nice for the technical aspects...thanks

supa boo
:D

Thx :-)

I'm not happy with the illustrations, though. They don't look good but I hope they are understandable.

For any young budding openGL coders out there, heres how to enable v-sync in your c/c++ code (windows).

typedef BOOL (WINAPI *SwapProc)(int);
// Grab the PROC address of the vsync extension
PROC procSwapInterval = wglGetProcAddress("wglSwapIntervalEXT");
// Does the extension exist?
if (procSwapInterval) {
// Create a function pointer to the extension
SwapProc pS = (SwapProc)procSwapInterval;
// Ensable vertical sync
pS(1);
}

nice explanation, but i tryed 200 fps with 100 hz like you have it, and i think 125 hz 125 fps is better...

I'm totally comfortable with 100 hz, more is always good but I don't need it.

144 =)

Excellent guide. I recently enabled vsync to avoid tearing (and it didn't help all that much), but now I'm switching it off!

Perhaps you can tell me why the framerate displayed in quake3 (cg_drawfps 1) is never consistent with com_maxfps? Maybe this is why I get the tearing...

What do you mean by "it didn't help all that much"? If you enable V-Sync you won't have Tearing anymore - it is impossible it didn't help.

Setting com_maxfps to the same value like your monitors refreshrate is in fact the same like enabling V-Sync but you can get Tearing if the framerate falls under the com_maxfps value. So, the answer for you is: yes.

Not sure what you mean by consistent, but maybe it has to do with Quake 3 only rendering integer frame times.

I myself have it enabled for Q3 duels. My monitor is set to 100hz and my PC (3 GHz, GeForce 4) can easily render stable 200+ frames every second on each of the standard duel maps. Clean frames and no framedrop problems. :-)

Seems stupid to me, so what you mean is that you use v-sync on @ 100hz, then you won't be able to get more than 100fps since it locks your fps to the same value you've got in hertz. Cause thats the way it is afaik; if you've got 100hz your fps is capped to 100fps and won't go any higher.

And if it's not like this, explain why I can't get higher fps than 160 in 640x480@160hz, 120 in 800x600@120hz and 100 in 1024x768@100hz with v-sync on. 8)

Playing without 125fps in Q3 isn't fun at all.

Exactly, it's locked at 100fps. I don't notice a difference at 100+ fps but that is subjective.

The important thing is that V-Sync is enabled and I don't have to fear a framedrop to 50 fps. Of course I could set to 120 hz or 140hz (not sure what my monitor supports on 1024x768) and I still had no problems but then again 100 fps is enough for me.

Ok, but for all the "hardcore" gamers who wants to fly like a fuckin killerbunny on the maps and make all those jumps, I suggest not to use v-sync. 8)

well you can use vsync, when your monitor supports 120hz ;)

I play with vsync of (75 hz) and FPS @ 100 or 125 (depending on game), NO TEARING what so ever.

Of course, because you USE vsync.

Did you even read what he wrote?

of -> off :)

Hold on. If you don't use 125 fps you don't get the extra speed/height from jumps (unless you play CPMA). Why lock the fps to 100?

Ever heard of PMOVE? Even without it, unless you're tricking it is nonrelevant if you can jump 20ups farther or not.

actually it is not relevant. maybe you show me a bridge railjump on dm6 w/o pmove and fps capped to 100? :)

it's not that hard but it's still not as easy as with 125 fps

mom says 120hz iz g0od for kveik.

good read

You use 100fps when u could have 125fps?... u make me sick

btw 125hz and 125fps is the ideal right?

For quake 3, yes.

Depending on game, big guy. CS' max fps is 100. Q3's most efficient is 125.

K THANKS.

bye

ever tried 333 ?

333 is pretty sick, but com_maxfps is capped to 125 in osp

120 and 125 is the same thing in Q3.
I play with v_sync on, cuz i hate the tearing.

seta r_swapinterval "1"
seta r_displayrefresh "120"

Put that in your config and you are all set.
Q3 will now flow like a fish in the open sea. (^ º.º)

i prefer to put vsync on manually which means v_sync off, maxfps 125 and r_displayrefresh 125. this was always fine for me :)

You know that aint v_sync?
Doesnt matter if you have mfps 125 and displrfrsh 125, u stil gon get the tearing.

What monitor supports 125hz?
Never seen one : (

actually i have no tearing because 120 Hz is 125 fps for the engine. you can check that out by activating v_sync for 120 HZ, you'll always get 125fps

My monitor supports it, at least for 640x480 :)

I get 125hz in 800x600.. in fact I get 150hz if i want to, but i don't! :O

nice article

[+]

behappy

i use 140hz in 800x600 so i get and then vsync.. altho i only get 125fps from quake3 but its REALLY smooth!

mine supports 170 in 800x600, but I use 120hz:p

very technical indeed ;)

Sorry BooTes but your wrong.
Look at counter-strike for example. If I have enabled vsync with 100 Hz I will have 100 fps. But according to your example if the fps drops below 100 then it will drop to 50. Well if you write "fps_max 80" in the console the fps should go to 50, but unfortunately it doesn't. It stays on 80 which is not possible according to you.

I didn't include the possibility of setting a maximum FPS rate ingame so here's a further comparison to clarify the whole thing:

a)

- Monitor is set at 100 hz
- Graphics card is rendering at above 100 fps (case A: 140 to 160 fps, case B: 250 to 270 fps)
- V-Sync OFF

The result will be in both cases Tearing. In case A 2 frames are torn apart, in case B 3 frames. Tearing can be avoided by setting the maximal framerate to the same value as the RR, if possible.

b)

- Monitor is set at 100 hz
- Graphics card is rendering at constant 100 fps (practically very unlikely)
- V-Sync OFF

This would be the perfect situation. No Tearing ever.

c)

- Monitor is set at 100 hz
- Graphics card is rendering at below 100 fps (e.g. 60 to 70 fps)
- V-Sync OFF

The result will be Tearing with 2 frames torn apart.

d)

- Monitor is set at 100 hz
- Graphics card is rendering at above 100 fps (e.g. 140 to 160 fps)
- V-Sync ON

The framerate will be cut down to 100 fps, no Tearing will occur.


e)

- Monitor is set at 100 hz
- Graphics card is rendering at constant 100 fps (practically very unlikely)
- V-Sync ON

V-Sync would be unneccesary here as this is the perfect 1:1 relation between FPS and RR. 100 fps and no Tearing.

f)

- Monitor is set at 100 hz
- Graphics card is rendering at below 100 fps (case A: 60 to 70 fps, case B: 35 to 45 fps)
- V-Sync ON

Since every frame will take longer than 10 ms to be rendered, each will only be copied into buffer B every A) second, B) third screenrefresh. Therefore every 20/30 ms a new frame is being rendered resulting in a frame drop to 50/33 fps. But those framerates will then be constant.

-----

So again, if you have a high-end computer and you can't manually set a maximum FPS limit V-Sync is recommended, otherwise not. Playability > quality in this case.

I myself don't have the FPS locked at a certain framerate (100 in my case). V-Sync does this for me and as far as physics are concerned (Quake3) I use PMOVE to handle that accordingly. The other way I could do it would be setting com_maxfps and the monitor refreshrate each to 120 (do monitors support 125hz?) and disable V-Sync. Physics are ok and no Tearing.

"I myself don't have the FPS locked at a certain framerate (100 in my case). V-Sync does this for me and as far as physics are concerned (Quake3) I use PMOVE to handle that accordingly. The other way I could do it would be setting com_maxfps and the monitor refreshrate each to 120 (do monitors support 125hz?) and disable V-Sync. Physics are ok and no Tearing."

The refresh rate on your monitor does not affect the physics of the game. They're completely independent. If you have 125 fps capped, and for whatever reason prefer to run your monitor at 60Hz, yes you are only experiencing the game at 60fps, but this does not affect game physics in any way. It is simply a visual representation, you'll still be able to do the bridge to rail jump.

125hz and 125fps in q3 tears, why?
and pmove 1 is unplayable.

Option (d) being the best. SO v-sync should be on.

Everyone knew this right ? =>

V-Sync is much simpler than you're making it look here...

What V-Sync does is it makes sure that the framebuffers are never swapped unless the elctron beam is in the vertical blanking interval. This prevents tearing by making sure that only completely rendered frames are drawn on screen.

Your computer will always render frames at the same rate (as fast as it can), this is your rendered FPS. If you choose to run without V-Sync you will ensure that no frame is displayed more than once at the cost of some tearing (and no, setting maxfps to the same as your refresh rate won't guarantee that you won't have tearing). If you run with V-Sync you will be guaranteed that there is no tearing at the expence of possibly displaying the same frame more than once at times.

However, the refresh rate of you monitor effectively limits how man frames per second you can see, no matter how many you computer can render so in the end your monitor sets the upper limit for how many frames per second you can see (your refresh rate) and you computer determine the lower limit (your rendered FPS).

There is a patological case however: Using V-Sync and setting your refresh rate just a little faster than the computer can render frames (on average). But as long as your computer renders faster than your monitor refreshes V-Sync is a good thing. And if it doesn't, it's high time to upgrade.

EDIT: Oh my, I should really learn to look at the posted dates before replying :P

BooTes

Very nice article. thanks.

Couple of questions.

In certain games i.e UT/99 players move faster with higher frames,
Online how does the server interpet this? Isn't that a real advantage--Vsync OFF if frames go really high?

Vsync OFF for whatever reason my aim seems tighter,better more precise?

Just to add one more item, I always get choppy play without vsync , no matter what I do?

Some people seem not to get this?

what's the vsync command in q3 cpma _._ ?