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Draw Calls, Frame Rates and Gmax

lionheart

lionheart

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us-arizona
Hey guys,

I would like to know a couple of things about Draw Calls.

First, at what point does the average computer show signs of stutter in total draw calls? For instance if a plane has 20 draw calls, it will be running quite smoothly. But at what point is it cutting into the 'frame rates'?

Secondly, how does one actually calculate draw calls and can this be done in Gmax?

It is my understanding that one bitmap or 'material' is a draw call. So if I have 20 bitmaps, that is 20 DC's, (Draw Calls). If however, I use a different 'shine' or reflection, etc, using the same bitmap (DDS) but is in fact a different 'material', then that too is 'another' DC. That is my understanding at least.

It is also my understanding all bitmaps in 'one' material (bump map, fresnal, etc), is considered 'one' DC, (which can mean 4 to 7 DDS' per one material per one Draw Call). Correct me if I am wrong please.

I had heard that DC's are 'calculated' by a 'secret program' that no one talks about 'in public' and I would like to nip this thing and find out why its secret? and if its a hoax?

Many thanks for any input,


Bill
LHC
 
Bill, the "secret program" is a model ripper that will - if misused - allow anyone to steal anyone else's mesh directly from FSX while it is running...

...that's precisely why folks are reluctant to speak about it by name...

It's kind of like Lord Vol... er, "He Who Must Not Be Named."
 
Ahhh so..

Ok. I can understand that. Thanks for filling me in.

Then back to Draw Calls. How might one figure a way of somehow calculating the draw calls of a project build without this so called program? Or is there a way until someone creates a simple draw counter program?

Bill
 
Hi Bill,

I think your description of what will be a new drawcall is quite accurate. Basically each material (combination of diffuse texture, specular texture, bump texture, other settings, etc) will be one drawcall. If you change any of these attributes it will lead to a new drawcall. So things should be kept the same whenever possible.

About a way to "see" the amount of drawcalls. I have been thinking about making a little tool for that. For one of my tools I have done some work on a reader of the MDL files. With that information it should be possible to read a MDL file and make a sort of summary of the amount of drawcalls, texture vertices, etc.
 
Hey Arno,

Many thanks for your input on that. Man, that would be a cool tool for this field of work. I hope it goes well.

Cheers,

Bill
 
In your example of an aircraft with 20 drawcalls. That is perfect.

Use it as AI plane and park 50 of them, and you are at the wall. Depending on hardware, 1200-2000 drawcalls put full stress on the CPU.
 
@Lionheart...great topic. Unless I review this stuff in my head now and then I forget the details. Especially a problem without a feedback tool to check assumptions.

Arno, your tool efforts will be well used and much appreciated!

Bob
 
Hi guys,

I have made a little tool now to show some statistics of your FSX MDL object. See this thread.
 
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