Question / Help OBS Game Capture stuttering and rubber band. Low CPU usage, no dropped frames.

[Narcogen]

Looking at this log, the issue may be that game capture is constantly failing and having to restart the capture. I imagine that might very well appear as the judder you are experiencing. OBS isn't logging this as lagged or dropped frames because it isn't trying to render them and failing, or trying to encode them and failing, it's just not receiving them.

02:53:30.469: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] attempting to hook process: MetroExodus.exe
02:53:30.485: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] capture stopped
02:53:32.485: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] attempting to hook process: MetroExodus.exe
02:53:32.501: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] capture stopped
02:53:34.502: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] attempting to hook process: MetroExodus.exe
02:53:34.518: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] capture stopped
02:53:36.518: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] attempting to hook process: MetroExodus.exe
02:53:36.535: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] capture stopped
02:53:38.535: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] attempting to hook process: MetroExodus.exe
02:53:38.551: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] capture stopped
02:53:40.551: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] attempting to hook process: MetroExodus.exe
02:53:40.568: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] capture stopped
02:53:42.568: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] attempting to hook process: MetroExodus.exe
02:53:42.585: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] capture stopped
02:53:44.585: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] attempting to hook process: MetroExodus.exe

 

[jammae]

Looking at this log, the issue may be that game capture is constantly failing and having to restart the capture. I imagine that might very well appear as the judder you are experiencing. OBS isn't logging this as lagged or dropped frames because it isn't trying to render them and failing, or trying to encode them and failing, it's just not receiving them.

02:53:30.469: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] attempting to hook process: MetroExodus.exe
02:53:30.485: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] capture stopped
02:53:32.485: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] attempting to hook process: MetroExodus.exe
02:53:32.501: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] capture stopped
02:53:34.502: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] attempting to hook process: MetroExodus.exe
02:53:34.518: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] capture stopped
02:53:36.518: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] attempting to hook process: MetroExodus.exe
02:53:36.535: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] capture stopped
02:53:38.535: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] attempting to hook process: MetroExodus.exe
02:53:38.551: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] capture stopped
02:53:40.551: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] attempting to hook process: MetroExodus.exe
02:53:40.568: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] capture stopped
02:53:42.568: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] attempting to hook process: MetroExodus.exe
02:53:42.585: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] capture stopped
02:53:44.585: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] attempting to hook process: MetroExodus.exe

I have to disagree in this one. That error comes to log because i opened OBS first and Metro after, so it couldn't find the window. But when i opened Metro in 02:55 it stopped logging that. So stream happened between 02:55:51 - 03:56:13

02:55:32.102: ==== Streaming Start
02:55:33.485: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] attempting to hook process: MetroExodus.exe
02:55:33.501: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] capture stopped
02:55:51.641: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] attempting to hook process: MetroExodus.exe
02:55:51.701: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] shared texture capture successful
03:56:13.536: [rtmp stream: 'adv_stream'] User stopped the stream

 

[Narcogen]

I don't know, then.

 

[jammae]

I don't know, then.

Thanks for your help and fast replys. Is there any way that i can make a bug report or do i just stream with that lag?

 

[Narcogen]

The OBS bug tracker is here:

https://obsproject.com/mantis/print_all_bug_page.php

I would try and be as detailed as possible to make sure someone can replicate.

That said, given this is an issue with a new game, a new video card, and a new driver... I wouldn't be surprised if there's a delay to see if those things settle down before this being considered a bug in OBS.

 

[xBonzaii]

Looking at this log, the issue may be that game capture is constantly failing and having to restart the capture. I imagine that might very well appear as the judder you are experiencing. OBS isn't logging this as lagged or dropped frames because it isn't trying to render them and failing, or trying to encode them and failing, it's just not receiving them.

02:53:30.469: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] attempting to hook process: MetroExodus.exe
02:53:30.485: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] capture stopped
02:53:32.485: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] attempting to hook process: MetroExodus.exe
02:53:32.501: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] capture stopped
02:53:34.502: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] attempting to hook process: MetroExodus.exe
02:53:34.518: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] capture stopped
02:53:36.518: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] attempting to hook process: MetroExodus.exe
02:53:36.535: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] capture stopped
02:53:38.535: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] attempting to hook process: MetroExodus.exe
02:53:38.551: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] capture stopped
02:53:40.551: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] attempting to hook process: MetroExodus.exe
02:53:40.568: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] capture stopped
02:53:42.568: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] attempting to hook process: MetroExodus.exe
02:53:42.585: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] capture stopped
02:53:44.585: [game-capture: 'Game Capture'] attempting to hook process: MetroExodus.exe

I had the exact same problem, in the same game. For me, the cause was RTSS.

This is why I switched from game capture to display capture, so there are no more compatibility issues.

Edit: My bad, I watched the op's video only after I made this reply, at the end he's using display capture too..

 

[jammae]

I had the exact same problem, in the same game. For me, the cause was RTSS.

This is why I switched from game capture to display capture, so there are no more compatibility issues.

Edit: My bad, I watched the op's video only after I made this reply, at the end he's using display capture too..

Yeah the whole thing is really strange. Because if you look logs and performance, there shouldn't be any stutter or lag, but there still is. I have tried every trick from the book and nothing helps. Situation is a lot better with Display Capture.

 

[Narcogen]

I don't think OBS can count as lag something that happens before it gets a frame. Once it gets a frame, it needs to render and encode it. If OBS encounters a delay in doing either, it will log it as a lagged frame.

If something like RivaTiuner or something else causes frames to lag after the game renders it, but before OBS receives it, I don't know if OBS can record these frames as lagged, even if you can see the effect on the OBS preview screen.

 

[shershen]

Don't forget the stuttering is clearly visible in the OBS preview window, you don't need to start streaming or recording to see it.

 

[jammae]

Don't forget the stuttering is clearly visible in the OBS preview window, you don't need to start streaming or recording to see it.

Thats true. When i have been testing if anything helps, you can see the effect on preview without recording and without streaming. But i have to say that this is somehow connected to the game and how much effects there is. If i am on some cave where is less light etc. it doesn't stutter as much, but when i go out and there is lot light and shadows etc. it starts to stutter much. And it still runs silky smooth, and lag only happens on OBS.

 

[Narcogen]

Don't forget the stuttering is clearly visible in the OBS preview window, you don't need to start streaming or recording to see it.

OBS is rendering all the time it is open, whether it is recording/streaming or not.

Anything that affects the game capture upstream of OBS will display in the preview but would not be logged as dropped frames. If OBS receives duplicate frames it just renders them and encodes them. OBS logs a skipped, dropped or lagged frame when it receives a frame and then tries to render, encode or upload that frame and fails (resulting in a duplicate frame coming *from* OBS.

 

[TurchGespielt]

Having the exact same issue with 23.0.1.

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/387656429?t=01h47m43s

I tried a fresh setup of my scenes, but even then it starts to stutter every now and then. The only thing I can add to the discussion is when it happens, the GPU is at ~80% load watching at the Windows Task Manager. Everytime else it's definitely below that (at 30-40%).

Logfile attached

 

[kibblz]

Did anyone sort this out? I am having the same problem... I think it's the same anyway. I had a look at everyones videos here. Ive been trying to sort it out for hours because I did a full 2 hour recording and then after realized the stuttering. I know for sure it only happens in big open spaces. For example, the snow area with Anna. It only happens when you're out in the snow. It stops when you meet the old guy. I didn't have this problem on other games!!! Definitely something with OBS and this game. I can't even do my playthrough of it now because of this. I'm stuck. Here's a video. I saved this part of the game so I can keep testing/fixing.

https://youtu.be/2_Dass8xK10 < PLEASE MUTE THE VIDEO.

 

[shershen]

Nothing's changed for me since then, tried a couple of days ago.

 

[Akhilleus]

Do you have this problem on all games or only specific games ?

 

[kibblz]

Do you have this problem on all games or only specific games ?

So far it's only been Metro Exodus, just like the other people in this thread. Same game. The only fix I got was to just use display capture instead of game capture. Did a test record and that stutter is gone. Weird.

*Update*
Actually no, I can't rely on display capture. It worked for that part but it's not stable enough for most other games I tested on. I get a lot of skipped frames for encoding lag. I wish I could just sort out that damn stutter problem when using game capture. Grrr. Tried everything. Game capture works on every game. It's just this stutter issue.

 

[choper]

I've had this problem (not that much stuttering) since last Saturday coming from nothing; https://obsproject.com/forum/threads/one-day-to-another-youtube-streaming-is-lagging-choppy.102669/

I change lot of things and the stream has improved but still not the fluidity of before. No reasons at all to explain this issue, no system changes except maybe the normal windows updates, no nothing but the problems comes out of nowhere.

 

[kibblz]

The funny thing is, it doesn't make sense. The game is fine but the video has the stuttering. Display capture didn't record the stuttering, just game capture (which is the best method probably). I've tried EVERYTHING. I installed old versions of OBS even. Nothing. I have been trying for about 12 hours so far. Yeah, 12 hours. I do videos for YouTube so I don't want to upload a shitty stuttering video. Thing is, it doesn't happen on every game. Maybe my next step is to just get an updated version of the game? Still, the issue is OBS for sure.

 

[choper]

I stop doing streaming or uploads to my very small (almost non-existent) channel for one week. Week that I used to do tests with the game that works perfectly the first 3 streams I did. Everyday I test and I found a "confort spot" of OBS config that allow me to get close those 3 days of perfect streaming but still not the fluidity of those days.

I just throw the towel, tomorrow I'm going to start again, I pass of this.

 

[kibblz]

I haven't even slept yet because of this. I'm trying to get back into lets plays and I want to make a playthrough of Metro Exodus. But this damn stuttering issue isn't going away. Really sucks.