LOSS: The Lexicon Of Sim Stutters

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It’s been a while since I made a list. Just for a bit of silly fun (but actually deadly serious too) I made a list of all the types, breeds, fashions, styles and sub-genres of stutters and performance issues we have all experienced, at least a “little bit” hehe.

I’ve now made this resource into a somewhat more useful tool to help you diagnose and potentially fix some of these issues. Use the Table of Contents to navigate to each section or just scroll down.

SLS | Scenery Loading Stutter

It is NOT Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
A nice Mercedes 1 ? ?

The stutters you get when not even moving, just loaded into an airport and looking around. Mainly the first time, but it can be more icky than that!

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • None known

Video example:

SSS | Scenery Streaming Stutter

It is NOT Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
Secondary Security Screening 9 ? ?

Otherwise known as the Triple-S, this is the most common form of stutter in MSFS! As you are cruising, constant little stutters.

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • Reduce TLOD and OLOD (partial solution)
  • Push GPU more, to balance the usage better (partial solution - it can mitigate the situation)

Video example:

FAF | Final Approach Freeze

It is NOT Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
Final Approach Fix 10 ? ?

The pauses and stutters you get when on final approach and airport details load in.

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • Reduce OLOD (partial solution)
  • Reduce Ground Traffic sliders

Video example:

PMS | Photogrammetry Mapping Stutter

It is NOT Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
You know :wink: 3 ? ?

As the photogrammetry is calculated to conform to the terrain you’ll get a deep stutter as it redraws when you get closer and the terrain morphs.

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • Don’t use Photogrammetry! (not a real solution)

Video example:

HTS | Head Turning Stutter

It is NOT Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
Heavy Transport Support 5 ? ?

Stutters in the scenes caused by turning your head in the cockpit. Can be combined with SSS or any other mix you care to pick from :slight_smile:

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • Try Ultra Terrain Pre-Caching (not full solution)

Video example:

BFF | Big Feckin’ Freeze

It is NOT Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
Best Friends Forever 3 ? ?

Ranging from 1 to 20 seconds, the PC totally freezes (but audio continues fine) then carries on as if nothing bad had happened.

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • None known

Video example:

RSH | Random Scenery Hitch

It is NOT Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
Royal Society of Health. This RSH does your health no good at all. 6 ? ?

Unexplainable and irritating micro-stutter whilst flying the same area you’ve been flying for a while and not loading in anything new and not even in heavy scenery. What is it? A mystery, that’s what!

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • None known

Video example:

TRH | Totally Random Hitching

It is NOT Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
Tail Rotor Head 5 ? ?

Similar to an RSH, but with a different “look and feel”. This one is more like a little pause and jump in the scenery as if some frames just got lost along the way somewhere, never to be found again.

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • None known

Video example:

ARS | Aircraft Rotation Stutter

It is NOT Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
Airworthiness Review Sheet 9 ? ?

Similar to an HTS, but this occurs exactly as you turn (or even just start to BANK) the aircraft. I guess it is when it’s looking to pull in new data in your new direction, but I cannot see why it’s different to turning your head in the first moment of starting to turn the plane. However, it is, and this one is a lot more annoying and predictable. Every. Time.

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • None known

Video example:

RCS | Rolling Cache Stutter

It is NOT Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
Radar Cross Section 5 ? ?

When the cache gets full, you’ll get a rhythmic stutter every 2 seconds until you delete and recreate it.

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • Delete > Save > Enable > Save Rolling Cache
  • Do not use Rolling Cache

Video example:

HLS | Horizon Line Stutter

It is NOT Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
Hue, Lightness, Saturation 2 ? Bug Report / Topic

I’ve not had this myself but seen videos. Seems to happen in the Fenix A320 where if you look down, when you look back up and the horizon passes the centre of screen it makes a hard stutter and jump.

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • None known

Video example: Stutter while panning through the horizon - #17 by MrFuzzy1337

RSS | Repetitive Stutter Syndrome

It is NOT Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
Really Simple Syndication (does anyone use RSS Feeds any more anyway?!) 3 ? ?

This is a breed of stutter that plays out to a regular beat. The song it’s listening to changes so the tempo can change but when it’s in this mood, the stutters are metronomic.

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

Video example:

MAD | Mod Accentuated Degradation

It is NOT Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
Mutually Assured Destruction… or is it? 8 ? ?

When running too many mods, particularly of the global variety, a knife edge is reached when MADness starts.

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • Remove 3rd party mods until it calms down again.

Video example:

HIT | Hitting Invisible Things

It is NOT Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
Hazardous Incident Team :wink: 4 ? Topic

Mainly seems to affect helicopters, but I have had the same in a Comanche and a Blackwing. The whole aircraft acts as if you’ve landed in the air at -2,500 ft/m and damages the prop in the Comanche or just flips your helicopter over.

NOTE: This is NOT a case of hitting buildings or object collision boxes that should not be there. This happens WAY above the ground as well.

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • None known. TAA seems more prone to it though, so use DLSS.

Video example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EzCwyAhJEM

PRG | Physics Related Glitch

It is NOT Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
Not a Rocket Propelled Grenade (best I could do!) 1 ? ?

Doesn’t happen often, but for example when you touch some seams in the terrain, or a photogrammetry tree and the aircraft freaks out. Or an attempted water landing and the aircraft gets stuck.

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • None known

Video example:

LSD | Lurching Stuttering Disaster

It is NOT Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
Well it feels like the other LSD (so I’m told). 10 ? ?

Heavy airport + photogrammetry + 15 friends nearby + VR. This will get you… “unplayable”.

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • None known

Video example:

FRT | Frame Rate Tanking

It is NOT Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
Fixed Radius Transition 5 ? ?

Affects longer flights or sessions until a sim reboot. Why does this happen!? No real reason, just “reasons”.

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • Restorer the Simulator

Video example:

PPL | Persistent Phasing Lurching

It is NOT Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
Private Pilots Licence 2 ? ?

This is a nasty one. Doesn’t happen too often but when it does it hurts (in VR). It’s not just a stutter but a treble-whammy of glitch that phases through many of the other breeds of stutter mentioned here for a minute then clears up for no apparent reason.

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • None known

Video example:

RBS | Rubber Banding Surge

It is NOT Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
Retreating Blade Stall 2 ? ?

Scenery moves by smoothly BUT surges from being behind and ahead of where it should be in a rhythmic pattern. Particularly noticeable when looking out of the side window. Seems to be caused by some heavier systems and custom physics modelled aircraft.

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • None known (except avoiding aircraft that do it - not a real solution)

Video example:

GCS | Glass Cockpit Stutter

It is NOT Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
Ground Control Station 3 ? ?

A stutter induced by aircraft with a lot of glass cockpits going on taxing the system. It can fall into a bit of RSS too but this one is specifically caused by the simulated systems in heavy aircraft.

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • None known

Video example:

ATC | Air Traffic Choppiness

It is NOT Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
Air Traffic Control 4 ? ?

Introduces an almost but not quite regular choppiness to frame rate if using Real Time or AI traffic (with too high settings). FSLTL can also cause this.

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • Reduce AI Traffic density.
  • No solution for Online Real-Time Traffic

Video example:

MAP | Multiplayer Aircraft Performance

It is NOT Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
Manifold Pressure. Or a map. 10 ? ?

Terribly optimised aircraft with no lower LoD models such as the H145/H160 and Huey helicopters kill performance when there is more than 2 or 3 in view.

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • Use Model Matching app to substitute culprits for generic aircraft

Video example:

GAS | Group Activity Stutter

It is NOT Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
Fuel. 5 ? ?

Xbox is more prone to this. Guaranteed to manifest with anymore than 3 players in close proximity. Occurs at any point in the world, at any altitude any aircraft.

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • Other than not fly near other people, none (so not really a solution)

Video example:

DCS | Disconnect / Connect Stutter

It is NOT Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
We don’t talk about other sims here. 1 ? ?

The little stutter you get sometimes (actually usually) when the servers constantly disconnect and reconnect you mid-flight.

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • None known

Video example:

SBS | Sun Behind Stutter

It is NOT Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
A TV channel, nor part of the Navy. 5 ? Bug Report

Specifically occurs when using the external ‘Orbit Camera’ and rotating the camera, there’s a single VERY BIG stutter (hitch/skip/jump all-in-one) as the camera passes the point where the sun is directly behind the aircraft.

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • None known

Video example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gXhsI2t1Rw

UPS | Unoptimized Product Stutter

It is NOT Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
Uninterruptible Power Supply. Or “whoopsies”. 4 ? ?

Not only aircraft but scenery or, animations that kill performance when you’re nearby. Or utility apps that don’t talk well with MSFS.

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • None known

Video example:

UFO | Unidentified Freezing Object

It is NOT Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
No, it’s not really “flying” at this point (sadly). 3 ? ?

A mod you KNOW you’ve installed. Or is it a combo effect? Either way, you’ve installed SOMETHING that makes the sim freeze when it gets initialised. I think it’s the birds? :slight_smile:

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • None known

Video example:

IBS | iniBuilds Stutter

It is NOT Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Though it can certainly bring it on! 4 ? ?

Specific to airport scenery included in various World and City Updates, created by iniBuilds, that is somehow so poorly optimised that it creates unbearable stutters even when you are MILES away from said airport.

Some examples of these: Stansted, UK (EGSS), Salzburg, Austria (LOWS), Bern, Switzerland (LSZB)

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • Uninstall the affected Bespoke iniBuilds airports (not a great solution!)

Video example:

JET | Jets Extra Trouble

It is NOT Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
Fast 8 ? ?

Any of the other stutters discussed here are magnified when flying a fast jet, low to the ground.

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • None known

Video example:

VRS | VR Stutter

It is NOT Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
Vortex Ring State 9 ? ?

Can be caused by many things after the sim has done its work. Connection, settings in the headset. You name it!

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • None known (except infinite tweaking)

Video example:

VDG | Virtual Desktop Ghosting

It is NOT Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
Video Display Generator. Well, it’s doing it twice for some reason if so! 1 ? ?

Specific to Virtual Desktop and not really a stutter or flutter or hitch. 5 times out of 10 when I switch out and back into VR, there is an awful double-image until I quit and restart the VD app.

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • Restart the Virtual Desktop application

Video example:

FGS | Frame Gen Stutter

It is NOT Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
Flight Guidance System 3 ? ?

A stutter when there is too much motion on screen and Frame Gen cuts out and then again when the motion decreases enough to allow Frame Gen to turn back on.

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • None known

Video example:

LSF | LoD Switching Flicker

It is NOT Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
1 ? ?

Affects 3rd party photogrammetry ripped from youknowwhere in DX12. When the chunks change to the next level of detail they flash black for a moment. Very ugly.

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • Use DX11

Video example:

WTF / CND | Where’s That From? / Changed Next Day

It is NOT Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
Wing Tank Fuel / Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament 6 ? ?

This stutter pertains to after you’ve spent months fine tuning/tweaking every parameter within the sim AND Windows to FINALLY get the sim smooth as silky butter, only to find the next day the sim is a STUTTERING MESS.

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • Come back another day

Video example:

SUS | Sim Update Stutter

It is NOT Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
Not “Suspicious”. But it is… 2 ? ?

This is the random stutters you get immediately after a Sim Update, World Update or City Update that mysteriously goes away on your next flight.

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • Come back another day

Video example:

SOS | Server Overload Stutter

It is NOT Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
Save Our Souls 2 ? ?

Stutters caused by the Azure / Microsoft servers being overloaded, usually prominent after a big free content update. To be fair, many of the other stutters could be caused by this but as we have had no information from Asobo/MS on the matter it is all hypothetical.

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • Come back another day

Video example:

NSS | Network Slowdown Stutter

It is NOT Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
Network Server System 1 ? ?

Caused by our LOCAL hardware (router / internet connection) slowing down or having interference.

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • Maybe restart your router
  • Use a VPN

Video example:

ESC | Epic Stutter Combo

It is NOT Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
A keystroke that ends your flight (although it might still end your flight). 2 ? ?

A combination of 2 or more of any of the other classified stutters.

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • None known

Video example:

JPG | Java Procurement Glitch

It is NOT Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
A nice image, although it is STATIC for a while. 1 ? ?

A problem with Windows 11 where if you leave the sim running for 10-15 minutes whilst going to get a cup of coffee, there is a super long freeze when coming back (after moving your camera). No devices are set to go to sleep after inactivity, and the sim IS still running.

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • None known

Video example:

SOB | Stutter Over Berlin

Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
5 ? ?

Nothing can stop it.

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • None known

Video example:

SOC | Stutter Over Cologne

Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
8 ? ?

Terribad.

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • None known

Video example:

SOG | Stutter Over Germany

Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
7 ? ?

Actually, the whole of north Germany is pretty bad (for me).

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • None known

Video example:

SOL | Stutter Over London

Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
4 ? ?

Well, yeah.

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • None known

Video example:

SON | Stutter Over New York

Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
2 ? ?

For me it’s actually almost perfect but I know it’s the yardstick of performance for others especially at high TLOD values.

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • None known

Video example:

SOP | Stutter Over Paris

Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
2 ? ?

Mon Cheri!

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • None known

Video example:

SOT | Stutter Over Tokyo

Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
1 ? ?

Actually for the size, the performance for me (when I am alone) is great but I know friends that cannot fly here due to the stutter-fest.

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • None known

Video example:

SOV | Stutter Over Vienna

Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
1 ? ?

I could go on forever - you get the idea :smiley:

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • None known

Video example:

SOZ | Stutter Over Zurich

Severity in 2020 (1-10) Severity in 2024 (1-10) More Info Links
10 ? ?

Flew in group flight today and it was really bad. Went back alone after a reboot and it was still very bad. Actually the whole of this region of Switzerland was very lurchy and hitchy – and even trying to lower all settings made zero to no difference.

Solutions and Examples?

Solutions:

  • None known

Video example:

Feel free to discuss, add information (in comments for me to take into this post) or correct me on anything! If we come up with any I missed, I will add them into the list! :slight_smile:

Let’s see how this all changes in the Severity column for MSFS v2024 :crossed_fingers:

38 Likes
2

Baracus, mate, please don’t ever change. :saluting_face:

9 Likes
3

Thanks for the levity. I might coulda come up with 4 of those – at most. great job :slight_smile:

4 Likes
4

Big feckin freezes cracked me up

4 Likes
5

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7 Likes
6

I am speechless. I am without speech.

1 Like
7

This is hyper-detailed, incredibly exhaustive, and hilarious! Nice one.

2 Likes
8

It seems like OP have been a bit bored - this is practically a whole poem! But hey, WOW GJ @Baracus250

1 Like
9

…time to build a stutter simulator! Much more interesting than flying :joy:

2 Likes
10

Is there a name if you manage to get all of the above? :smile:

What I have found with regards to some of them - the nvidia cache cleaning can certainly help. The biggest problem has to be the one on short final

For the MP stuff - the sim uses multiple LOD levels depending on the distance of the MP aircraft and the livery files used. I think that was a change introduced around SU5-7 but I can’t be sure. On some older liveries - depending on the distance, they might either turn to the default livery or just turn pink

1 Like
11

Hey Murph!

Yeah, I think we can call the award for collecting them all a…

CTD

Completely Total Disaster

5 Likes
12

Trouble is SOME aircraft do not have a lower detail model to swap out to when at a distance, or even as an external model that it uses for “other players” when you are close. So your sim is essentially running multiple copies of an already heavy aircraft.

13

We “think” the simulator when working “well” gives us pleasure, a sense of joy.

We “think” the simulator when “not” working well gives us displeasure.

And yet, both “senses” come from you. Your the producer/creator of pleasure and pain. The “object” (the sim) gave nothing. It transmitted nothing.

Know this, and know thy are a god.

On another note, its maccoroni cheese night tonight, and mom’s in a good mood :wink:

1 Like
14

This is hilarious, thanks for that!

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15

That is very true. I’d love to see a system that devs can upload a lower LOD model to MSFS - and at least folks could see the correct model - regardless of it they own it not and it wouldnt tank performance.

Awesome list though buddy - you pretty much covered every type of stutter I’ve come across and given names to ones I have yet to meet :smile:

2 Likes
16

Hahah. Yeah, I’ve been there, done that lol

I’ve had this in my head for a while and thought I’d get it down to share for a laugh before 2024 comes out and we have NONE of these problems. Right? RIGHT!?!

1 Like
17

Bro, this is an amazing compilation. I’m crossing my finger for 2024, but we all know there will be bug, especially at launch. I remember having to wait more than one year because I had ctd mid flight!

Hope this list get some more attention.

<3

1 Like
18

Does severity only go up to 10? I think I had an 11 once :woozy_face:

1 Like
19

LOL we can go Spinal Tap on it if you like :wink:

1 Like
20

Ah, I just figured it out: you have to add 2 to each category if it happens while you are in VR.

1 Like