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[nkarafo]

RTSS = Rivatuner Statistics Server.

This little utility has saved my PC gaming experience many times. For some reason, i get frame pacing and V-Sync issues with plenty of games. These include:

Alien Isolation: Some frame stutters at specific points.
DOOM 4: V-Sync issue/major frame rate drops after random loadings.
Project Cars: Stutters/frame drops during some corners. It looked as if my VGA couldn't handle it.
GTA 4 (modded): Major frame pacing problems even at 30fps locked.

All these problems went away by locking the frame rates with RTSS.

Additionally, because my VGA isn't very powerful (GTX 960 2GB) i sometimes use a custom 1920 x 1080 resolution at 50hz (my TV supports this refresh rate), so games can run at 50fps instead of 60. This is a very good compromise when the card can't handle 60fps but i don't want to lock them to as low as 30. But because some games can't sync nicely at 50fps, i use RTSS to force them to do so. This is how i played Dying Light at mostly high settings.

So that's at least 5 games that RTSS "saved" for me. See, i'm really picky with motion smoothness.

It's possible that other people don't have the same problems i had with these particular games. You know PCs, that's how they roll. But if some other game has frame pacing issues or it drops frames when it shouldn't, chances are that RTSS will fix it for you.

I also wanted to ask, is this program still maintained? The Guru3D link was last updated almost a year ago. And when i press the update button i get an error that it can't connect to the server or something.

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

Yeah, it's made a massive difference, even with g-sync. Those two things finally made PC gaming "feel" as good as console gaming.

 

[Corpekata]

It is also very useful for troubleshooting / monitoring, like for instance knowing your temps while playing.

 

[SunBroDave]

RTSS is an essential part of the PC gamer's arsenal.

Afterburner + RTSS were just recently updated with DX12 Win32 support I believe.

 

[Anon67]

RTSS, in my experience, is the only way to play games at a nearly smooth 30 FPS without substantial input delay. It's a lifesaver for older systems that cannot max out the latest games at 60 FPS.

 

[sixteen-bit]

Totally essential.

 

[nkarafo]

It is also very useful for troubleshooting / monitoring, like for instance knowing your temps while playing.

What's the option to see more details like this? I can only see the frame rate counter. "Show own statistics" is ON.

 

[Qassim]

I used it quite a lot before I got G-Sync (vsync issues are no more!), it's definitely a really useful bit of software.

 

[Jibbed]

Anyone tried this with Forza Horizon 3?

 

[SunBroDave]

What's the option to see more details like this? I can only see the frame rate counter. "Show own statistics" is ON.

You can configure what parameters are displayed onscreen via Settings in Afterburner.

 

[4jjiyoon]

yup.

vsync + rtss 60 lock is godlike.

using nvidia inspector's half refresh rate and rtss 30 lock is also godlike.

i just can't play games without it.

 

[Sini]

I use it for limiting framerates and displaying information from Afterburner as well. But it's a shame it has such bad support for OpenGL and no support for Vulkan so it was useless for new Wolfensteins and DOOM.

 

[Corpekata]

What's the option to see more details like this? I can only see the frame rate counter. "Show own statistics" is ON.

It's used in conjuction with MSI afterburner or EVGA precision X, they give a lot of OSD options (with Rivatuner being what they use to do that).

 

[SunBroDave]

Anyone tried this with Forza Horizon 3?

RTSS is incompatible with UWP.

 

[nkarafo]

I use it for limiting framerates and displaying information from Afterburner as well. But it's a shame it has such bad support for OpenGL and no support for Vulkan so it was useless for new Wolfensteins and DOOM.

It helped my issues with DOOM though.

Sometimes, after loading, the game wouldn't sync correctly or something and i was getting major frame rate issues and very aggressive stutters every 5 seconds or so. I had to restart the game for this to go away.

With RTSS this problem got away. Or maybe i got lucky and it didn't happen while using it? I'm not sure tbh.

You can configure what parameters are displayed onscreen via Settings in Afterburner.

It's used in conjuction with MSI afterburner or EVGA precision X, they give a lot of OSD options (with Rivatuner being what they use to do that).

Ah, thanks, i'm only using the "standalone" RTSS.

Is it included in Afterburner? Do you recommend that instead since i don't see the standalone being updated lately?

 

[Dreams-Visions]

I run almost every game in borderless windowed because of RTSS. it's fantastic.

 

[Sini]

It helped my issues with DOOM though.

Sometimes, after loading, the game wouldn't sync correctly or something and i was getting major frame rate issues and very aggressive stutters every 5 seconds or so. I had to restart the game for this to go away.

With RTSS this problem got away. Or maybe i got lucky and it didn't happen while using it? I'm not sure tbh.

You ran DOOM in OpenGL mode which RTSS somewhat supports, but it doesn't support Vulkan at all which I was running.

 

[Trojan]

I always keep MSI Afterburner running during games to monitor performance, but haven't used RTSS much because I try to minimize background processes.

Will having Riva Tuner running the background negatively impact a game's performance at all, or am I being too paranoid with this?

 

[nkarafo]

RTSS is incompatible with UWP.

More like UWP is incompatible with everything.

 

[VlaudTheImpaler]

I wish it could fix the stuttering that I get in DOOM.

I can't force myself to play anymore because of it. Totally ruins it for me.

But I kept it in the hopes that some day there will be an update that fixes it and I can finally finish the game... It's not going to happen is it?

 

[Corpekata]

I always keep MSI Afterburner running during games to monitor performance, but haven't used RTSS much because I try to minimize background processes.

Will having Riva Tuner running the background negatively impact a game's performance at all, or am I being too paranoid with this?

If you have MSI you have Rivatuner. Afterburner doesn't work without it. Like if you try to close it but not afterburner, afterburner will just open it again. The entire performance monitoring aspect is owed to it.

 

[Trojan]

If you have MSI you have Rivatuner. Afterburner doesn't work without it. Like if you try to close it but not afterburner, afterburner will just open it again.

Thanks, sounds like there's no reason I shouldn't be using it then.

 

[nkarafo]

Will having Riva Tuner running the background negatively impact a game's performance at all, or am I being too paranoid with this?

It's a pretty tiny program. Also, it actually looks like it increases performance when frame rate issues are ironed out by it.

 

[Crimsonclaw111]

I too get the server error message at every start up. Is it no longer updated or what? I can't remember the last time I got an update.

 

[Gbraga]

I wish I could use it with Bloodborne

 

[n0razi]

vsync + rtss 60 lock is godlike.

How can anything less than 165Hz be considered godlike? even 120Hz is barely pushing it.

 

[Saoshyant]

I wish it could fix the stuttering that I get in DOOM.

I can't force myself to play anymore because of it. Totally ruins it for me.

But I kept it in the hopes that some day there will be an update that fixes it and I can finally finish the game... It's not going to happen is it?

Did you try the Vulkan rendering?

 

[nkarafo]

How can anything less than 165Hz be considered godlike? even 120Hz is barely pushing it.

It's godlike for us peasants who can't afford equipment that offer the experiences you describe.

 

[EVO]

Is it better to lock frame rate to 59 or 60? I remember reading somewhere that locking to 59 practically eliminates screen tearing without sacrificing input lag. Is that true?

 

[Corpsepyre]

RTSS completely fixed Bioshock 2 remastered for me. Was having bad frame pacing issues, even though the FPS was at rock solid 60 vps Vsynced. Checked MSI Afterburner, and the frame times were spiking. Turned on RTSS, and capped FPS in the options menu. Running at solid 16.6 ms now!

 

[copelandmaster]

Agreed. The Doom demo and Dragon's Dogma fluctuated so badly for me without it (and Vsync). Never would've guessed I'd have to worry about this stuff at framerates over 120fps.

Hopefully they add Vulkan support within the year. Doom Vulkan is useless for me without RTSS.

 

[BoosterDuck]

hell yeah, the perfect silky smooth partner for GSync

the only issue I have is the Steam overlay is so janky that it usually doesn't run when RTSS is enabled

we need to get Valve to fix their crap

 

[VlaudTheImpaler]

Did you try the Vulkan rendering?

Yup. I got better performance in terms of fps but the stuttering was still there. It's killing me because Wolfenstein was one of my favorite games of all time and I can see something special in DOOM but I don't want to sour my feelings for it and that is what would happen if I tried to force myself to deal with the stutter. :/

 

[ghibli99]

How can anything less than 165Hz be considered godlike? even 120Hz is barely pushing it.

PCMRs are so goddamned annoying sometimes. You know what he meant.

 

[Truant]

I'm experimenting with this to reduce frame pacing for Evil Within 1. I'm VSYNCED at 60fps, so should I use 60 as my framerate cap?

Also, which app detection setting should I use? Anything else I should do?

 

[SeeNoWeevil]

More like UWP is incompatible with everything.

RTSS does support UWP. It didn't do good things for FH3 for me though.

 

[vocab]

Every time I use RTSS, I get worse performance. I'm glad the option exists, but it doesn't work the way it should for me.

 

[CrichtonKicks]

I'm experimenting with this to reduce frame pacing for Evil Within 1. I'm VSYNCED at 60fps, so should I use 60 as my framerate cap?

Yes. With some games its better to use unlocked framerate in-game and then just cap outside with RTSS but TEW doesn't have an upcapped option.

 

[Truant]

Yes. With some games its better to use unlocked framerate in-game and then just cap outside with RTSS but TEW doesn't have an upcapped option.

Alright, thanks!

I just capped my framerate to 60 globally. No need to create profiles yet, since my TV doesn't go above 60, and I rarely play at 30 anyway.

Strangely enough, I don't think this did anything to the frame pacing in TEW. However, the game is buttery smooth if I also enable Fraps for some weird reason. So the combination of these two apps seem to work magic on this game, at least.