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PayPalGameMode, the tool for Linux originally from Feral Interactive, has version 1.8 released with some new features to tweak your system performance for gaming.
Feral designed it originally to help with their older Native Linux ports, as a stop-gap solution to problems with the Intel and AMD CPU powersave or ondemand governors but it continued on to pull in more optimisations to configure to get the best out of your system.
From the 1.8 changelog:
- Add CPU core pinning and parking capability (#416)
- Allow disabling the Linux kernel split lock mitigation (#446)
- Fix building when pidfd_open is available (Fixes build with glibc 2.36) (#379)
- Unify privileged group configuration between pam, systemd, & polkit (#375)
- Various other bugfixes and improved default configuration
Some of the features it offers for optimizing include:
- CPU governor.
- I/O priority.
- Process niceness.
- Kernel scheduler (
SCHED_ISO). - Screensaver inhibiting.
- GPU performance mode (NVIDIA and AMD), GPU overclocking (NVIDIA).
- CPU core pinning or parking.
- Custom scripts.
See more on GitHub.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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Special thanks to Ahsan for keeping the project maintained, hope you're doing well!
17 Likes, Who?
Should be noted that this not only comes pre-installed on SteamOS but that it powers a lot of the Steam Deck's Game Mode performance behind-the-scenes!
Last edited by sonic2kk on 6 Dec 2023 at 9:50 pm UTC
Last edited by sonic2kk on 6 Dec 2023 at 9:50 pm UTC
7 Likes, Who?
Should be noted that this not only comes pre-installed on SteamOS but that it powers a lot of the Steam Deck's Game Mode performance behind-the-scenes!
So adding gamemoderun isn’t necessary in the launch options for a game? Or should we still add it?
3 Likes, Who?
Is this still even needed? The cpu governors used to be an issue like 6-7 years ago, but these days amd has amd_pstate and intel has its intel_pstate which are boosting correctly on the default governor so i dont really know whats the point of this.
I haven't noticed any difference when benchmarking stuff with this on or off at least.
Cyberpunk 2077 benchmark and Unigine Superposition.
I haven't noticed any difference when benchmarking stuff with this on or off at least.
Cyberpunk 2077 benchmark and Unigine Superposition.
4 Likes, Who?
hardpenguin 7 Dec 2023
Is this still even needed? The cpu governors used to be an issue like 6-7 years ago, but these days amd has amd_pstate and intel has its intel_pstate which are boosting correctly on the default governor so i dont really know whats the point of this.My decade old CPU still needs it lol. And since GameMode is a one-fits-all solution, all those settings are turned on regardless of the hardware.
I haven't noticed any difference when benchmarking stuff with this on or off at least.
Cyberpunk 2077 benchmark and Unigine Superposition.
2 Likes, Who?
Should be noted that this not only comes pre-installed on SteamOS but that it powers a lot of the Steam Deck's Game Mode performance behind-the-scenes!
What do you mean?
Feral gamemode is not active when running games from Steam Deck game mode
Last edited by Blisto on 7 Dec 2023 at 8:55 am UTC
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My decade old CPU still needs it lol. And since GameMode is a one-fits-all solution, all those settings are turned on regardless of the hardware.
Ahh that makes sense i guess for older CPUs as they cant use amd_pstate=active afaik?
0 Likes
Should be noted that this not only comes pre-installed on SteamOS but that it powers a lot of the Steam Deck's Game Mode performance behind-the-scenes!You're probably thinking of Gamescope.
7 Likes, Who?
Is this still even needed? The cpu governors used to be an issue like 6-7 years ago, but these days amd has amd_pstate and intel has its intel_pstate which are boosting correctly on the default governor so i dont really know whats the point of this.
I haven't noticed any difference when benchmarking stuff with this on or off at least.
Cyberpunk 2077 benchmark and Unigine Superposition.
Well the pinning should be relevant if you have a cpu with non-uniform cache and/or frequencies and the split lock mitigation for those windows games that breaks it heavily (like God of War).
At least I hope it is so the work wasn't a total waste.
3 Likes, Who?
Feral gamemode is not active when running games from Steam Deck game mode
I assumed it was, since it comes installed on SteamOS: https://i.postimg.cc/L6Bs4cRy/Screenshot-20231207-172622.png
This was taken on my Steam Deck OLED, but it's also installed on my Steam Deck LCD.
I had also remembered reading leading up to the Steam Deck's launch that Feral GameMode was going to be used for some of the power management.
You're probably thinking of Gamescope.
No, GameScope is a compositor, they're very different tools for very different purposes.
It seems I was wrong either way, but they're not easy tools to get mixed up.
3 Likes, Who?
It seems I was wrong either way, but they're not easy tools to get mixed up.Really easy to get mixed up, they're both "Game + (syllable with an 'o', ending in 'e')".
3 Likes, Who?
Really easy to get mixed up, they're both "Game + (syllable with an 'o', ending in 'e')".
In name only maybe, but not from a functional perspective. If one hasn't heard of one or both of the tools then I could see you're point.
EDIT: Although they're both maintained by separate authors, and the article here specifically notes Feral GameMode. I'm not sure it would be as easy to mix up that Gamescope is maintained by Feral Interactive...
Last edited by sonic2kk on 7 Dec 2023 at 6:00 pm UTC
0 Likes
i dont really know whats the point of this.
I use it for the
Custom scripts.but if there's some particular tweak that someone wants done it's nicer to have one tool to apply those tweaks (and remove them again at the end of the game) than manually poke values into pseudofiles.
2 Likes, Who?
Is this still even needed? The cpu governors used to be an issue like 6-7 years ago, but these days amd has amd_pstate and intel has its intel_pstate which are boosting correctly on the default governor so i dont really know whats the point of this.
I haven't noticed any difference when benchmarking stuff with this on or off at least.
Cyberpunk 2077 benchmark and Unigine Superposition.
It probably doesn't make a difference with my CPU, but it does things like keep my monitor from going to sleep while I'm using a controller.
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