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Starsector 0.97a is out! (02/02/24); New blog post: Simulator Enhancements (03/13/24)

Author Topic: Sudden FPS crashes  (Read 1377 times)

The Ender

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Sudden FPS crashes
« on: November 12, 2017, 02:05:41 AM »

FRUSTRATED.


I've finally think I've found a Linux config for Starsector that works (playing it on Solus, as that has the most current Mesa drivers), and it works beautifully... except that perhaps every 45~ seconds or so, the rate rate mysteriously just tanks. It has, as far as I can tell, nothing to do with what is on screen - it just runs happily along until [INEXPLICABLE PROBLEM!] and the performance bottoms-out.

I have no idea what the cause is and therefore no idea what to try to fix the problem. I've adjusted the Java heap size & tried turning V Sync off, and neither of those things had an effect.

:(


I hope someone else has had this issue and been able to fix it?
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The Ender

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Re: Sudden FPS crashes
« Reply #1 on: November 12, 2017, 03:06:21 AM »

Okay; I *think* I see the culprit:

I'm on an old i7 CPU with 8 cores. Starsector will run fine until it run out the resources on a core, then it hops to another core and immediately runs-up the resources on that, and this causes FPS instability as Starsector hops from core to core to core (in fairness, I'm sure it is the OS & chipset doing the process hopping rather than SS).


That sucks. :(

I don't suppose anyone knows of a means of trying to fix this problem?
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TJJ

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Re: Sudden FPS crashes
« Reply #2 on: November 12, 2017, 11:10:17 AM »

Laptop?
Check it isn't throttling due to temperatures.

Moving threads between cores happens all the time, and is completely normal; I doubt it's the cause.
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The Ender

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Re: Sudden FPS crashes
« Reply #3 on: November 12, 2017, 06:44:06 PM »

Thanks for that suggestion; I *thought* it seemed similar to heat throttling I'd experienced before, on an old desktop build, but didn't want to think that this old clunker was getting to that state.

It does seem to be a temperature issue; I've temporarily resolved it by moving the unit onto a stand for better airflow, but she's still running a bit too hot. I'm not overly concerned about it... because, well, I can't be (older machine, so part life expectancy isn't much of a factor anymore, and I simply can't afford to have a professional do maintenance on it. Assuming they even would).

Thanks for the tip.
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TJJ

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Re: Sudden FPS crashes
« Reply #4 on: November 12, 2017, 07:47:35 PM »

A can of compressed air is all you typically need; remove the back panel, locate the fan (it'll be adjoining the side vent), give it a blast from various angles to remove dust from the blades and ducting.

The process should be described more completely in your laptop's maintenance manual. (Those documents that nobody ever reads, then wonders why their machine slows down/becomes unstable after a few years :D)
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