'choppy' scrolling with 60 fps

I am currently working on a platformer and I can't seem to get a smooth scrolling although it says the fps is at 60, with V-sync.
I have 4 layers, made a simple blocky sprites level using backdrop objetcs (used on layer 2, using layer 1 for scrolling background). I have a total of 53 objetcs and I am using the viewport objects to render the whole thing (using it for doing a cam zoom, so it's always on top of all layers).

It says my fps is at 60 but when i walk left or right I can see that the the scrolling jitters. It's shaky. Hard to explain but its basically not perfectly smooth. Its as if there was a lack of precision in the pixel position being drawn. I am thinking that this could be an event order issue, but my center display at XXX event is the very last event which should make it smooth.

I am using mmf2 R255. I tried all the display options, there doesnt seem to be much differences between standard mode or Direct X.

Thanks for the help !

It is probably a monitor issue (ghosting) and there's not much you can do about it save for buying a better monitor.

If he notices it as being choppy then that is likely when compared to other games being played on the same monitor.

@ Shmupper, Have you tried completely removing the viewport object? This is copying the whole screen as fast as it can..just because the overall frame rate is 60, doesn't mean the viewport object is really keeping up with things and updating at 60fps.

Also, many gamers are "spoiled" with filtered HWA scrolling which scrolls between pixels, which, last I knew MMF2 does not.

Those are my two thoughts on the matter anyway..I could certainly be wrong.

Certainly sounds to me like it would be the viewport object causing this issue. Try removing the viewport object. If it is the viewport object causing this issue, then you could always uncheck 'Create at Start' and just 'Create' the viewport object when it is needed, then destroy when you've finished using it.

A simple setup like that should have no issues certainly not in HWA DX8/9.

Thanks for your input guys I will try fiddling with the viewport onject it is probably the culprit. Suck because it is at the heart of my game concept. Unless if there is an alternative to zooming in / out?
Thanks again !

one alternative is to use the HWA zoom shader (found in one of looki or sphax's shader packs) and another is to use the sub-app and resize it using the window control extension.

Thanks SolarB!

My problem is basically screen tearing extravaganza. And it doesn't look like it's due to the Viewport object. The best results I am gettign right now is with V sync off and Directx 9. It gives me a super smooth experience except for a huge screen tear right in the center of the screen. I'm so close >_<

What graphics card have you got?

I have a beast of a computer, i7, 12 gigs of ram, a GTX something with 1gig of Vram. I found out that the best results would be with Direct X 8, fps at 120 with V sync and the frame using Timer-based movements.
it's perfect. Now the only jerky movement left is in platformer mode, and I am using the Platform movement object so I suspect that it might be something related to the platform movement object not being affected by the timer based movement of the frame thus getting a very funky sync between platform movement and the center display event. ;_;

Bottom line is I am afraid that my current app settings (120 fps, vsync, DX8) might be very specific to my machine... I don't know if there's an easy way to make it all machines friendly.
Second thing is I guess I will have to go with my own custom platform movements ;_; sucks I was happy with the platform movement object.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Shmuper

I have a beast of a computer, i7, 12 gigs of ram, a GTX something with 1gig of Vram. I found out that the best results would be with Direct X 8, fps at 120 with V sync and the frame using Timer-based movements.
it's perfect. Now the only jerky movement left is in platformer mode, and I am using the Platform movement object so I suspect that it might be something related to the platform movement object not being affected by the timer based movement of the frame thus getting a very funky sync between platform movement and the center display event. ;_;

Bottom line is I am afraid that my current app settings (120 fps, vsync, DX8) might be very specific to my machine... I don't know if there's an easy way to make it all machines friendly.
Second thing is I guess I will have to go with my own custom platform movements ;_; sucks I was happy with the platform movement object.

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Hey Shmuper just wanted to let you know my game is also experiencing pretty drastic screen tearing issues. Furthermore platform movement object is also very jittery for me which is going to force me to make my own custom platform engine using fast loops. It's a complete drag.

Also how are you getting the zoom for viewport to work? Are you resizing the applications resolution using Window control object? Just curious. I've been trying to add zoom to my games for years now and I've never found a viable solution.

Hi Krim ! Sorry for the Ultra late reply. I tend to bury myself deep when I am in mega creation mode :)

Actually I use a small very basic equation for the viewport object to scale up or down the zoom value while keeping it centered. You just have plan things well for making sure that your pixel ratio is always a square number (if your application is 640 by 480 and you are planning on keeping the game zoomed in or zoomed out between two resolution, then 640x480 would be your zoomed out resolution and then you would zoom in to half that resolution or one quarter of that resolution). I could send you a .mfa of it. Let me know.

Mo

Hey Shmuper just wanted to let you know my game is also experiencing pretty drastic screen tearing issues. Furthermore platform movement object is also very jittery for me which is going to force me to make my own custom platform engine using fast loops. It's a complete drag.
You dont 'need' to use ANY detectors for a custom Platform Engine.
All you need is:

( 1 )
A collision mask Object for each character/ enemy.
A Sprite Object for each character/ enemy.

( 2 )
You pair up Collision Maskes and Sprites using the 'automatic pairing method'

( 3 )
Your obstacles/ platforms need to be Actives ( but dont need to be visible )

( 4 )
By having your collision masks store ( in AltValues ) their old X and Y coordinated ( coordinates from the previous game frame ), your characters will be able to perfectly interact, with pixel perfect accuracy, with Obstacles/ Platforms.

Also how are you getting the zoom for viewport to work? Are you resizing the applications resolution using Window control object? Just curious. I've been trying to add zoom to my games for years now and I've never found a viable solution.
The Viewport Object should be able to Zoom quite easily.

Hey King cool. Actually my FPS is pretty decent now, I locked the game at 60FPS and v sync on, using DX9 and it is pretty decent ! I am just experiencing some fps drop on lower end machines (1.7gh laptop) when I am over some huge quick backdrop objects (the kind that are the size of like 20 screens, I am thinking that I may need to chop those down a bit !). Otherwise I am really happy seriously 60fps ona 1.7ghz laptop and my game's resolution is 1280x720 ! =]

For the viewport object it is hard for me to explain. I will post a .mfa file for you guys! it's very simple and works like a charm so far I don't have any issues with frame rate using that object.