Increasing performance with high numbers of pawns.

[OmniTitan]

I am running into issues where I am stuttering even at normal speed when I get above about 40-80 pawns (with mods closer to 40).

Is there anything I can do to increase performance?

[Shurp]

Yes.  Buy a better computer.

[Wex]

As you can imagine, graphics isn't an issue here.
You need a better CPU.

[OmniTitan]

I have had this issue on very high end CPU's. The only way I can see to resolve this issue would be to use a server setup with an xeon, or two. As i7 6600k still has this. 4.8ghz AMD cpu didn't fix it either.

So no one has any suggestions other than a better CPU?

Also, Shurp. I have an i7 6600k, Nvidia 1080, 16gb Ram and SSD self build. This is not a matter of simply a better PC. Right now I am using a Razer Blade while I travel.

[CannibarRechter]

15c is supposed to have a bunch of CPU optimizations. You'll have to wait for that.

[ThiIsMe007]

I think I've read somewhere (probably on the Rimworld reddit) that disabling aliasing in your driver options also helps with performance. Can't find the source right now, sorry.

[OmniTitan]

15c is supposed to have a bunch of CPU optimizations. You'll have to wait for that.

Wonderful to hear!

I think I've read somewhere (probably on the Rimworld reddit) that disabling aliasing in your driver options also helps with performance. Can't find the source right now, sorry.

Just tried this but seems to have no difference. Hopefully 15c comes soon

[eadras]

Yeah I don't think the GPU will be the bottleneck for most systems, but rather the CPU.  Specifically since it hasn't been optimized for quad cores yet.  That should definitely help the game run smoother with high pawn density.

[brcruchairman]

From my experience with Dwarf Fortress, the problem is often neither CPU, GPU, or RAM. The problem I've run into most often, from humble junker laptop to high-performance rig, is that that the CPU can perform the calculations quickly, the RAM has the storage, but the delays when there are an extremely large number of objects in play (e.g., an old Dwarf Fort, or a high pawn-count in Rimworld) the trouble comes in getting the information from RAM and to the CPU then back again.

Again, this has only been my experience. Maybe for others their CPU runs hot when they play, or their RAM gets full. I just no for me, my CPU won't go over 20%, my RAM stays under a gig (of 3 gigs), but it still runs slow.

Either way, as Cannibar Retcher pointed out, CPU optimizations would go a long way towards solving this issue.

[cultist]

I'm curious, how are you getting 40-80 pawns without mods? The game usually starts to softcap you around 10.

Anyway, the game is not optimized for 40 pawns and certainly not for 80. A better CPU would probably help, but I doubt it would elimintate the issues completely.

[eadras]

I'm not sure how the "soft cap" actually works.  I had 22 pawns in my final A14 game before I moved on to A15.  Could have had more, too, but I stopped recruiting pirates.  The 22nd colonist was a wanderer joining, too, which I had never seen happen past 10 colonists before.  Add in 50ish domesticated animals, and you have nearly 80 little buggers moving around, and the game definitely lags at triple speed.

As to the question of your RAM speed, or the transfer of data between RAM and CPU, being the bottleneck, that seems unlikely.  The fact that your CPU is never passing 20% utilization is due to a lack of quad core optimization.  Effectively, because the game is configured to run on a single core, it can only utilize 1/4 of your CPU capacity.  I haven't followed Tynan's blog personally, but from others quoting him, I gather he has this issue in his sights.

[ShadowTani]

It's possible he plays on Randy. Unless things have changed only Cassandra and Phoebe softcaps you at 10 pawns. However, Randy is to the storytellers as Ludeonicrous is for the map sizes, so experimental in some aspects, this being one of them. In short, yes, the game is definitively not really designed with large 40+ pawn colonies in mind.

[eadras]

It's possible he plays on Randy. Unless things have changed only Cassandra and Phoebe softcaps you at 10 pawns. However, Randy is to the storytellers as Ludeonicrous is for the map sizes, so experimental in some aspects, this being one of them. In short, yes, the game is definitively not really designed with large 40+ pawn colonies in mind.

My recent 22 pawn game was Cassandra Challenge on a large tundra map.   I was surprised that the colony got that big, which is why I questioned the "soft cap" mechanic. 

[Tynan]

Alpha15c should improve performance quite a bit.

[brcruchairman]

As to the question of your RAM speed, or the transfer of data between RAM and CPU, being the bottleneck, that seems unlikely.  The fact that your CPU is never passing 20% utilization is due to a lack of quad core optimization.  Effectively, because the game is configured to run on a single core, it can only utilize 1/4 of your CPU capacity.  I haven't followed Tynan's blog personally, but from others quoting him, I gather he has this issue in his sights.

You may be right. It is a bit odd, though; I have 6 cores, so shouldn't my use be capped at ~17%? Or are you saying that games like Rimworld and Dwarf Fortress use one core mostly, but use the others a little and inefficiently? Either way, it sounds like you know more about it than me; thanks for the correction! Always nice to talk to knowledgeable folk.