Sims 4 Massive FPS Drops
I have had issues with the game randomly dropping to 15-20 fps for extended periods of time, sometimes nearly 30 minutes which makes playing difficult. I have lowered resolution and graphics settings...
Forum Discussion
@dolldrms1 I don't believe that the issue was a driver issue nor Windows because I have had this random fps drop issue since around the start of 2020. At the time, I simply thought it was likely my hardware and since then have replaced my monitor and effectively the entire computer except the ram (which I added an extra 2 sticks to) and the storage. I appreciate the heads up though about the Windows Update and the Nvidia driver update but I had actually updated the driver yesterday (after which I still have the drop). I did go ahead and go into my monitor settings just in case and disable the Freesync there. Maybe it was compounding the issue since it was designed for AMD and I no longer have any AMD but I am thinking that is likely not the case since I experienced the drop before with all AMD.
@Gameshark144 the product page for your monitor indicated it was "Adaptive-Sync/FreeSync" compatible so I thought turning off that setting might make both Adaptive and Adaptive (half refresh rate) options appear in your Nvidia Control Panel, like they did for me. When I started troubleshooting, my panel v-sync options looked just like the pic you've attached. I just turned the monitor setting off, restarted my computer and opened the panel again. Then those two previously mentioned v-sync options appeared in the control panel as selectable options, as well as off, on, fast. Sorry that wasn't the case for you.
I've seen @puzzlezaddict help lots of simmers with issues in this forum. All you can do is keep trying the suggestions puzzlezaddict offers. I'm not surprised you've had issues for longer than I have, as the experience differs for a lot of simmers. I'm glad you found the info on the Windows Update good to know. Now I'm back to just lurking around your thread, hoping you find the best outcome possible.
I've seen @puzzlezaddict help lots of simmers with issues in this forum. All you can do is keep trying the suggestions puzzlezaddict offers. I'm not surprised you've had issues for longer than I have, as the experience differs for a lot of simmers. I'm glad you found the info on the Windows Update good to know. Now I'm back to just lurking around your thread, hoping you find the best outcome possible.
@dolldrms1 Actually, I found the option to turn Adaptive-Sync/FreeSync off from my monitor settings and after doing so the adaptive and adaptive half-refresh rate appeared. I didn't realize that the option would have been hidden with the option enabled on my monitor directly and didn't think to check Nvidia control panel again to see if it would appear. After disabling that within monitor settings and setting a 60 fps limit on Sims 4 within Nvidia control panel, my issue seems to be somewhat remedied. Not completely but I was playing for nearly 3 hours earlier after messing with those settings and my fps never got nuked down to 15-20 fps. I did still experience the odd dip down to 40-45 range but only for a couple seconds before going back up to 60 which even if it stuck at 40-45 for a half hour or so like it did before at 15-20, its still very playable. Of course, this could have also simply been a massive coinkydink and the issue could crop up again. However, if my game stays like it has been the last few hours, I can certainly live with that. Thanks for mentioning to double check the settings. That hadn't even occurred to me.
@Gameshark144 I am so glad to hear you've got improvement, even if it is "a massive coinkydink", lol. I'm enjoying the improvement in my game with the changes I made but running fps onscreen just to keep an eye on things. I'm just plain leery of seeing it again myself. I'm not at all sure the odd dip to a short term 40-45 fps can be completely avoided. Think that's probably game engine issue, although I'm guessing. It's just really nice to see you say you've been enjoying playing for the last few hours. A step forward is awesome! 🙂
@Gameshark144 Based on my observations and other players' reports, I think the occasional brief fps drop into the 40s is a result of the game engine being occupied with other calculations and is therefore not really fixable. One common cause is the close of Neighborhood Action Plan (Eco Lifestyle) voting, where the game needs to apply or remove the related commodities to every single sim in every affected neighborhood. There are other causes too; this one is just particularly obvious and a good illustration of why this kind of fps drop might happen.
If you see more dramatic or prolonged drops, please let me know; it would also be useful to hear what was going on in-game at the time. But if this is as bad as it gets, then I think we'll just have to chalk it up to the game being its usual unoptimized self.
@puzzlezaddict The drop into the 40s is one that I am able to easily live with especially since it is only for a couple of seconds and may have also been the lot that I was on at the time. The calculations sounds like a probable reason for a brief dip. I'm on the 64x64 lot in Brindleton Bay with a large home and it may have been the decorations that caused a brief drop also before going back up to 60. I wasn't doing anything specific really. Usual stuff like telling my sims to eat or use the computer. Before it did not matter what they were doing, the size of the lot or neighborhood, or how decorated the house was. I had drops even in the Willow Creek neighborhood where those three sims are roommates. I forget the characters names but its one of the cheapest areas and using the stock homes there, the drop would occur down to 15-20 and stay for up to half an hour before I closed the game out.
Regardless thanks to everyone for the help! I think it has been sorted out but if I experience a drop again I will let you guys know. Thanks again!
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