Hello everyone!

I've been running a series of frame rate tests on the Test Server for the past two weeks with the assistance of the Guide Team in order to pinpoint and profile rendering performance issues and check out various potential optimizations.

Currently the Test Server is running a non-optimized baseline build with options to turn the rendering of various items on and off. I am using this build to gauge improvements in future tests and to determine with items most affect specific machines.

If you wish to participate in these tests, please follow these instructions:

1) Set the following settings:
- Windowed Mode On
- Antialiasing Off
- Texture Detail High
- Texture Filter Bilinear
- HDR Rendering On
- Transparency On
- Interaction On
- Reflection On
- Refraction On
- Rain Refraction On

- Soft Shadows Off
- Advanced Shadows Off
- Shadow Detail Very High (doesn’t matter really as shadows are all off)
- Player Shadows - Terrain Shadows all Off
- Depth of Field On
- Bloom On

- Building Mode Off

2) Choose and record your specific location.


3) Face North, East, South, West and record your frame rate in each direction.
- Zoom out as far as possible
- Keep your view angle at 0.50. Your view angle currently shows below the frame rate display in the upper left side of your screen.
- Record your frame rate with your mouse over the sky or ground (make sure no object or building part is selected). You can also drag your mouse cursor entirely off screen.


4) Check your frame rate with your mouse over a building part or object. Does it decrease or is it the same as with your mouse over the sky or ground?


5) Repeat the test with:
- Render Objects Off (all other render items on)
- Render Trees Off (all other render items on)
- Render Grass Off (all other render items on)
- Render Clouds Off (all other render items on)
- Render Sun Off (all other render items on)
- All render items off

Note: These settings are for testing purposes only.

6) Post your results here or if send them through the help desk
Please include your system specs with your results.

I will leave the current build up for the next few days and will post again when I've switched on optimizations. So far I've improved frame rate for myself and other players by 10%-25% with improved occlusion and streamlining of various functions.

Note: There's no pressure at all to participate in these tests as I'm working with the Guides to get enough information. I'm posting here for those that are interested and would like to gather and share their own stats.

Thanks!