First Launch Stutter

[OriginalG]

First Launch Stutter

Hello, when I first launch TW3 GOTY I get stutter dips (micro freezes), when i move the camera up to 40 fps (usually runs at 110-120fps) , if i shut the game and launch it again, these micro freeze totally disappear, this is the only partial fix I've found. This is with the Steam version and i whould like to mention that I have tried every single NCP tweek, G-Sync On/Off, changing refresh rate, rolling back drivers,all V-sync combinations, game setings, XMP profiles, installing the game on a SSD, reinstalling Windows and so on with no results. I can't understand, i've got nothing else to try, and the confusing part is that this occures 6 out of 10 times, at this point I find this issue somehow frustrating given the fact that otherwise the game runs perfect.

My specs are:
Windows 10 Home 64-bit
i7-7700K CPU @ 4.20GHz on a H270F motherboard
16 GB RAM at 2400 mhz
GeForce GTX 1080 at 1920 x 1080 (32 bit) (120Hz) with ROG PG248Q (G-sync)
650w Corsair PSU

I have run multiple tests on my hardware and all is perfectly normal.
Any suggestion wold be deeply apreciated.
Thank you !

 

[SigilFey]

Welcome to the Forums, OriginalG!

That sounds like something in the background. Likely Steam, itself, doing...something. Try the following:

0.) Firstly, any mods, or have you ever used any in the past?

1.) If you use the game's shortcut to launch the game, try ensuring that Steam is already running. (Launch into Steam, wait for it to load, then launch the game. Try this for both online and offline mode.)

2.) Disable Steam overlay features.

3.) Check the same stuff for any other 3rd-party software that may be running with the game (most notably, things like Geforce Experience, Razer Booster, MSI Afterburner, etc.)

Let us know how that goes. If none of this has any effect, we'll have more fun!

 

[OriginalG]

Thank you for your suggestins Sigil , I did in fact have a texture mod installed at one time, but that was before I reinstalled Windows, so I think all trace of that is gone . I did follow your instructions and opened Steam prior to booting the game and I experienced no stutter, so far so good , I have yet to test this furher but I will return with a post if the issue persists.
Thanks a bunch for your info and help !

 

[SigilFey]

Good to hear! I was hoping it would be simple. Simple is nice, every once in a while.

I did in fact have a texture mod installed at one time, but that was before I reinstalled Windows, so I think all trace of that is gone .

Whenever mods are used. there will be reference data that is permanently saved in your save-state. While this isn't always an issue, there is nothing you can do to remove that data from the save file once you save the game with a mod running. This can create all sorts of problems, but it doesn't sound like it in this case.

May many monster-ish things fall before you so that their corpses create nifty patterns on the ground.

 

[OriginalG]

Unfortunately the issue is back , at this point it is totally random and I had tried playing the game without Steam and it's all the same. The only apps I'm running in the background are Corsair Utility Engine, AVG Antivirus ,Corsair Link and that's about it (tried playing the game without any apps running ... still stutters). I have noticed that when the hitches occur, they manifest about 2-3 minutes, then gradually dimminushing in intensity until the game becomes stable. Whenever I notice the stutters happening, I try loading a different save file but the stutter appears in all of them. It kinda feels like a russian roullette each time I launch the game. I know it's a strange issue but I think I've exhausted all posibilties...

Any futher help would be great !

 

[SigilFey]

Unfortunately the issue is back...

Alright...that's definitely a system config thing. Let's see if it lies in the installation itself. Back up your saves, then empty the gamesaves folder. Delete everything in the ...\Documents\The Witcher 3\... folder.

1.) Just to save time, also ensure that Steam is not installed anywhere under Program Files or Program Files(x86). Move it to the root of your drive so that, for example, it's found under C:\Steam... Here are instructions on moving an existing Steam installation. After the move, ensure that the entire Steam directory is added to the exceptions list for any anti-virus / firewall. Now, verify the integrity of the game's cache. (You'll likely need to verify each game you have installed once after doing this, anyway.)

2.) Ensure that the ...Documents\The Witcher 3\... has its Permissions set to "Everyone".

3.) If using any sort of "booster" or "optimize my PC" software...uninstall it completely and manually remove any leftover files / folders. Things like Geforce Experience or Razer Booster often introduce more problems than improvements.

4.) Under Nvidia Control Panel, program-specific settings for witcher 3.exe, set each of the following:
Anisotropic filtering = 16x (great little tweak, no performance hit)
Texture filtering - Texture quality = High Quality
Frames to render ahead = 1 (...do not confuse this with VR Frames to render ahead.)
Power settings = Prefer maximum performance

Ensure all other settings are set to "Controlled by the 3D application". Especially Ambient Occlusion and Anti-Aliasing. Those two overrides can cause issues.

Under Global Settings, disable anything to do with DSR. If you really want to use 2K / 4K resolutions, you can try enabling this after troubleshooting. Just know that DSR and frame smoothing are tricks that GPUs use to "simulate" 2K / 4K -- they're not true resolutions. That alone can introduce performance weirdness, and might complicate our results. (Although, I've found they usually work brilliantly on my 980 ti -- especially with legacy titles.)

For In-Game settings, ensure that Vsync is ON, and Frame Limit is 60 or less. Check that Ambient Occlusion is using the Nvidia setting, not SSAO.

Test the game. If it still happens, try:

5.) Manually edit user.settings and change FPSLimit=XX. Try values of 48, 50, 52, 54, and 58. One of those settings normally smooths out any game I'm having trouble with. (Alternatively, you can try the same thing using Nvidia Inspector to set a frame cap for the game. It's the same effect, but a different technique. If a game's settings don't cooperate, sometimes the same thing through NVInspector will. Just ensure that an option is enabled in one place only and disabled in all others.)

6.) You can try rolling back your Nvidia drivers. I'm still using the v381.65 Reference Drivers without any issue in any game. Just be sure you use the CLEAN installation option.


If the issue continues after that, then it's almost 100% solidly being caused by another program on your system, most likely a security feature, or (vice versa) maybe a virus that's piggy-backing on the game or Steam... The randomness with which it appears also makes me think it could be something trying to auto-update, and it's acting like a yipping chihuahua in the background when you launch the game because it detects "internet access!" Do you notice any pop-up messages or notifications when you close out of the game and restart?

 

[OriginalG]

So I took some time and tried out every one of your suggestions Sigil (thanks a lot btw!!). I moved the Steam installation, I made the changes in NCP, locked my game at 60 fps... nothing. So i started playing with the games settings and noticed that the hitches occur only when Nvidia Hairworks are turned on. I came to this conclusion by starting the game up on the lowest preset with HW on/off than on the ultra preset HW on/off for about 10 times each. With Hairworks on the game stuttered on each preset as usual. So unfortunately I think this causes the issue. The question is if there is any way of making this stable without turning off Hairworks?
I cannot figure out the randomness of this tho. Could it be a hardware issue?

I have searched the Internet and found out that I am not the only one faceing this issue, ass discussed in this thread: https://steamcommunity.com/app/292030/discussions/0/385428458169460647/?ctp=2


Thank you !

 

[SigilFey]

So I took some time and tried out every one of your suggestions Sigil (thanks a lot btw!!). I moved the Steam installation, I made the changes in NCP, locked my game at 60 fps... nothing. So i started playing with the games settings and noticed that the hitches occur only when Nvidia Hairworks are turned on. I came to this conclusion by starting the game up on the lowest preset with HW on/off than on the ultra preset HW on/off for about 10 times each. With Hairworks on the game stuttered on each preset as usual. So unfortunately I think this causes the issue. The question is if there is any way of making this stable without turning off Hairworks?
I cannot figure out the randomness of this tho. Could it be a hardware issue?

I have searched the Internet and found out that I am not the only one faceing this issue, ass discussed in this thread: https://steamcommunity.com/app/292030/discussions/0/385428458169460647/?ctp=2


Thank you !

No problem! Sorry that it's not cooperating. Hairworks causes a massive performance hit no matter how powerful the software is. I don't receive any hitching, gut it does drop my FPS into the 20's in certain places. Fortunately, for myself, I don't really like it and simply switched it off.

Different systems will have different "centers of balance". I'm afraid I don't have any surefire way of saying "this is what causes it". Hitching and stuttering with high FPS is usually caused by a frame-timing issue. That in turn can be caused by the specific drivers working with the specific make and model of GPU...the type of motherboard I'm using and the specific BIOS installed...the type and latency of the RAM I'm using...the type of HDD / SSD installed and the state of the file system...the way Windows or installed security software interacts with the game while it's running... The possibilities for facacta are limitless!

You can try contacting CDPR Support. Include a saved game and a dxdiag run using the 64-bit option. Hopefully, they can find something!

http://en.cdprojektred.com/contact-support/

You may also want to link to this discussion so they can see what we've already tried.

 

[ltron]

So I took some time and tried out every one of your suggestions Sigil (thanks a lot btw!!). I moved the Steam installation, I made the changes in NCP, locked my game at 60 fps... nothing. So i started playing with the games settings and noticed that the hitches occur only when Nvidia Hairworks are turned on. I came to this conclusion by starting the game up on the lowest preset with HW on/off than on the ultra preset HW on/off for about 10 times each. With Hairworks on the game stuttered on each preset as usual. So unfortunately I think this causes the issue. The question is if there is any way of making this stable without turning off Hairworks?
I cannot figure out the randomness of this tho. Could it be a hardware issue?

I have searched the Internet and found out that I am not the only one faceing this issue, ass discussed in this thread: https://steamcommunity.com/app/292030/discussions/0/385428458169460647/?ctp=2


Thank you !

I have the same issue with random stuttering on a GTX 1080 and I7 5820K using Windows 10. I'm sorry I can't offer any advice as I am unable to solve it too.