Factorio Forums

Make Chroma Support opt-in instead of opt-out

What ?

In the options menu, under Other, there is a checkbox that toggles the recently added support for Razer Chroma hardware. I'd like to suggest that this checkbox is turned OFF by default, and that users with Chroma-hardware can manually activate it.

Why ?

For me, Factorio has always run incredibly smoothly, but after the recent Chroma-addition I started experiencing drops in framerate. Turning off Chroma Support (which was set ON after its implementation) solved the framedrops. I don't have Chroma hardware by the way.

Why would you suggest globally disabling lighting effects for everyone by default though, even if most other people don't have any (significant) framerate issues? To me it seems more reasonable to display a note somewhere that Chroma *might* cause framedrops, and offer to disable it if you actually notice any. On the other hand, if it's disabled by default, most people probably won't even realize they have to switch it on (because literally no other RGB supporting program behaves that way), and be honest, when was the last time you actually looked into the settings to figure out what a game/other program can do but for some reason doesn't do by default?

Personally, I wouldn't even have noticed that Chroma support was added if the game had it disabled by default - shame on me, but I didn't read the Friday Facts where it was announced, and I also didn't read through that accumulated 5 screen pages of changelogs since I last played.

Wuestengecko wrote: Thu Dec 21, 2017 5:55 pm Why would you suggest globally disabling lighting effects for everyone by default though, even if most other people don't have any (significant) framerate issues? To me it seems more reasonable to display a note somewhere that Chroma *might* cause framedrops, and offer to disable it if you actually notice any. On the other hand, if it's disabled by default, most people probably won't even realize they have to switch it on (because literally no other RGB supporting program behaves that way), and be honest, when was the last time you actually looked into the settings to figure out what a game/other program can do but for some reason doesn't do by default?

Personally, I wouldn't even have noticed that Chroma support was added if the game had it disabled by default - shame on me, but I didn't read the Friday Facts where it was announced, and I also didn't read through that accumulated 5 screen pages of changelogs since I last played.

Being this the first time I have played Factorio since getting a Chroma keyboard, spending several hours getting the lighting how I want it, to then having the game delete my scheme, I would have far rather it had been an opt in scenario, I am not a happy bunny today, am going to have to redo my scheme from scratch.

These features that effect the behaviour of peripherals should not be a opt out scenario, at no point would I actively permit a 3rd party software developer to make alterations to the configuration of any of my devices to the extent where it breaks normal operation after the application has closed.

Now I am off to complain to devs.

ScoobTheNoob wrote: Sat Dec 15, 2018 10:54 amwhere it breaks normal operation after the application has closed.

This seems like a bug in the razer chroma then

PEBKAC wrote: Mon Dec 18, 2017 12:11 pm For me, Factorio has always run incredibly smoothly, but after the recent Chroma-addition I started experiencing drops in framerate. Turning off Chroma Support (which was set ON after its implementation) solved the framedrops. I don't have Chroma hardware by the way.

Can you provide system specs and what type of keyboard etc.?

It shouldn't affect performance in any measurable way, so if you encountering this issue we can investigate

Razer Black Widow elite.

Synapse 3.3.1128.112711

------------------
System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 12/15/2018, 18:18:53
Machine name: POWERHOUSE
Machine Id: {88673FD0-B64B-4F83-8396-6F9E04B88D1C}
Operating System: Windows 10 Pro 64-bit (10.0, Build 17134) (17134.rs4_release.180410-1804)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: System manufacturer
System Model: System Product Name
BIOS: BIOS Date: 01/22/18 13:35:47 Ver: 05.0000D (type: BIOS)
Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 2700X Eight-Core Processor (16 CPUs), ~3.7GHz
Memory: 16384MB RAM
Available OS Memory: 16310MB RAM
Page File: 12119MB used, 17341MB available
Windows Dir: C:\Windows
DirectX Version: DirectX 12
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
User DPI Setting: 96 DPI (100 percent)
System DPI Setting: 96 DPI (100 percent)
DWM DPI Scaling: Disabled
Miracast: Available, with HDCP
Microsoft Graphics Hybrid: Not Supported
DxDiag Version: 10.00.17134.0001 64bit Unicode


Entire dxdiag report... XD GLHF..

As I said on load of Factorio after getting keyboard and setting up the Chroma profile, on exit my scheme for key colour/pattern was left all on light green, I had to recreate scheme from scratch, after uninstalling and reinstalling Synapse.

I am not saying that it was as a fault in your code, just a coincidence, but my finger is pointing in your general direction that is why I feel an opt in setting rather than an opt out setting would be better, as on load Factroio forces it's scheme to be implemented before you can turn it off, although no doubt there is a *.ini file somewhere that is going to to be out of the remit for most end users.

I suspect and this is where my finger does not point firmly at you, that this was just a coincidental event within the Synapse/Chroma application from Razer, despite many searches through google I can not find raised anywhere else.

If it happens again outside of Factorio application I will raise a ticket with Razer.

I had to recreate scheme from scratch, after uninstalling and reinstalling Synapse.

Chroma is a nice feature and works for most people, so I wouldn't remove (or "un-default") it just because you had an unusual problem with the Razer software.

If a game uses custom lights and razer doesn't revert back when the game is closed (it should, but doesn't work 100% of the time), you load your saved profile back manually. If you hadn't saved a profile, that's user error. If the saved profile got somehow mysteriously deleted, that's a weird razer bug, not something done by Factorio. Games don't delete or overwrite saved profiles, they just change the active profile.

I get it's frustrating to have your profile lost and your effort erased, but that's not Factorio's fault.

Just gonna echo the same thing that several people have said regarding performance issues and bugs: they happen, they're not a reason to disabled features by default, they're a reason to figure out what's bugged and get it resolved. Chroma support shouldn't be introducing any framerate issues, if it is then there's a bug. Wube is now aware of it and will hopefully get it resolved for the next patch.

If you want to opt-out by default, this is what the settings in Synapse are for. Also your profile should always revert back to what it was when the game exists. If that doesn't happen(I seen it happen a few times), it's some problem with synapse and a restart of Synapse or the system will fix it.

The problem with opt-in by default is feature discovery. Most players will never know this feature exists.

Also the first post, if you don't have Razer chroma hardware, there is no reason why a slow down would occur, since the option internally disables it's self if RzChromaSDK is not installed on the system. Make sure you don't have razer synapse installed(or RzChromaSDK64.dll loadable in the system). If you can test a few more times in different situations and confirm this is happening I can look into it.

Klonan wrote: Sat Dec 15, 2018 12:29 pm

PEBKAC wrote: Mon Dec 18, 2017 12:11 pm For me, Factorio has always run incredibly smoothly, but after the recent Chroma-addition I started experiencing drops in framerate. Turning off Chroma Support (which was set ON after its implementation) solved the framedrops. I don't have Chroma hardware by the way.

Can you provide system specs and what type of keyboard etc.?

It shouldn't affect performance in any measurable way, so if you encountering this issue we can investigate

Sorry, wasn't expecting a response anymore after a year. Anyway, I was on a mid-end PC at the time, with a decent GPU (GeForce 760 iirc) and a very plain USB keyboard.

I've switched rigs and Factorio has come a long way in the past 2 years, so I no longer experience issues wit (or without) Chroma.

Wuestengecko wrote: Thu Dec 21, 2017 5:55 pm Why would you suggest globally disabling lighting effects for everyone by default though, even if most other people don't have any (significant) framerate issues? To me it seems more reasonable to display a note somewhere that Chroma *might* cause framedrops, and offer to disable it if you actually notice any. On the other hand, if it's disabled by default, most people probably won't even realize they have to switch it on (because literally no other RGB supporting program behaves that way), and be honest, when was the last time you actually looked into the settings to figure out what a game/other program can do but for some reason doesn't do by default?

Personally, I wouldn't even have noticed that Chroma support was added if the game had it disabled by default - shame on me, but I didn't read the Friday Facts where it was announced, and I also didn't read through that accumulated 5 screen pages of changelogs since I last played.

The reason for that would be simple,
There is no point default activating a feature that is used by the minority, to begin with.

It would be like enabling Left handed Input by default when majority of people are right handed
( Even a large portion of left handed people even use right handed input - cause we are that talented )