Mafia 2 PhysX Problem

VMax Tuner · **Mafia 2 PhysX Problem -** 08-10-2010, 10:39 | posts: 60

Hey everyone,

I just downloaded the Mafia 2 Demo via Steam and I found out that if you run the game it installs a new PhysX software on your PC which is called 9.10.0512 by the way. But with this software PhysX wont run on any GPU on my PC, just CPU only which gave me about 13 FPS in the Mafia 2 Demo benchmark. I checked back with other games like Metro 2033 or GRAW 2 and same there. When I go back to PhysX software 9.10.0224 which also is the official one you get by Nvidia everything runs fine again just the Mafia 2 demo wont start without installing to the new PhysX software. My guess it the new PhysX software wont run with the 258.96 Drivers.I will try the new beta-drivers that came out today 259. something maybe that helps. Let me know if you have the same problem and perhaps a work-around! Cheers!

UPDATE - fixed here:

http://www.guru3d.com/news/mafia-ii-...tware-9100513/

Zogrim · 08-10-2010, 11:53 | posts: 64

Quote:

Let me know if you have the same problem

Well, looks same to me (screen)
Visual Indicator is showing PhysX CPU, while it is set to GTX470 in drivers, performance is bad too

Radical_53 · 08-10-2010, 11:55 | posts: 2,256 | Location: Germany

I do have the same problem with Physx. 259.12 doesn't work with this Physx version, I haven't tried the developer driver that came out today yet.

mangaroo · 08-10-2010, 12:13 | posts: 290 | Location: England

Physx works here...is it supposed to? I notice many more bits of scrap on the floor etc. I don't have any second card ...

(4870x2)

VMax Tuner · 08-10-2010, 14:08 | posts: 60

Quote:

Originally Posted by mangaroo

Physx works here...is it supposed to? I notice many more bits of scrap on the floor etc. I don't have any second card ...

(4870x2)

Yeah..but you`re using an ATI card...are you running it on a dedicated PhysX card with the ATI-PhysX patch?! Because otherwise you would only have CPU for PhysX.

Radical_53 · 08-10-2010, 12:24 | posts: 2,256 | Location: Germany

It works, yes. But the new Physx version that comes with the game destroys the Physx performance completely.
For example my GPU utilization and framerate jump up like mad if I disable Physx in the Mafia 2 demo, other games using Physx that previously ran nicely (Shift, Batman:AA) are totally crippled with this new software.
Maybe it needs a new core driver to work right but it definitely doesn't right now.

billyboyd · 08-10-2010, 13:33 | posts: 5

Yeah same here, it murders my GTX480.

Without Physx i get 85FPS average but with it enabled on medium i get just 18FPS.

ct03 · 08-10-2010, 13:36 | posts: 86

Quote:

Originally Posted by VMax Tuner

But with this software PhysX wont run on any GPU on my PC, just CPU only which gave me about 13 FPS in the Mafia 2 Demo benchmark.

How can you tell whether it's running on the CPU or GPU? When turning PhysX to high, my frame rate also drops to about 14 FPS. But my graphics card is old, so this may be entirely normal.

However, I've read similar performance numbers in threads all over the internet. Even people with GTX 480 cards are reporting between 14 and 17 FPS.

VMax Tuner · 08-10-2010, 14:06 | posts: 60

Quote:

Originally Posted by ct03

How can you tell whether it's running on the CPU or GPU? When turning PhysX to high, my frame rate also drops to about 14 FPS. But my graphics card is old, so this may be entirely normal.

However, I've read similar performance numbers in threads all over the internet. Even people with GTX 480 cards are reporting between 14 and 17 FPS.

Well I turned on the PhysX-Indicator in the Nvidia CP and with the new PhysX software it always says CPU when it should say GPU, also the same in Metro 2033 and GRAW 2.

BeeJAyP · 08-10-2010, 13:48 | posts: 41 | Location: Australia

When I run the benchmark with my GTX 480 it gets down to about 19fps average when I turn on medium PhysX, but at the same time the GPU usage according to Afterburner doesn't go past 50% and CPU usage doesn't max out either.

XBEAST · *Last edited by XBEAST; 08-10-2010 at 14:53.*

GPU-Z and GPU Caps Viewer showed no GPU PhysX after Mafia II demo installation. I've installed 259.31 drivers and reinstalled PhysX. Now GPU-Z and Caps Viewer shows GPU PhysX. Gonna run benchmark and see if it really works now.

Copey · 08-10-2010, 15:10 | posts: 10,646 | Location: U.K

I'm having the same issue, physX indicator shows it using cpu, where it should be using my 9600GT.

sertopico · 08-10-2010, 15:40 | posts: 522 | Location: Mafia & Pizza Country

Try uninstalling the PhysX package and then reinstall it again (the file is in Mafia II Demo directory, under Steamapps). It worked for me.

Now PhysX is on GPU.

VMax Tuner · 08-10-2010, 16:22 | posts: 60

Quote:

Originally Posted by sertopico

Try uninstalling the PhysX package and then reinstall it again (the file is in Mafia II Demo directory, under Steamapps). It worked for me.

Now PhysX is on GPU.

Yeah does work for me as well. I think all others should try this as well. As said the PhysX software is in the Steamapps/common/Mafia 2 demo/3rd Folder.

Now getting around Avg. 42 FPS with everything cranked up at 1920x1200!
I hope I can squeeze out more once SLI is working properly because the scaling
according to the indicator is bad or SLI is not working at all.

Copey · 08-10-2010, 16:25 | posts: 10,646 | Location: U.K

Quote:

Originally Posted by sertopico

Try uninstalling the PhysX package and then reinstall it again (the file is in Mafia II Demo directory, under Steamapps). It worked for me.

Now PhysX is on GPU.

That worked, nice one.

getting about 42 fps average with physX on meduim and 37 with high, everything max obviously.

sertopico · 08-10-2010, 18:04 | posts: 522 | Location: Mafia & Pizza Country

Quote:

Originally Posted by VMax Tuner

Yeah does work for me as well. I think all others should try this as well. As said the PhysX software is in the Steamapps/common/Mafia 2 demo/3rd Folder.

Now getting around Avg. 42 FPS with everything cranked up at 1920x1200!
I hope I can squeeze out more once SLI is working properly because the scaling
according to the indicator is bad or SLI is not working at all.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Copey

That worked, nice one.

getting about 42 fps average with physX on meduim and 37 with high, everything max obviously.

Glad to hear it.

Anyway the game is still heavy to handle with PhysX on Medium and a GTX470...

Copey · 08-10-2010, 18:23 | posts: 10,646 | Location: U.K

Quote:

Originally Posted by sertopico

Glad to hear it.

Anyway the game is still heavy to handle with PhysX on Medium and a GTX470...

Runs great for me on medium, remember tho a dediacted card will still be quicker than a 470 on its own.

Radical_53 · 08-10-2010, 16:24 | posts: 2,256 | Location: Germany

I got the GPU Physx working now by installing the newer 259.31 driver.
I still do have a very low GPU usage when Physx is enabled. Performance jumped to ~32fps in the benchmark with Physx on high and everything on max, I guess that's good enough to run the demo for now.

Kill4L · **Memory**: DDR3 6GB @ 1600 8-8-8-20

mm really strange...
i'm getting 42 with all max out. physx High @1920x1200
any idea why low score?
using 259.31

ps.with physx off getting 62 fps average @1920x1200
and the most funny thing is i'm getting 63 fps average with physx off and all low

@1920x1200

VMax Tuner · 08-10-2010, 16:57 | posts: 60

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kill4L

mm really strange...
i'm getting 42 with all max out. physx High
any idea why low score?
using 259.31

ps.with physx off getting 62 fps average
and the most funny thing is i'm getting 63 fps average with physx off and all low

I guess there isn`t a driver out there who already has been optimized for Mafia 2 since I only get around 42 FPS in the benchmark at 1920x1200 all maxed out which in comparison to other setups here seem kinda slow to me or maybe my setup is just gettin`old. I checked my GPU temps in a new logfile I started right before playing the demo and after I was thru again after 8 min. my two 275GTX toped out at 92°C which tells me SLI is working but the SLI indicator shows bad SLI performance. My GT240 I have as dedicated PPU got up to 87°C on PhysX high...so yeah that one is finally working!

isidore · 08-10-2010, 16:41 | posts: 5,597 | Location: Timisoara, Romania

i think the physx driver is the problem, with this new driver i sometimes have weird slowdowns kinda like the gpu stops rendering physx and leaves it for the cpu, for 1-2 seconds, then it works fine..this happens in Batman AA too, i hope they release a fix or something.

VMax Tuner · 08-10-2010, 17:23 | posts: 60

I made a screenshot to show how bad SLI is working. I was running EVGA Precision to get an idea how stressed my GPUs and my PPU are. See for yourself I have bad FPS but during the whole benchmark they barely crack 65% usage. Having that solved in a new driver together with a SLI profile will definately give SLI users a boost and also potent card user who are having a modded 470GTX or 480GTX.

Lets wait and see what time will bring...but even with these slow FPS the demo runs very smooth!

Indeo · 08-10-2010, 18:17 | posts: 1,553

Yeah, once again, no CF\SLi support here, hence bad overall framerate. Will report more tech stuff in Demo thread. What's for this one, APEX on "high" works just fine for me, no slowdowns\overheat, PPU usage is 80% max, PPU temps - 45C max. Framerate barely goes under 40fps with 45+ fps most of the time in benchmark.

MikeMK · 08-10-2010, 18:30 | posts: 10,497 | Location: London

Quote:

Originally Posted by Indeo

Yeah, once again, no CF\SLi support here, hence bad overall framerate. Will report more tech stuff in Demo thread. What's for this one, APEX on "high" works just fine for me, no slowdowns\overheat, PPU usage is 80% max, PPU temps - 45C max. Framerate barely goes under 40fps with 45 fps most of the time in benchmark.

So the PhysX works fine with ATI GPU's + an nvidia card for PhysX? Im debating picking up an 8800GT for just that reason if it works ok

Copey · 08-10-2010, 18:33 | posts: 10,646 | Location: U.K

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeMK

So the PhysX works fine with ATI GPU's + an nvidia card for PhysX? Im debating picking up an 8800GT for just that reason if it works ok

Yeah with the patch/crack it does, i would get a 9600GT instead of the 8800GT mike, less power and heat plus does the job just aswell.