Less memory usage by using OpenGL

[ibanix]

1.147 -> 1.125 GiB, D3D vs OpenGL

Video memory went up slightly on OpenGL (420MB vs 750MB).

FPS was the same (capped at 60 anyways) and visuals otherwise seem the same. Have a few mods, nothing huge.

Windows 7, 8GB, GT740

Update: After playing in dynamic settings, it seems that OpenGL has some artificating errors on edges, and the frame rate drops to 20 or less quite often.

Edited July 6, 2015 by ibanix

[hawk_za]

28 mods moved to open gl and that allowed me to play the game when in direct x it would just crash to desktop

[Overlocker]

I'm using OpenGL mode without ATM and I have about 900 Mb of mods, so the RAM is fine at 2.2 Gb Maximum. But I have TONS of FPS spikes when using this mode, I usually have from 20 to 30 fps at launch and 60 at space but the spikes go from 60 to 10 each physics calculation frame like this :

[Life on Europa]

im having fps drops in 1.0.4,every 20 sec fps lag spikes..but saved me about 400 ram usage.

[Hagen von Tronje]

4820K @4.8GHz

GTX 780 x2

32GB memory

Windows 8.1

Running ~ 40 mods (roughly a dozen or so parts mods, bunch of lightweight dependencies or bugfixes, bunch of utility mods, no graphics mods) on KSP 1.0.4 32bit

Memory usage before*, with maxed settings - ~3.5GB (crashy)

With ground quality normal instead of high - ~3.0GB (stable, standard issue memory leaks excepted)

With OpenGL, maxed settings - ~1.8GB I kid you not

Framerates remained more or less the same either way and depended largely on part count within physics range.

Main drawback I found is that alt-tab is a lot more likely to screw something up in OpenGL. Use with caution and only when nothing is loading.

Great fix 10/10.

*Memory tests were done on Kerbin's surface while piloting a surface vehicle, as this seems to be much higher memory usage than in space.

Edited August 7, 2015 by Hagen von Tronje

[r1chardj0n3s]

I just tried this and wow, all my instability *gone*. I was getting crashes just switching between VAB and launchpad. I am going to have to revert the change to see what the DirectX RAM usage is, but under OpenGL I'm using about 2.4GB of RAM (I have a bunch of parts mods installed). I did have to turn atmospheric FX right down - massive FPS hit otherwise when they cut in during launch. Also, I can't use the settings interface in-game or it resets to a small window (from fullscreen) and I have to back out to the main menu to fix (if I even can - sometimes I'm just locked out of the game and have to kill it). Weirdly, when I turned OpenGL on my *sound* preferences were reset... Haven't tried alt-tab yet - not being able to do so will be a pain :/

[SmashBrown]

I am now getting intermittent fps drops when using opengl, and also whereas using -popupwindow and running in windowed borderless would let me keep AA, i now do not get AA, and forcing it on through Nvidia control panel still results in these fps drops i never had before. Frustrated as it seems everytime i get into a career mode something goes wrong and ruins the playability for me. I hope a solution to this fps drop happens.

[Ictinike]

Is OpenGL still possible with windowed mode?

When I now add the "-popupwindow" flag with the "-force-opengl" I have it crash with an error about resolution can't be found. I've tried changing the config using launcher as well in the file itself and nothing I can do since 1.0.x has allowed me to run OpenGL windowed mode

I keep searching and trying on new builds but maybe I've missed something in recent months. Prior to 1.0 release, it worked fine so if anyone has hints or suggestions; please reply or PM me.. please!

Thanks!

~Icky

[HafCoJoe]

I've been finding that my KSP crashes with opengl when it hits an error in resolution. Here is what it says:

Does anyone have a fix without having to change my screen resolution?

EDIT: It appears as though if I run in compatibility mode for Windows 8 it works...

Edited August 15, 2015 by Avera9eJoe

[sal_vager]

I've been finding that my KSP crashes with opengl when it hits an error in resolution. Here is what it says:

http://i.imgur.com/2qDztZp.png

Does anyone have a fix without having to change my screen resolution?

Windowed mode with -popupwindow perhaps?

[HafCoJoe]

Windowed mode with -popupwindow perhaps?

That didn't work but for some reason running with Windows 8 compatibility mode it works fine. Odd...

Thanks for moving the Aerospike thread too . It got the attention it needed in general discussion and will now retire in a relaxed stay in science labs ^-^

[sal_vager]

People should stop camping in GD, it's like a CS:GO game in there sometimes, use the activity stream if you want to see what's fresh and explore the other channels, there's tons of great threads, but if they were all in GD most would not be seen at all as there's only so much room on the first page.

[HafCoJoe]

People should stop camping in GD, it's like a CS:GO game in there sometimes, use the activity stream if you want to see what's fresh and explore the other channels, there's tons of great threads, but if they were all in GD most would not be seen at all as there's only so much room on the first page.

GD reminds me a lot of imgur where everyone is fighting for a slot at the top . I agree that it would be nice for people to visit the other pages too. I actually rarely visit general discussion, I spend most of my time in fanworks actually. It's a fun place.

I just took a closer look at your signature too. I'm curious as how you fit all the text into it XD There's a character cap on it and I had to turn my gray line of text into an image to allow room for the rest . That's quite the handy signature.

[sal_vager]

I think the cap doesn't apply to moderators, but also it's size=1 or it'd be far too big.

Fanworks could use more traffic, currently Gameplay Q's, the Spacecraft Exchange and Addon Releases see the most visits, but GD is where most members autopost.

[DuoDex]

Yeah, right.

He's a forum *admin*. They get all the chin stuff that you'd expect moderators to have.

Moderators still have to deal with post size minimums, inbox limits...the list goes on and on

[HafCoJoe]

Yeah, right.

He's a forum *admin*. They get all the chin stuff that you'd expect moderators to have.

Moderators still have to deal with post size minimums, inbox limits...the list goes on and on

XD the administration on this forum is just too great... I've practically learned to start laughing as soon as I see your avatar pop up...

[sal_vager]

Ahem, better get this back on track...

There's been a lot of players reporting problems with -force-opengl and Windows 10, it'd be good to catalogue these issues and their workarounds if any.

[Padishar]

Only problem i have noticed is that the settings is reset after every startup of the game like graphics, Sound sliders, inputs, even the message you get the first time to send data to squad or not is coming on every startup. not sure why...

This sounds like either the game is failing to write the settings.cfg file at all so using default settings each time it is started, or it is saving the settings incorrectly resulting in not being able to load them and resetting them to defaults (this can happen for a number of reasons but the usual one is after setting up a joystick). When you quit the game normally is a settings.cfg file written out alongside the KSP.exe? Can you upload the output_log.txt file from the next run (where the settings reset)?

[Gwincraft]

I'm having an interesting issue with opengl and KSP. When I attempt to run the game at 2560x1440, I get blue/normal flashes at 60hz. If I swap vsync to every 2nd blank, 30hz. At ANY resolution lower than 2560x1440? The game is 100% fine running in Open GL. Looking at EVGA precision, KSP isn't even touching my gpu as far as ram or computational power. What gives?

i7 3770k@ 4.7ghz

32gb RAM

2x GTX660ti

SLI disabled for KSP.

Windowed mode enabled (bug occurs with fullscreen as well)

[saqib126]

My fps is halved when using this, is there a way to fix it?

[davidy12]

Is there a way to do this on mac? (Macbook pro for me)

Edited September 1, 2015 by davidy12

[SpacePlanez]

I am using a Pentium 4 HT 3.4GHz with 3 GB of DDR2 ram at 533Mhz, a Nvidia Geforce GT 210 1gb, and KSP runs terrible in Directx. OpenGL is a lifesaver! It makes it run REALLY great!

[Chaosratt]

Win10, AMD FX8350, 16gb of ram (32 installed, but mobo wont see half ) GTX 660Ti. OpenGL mode appeared to lower my FPS slightly, or at least make it slightly less stable (the hickups that KSP has now and then seem more pronounced and there's more audio artifacts I think). However, memory usage went from ~3200mb to ~1800. I'd crash about every 3rd or 4th launch, hell some times a CTD just sitting at the KSP trying to figure out the next biome I need to scan. in OpenGL I have not crashed once and have since added a few more part-heavy mods as well.

[SmashingKirby148]

Every time, it want's to work, but does this instead.

[Torgo]

Lower your monitor resolution, start the game, then put your monitor resolution back up.

I normally run 1900x1200, but need to switch to 1440x900 for a few seconds top launch opengl mode. I can get the game launched by the time Windows reverts me back to 1900x1200 automatically.