[TECH Report] As the second turns: the web digests our game testing methods

Page 17 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

Rikard

Senior member
Apr 25, 2012
428
0
0
As promised, here is the Hitman file I get with FXAA on: Stuttering mess
I do not have time atm to do the one dimensional distribution plot I did before, but I think this plot also conveys the message, it is a stuttering mess:
2wel7go.png

(but like I said, just turn off FXAA and use MSAA and experience is much smoother and image quality is better too)

Very interesting.

Rikard, Brightcandle, Railven - You guys up for testing this?
Just did a quick check. All it did in Skyrim was lower my FPS, but then again I never had microstuttering in Skyrim to start with. I tried it with Hitman using the "stuttering mess" settings above and the result was rock bottom FPS and completely unplayable experience. For me at least using single core is a no-go.
9r62l0.png
 

Pedroc1999

Senior member
Jan 8, 2013
305
0
0
Does this mean that for example the drivers of the 7XXX series will be tweaked to allow for more performance, sorry but i dont understand much
 

railven

Diamond Member
Mar 25, 2010
6,604
561
126
Well it's far from "smooth", like fps chart suggests.


<snip>


2nd run much much better

<snip>

Now GTX 680:

<snip>

Microstutter.exe

Welps, I don't know how anyone can say it isn't there. For those that haven't noticed it - leave this thread. Once you see it, you can't unsee it (haha). Enjoy the bliss of ignorance.

Otherway, hope AMD fixes this before I upgrade else that be a strong dent against them when I upgrade.
 

3DVagabond

Lifer
Aug 10, 2009
11,951
204
106
Does this mean that for example the drivers of the 7XXX series will be tweaked to allow for more performance, sorry but i dont understand much

From what I've been able to gather so far (it's all a bit vague), there was already a memory management rewrite going on with the drivers. This would likely improve performance overall. Although, how much, who knows? Plus there will be individual game optimizations to address the frame time graphs. I don't see that making much of a difference in FPS, if that's what you mean by "performance".
 

Keysplayr

Elite Member
Jan 16, 2003
21,219
54
91
From what I've been able to gather so far (it's all a bit vague), there was already a memory management rewrite going on with the drivers. This would likely improve performance overall. Although, how much, who knows? Plus there will be individual game optimizations to address the frame time graphs. I don't see that making much of a difference in FPS, if that's what you mean by "performance".

Where did you read/hear that a memory rewrite was "already" in progress? Huddy? No, there was no rewrite (still looking for more info that there actually IS a rewrite going on) until TR and H started gaining traction with the frame latency reporting and gaming "smoothness".

If there was a rewrite "already underway" could you please quote the source? I'd like to take a look.
Thanks.
 

Homeles

Platinum Member
Dec 9, 2011
2,580
0
0
Where did you read/hear that a memory rewrite was "already" in progress? Huddy? No, there was no rewrite (still looking for more info that there actually IS a rewrite going on) until TR and H started gaining traction with the frame latency reporting and gaming "smoothness".

If there was a rewrite "already underway" could you please quote the source? I'd like to take a look.
Thanks.
...what? How can you misconstrue something so crystal-clear?

Where did he hear that? Try the original source, for crying out loud:

David Baumann said:
Additionally, when we switched from the old VLIW architecture to the GCN core there was a significant updates to all parts of the driver was needed &#8211; although not really spoken about the entire memory management on GCN is different to prior GPU's and the initial software management for that was primarily driven by schedule and in the meantime we've been rewriting it again and we have discovered that the new version has also improved frame latency in a number of cases so we are accelerating the QA and implementation of that.
http://techreport.com/news/24136/dr...e-radeon-frame-latencies-in-series-of-updates

It explicitly states that it's been in the works for a while, but only once they discovered that it helped with frame latency did it receive greater priority.
 

3DVagabond

Lifer
Aug 10, 2009
11,951
204
106
Where did you read/hear that a memory rewrite was "already" in progress? Huddy? No, there was no rewrite (still looking for more info that there actually IS a rewrite going on) until TR and H started gaining traction with the frame latency reporting and gaming "smoothness".

If there was a rewrite "already underway" could you please quote the source? I'd like to take a look.
Thanks.

Well, Homeles saved me the trouble. The bold part was really unneeded.

Now, where is [H]'s report on frame latencies? I haven't seen that one. (That's the proper way to request something you haven't seen and avoid creating flame wars.)
 

Keysplayr

Elite Member
Jan 16, 2003
21,219
54
91
[H] doesn't do objective frame latency data collecting.

TR, ABT and PCPER now apparently does. Which is cool.
H merely stated gameplay "felt smoother" on the Nvidia setup. So you're correct there.

Anyway, if Dave Baumann says there was a rewrite already in progress then there was a rewrite of the never settle "best drivers ever" already in progress.
I have a bridge for sale if anyone's interested.

And Homeles, calm down bud, please. I guess if AMD says it, than it's true. Everything else they say is right on the money, so...
 

Phynaz

Lifer
Mar 13, 2006
10,140
819
126
I would imagine. At least in this forum.

May I ask why you continue to post here if you have such large issues with this forum?

It would be similar to me posting at the zone or ABT. Why do it if you have such disagreement with the users?
 

notty22

Diamond Member
Jan 1, 2010
3,375
0
0
...what? How can you misconstrue something so crystal-clear?

Where did he hear that? Try the original source, for crying out loud:


http://techreport.com/news/24136/dr...e-radeon-frame-latencies-in-series-of-updates

It explicitly states that it's been in the works for a while, but only once they discovered that it helped with frame latency did it receive greater priority.

What's a 'while', the 7970 was launched 13 months ago. You are taking liberties with a vague statement also.
 

MrK6

Diamond Member
Aug 9, 2004
4,458
4
81
What's a 'while', the 7970 was launched 13 months ago. You are taking liberties with a vague statement also.
What does this have to do with the original question? Homeles's post answered it fully, stop grasping at straws.
 

Homeles

Platinum Member
Dec 9, 2011
2,580
0
0
What's a 'while', the 7970 was launched 13 months ago. You are taking liberties with a vague statement also.
This is completely different. It's not even remotely close — you should feel ashamed of yourself for drawing such an asinine conclusion.

I'm not telling lies to push my agenda. I'm keeping the facts straight.

It's a vague statement an appropriately so; the information it is drawn from is also vague. What I didn't make was an absolute statement, unlike Keysplayr. I have that liberty.
 

3DVagabond

Lifer
Aug 10, 2009
11,951
204
106
TR, ABT and PCPER now apparently does. Which is cool.
H merely stated gameplay "felt smoother" on the Nvidia setup. So you're correct there.

Anyway, if Dave Baumann says there was a rewrite already in progress then there was a rewrite of the never settle "best drivers ever" already in progress.
I have a bridge for sale if anyone's interested.

And Homeles, calm down bud, please. I guess if AMD says it, than it's true. Everything else they say is right on the money, so...

Stop trying to twist things to fit your agenda, then. TR's report has zero to do with [H]'s actual gaming results with SLI vs. Crossfire.

PCPER has reported what, exactly? I haven't seen them publish anything that backs what TR has reported. Can you show us?

I assume that by the, "I have a bridge for sale if anyone's interested" comment you are calling Baumann a liar? Why? Don't you think they would be continually trying to improve their drivers? Or are you trying to tell us that beta drivers would be their final driver release ever?
 
Last edited:

3DVagabond

Lifer
Aug 10, 2009
11,951
204
106
PCPER's Ryan Shrout is going to be using a hardware-based approach to frame latency capture.

http://www.pcper.com/reviews/Graphics-Cards/Frame-Rating-New-Graphics-Performance-Metric

Thanks. :thumbsup:

I've read that. I was just wondering if they had reported anything that backs TR's report up. Since it's being strung together in the same sentence with TR. Or if it's just more attempts at finding backup to a position where it doesn't exist. Like throwing [H] into the mix was.
 

notty22

Diamond Member
Jan 1, 2010
3,375
0
0
This is completely different. It's not even remotely close &#8212; you should feel ashamed of yourself for drawing such an asinine conclusion.

I'm not telling lies to push my agenda. I'm keeping the facts straight.

It's a vague statement an appropriately so; the information it is drawn from is also vague. What I didn't make was an absolute statement, unlike Keysplayr. I have that liberty.

What a load of drivel. Take off your cape, and take a dose of reality. You are not adding anything of value with your call-outs and name calling, that seems to be your new 'mission'. Decent debate is exactly what you are not bringing to the forum.
 
Last edited:

Homeles

Platinum Member
Dec 9, 2011
2,580
0
0
What a load of drivel. Take off your cape, and take a dose of reality. You are not adding anything of value with your call-outs and name calling, that seems to be your new 'mission'. Decent debate is exactly what your are not bringing to the forum.
Well, considering that your argument was completely off target, you're not bringing "decent debate to the forum" either.

At least I'm still right.
 

Vesku

Diamond Member
Aug 25, 2005
3,743
28
86
TR, ABT and PCPER now apparently does. Which is cool.
H merely stated gameplay "felt smoother" on the Nvidia setup. So you're correct there.

Anyway, if Dave Baumann says there was a rewrite already in progress then there was a rewrite of the never settle "best drivers ever" already in progress.
I have a bridge for sale if anyone's interested.

And Homeles, calm down bud, please. I guess if AMD says it, than it's true. Everything else they say is right on the money, so...

Considering their HSA initiative it's plausible I'd even say expected they have been working on the memory system relatively constantly. Safe to say the priority level has been raised due to the Techreport and several other review sites then adding their own examinations of frametimes.

Side note: I've still never been able to replicate TRs results for Skyrim despite getting roughly similar results in Sleeping Dogs at their listed settings. Seems to me these particular metrics are more sensitive to relatively minor differences in total platform configuration than I've ever seen in FPS results.
 

Keysplayr

Elite Member
Jan 16, 2003
21,219
54
91
May I ask why you continue to post here if you have such large issues with this forum?

It would be similar to me posting at the zone or ABT. Why do it if you have such disagreement with the users?

You have large issues with me, and still continue to address me. May I ask why?
 

Keysplayr

Elite Member
Jan 16, 2003
21,219
54
91
Considering their HSA initiative it's plausible I'd even say expected they have been working on the memory system relatively constantly. Safe to say the priority level has been raised due to the Techreport and several other review sites then adding their own examinations of frametimes.

Side note: I've still never been able to replicate TRs results for Skyrim despite getting roughly similar results in Sleeping Dogs at their listed settings. Seems to me these particular metrics are more sensitive to relatively minor differences in total platform configuration than I've ever seen in FPS results.

Anything is possible. But I wonder if we'd be hearing anything about a re-write at all had it not been for the publicity.