How to reduce in-game stuttering

[yafi]

This is a sequel to my thread Are you having constant exterior CTDs? I've FINALLY found your solution!

http://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?/topic/703954-are-you-having-constant-exterior-ctds-ive-finally-found-your-solution/

 

So, I've finally managed to figure out a way to reduce stuttering, not make it completely disappear. This does not effect frames-per-second either, at least it does not on my machine. It's a simple "fix" so I'll shutup and just tell you what you need to do:

1. Open skyrimprefs.ini (Documents > My games > Skyrim)

2. Look for, or create, the following four lines under [Display]:

fMeshLODLevel2FadeTreeDistance=

fMeshLODLevel1FadeTreeDistance=

fMeshLODLevel2FadeDist=

fMeshLODLevel1FadeDist=

3. Set each value to 10000000.0000, no higher, no less.

4. Save, close, and be happy!

 

How this works

Those four lines effect the "pop-in" of meshes, the higher the value, the less pop-in you will see and the greater the distance the meshes are loaded. With lower values, you will notice constant pop-ins. Now this is where the stuttering comes in, the reason you occassionally have worldspace stuttering is because your computer is trying to load something on your screen, and most of the time, it's usually trying to load the meshes that are popping in to screen. But with the value at 10000000.0000, yes your load times will increase a second or two, your computer won't need to load these pop-ins! So you're guaranteed smoother gameplay.

 

You may also find the line:

fTreesMidLODSwitchDist=

which to my knowledge matters little both visually and performance wise, so I leave it at the default of 5000.0000.

Also grass is rendered differently to mesh blocks, so setting your grass distance to 10000000.0000 as well will blow your computer up lol.

 

I hope I helped you out, thanks for reading.

[FruFruHM]

Wouldn't this reduce performance in general on anything but high end machines? It was my understanding that adding to the number of objects being loaded at any distance will take up memory, so increasing the display distance of all objects to a few miles presumably would lead to less stuttering as they load, but more as the computer tries to handle the number of objects now in the world. Sorry if I'm not getting the concept or not, but will these changes have drastic effects on general performance or not, or is it the case that they're just one of those little "set to minimum just in case" things that can be messed around with at leisure? ^^'

[Georgiegril]

I have to agree with frufru. It may work for you, but certainly not all machines, especially not lower VRAM, like mine. There is a lot of information on the trees distance on the Geforce skyrim tweak guide website, which discusses how tree LOD affects performance. Also RookieNoob has a nice guide that discusses how various tweaks affect low and high end systems.

 

Also, there are many reasons for stuttering the the worldspace, so this sentence

the reason you occassionally have worldspace stuttering....

is not universally applicable. Some people experience stuttering due to bottlenecks caused by fps, some because their VRAM or RAM is being used by background programs, and other reasons.

 

I think it is generous of you to try to share what you have discovered, but it might be more useful if you listed the computer specs you have tried this on rather than generalizing for "all" computers.

[yafi]

If you have a machine that meets either minimum or recommended requirements you can apply this .ini tweak. Obviously, if your machine is good enough without stuttering then there is no need to apply this.

[Georgiegril]

Well, again, my computer meets minimum requirements. Its a 512MB NVidia Geforce 9800GT. Can run on medium settings, and 7ugridstoload.

 

Your solution would fix stuttering for some people, if they have a card that can handle the excess VRAM load, and if their stuttering was actually caused by the mesh loading time. People with stuttering from any number of other causes would not benefit.

 

This could be a good solution for people within that narrow frame. For some people, your solution would cause crashes or no improvement of their stuttering, depending on the situation.

 

I am not trying to burst your bubble, so to speak. Your information could be extremely useful to some people. But generalizing to even "everyone who meets minimum specs" and who has stuttering is just not accurate, and could cause some people more problems, when I am sure your goal is to help.

[yafi]

If you can run uGridsToLoad on 7 without crashing and freezing you can 100% definitely run this .ini tweak, without a spec of doubt. In fact uGridsToLoad=7 is even more taxing on your system than this tweak because it loads everything within 7 grids, that's NPCs, objects, grass, meshes, blocks, items, reflections, refractions, speculars... this tweak simply adds on to what is already there, without adding new things itself. Basically, all this .ini tweak does is add the "pop-in" meshes to already pre-placed blocks (that cannot be removed via .ini tweaking), it uses up a maximum of 200MB of CPU useage, and stuttering is greatly reduced. I am right when I say that mesh and block pop-ins cause the stuttering because they do, your (not yours personally, but as a generalisation) computer temporarily freezes to render more meshes that were not visible until you reach within 5000 units or whatever of the pre-placed block. Most stuttering is caused by this, and don't get me wrong, low frames-per-second and stuttering are caused by two different factors but I won't get in to that right now, it's the wrong topic for it.

 

Other stuttering is caused by multiple scripts loading at the same time, which is why I indicated that this tweak will only reduce stuttering and not fully rid of it. You'll need a better CPU to stop this.

[Georgiegril]

You are right, 7 ugridstoload is taxing. Especially for people with lower memory cards, one must make decisions on where they want to use their finite memory resources. In my particular case, lowering the tree LOD was a tradeoff I made. I am able to run 7grids because I have other things turned down. (including some LOD, animations, etc.) I have a lot of CPU RAM and a decent processor, so I am able to put some of the load on those, as well.

 

My point however, is not that your tweak may not be useful, it is that your hyperbolic description is inaccurate. If you were to rephrase it as saying that you have found your ini settings to help with your specific kind of stutter, and that you have tested it with great success on your computer, then I would not have any concerns. You are absolutely right that mesh and block pop-ins CAN cause stuttering. It is simply that they do not cause ALL stuttering, and that your solution may not work on all systems, as you are promoting it. There are many variables that affect a game's performance, and unfortunately there is rarely one cure-all to address them.

 

I absolutely agree that your ini tweaks could be worth consideration for those experiencing stuttering. Posting your particular specs might help people decide if this is the right solution for them. Inviting others to post their results using this tweak could help determine with what computer specs it is most useful.

[yafi]

It's simple really, if somebody's having stuttering issues they can apply this tweak and it won't effect their resources as hard as the large number makes it out to be. And ff somebody already has a good enough computer they can simply push the backspace button on their keyboard. I really do mean it that anybody who meets both minimum and recommended requirements can apply this tweak and won't experience more CTDs and freezing, the long number does look scary but it's not actually an aggressive tweak, as let's say moving the uGridsToLoad above the default 5. And honestly this tweak is guaranteed to reduce stuttering because ironically your CPU has less active workload because all the meshes are now loaded through the load screen, in exchange of loading them as you come within so-so units of said block.

 

Put it this way... if you can load mountains across the other side of Skyrim you can definitely apply this tweak without a single shred of doubt, since the only things that are being loaded are a few polygons off in the distance that become greater in quality the closer you apporach them, without making them pop-in as a whole new block, if you understand me.

 

Also another method of reducing stuttering is multithreading, but that's known to cause CTDs and freezes so I left that out of this topic. I promise you though, this tweak will reduce your stuttering, even if it is by an unnoticable one frame-per-second, unless your comp is already beast enough. :P

[Georgiegril]

I really do mean it that anybody who meets both minimum and recommended requirements can apply this tweak and won't experience more CTDs and freezing

 

And if one person applies your tweakand it doesn't solve their problem, you have just invalidated your credibility.

Good luck to you, I only hope those that read this take any suggestions of this nature with appropriate caution.

[yafi]

Games don't CTD and freeze when there's too many polygons on screen, you'd then experience major frame rate drops, all this tweak does is extend the distance of the LOD meshes. It's near-impossible for it to cause instabilities beyond what the person may already be experiencing.