Doom 3 Timedemo with 6800 GT

[Shemazar]

When I am testing Doom 3 on my PC with 1280x1024 with High-Quality (8x AF by default), no AA, and no VSync, I go to the console and type:

timedemo Demo1

Typically, the first time through, I get anywhere from 40-57 fps. I'm guessing this is because it cache's the demo as it runs it. After the initial run, if I run it again, I average out around 73 fps.

Is this pretty typical of other people's experiences with the demo? I'm not sure how I should compare my results with say the results found by Kyle and Brent's Hardware Guide. If I go by the first numbers, my system is struggling for some reason. But if I go by the second run through the time-demo, its more on par with their numbers.

My 6800 GT is a Leadtek WinFast A400 TDH, running at 370, 1030 (bumping it up slowly).

 

[poppachocks]

It chugs the first time for everyone.

Your second run sounds just fine, and on par for your system.

 

[oozish]

Is this pretty typical of other people's experiences with the demo?

yup. In general it's best to just enable com_showfps 1 and watch your fps. If you have to use the timedemo, keep in mind physics and AI aren't on so it's a bit better than your ingame would be.

I found a sweet spot for me at 1280x1024 4xAA...looks incredible, minimizes jaggies (even at 4x sometimes I can see them on lighted vents and stairway rails...but it's not bad and alot better than without).

I'm also using the following tweaks I've compiled from days of researching tweaks to enhance image quality and make sure my 256mb card is being fully utiliized (in autoexec.cfg):

seta r_useDepthBoundsTest "1"

set com_allowConsole "1" //tilde key only for console *
seta r_vertexbuffermegs "64"
seta r_orderIndexes "1"


seta image_lodbias "0"
seta r_displayrefresh "85"

seta r_gamma "1.3"

seta image_useCache "1"
seta image_cacheMegs "128"
seta image_cacheMinK "32768"

seta com_VideoRam "256"
seta s_maxSoundsPerShader "8"

seta image_downSizeLimit "1024"
seta image_ignoreHighQuality "0"
seta image_downSizeBumpLimit "1024"
seta image_downSizeSpecularLimit "64"
seta image_downSizeBump "1"
seta image_downSizeSpecular "1"
seta image_useCache "1"
seta image_cacheMegs "128"
seta image_cacheMinK "32768"


seta com_showFPS "1"

// Record Demo - start & stop with F10 //
set startrec "recordDemo; set demorec vstr stoprec"
set stoprec "stopRecording; set demorec vstr startrec"
set demorec "vstr startrec"
bind F10 vstr demorec


// Clean Screenshot - no Gun or HUD in picture //
bind F11 "set ui_showGun 0; set g_showHud 0; screenshot; set g_showHud 1; set ui_showGun 1"

 

[GeniusInABottle]

Thanks oozish.

 

[ozziegn]

oozish

where is the autoexec.cfg file?

 

[fallguy]

The timedemo does not represent true gameplay. So it wont give you a 100% accurate framerate for your ingame experience.

ozz, he probably ment DoomConfig.cfg.

 

[The Batman]

The timedemo does not represent true gameplay. So it wont give you a 100% accurate framerate for your ingame experience.

That has more do with the fact that you'll enable vsync for the game than anything else.

When you're getting 75 FPS in the timedemo at 16x120 High [like me] you're pretty much guaranteed a smooth run through, especially since the game is capped at 60.

 

[GeniusInABottle]

No, actually you can make an autoexec.cfg file and it will automatically execute. Just put it in your doom3\base folder.

 

[ozziegn]

No, actually you can make an autoexec.cfg file and it will automatically execute. Just put it in your doom3\base folder.

dumb question then...

how do I make the autoexec.cfg file?

 

[GeniusInABottle]

dumb question then...

how do I make the autoexec.cfg file?

Make a text file. Rename it autoexec.cfg

Done.

 

[ozziegn]

okay, so I just copy/paste the info from oozish's post above in the text file and thats it?

 

[GeniusInABottle]

Correct.

 

[oozish]

okay, so I just copy/paste the info from oozish's post above in the text file and thats it?

wait...it's not a text file, it's a .cfg file. So if you save the file as autoexec.cfg as a text document it will save as autoexec.cfg.txt. What yo uhave to do is save as file, 'All Types' then name it autoexec.cfg

The easiest way to do this is just copy doom.cfg file and erase everything in there then rename it to autoexec with this stuff in it. That way you have an unchanged doom main .cfg file and you can mess with the autoexec all you want to try different stuff.


Places to read further about these tweakes include:

http://www.tweakguides.com/Doom3_8.html

http://www.viperlair.com/articles/howto/software/tweakd3/

http://ucguides.savagehelp.com/Doom3/FPSVisuals.htm


Enjoy!

PS: The only one of these I haven't found more info on is seta s_maxSoundsPerShader "8"
....I just made up the 8 number...doom uses 0 as default. I don't know how many different sounds they have per shader, but it seems like 8 should cover it. Maybe I'll move this down to 4, but I can't find much info on this. If anyone gets any I'd appreciate notification! I recall one of the id guys talking about 10 bullet sounds so I'm pretty sure upping this number should give cooler results in audio.

It's interesting that so many of these variables were'nt recognized correctly by dooms autodetect. For example, it saw my card as a 64MB card...Also, it didn't see that I had surround sound!
seta s_numberOfSpeakers "6"

Mine was set to 2 when I checked it. I'm playing through again on veteran, since marine was way too easy. Veteran is alot more fun, but I'm glad it's so different since alot of these variables weren't set right the first time through and it's alot better experience now. I think I played with 2 channel sound the whole first time through! Man, i can tell a difference now. Also, somehow along the way, shadows got turned off my first time through, lol. Guess I was tweaking everything so much I didn't notice until I started benching again and had really high fps. LOL.