[12.8][posila]Using too much CPU/GPU for Idling in Main Menu

[Titan21]

Its not really a bug, but I would like to draw some attention to the fact that while just sitting in the main menu, not doing anything, factorio easyily uses up 10 - 20% CPU and (at least on my system) around 60% GPU usage.

As I often start factorio, then have it running in the background to finally load a save a few minutes lates, its not really great.
One: It uses my Laptop battery, If I forgot to plug it in, but
Two: It heats up my machine already quite a lot.

Maybe you can have a look at your idle-loop and see, if there are some things happenening, that you could optimize

Oh, and if you can't optimize it, at least have some main-menu-music you could blame it on - but mainly have it because that would totally boost the impression you get when you first load the game and you're greeted by some music and factory-ambience-sound

//Edit: While writing this (and having factorio idling in the background, so I could measure the performance-impact I got a BSOD. (video_tdr_failure igdkmd64.sys)
The Display stared flashing Black / Off for a few seconds before it went to the Bluescreen. Apparently it's caused by the Intel-Driver on my machine, but maybe it's something Factorio did? I dont know. In case it helps I have uploaded the game-log and the Minidump: https://mega.nz/#F!n0YHkChJ!zy8TY-mnNxPxomnM_hAgzA

Greetings,
Titan

[Kewlhotrod]

I get this too, 100% gpu usage on main menu, wierd.

[Berserker55]

Just updated to 0.12.8

Some numbers from my machine:
(in main menu)

Factorio.exe 1% CPU 0% GPU
OS:Windows 7 64Bit
60 FPS says Fraps
CPU: AMD FX-8350
GPU: AMD R9 290X

Seems fine?

[boro]

I get 4% gpu and 2% cpu.

[posila]

This is because you have V-sync turned off. Ingame FPS is limited by updates as there is no point in rendering same image more than once. But menu has no FPS limit. It is probably time we look at it

[lyallp]

For me, version 12.8, Gentoo linux, 64 bit, nVidia GTX 660, 2G Video memory, driver version 352.30, Intel Core(TM)2 Quad CPU Q9400 @ 2.66GHz, 8G memory, in windowed mode, on a 19" LCD panel (not widescreen).
14% CPU and 2% GPU on idle at main menu.
Turning V-Sync on/off made little difference for me.

Still, 14%, whilst idle on main menu, does seem somewhat excessive, considering there is no animation on the main menu.

Now, if the machinery in the main menu was animated, I wouldn't complain about the CPU usage on the main menu, not that I am complaining (much) now.

[Berserker55]

This is because you have V-sync turned off. Ingame FPS is limited by updates as there is no point in rendering same image more than once. But menu has no FPS limit. It is probably time we look at it

Ah, I see. Well I have everything limited to 60 fps in driver, so that explains why it doesn't affect me.

[posila]

I have added frame limiter to the main menu for next release.

@lyallp: I could reproduce the issue on Windows when I switched to OpenGL and fullscreen mode. Profiling showed 95% time was spent in SwapBuffers, which seems to be nVidia driver issue.