Metal render for Mac OS

[Stona_WT 72,761]

Hi guys!

 

As you know, at 27th of August we have added option to use Metal for Mac OS game version.

After few days, when everything settle we would like to ask you to leave some feedback related to this. 

 

Thanks!

[Grokheim 13]

Been trying out the Metal renderer since it was re-enabled and I've got to say I'm finding it rather good so far. Better FPS than the OpenGL implementation for sure. I had been getting 40-50 FPS with OpenGL on Medium settings, now getting 70-90 FPS, although I do get the occasional drop in framerate below what OpenGL had (usually only lasts for a second or two). Definitely working better than the previous Metal implementation, which had higher framerates on average but often dropped below 10 FPS when the matches were starting.

 

One thing I have not tested yet is whether certain Mac-specific bugs are still present on Metal. I know I've been getting one particular issue for over two years now with OpenGL, but it only occurs on rainy matches (and I think only on specific times of day), and only happens for the first spawn. This issue was causing everything to get covered in a bright pink fog. I will have to test it out on a custom match, see if I can get it to trigger with Metal, but I hope that the renderer change should have fixed that particular issue.

Edited September 7, 2020 by Grokheim
Clarification

[Grokheim 13]

Just tested for the Pink Fog bug, looks like it's fixed with the switch to Metal. For a comparison, here it is on OpenGL (with the time/weather set to Dawn, Raining) and here again with Metal.

[Pony51 6,572]

HOW TO CHANGE API SETTINGS:

 

1. Open the Launcher, look for "gear" icon

 

2. Find the drop down menu.

 

3. Select "Metal" (for this test, do not choose "auto" or OpenGL).

  

 

 

 

NOTE: If the game does not play correctly, strange textures, crashing, or anything wrong with Metal setting, please go to Bug Reports section and post.

 

REQUIRED:

CLOG files from a recent game (even if it crashed on starting)

and

Your hardware/OS configuration of your MAC (OS Version, CPU, GPU, RAM, MAC Model) NOTE: cover your ID, line just below Graphics

Take a screen shot of "About This Mac", open the picture, open "About This Mac" again and clock on More Info and take another screen shot. ( crop away unneeded desktop space).

 

Go here and post your bug report.

https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/forum/569-mac

 

 

 

[NMAN1202 0]

I've been having some frame stuttering since switching to Metal. FPS peaks around 90 but will quickly drop to 30-40. I've especially noticed it near the ground where it renders slowly and choppy.

 

[Doublemeasure 13]

Graphically, I haven't noticed a difference, but the Mac seems to run cooler, which is reassuring.

[Girabo 0]

I seem to be the only one that Metal ruined my game experience, 1 week ago I was on medium settings running 60 fps stable and today same settings I don't get more than 15 (the rare occasions the game doesn't freeze before loading the hangar)

 

Any idea anyone on how to make the game playable again? I've tried also going super reduced graphic setting and instead of 15fps I go up to 20 which is still unplayable.

[hawker39 2]

After enabling Metal due to the message about OpenGL ( png attached) going away, the game does not load. I get the message in the other png.

I have to switch it to Auto or OpenGL for it to work. I have a mid 2015 MacbookPro metal supported running MacOS10.15.6

[RealMajorHavok 208]

I'm having the same problem as hawker39. Hawker, go into the launcher and try setting the graphics to "min", that allows me to launch at least.

 

I believe the first error, "failed to create" is a summary of the following errors.

I also believe the first two of the following three lines are related: the first appears to be trying to load a texture file but the first of the two files is either missing or otherwise broken (or the error message itself is wrong and they didn't put in the first %d). The second, "SC compilation failure" appears to be the result of the first.

The last line appears to be the real issue - if I'm reading that correctly, the GPU is running out of memory. That would explain why setting it to "min" fixes it on my machine.

 

When playing under Metal and set to "min", the performance is generally good, with ~70 to 80 fps.

 

However, Metal has always suffered from a problem where the FPS will suddenly drop significantly, to 10 fps or so. This occurs when new items appear on the screen, for instance, in the last match this occurred when an aircraft dove into the ground in my view.

 

I suspect the GPU is paging memory.

[Pony51 6,572]

11 hours ago, Girabo said:

I seem to be the only one that Metal ruined my game experience, 1 week ago I was on medium settings running 60 fps stable and today same settings I don't get more than 15 (the rare occasions the game doesn't freeze before loading the hangar)

 

Any idea anyone on how to make the game playable again? I've tried also going super reduced graphic setting and instead of 15fps I go up to 20 which is still unplayable.

 

10 hours ago, hawker39 said:

After enabling Metal due to the message about OpenGL ( png attached) going away, the game does not load. I get the message in the other png.

I have to switch it to Auto or OpenGL for it to work. I have a mid 2015 MacbookPro metal supported running MacOS10.15.6

 

If game is not working, PLEASE post in bug reports   NEED SYSTEM INFORMATION!!

 

 

 

[RealMajorHavok 208]

On 07/09/2020 at 18:36, Grokheim said:

This issue was causing everything to get covered in a bright pink fog. 

If I'm not mistaken, this is due to a missing texture. I have the same problem.

 

I now have metal working very well indeed. I'm getting ~60 to 70 fps with the resolution maxed and most of the details turned up too. The key is to turn everything up and then turn on "old vidcard support". Works for me anyway.

 

I've also noticed doing this reduces the stuttering I used to see. I still see it a bit, but nothing like before. For instance, if I held down C and looked behind me, then released C, the view snaps back to the front again. Previously this would cause it to slow down to maybe 10 fps. No longer, it's nice and smooth. I would also see random stutters as new objects or terrain appeared, which made flying quite frustrating because the long view caused this to happen all the time. Again, very rare now, it is much easier to fly.

 

So although we have this problem with the memory error, for me its avoidable and the result is a dramatic improvement over OGL.

[bingdingboomow 29]

The metal renderer for some reason does not render in bushes or trees unless they are right next. Is this just me or are others experiencing this as well? 

[maasmaaz 0]

On my mac the menu to select the Metal renderer is not available.

 

[SnoWFLakE0s 7]

On 02/10/2020 at 14:20, bingdingboomow said:

The metal renderer for some reason does not render in bushes or trees unless they are right next. Is this just me or are others experiencing this as well? 

I have the exact same issue. Makes for easy sniping, but still very weird...

[Badass_Jellykin 11]

Same error as Hawker39, running on an Macbook Pro 15-inch 2018, High Sierra 10.13.6, 2.9 GHz Core i9, 32 GB 2400 DDR4, Radeon Pro 560X 4096 MB

 

Cheers!

[LordOfTheWolves 0]

For me, I have been getting roughly  a 3rd of the FPS that I usually get on my system, and I have also been getting terrible frame pacing.

 

I am using a eGPU (5700xt 8gb founders edition in a Razer core X chroma) and when running the game on my custom settings (openGL) I get 53 average FPS on Mac OS and solid 60 in windows via bootcamp. With the same settings on Metal I'm getting 22 on average, and when I potato the graphics it struggles to get above 60 with frame pacing issues still. I know its not my card because on SOTTR and ROTTR (they also used Metal) I get solid 60 fps on ultra settings in both games.

 

My belief is that the eGPU support isnt 100% with this game, and I hope it gets improved in the next update. Im just so excited that the Unix/linux version is the same graphically on windows now (lighting quality, tessellation and TAA yay!)

[Badass_Jellykin 11]

Am now getting the "Metal" option on my advanced settings (following update Update 14.10.2020 (1.101.1.12)) 
but still the same result when trying to start the game using it:

 

Edited October 21, 2020 by Badass_Jellykin
Left personal info on screenshot

[RealMajorHavok 208]

On 14/10/2020 at 08:23, Badass_Jellykin said:

Am now getting the "Metal" option on my advanced settings (following update Update 14.10.2020 (1.101.1.12)) 
but still the same result when trying to start the game using it:

Turn on "old videocard support" on the lower right and try again.

[RealMajorHavok 208]

On 13/10/2020 at 11:22, LordOfTheWolves said:

My belief is that the eGPU support isnt 100% with this game

Well, have you tried it without eGPU? it would seem that would clear up the mystery quickly.

[GenuineJakob 2]

iMac Pro 1,1

Vega64

macOS 10.15.7

WT 1.101.1.14

Excel file: https://1drv.ms/x/s!AhzvTqZlwPGUgaFJFr75Kiqbna6RLg

 

Edited October 19, 2020 by GenuineJakob

[DaymareT 5]

I found that the picture quality and effect running under the OpenGL API are better and smoother than Metal, and the frame number and quality clarity under the Metal API are lower than OpenGL (under the same picture quality setting). I want to know how to adjust?

 

Edited October 21, 2020 by DaymareT
making my serial number unrecognizable

[GenuineJakob 2]

MacBook Pro 13,3

i7-6820HQ, Radeon Pro 455

macOS 10.15.7

WT 1.101.1.14

Excel file: https://1drv.ms/x/s!AhzvTqZlwPGUgaFZP1Lh0Z7yeJYH7Q

 

Metal runs much more stable on my MacBook than OpenGL. The game often crashed while benchmarking with OpenGL.

@DaymareT @Badass_Jellykin Please hide your serial number in the screenshots you uploaded.

Edited October 20, 2020 by GenuineJakob

[Subkash 1]

I play on the mid 2015 Mac Book Pro 15 inch and when i switched to metal version, it  got a fatal error 

Could anyone help me with this

 

[Pony51 6,572]

On 20/10/2020 at 08:42, subhashkashyap22 said:

I play on the mid 2015 Mac Book Pro 15 inch and when i switched to metal version, it  got a fatal error 

Could anyone help me with this

 

You posted a bug report, just need that CLOG file in your post.

 

If OpenGL works, use that.  It is still functional.  Belay that, try and get Metal working.

[Subkash 1]

here are the clog files

2020_10_20_18_58_23__28588.clog 2020_10_20_19_02_29__28635.clog 2020_10_20_19_07_29__28790.clog 2020_10_20_19_15_53__28936.clog 2020_10_20_19_22_52__28998.clog 2020_10_20_20_08_28__29281.clog 2020_10_20_21_02_43__29521.clog 2020_10_20_21_04_20__29551.clog

btw the reason i want to use metal is because the frame rate when starting up war thunder is double of the frame rate i get while opening war thunder in open gl and im pretty sure the in game frame rate would be high as well