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Horrible Microstutter in Crysis.

K

kompis

n00b
Joined
Feb 8, 2012
Messages
18
I put together a new system about 10 days ago, 3770k and SLI 670's (ASUS DCUII's) that are running 5760x1200 and so far I love it. Today I decided to install Crysis and enjoy it with Surround but I quickly found out that the game stutters like mad regardless of settings and resolution and the only way to get around it is to turn off SLI. This is my first dual card setup and my first NV setup since I used my trusty 8800GTS 640 to play Crysis when it was new.

I haven't had too much time to play around with the system but I tested out every other game I have installed currently (TF2,L4D2,Serious Sam HD, Red Orchestra 2, Killing Floor and Spec Ops : The Line) and all of them work flawlessly at Surround resolutions and are buttery smooth. I realize all of these are much less demanding than Crysis and MS is at its worst below 60fps, but Spec Ops runs maxed at 5760x1200 with about 45 fps average is very smooth. Not to mention that even at 1920x1200 and with reduced settings for more fps Crysis still stutters like ass with SLI on. Google was of little help since most threads about Crysis and MS are ancient.

I'm using the latest WHQL 301.42 drivers. I haven't used NV in a while so maybe there is something I'm missing in the drivers? SLI profiles are built into the drivers these days aren't they? Anyway I would appreciate any suggestions on what can be done short of playing it single monitor and with SLI off.
 
Sometimes the default SLi setting for the profile sucks I've found. It's really random but it happens. Instead of using "nvidia recommended setting" try each one of the sli settings, AF1/2 etc, and see if one of them works better. Rule that out first.
 
FM_Fixxxer said:
Sometimes the default SLi setting for the profile sucks I've found. It's really random but it happens. Instead of using "nvidia recommended setting" try each one of the sli settings, AF1/2 etc, and see if one of them works better. Rule that out first.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry for being such a newb here but I'm not sure where to find these settings? Also I feel I should mention that this is a Steam copy of Crysis if that is at all relevant since I saw somewhere it doesn't detect Steam games or something.
Also I will give HT off a shot.

Edit: I tried it with HT off and it made no difference. Also I should note I tested it at 1920x1200 with the settings I use for Surround (mix of high and v.high no AA) and not only does it stutter like crazy my fps also plummets each time I make a rapid turn or any kind of looking around really and I'm talking like dropping from 120+ fps standing still looking out to 15-20 fps.
 
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Try using older drivers? Other than that, no clue. You mentioned that the game was from your Steam library, so that rules out updating the game.
 
This is why I quit trying to use SLI....
not worth the extra money.
 
dnottis said:
This is why I quit trying to use SLI....
not worth the extra money.
Click to expand...

But necessary @ 5760x1200 if I were running that resolution I'd gladly put up with an issue here and there vs having sub par performance in many games, particularly at higher settings.
 
Despite being new to SLI I was well aware of the potential hurdles of multi-gpu setups in advance. So far its been mostly good and I love Surround gaming and if I have to put up with the occasional issue then so be it. I might try beta drivers next, I was really excited to replay the game in Surround but the way things look I may have to give up and play it single monitor without SLI.

It's quite aggravating really because I can put up with an occasional stutter or FPS drop and I guess I'm not the more perceptive person since I was never bothered by tearing and I never use vsync in any game. However the basically constant stutter and massive FPS drops when trying to pan the camera make me think there is some other issue at play here.

I think I'll download Warhead and see if that runs any better.

Edit: So I got the latest beta's (304.79) and it didn't change anything. I'm starting to run out of options here.
 
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in this case its not SLI thats the problem, its the crytek engine that is the problem. the engine its self only uses 2 cores(windows load balancing doesn't count as using more then 2 cores since its still using the same resources no matter how many threads its balanced across) and doesn't even efficiently use those. even my 8800GT's stutter like mad in that game with my gpu's only at 30% load since the game is horribly cpu limited on my system. only slight fix i found was forcing the game to only run on 2 threads in the task manager so that windows wouldn't try to load balance it. allowed my GPU load to go from 30 to 45% but didn't fix the stuttering. disabling SLI's about the only fix.
 
I dont see how does core affinity has to do with anything if disabling SLI fixes the stuttering?
 
RamonGTP said:
I dont see how does core affinity has to do with anything if disabling SLI fixes the stuttering?
Click to expand...

windows load balancing overhead from it constantly moving processes between cores to keep a consistent load across all of them. helps on a lot of programs that aren't designed to use the total amount of threads/cores your processor has though it usually works better on hyperthreaded processors more. but its not usually a problem with the vast majority of games i just notice it helps on crysis the most. but like i said in my post my system is insanely cpu limited in that game. so who knows maybe it'll work for him with an ivybridge chip.
 
sirmonkey1985 said:
windows load balancing overhead from it constantly moving processes between cores to keep a consistent load across all of them. helps on a lot of programs that aren't designed to use the total amount of threads/cores your processor has though it usually works better on hyperthreaded processors more. but its not usually a problem with the vast majority of games i just notice it helps on crysis the most. but like i said in my post my system is insanely cpu limited in that game. so who knows maybe it'll work for him with an ivybridge chip.
Click to expand...

I understand that part. But I still don't see how if that's the issue here disabling SLI would somehow fix it. If the issue is what you're suggesting it is, SLI or single GPU would not be a factor. I don't think that's the problem.
 
According to afterburner my GPU useage is 99% on both of the GPU's but the FPS is all over the place when panning the camera and its a constant stutterfest. Turning off SLI seems to be the only fix but then I won't be able to run Surround due to low FPS and that kind of defeats the purpose of why I was gonna replay the game to begin with.
 
I had strange stuttering issues too at one point and blamed SLI. This may be a shot in the dark, but if you have a gaming grade mouse (especially from Logitech), try setting the USB polling rate to 125MHz, and retry playing the game. It did wonders for me, and I was surprised when it actually solved the issue. :eek:
 
I ran both Crysis and Crysis 2 when I had SLI 670's and had no issues at all, so I don't think it is your cards. I also had a similar specced system with an i7 3820 rather than a 3770k. What is the rest of the specs on your system?
 
LigTasm said:
I ran both Crysis and Crysis 2 when I had SLI 670's and had no issues at all, so I don't think it is your cards. I also had a similar specced system with an i7 3820 rather than a 3770k. What is the rest of the specs on your system?
Click to expand...

But did you run crysis in surround like the op?
 
kompis said:
I'm sorry for being such a newb here but I'm not sure where to find these settings? Also I feel I should mention that this is a Steam copy of Crysis if that is at all relevant since I saw somewhere it doesn't detect Steam games or something.
Also I will give HT off a shot.

Edit: I tried it with HT off and it made no difference. Also I should note I tested it at 1920x1200 with the settings I use for Surround (mix of high and v.high no AA) and not only does it stutter like crazy my fps also plummets each time I make a rapid turn or any kind of looking around really and I'm talking like dropping from 120+ fps standing still looking out to 15-20 fps.
Click to expand...

I read through the thread and didn't see whether you tried this yet or not. But AF1/2 refers to alternate frame rendering and can be found in the nvidia control panel, if you right click your mouse on the desktop it should be in the middle of your choices. Find and change these options and try them all out, they make a difference in how your video cards work together. One option will make one video card render a frame followed by your second video card rendering a frame (alternating) another setting will make each video card render half the screen (i.e. one does the top and one does the bottom). Try both and let us know what happens. I am hoping this solves the microstutter problem.
 
covertash said:
I had strange stuttering issues too at one point and blamed SLI. This may be a shot in the dark, but if you have a gaming grade mouse (especially from Logitech), try setting the USB polling rate to 125MHz, and retry playing the game. It did wonders for me, and I was surprised when it actually solved the issue. :eek:
Click to expand...

My friend, I cannot thank you enough. I went ahead and set my polling rate to 125mhz and the problem seems to be gone!
I would have never traced this issue back to the mouse, I guess it wasn't MS after all even though the effect my polling rate (1000mhz) had on Crysis was very similar.
 
kompis said:
My friend, I cannot thank you enough. I went ahead and set my polling rate to 125mhz and the problem seems to be gone!
I would have never traced this issue back to the mouse, I guess it wasn't MS after all even though the effect my polling rate (1000mhz) had on Crysis was very similar.
Click to expand...

I'm glad to see that resolved it! :cool:

It is strange that this issue seems to only affect Crysis and Crysis Warhead when SLI is enabled. Nevertheless, it is an obscure fix for sure. :p
 
I must comment that I am pretty blown away that the polling of the mouse was the solution to the problem.. wow.. I guess thats why we use forums. For that one person to happen to read it and say, that crap happened to me too.. =)
 
chronicfx said:
I must comment that I am pretty blown away that the polling of the mouse was the solution to the problem.. wow.. I guess thats why we use forums. For that one person to happen to read it and say, that crap happened to me too.. =)
Click to expand...

Nice, that's good to know. My polling rate is at 1000 now also, i'll be sure to remember this thread if I ever enconter this problem. I'm not running SLI currently but it could very well be in my future for Crysis 3
 
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