Adjusting fps

thefixer · 04-05-2009, 12:33 AM

How can I increase the fps? The fish movements and the bubble stream are very jerky. The fps averages low twenties and I've seen 17fps to 33fps. My other aquarium screen savers,including MA2.6, are adjustable and run 50 to 60fps and fish movement is very smooth.

Jim Sachs · 04-05-2009, 02:00 AM

There are various things you can try.

1. Lower the resolution.
This wil nearly always increase the frame rate.

2. If you are using 32-bit, try 16-bit.
This may not make much difference on a state-of-the-art card, but it helps so much on my 5-year-old HP that I never use 32-bit.

3. Use the DOWN-ARROW to decrease the Sleep time between frames.
Warning: Decreasing the Sleep time also decreases the amount of time allowed for other programs to use the processor.

4. If you are using full-screen antialising, turn it off.
This can make a huge difference, especially on older cards. You can try it in stages. If you are using 4X AA, try 2X AA.

5. Decrease the number of fish.
Can add a few FPS.

Jav400 · 04-05-2009, 03:20 AM

Try everything Jim has suggested. MA3 needs a stronger video card than the older versions of the aquarium. What video card are you using, and which drivers is it running?

thefixer · 04-05-2009, 12:28 PM

Thanks for the help. I had tried decreasing the number of fish awhile ago, but it didn't help. I got a big increase in fps when I raised the sleep from 1 to 30, a bit more when I went to 16 bit colour, and a little more when I dropped res. from 1280x1024 to 1152x864 (any lower and my desktop is messed up).
I'm running a 2.10g AMD Athlon 64x32 Dual core processor with VIA/S3G UniChromell graphics on a HSD HN199D display. The statistics display shows - Timing Clamp 0.10.
Thanks again.

fozzy · 04-05-2009, 12:42 PM

if you run it as a screensaver you can choose a different resolutions when the aquarium starts

Jim Sachs · 04-05-2009, 12:50 PM

You got a speed increase when you RAISED the Sleep time?

thefixer · 04-05-2009, 01:00 PM

Originally posted by Jim Sachs:

You got a speed increase when you RAISED the Sleep time?

Yes. The biggest increase.

cjmaddy · 04-05-2009, 02:32 PM

For more about the Sleep() setting... check out this post!... https://www.feldoncentral.com/forums...17&#post111117 ...

dwax · 04-05-2009, 03:21 PM

How do you adjust the sleep timer?

cjmaddy · 04-05-2009, 03:26 PM

Pressing the up/down cursor keys whilst the 'Sleep()' setting in the Statistics Display is on screen

Jim Sachs · 04-05-2009, 05:35 PM

I just don't see any way that increasing the amount of time given to other programs would increase the FPS. The whole point of the Sleep() function is to slow down MA3 and cool off the CPU and Video chips.

thefixer · 04-05-2009, 07:00 PM

Hi Jim: You are rite on the 16 bit colour. I did some more testing and found the fps peaked with sleep set around 20. I also lowered the res. to 1024x768. In windows mode, which I like cause my background music (from MA3) stays on, the res. change back to 1280x1024 & 32 bits. Right now both modes are averaging around 50 fps but couple of hours ago the full screen mode was averaging around 40 fps, don't know why the change unless some other program was running in the background. Thanks again.

patscarr · 04-06-2009, 06:49 AM

thefixer, leave your desktop resolution and color depth the way you like it. From within MA3 properties you can change what resolution and color depth that you want MA3 to use.

04-05-2009, 12:33 AM	#1
thefixer Registered Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 8	Adjusting fps How can I increase the fps? The fish movements and the bubble stream are very jerky. The fps averages low twenties and I've seen 17fps to 33fps. My other aquarium screen savers,including MA2.6, are adjustable and run 50 to 60fps and fish movement is very smooth.

04-05-2009, 02:00 AM	#2
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,816	There are various things you can try. 1. Lower the resolution. This wil nearly always increase the frame rate. 2. If you are using 32-bit, try 16-bit. This may not make much difference on a state-of-the-art card, but it helps so much on my 5-year-old HP that I never use 32-bit. 3. Use the DOWN-ARROW to decrease the Sleep time between frames. Warning: Decreasing the Sleep time also decreases the amount of time allowed for other programs to use the processor. 4. If you are using full-screen antialising, turn it off. This can make a huge difference, especially on older cards. You can try it in stages. If you are using 4X AA, try 2X AA. 5. Decrease the number of fish. Can add a few FPS. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

04-05-2009, 03:20 AM	#3
Jav400 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 9,725	Try everything Jim has suggested. MA3 needs a stronger video card than the older versions of the aquarium. What video card are you using, and which drivers is it running? Michael Administrator of Inside:SereneScreen Aquarium Forum, Chatroom, Fan Site & *Gallery* DVD Collection

04-05-2009, 12:42 PM	#5
fozzy Registered Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Italy Posts: 32	if you run it as a screensaver you can choose a different resolutions when the aquarium starts testing on: ATI Radeon mobility X2300 - Intel(R) 946GZ Express Chipset Family

04-05-2009, 12:50 PM	#6
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,816	You got a speed increase when you RAISED the Sleep time? Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

04-05-2009, 12:28 PM	#4
thefixer Registered Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 8	Thanks for the help. I had tried decreasing the number of fish awhile ago, but it didn't help. I got a big increase in fps when I raised the sleep from 1 to 30, a bit more when I went to 16 bit colour, and a little more when I dropped res. from 1280x1024 to 1152x864 (any lower and my desktop is messed up). I'm running a 2.10g AMD Athlon 64x32 Dual core processor with VIA/S3G UniChromell graphics on a HSD HN199D display. The statistics display shows - Timing Clamp 0.10. Thanks again.

04-05-2009, 01:00 PM	#7
thefixer Registered Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 8	Originally posted by Jim Sachs: You got a speed increase when you RAISED the Sleep time? Yes. The biggest increase.

04-05-2009, 02:32 PM	#8
cjmaddy Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Lancashire, UK Posts: 7,854	For more about the Sleep() setting... check out this post!... https://www.feldoncentral.com/forums...17&#post111117 ...

04-05-2009, 03:21 PM	#9
dwax Registered Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: SOUTH DAKOTA Posts: 83	How do you adjust the sleep timer? By dustywax at 2011-12-13

04-05-2009, 03:26 PM	#10
cjmaddy Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Lancashire, UK Posts: 7,854	Pressing the up/down cursor keys whilst the 'Sleep()' setting in the Statistics Display is on screen

04-05-2009, 05:35 PM	#11
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,816	I just don't see any way that increasing the amount of time given to other programs would increase the FPS. The whole point of the Sleep() function is to slow down MA3 and cool off the CPU and Video chips. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

04-05-2009, 07:00 PM	#12
thefixer Registered Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 8	Hi Jim: You are rite on the 16 bit colour. I did some more testing and found the fps peaked with sleep set around 20. I also lowered the res. to 1024x768. In windows mode, which I like cause my background music (from MA3) stays on, the res. change back to 1280x1024 & 32 bits. Right now both modes are averaging around 50 fps but couple of hours ago the full screen mode was averaging around 40 fps, don't know why the change unless some other program was running in the background. Thanks again.

04-06-2009, 06:49 AM	#13
patscarr Pet Shark Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Back in Buffalo Posts: 5,460	thefixer, leave your desktop resolution and color depth the way you like it. From within MA3 properties you can change what resolution and color depth that you want MA3 to use. Patrick