SB Pro PE 4.0 - Discussion thread

[Haferja]

I get much lower FPS than in previous version (eg. scenario PsGren Assault). In 3.5 it was 25 FPS, now it is 10-15 FPS :-(

 

My system isn't the slowest one:

Intel Sandybridge 4.6 Ghz (4+4 core)

Gtx980Ti (6GB)

16GB RAM

SSD

XFI Soundcard

 

[Ssnake]

See here.

 

I can but recommend to reduce the ground clutter, and where it doesn't hurt, to reduce visibility in scenarios (e.g. by adding rain). These seem to be the two steps (aside from our general tweaking recommendations in the user's manual) that promise substantial gains in frame rate.

Of course we'll do our part as well, and try to widen the current bottlenecks in the system. But that's a slow-moving process.

[Marko]

Just ran a quick tank battle set in a very heavy snow storm. (T-72B1/85 v The M-60A3)
Of course the M-60 had the edge with its thermals but man it was fun.
Could not see #%&*$# in the T-72. But that was sort of the idea wanted to experience trying to fight in extreme conditions
it very atmospheric, As I expected got my ass handed to me, the M-60's ripped me to shreds
Crazy as it sounds that's what I was hoping for, I wanted to see the New weather effects inaction
And there effect on AFV,s. I was not disappointed just what I was looking for.
I hooked up my PC to my big screen sat back and watched the battle unfold.
4.0 certainly has a lot to offer mission makers.


 

[Haferja]

Versions ago, fullscreen + mouse pointer was working for me. But with the last version of 3.5 and this version it doesnt. Isn't there a fix meanwhilde fpr using the mouse on the map?

[Haferja]

21 minutes ago, Ssnake said:

See here.

 

I can but recommend to reduce the ground clutter, and where it doesn't hurt, to reduce visibility in scenarios (e.g. by adding rain). These seem to be the two steps (aside from our general tweaking recommendations in the user's manual) that promise substantial gains in frame rate.

Of course we'll do our part as well, and try to widen the current bottlenecks in the system. But that's a slow-moving process.

ok, thanx. Btw, you ve got the same system as mine. funny. Maybe my resulution 2560x1440 is a fps-eater...i will test and see...

[Thadwb]

2 hours ago, Haferja said:

I get much lower FPS than in previous version (eg. scenario PsGren Assault). In 3.5 it was 25 FPS, now it is 10-15 FPS :-(

 

My system isn't the slowest one:

Intel Sandybridge 4.6 Ghz (4+4 core)

Gtx980Ti (6GB)

16GB RAM

SSD

XFI Soundcard

 

You didn't share what resolution you are attempting to run SB with.

[Marder]

Here i7 with amd r9 nano and 32gb ddr3

1080p with aa2 and shadows lowered.

What an intense tanksim.

The new gfx and sounds are sooo scary and cool.

Thx for making such a great sim.

[guccimanetraplord]

3 hours ago, Ssnake said:

 

We've figured out what the issue is, and hopefully we can fix it in the coming hours. Unfortunately it was not a trivial issue, so I can but post the news here as soon as I have them. Until then I can only ask for your patience.

Any update?

[Gibsonm]

17 minutes ago, guccimanetraplord said:

Any update?

 

Probably not as he said he'd:

 

4 hours ago, Ssnake said:

 ... so I can but post the news here as soon as I have them.

 

No post = no update.

 

Then the second part applies:

 

4 hours ago, Ssnake said:

Until then I can only ask for your patience.

 

Edited August 10, 2016 by Gibsonm

[Ssnake]

3 hours ago, Haferja said:

Versions ago, fullscreen + mouse pointer was working for me. But with the last version of 3.5 and this version it doesnt. Isn't there a fix meanwhilde fpr using the mouse on the map?

 

I cannot memorize every support case that is currently flying through the air, and I will not scroll back in this monster thread to find out what you described before. Please consolidate your report in a separate thread, and put it into the support section. SOmeone will shortly come to your assistance there.

[Panzer_Leader]

4 hours ago, Haferja said:

I get much lower FPS than in previous version (eg. scenario PsGren Assault). In 3.5 it was 25 FPS, now it is 10-15 FPS :-(

 

I've got an old laptop (pending upgrade) and reduced all the Detail settings to ~10-15 and disabled all the Graphic settings, except those default for stars and then built the Graphic settings back up, with shadows on 2 and detailed tracks enabled and I'm consistently seeing frame rates in the 3D world of 25-30, which I think I remember seeing somewhere is the threshold for "acceptable" in eSim's Beta testing. From my playing around with it, anti-aliasing (which I've left off) looks like the biggest FPS hog of the lot, followed by shadows (which I've re-enabled at 2). It looks and works fine for me using these settings. Sure, I'd like more detail but it's perfectly playable and immersive as is and I need to sacrifice something because of my sub-par hardware.  

 

My recommendation is to strip it all back and then built it back up again using 'Alt' + 'F12', 'Alt' + 'D' and 'Alt' + 'G' in 3D view until you get the best - for you - compromise between appearance and performance.

[Ssnake]

9 minutes ago, Panzer_Leader said:

I've got an old laptop (pending upgrade) and reduced all the Detail settings to ~10-15 and disabled all the Graphic settings, except those default for stars and then built the Graphic settings back up, with shadows on 2 and detailed tracks enabled and I'm consistently seeing frame rates in the 3D world of 25-30, which I think I remember seeing somewhere is the threshold for "acceptable" in eSim's Beta testing. From my playing around with it, anti-aliasing (which I've left off) looks like the biggest FPS hog of the lot, followed by shadows (which I've re-enabled at 2).

...

My recommendation is to strip it all back and then built it back up again using 'Alt' + 'F12', 'Alt' + 'D' and 'Alt' + 'G' in 3D view until you get the best - for you - compromise between appearance and performance.

 

It's a good approach. My only caveat would be that the effect of antialiasing is very much different from one graphics chip to another. Intel integrated graphics chips seem to suffer a lot, others do it without measurable effect on the overall frame rate (because the bottleneck is somewhere else).

 

One thing that everybody can do is to modify scenarios that give a particularly hard time and reduce the visibility range. If it's 6,000m, maybe cut it back to 4,000. Add a few weather control points that add a bit of variety ... and also cut down visibility a bit (particularly for the thermals, which will gain the most FPS from that).

Of course that's not a permanent solution. We need to improve the overall performance. But it's a workaround that offers instant frame rate boosts, and that's not a bad thing.

[guccimanetraplord]

quick question snake, will the temp prices be the same as 3.028?

[jtyotJOTJIPAEFVJ]

 

I made a quick youtube video of the Marder on the tank range. The APDS rounds are surprisingly easy to hit with, even with no FCS. Also got the lowest average time to kill I've seen so far, at 1.5 seconds  

[Ssnake]

15 minutes ago, guccimanetraplord said:

quick question snake, will the temp prices be the same as 3.028?

 

At some point there may be moderate increases, but not in the immediate future.

[Maj.Hans]

I'm curious to know, what exactly is going on with the M60 stabilizer when you fire?

 

It looks like sometimes it shuts off after firing and other times it doesn't, so sometimes the driver will halt AFTER you fire?

[Sean]

The time limited licenses are back in the store, now.

[DarkAngel]

41 minutes ago, Maj.Hans said:

I'm curious to know, what exactly is going on with the M60 stabilizer when you fire?

 

It looks like sometimes it shuts off after firing and other times it doesn't, so sometimes the driver will halt AFTER you fire?

The loader turns off the stab when loading. You then need to turn it back on with the V key.

Edited August 10, 2016 by DarkAngel

[Volcano]

6 hours ago, TSe419E said:

Is there any particular reason that the base M1/IPM1 was dropped from the list of vehicles for the "Tank Range?"

Because they are functionally identical to the M1A1 that is already there (OK, gun is smaller, but operation of FCS is identical). They were removed to clean up the gunner range list since we were running out of space in the menu.

[TSe419E]

Okay, thanks.

[Lt DeFault]

I'd just like to thank the entire eSim team, the beta testers and anyone involved in the production of SB for their hard work, patience and everything they do. Great job, guys!

 

Oh, and the new credits song is epic!

[Panzer_Leader]

Hear, hear!

 

What are the highlights of 4.0 for you so far?  After a couple of hours playing around with it last night the highlights for me (and they're really only the tip of the iceberg) are:

1. The new small-arms 3D models including customisable light machine-guns. Machine-gunners can now have a GPMG, PKM or M-60 in addition to the default MG3, plus they have bipods!
2. The clumps of earth flying around during artillery strikes, they look amazing! The same can be said of the sparks when rounds strike armour.
3. The T-55AM. I had no idea there'd be an ATGM-equipped T-55 included (I thought it was just the AM2 variant). This is an excellent proxy for the T-55AMV used by Soviet Naval Infantry, included in one of my scenarios, and is a beast. In a test scenario a platoon of three T-55AMs took out a troop of three Chieftain Mk.5s simultaneously with their AT-10s without the Chieftains ever getting a round off...
4. The M47 Dragon. I haven't used it yet but it's just so cool to have it in Steel Beasts.
5. The Spahpanzer Lynx A2. I haven't had time to use it much yet but that's the one vehicle in 4.0 I'm keen to master, followed by the M60A3 TTS and Sho't Kal (as Centurion Mk.11 proxy).
6. The new precipitation weather effects are also awesome (and the now less-than-omnipotent thermal imaging) but, unfortunately, my hardware isn't capable at the moment of really doing them justice, hopefully post-laptop upgrade in a few months (wife's permission required) it'll be different.

I haven't even looked at the AH-1, Mi-8, sniper teams etc. yet. So I think there's a lot more to get excited about.

 

Thanks eSim for an amazing update!  In my view it's perhaps the best yet, and some of the others were pretty exciting at the time too.

 

Cheers  

 

Edited August 11, 2016 by Panzer_Leader

[Lt DeFault]

I don't even know where to start listing all the new stuff I like. I've only been messing around with it for about an hour and everywhere I look there's something new. Here's an incomplete, random list of stuff I can think of right now:

 

• All the new vehicles and modeled crews (MARDER!! )
• Working suspension
• Particle effects
• New map contour lines
• Overhead view
• Improved route UI (the way battle positions orient themselves and the ability to set defaults)
• Snipers
• TIS depth of field
• New sound effects
• The ability to set unit groups (haven't really experimented with this, yet...but it looks promising)
• The night sky

 

I'm sure I will find even more stuff to add to this list in the coming days. I haven't even messed around with the weather yet, either. I think this might be the biggest leap SB has taken since its inception. (On par with the leap to PRO PE, IMO.) Well worth the $40.

[Marko]

1 hour ago, Panzer_Leader said:

Hear, hear!

 

What are the highlights of 4.0 for you so far?  After a couple of hours playing around with it last night the highlights for me (and they're really only the tip of the iceberg) are:

1. The new small-arms 3D models including customisable light machine-guns. Machine-gunners can now have a GPMG, PKM or M-60 in addition to the default MG3, plus they have bipods!
2. The clumps of earth flying around during artillery strikes, they look amazing! The same can be said of the sparks when rounds strike armour.
3. The T-55AM. I had no idea there'd be an ATGM-equipped T-55 included (I thought it was just the AM2 variant). This is an excellent proxy for the T-55AMV used by Soviet Naval Infantry, included in one of my scenarios, and is a beast. In a test scenario a platoon of three T-55AMs took out a troop of three Chieftain Mk.5s simultaneously with their AT-10s without the Chieftains ever getting a round off...
4. The M47 Dragon. I haven't used it yet but it's just so cool to have it in Steel Beasts.
5. The Spahpanzer Lynx A2. I haven't had time to use it much yet but that's the one vehicle in 4.0 I'm keen to master, followed by the M60A3 TTS and Sho't Kal (as Centurion Mk.11 proxy).
6. The new precipitation weather effects are also awesome (and the now less-than-omnipotent thermal imaging) but, unfortunately, my hardware isn't capable at the moment of really doing them justice, hopefully post-laptop upgrade in a few months (wife's permission required) it'll be different.

I haven't even looked at the AH-1, Mi-8, sniper teams etc. yet. So I think there's a lot more to get excited about.

 

Thanks eSim for an amazing update!  In my view it's perhaps the best yet, and some of the others were pretty exciting at the time too.

 

Cheers  

 

+1

I was very pleased to discover how effective the T-55AM can be if it survives long enough to use the AT-10.

I managed to take out three Leo-2A6 with a company of T-55AM's lost seven of them but talk about breathing new life in to an old dog.

Had that been in a T-62 or T-55A/M they wouldn't have stood a chance in relatively open ground

 

[Maj.Hans]

4 hours ago, Volcano said:

Because they are functionally identical to the M1A1 that is already there (OK, gun is smaller, but operation of FCS is identical). They were removed to clean up the gunner range list since we were running out of space in the menu.

 

The base M1 still shows up for me?

 

Very bottom of the left hand column.