My 2070 SUPER 4K settings and suggestions - episode 2

I also have trouble with my FreeSync monitor. I have spent countless hours playing around with different settings. With my configuration I need to lock my frame rate in order for it to stop stuttering. That being said, if the frame rate drops below my locked rate then I will still get stutters. For this reason, I have Vsync enabled in MSFS and not in Nvidia CPL. I have a 100Mhz monitor and so I set the frames at 20 in MSFS. This is not actually 20 FPS, but it’s 33.3% of your monitors refresh rate. So in my case, by setting my FPS locked at 20 in MSFS, I’m getting 33.3 FPS. It will run as smooth as glass with the 152, 172, Cubs, and the BE58. With the TBM I start to get stutters when the frames drop below 33.3. The more CPU demanding planes result in more stuttering, especially around larger airports, cities, etc.

I recently read something about MSFS not truly running in full screen mode, that even in full screen mode it runs in a borderless window. Some claim that Gsync doesn’t like this and so they recommend a program called Special K to force MSFS to run in a true full screen. What are your thoughts on this @CptLucky8 ? Is this baloney? I tried to run Special K but it crashes immediately on my machine. Not sure if it’s worth pursuing.

I wouldn’t use this program at all but this is just personal. I believe NVidia CPL has a setting to configure GSync compatibility with both full screen and borderless windows but I’m not sure whether it is actually working. My take is don’t use GSync with FS2020 until they support this properly and in any case, I find if you can run a simulator at 60fps you really don’t need much more in practice (unlike a FPS game) and with TAA with render scaling < 100% and the way the simulator is updating the back buffer, there is no tearing either with VSync OFF.

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I didn’t try changing these and I will try to see what this changes on my end. Thank you for the tip!

It’s more recommend for example HDMI connections (Monitor or UHDTV) that are not capable to push 4K 60Hz/FPS 12BIT 4-4-4 HDR out.

In this/my scenario you could split RGB to 4-2-2
10-12 Bit HDR to gain 60Hz/60FPS. But yes also good for performance.

I also use BT2020 icc profile in WIN10.
http://www.color.org/chardata/rgb/BT2020.xalter
You could install it via Display Settings in WIN10.
I would also recommend a profile loader software.
Here is a complete workaround:
https://pcmonitors.info/articles/using-icc-profiles-in-windows/
At the end is the download for the profile loader from X-Rite.

@CptLucky8 our building fix hero !
Do you have for the actual build an extended building LOD Mod ?:yum:

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@CptLucky8 the newly released patch includes the following;

  • New temporal anti-aliasing (TAA), along with new sharpen filter using AMD FidelityFX CAS

We probably need to revisit the sharpening! :scream:

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This is interesting! I believe the FS2020 was already using something like the CAS shader in order to make these <100% TAA render buffers displaying to the full resolution back buffer with minimal loss of details (even running TAA 50% on 4K doesn’t feel like 1080p which is amazing).

Maybe the latest update is now using the ‘official’ CAS shader instead of their own implementation and I can’t wait to try out later today.

For more information about CAS:

(you can download a pre-compiled demo letting you experiment with the CAS modes/options/sharpen strength).

PS: The technique (‘CAS’) is developed by Timothy Lottes (creator of FXAA) and was created to provide natural sharpness without artifacts.

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Here is a quick feedback about the latest update #6.

First I get slightly lower fps overall with #6 vs #5. I also find their new Sharpening filter is marginally taking a few fps when comparing with NVidia CPL Sharpen setting, however, it is now better and nearly correctly calibrated in my opinion.

Therefore with update #6 I’ll now restore the FS2020 Sharpen setting in the UserCfg.opt file and set the NVidia CPL Sharpen setting to off instead.

As for the other NVidia CPL and Simulator Graphics settings, I’ve conducted several tests trying them in and out, and they are still delivering the best fps and less stutters so far with update #6.

Hope this helps!

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The new msfs sharpen filter doesnt appear to do anything

At 80 render scaling and NV sharpen off, the graphics appear less sharp compared with before update 6 and NV sharpen on

I’ve found FS2020 update #6 Sharpen is about the same as Nvidia CPL Sharpen 0.25 in 4K with TAA 70%. However it seems more balanced in the way it will less over-sharpen tiny object in the distance, which in turn causes less shimmering on sharp and small building edges for example. It is very subtle a difference though.

Are you sure your UserCfg.opt file Sharpen setting is set to 1?

for me update 6 mabe my 4k performance with the 2070 and the here setted settings worde i have now even at non handcraftet small international airports 10 fps during landing and i have CTD again and not stable 32 fps =(

Just double checked, msfs sharpen set to 1

But i’ll turn off NV sharpen and test some more with msfs sharpen

Update: ok msfs sharpen is more blurrish but still within acceptable limit, and perhaps looks slightly better

Your settings are working perfect on my setup here with a 2060super.Maybe time to ditich 1440p looks better than rendering@100 on 1440p with almost similar performance.I can live with this until I get a better GPU.

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Could anyone running a 4K resolution and TAA confirm whether texture supersampling has any effect or if it’s even needed? I have aniso @ 16x and SSx2 looks the same as x4 or off.

Texture SS only has to do with texture in the distance! I found turning it down to 2x I get blurrier rwy textures in the distance.

when using 16x you don’t even need texture SS in most cases. The best balance between performance and visuals I’ve found on the 2070S is Aniso 8x and Texture SS 4x4. I get nearly same visuals as 16x but at a fraction of the cost.

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NB: I’ve updated the 1st post

[Update 14NOV2020 - FS2020 v1.10.11]

Changes:

  • updated NVidia CPL screenshots, comments.
  • added “judder” description and information.
  • using G-Sync with Freesync monitor.
  • updated traffic settings screenshot (using slightly lower values for slight more fps)

I’ve revisited my settings in order to see whether they are still valid with the latest simulator version because there has been many changes since my initial post and new NVidia drivers.

In addition FS2020 v1.10.11 Sharpen Filter is now better and I’m no longer recommending disabling it in the UserCfg.opt file. Therefore I’m now disabling the NVidia CPL sharpen filter.

My suggested settings are still holding the best performance and the smoothest FS2020 experience on the hardware I’m running it on, therefore, I’m still recommending these settings on my test configuration:

  • FS2020 1.10.11
  • Win10 2004 - Game Mode Enabled
  • Nvidia 457.30 - GPU Scheduling On
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Just an FYI…

  • i5-8400
  • Geforce 2060Super 8GB
  • 32GB Dual
  • 1080

I just updated my NVidia driver and am currently running with GPU scheduling on. Did not notice any significant difference after the update. I have a most of my setting very similiar to yours other than trees clouds windshield all on Ultra. Using the LOD tweak in USERCFG at 3.5.

I am generally hitting 35-40 fps. Pretty happy with the overall but mostly it is nice to have objects out to the horizon.

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Hello @willisxdc , Can you show to change the LOD in the cfg.file please?

Not at the right computer at the moment but if you review CptLucky8’s post he directs you to find the file. Once you have found it, just open it with NOTEPAD and you will see the LOD entries. They are a multiplier and so do not appear as a percentage like in your settings screen. So if you are currently set to 200 it will appear in usrcfg as 2. I would start with a setting of 4 and check your frame rate impact. Dial it back as needed until you find your sweet spot.

IMPORTANT: DO NOT change anything else at this point. If you change more than one setting at a time it is impossible to determine what is affecting what.

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when we talk about LOD’s can we please specify which ones we are referring to?
Terrain LOD or Object LOD.

Ive been a little curious why they chose to use the LOD term if in fact these sliders controls the view distance that you will see terrain and objects at all.
LOD is Level Of Detail, meaning different mesh complexities at different ranges. (They use 0 to 6 in FS2020)

I guess you can argue and say that “well LOD 0 is invisible/disabled”, and sure - but not why just have a view distance slider?

So basically you have these rings around you where these LOD changes around you, and I think these are the one you expand when you increase the LOD’s.

So does anybody have a clear explanation of the differences between Terrain LOD, Object LOD, Building Quality and Trees Quality, and even Terrain Vector Data?

I have some experience with game development and 3d modelling, and the options and sliders in this game can be confusing to say the least, at least how they actually work vs whats described.

:sweat_smile:

So if I want to try to make sense of it all this is what I would guess be the case:

Terrain LOD - radius rings around you telling at what distances you will see different details of the terrain.
Objects LOD - radius rings around you telling at what distances you will see different details of objects (not sure what objects this is?)
Building Quality - Here is where I would assume this is telling what the maximum detail quality of buildings can be (?)
Trees Quality - Here is where I would assume this is telling what the maximum detail quality of trees can be (?)
Terrain Vector Data - Really no clue, and the description doesnt make me any smarter - if in fact Terrain LOD decides the different quality and at what radius around you will see it. (?)