • shields
  • hull
  • sprite - used one from an Albatross
  • removed all turrets
  • removed all fighters bays
  • removed all built in scanning and salvage scanners

EDIT: I didn't do each of those at the same time I did them individually. So, results may not be entirely correct.

[xX-Dillinger-Xx]

I'm leaning towards it being a cumulative effect of several attributes with large numbers.
The ships that cause issues all have large numbers for several of the key attributes.
They all have high cargo space, high mass, high outfit space, a lot of weapons, etc.
I looked at the code and there seems to be several different calculations being done while a ship is selected. But, I really don't understand what I'm looking at. I also don't know why it's only effecting me. The CPU load doesn't spike, but the GPU goes from 85% to 99%. Is the GPU being used for calculations?

Today, I noticed that while I had a 577 targeted the, speed would be slow until I increased my distance to 2000 units. It then went to normal. When I moved back closer then 2000 the game slowed down again.

[xX-Dillinger-Xx]

@Koranir

FPS run in the higher 90's with nothing selected and drop to the 80's with large ship selected.

Strange, Endless Sky should be locked to 60fps, the game isn't built to go any higher.

Also, do you have highdpi enabled?

I switched to FRAPS and I'm getting 60. When I select one of the problem ships it drops to 30.

Just wanted to give you an update

[xX-Dillinger-Xx]

I think I've come to the conclusion that this may not be a bug. It may very well be that I have exposed the minimum requirements related to a GPU. I'm making an assumption that the GPU is doing a lot of calculations while a ship is selected and my weak GPU just can't handle the load. I don't know enough, to know how easily it would be to change the code so that the CPU does more of the work. I suspect it will be WAY too much work.

If someone has the time, I would appreciate some clarification surrounding my assumptions, and maybe try and explain what's happening in the code.

[Koranir]

If someone has the time, I would appreciate some clarification surrounding my assumptions, and maybe try and explain what's happening in the code.

The only thing that would use more GPU when targeting a large ship would be the ship outline [1] (and maybe the target selection indicators), which is known to be pretty computationally expensive, but not to the point of halving your frames. Try:

• Seeing if enabling the ship outline affects your performance
• Disabling VSync

[1]

[warp-core]

How does it behave if you launch the game with the following in a plugin?

interface "hud"
	# Player status.
	anchor top right
	
	sprite "ui/status"
		from 0 0
		align top right
	
	string "location"
		from -160 25
		color "medium"
		align right
		width 140
		truncate back
	string "date"
		from -20 45
		color "medium"
		align right
	string "credits"
		from -20 65
		color "medium"
		align right
	
	outline "player sprite"
		center -75 155
		dimensions 70 70
	ring "shields"
		center -75 155
		dimensions 120 120
		color "shields"
		size 1.5
	ring "hull"
		center -75 155
		dimensions 110 110
		color "hull"
		size 1.5
	ring "disabled hull"
		center -75 155
		dimensions 110 110
		color "disabled hull"
		size 1.5
	bar "fuel"
		from -53.5 425
		dimensions 0 -192
		color "fuel"
		size 2
	bar "energy"
		from -33.5 415
		dimensions 0 -192
		color "energy"
		size 2
	bar "heat"
		from -13.5 403
		dimensions 0 -192
		color "heat"
		size 2
	bar "overheat"
		from -13.5 403
		dimensions 0 -192
		color "overheat"
		size 2
	bar "overheat blink"
		from -13.5 403
		dimensions 0 -192
		color "dim"
		size 2

	# Targets.
	anchor top left
	visible if "red alert"
	sprite "ui/red alert"
		from 10 10
		align top left
	visible
	sprite "ui/radar"
		from 0 0
		align top left
	point "radar"
		center 128 128
	value "radar radius" 110
	value "radar pointer radius" 130
	
	sprite "ui/navigation"
		from 200 0
		align top left
	string "navigation mode"
		from 215 20
		align left
		color "medium"
	string "destination"
		from 230 40
		align left
		color "medium"
		width 135
		truncate back
	
	sprite "ui/target"
		from 0 240
		align top left
	point "target"
		center 75 315
		dimensions 140 140
	value "target radius" 70
	image "target sprite"
		center 75 315
		dimensions 70 70
	ring "target shields"
		center 75 315
		dimensions 120 120
		color "shields"
		size 1.5
	ring "target hull"
		center 75 315
		dimensions 110 110
		color "hull"
		size 1.5
	ring "target disabled hull"
		center 75 315
		dimensions 110 110
		color "disabled hull"
		size 1.5
	
	visible if "range display"
	sprite "ui/range"
		from 130 263
		align top left
	string "target range"
		from 160 260
		align top left
	visible if "tactical display"
	sprite "ui/tactical"
		from 130 290
		align top left
	string "target crew"
		from 162 298
		align top left
	string "target fuel"
		from 162 318
		align top left
	string "target energy"
		from 157 338
		align top left
	string "target heat"
		from 147 358
		align top left
	visible
	
	string "target name"
		center 75 395
		color "bright"
		width 150
		truncate middle
	string "target type"
		center 75 415
		color "medium"
		width 150
		truncate middle
	string "target government"
		center 75 435
		color "medium"
		width 150
		truncate middle
	point "faction markers"
		center 75 435
	string "mission target"
		center 75 455
		color "medium"
	
	# Other HUD elements:
	box "escorts"
		from 0 460 top left
		to 120 0 bottom left
	box "messages"
		from 120 0 bottom left
		to -110 -200 bottom right
	box "ammo"
		from -110 450 top right
		to 0 0 bottom right
	value "ammo icon height" 30
	value "ammo icon width" 80
	anchor top
	point "mini-map"
		center 0 100

[xX-Dillinger-Xx]

@ warp-core Will test when I get a little time. I know it goes in the plugin folder, but what file name should I use?

[warp-core]

File name doesn't matter. It just needs to be in a .txt file in the data folder within the plugin.

[xX-Dillinger-Xx]

Ok thanks. Just to clarify, above text in test.txt in data folder in plugins folder Do I need anything else? I've not made any plugins yet. Sorry warp, I'm still learning, but fear not I learn fast.

[warp-core]

The data folder needs to be inside a folder (name doesn't matter) inside the plugins folder.
If you're on Windows, by default:

C:
Users
<your user name>
AppData
Roaming
endless-sky
plugins
<any name>
data
test.txt

[xX-Dillinger-Xx]

Thanks for the above info. I got it working. Here's something odd, when I copied all your text into notepad++ it saved it as
global conditions.txt

Any way, that's seems way better no impact at all selecting the 'planted' ships. Korsmanath A'awoj and Herons in Kor Fel'tar

I had

• flagship = arfecta, escorts = emerald sword, 1 merganser < just what was close. I'll try with bigger fleet later, however I don't expect it will make any difference. It didn't before.
• star field on
• haze on
• Rotate ship in HUD on
• parallax off

GPU only spiked to 99% briefly and that was because a battle broke out. 2 Korsmanath A'awoj launched all their fighters at my escorts. The rest of the time my GPU bounced around 90% < externally measured. In game lies.

I'll leave this installed from this point on and report back after a longer play. For now, I think it is as good as it gets.

[xX-Dillinger-Xx]

Oh Crap, I forgot to thank you for your efforts, so Thank-you.

[xX-Dillinger-Xx]

I think it is safe to say this solved my issue and will close it.
@warp-core
When and if you have time, could you give me an explanation as to what was happening and why your fix works?

Also, should there be an expanded "video settings" in the preferences to accommodate players that may have the same issue?

[xX-Dillinger-Xx]

Appears to be resolved for now.
EDIT: Mar,22/2024 This is only using the custom file warp-core provided me. It does not mean the issue is solved for anybody else.