v-sync doesn't work anymore

[datiswous]

Since upgrading my gpu to an nVidia RTX 3060, I can only set v-sync via driver setting Sync to Vblank. At least I thought that's what that setting does. Enabling V-sync in TDM does nothing.

I use Manjaro Linux xfce

Both TDM 2.11 and 2.12

Edited January 7 by datiswous

[chakkman]

What is your default/general Vsync setting in the Nvidia driver? "Application controlled"?

Also, which version of TDM are we talking?

Edited January 7 by chakkman

[datiswous]

There's no such setting in Linux driver:

[chakkman]

Hmm... maybe under "Application Profiles"?

That looks very different to the Nvidia Control Panel in Windows.

[Xolvix]

You can try forcing vertical sync in Linux if using NVIDIA drivers with environment variables:

__GL_SYNC_TO_VBLANK=1 ./thedarkmod.x64

https://download.nvidia.com/XFree86/Linux-x86_64/535.146.02/README/openglenvvariables.html

 

[nbohr1more]

Or check the "Sync to VBlank" checkbox in the GUI screen shown above...

[Xolvix]

It's possible the vsync implementation in TDM is broken in Linux, or at least doesn't work properly with newer NVIDIA drivers. I wouldn't use that driver setting checkbox as a global option if I could. If the environment variable works, create a launcher script for TDM using it.

Edited January 8 by Xolvix

[datiswous]

Ok, yeah I guess I can make a profile for TDM.

Anyway, I thought v-sync would be smart, but it seems making the framerate go high, makes everything much smoother, so I don't really understand why one needs v-sync.

[OrbWeaver]

The point of VSync is to reduce visual tearing caused by updating the frame halfway through a screen refresh while something is moving on screen, as well as reducing wasted GPU cycles rendering more frames than can be shown on screen (although some people like extremely high framerates for various other reasons).

However as far as I can recall, I've never seen the VSync settings in the game have any effect on Linux (and I use AMD cards, so I don't think this is specific to nVidia).

[chakkman]

I don't know if there really is screen tearing in TDM without Vsync. In my experience, some games tear, and some don't, without Vsync activated. So, I'd check if it does, and, if it doesn't, you won't need Vsync anyway. It introduces extra latency (albeit very little) and costs performance anyway.

Edit: I just checked with disabled Vsync, frames capped to 144 FPS, and, I don't see any screen tearing. I'd just leave Vsync off (if it even can be enabled on Linux). Makes no sense anyway, if there is no screen tearing without it.

Edited January 8 by chakkman

[OrbWeaver]

Not everyone is sensitive to (or can even detect) screen tearing — if you don't have a problem with it, and also don't have a problem with a noisy or overheating GPU rendering at too high a framerate (which could also be solved by capping the FPS, independently of VSync), leaving VSync off is perfectly fine.

[nbohr1more]

Keep in mind that different Linux distros use different display architectures, some of which use GPU compositing.

Some of the compositing based desktops hard-code vsync on regardless of driver setting.

Conversely, some X11 based distros have notorious problems with vsync that can only be fixed by changing the default Window system or some other workaround.