40d Talk:Maximizing framerate

2008-10-14T14:13:30Z

DaBing: /* temperature */

== Effect on # of dwarves, framerate calculations ==

I'm not sure how important the number of dwarves is on the framerate. I was getting about 12 to 15 with 22 dwarves, and this has fallen to 9 with 97 dwarves. I think it is more bad pathing, like animals being caught behind doors that causes more problems than the number of units themselves. The addition of 80 goblins had an impact of 1 fps as well... although again, they probably weren't having any trouble path finding to no where. --Gotthard 13:53, 3 December 2007 (EST)

:I typically see a substantial drop in framerate when new immigrants come, and afterward the game's never as fast or responsive. However, I also demand a higher framerate (not less than 40, to avoid annoying interface lagging/jerkiness) than many people seem prepared to tolerate, so our findings aren't inconsistent. You just have more load already and so don't notice a given amount of additional usage as much. [[User:Fedor|Fedor]] 05:39, 7 December 2007 (EST)

::If this is the case, then I doubt there is a linear relationship associated with the FPS values. The G_FPS might also impact this. Typically, 10-12 more dwarves lowered my FPS by 1 at max, and I have 6 masons making blocks for my castle, and 18 dwarves running around permanently putting them up. I would guess that the FPS drops off fast to begin with, so it takes a lot to go down from 10-9 fps compared to 40-39 fps. --Gotthard 08:35, 7 December 2007 (EST)

:::Yes, this is expected. Framerate changes aren't linear and here's why: Let us imagine that a given computer can process 10,000 game things per second. A framerate of 100 means that the game requires only 100 calculations per update, and therefore can update 100 times/second. A framerate of 1 means the game has to perform 10,000 calculations per update. To drop from 40 to 39 FPS, the game must require ~6 more calculations per update. To drop from 10 to 9 FPS, the game must require ~111 more calculations per update. [[User:Fedor|Fedor]] 08:51, 13 December 2007 (EST)

::Wow, I can't stand things if FPS falls under ~80! Though, running a 2.1Ghz Dual Core and 512M 8600GeForce probably has some bearing on it. Personally, I run my G_FPS at only 10, and FPS_CAP at 200. I haven't gotten to economy sized populations yet with these settings (mostly on purpose cause I also keep my POP_CAP to only 10 until I've gotten the majority of the fortress dug out and a good stock of food and bedrooms, etc. The extra dwarves end up just getting in the way any other time I've tried my play-style. With this setup, I usually average around 150 FPS. Also, I've noticed a difference in FPS if I have the map section open, either single or double pane, moreso when there are a large number of creatures on the map. Simply closing (tabbing) the map got me an increase from ~125 to ~140. Should be worth 2-3 frames at the low FPS levels you guys are talking about. I'm also curious if the FPS counter itself has a significant effect on frames... --[[User:n9103|n9103]] 11:40, 17 Dec 2007 (PST)

== Weather and Trees ==

Is it just me, or with weather turned trees will not grow back. Most saplings have withered and died. The landscape is littered with them. I'm in a Mirthful area, so it's not alignment. I haven't been able to get any trees since I deforested the entire area, and yes, it has been over three years. I'm playing 33d. [[User:Klada|Klada]] 19:50, 5 December 2007 (EST)

:Well I've been playing map for 6 years now, and I've had weather on the entire time, tons of trees have grown back. I've not deforested the ENTIRE area, but from what I understand trees grow back at a proportional rate to the amount of area there was to grow, so it should be better. I think saplings randomly die, perhaps moreso with traffic on them but... I don't have an explanation. --Gotthard 19:23, 6 December 2007 (EST)

::"Is it just me, or with weather turned trees will not grow back." Turned on or turned off? Logically, if weather were turned off, trees shouldn't grow to maturity. --[[User:n9103|n9103]] 11:29, 17 Dec 2007 (PST)

:::Trees grow back just fine with weather turned off. I don't know why sometimes most or all the saplings die, but it's not turning weather off that causes it. --[[User:BurnedToast|BurnedToast]] 00:00, 4 January 2008 (EST)

::::N9103, logic has no place here. Begone! --[[User:Savok|Savok]] 15:12, 21 March 2008 (EDT)

:::::HA! Tell that to Flingify() ^.^ Most things in DF do get a logical implementation... notable exceptions exist of course, but generally speaking, things follow commonsense. ... So Nya! --[[User:N9103|Edward]] 05:55, 22 March 2008 (EDT)

:Is any part of the area you embarked at evil? If so, are they the areas that the trees could grow in? (i.e. a mirthful mountain next to haunted woods) If you're beyond doubt sure that that's not the case, then going on what else has been investigated, I see one of two things: Complete deforestation *stops* tree growth, including saplings; Or, you've got some kind of bug that hasn't been documented yet. --[[User:N9103|Edward]] 19:05, 2 April 2008 (EDT)

== Economy ==

Can we confirm/disprove the effect of the economy on framerate? --[[User:DDouble|DDouble]] 02:42, 13 December 2007 (EST)

:Not sure what you mean exactly. The economy makes several changes, any of which might potentially impact speed. Can you give more detail on what specifically might potentially be causing a slowdown (or speed boost)? Is there a discussion on the forum that you have in mind? [[User:Fedor|Fedor]] 08:51, 13 December 2007 (EST)

::I'm pretty sure he's talking about the init setting and turning it off. The 'potentially' part you mentioned is what he wanted clarification on. Does turning the setting off before the economy activates improve pre-economy performance? There might indeed be people out there that are willing to lose one of the cooler features for a much improved framerate. A good question is does turning that setting off prevent you from ever gaining an economy (when you decide to turn the option back on) should you pass the point where it should have activated? --[[User:n9103|n9103]] 11:27, 17 Dec 2007 (PST)

== One Way Stairs ==

"Use ...multiple one-way stairways to connect any two spots where lots of dwarves will want to be"

How do you make a one way stair? I tried searching here, and on the forum, but didn't find it. [[User:Calculus|Calculus]]

:I mean to use paired up and down staircases instead of up/down ones. This suggestion is now removed because I'm not sure it actually makes a difference (it's safer for your dwarves, but I don't see a difference in game speed) [[User:Fedor|Fedor]] 14:50, 2 January 2008 (EST)

::How is a single-floor staircase (down+up) any safer than using a multiple-floor staircase (down+down/up+up)?

::Or for that matter, how is it different than making all your staircases down/up (minus bottom level of course)? --[[User:N9103|Edward]] 22:40, 3 January 2008 (EST)

:::If a dwarf falls down a multi-level up/down staircase, he may die or be badly injured.[[User:Fedor|Fedor]] 22:52, 3 January 2008 (EST)

::::What would cause a dwarf to fall down stairs aside from combat?--[[User:Maximus|Maximus]] 01:59, 4 January 2008 (EST)

:::::Haven't a clue. I just know that several people have reported their dwarves getting killed or maimed that way.[[User:Fedor|Fedor]] 15:17, 5 January 2008 (EST)

::::I used to use the up/down staircases for a central mineshaft until I had multiple dwarves become maimed/die when fighting on the stairs. I now use a spiral staircase design instead. I don't think anything BUT combat makes them fall, but if they charge a goblin snatcher and miss, there's no promise they won't end up 15 levels down missing all their limbs. --Gotthard 11:08, 7 January 2008 (EST)

:::::How about using floor hatches every level? -- Digger

== Weather and windmills ==

To BurnedToast: You seem to be right that turning weather off doesn't stop windmills from working. I wasn't sure where I got that impression, but after looking it up, it was from several instances on IRC where people came in, said "The windmill isn't making power :(", were told to "turn weather on", went "Ah ha!", and never said that it didn't make them start working. (After I while I started suggesting it too since nobody had reported it not working, until recently.) So, hmm. I just switched a fort that had weather to not having it, and yeah, the windmills all still work. So I built a new one - also works. Then I generated a new world with weather off, started a new fort in it, built a windmill, and it produced 20 power. Oh well. --[[User:SL|SL]] 13:24, 9 January 2008 (EST)

== Multiple CPUs/Cores ==

As far as I have tested, DF uses 3 threads. It seems to put all its efforts in a single one, but even so, the other two still take cpu time, so having a dual-core machine still helps even if the threads are synchronized (and it isn't such a huge difference). I assume one of the threads link the display to the game core while the other runs the input buffer. I'd have to do more testing. [[User:Soulwynd|Soulwynd]] 23:37, 17 March 2008 (EDT)

== Bulging Histories ==

Any chance history plays a role in framerates? I have a fairly beefy machine and was regularly getting 100FPS in my first few forts, but after about 15 forts and 30 adventure modes (I'm quite suicidal), I can't get my FPS above 35 even on initial embark and a 3x3 fortress plot. [[User:Weasello|Weasello]] 12:43, 21 March 2008 (EDT)

:Well... from that data, that's likely. Personally, I play all my forts on separate worlds. --[[User:Savok|Savok]] 15:12, 21 March 2008 (EDT)

:I think I have to second the idea of (small histories == higher framerates) I've been playing a lot of small and smaller worlds, and even when I pick larger than normal sites, my frames seem to stay up better than on standard worlds. I'll test at some point just how well a Full Local map holds up in a Pocket world. --[[User:N9103|Edward]] 19:04, 2 April 2008 (EDT)

== Disconnection ==

I've found it '''VERY''' important, in terms of framerates, not to block all paths between your fortress and the outside world, either with raised bridges, or with forbidden doors. I'm not certain about walls, as I haven't desired "permanent" blocking, but temporary, to prevent thives and the like. Infact, pathfinding errors from those I desire to keep out are exactly what crashes the framerate. 
 
I'm talking about '''50% loss''', and that's just to start. If you continue to block the pathfinding, It's possible to have it completely crawl to a stop, as in 0-1 FPS! 
It's a shame that such a primitive defense results in such a catastrophic failure of the pathing system. :( 
 
As I didn't see it mentioned anywhere, I'm adding it here, and will eventually add it to the main article if no one else feels like pretty-ing it up for display. 
--[[User:N9103|Edward]] 17:42, 29 March 2008 (EDT)

:That's happening for you? I've been setting up an elaborate set of bridges and floodgates that serves as the only entrance to my fortress, and have closed my dwarves off inside on numerable occasions and it caused little more than make them cancel tasks that required them to leave the fortress.--[[User:Eurytus|Eurytus]] 15:57, 2 April 2008 (EST)

::Have you turned off invasions as well? I used to do that when I played with invasions off to develop my management abilities. I did it now in three different worlds (smaller) and have had it happen every time. The framerate loss began as soon as a goblin/kobold tried to do mischief and pull a lever, as determined in the error log. I would assume that thieves/snatchers would likely cause similar frame-crashes, but that much isn't verified on my part. --[[User:N9103|Edward]] 04:04, 4 April 2008 (EDT)

:::I have invasions on, although any attackers have died rather quickly.--[[User:Eurytus|Eurytus]] 21:48, 2 April 2008 (EST)

::::Hey look! invaders! I closed the gates and lowered the bridge, but my framerate didn't drop. In fact, just as the invaders got there my framerate went back up from a puzzlingly low 40 back up to a regular 90.--[[User:Eurytus|Eurytus]] 22:19, 2 April 2008 (EST)

::::I've tested it again with a couple more waves of goblins, and I've come to the conclusion that the preceding immense slowdown is while the goblins are on the map but not in view. This makes me think that either hidden units contribute to lag more, or the difficult terrain in my area causes their pathfinding to temporarily "freak out."--[[User:Eurytus|Eurytus]] 1:03, 3 April 2008 (EST)

:::::Well, it would seem obvious that invaders have glitches that have direct effects on framerates... just not well defined effects :-/ The "not in view" part seems true enough since the 'mischief-makers' are always invisible until discovered, and my forts generally have been rather far from invasion points. Looks like this is gonna be on hold for the page until someone does some '''extensive''' testing. --[[User:N9103|Edward]] 04:04, 4 April 2008 (EDT)

::::::I'll be happy to start testing it as soon as I start establishing some more long-term fortresses.--[[User:Eurytus|Eurytus]] 11:23, 4 April 2008 (EST)

:[[User_talk:Squirrelloid#Animals_try_to_path_through_tightly_closed_doors|Squirrelloid]]'s done some tests that end up proving the same point, but with animals instead of thieves/snatchers. Both of those groups use flawed pathfinding that doesn't properly account for created obstacles that are passable under certain conditions that aren't true at the time of the pathfind. (Doors being forbidden, or bridges raised for the thieves, and doors being designated as pet forbidden for the animals.) I still say that failed pathfinds cause 90% of framerate loss. --[[User:N9103|Edward]] 06:24, 1 May 2008 (EDT)

:I've uploaded a zip of my errorlog.txt that encompasses a decent, but not overly long amount of time. The unzipped file is 22MB! Thankfully, text compresses very well, and the zip is only 387K. <99% of the file is failed mischief from either goblins or kobolds. [http://dffd.wimbli.com/file.php?id=167] --[[User:N9103|Edward]] 02:29, 11 May 2008 (EDT)

== Dual Screens ==

I just put a second monitor on my computer, partly so I could fullscreen DF with the wiki in another screen. However, running DF in fullscreen make sit take up one screen like normal, and the other goes black. Ckciking the black monitor causes DF to stretch across the monitors. Since there is info here about running DF in one monitor to save CPU cycles, I was wondering is anyone could help. – [[template:unsigned|unsigned]] comment by [[User:Ilmmad|Ilmmad]]

:I don't understand what you're saying. Dwarf Fortress does not do that on my computer. Operating system, perhaps? By the way, sign your comments using <nowiki>--~~~~</nowiki>. --[[User:GreyMario|GreyMario]] 17:24, 22 April 2008 (EDT)

:When you enter fullscreen mode with most graphics apis (such as OpenGL) you will take full control, which is why the other screen goes black. Your best bet is to run in windowed mode with the window size set to your resolution. --[[User:Shades|Shades]] 18:01, 22 April 2008 (EDT)

== temperature ==

From the article "" You're well-advised to stick with "warm" or "hot" fortress sites if you turn temperature off and your source of water is a stream."" --- I cannot understand that. --[[User:Catpaw|Catpaw]] 08:29, 16 September 2008 (EDT)

:If you turn temperature off, and you start on a cold location with a stream, the stream will be frozen and never thaw.[[User:DaBing|DaBing]]

Utility:Tweak

2008-10-10T15:58:16Z

DaBing: /* Updating Tweak for a new version of Dwarf Fortress */

[[Category:Tweak]][[Category:Hacking]][[Category:Utilities]]
=Gibbed's Dwarf Fortress Tweak=

[[Image:Dwarf Fortress Tweak.png|right]]

Tweak is a utility for Dwarf Fortress created by [[User:Rick|Rick]] which can load modules that provide different functionality to the user for tweaking, or editing Dwarf Fortress memory. It will attempt to automatically identify the version of the running Dwarf Fortress process and automatically load data related to that version.

It is written in C# and requires the [http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=333325FD-AE52-4E35-B531-508D977D32A6 .NET 3.5 Runtime], as well as the .net 2.0 as well as the .net 1.1 SEPARATELY installed.

There are many modules - both written by myself and others.

==Installing Tweak==

Tweak does not have an installer, but it does have several directories and many files within them, so it is suggested not to directly extract to your Dwarf Fortress directory, if it must, I would suggest putting it in a subdirectory named 'tweak' or equivilent.

The ZIP file for Tweak comes with everything in the '''tweak''' directory to make this easier.

==Updating Tweak for a new version of Dwarf Fortress==

To update Gibbed's Utilities for a new version of DF:

# Download, install and launch the Utilities, if not already done so.
# Open versions.xml in Notepad.
# Copy the last line in the <versions> section to a new line below it. The last two lines of the <versions> section should now be identical.
# On the new line you just created, change the version number to match the version of DF you have installed. Delete the "hash" value.
# In the "Versions" sub folder of the "tweak" folder, create a new folder with the exact same name as the version number you just typed into versions.xml.
# Go to [http://www.geocities.com/jifodus/tables/dwarvis/ Dwarvis' Page] and download the core.xml that matches your version of DF. Save it to the folder you just created, and rename it to "core.xml"
# Open a new Notepad window
# Bring up Gibbed's utilities, and under the File menu, click "Select Process". Click yes on the confirmation.
# When asked if you want to look up the hash, click "No."
# Under the Tools menu, click "Log"
# Right-click in the Log window, and choose Copy All.
# Paste the log in the blank Notepad window.
# On the line that starts with "Verbose: Selected game with process ID" (Should be the second to last line) copy the hash value without the leading space or trailing period.
# Paste the hash value into the blank spot on the last line of the <versions> section in versions.xml.
# Save and close versions.xml
# Close the Untitled Notepad window.
# Close the Log window.
# Close Gibbed's Utilities.
# Relaunch Gibbed's Utilities.
# Under the File menu, click "Select Process" and click yes on the confirmation.
# All the circles next to the items in the list should turn red. You are now ready to go!

==Core Modules==

''For more details on Core Modules [[User:Rick/Tweak/Core Modules|see the Core Modules article]].
*[[User:Rinn/AdjustProfile|Adjust Profile]] - Allows editing of the skills for starting dwarves in the prepare screen.
*Adjust Start - Allows editing of starting dwarf count and starting points.
*Enable Magma Buildings - Enables magma buildings.
*Heal - Heal or hurts a creature.
*Lookup Addresses - Pattern scanning for finding addresses in new versions of Dwarf Fortress.
*Resume - Resumes a stuck process.
*Reveal - Reveals all allocated tiles on the map.
*[[User:Rick/Tweak/Tile_Edit|Tile Edit]] - Edit nearly all properties of a selected tile.
*Warp - Warp a creature to another location.

==Installing modules==

Todo: But pretty much you just drop the files from the plugin into directory Tweak is installed to.

==Get more modules==

Looking for more modules? You can likely [[:Category:Tweak_Modules|find more in the Tweak Modules category]].

==Download Tweak==

'''Requires [http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=333325FD-AE52-4E35-B531-508D977D32A6 .NET 3.5 Runtime]!'''

The current version of Tweak is '''1.2.0.1'''. See the [[User:Rick/Tweak/Changelog|changelog for detailed information on changes since last version]].

'''Mirrors to download Tweak 1.2.0.1 from'''
*[http://dffd.wimbli.com/file.php?id=74 From Dwarf Fortress File Deposit] - Please try this one first, if it doesn't work use another one.
*[http://df.pipboy.us/tweak/tweak_1201.zip df.pipboy.us]

==Found a bug? Have a suggestion?==

[[User_talk:Rick/Tweak|Report it on the talk page!]]

==XML files? Developing modules?==

[[User:Rick/Tweak/Development|See the development article for more details]].

Dwarf Fortress Wiki - User contributions [en]

40d Talk:Maximizing framerate

Utility:Tweak