DG III alpha performance problem, need files(?)

[Ace]

Background: Been using and becoming addicted to Orbiter for about a year, recently bought new computer because old one
died. All my Orbiter files are on it so I had to redownload everything (thus I don't have the old Delta Glider II files)

I'm a n00b around here so I sincerely apologize in advance if I've overlooked or missed an important page or post.


Question 1: Where can I get the Delta Glider 2 files? I can't find it anywhere since the DG3 alpha came out. Perhaps I'm just
clueless but it doesn't seem to be on the site anywhere. Could this be the reason for the problem described below? (ie do you
need to install the DGIII Alpha on top of the DG2?)

Question 2: Has anyone else had problems when using the lower instrument panel on the (version  04.04.01 rev1) DG III Alpha?
When using the roof panel and main panel, everything seems to work fine, but when I switch to the lower panel to fiddle with
the life support and fuel instruments, everything freezes (or at least works VERY slowly). If I press a button on the panel,
it takes 20 seconds to respond, and similarly if I try to move the panel view it takes a long time to move. Using the
external view and the top 2 panels, the framerate is great, even in high resolutions with full details turned on. But shortly
after switching to the lower panel, ~splat!~

It doesn't seem to be an issue of temporary freezing due to virtual memory swapping/data loading, because the HD never is
active during these freezes. Sometimes it's so bad I need to exit orbiter because I can't switch back to the top panels, and
it's very nonresponsive for very long stretches of time!


I loved the DG 2, and I want to love the DGIII, but this problem is confuzling the heck out of me.
If anyone can help me, I'll be your grateful and loyal minion

(Hardware background: 1.6 ghz Athlon XP laptop with a Radeon 9700 mobile video card. Not the best gaming machine, but as I
said, even in hi res with all detail options turned on, it normally runs great. Other ships seem to work fine. )

[Krytom]

The DG 2 is not this site any more. But i am sure if you asked Dan politely he could send you it be e-mail. To install the
DG 3 delete the DG 2 files first. The panel problem has been fixed in the latest upload of the DG 3. Have a look. The
DG 3 is not that different to fly than the DG 2, but if you do have any queries then there is quite a bit of info in the DG
3 release threads. It could take some reading, but you will find it eventually.

Hope it helped.

[McBrain]

I guess the DG II is still available at www.avsim.com !

[Krytom]

I don't think it was ever released on Avsim.

[DanSteph]

You don't need the DGII at all to install the DGIII if it was your question. About lower panel issue
it's strange there was not big change in it and even the performance have been improved.

What do you have for a computer and graphic card ?

Anyway if you want to reverse to previous version here is the link (it's on an alternate ftp)

Click here to download the DGII

I would not be surprised that the DGII cause problem also in the last version of Orbiter,
or maybe it's a problem with your driver and/or setting of graphic card ?
nobody seem to have this issue, so it may be a problem on your side.

Let me know

Dan



Post Edited ( 04-25-04 16:17 )

[Krytom]

Dan
Was the DG II ever released anywhere other than here? I don't know why i ask, but i would just like to know.
Thanks.

[DanSteph]

No, my point is that if I spread my add-ons everywhere
I do not need to have a site anymore.

And I love having a site and a forum

Dan

[McBrain]

DanSteph wrote:
No, my point is that if I spread my add-ons everywhere
I do not need to have a site anymore.

And I love having a site and a forum

Dan

The BEST forum!!

[Krytom]

I agree.

[Ace]

Many thanks to everyone for their quick replies and suggestions, and thanks in particular to Daniel for his personal
attention and all the work he's put into this great idea

On closer examination the freezing only seems to start once the "Excess G" warning pops up. I know you're planning to fix
this problem - the thing I'm wondering about is will the panel freeze up when a REAL Excess G warning happens?
I'm still trying to determine what I may be doing wrong...  
I tried running orbiter in both Direct 3D mode and using the default display adapter, but with the same results. The panel
works for a few seconds at first and then just freezes.  I also tried using different resolutions, but no luck.

Thanks for the DG 2 link. I've tried to reproduce this problem with the DGII, but it works fine. I even ran the "Bad but
Beautiful day" scenario so I could smack into the atmosphere and trigger all the Excess G and Temp alarms

But I still didn't have this freezing problem with the lower panel even in the midst of all the carnage.

[DanSteph]

Ace wrote:
On closer examination the freezing only seems to start once the "Excess G" warning pops up. I know
you're planning to fix

If I understand right the lower panel run fine as long as there is not an excess G ?
otherwise it work fine ?

that would be an intteresting indication for me.

Dan

[Ace]

Yes that seems to be the case.
The strange thing is, for me the Excess G warning comes up within a minute of starting the simulation, even when I'm on the
ground or docked at the ISS, and this is with no time acceleration. Also I made sure that orbit stabilization is turned off
(I read the orbit stabilization thread, at least)

[DanSteph]

Ace wrote:
Yes that seems to be the case.
The strange thing is, for me the Excess G warning comes up within a minute of starting the simulation....

Argh.. that's too strange for me...

It seem that as time pass all goes weird on your computer with the DGIII:
G goes excess and the lower panel start to freeze.

I have no report of such behaviour on other computer yet...

What do you have for a computer/gfx card ?

strange, strange

Dan



Post Edited ( 04-26-04 01:32 )

[Ace]

What do you have for a computer/gfx card ?

I have a 1.6 ghz Athlon XP laptop with a Radeon video card... I think it's a 320 M.  And 256 megs RAM.
NOT the best machine to run sims and games on I'm afraid

Maybe this is a sign that I need to get a better job so I can buy a new 'puter?  

[DanSteph]

Ace wrote:
Maybe this is a sign that I need to get a better job so I can buy a new 'puter?  

not at all,

I have a 1.7 GHZ with a ti4200 128 mo

Notice that the DGIII run even fine on my wife's computer
a P400 geforce 2

so it's strange really strange

driver ?  sorry I'm puzzled here

Dan

[freespace2dotcom]

Sorry, I can't help but to "butt" in. (hehe) I've got a:

2.8 ghz p4 with 800mhz fsb & hyper-threading
2 GIGS of ram
radeon 9600 w/256 mem

and orbiter runs FINE on mine!

Yeah, it's sarcasm, I know..

To be fair, as far as I know, orbiter worked fine on my 'old-as-hell' PC that's going to my parents soon. never tested
the dg3 on it though.

500 mhz amd k6
256 MB of ram
ati rage w/ 32mb mem

[McBrain]

WOW!! How did it cost??

[Ace]

Well again, Orbiter runs fine on my computer too, in most cases. My old computer was an 800 mhz athlon with a geforce 2, and
Orbiter worked great.
Anyway, thanks again to everyone for your help and consideration. I have schoolwork to do but tomorrow I'll try some more
variables and see what happens (new drivers, different display modes, get rid of some add-ons, etc)

Hmm... I wonder if certain flight computer/MFD add-ons could cause something like this? I have downloaded quite a few.
Fortunately I made a CD-RW of Orbiter installed with just the basics, so I can start from scratch easily. I'll give it a shot
tomorrow

[freespace2dotcom]

McBrain wrote:
WOW!! How did it cost??

about $2K

That's including the massive monitor I got. I forget how big it is, 22 or 23 inches, but even a refurbished one was
ghastly expensive. then the company forgets to ship it, and I wait an extra week before realizing it and when I call
them , they're so sorry they give me a better one. (not bigger though, it's better because it has allows for two inputs
natively, so if I had two pcs, I could switch between them without buying anything. I spend so much time at my pc,
You'd argue I should have bought a lcd, (no radiation beaming at me) but could you buy one of those at 20 inches
without breaking your wallet? no. since my graphics card supports 2 monitors, I'll get a smaller, backup lcd later.

I got it around christmas, but make no mistake, it was not a present from anyone. I did a lot of shopping around the
net, and I even put it together myself to cut costs. I love having two gigs of ram, even if it was easily the most
expensive part. I have 4 512 sticks and I can add two more because there's 6 dimm slots. although I have overkill
already... Oh, did I mention the TWO 120 gig SATA HDs?

Orbiter ran so well on the old one, that the only problem was that during time compression the hard drive would try
to load all the new textures for the planet your next to. you only noticed it under extreme compression, but it was
always there regardless.)

But NOW I have a computer that can play anything. fufufu. so the dg3 is fine with me, dan, no matter what cpu
intensive calculus you use in it. and that includes that multiple sonic boom problem,  If it gets really bad, then I'll shut
down seti@home, and everything'll be fine again. although I doubt you'll go for that just for me......

[McBrain]

Do you have to much money???

Is that ..... power thing also for business use or do you just play on it? (I wonder why you need 240Gigs HDD)

[Krytom]

Freespace2dotcom, give Dan your money, all your money.

Merhawhawhawhaw.

[freespace2dotcom]

McBrain wrote:
Do you have to much money???
Is that ..... power thing also for business use or do you just play on it? (I wonder why you need 240Gigs HDD)

I have a rule: "Nothing that belongs to me shall be used for anything besides recreation."

The only exceptions I've made so far is for school books and I occasionally research on the pc. Keep in mind that
this 'puter is gonna need to last me as long as my last one (4 years or so) I will say that a lot of money was spent on
one time costs. I will never HAVE to buy a new monitor. About the hard drive space, I'm sure a few of you guys know
of fansubbing anime, and more importantly, how BIG the files are, and since I dislike cds and dvds, I'm keeping
everything in a nice vault in my pc. It'll be hell if one of the hard drives die, but that's why I need to get me one of
those 1 terabyte backup units, or maybe a tape drive... who knows.. PC games, and almost every program is
gradually getting bigger. Think of how big orbiter is. I have TWO installs of the current version, one is clean with
nothing on it except the base install and high rez packs. The other one has probably every (good) addon ever made
in addition to the base and high rez packs, and if that wasn't enough, I have the original zip files for every orbiter
pack I have, from the base packs the the smallest addons. Why? so I can reinstall if something goes haywire. guess
how much space all that takes?

700 megabytes

I basically have so much space so I don't fret over ever running out. (by the way, I'm at half capacity right now)
including some mp3s, only a gig worth though, that's really nothing compared to some people, but I have high quality
classical stuff, like mozart, etc..
I also archive old versions of cool programs. I personally like the old winamp. 2.94, not the 5.xx or whatever the
newest is, so I keep the old installers for it, and others like it. I also have virtual pc software, so if some program
hates NT technology as much as I do, I can just load up 95 or 98 *in a WINDOW* in my good 'ol 2000. Let me tell you
this. Final fantasy 7 for the pc does NOT like win 2000, so I run win95 in 2000. do you know how much ram you use
when you play a game in a operating system that itself is being emulated within another operating system. A *LOT*

Speaking of emulation, I have lots of old nes/famicom games, but I trust you guys can keep a sercret for me, that
does take some space...

I'm just a computer nerd that got tired with his piece of junk.  don't think I'm rich though, I know one person who
took his family to disneyworld for a week. the cost for that was $5,000!!!!

he got a week of fun, high quality fun, I'll confess, but I plan on having far more than that with this toy of mine, plus it
cost less than half!  Now who got the better deal?