[PC] - Game is overly sensitive to GPU overclocking

[gryzemuis]

I've noticed that entering a menu instantly forces my GPU down to it's base clock and exiting makes it jump back up to boost clock just as fast. Could this maybe have something to do with the problems some people are having?

Yes.
Videocards have these nice tables in their BIOS, that tells the videocard how fast to run (frequency) under certain workloads, how much voltage to use at certain frequencies, how much maximum power to use (tdp), how hot it can get, how fast the fan should spin. All these things work together. A program like Afterburner (and most others overclock utilities) just alter the max tdp, max voltage and max frequency. When a game runs under 100% load, this works fine. But when a game has various different load-levels, it should be using that table with all the related values for frequency, voltage, tdp, temp and fanspeed. But it doesn't. Because only the max values in that table have been altered.

Result is crash.
Not the game's fault.

A little discussion you can read is here:
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2432430

What people need is to flash their videocard's BIOS with a version that has all these values gradually increased. The problem is that those values all need to be tested. Right now, people only test the max value, only test it under full load, and only test it with one test-program. Then they think they are stable. And they think it must be the program's fault. Pride and cluelessness forbids them to admit that it's actually their hardware that is failling.

 

[etsubmariner13]

EDIT: This didn't work btw, the game still crashes no matter what. Even with No CPU Overclock, No GPU Overclock, increased voltage but no overclock, nothing helps. It's just all random sometimes you get a few days of no crashes other days you get 3-4. Whatever, at least it's a single player game so once you're played through it once or twice you wont have to bother with it again.

Yup. I can play for days without a hitch at all - beautiful game! Then one load game and it is crash hell for hours as I try the next fix. I went as far as borrowing a friend's stock cards (one was a 700 series and the other was a 980 stock) to test the game against my 980 SC. Crashes just the same. My friends with completely different systems all have the same type of crashes. I've tested memory, checked my registry, yada yada yada. Hardware diagnostics show steady. It really is the game and the drivers.

When 12 other games work just fine on my system, but one game doesn't, that tells you something about the one. Where else do we see that pattern of 12 . . .? Ah! Twelve people on a jury is good enough for an American Jury to be formed to determine the innocence or guilt of an alleged criminal. Good enough for me too. The game and/or NVIDIA drivers are to blame. I do appreciate their work. I do appreciate that probably 3+ million people are playing without crashes. There's still a lot of us waiting for a steady game.

 

[Aqueous_Null]

That sounds like you have a faulty piece of hardware in your system. Run HCI Memtest to test your memory (you may need to run several instances of it to completely fill up your RAM), use Intel Burn Test to check your CPU, and at least use Unigine Valley on a loop to test your GPU.

Thank you, although I hope that's not the cause!

I'll try out those applications and see if it helps diagnose the problem. The weird thing is that I have played TW3 with more advanced overclock settings in the past and it worked fine, since then I forgot to overclock, wondered why my FPS was lower, remembered and then overclocked again = death by crash.

---------- Updated at 07:38 PM ----------

That sounds like you have a faulty piece of hardware in your system. Run HCI Memtest to test your memory (you may need to run several instances of it to completely fill up your RAM), use Intel Burn Test to check your CPU, and at least use Unigine Valley on a loop to test your GPU.

Ok, HCI Memtest and Intel Burn Test were all perfect but Unigine Valley was showing similar issues.

If I set my overclock too high, say +100 Base/+400 Memory it would crash instantly. No temperature spike, no power issues, just bam - the second rendering started I get a black screen and the Nvidia driver would error out saying "recovered from a fatal error" etc. Not sure what to make of this....

 

[killerbs007]

with bad overclock you do not need to have your gpu that tune thoroughly before crashing his sometimes can even occur to test launch

 

[kilyan82]

this game hates core overclocking, if you overclock only the ram you get like 5-6 fps and there are no issues. If instead i try to oc the core, it starts artifacting like the goddammit hell

 

[Aqueous_Null]

with bad overclock you do not need to have your gpu that tune thoroughly before crashing his sometimes can even occur to test launch

It's ok, I think I found the issue.

I checked all the models of the GTX 770 and the version I have is factory overclocked.

Thank you for helping though, everyone.

 

[kilyan82]

It's ok, I think I found the issue.

I checked all the models of the GTX 770 and the version I have is factory overclocked.

Thank you for helping though, everyone.

it doesn't mean anything if your gpu is factory overclocked, yo have to look if other games have issues with your overclock too. For example, my gpu is factory overclocked, but in demanding games like gtav, assassin's creed unity, if i overclok further more, i have no issues. With the witcher 3 i can only overclock the ram relatively high also, from 6010 to 7200. But with the core, is a pain in the arse to get it stable, i can just overclok it a few steps that are not worth the increase of temps, and no fps gain. So try to leave your card at your factory overcloked stock frequence, and just pump up the ram.It's this game, not your card

 

[hallerx]

I own R9 290 Tri-X myself. I have tested so far the following overclocks:
1100 / 1400 +0.106 vcore, +40 power limit
1140 / 1450 +0.15 vcore +50 power limit
both working fine (15.5 beta drivers)

 

[kilyan82]

I own R9 290 Tri-X myself. I have tested so far the following overclocks:
1100 / 1400 +0.106 vcore, +40 power limit
1140 / 1450 +0.15 vcore +50 power limit
both working fine (15.5 beta drivers)

seems more nvidia related

 

[killerbs007]

fter the series 700 to nvidia it is of the big renomaming with one bios to modify who increase quite basic value. Thus you finds you with one overclock card by nvdia pluis then re overclock by your manufacturer

Yes, except that a lot nobody we the problem invers, impossible to increase too much the ram, as for myself I have to increase by heart of 200 and the ram +650 only, +700 it's crash.

Furthermore it has was to notice that it is the vram which raises most problem because warm enormously and puts the card prortection.

 

[kilyan82]

fter the series 700 to nvidia it is of the big renomaming with one bios to modify who increase quite basic value. Thus you finds you with one overclock card by nvdia pluis then re overclock by your manufacturer

Yes, except that a lot nobody we the problem invers, impossible to increase too much the ram, as for myself I have to increase by heart of 200 and the ram +650 only, +700 it's crash.


Furthermore it has was to notice that it is the vram which raises most problem because warm enormously and puts the card prortection.

+700 is crash for me too n this game,(not in others)
But adding +600 is (3005+600)*2=7210 WITH NO PROBLEM.

 

[killerbs007]

Yes i see. what is your power target? and your power in game usage?

Do you have aggressive fan speed profile? and how many voltage do you add?

 

[kilyan82]

Yes i see. what is your power target? and your power in game usage?

Do you have aggressive fan speed profile? and how many voltage do you add?

TDP 110%,12mv, temp target 95, My fan curve is custom, i just modified the one msi afterburner offers:from 70°c i set it to spin at max, so the temps stays under 80 degrees. This game highens the temps so much
game gpu usage is around 85-99%

 

[killerbs007]

Do you know your asic? And do you try more voltage ? but you have to know your power usage in game, if it is almost 110% i think you can't. other option is bios modified for 121% power limit and no boost.

 

[kilyan82]

Do you know your asic? And do you try more voltage ? but you have to know your power usage in game, if it is almost 110% i think you can't. other option is bios modified for 121% power limit and no boost.

My asic is 87.6, and i cannot go over 110 power in msi afterburner,neiher over 12mv, max voltage on msi afterburner. If i'd want to go over with power and voltage , i should edit the bios, and i'm not familiar with that.. Do you think is worth?isn't it risky?

 

[killerbs007]

good asic. for the power limit http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=374772

 

[kilyan82]

good asic. for the power limit http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=374772

interesting, will check later and also add the power usage in the osd ingame and let ya know

 

[killerbs007]

I not answered for the risks, if you satisfies you with just modified the power limit its shall have to go

 

[kilyan82]

I not answered for the risks, if you satisfies you with just modified the power limit its shall have to go

Power reaches 88% max

 

[killerbs007]

oki i see a test with overclock your limit is +12mv max and +110% true?