How to set it up:
- Game that can run at more than 60fps.
- Monitor at 120Hz.
- Fps unlocked ingame, at least to more than 60fps, and a PC capable of producing more fps than that.
- Game not capped to 60fps by tools like RTSS.
- In the Nvidia profile for the game, set "Vertical Sync" to "1/2 Refresh Rate".
This is before using ShaderBeam.
The game will be locked to 60fps by the "1/2 Refresh Rate" setting, and it will be completely smooth instead of getting the typical stutters that 60fps games get when refresh rate is higher, even if it's an exact multiple.
When you run ShaderBeam, for some reason, the game will ignore the "1/2 Refresh Rate" setting and start producing more frames, screwing up the perfect half vsync that you got before. The proof, apart from using your eyes to see the stutters, is seeing the "Captured FPS" number go higher than 60.
Before, this is RTSS showing the 60fps limit and smooth frametime graph:
After, the ShaderBeam stats:
This problem also affects "1/3 Refresh Rate", for a game that I tried to play at 40fps and inserting two black frames per game frame.
If it helps, I have observed this same issue in ShaderGlass too, but ONLY when running it in fullscreen (ctrl+shift+g). When ShaderGlass was windowed or maximized, the game was still respecting the fps limits. I was able to go back and forth between fullscreen and non fullscreen multiple times, seeing how the fps limits were broken and respected respectively.
It may not be exactly a window focus issue, because running the game normally (no ShaderBeam nor ShaderGlass) and alt+tabbing out to Windows explorer, Chrome or something else doesn't make the game break the fps limit.
If this problem can be fixed, games will be much smoother. Even with ingame fps caps, or RTSS, you can't trust 60fps at 120Hz being smooth. It may be fine for a few seconds, and then you can get stutters for a long time.
How to set it up:
This is before using ShaderBeam.
The game will be locked to 60fps by the "1/2 Refresh Rate" setting, and it will be completely smooth instead of getting the typical stutters that 60fps games get when refresh rate is higher, even if it's an exact multiple.
When you run ShaderBeam, for some reason, the game will ignore the "1/2 Refresh Rate" setting and start producing more frames, screwing up the perfect half vsync that you got before. The proof, apart from using your eyes to see the stutters, is seeing the "Captured FPS" number go higher than 60.
Before, this is RTSS showing the 60fps limit and smooth frametime graph:
After, the ShaderBeam stats:
This problem also affects "1/3 Refresh Rate", for a game that I tried to play at 40fps and inserting two black frames per game frame.
If it helps, I have observed this same issue in ShaderGlass too, but ONLY when running it in fullscreen (ctrl+shift+g). When ShaderGlass was windowed or maximized, the game was still respecting the fps limits. I was able to go back and forth between fullscreen and non fullscreen multiple times, seeing how the fps limits were broken and respected respectively.
It may not be exactly a window focus issue, because running the game normally (no ShaderBeam nor ShaderGlass) and alt+tabbing out to Windows explorer, Chrome or something else doesn't make the game break the fps limit.
If this problem can be fixed, games will be much smoother. Even with ingame fps caps, or RTSS, you can't trust 60fps at 120Hz being smooth. It may be fine for a few seconds, and then you can get stutters for a long time.