Peterthumpa
Member
What? Forced AA works with the Unity engine? Better than the built-in AA options with the same cost?
I wanna see the receipts.
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Assassin's Creed Syndicate PC Performance Thread
- Thread starter Crossing Eden
- Start date
I wanna see the receipts.
chromatic9
Member
What are you on about?
It is working actually, and enhanced works on any game that includes MSAA support in its engine, no compatibility bit needed. In fact, that's the only way forcing any type of MSAA is going to work in a modern DX11 game.
I would have forced AA properly in DX11 AC games ages ago...if there were a DX11 compatibility bit that works, which there isn't. Yes, the change is subtle, because it's only working on transparencies, but it's better than nothing. Besides, I wasn't saying it was effective, I was saying it actually did something.
Peterthumpa
Member
Sorry, reading comprehension fail.
Dictator93
Member
Wow, very cool.
One of the fiew DX10+ games that actually allows for NVCP additions to the MSAA samples. Nice find!
chromatic9
Member
You need to google some super sample threads. Been going for donkeys years on how to do it. Have done super sample, sparse grid super sample and downsample for around six years.
The original guy quoted was asking for SSAA in games. if you can try TR 2013 you can see what SSAA does and how it looks. Huge cost and greatly improves the image, and widely known as similar to downsampling, hence why you don't see it often in games. Merely clicking enhance won't do much and no way is what the guy was asking.
Woo! Someone who actually knows what I was talking about. I thought it was interesting, and it does have better transparency coverage than the default in-game MSAA + FXAA. Again, the lack of a compatibility bit doesn't really allow for the best coverage when compared to proper forcing of TrSSAA or SGSSAA, but it's better than nothing.
Now if they would fix that darn PCSS/MSAA glitch so I could use this with the Ultra quality shadows. I already posted a thread about it on the official forums, and got a support response, so fingers crossed.
Right, that's why I was asking him to clarify. He never really did, so I ended up giving him the wrong answer (TrSSAA) apparently. I guess what he's effectively asking for is in-game internal full scene supersampling (yes, otherwise known as SSAA), which DSR basically does already.
As for my knowledge on SSAA, SGSSAA, downsampling and the like, I think you and I are having some miscommunication issues. I know exactly what compatibility bits are, and how to force SSAA, OGSSAA, SGSSAA with bits, negative LOD biases and the like via Nivida Inspector. I too have been doing it for years, and have also read all available information on the subject.
There are simply no compatibility bits available for modern DX11 games. So the only way to affect the in-game MSAA at all for this game is to use the "enhance" mode. I was just showing it was possible. It had nothing to do with answering his original question. Hope that's clearer.
chromatic9
Member
Yes I think we're on the same page sorry, wasn't clear before. Going onto your test, pretty sure this works in AC Unity. I tried enhance last year and it did improve things. Not enough for me though but nice I suppose.
Dictator93
Member
Just curious, what happens when you use the bioshock or biochock 2 AA compatibility bits for dx1x?
It does this ;p
As I thought, an override probably isn't possible.
Good news is, I tested enhanced SGSSAA again, and it has even better texture clarity than the default MSAA or the enhanced TrSSAA. And with High Shadows, the performance impact @30 fps (on a 980 Ti, mind you) seems viable...so far.
Comparison below (note his jacket, the brick, the ground, especially in the distance):
http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/151578
Phew, glad we cleared that up
And yup, it works with AC Unity too. As you said, it isn't terribly effective, unless you step up to enhanced 4x sparse grid in my opinion, but that is impractically demanding in most instances. Most are probably better off using DSR or the like instead.
Good to know it works regardless.
Dictator93
Member
lol
Very interesting regardings SGSSAA. Does this work with unity as well? BTW, what is the MSAA error you mentioned before with the shadow settings?
I may one day pick that one up if not just for gfx reasons. Perhaps when it is like 3 USD.
dgrdsv
Member
SGSSAA should work in any game which support MSAA. In some cases there may be excessive blurring issues though which may be fixed with a proper AA bit - if it exists.
I see no reason why it wouldn't work with Unity as well; same engine, same MSAA options. I'd do a quick test, but I don't have it installed.
Oh, and currently, the PCSS and PCSS Ultra shadows create multiple issues/artifacts when paired with any MSAA or TXAA mode. The error mentioned in my first post on enhancing MSAA had to do with the fact that anything higher than High shadows destroys proper MSAA edge coverage.
I started a thread on the official forums reporting the MSAA/PCSS issues. All the details are there (reported the third one on the last post after I found it later):
http://forums.ubi.com/showthread.php/1333578-Visual-Artifacts-Caused-by-MSAA-TXAA?p=11157000#post11157000
Darkstorne
Member
Man, this game runs beautifully compared to Unity. I can get my i7 2600 and GTX 970 to run this at a constant (never, ever drops below) 60fps at 1080p with High shadows, HBAO+, and FXAA, everything else maxed.
HBAO+ Ultra drops my fps to the mid 50's, which would be fine if it seemed to make a big difference, but to me it looks far too dark in most situations. Like someone outlined characters and trees with a black marker pen. PCSS is a real performance killer, dropping my fps to the 40s on the standard version, and 30s with dips into the 20s with the Ultra version. It's awesome technology though, and I look forward to the day it becomes standard in games. As for the anti-aliasing options, is it weird that I can't see much difference with the TXAA solutions compared to standard FXAA? It's around 10fps in cost, but doesn't seem to affect aliasing much at all.
For the most part it's a beautiful game, and seems incredibly well optimised for PC this time around. I'm really glad they added options like PCSS for gamers with high end GPUs and SLI - I really wish most games would support those bleeding edge options. The only thing this engine seems to be lacking now is a screen space reflection solution for water and puddles, and a decent foliage solution (because man, trees and grasses have looked bad in AC games for a long time now...)
HBAO+ Ultra drops my fps to the mid 50's, which would be fine if it seemed to make a big difference, but to me it looks far too dark in most situations. Like someone outlined characters and trees with a black marker pen. PCSS is a real performance killer, dropping my fps to the 40s on the standard version, and 30s with dips into the 20s with the Ultra version. It's awesome technology though, and I look forward to the day it becomes standard in games. As for the anti-aliasing options, is it weird that I can't see much difference with the TXAA solutions compared to standard FXAA? It's around 10fps in cost, but doesn't seem to affect aliasing much at all.
For the most part it's a beautiful game, and seems incredibly well optimised for PC this time around. I'm really glad they added options like PCSS for gamers with high end GPUs and SLI - I really wish most games would support those bleeding edge options. The only thing this engine seems to be lacking now is a screen space reflection solution for water and puddles, and a decent foliage solution (because man, trees and grasses have looked bad in AC games for a long time now...)
I do too, but you see this is sadly more problematic than it should. When a game presents itself with very lush tech there is always a level of backlash because as a result of pushing technology forward the game is very taxing.
The game is then called unoptimized and the buzz surrounding the game becomes negative.
Thankfully developpers are more level headed than a portion of their userbase and understand that PC gaming is a platform that gives the choice, some are too easily upset that they cannot "max out" games especially when they lack the horsepower to do so anyway.
Sadly I can understand why some developpers choose to limit the scalability of their games. They can then be praised for their miraculous optimization work.
Darkstorne
Member
Maybe, but it worked wonders for Crysis. That game was beautiful for its time even on medium settings, and the advanced options kept it relevant, discussed, and purchased for years.
Trust me I would love every game to be as avant-garde as Crysis, which I recall many gamers trashing for its hardware requirements. It was a pitiful display of ignorance and shattered ego.
When even so called PC gamers can quite grasp a concept so central to PC gaming why bother ? It would not be so concerning if those people were not so disgustingly vocal.
The Janitor
Member
Pretty sure that's possible with any DX10+ game that supports MSAA. Of course you don't get nearly as good results with DX11 as you do with DX9 though.
Peterthumpa
Member
Isn't Star Citizen basically this generation's Crysis? Highly scalable.
I hope so. But you can already see very ignorant opinions being formed solely on the basis that it is going to require extraordinary hardware for "max settings".
I suspect those who swear by maximum settings are console gamers at heart, or have not got rid of their console mindsets.
On consoles little to nothing is left for the user to tweak. So in their minds a PC game can only consist of max settings.
D
Deleted member 17706
Unconfirmed Member
Man, I love how HBAO+ Ultra makes the game look. I think it's quite massive, actually.
I'm running an i5 2500k and a GTX 970, and even with HBAO+ Ultra on, my frame rate is still usually in the 60s or 70s with shadows one level below PCSS and just FXAA for AA. I haven't seen it drop below 55 or so yet. The game is beautiful, like you say. It seems like a really quality port so far.
PHOENIXZERO
Member
I think the PCSS expectations come from how well it worked in GTA V even though shadows in GTA V didn't exactly have an amazing draw distance and GTA V is still an improved version of a last gen game.
PCSS could quickly become expensive in GTA 5. Contact-hardening shadows always are demanding anyway.
Did it even work in Gta 5? I remember there being like 5 feet of good shadows and then everything turning to shit
Peterthumpa
Member
That setting only applies to OpenGL engines if I'm not mistaken.
PHOENIXZERO
Member
I'm just saying it works in GTA V while being able to maintain at least 60FPS with settings turned relatively high so people assume since they could do it in GTA V they should be able to do the same with this game even though aside from being open world they don't have anything in common and GTA V is still a game that started life on the last generation, there are things in GTA V that are bigger frame rate killers that most will turn down without even thinking about the shadows. GTA V also, as far as I know doesn't use HBAO+.
I'm pretty sure it does, it's just very noticeable in spots that the range around you for certain shadows is pretty limited.
I agree with you. Context matters, no doubt PCSS could be more affordable in a less complex game but Syndicate is graphically more impressive than GTA 5.
Unfortunately GTA 5 does not support HBAO+, it really needs it because the game's AO is awful.
Corpsepyre
Banned
So, summarizing everything, how does the port fare in the end?
Decent, good, could-be-better?
Decent, good, could-be-better?
flipswitch
Member
How's the default sensitivity on PC?
On console it was low, had to put it to full right away.
On console it was low, had to put it to full right away.
Decent port without too many bugs. it always could be better. Mine main complain is poor textures after X meters/miles. No matter how good is your PC and how high you set up in game settings they are awful. Especially y trees. This is not strictly related to quality of the port but it is time that Ubisoft implements LOD/Draw distance sliders in Anvil engine. Or at least give better settings in ini files so people can tweak them how they want.
It is fantastic. Scales well with the hardware.
Just make sure you have 3gb of VRAM.
PHOENIXZERO
Member
It seems to be pretty good as long as you have your hardware expectations in check.
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
Corpsepyre
Banned
If VRAM is 2 GB? What to tone down then?
Textures first, but I won't promise even decent performance and of course the lowest texture setting looks atrocious.
This game has not been designed with 2gb GPUs in mind, like many newest ones.
Peterthumpa
Member
Performance seems better than Unity, at least comparing both launches.
I'm playing with a GTX 970 G1 Gaming and an i5 4440 @ 1440p with FXAA, PCSS and HBAO Ultra, and getting a pretty consistent 30 FPS (locked it with RTSS).
Beautiful game.
I'm playing with a GTX 970 G1 Gaming and an i5 4440 @ 1440p with FXAA, PCSS and HBAO Ultra, and getting a pretty consistent 30 FPS (locked it with RTSS).
Beautiful game.
Recently got a 970 for this game. After overclocking it. I can easily get 60fps while recording footage. It's awesome. On a side note. AC Unity also hits 60fps. Also, does anyone know what setting to tone down for The Witcher 3? I have hairworks off, and I still can't get a stable 60fps on ultra settings.
Just to add my little experience, I'm running it on a GTX 770 with 2gb of VRAM (with a i5 3570k @ 4.2ghz and 8Gb of RAM) :
-I locked it to 30fps with the NVIDIA control panel, and like with Unity I just add 8x AF.
-In game, Vsync is off (obviously), and textures are set on high, details to very high, shadows to high, occlusion HBAO+, and FXAA.
-It's set to 1920x1080 and the VRAM usage is giving me 2778Mb/2Gb.
The game runs just fine, I can see some vertical tearing on some textures sometimes, and with some transparency like the glass windows above some buildings, I can feel a slight fps drop.
But hey, Unity ran equally, and I was used to the AC titles on Xbox 360, so I can bear with it, it looks nice and 30fps is not a problem for these games. It's good performances in the end with this GPU.
[EDIT] It goes under 30 fps during cutscenes sometimes too, of course. It causes some pictures/sound de-sync, but nothing too jarring.
-I locked it to 30fps with the NVIDIA control panel, and like with Unity I just add 8x AF.
-In game, Vsync is off (obviously), and textures are set on high, details to very high, shadows to high, occlusion HBAO+, and FXAA.
-It's set to 1920x1080 and the VRAM usage is giving me 2778Mb/2Gb.
The game runs just fine, I can see some vertical tearing on some textures sometimes, and with some transparency like the glass windows above some buildings, I can feel a slight fps drop.
But hey, Unity ran equally, and I was used to the AC titles on Xbox 360, so I can bear with it, it looks nice and 30fps is not a problem for these games. It's good performances in the end with this GPU.
[EDIT] It goes under 30 fps during cutscenes sometimes too, of course. It causes some pictures/sound de-sync, but nothing too jarring.
Triple Buffering set to off. Will not matter in the long run.
You have g-sync, so make sure that in NCP, render frame is set to 1, vsync (NCP) is on and g-sync is on.
vsync off IN-GAME.
If you play windowed, set g-sync to window mode in NCP as well.
Garrett Hawke
Member
I have a 970 too, I turn down foliage draw distance, foliage density and shadows I think and have HairWorks on and I get a solid 60fps, very small dips in Novigrad.
Shadows and grass/foliage distance down a notch.
keltickennedy
Member
What card are you playing on? I would recommend putting the AA on MSAA+FXAA if you can still manage to get 60fps. You will get a bit sharper overall image.