Conquering Slow Texture Streaming in Hunt: Showdown on Linux (CachyOS)

This comprehensive guide addresses persistent texture streaming issues in Hunt: Showdown, even after implementing common optimization strategies. We delve deep into advanced techniques to maximize performance on Linux, specifically CachyOS, focusing on hardware-specific solutions and nuanced configuration adjustments.

System Hardware and Software Configuration

The initial setup reported by the user is a strong foundation. The Intel i5 13600KF, AMD RX 6700 XT 12GB, and NVMe drive provide ample horsepower. However, the separation of the game files onto a SATA SSD, while often beneficial, can introduce bottlenecks for texture loading. Let’s explore how to systematically improve this:

SSD Optimization

TRIM Command Enablement: Ensure that TRIM support is enabled on your SATA SSD. TRIM allows the SSD to efficiently manage garbage collection, preventing performance degradation over time. This is crucial for sustained read speeds, directly impacting texture loading. Consult your distribution’s documentation on enabling TRIM for your specific SATA SSD model.

File System Check: While unlikely, perform a thorough file system check on both your NVMe and SATA drives. Minor corruptions, even undetected by the operating system, could lead to performance hiccups. Utilize the appropriate command-line tools (e.g., fsck) for your file systems (e.g., ext4, Btrfs).

SATA SSD Performance Analysis: Use tools like hdparm or fio to benchmark the read/write speeds of your SATA SSD. This allows you to definitively establish if it’s a limiting factor. Unusually low sequential read speeds can directly contribute to texture streaming issues. Consider upgrading to a faster SATA SSD or NVMe if performance is significantly below expectations.

Advanced Graphics Settings and Tweaks

Beyond the initial optimizations, deeper adjustments are needed to fine-tune the graphics pipeline.

Vulkan Configuration

Vulkan Driver Updates: Ensure you’re running the absolute latest drivers for your AMD RX 6700 XT. Use the AMD Adrenalin software or the appropriate package manager for your distribution to keep the drivers up-to-date. Outdated drivers often contain crucial performance regressions.

Vulkan Memory Allocation: Experiment with different Vulkan memory allocation strategies. While not directly configurable within the game itself, some systems benefit from adjusting the overall available Vulkan memory. This might require command-line arguments passed through your Proton GE launch options, depending on the level of driver support. Research the specific options available for your setup.

RADV and ACO Optimizations: While using RADV_PERFTEST=aco is a good start, consider further exploration. RADV is the open-source Vulkan driver, and ACO is its compiler. More advanced compilation parameters are available, but these are highly specific to hardware, and improper configurations can drastically reduce performance. Investigate advanced ACO flags, but proceed with caution and thorough testing. Improper configuration can worsen performance.

Game-Specific Settings

Texture Quality and Streaming: Though you mentioned in-game settings seemed ineffective, ensure the texture quality setting is not set to its absolute maximum. Higher quality textures are larger and require significantly more memory bandwidth and storage access, exacerbating streaming issues. A slight reduction can offer a noticeable improvement.

View Distance: Reduce the view distance if necessary. A smaller view distance reduces the amount of data the game needs to stream in, directly addressing the slow texture streaming issue. This tradeoff improves performance at the cost of potentially reduced visual range.

Shadow Quality: Shadows can place a heavy demand on both CPU and GPU resources. Reduce the shadow quality to improve texture streaming performance. This can free up resources allowing the GPU to concentrate on texture loading.

Operating System and Driver Enhancements

The operating system and underlying drivers are critical to optimizing performance.

Kernel Parameters

CPU Scheduler: Explore the use of different CPU schedulers within the CachyOS kernel. Certain CPU schedulers might prioritize game threads more efficiently than others, leading to less stuttering during texture loading. This will involve modifying kernel boot parameters, so consult CachyOS documentation.

I/O Scheduler: Changing the I/O scheduler can influence the performance of your drives. Different schedulers have different strengths and weaknesses; some might favor sequential access patterns more than others. Experimenting with different I/O schedulers (e.g., CFQ, deadline, noop) might reveal a suitable option for optimized texture loading, and this often requires a reboot.

X11 Configuration

Compositor Optimization: While you switched to X11, optimize the X11 compositor. The compositor handles window management and rendering. Reducing its workload might free up resources for the game. Explore compositor settings within KDE Plasma for potential performance gains.

Advanced Troubleshooting and Diagnostics

If the issues persist after implementing these steps, consider advanced troubleshooting.

Profiling and Monitoring

GPU Monitoring: Use GPU monitoring tools (e.g., radeontop or similar) to monitor GPU utilization during gameplay. Identify any potential bottlenecks. If GPU usage is consistently low while experiencing stutters, the issue might stem from CPU limitations or slow storage access.

CPU Monitoring: Monitor CPU utilization during gameplay to pinpoint potential CPU bottlenecks. High CPU utilization suggests the CPU might be the limiting factor, rather than the GPU.

Memory Usage Monitoring: Monitor system memory usage and swap usage to rule out low memory situations. Excessive swap usage can cripple system performance, and this could impact texture loading significantly.

Clean Installation and Reinstallation

Reinstall Hunt: Showdown: A clean reinstallation of the game, deleting all previous configuration files, is worth trying. This eliminates any potentially corrupted game files that might be contributing to the problem.

Operating System Reinstallation: As a final resort, consider a clean reinstallation of the operating system. While drastic, this eliminates any system-level issues, potentially related to drivers or conflicts that may have accumulated over time.

By thoroughly implementing these steps, you should significantly improve texture streaming in Hunt: Showdown on your CachyOS system. Remember to test after each change to isolate the most effective improvements.