Bad FPS and stuttering in newer GZDoom

Need help running G/Q/ZDoom/ECWolf/Zandronum/3DGE/EDuke32/Raze? Did your computer break? Ask here.

Moderator: GZDoom Developers

Forum rules
Contrary to popular belief, we are not all-knowing-all-seeing magical beings!

If you want help you're going to have to provide lots of info. Like what is your hardware, what is your operating system, what version of GZDoom/LZDoom/whatever you're using, what mods you're loading, how you're loading it, what you've already tried for fixing the problem, and anything else that is even remotely relevant to the problem.

We can't magically figure out what it is if you're going to be vague, and if we feel like you're just wasting our time with guessing games we will act like that's what you're really doing and won't help you.
Nevander
Posts: 2254
Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2014 11:32 pm

Re: Bad FPS and stuttering in newer GZDoom

Post by Nevander »

Is GZDoom CPU or GPU intensive? I decided to monitor some stuff and I noticed while playing Holy Hell my CPU was only about 10% usage and I feel like it should be higher. I was wondering if maybe my CPU is the problem and my video card and drivers are fine and my CPU is bottlenecking the system. I don't know much about bottlenecking so I might be completely wrong but something feels wrong about my rig as if it's something that should not be happening.
User avatar
Rachael
Posts: 13531
Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2004 1:31 pm
Preferred Pronouns: She/Her
Contact:

Re: Bad FPS and stuttering in newer GZDoom

Post by Rachael »

GZDoom is definitely more CPU intensive, but only in really busy maps that either have a lot of lines or actors.

What happens with your "System" CPU usage?
Nevander
Posts: 2254
Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2014 11:32 pm

Re: Bad FPS and stuttering in newer GZDoom

Post by Nevander »

Well the map has 20,000 actors on it but with rather simple geometry.

What do you mean by "System" CPU usage? I was just watching Task Manager and it only ever went to 10% total usage.
User avatar
Rachael
Posts: 13531
Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2004 1:31 pm
Preferred Pronouns: She/Her
Contact:

Re: Bad FPS and stuttering in newer GZDoom

Post by Rachael »

Scroll down the task manager to see something like this:
_mental_
 
 
Posts: 3812
Joined: Sun Aug 07, 2011 4:32 am

Re: Bad FPS and stuttering in newer GZDoom

Post by _mental_ »

Or better use Process Explorer which can track GPU load and VRAM usage in addition to CPU and RAM.
Nevander
Posts: 2254
Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2014 11:32 pm

Re: Bad FPS and stuttering in newer GZDoom

Post by Nevander »

Well I am on Windows 7 so System is always 00 or sometimes 01. System Idle Process is like 88-90.
User avatar
Rachael
Posts: 13531
Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2004 1:31 pm
Preferred Pronouns: She/Her
Contact:

Re: Bad FPS and stuttering in newer GZDoom

Post by Rachael »

Even when you're having those massive stuttering issues?
Nevander
Posts: 2254
Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2014 11:32 pm

Re: Bad FPS and stuttering in newer GZDoom

Post by Nevander »

I'll need to set up 2.4 again so I can see what happens with that version. Is it normal to drop frames really badly in maps with a ton of shit and detail? For example using 2.2.0 I still got really bad frames just from all the shit going on in a map like MAP28 of Speed of Doom. When I look away from everything it shoots up to 60 FPS, when I look at everything alive it went down to 10 FPS which makes it very hard to play and not get hit constantly. When everything is dead it improves, I get maybe 40 instead.

I also think my mouse might be the cause of some stuttering too. Reason being is that I sometimes notice if I move my mouse in a circular motion, I see the image "skip" although there is no frame drop that accompanies it. Some kind of issue with the tracking because it doesn't ever do it using all keyboard movement like turning and strafing without using the mouse.

Basically I think I am stuttering form a ton of different places at once for one big stutter-fest. My mouse, GZDoom itself possibly, video drivers, and who knows what else. I really don't want to have to redo everything like reinstalling Windows and basically starting from scratch. Sure that might fix my problems, but it's a fucking headache and a half. I want to try to figure out this once and for all so I can pinpoint the source of this kind of thing. It's unfortunate that doing so is borderline impossible.
User avatar
Rachael
Posts: 13531
Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2004 1:31 pm
Preferred Pronouns: She/Her
Contact:

Re: Bad FPS and stuttering in newer GZDoom

Post by Rachael »

As stated before, AMD's OpenGL drivers are a shitfest. I do not have these problems even with older NVidia chipsets.

AMD's OpenGL is very heavily CPU-dependent and so is GZDoom, itself. The combination of the two vying for CPU time (and worse: probably both tugging on the same core since the OpenGL calls can only happen on a single thread) with the various inefficiencies that it seems apparent AMD never solved since last I used it create these problems.

This is one of the problems that GZDoom going C/s could possibly solve: being no longer deterministic-bound, it could run on multiple cores which would increase its ATI compatibility tenfold. Unfortunately we aren't there yet, and mostly that project is in hiatus because I am the only person doing it and I barely understand C++'s class system which would be quite extensively needed for it. (I've tried to get some help and advice for it but have been met with silence) Add Vulkan on top of that, with the ability to run the clippers and walkers on non-system threads as well, and at the very least the load would be shared across multiple cores which would speed things up considerably.
User avatar
Graf Zahl
Lead GZDoom+Raze Developer
Lead GZDoom+Raze Developer
Posts: 49056
Joined: Sat Jul 19, 2003 10:19 am
Location: Germany

Re: Bad FPS and stuttering in newer GZDoom

Post by Graf Zahl »

I think Vulkan may well eliminate most of the AMD problems. (If I just had some spare time to work on it... :()
User avatar
R4L
Global Moderator
Posts: 400
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2017 9:53 am
Preferred Pronouns: He/Him
Operating System Version (Optional): Windows 11 Pro
Graphics Processor: nVidia (Modern GZDoom)
Contact:

Re: Bad FPS and stuttering in newer GZDoom

Post by R4L »

I know this thread is old, but I think the solution could be easy. Do you have Catalyst Control Center or Radeon Crimson? Check that those have not set certain graphics settings automatically for GZDoom. Or, add a custom profile and turn off features that are more demanding. 2GB of video RAM isn't great, especially on older architecture that 270X is on. I run an i5-3570k at 4.2GHz, 16GB of DDR3 1800MHz RAM, and an RX470 4GB and I have no issues at all. I don't see why you can't do the same.
User avatar
hoover1979
Posts: 209
Joined: Sun Jun 22, 2014 12:47 am
Graphics Processor: nVidia (Modern GZDoom)
Location: Kadingir Sanctum, Hell (Postal Code: 666)
Contact:

Re: Bad FPS and stuttering in newer GZDoom

Post by hoover1979 »

I also get issues with Stuttering with GZDoom, particularly with HD Textures being used or 4xBR filtering on Sprites and Fonts. I thought I solved the problem by disabling Texture Precache and things were running smoothly for a day or two but today the stuttering resumed. I am not talking about micro stutter but instead situations where the picture would freeze for 1-2 whole seconds while the audio continued without hitching, this is something that happens every few seconds throughout gameplay. I don't know if it's a CPU issue or a Settings issue but I have a good GPU and can't understand why GZDoom has such severe macro stutters and newer games like Doom 4 run at constant 120FPS with no stuttering at all.

I use GZDoom v3.2.5 (64bit)

My System Specs:

Windows 7 Professional 64bit on Kingston HyperX Fury SSD (120Gb)
ASUS Z97-k Mobo
Corsair HX850i Platinum Grade 850w PSU
Intel i7-4790k in turbo mode 4.4Ghz
Corsair H115i Liquid CPU Cooler
32Gb Corsair Vengeance pro 2400 DDR3 RAM
XMP Overclocking set in BIOS
8Gb Gigabyte Xtreme Gaming GTX1080 OC PCIe Waterforce GFX Card (Core = 2,150Mhz, VRAM = 10,408Mhz, Power = +150%, Voltage +10%)
288.59 WHQL Nvidia Display Drivers
Sound Blaster Zx PCIe Sound Card
Logitech Z906 THX Certified 5.1 Surround Speakers and LFE
WD Gold Enterprise class 10Tb DataCenter Grade 7,200RPM HDD
WD 4Tb internal HDD
WD Black Caviar 1.5Tb Internal HDD
WD Elements 1Tb External USB 3.0 HDD
WD Elements 3Tb External USB 3.0 HDD
ASUS VG278 27" 120Hz 3D Monitor with Nvidia 3D Vision 2(TM)
AVerMedia Volar Green USB2.0 HDTV Tuner
Microsoft Xbox One S Controller connected via MicroUSB to avoid Win10 requirement
Logitech G710+ Mechanical Keyboard
Logitech G502 Proteus Core Gaming Mouse
ASUS PCE-AC68U AC1900 PCIe WiFi Card paired with:
ASUS RT-AC68U AC1900 Dual-Band Router on 5ghz band
Fractal Design XL-R2 Full Tower ATX Chassis
_mental_
 
 
Posts: 3812
Joined: Sun Aug 07, 2011 4:32 am

Re: Bad FPS and stuttering in newer GZDoom

Post by _mental_ »

Are you sure that discrete video card is used? Integrated Intel graphics could explain the problem.
Other cause can be an overheating. If you are playing without vsync then turn it temporary on.

Comparison with modern games designed for hardware accelerated graphics was discussed many times.
In short, it have no sense because under the hood GZDoom and Doom 2016 are different in all aspects.
Cacodemon345
Posts: 419
Joined: Fri Dec 22, 2017 1:53 am
Graphics Processor: ATI/AMD (Modern GZDoom)
Contact:

Re: Bad FPS and stuttering in newer GZDoom

Post by Cacodemon345 »

In fact, GZDoom is extremely hostile to modern hardware.
It will run slower than Doom 2016/Fallout 4 due to its nature.
_mental_
 
 
Posts: 3812
Joined: Sun Aug 07, 2011 4:32 am

Re: Bad FPS and stuttering in newer GZDoom

Post by _mental_ »

If GZDoom works slow for you then you (or someone else if you cannot do this yourself) need to figure out what's wrong.
There are crapload of hardware configurations with any imaginable issues, software like drivers have them too.

From the other hand, if you want to play something with brutal in its name on a slaughter map with 10k+ monsters and all fancy graphics options maxed then it's not a problem of GZDoom per se.
Classic Doom was not designed for those. Features of modern source ports are just overused and abused a lot.
While some ports can handle particular extreme cases well customization capabilities and graphics enhancements of GZDoom have its price.

Once again, comparison with modern game is just silly. Rebuilding Classic Doom from scratch could make it tens times faster in terms of performance.
The problem is this will be completely different game with own graphics and feel, with distinct mods and maps, etc. Gameplay will resemble Classic Doom but nothing more.
Post Reply

Return to “Technical Issues”