Weird problem with GTX 560 and PhysX (I think) in Batman:AA

[dderidex]

So I've been playing through "Batman: Arkham Asylum" for the first time, and periodically the game performance just PLUMMETS. From a steady, smooth game experience to low-single-digits. USUALLY this only happens when I need to re-start a checkpoint...I think it's only once happened in the continuous play of the game, and that was after a level load.

Anyway, since I have two monitors, I set up eVGA Precision running on the second monitor. Consistently when I see this happen, my GPU usage has dropped from the upper-90s down to the 40-50% range. Nothing unusual about temps or anything like that, and exiting the game and re-starting it always fixes it (indeed, sometimes - not ofte, though - just reloading from the last checkpoint fixes it...performance jumps right back up to 'awesome', and the GPU usage is back up to what it should be).

This happens on NO other game (I play a lot of TF2 and L4D2, some Shattered Horizon, recently played through Portal 1 and 2, Silent Hunter 4, runs through 3dMark11, etc). However, no other game uses PhysX at all (technically, I suppose, Shattered Horizon does...but only in a few trivially insignificant places), which is why I'm thinking that maybe that's the cause of the issue.

(Full system specs, here)

 

[LuminaryJanitor]

If you suspect PhysX, then turn it off and see what happens. Also, check to see what your CPU is doing when your framerate tanks.

 

[dderidex]

If you suspect PhysX, then turn it off and see what happens. Also, check to see what your CPU is doing when your framerate tanks.

Well, it's kinda hard to duplicate. Again, happens very intermittently. Would hate to have to play the game for a few hours without the PhysX effects (which are actually pretty cool) just to come to a guess that it's what the problem is (since I already suspect it is, that won't really tell me anything).

As to the CPU - hard to say. It's definitely working, but it's a quad-core Sandy Bridge build. Games...don't stress it very much.

 

[LuminaryJanitor]

As to the CPU - hard to say.

No it's not, just run Task Manager alongside your GPU monitor. See if your CPU usage jumps when the problem starts (and if so, check that the game is the one using it).