Frame pacing issues on Steam Deck

[matthewpetch]

Validation

• [X] Game has been updated to the latest RE4HD release (v1.1: https://www.re4hd.com/?p=9552)
• [X] Data has been validated with SFV (a guide to using QuickSFV is available at that link, use that with this 1.1 SFV: BIO4-HDProject1.1-SFV.zip)

Describe your issue here (drag+drop ZIP to attach it)

Using the mod on RE4 on Steam Deck (currently only tested with the RE4HD mod), the frame pacing is inconsistent and sometimes drops where it usually shouldn't when targeting 60fps

I have tried disabling V-Sync in this mod, and also enabling Fix Display Mode (tried both -1 and 60 for values) - neither made any difference

The reason I believe this is a bug is because if you change the Steam Deck's refresh rate (and subsequently the built-in frame limiter) to 59Hz then the frame pacing and frame drops completely disappear. Other users have also had the same issue and that 'fix' has worked for them

[emoose]

Any chance you could test the build linked at https://github.com/nipkownix/re4_tweaks/pull/257#issuecomment-1193126253 ? It's a little old and might be missing some features, but maybe the new framelimiter implemented there can help with the frame pacing.

(if you use RE4HD it might have some issue with large fonts, older re4_tweaks builds don't work with them properly, that's just a visual thing though)

[matthewpetch]

Thanks @emoose,

At first I thought the older build fixed the issue. I then tried changing some settings and realised that setting DisableVsync to false improved things a lot. I then went back to the latest build and disabled that setting too, and that's also a lot better, I'd say exactly the same as the older build.

Neither seem to have the same flatline on the timing graph of the performance overlay as setting the Deck to 59Hz though. At 60 fps it is constantly jumping between between 14 and 18ms. For comparison, at 59Hz it sits nicely between 16.2 and 17.8ms and the very slight (but noticeable) micro-stuttering when the camera is moving is completely gone

I believe the Steam Deck is using gamescope and it's recommended that vsync and other in-game frame limiters are disabled - so it's a bit odd that keeping RE4's vsync enabled is better

It's by no means bad or unplayable, it just feels like there's something gamescope isn't happy about at 60 fps

If you would like me to test other builds or if there's anything else I can do to help please let me know

[emoose]

Oh looks like the build I linked also needs ReplaceFramelimiter = true in the [DISPLAY] section of the INI for the new framelimiter there to take effect too, not sure if you tried changing that or not, should have mentioned that since it's easy to miss, sorry about that.

Wonder if disabling the games framelimiter entirely and relying on external one instead could help at all, looks like gamescope can handle setting a framerate limit on the game for you, hm...

[nipkownix]

@matthewpetch Here's an updated build with ReplaceFramelimiter enabled by default: dinput8.zip

[matthewpetch]

@matthewpetch Here's an updated build with ReplaceFramelimiter enabled by default: dinput8.zip

Sorry for taking so long to get round to this. Using this with default settings (deleted the .ini file prior to install) it still has the timing/pacing issues that aren't present when setting the Deck to 59Hz. I've opened the F1 menu and ReplaceFramelimiter was enabled by default. If you'd like me to change any settings or try another build please let me know

Interestingly (I don't know if it's of any use) the lower I set the Steam Deck's frame rate limiter the slower the game runs. So at 30fps the game runs at half speed!

[matthewpetch]

@nipkownix could it be that the '60' fps is actually 59.94Hz? I've seen reports of other games that are running at 59.94Hz having issues with gamescope's 60fps lock