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RVGL Startup speed

Posted: Wed May 01, 2019 6:16 pm
by kiwi
Since one or two versions, RVGL needs 5 times longer to startup then usual.

I just tested it. RVGL 19.0430a takes 15 seconds to startup.
For comparison, RVGL 19.0320a only took 3 seconds.
Both versions had the same custom content installed when I tested it.

I have 114 tracks in my /levels folder, as well 150 cars in my /cars folder.

I'm using the following command line options:
► Show Spoiler
I also did a short video, to demonstrate. I tested both versions twice. You can find the video here: https://vimeo.com/333592944

What can cause this, and how can I get RVGL to start faster again? I am a car- and track-creator, as well I am hosting multiplayer races. For all this, I have to start RVGL very often. Get back the fast startup speed would pretty nice.

Re: RVGL Startup speed

Posted: Wed May 01, 2019 10:31 pm
by Huki
Place both versions (19.0320a and 19.0430a) executables (only the rvgl.exe) in your main installation folder (rename the other one as rvgl_19.0320a.exe) and run the tests again, with the same command lines for both. I'd like to see a video from that setup. This would help us confirm whether something is really amiss with the newer builds.

Re: RVGL Startup speed

Posted: Thu May 02, 2019 2:25 pm
by shara--
from my experience, may be worth noting that only the first time that the game is started has slow startup times.
subsequent startups from the same executable has faster startup times. it took me 20-30 secs when i start up my heavy custom content executable, then subsequent startups only takes about 5 seconds from the same executable.

these will be reset everytime the computer is restarted. if the computer is shut down and then booted up again, the game will have slow startup time again if started for the first time, then it will have faster startup time for further startups.

for me, it has been like this for around a long time and it always act the same.

Re: RVGL Startup speed

Posted: Thu May 02, 2019 5:42 pm
by kiwi
@Shara: It was never that way at my side. No matter what I did, it always took only a few seconds to open RVGL.

@Huki: I put the EXE from my test-installation (RVGL 19.0320a) in the folder of my main installation (RVGL 19.0430a), and tried starting both. Result: Both took 15 seconds.

I did another test:

Put the EXE from my RVGL 19.0430a folder in my RVGL 19.0320a installation, and again tried both versions: Both times it only took 3 seconds!

-> So the cause must be something different, but not the EXE. Any idea?

Here a video of the tests: https://vimeo.com/333806354
  • At first I am in the folder of my test installation (19.0320a), and try both EXE's.
  • In the second part I am in my 19.0430a folder, and also try both EXE's.

Re: RVGL Startup speed

Posted: Thu May 02, 2019 5:55 pm
by kiwi
I have found the issue.

In my main installation I'm having 461 *.rpl files in my replays folder.
In my test installation there was 0.

After moving the content of the replays folder, it only take 3 seconds to open RVGL 19.0430a also in my main installation.

Are you aware of this effect, Huki?

Re: RVGL Startup speed

Posted: Thu May 02, 2019 9:57 pm
by URV
I just tried it as well, can confirm that it's also happening on my end. Moving out all the replays (I had 469 .rpl files) reduces the wait time from 30 seconds to just 1-3 seconds. Counted the seconds from launching the game up until the loading screen appears.

Re: RVGL Startup speed

Posted: Fri May 03, 2019 1:19 pm
by Huki
shara-- wrote: Thu May 02, 2019 2:25 pm from my experience, may be worth noting that only the first time that the game is started has slow startup times.
subsequent startups from the same executable has faster startup times. it took me 20-30 secs when i start up my heavy custom content executable, then subsequent startups only takes about 5 seconds from the same executable.
This is true at least for me - a cold start takes time (5-10 secs depending on system load) while subsequent startups are almost instantaneous. I'm running Linux, what about you?
Kiwi wrote: Thu May 02, 2019 5:55 pm I have found the issue.

In my main installation I'm having 461 *.rpl files in my replays folder.
In my test installation there was 0.

After moving the content of the replays folder, it only take 3 seconds to open RVGL 19.0430a also in my main installation.

Are you aware of this effect, Huki?
Good, at least we've narrowed down the issue. But no, I'm not aware of this. The game reads header data from each replay file. The header is about 2.5kB, which is a lot less than the size of a parameters.txt. So at most, it's as if we're reading 460 cars. This shouldn't take long.

Perhaps your file system is fragmented. I can't think of any other reason currently. I'm going to test later on both Linux and Windows with 500 replay files and see what happens.

Re: RVGL Startup speed

Posted: Fri May 03, 2019 2:15 pm
by agg1401
Hi.

Re-Volt doesn't turn on immediately in my computer.

Re: RVGL Startup speed

Posted: Fri May 03, 2019 5:02 pm
by kiwi
The file system is fragmented for sure, cause I never used the defragment application as provided by Windows. The filesystem was last formated in ~2015. Or maybe de-fragmenting will be done automatically in newer Windows versions? I’m not really up-2-date with what is the state of the art here nowadays. However, FYI, I‘m using only SSD‘s in my computer.

I will see what I can find out regarding fragmention.

Also keep in mind URV’s comment. He had nearly the same amount of replay files, but his startup took 30 seconds (double the time of my startup time).

Re: RVGL Startup speed

Posted: Sat May 04, 2019 6:47 pm
by kiwi
It seems newer Windows versions automatically do defrag. This is how it looks at my computer:

Image

So this should not be the cause of the issue.

Re: RVGL Startup speed

Posted: Tue May 07, 2019 8:05 am
by Huki
So, the filesystem is not fragmented and also it's an SSD, which should significantly speed up filesystem reads. That's very strange. I don't have any news yet as I haven't tried to reproduce this situation on my computer. I'll keep you informed then.