difficult question about half-life 1 and vsync

[soc_hexum]

does anyone know why the frames per second in half-life will not exceed 60 with vsync on? I'm using a geforce 6800 with newest whql drivers.

i disable vsync, and my fps go up to 100. but i enable it, and it drops back down to 60 again. this would be completely normal if my monitor's refresh rate was 60hz... but my monitor's refresh rate is 85hz.

i noticed that when i first started half-life up, it defaulted to a 60hz refresh rate. It overran my 85hz setting in windows in the video control panel, and changed it to 60hz for the duration of the game! so i clicked on the "override refresh rate" button in windows and forced half-life to run in 85hz.
the reason i mention that is because i think maybe half-life thinks my monitor is running at 60hz, since half-life changes your refresh rate to 60hz every time you start up, and it sets a max fps to 60 when vsync is on, thinking it will match the newly applied 60hz refresh rate

theres gotta be a way to fix this

i've seen this problem posted around before, but many people have misunderstood, and its easily confused with the problem of trying to get your fps to go beyond your refresh rate (solution = disable vsync). i want my fps to match the monitor's refresh rate, like it's supposed to

again... the frames per second in half-life will not exceed 60 with vsync on, and my monitor's refresh rate is 85hz.

thanks!

 

[Hectic Glenn]

Hmmm your situation confuses me a bit, i'm trying to post with understanding. I know XP limits windows to a 60hz refresh rate, i use a refresh lock which unlocks that and allows me to use whatever my monitor supports, which could be 85hz too. Since you've already done that, the issue is the game that is limiting you. I wouldn't turn vsync off, i believe it prevents tearing of the screen which makes things look awful. Have you tried a few console commands, the main one i would suggest is fps_max 150. That should allow HL1 to go past 60, it works in multi-player too. (Open the console with the button under Esc). Not sure if that helps, even if it does you won't notice any difference in gameplay, the human eye cannot recognise any difference past 20/30 i believe.

 

[soc_hexum]

You understood perfectly.

Also it's fresh air to me to see someone who, like me, thinks turning vsync off causes the game to look like garbage

However I will notice a difference in gameplay from 60fps to 85fps when vsync is enabled and a refresh rate of 85hz!

If your refresh rate is 85hz, and the FPS sticks at 60fps, there is an insanely noticable stuttering effect. Dropping the refresh rate down to 60 to match the FPS will fix this. But instead of dropping the refresh rate down to match the framerate at 60, I was hoping to raise the framerate up to 85 to match the refresh rate.

Apparently it's not possible.

Apparently Half-Life will not run faster than 60fps while vsync is enabled!

bummer

 

[Hectic Glenn]

Thats a lie! I'm sure i run HL1/CS/DOD at exactly 100fps, with my refresh lock on. I've seen countless people with the game superceding 60fps, especially Counter Strike enthusiastics who are always looking to harness every half of a frame per second. Have you had no success with console commands at all? Are you using cl_showfps 2 to check your FPS, or net_graph 1 perhaps?

 

[soc_hexum]

I can max the framerate at 100fps too, it's just that I can't crack 60fps while vsync is enabled.

I've used net_graph 1 to monitor framerates, and also Fraps.

With vsync OFF, the max_fps console commands work fine

With vsync ON, the max_fps console commands will only lower the max framerate, but no matter what, it will not exceed 60fps

-- and, yes, I can assure you 100% my monitor is running at 85hz

 

[Hectic Glenn]

As far as i am aware, my vsync is not disabled, and i'm managing to reach the 100fps mark. So i'm slightly confused to why its necessary for one to be off, while another is on. I know there are options in the ATI catalyst control panel for altering things such as vsync (i suppose nvidia does too), have you had a look around there? I'll see if Asus knows anything, he may know some more.

 

[soc_hexum]

Im very familiar with Nvidia's control panel, and it's fairly straightforward, so I don't think that anything there can fix this unfortunately...

 

[Asus]

There is a difference between 3D refresh rate and your desktop's setting.
The machine I'm on now has an ATI card and in the settings there is a 3D Refresh Rate Override option. With it disabled and Vsync enabled ingame I get 60FPS. If I set the Override option to 75Hz then I get 75FPS ingame with Vsync on.

I don't have a Nvidia card in this machine, I'll have to jump on the other one to see if there is a setting. I know Nvidia used to have it so you could set each game to launch with certain settings. Do they still have that?

 

[Mesz]

Half Life is one of those game where it doesn't even matter what it looks like, as long as you can see everything you need to, (and the little extras) you should be concentrating on the gameplay.

 

[soc_hexum]

In response to #8

The nvidia control panel has a section that "overrides refresh rates to be used in applications". With it disabled and Vsync enabled ingame I get 60FPS. If I set the Override option to 85Hz then I still for some reason get 60FPS ingame with Vsync on.

Nvidia's control panel (the classic mode at least...) does have them, but I've never used those "preset options" though, I like to just set things up as I go


In response to #9

I love when games run silky smooth! It's not the graphics I'm concerned about, it's the feel of the game! ;D I don't like stuttering or choppiness, and that's what you'll get (in various degrees) when your refresh rate is diferent from your FPS and vsync is on.

 

[Beerdude26]

I vaguely remember reading something that it's a limitation for HL1. Which means you can't go above 60FPS with Vsync on.