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Strange AA and FPS issue in HL2 EP2



 
 
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  #1  
Old October 13th 07, 04:33 AM posted to alt.comp.periphs.videocards.nvidia
Lars-Erik Østerud
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Posts: 193
Default Strange AA and FPS issue in HL2 EP2

Have done lots of testing to get better FPS in Episode2 :-)

And for some reason the rate has shifted between 20 and 37
on the scene I test, and I couldn't quite find the reason
(it is a huge difference, and I'd like 37 all the time :-)

Until a few minutes ago... And try explaining this ?!?!?

If I set 4x FSAA in the HL2 video settings I get 20 FPS
If I set 2x FSAA in the HL2 video settings I get 25 FPS

BUT if I do the following trick :-)

1) Set AA to "None" in the HL2 video setting....
(of course this looks terrible if I countine playing)

2) Exit HL2 and go to the Nvidia Control Panel

3) Create a game profile for HL2 (I edited the ones that
existed too, but to be sure I browsed to the HL2.EXE)

4) Set the AA level on that profile for HL2 (for some
reason this trick won't work even if the AA is set
at the global setting, seems to need a game profile)

If I set "2x AA" or even "2xQ AA" (almost as good as 4x)
and then start HL2 (without using the video control panel
inside HL2 before starting to play), then I get 37 FPS

37 FPS at 2xQ AA - That is the double of normal 2x FSAA!

What is happening?

Doesn't the HL2 Source engine use the hardware AA on the video-card
(the huge difference would suggest it does somthing in software)?

Image quality is just as good as 4x FSAA, but almost twice as fast

I use the 94.24 with my 7600GS driver (a bit faster than 163.71)

This is really strange....

BTW: Same trick does not work with any other setting. Only AA.

Also disabling HLR seems to gain speed. But I can't see any image
difference. What does the HLR really do (it is recommended ON)?
--
Lars-Erik - http://www.osterud.name - ICQ 7297605
  #2  
Old October 13th 07, 04:33 AM posted to alt.comp.periphs.videocards.nvidia
Lars-Erik Østerud
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 193
Default Strange AA and FPS issue in HL2 EP2

This is getting even stranger, I tested some more just to see:

1) FSAA off in HL2 EP2 + No AA in Nvidia control panel = 37,5 FPS
2) FSAA off in HL2 EP2 + 4x AA in Nvidia control panel = 37,5 FPS
3) 4x FSAA in HL2 EP2 control panel (overrides nvidia) = 25 FPS

It's weird. As long as FSAA is "None" in the HL2 video setting the FPS
is good. And there are no cheating. You can see that the AA is on or
off.

And now I tested with 4x AA as well. And the quality is as good as it
should.

First when I use the 8xS AA mode in the Nvidia control panel the FPS
drops to 25 FPS, but that is still no less than with HL2 setting 4x
FSAA, and the AA quality is even better....

I still say Valve does something strange with the FSAA that uses CPU.
There is no other explaination. 4x AA should be 4x AA both places...

(still can't get over that this trick raised FPS in Portal from 25 to
almost 75, and that was with 4x AA, not with 2xQ or somthing, same AA,
tripple FPS)
--
Lars-Erik - http://www.osterud.name - ICQ 7297605
WinXP, Asus P4PE, 2.53GHz, 1GB, MSI 7600GS, SB-Live
 




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