Microstutters when moving around on campaign map with high end machine

[gammasfor]

Required​

Summary​

Microstutters when moving around on campaign map with high end machine

Description​

So I noticed this issue originally on my 3080, but since noticed the issue occurs on a 9070 XT as well.

Essentially when scrolling on the campaign map, the game will stutter when passing an area with a high number of models (i.e towns, vegetations etc). When you stop in the area the framerate will return to normal, its only at the moment they appear on the screen (I guess loading in). This seems to happen regardless of what resolution or graphics settings you have set.

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5800x

RAM: 16GB @ 3200Mhz

GPU: AMD Radeon FX 9070 XT (however was also reproduceable on an Nvidia Geforce RTX 3080 10GB)

Game installed on an M.2 NVMe SSD.

Video that attempts to demonstrate the issue (but kinda hard to see with video compression):

Steps to reproduce​

- Load a save file on the campaign map
- Move around the camera to go over a point where there is a high concentration of entities

Platform​

Steam

Game Version​

2024.11-SE

Owned DLCs​

• Dragon Dawn
• Empires and Ashes
• Primal Fury
• Eldritch Realms

Optional​

Affected Feature​

Attachments​

 

[Triumph Jordi]

Hi Gammasfor, thank you for your question. As per our Troubleshooting Guide, these stutters occur from the Units Activating & Deactivating their Modularity & Animation Systems.

 

[gammasfor]

Hmmm thanks, if I understand correctly - is what you're saying that there isn't really any particular fix to this - or is it just CPU bottlenecking?

 

[Triumph Jordi]

Hmmm thanks, if I understand correctly - is what you're saying that there isn't really any particular fix to this - or is it just CPU bottlenecking?

It is inherently not something we can fix, as it's just the way the engine handles it. Depending on your hardware your CPU may be better or worse at handling the peaks, but I would not go and upgrade just because of this.

 

[gammasfor]

It is inherently not something we can fix, as it's just the way the engine handles it. Depending on your hardware your CPU may be better or worse at handling the peaks, but I would not go and upgrade just because of this.

Sorry, a related issue which is probably bigger - If you pan too quickly (i.e. doing the thing that causes this stuttering issue but at a more rapid rate) it can sometimes cause the audio to cut out (I guess makes sense because I'm assuming its locking up threads)

EDIT: Ruled out the thing raised in the troubleshooting thread about audio crackling (I wouldn't consider disabling PCI-E Gen 4 a solution for an issue impacting only one game anyway) as the audio cut out only happens in game (i.e. I played some music in a background app whilst replicating the audio cutout ingame and whilst it cut out in game it was the external audio was fine).

 

[gammasfor]

As I note that this particular aspect of the stuttering issue isn't documented, I decided to include a video of this particular aspect:

To confirm I had LatencyMon running in the background and it wasn't reporting latency issues (directx graphics driver spiked to 0.884ms latency but I mean yeah its running a game of course it would). Now I will admit, obviously moving the map around like this is a bit of an esoteric case - but it might explain why you've occasionally had reports of audio crackling or cutting out historically in more incidental cases, particularly on machines with weaker single-core clock speeds.

 

[teddy_bear13]

It is inherently not something we can fix, as it's just the way the engine handles it. Depending on your hardware your CPU may be better or worse at handling the peaks, but I would not go and upgrade just because of this.

Jordi, could you please explain why I am experiencing stuttering that seems to be even worse than in the video above with a more powerful CPU/GPU? I've also tested on two systems and found that there is less stutter on older less powerful hardware.

Significantly More Stutter Issues on High End Hardware vs Older Hardware

Required Summary Significantly More Stutter Issues on High End Hardware vs Older Hardware Description Game is bordering unplayable due to intense stutter and tearing when simply moving around on the world map on a high end PC. There is already a...

forum.paradoxplaza.com

 

[Wyrd Deofol]

Jordi, could you please explain why I am experiencing stuttering that seems to be even worse than in the video above with a more powerful CPU/GPU? I've also tested on two systems and found that there is less stutter on older less powerful hardware.

Significantly More Stutter Issues on High End Hardware vs Older Hardware

Required Summary Significantly More Stutter Issues on High End Hardware vs Older Hardware Description Game is bordering unplayable due to intense stutter and tearing when simply moving around on the world map on a high end PC. There is already a...

forum.paradoxplaza.com

I believe Jordi said that they've done what they can with the engine and it depends on your hardware.
That said, i changed my hardware and i have no stutters. Also it's a 4x turnbase game, you're still able to play it. I played my first 500 hours with immense stutters.

You are not limiting the frames by an outsource third party like NVdidia control panel? That gave me huge amounts of stutters.
When i turned it off and used v-sync ingame, my stutters were gone. So my advice is not to limit your fps outside of the game by any means. Check if your system runs the right resolution and framerate.

There are multiple solutions, and i see from the steamforums that you always relate to, that you tried some stuff already.
I suggest troubleshooting it yourself. Who knows what tweaking with some settings could do, Or maybe changing virus software or something else.

 

[Zursk]

I believe Jordi said that they've done what they can with the engine and it depends on your hardware.
That said, i changed my hardware and i have no stutters. Also it's a 4x turnbase game, you're still able to play it. I played my first 500 hours with immense stutters.

You are not limiting the frames by an outsource third party like NVdidia control panel? That gave me huge amounts of stutters.
When i turned it off and used v-sync ingame, my stutters were gone. So my advice is not to limit your fps outside of the game by any means. Check if your system runs the right resolution and framerate.

There are multiple solutions, and i see from the steamforums that you always relate to, that you tried some stuff already.
I suggest troubleshooting it yourself. Who knows what tweaking with some settings could do, Or maybe changing virus software or something else.

I have troubleshooted this including your suggestions. My computer is beyond overkill for this game. I am using a fresh windows install. I know what I am doing. Ive tried everything I can think of to mitigate this issue.

You are right, it is a 4x game, you can just suffer the performance issues. Ive been able to get it to be reasonably playable. It does not feel good to play and that is a problem. I am able to get Planetfall to run perfectly smooth.

 

[Wyrd Deofol]

I have troubleshooted this including your suggestions. My computer is beyond overkill for this game. I am using a fresh windows install. I know what I am doing. Ive tried everything I can think of to mitigate this issue.

You are right, it is a 4x game, you can just suffer the performance issues. Ive been able to get it to be reasonably playable. It does not feel good to play and that is a problem. I am able to get Planetfall to run perfectly smooth.

I'm not suggesting you don't know what you are doing. You are a different person after all.
Yes Planetfall plays smooth for me as well, you should look out for the Ogre update. My performance shot up to 75 fps everywhere instead of 40-75.
(Nevermind you said on steam that it still fluctuates.)

 

[Zursk]

I'm not suggesting you don't know what you are doing.
Yes Planetfall plays smooth for me as well, you should look out for the Ogre update. My performance shot up to 75 fps everywhere instead of 40-75.
(Nevermind you said on steam that it still fluctuates.)

I have tried with and without the Ogre update. I thought maybe it might be something to do with audio because of the issue mentioned above but same issue no matter what audio output I use.

 

[Wyrd Deofol]

I have tried with and without the Ogre update. I thought maybe it might be something to do with audio because of the issue mentioned above but same issue no matter what audio output I use.

It is not related to audio. Good luck with your issue.
As i said on Steam try halving, triple halving v-sync, but if you're not willing to do so, good luck.

 

[Triumph Jordi]

Sorry, a related issue which is probably bigger - If you pan too quickly (i.e. doing the thing that causes this stuttering issue but at a more rapid rate) it can sometimes cause the audio to cut out (I guess makes sense because I'm assuming its locking up threads)

That would likely be because Fmod runs out of Memory Budget that is available, as different one-shots and the like get played/queued/

Jordi, could you please explain why I am experiencing stuttering that seems to be even worse than in the video above with a more powerful CPU/GPU? I've also tested on two systems and found that there is less stutter on older less powerful hardware.

Significantly More Stutter Issues on High End Hardware vs Older Hardware

Required Summary Significantly More Stutter Issues on High End Hardware vs Older Hardware Description Game is bordering unplayable due to intense stutter and tearing when simply moving around on the world map on a high end PC. There is already a...

forum.paradoxplaza.com

I have responded to your questions in your thread