Team Fortress 2 Stuttering Issues

[DerrickG]

For users experiencing stuttering issues with Team Fortress 2 please try enabling VSync within your video options as this may help with the problem.

Please post feedback and results here.

-- edit from rbarris follows --

Some other discoveries turned up that users may want to experiment with.


One report indicates that for the NV+10.6.4 driver combination, that disabling the "multi threaded GL driver" can smooth out frame rate without too much of a performance hit.

-glmdisablemtgl <- is the launch option for that, it has to be in the launch options Steam panel, not entered by hand in the console.

Another option you have that could help, is to shut off the engine's use of "occlusion query" technique. This can have some measurable performance wins but it is really a last resort because disabling it can potentially mess up the engine's ability to correctly calculate dynamic lighting level - i.e. you could wind up with scenes that are too dark or too bright. This one is a console variable and can be toggled live. One of the highest priority tasks we have is to make it so this feature runs correctly without a performance cost, and that work is ongoing.

+gl_nullqueries 1 <- launch option syntax with a leading '+'.

Setting gl_bufmode to 1 can help and that's going to be on by default in TF2 / HL2 / Portal on their next updates. It is already 1 by default on CS:S. This is also a console variable and can be toggled live, or put permanently into launch options dialog using the + syntax as follows.

+gl_bufmode 1 <- launch option syntax with a leading '+'.

[Boslok]

I'm not playing TF2 but I was suffering from the stuttering issues in HL2 (after the OS update) so I gave a try this with HL2 Episode 1 and it did help with the stuttering issues and stuttering sound. When I turned on the flashlight the stuttering movement and stuttering sound returned until I turned the flashlight off.

Its not quite returned back to before but this is an improvement.

I'm running an iMac Intel Core 2 Duo 2.93 GHz with 4 GB ram, NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 with 256 vram.

[dong1225]

I will try it and post the results but I thought VSync only helped when framerates go above 60FPS or so and results in image displaying quicker than it should and going out of sync.

Anyone care to help enhance my knowledge?

*update, did help reducing stutter albeit not get rid of it.
Didn't have that much stutter to begin with but I'm going to keep the option enable to see if there are more differences.

Good morning,

Activating vsync has hugely improved my gameplay experience in Team Fortress 2. I am finally getting the fluidity i was personally having under 10.6.3, and the stuttering issues have nearly completely vanished.

Many thanks.


Edit: After few hours of testing, it sure appears that the gameplay is more fluid but still does dramatically slow down during heavy stress. I unfortunately still cannot use the sniper but the good news is that i can return to TF2 and play, unlike before applying vsync.

[kevinxing]

Shouldn't enabling vsync I dunno, make the game lag even more? Make no sense

[Stumf]

Better, there is a definitive reduction in stuttering. The performance is still 10-20% less than bootcamp. This is not to criticize, just informative.

Keep up the good work Valve!

[Kyle6477]

This is not related to TF2 but I was having this sort of issues in Half-Life 2: Episode 2 and this seemed to correct the problem.

MacBook Pro 13" (Mid 2009)
Intel Core 2 Duo 2.26GHz
4GB RAM
NVIDIA GeForce 9400M

[EdzUp]

Performance has increased with VSync in TF2

Mac Mini (1Gb ram version)
Intel Core 2 Duo 2.26Ghz
1Gb ram
NVidia GeForce 9400

Snow leopard 10.6.4

[Aivskar]

No change here that I can notice. Still very stuttery and slow, all settings at lowest possible.

MacBook Pro 2.2ghz C2D
2gb RAM
8600m GT 128mb
10.6.4

[maldrake]

I have stuttering issues while playing TF2, reinstalling the update improved my performance slightly, making the game playable.

I installed the upgrade firstly through the Software Update application and started having the stuttering problems. I reinstalled the update by using the combo file from apple.com.

My Mac:

MacBookPro5,5
Intel Core 2 Duo 2,53 GHz
Nvidia GeForce 9400M
4GB RAM

Before the TF2 update I was having horrible issues, 1-2 frames per second and nothing could improve it. It's now much better. I haven't tried enabling vsync yet.

I've had pretty good framerates since release, around 20-30. After 10.6.4 update I had around 40. Vsync made it worse, when enabled I went back to around 25. After disabling it went back to 30-40

[monkeyhands]

Originally Posted by Dakhaas

I've had pretty good framerates since release, around 20-30. After 10.6.4 update I had around 40. Vsync made it worse, when enabled I went back to around 25. After disabling it went back to 30-40

Same here, with VSYNC my fps was limited to 30, with it disabled I get 40-50.

[somsjeans]

Vsync just makes it worse. I could see it maybe helping if you already get 60+ fps, but its a pretty bad FPS killer.

[Acemaco]

Its not problems with fps or ping. My average fps is 50 and my average ping on eGO servers are 125.
Fine Specs to tell the truth.

Problems come when im in combats or sniper scope. Fps drops to 15 and ping shoots to 230.

Its not stuttering, its lack of consistency.

EDIT: This is really REALLY annoying. Sniper is impossible to play. Going int scope is not worth doing because when you fire the target hasnʻt been there for a LONG time.