Stutter since 1.07 even at 60FPS

[Gadzooks]

I'm stuck in a forest in Velen and unable to move more than a pace before freezing for about 10 seconds, another pace, another freeze. Everything was running perfectly until this accursed 1.07 patch. I have the Steam version and so I can't roll back the patch. GTX 960.

There are a couple places in the game that cause that. Unfortunately that has nothing to do with the stuttering issue. Still a pain to deal with though

The stutter issue doesnt actually lower your framerate. It just causes a visual hitching/rubberbanding when you move forward

 

[LestatLestotis]

I have experienced the stutter since launch, after messing around in the Nvidia control panel reduced it but the new patch reintroduced it.

Although I have managed to get it to be minimal by retweaking the settings, will post what I did:

Specs: Windows 8.1 x64, i7 5820k @ 3.30 GHz, GTX980


On Nvidia control panel PhyxX is set to run only on the CPU and also deleted bin\x64 "APEX_ClothingGPU_x64.dll" from the game folder.

On the control panel for the witcher3.exe I have:

maximum pre-rendered frames set to 2
power management set to prefer maximum performance
Threaded optimization on
triple buffering on
Vertical sync set to Adaptive (half refresh rate)

In game I have everything on ultra, Nvidia hairworks off, fullscreen with unlimited frames and vertical sync off, post processing all at maximum except sharpening on low.
I´m running it at 1980p and I use RivaTuner Statistics server to limit the frame rate at 30, this is the smoothest I have managed to get the game to run.
I am only experiencing a bit of microstuttering when paning the camera (from barely to somewhat noticeable) otherwise silky smooth.

Hope this helps someone out.

PS: tried the same settings with maximum pre-rendered frames set to 1 and it seems even better now, but it is hard to tell... might be getting a bit OCD about it.

 

[Brogan80]

...On Nvidia control panel PhyxX is set to run only on the CPU and also deleted bin\x64 "APEX_ClothingGPU_x64.dll" from the game folder....

I get deleting the dll file, but with that GPU, why set the PhysX to the cpu? I have seen some people do this, but I've yet to see a convincing argument why.

 

[Gadzooks]

I get deleting the dll file, but with that GPU, why set the PhysX to the cpu? I have seen some people do this, but I've yet to see a convincing argument why.

I think the general assumption is that the GPU is being pushed to its limits by the game already, so why not offload some of the work to the CPU for things like physics?

It makes logical sense, if indeed your GPU is running at or close to 100% load.

However, my 970 barely goes over 70% in this game since im capping the framerate at 60 (vsync), so its got plenty of overhead to handle physics

 

[vesemas228]

This is called frame skipping.

Its been in the game for me on my 970 ever since 1.05

Shame, since the game used to run super smooth. Now I get motion sick or something just running forward, with how the environment around me constantly looks like its rubber banding towards me.

Really wish CDPR would fix this. It should be as easy as going back and looking at the changes they implimented in 1.05.

Absolutely. That's why i'm running 1.04. This is pretty serious issue:

- This is impossible not to notice, unless you're believing whatever fps counter you use over your eyes.
- There was something in the game that changed, it wasn't a driver or anything. There must have been some console related change that made it into the pc version.
- Why they would actively sabotage pc users i cant imagine.
- Why people have to be on the latest version when each build gets worse i can't imagine.

All you people who claim to love and be happy with your 1.07 patch, if you can, try 1.04. You'll be getting your pitchforks out. There's also at least 2 main story quest bugs that don't happen in 1.04 that people are reporting in 1.07.

You wanna be really crazy.. if your heart is sad about LOD distance, and you believe your machine has the balls, try 1.03. Mind blown My kepler 780ti says 1.04 is the happy build for ultra @2560, but all you 980ti users owe yourself a go at 1.03.

Yeah console frame screwing in the pc version.. don't accept it. Try a version below 1.05. Look up the support forums for what they nerfed in each version. It all started with 1.04.

 

[Brogan80]

Absolutely. That's why i'm running 1.04. This is pretty serious issue:

- This is impossible not to notice, unless you're believing whatever fps counter you use over your eyes.
- There was something in the game that changed, it wasn't a driver or anything. There must have been some console related change that made it into the pc version.
- Why they would actively sabotage pc users i cant imagine.
- Why people have to be on the latest version when each build gets worse i can't imagine.

All you people who claim to love and be happy with your 1.07 patch, if you can, try 1.04. You'll be getting your pitchforks out. There's also at least 2 main story quest bugs that don't happen in 1.04 that people are reporting in 1.07.

You wanna be really crazy.. if your heart is sad about LOD distance, and you believe your machine has the balls, try 1.03. Mind blown My kepler 780ti says 1.04 is the happy build for ultra @2560, but all you 980ti users owe yourself a go at 1.03.

Yeah console frame screwing in the pc version.. don't accept it. Try a version below 1.05. Look up the support forums for what they nerfed in each version. It all started with 1.04.

So, none of this affects Maxwell gpu's, correct?

 

[vesemas228]

So, none of this affects Maxwell gpu's, correct?

I don't think its gpu related. This is what i did on the weekend.

1. Running 1.04, everythings fine.
2. Updated to 1.07, guts removed from fps.
3. Deleted 1.07, copied back 1.04, everythings fine.

Pretty much the did the same thing for 1.05 and 1.06, plus an obligatory 2-3 hours trying to "fix" the screwed up graphics. After 1.07, its you not me.

I can reproduce the issue by changing witcher builds... having said i don't have a maxwell gpu and didn't pay precise attention. google for wither 3 patch 1.05 stuttering, click on the support link within this forum and have a look at what people were reporting. There was a massive multipage thread for it. Also 1.04 Lod issues...

Just know it started many patches ago. The last console patch. I hope its just a coincidence.

 

[Brogan80]

I don't necessarily disagree that something internally was changed with that patch.

I just don't remember having that much of a change in graphics, smoothness and fps after *any* patch in my gameplay. And I've been pretty diligent in testing everything they've put out thus far... on my machine.

 

[vesemas228]

I don't necessarily disagree that something internally was changed with that patch.

I just don't remember having that much of a change in graphics, smoothness and fps after *any* patch in my gameplay. And I've been pretty diligent in testing everything they've put out thus far... on my machine.

Getting off topic, but that just means there are a bunch of ini and nvidia control panel tweaks that are compulsory to apply, which you may be missing. I have no idea about radeon cards, so you could be running one of those too.

Yes, i triple checked and even experimented with changing these when they had no effect in 1.07. And then when i put back 1.04 and got this silkly smooth graphics (admittedly about ~5fps lower) i was a little to very mad.

EDIT: Sorry the point being, if you didn't do advanced configs to improve your witcher out of the box, i admit there's a chance it could have been crap to begin with, so getting more crap may or may not get noticed.

Also, i just did a quick google and it looks like you can get the old patches fairly easily... 1.03 for 980ti users, 1.04 for everyone else. Be happy. No complaints needed.

---------- Updated at 04:48 AM ----------

Also, some more quick patch history, on my machine at lest:

- There is no novigrad stuttering in 1.04. This is more than frame skipping, something was screwed in 1.05 and 1.06. 1.07 fixed it though.
- Popin, or at least frequent and bad popin, that people complain about was actually caused by one of the patches. Having said.. before that patch, i remember barely being able to hit 40fps (im running ~30-50 now) so personally was quite happy to see some popin given that it was unplayable (... at 2650x1600 everything maxed ) before that. But! Some people with greater machines than I may not want what i wanted and preferred full fat graphics.
- Before this patch, witcher 3's sli support was overall well regarded.

As a graphics nut observing the game since release every patch they've stealth nerfed something to do with the graphics. I don't blame them though, i wouldn't be surprised at all if they were getting a high volume of returns due to mainstreamers not being able to run the game.

 

[PrincessMassacre]

fps drop in populated aeras in skellige from 60 to 40 FPS...

And even when at 60 FPS important stutter is present ...

run the game with '-displayfps' option. check max frame time when it stutters. if it's hitting 60-66ms (max reported cap), then it's simply the graphics thread being locked by NPC spawn. try spawn some, see if it hits that number.

if it is, then it's not related to other stutter issues.

fps is simply an average of each frametime (cuz it's usually reported once per second, by most apps).

this has existed since launch and affects all hardware most likely.

you may have simply just noticed it.

 

[Brogan80]

Getting off topic, but that just means there are a bunch of ini and nvidia control panel tweaks that are compulsory to apply, which you may be missing. I have no idea about radeon cards, so you could be running one of those too.

Yes, i triple checked and even experimented with changing these when they had no effect in 1.07. And then when i put back 1.04 and got this silkly smooth graphics (admittedly about ~5fps lower) i was a little to very mad.

EDIT: Sorry the point being, if you didn't do advanced configs to improve your witcher out of the box, i admit there's a chance it could have been crap to begin with, so getting more crap may or may not get noticed-.

I really have no clue what you are trying to say here.

 

[Pierre990429]

Isn't "triple buffer" only used in OpenGL applications ?
that's one setting less to worry about....

 

[Bruhmis]

Isn't "triple buffer" only used in OpenGL applications ?
that's one setting less to worry about....

no. triple buffering is the only thing stopping your framerate from locking to 30 if it can't hold exactly 60 at all times when vsync is on.

 

[Pierre990429]

Hmmm, I'm not really sure. I think it only affects OpenGL programs. (for some reason, this precision doesn't appear anymore in the NVCP, but it used to, if I remember correctly)

I speal about the NVCP "triple buffering" option. the in-game implementation is different and game dependant, of course.

Someone tech-savvy here should confirm this. (or not)

I just found this discussion : https://forums.geforce.com/default/topic/534722/triple-buffer-setting-in-nvidia-cp/

 

[SigilFey]

Hmmm, I'm not really sure. I think it only affects OpenGL programs. (for some reason, this precision doesn't appear anymore in the NVCP, but it used to, if I remember correctly)

I speal about the NVCP "triple buffering" option. the in-game implementation is different and game dependant, of course.

Someone tech-savvy here should confirm this. (or not)

I just found this discussion : https://forums.geforce.com/default/topic/534722/triple-buffer-setting-in-nvidia-cp/

It was an OpenGL exclusive feature in the past. It's now a standard Nvidia feature, and one of those things that should work with any program across the board. The problem is that it's going to have virtually no effect on modern-day titles. (If your rig needs to shed FPS due to rendering 3 billion triangles and over 100 gigatexels per second, multiple-point sourced volumetric lighting, and filtered shadows with fullscreen image-space ambient occlusion..."triple-buffering" is not going to save you.)

 

[Stormyme]

In my case there's multiple issues with this update :

In game V-Sync lock my FPS to 40 , so yes they have changed something with v-sync...can't understand the choice , it's clearly a mistake.
FPS greatly decreasing when there is NPC-s and Monsters
Stutter a lot even with FPS constantly @60FPS...

For the Stutter maybe it's related to SLI , another thing broken with this patch...

---------- Updated at 06:43 PM ----------

The game playability is so broken with this patch that i have roll-back to 1.06 , the difference in smoothness is astonishing...

 

[praisedasun]

The game started to stutter for me too after 1.07 patch. 1.06 was smooth as a silk. What pisses me off is that it's impossible to rollback to 1.06 through Steam

i7 3770K
GTX980
16GB ram
Win 8.1
Witcher on SSD

 

[PrincessMassacre]

..

Isn't "triple buffer" only used in OpenGL applications ?
that's one setting less to worry about....

d3d supports a variable number of backbuffers, using swap chains.

the amd triple-buffer option only affects opengl. not sure about nvidia. d3doverrider (rivatuner), can alter the number of backbuffers in d3d, basically a flip/swap chain.

then again, it doesn't work with some games properly and can cause issues, since the game doesn't expect it in some cases, or buffer timing issues.

tldr; use limiter.

in any sense, it only helps in specific cases, like if the game (ie: no limiter) is drawing frames too fast to the buffer. bcs with double-buffer, they are both filled, and the system can't draw another without waiting for vsync. which can lead to stutter if the next frame to be drawn is taking too long. unless you also have vsync off, but then you'll have massive screen tearing - i mean really massive...

 

[Brogan80]

In game V-Sync lock my FPS to 40 , so yes they have changed something with v-sync...can't understand the choice , it's clearly a mistake.

If in-game Vsync is locking you to 40fps, that is NOT the patch. I've been using it since release and I've never had it do anything like that. If you have an SLI setup, then maybe it's something to do with that.

Smoothness is exactly the same for me in 1.07 as it was in 1.06.

 

[Pierre990429]

..

d3d supports a variable number of backbuffers, using swap chains.

the amd triple-buffer option only affects opengl. not sure about nvidia. d3doverrider (rivatuner), can alter the number of backbuffers in d3d, basically a flip/swap chain.

then again, it doesn't work with some games properly and can cause issues, since the game doesn't expect it in some cases, or buffer timing issues.

tldr; use limiter.

in any sense, it only helps in specific cases, like if the game (ie: no limiter) is drawing frames too fast to the buffer. bcs with double-buffer, they are both filled, and the system can't draw another without waiting for vsync. which can lead to stutter if the next frame to be drawn is taking too long. unless you also have vsync off, but then you'll have massive screen tearing - i mean really massive...

Thanks !
Anyway, I always have it OFF, and VSync ON. (whether I also have Vsync in-game or not does not seem to make a difference in most cases)