How Do I Set Maximum Frame Rate?

[Haravikk Mistral]

Okay, so I'm running SL on integrated graphics, so allowing SL to run faster than 24-30 fps actually cripples performance as it wastes GPU time and slows the CPU, making SL nothing but a resource hog. Plus I'm not sure SL really benefits from more than 30 fps to begin with.

Anyway, there's a hidden setting "MaxFPS" available in debug settings (under the Develop menu); I've set this to 24 and restarted Second Life, but it doesn't seem to be actually be doing anything.

 

Does anyone know how to actually enable frame-rate limiting in the official SL viewer?

[Freya Mokusei]

Second Life doesn't have a proper built-in frame rate limiter. You're correct that MaxFPS exists, but the viewer developers never connected that switch to control anything - so it doesn't work.

You can find more information about this problem in an associated forum thread here. It's possible that third party viewers utilise MaxFPS properly, but without experience I can't say for sure.

Depending on your graphics capabilities (you don't give any details), the software that was supplied with your graphics chip may allow you to limit the framerate across your entire system - this would work for SL too, and you can just disable the limit when you want more than 30FPS.

[Haravikk Mistral]

That would certainly explain why it doesn't work then! Okay, do any third party viewers available for Mac work? I'm using Intel integrated graphics so I don't think I can set a system-wide frame-rate limit under OS X, unless it can be set under Windows and sticks (e.g - if it's a hardware setting)?

[Freya Mokusei]

The thread I linked to suggests Firestorm may support MaxFPS?

I'm not familiar with Firestorm, OS X or Intel integrated graphics, other than that driver settings won't stick between operating systems.