24 replies to this topic

[JoeBradley]

I've been baffled why I've been playing such poor shots on certain (usually user designed) courses. I go on the range and get a consistent decent shot shape, but then on some holes on the course I can't hit anything straight and struggle to make par or bogie. I had assumed that anything above 40FPS would be fine and put it down to simple off-days. But today, I played the CTP at Augusta, set medium graphics with a low draw distance to get 30+FPS and was all over the place, including dunking in the pond on 12, and ended up with 170ft best for the 4 holes. For interest, I then set graphics to absolute lowest everywhere. Boy did it look bad. Even the club selection etc icon was a smudged, pixelated mess. The course looked like a kindergarten painting. But I got 60FPS everywhere, the swing was smooth as silk - just like on the range - and I got 70ft for both the next 2 rounds. More than twice as close. Obviously it's a big jump for Augusta where FPS are particularly low, but it could also explain many of those inexplicably poor shots on courses where FPS drops to the low 40s. It's all very well course designers saying they don't want to compromise, but it makes you realise how well optimised most of the official PG courses are. And also, what's the point if you have to dial down the graphics so much that it looks like a kindergarten creation. I'm not having a go at the designers, just urging compromise to preserve smooth gameplay. And it doesn't help to say "that's what the graphics sliders are for" because in order to get 60FPS at Augusta, for example, the course looks unrecognisable as a golf course - any golf course. Yet official PG courses - even those with plenty trees - look great at 60FPS.  My machine is, I believe, decent mid-range: i5-4670K 3.4GHZ, 8GB RAM, SLI GTX-760 (although I know only 1 card used). Is there some way of unhooking the ani/swing rendering from the overall rendering process so you can get a smooth swing even at lowish course FPS? Pause rendering doesn't seem to make that much difference, unless I'm missing something. Obviously I don't have a technical answer to this conundrum, just fishing for other experiences of RTS-M swing issues.  

[Greensboronclion]

Joe you are spot on about the importance of fps when using the mouse. I can tell you it's not near as big a deal using the controller and when playing 3C and MS you have the PR to fall back to but RTSM you don't. I can play 25 fps with a controller but with the mouse I would be all over the place. To me I will go ahead and say it that it's a big disadvantage to those who play RTS-M.

[JoeF]

Funny how we perceive things.  I've played MS, RTS-M and RTS-C (PROS off) at frame rates below 25 on certain holes and have never experienced what you describe.  Though the visuals might look "jerky" it's never impacted the actual shot itself.  

[danno99uk]

Having played a few rounds at Augusta now (which is great!) I have to agree - I find myself way more inconsistent simply due to the problems of hitting the snap point well. 

I've looked - but not been able to find - an option to turn OFF trees from moving in the wind (and I mean all the time, not just during the swing). I wonder whether this option would be worthwhile, as it would surely lower system resource use?

[Likewise I have a decent i5 system with a GTX960, and other games I play are very smooth....]

[Ricky Proffer]

I find this as well.  I don't think I need 60 fps to get a smooth swing but I do know that if it gets below 30 it is hard to hit the ball straight.  

[GodZilla]

60fps helps smooth out gameplay with meter much better 

[Buck]

I'm only RTS-C these days, but I can't say for sure if it impacts it or not.

 

My gut is telling me that FPS isn't impacting the RTS-C swing though, as I seem to play/execute the same even on holes with FPS hits, etc.

 

Perhaps a Dev could confirm?

Is RTS-C swing at all tied into game FPS?

[frank70]

I cannot hit it consistently with RTS-M without 60 fps. Anything less and the club “stutters“ during the backswing. It disturbs me enough that i often lose my rhythm. I reduce every detail until i am at stable 60 fps. Not possible at Augusta .... and my scores show it.

[Sup?]

Yesterday while playing online in a match play round the 3 click meter was stuttering so bad that I was essentially guessing on the snap.  This might of worked playing beginner but certainly not at the pro level.  As far as FPS, I was at a constant 70fps and above, so I don't think it was an FPS issue.  

Just curious, can the actual swing meter be implemented so that it is local and then sent to the server?  Seems that lag actually effects the stutters on the swing meter.  Maybe my i7 4970k and GTX 780 just aren't powerful enough to run this game.  I've tried vsync on and off, makes no difference.  Everytime the "stutter" comes up it seems that it is the users fault and not the game.  People chime in "Mine work's perfectly" and the problem gets swept under the rug. 

[wim1234]

ofcourse there is an impact..the smoother the game runs the better you will be able to swing consistently.

[Harvester]

Rather than high fps I think it is CONSISTENT fps that is important.

 

I use the fps target command in the console to clamp my fps just below my max fps.  That way fps is same regardless of situation.

 

I remember a dev saying that vsync was enabled during certain swing types for timing reasons .... but i think clamping fps helps.

[sandybunker]

How to you go about clamping? I'd rather sit at a steady 45 fps than fluctuate between that and 60fps. I've never ventured into the console so i wouldnt mind knowing how to go about it.

[Harvester]

1) Open Console by hitting the <F8> key

2) type 'target'

3) hit the <tab> key

4) type desired fps and hit <enter>  (45  to clamp at 45fps)

5) close console by hitting <F8> key again

The game will then clamp the fps to what you entered.  

To reverse this set the fps to -1 which means unlimited.

It will reset every time you start a game.

 

The only problem I ever run into is that sometimes I have to do this twice for it to 'stick' so out of habit I just do it twice.  

[sandybunker]

That's great thanks for the clear instruction I'll get into it tomorrow and play about with it. Stock courses i have little issue with its just some if the user made ones i wouldnt mind playing about and getting them to play a little smoother. Thanks again for the info.

[Buck]

1) Open Console by hitting the <F8> key

2) type 'target'

3) hit the <tab> key

4) type desired fps and hit <enter>  (45  to clamp at 45fps)

5) close console by hitting <F8> key again

The game will then clamp the fps to what you entered.  

To reverse this set the fps to -1 which means unlimited.

It will reset every time you start a game.

 

The only problem I ever run into is that sometimes I have to do this twice for it to 'stick' so out of habit I just do it twice.  

 

Thank you for sharing that!

I wonder - Could we perhaps see a FPS "clamp" slider put into the settings at some point?

 

I have a feeling that many would love to simply have a stable FPS, no matter what range the number might be in

[DivotMaker]

1) Open Console by hitting the <F8> key

2) type 'target'

3) hit the <tab> key

4) type desired fps and hit <enter>  (45  to clamp at 45fps)

5) close console by hitting <F8> key again

The game will then clamp the fps to what you entered.  

To reverse this set the fps to -1 which means unlimited.

It will reset every time you start a game.

 

The only problem I ever run into is that sometimes I have to do this twice for it to 'stick' so out of habit I just do it twice.  

Pardon my ignorance and being somewhat new here....where do your "open the console" by hitting F8? In-game? I am lost here. Would be very grateful for a more remedial version of instructions. Thanks.

[Buck]

Pardon my ignorance and being somewhat new here....where do your "open the console" by hitting F8? In-game? I am lost here. Would be very grateful for a more remedial version of instructions. Thanks.

Yep. In game that key will bring up the console

[DivotMaker]

Yep. In game that key will bring up the console

I'll try that, but isn't the keyboard disabled if you are using a controller?

[Buck]

I'll try that, but isn't the keyboard disabled if you are using a controller?

Not completely. Think it works for the console. Works fine for text chat when using controller swing

[wim1234]

great info, i wonder whatever else is possible.

and yes its about consitent fps, i have it at 30.