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Cockpit Instrument Flicker Issues

Graphics issues like: bad framerates, weird colors, OpenGL errors etc. Bad graphics ar usually the result of bad graphics cards or drivers.
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Cockpit Instrument Flicker Issues

Postby Matuchkin » Mon Dec 31, 2018 5:07 am

I have mentioned these issues some time ago to reddit user u/gsagostinho, but completely forgot to act upon them. Here are the most prominent examples:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rS3LcPDGppPZdnMTVP7XDcRIZz3j8YEL/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1y8cVkV2lj1wZ1hBLoNSdlntePUyPP9vi/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1z_HdQMmsiLpmrDW5taGDxD6qx7Y84mHb/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eVyV6Z1_iMUgibSRYus8cuO6KRQlpNlK/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kRVbGLhzfT2rTd0p7j_Q8o7l88MVyLyt/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KrBkx_pwZlgfCkLAsR-FwfwryzqDqJ1g/view?usp=sharing

The above Google Drive links, if they function, display a recurring graphical problem that has lasted for the duration of my experience with FlightGear. The problem seems to have a single nature: instruments, console components, or sometimes full aircraft fuselages, that flicker and disappear/appear relative to the angle/FOV with which you observe them. This is a nuisance, as it removes from immersion and renders it difficult to observe instruments without slightly moving your camera differently every time.

Notes:

- Cessna 172P: Most major instruments flicker. Layers seem to appear/disappear (observe the roll coordinator and heading indicator, as well as the Bendix King stack - actually, just look at the whole cockpit). Glass windshields suddenly become almost opaque from the outside.

- Cessna 337G: Almost every surface flickers. Cabin walls are only visible with certain angles, and it is not possible to view all at the same time. Looking back, one can see the rear propeller from inside.

- Piper Seneca II: From the outside, major components of the aircraft flicker.

- J3 Cub: The altimeter front surface disappears, showing the selected pressure display behind.

- Cessna 182S: Everything is fine. Literally everything. Except, you know, the autopilot. So now I'm treated to that; not seeing the hundreds digit when setting vertical speed, having to move my camera to confirm that the nav is armed, etc. Especially convenient when doing an ILS landing.

The above aircraft are not the only examples of this problem; it recurs with many aircraft in FlightGear. Some, such as the DHC-6 or DHC-2, do not show this effect.

Computer notes:

Type: Lenovo Ideapad
OS: Windows 10 Home 64-bit 10.0
FlightGear Version: 2018.3.1
Graphics Card: Intel(R) HD Graphics 620? Is that a graphics card or should I not search in dxdiag?
Problem occurs with most aircraft, at any airport.

Here is my full command line for an average session on the C172P. I hope I'm allowed to do this. Here goes nothing:

Code: Select all
        option:console =
        option:aircraft-dir = C:/Program Files/FlightGear 2018.3.1/data/Aircraft/c172p
        option:aircraft = c172p
        option:fg-aircraft = C:/Users/matth/Desktop/FG/FGAircraft
        option:airport = PHNY
        option:parkpos = GA_Parking_NE
        option:launcher =
Using default download dir: Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear"
read-allowed path not found:Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/AI"
read-allowed path not found:Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/Liveries"
Using TerraSync dir: Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync"
EmbeddedResourceManager: selected locale 'en-US'
Using stock OSG implementation of GraphicsWindow
initializing cloud layers
Enabling ATI/AMD viewport hack
Configuration State
============= =====
aircraft-dir = "C:/Program Files/FlightGear 2018.3.1/data/Aircraft/c172p"
fghome-dir = "Path "C:/Users/matth/AppData/Roaming/flightgear.org""
download-dir = "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear"
terrasync-dir = "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync"
aircraft-search-paths =
        C:/Users/matth/Desktop/FG/FGAircraft
scenery-search-paths =
        C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync
        C:/Program Files/FlightGear 2018.3.1/data/Scenery
Image loading failed:Warning: reading "C:/Program Files/FlightGear 2018.3.1/data/Aircraft/c172p" not supported.
Intel
Intel(R) HD Graphics 620
4.4.0 - Build 21.20.16.4550
4.40 - Build 21.20.16.4550
Splash screen progress loading-aircraft-list
Starting automatic scenery download/synchronization to 'C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync'.
Splash screen progress loading-nav-dat
Splash screen progress init-scenery
General Initialization
======= ==============
FG_ROOT = "Path "C:/Program Files/FlightGear 2018.3.1/data""

Reading timezone info from: Path "C:/Program Files/FlightGear 2018.3.1/data/Timezone/zone.tab"
Selected scenery is tilecache
FGStgTerrain::init - init tilemgr
Initializing Tile Manager subsystem.
Initializing the tile cache.
  max cache size = 100
  current cache size = 0
  done with init()
Splash screen progress finalize-position
Splash screen progress creating-subsystems
Creating Subsystems
======== ==========
Reading materials from C:/Program Files/FlightGear 2018.3.1/data/Materials/regions/materials.xml
picking entry # 0, server is https://dream.t3r.de/fgscenery
terrasync scenery provider of the day is 'https://dream.t3r.de/fgscenery'
sync of https://dream.t3r.de/fgscenery/Models started, queue size is 26
Successfully synchronized directory 'Models'
sync of https://dream.t3r.de/fgscenery/Airports/L started, queue size is 25
Reading systems from Path "C:/Program Files/FlightGear 2018.3.1/data/Aircraft/c172p/Systems/systems.xml"
Initializing HUD Instrument
Reading sound sound from Path "C:/Program Files/FlightGear 2018.3.1/data/Aircraft/c172p/c172-sound.xml"
Creating subsystems took:5574
Splash screen progress binding-subsystems
FGPropertyManager::GetNode() No node found for hydro/active-norm
ignoring unknown axis-alignment'yx-plane'.
ignoring unknown axis-alignment'yx-plane'.
ignoring unknown axis-alignment'yx-plane'.
empty 'not' condition
Request detected to initialize Advanced Weather on startup...
Volcanic activity off.
Loading local weather routines...
Animated jetways ... initialized
KMA20 audio panel initialized
Hobbs system stopped
Hobbs system stopped
Starter off
KI266 dme indicator #0 initialized
Primer reset to 0
Electrical system initialized
Astro Tech LC-2 Chronometer Loaded
Starting hard-coded terrain presampling
Garmin 196 loading cities
Garmin 196 loading cities done
Nasal runtime error: vector index -1 out of bounds (size: 0)
  at C:/Program Files/FlightGear 2018.3.1/data/Nasal/local_weather/weather_tile_management.nas, line 1488
  called from: C:/Program Files/FlightGear 2018.3.1/data/Nasal/local_weather/weather_tile_management.nas, line 1373
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383930.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383930.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_25m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383930.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_25m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383930.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_25m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383930.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_25m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383930.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_25m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383930.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_25m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383930.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_25m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383930.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_25m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383930.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_25m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383930.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_25m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383930.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_25m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383930.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_25m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383930.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_25m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383930.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_25m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383930.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_25m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383930.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_25m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383930.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_25m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383930.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_25m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383930.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_25m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383930.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_25m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383930.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_25m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Path "C:/Users/matth/Documents/FlightGear/TerraSync/Pylons/w160n20/w157n20/383922.stg": Failed to load OBJECT_SHARED 'Models/Power/generic_pylon_50m.xml'
Matuchkin
 
Posts: 44
Joined: Thu Feb 16, 2017 11:32 pm
Callsign: ML-F1A
OS: Windows

Re: Cockpit Instrument Flicker Issues

Postby Thorsten » Mon Dec 31, 2018 7:33 am

Graphics Card: Intel(R) HD Graphics 620? Is that a graphics card or should I not search in dxdiag?


It is (sort of...) - and it may simply be overworked. Surfaces disappearing from view have been a sign of insufficient GPU memory in the past, the driver simply ignores what doesn't fit any more.

Your list has some of the graphically most complex aircraft (C-172p, C-182S,...) - try a few really simple ones, try reducing scenery detail, see what happens.
Thorsten
 
Posts: 12490
Joined: Mon Nov 02, 2009 9:33 am

Re: Cockpit Instrument Flicker Issues

Postby legoboyvdlp » Mon Dec 31, 2018 1:06 pm

Could you maybe take a screenshot of your view > rendering menu to see if you can lower any settings to not overtax your GPU?

Unfortunately Intel GPUs are simply not powerful enough for most graphically complex programs... in fact I am surprised you can run at settings that high (as evidenced by your screenshots)!
User avatar
legoboyvdlp
 
Posts: 7981
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Callsign: G-LEGO
Version: next
OS: Windows 10 HP

Re: Cockpit Instrument Flicker Issues

Postby Matuchkin » Mon Dec 31, 2018 7:57 pm

legoboyvdlp wrote in Mon Dec 31, 2018 1:06 pm:Could you maybe take a screenshot of your view > rendering menu to see if you can lower any settings to not overtax your GPU?

Unfortunately Intel GPUs are simply not powerful enough for most graphically complex programs... in fact I am surprised you can run at settings that high (as evidenced by your screenshots)!


Yeah now that I read your comments I am as surprised as you. Here's the thing though - the C337G and Piper Seneca II, aren't they far less graphically intensive than the DHC-6 and C182S? And yet, while the C182S shows these graphical issues only on its autopilot console and the DHC-6 is perfect, the C337G and Seneca are just insane. How so?
Matuchkin
 
Posts: 44
Joined: Thu Feb 16, 2017 11:32 pm
Callsign: ML-F1A
OS: Windows

Re: Cockpit Instrument Flicker Issues

Postby Matuchkin » Mon Dec 31, 2018 7:59 pm

Thorsten wrote in Mon Dec 31, 2018 7:33 am:
Graphics Card: Intel(R) HD Graphics 620? Is that a graphics card or should I not search in dxdiag?


It is (sort of...) - and it may simply be overworked. Surfaces disappearing from view have been a sign of insufficient GPU memory in the past, the driver simply ignores what doesn't fit any more.

Your list has some of the graphically most complex aircraft (C-172p, C-182S,...) - try a few really simple ones, try reducing scenery detail, see what happens.


I'm wondering what the best setting to reduce is - something that would give the best boost in performance while not making the sim looking like a low-budget mobile game. While I ask - what is the function of the "quality" slider? I have it set to 5, but I'm not sure what difference it makes when I set it lower. Maybe it will help?
Matuchkin
 
Posts: 44
Joined: Thu Feb 16, 2017 11:32 pm
Callsign: ML-F1A
OS: Windows

Re: Cockpit Instrument Flicker Issues

Postby Thorsten » Mon Dec 31, 2018 8:12 pm

Your list has some of the graphically most complex aircraft (C-172p, C-182S,...) - try a few really simple ones, try reducing scenery detail, see what happens.
Thorsten
 
Posts: 12490
Joined: Mon Nov 02, 2009 9:33 am

Re: Cockpit Instrument Flicker Issues

Postby Matuchkin » Mon Dec 31, 2018 9:38 pm

Thorsten wrote in Mon Dec 31, 2018 8:12 pm:
Your list has some of the graphically most complex aircraft (C-172p, C-182S,...) - try a few really simple ones, try reducing scenery detail, see what happens.


If you mean to say that I should install SD scenery, I had this problem with that as well. I should still try that again though...
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Re: Cockpit Instrument Flicker Issues

Postby wkitty42 » Mon Dec 31, 2018 11:10 pm

no, he's not saying to install the SD scenery... he's saying to turn down your settings... move those sliders left...

i have Clouds, Wind Effects and Overlay all the way left... Clouds adds the really bright edge bands around the clouds when they are backlit by the sun... Wind Effects makes all the trees and vegetation sway in the breezy... Overlay is huge... that one is for all the grass blades in the fields and making them sway in the breeze or prop wash as the case may be... that's huge when you have hundreds of thousands of grass blades being drawn and moved... same thing with the trees swaying... it doesn't take much for a forested area to have thousands and thousands of trees in it... sure, they look good, fine... just don't overtax the GPU making them sway in the breeze...

the next one i would turn down would be Transition which is the boundary between land types... it may be that you need to drop some others left, too... yes, as you reduce the detail, the more ""low budget"" it will look... this is only due to the video card apparently not being as powerful as you might like... cards like that are not cheap these days and if you find one on a laptop, it is going to be (best guess) over $2000US and maybe up into the $4000US range...

i don't know where you are flying but if you have any of the OSM stuff enabled, you might want to turn them down or off as well... i've had to reduce my Vegetation setting to Low Density as well as making sure my Detailed Weather's Advanced Settings are not too aggressive using the scenery influenced options (eg: thermals, terrain sampling, etc)...

i'm currently running an NVIDIA GT 730 with 1 or 2 Gig of dedicated RAM... it is a $30US to $60US or so card... it is in an AMD FX8350 8core 4Ghz desktop/server system with 16Gig of RAM... nothing too fancy... i have been wanting to get a NVIDIA 1080 but they're twice as much as my entire system the last time i looked... that's hard to justify unless there's business involved that requires such... i've only seen one or two laptops where you could actually change out the video board... newer laptops come with two video cards built in... generally a general purpose one like you appear to have and another high performance one for gaming and graphic intensive work... they have a way to switch between them depending on what you are doing... there are some external video units but i have no experience with them... only seen them in the catalogs... no idea how they connect to the system...
Last edited by wkitty42 on Mon Dec 31, 2018 11:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Cockpit Instrument Flicker Issues

Postby legoboyvdlp » Mon Dec 31, 2018 11:14 pm

I would turn off urban and overlay first before anything else - otherwise, wkitty's advice is correct.

This is assuming you are using custom shader settings, allowing for finer control over graphics and performance.
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Re: Cockpit Instrument Flicker Issues

Postby Matuchkin » Mon Dec 31, 2018 11:48 pm

wkitty42 wrote in Mon Dec 31, 2018 11:10 pm:*snip*


Wow. Thank you so much for this detailed walkthrough. I admit I was quite ignorant - I assumed that sliding something like "clouds" all the way to the left will simply make said clouds disappear. I'm going to absolutely redo the crap out of my settings in a moment.
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Re: Cockpit Instrument Flicker Issues

Postby Matuchkin » Tue Jan 01, 2019 12:01 am

wkitty42 wrote in Mon Dec 31, 2018 11:10 pm:*snip*


Update: I turned every knob to the left, played with the vegetation settings, turned pretty much everything down including buildings, etc. Still flickers. Maybe this is an inherent problem with the graphics card that can only be fixed by buying a new one? I don't know if such an issue is possible, but maybe that is the case.
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Re: Cockpit Instrument Flicker Issues

Postby legoboyvdlp » Tue Jan 01, 2019 12:05 am

Hmm - I remember these issues actually with certain models only. Especially the Seneca. Can you tell me what happens if you turn atmoshperic light scattering off and ensure model shader is off?
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Re: Cockpit Instrument Flicker Issues

Postby Matuchkin » Tue Jan 01, 2019 1:10 am

legoboyvdlp wrote in Tue Jan 01, 2019 12:05 am:Hmm - I remember these issues actually with certain models only. Especially the Seneca. Can you tell me what happens if you turn atmoshperic light scattering off and ensure model shader is off?


On the C172P I turned off the ALS and pulled a slider labeled "generic" all the way to the left. The flicker went away almost completely, except for this single dot on the turn coordinator. Confirmed with the C182S. It's the ALS. What a shame.

Is there a way to fine tune the ALS settings themselves in order to at least keep the horizon haze? Even if not, thank you for your help.

EDIT: Wait. There is haze. And some sort of decent distance fading effect, even without ALS. Have I been lying to myself the whole time?
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Re: Cockpit Instrument Flicker Issues

Postby legoboyvdlp » Tue Jan 01, 2019 11:18 am

I'm afraid it's your graphics card then, which just can't handle ALS. On my old laptop it worked with some aircraft and not with others. For instance, the Seneca was unflyable while the IDG-A32X just had flickering engines!

To be certain does it work with ALS on / the model shader fully off?

I would really suggest taking it to a technician and asking about an upgrade (not all cards are compatible with all laptops as far as I know so I would avoid just buying one on eBay in case it isn't suitable). The Nividia 920MX is very good - the 940MX would be even better. However, they would not work for many other games, so if you want to play them you might as well get something like a 980. The 9-series are fairly older now so are much more affordable.
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Re: Cockpit Instrument Flicker Issues

Postby Matuchkin » Tue Jan 01, 2019 5:31 pm

legoboyvdlp wrote in Tue Jan 01, 2019 11:18 am:I'm afraid it's your graphics card then, which just can't handle ALS. On my old laptop it worked with some aircraft and not with others. For instance, the Seneca was unflyable while the IDG-A32X just had flickering engines!

To be certain does it work with ALS on / the model shader fully off?

I would really suggest taking it to a technician and asking about an upgrade (not all cards are compatible with all laptops as far as I know so I would avoid just buying one on eBay in case it isn't suitable). The Nividia 920MX is very good - the 940MX would be even better. However, they would not work for many other games, so if you want to play them you might as well get something like a 980. The 9-series are fairly older now so are much more affordable.


It works with ALS off and a slider labelled "generic" slid all the way to the left. Like, everything works. I think I have the same issue that you had - some aircraft worked perfectly fine with ALS, such as the DHC-6. The C182S had this autopilot flicker, but it was also bearable. Thank you for your help.
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