(EDIT: Is there a current bug? Overheating.) ESO's intense graphics

Malyore · June 19

EDIT: This seems unnatural. I can play a game like Elden Ring for hours and my console is fine, quiet even. But while standing idly in ESO my console gets louder and louder until eventually I get the warning that it's overheating. I was just standing outside in Deshaan with no other players around, no combat or wild vfx. So, is there some glitch or bug currently where something is taking huge CPU resources from the console? Perhaps something that feedback loops and progressively gets worse and worse as time goes on, even while nothing is happening in game? Maybe something occuring in between loading screens?

ORIGINAL: How do I reduce the graphics for my PS5? I already play on performance mode, I don't see a setting beyond that that allows me to adjust it. There is something about ESO that keeps overheating my PlayStation. I've cleaned out my console, and it'll run other modern games just fine without heating issues. I'm assuming ESO does too much lighting graphics or something along those lines.

Desiato · June 24

I have no console experience, but ESO is probably much tougher on the CPU than most games. The vast majority of games are gpu bound.

So a conceivable theory might be that the thermal interface material (TIM) has been compromised in some way, affecting cooling that might only hurt high cpu usage games.

I performed a quick google search and apparently vertically oriented ps5s can have TIM issues. This is a very superficial pov intended to perhaps point you in the right direction.

If this only started happening after the update, there is usually extra cpu activity after a major update if the shaders need to be compiled again. A busy area like deshaan would result in a lot of shader compiling in this scenario.

Malyore · June 26

Desiato wrote: »

I have no console experience, but ESO is probably much tougher on the CPU than most games. The vast majority of games are gpu bound.

So a conceivable theory might be that the thermal interface material (TIM) has been compromised in some way, affecting cooling that might only hurt high cpu usage games.

I performed a quick google search and apparently vertically oriented ps5s can have TIM issues. This is a very superficial pov intended to perhaps point you in the right direction.

If this only started happening after the update, there is usually extra cpu activity after a major update if the shaders need to be compiled again. A busy area like deshaan would result in a lot of shader compiling in this scenario.

My console is vertical in order to fit on my desk space. I just recently changed it to vertical too, but I assumed since other games didn't cause issue that the orientation wasn't the problem. But knowing this along with the performance mode frame rate and cpu usage is probably all contributing to the problem. At least now playing in fidelity mode the game is playable again. I miss my 60fps though.

Estin · June 19

Can't change anything on console outside the presets.

Besides, it's not the graphics. The game is CPU intensive for all the calculations and that is the component that is heating up.

robwolf666 · June 19

Yup... my XBX sounds like a rocket engine even on performance mode with ESO.

Malyore · June 22

I edited this post because it's becoming an issue now. Any insights?

Danikat · June 22

If this was on PC I'd recommend turning on v-sync, but I don't think the console versions have that option? It's mainly to prevent screen tearing by limiting the frame rate to what the screen can actually show, but I also find it useful to stop my PC unnecessarily running hot.

The other possibility I can think of is re-downloading the game in case there's any damaged files.

Soarora · June 22

ESO’s always caused my computers to overheat. I have to use additional fans to help cool off the keyboard. Any other game is fine.

Cooperharley · June 22

The hamster wheel in my PS5 Pro going 1000mph when this game loads up

Its_MySniff · June 22

You should hear my ps4 pro. It overheats all the time. Especially near waterfalls. Can't do slides in houses either. Sad the ps5 overheats.

Malyore · June 22

Mines just recently been doing this too. Especially after the update it's a daily occurrence. Dungeons seem to run fine, but being outdoors whatsoever will start to cook things. I reinstalled the game and that hasn't fixed anything.

code65536 · June 22

Malyore wrote: »

I already play on performance mode

Performance mode just means that it's redirecting the power budget from visual quality to more fps. It's not reducing the power budget. You're still using the same power (and thus generating the same heat); that power is just being spent differently.

ArchMikem · June 23

code65536 wrote: »

Malyore wrote: »

I already play on performance mode

Performance mode just means that it's redirecting the power budget from visual quality to more fps. It's not reducing the power budget. You're still using the same power (and thus generating the same heat); that power is just being spent differently.

Not to mention there's absolutely no visual difference between Fidelity and Performance that I can tell. All Fidelity does is drop the framerate to 30 I think. I've been leaving it on Performance this entire time on the Series X.

Malyore · June 23

ArchMikem wrote: »

code65536 wrote: »

Malyore wrote: »

I already play on performance mode

Performance mode just means that it's redirecting the power budget from visual quality to more fps. It's not reducing the power budget. You're still using the same power (and thus generating the same heat); that power is just being spent differently.

Not to mention there's absolutely no visual difference between Fidelity and Performance that I can tell. All Fidelity does is drop the framerate to 30 I think. I've been leaving it on Performance this entire time on the Series X.

Honestly a reduced frame rate may be what I need. I can hear my console quiet whenever I open my pause menu, which I believe runs at lower frames. I'll try it later today and see if that helps.

Northwold · June 23

Just to point out the New World melting graphics card issue in case that may help in diagnosing the problem. There was an issue in New World at launch with graphics cards from a certain manufacturer that the New World loading screen (I think) had an uncapped frame rate and so pushed graphics cards to their absolute maximum. I wonder if some sort of similar oversight may have happened somewhere in the patch for consoles, effectively allowing consoles to go as hard as they possibly can by accident.

Malyore · June 24

Northwold wrote: »

Just to point out the New World melting graphics card issue in case that may help in diagnosing the problem. There was an issue in New World at launch with graphics cards from a certain manufacturer that the New World loading screen (I think) had an uncapped frame rate and so pushed graphics cards to their absolute maximum. I wonder if some sort of similar oversight may have happened somewhere in the patch for consoles, effectively allowing consoles to go as hard as they possibly can by accident.

This seems to be the case. I'll update this post after I've played a while longer, but changing the settings to "fidelity" to force a lower frame rate has made my console fan nearly silent. I haven't had any heating issues so far. After I've played for a couple of hours and done a few different activities in game to verify, I'll escalate the problem into a bug with a report ticket now that it seems we've found what's going on.

alternatelder · June 24

I don't think I've ever noticed it on my PS5, other games do heat up the console a bit though. I have performance mode on, because fidelity, while I can see the graphical difference, is pretty terrible performance wise.

Cerbolt · June 24

I play an original ps5, nothing fancy, and I've not had any overheating issues. I left my character in deshaan while I did stuff round the house, and nothing happened, no warning or anything.

Malyore · June 24

Cerbolt wrote: »

I play an original ps5, nothing fancy, and I've not had any overheating issues. I left my character in deshaan while I did stuff round the house, and nothing happened, no warning or anything.

Hm, I really don't know what's going on then. Some people have said their console also overheats, while others say their hasn't. My console has been cleaned of dust and debris, and other modern games didn't strain my PS5, while performance mode ESO did. But now that I have the game in lower frames, it's been working fine. I've been hesitant to switch it back for further testing just in case it's not good for the console.

katanagirl1 · June 25

alternatelder wrote: »

I don't think I've ever noticed it on my PS5, other games do heat up the console a bit though. I have performance mode on, because fidelity, while I can see the graphical difference, is pretty terrible performance wise.

The difference between the two used to be much greater, but for me the Performance mode seems to be dropping into sub-30 fps frequently now. I miss that smooth 60 fps. I blame the sustainability feature for part of it since the machine is constantly being throttled back every time I open a menu.

I thought I read that the code now supports PS5 Pro, I wonder if by optimizing for that model that would now make the regular PS5 less efficient than before. I am starting to see black silhouettes of players in Elden Root for several seconds after approaching the wayshrine. When I enter a delve in many newer zones the frame rate stutters terribly. Players are teleporting around again instead of moving smoothly around the area. Performance has dropped back to PS4 levels, when the PS4 Pro came out and I upgraded and these problems went away.. I cannot justify purchasing a PS5 Pro now because we have two PS5s and no one for a hand-me-down anymore.

alternatelder · June 26

katanagirl1 wrote: »

alternatelder wrote: »

I don't think I've ever noticed it on my PS5, other games do heat up the console a bit though. I have performance mode on, because fidelity, while I can see the graphical difference, is pretty terrible performance wise.

The difference between the two used to be much greater, but for me the Performance mode seems to be dropping into sub-30 fps frequently now. I miss that smooth 60 fps. I blame the sustainability feature for part of it since the machine is constantly being throttled back every time I open a menu.

I thought I read that the code now supports PS5 Pro, I wonder if by optimizing for that model that would now make the regular PS5 less efficient than before. I am starting to see black silhouettes of players in Elden Root for several seconds after approaching the wayshrine. When I enter a delve in many newer zones the frame rate stutters terribly. Players are teleporting around again instead of moving smoothly around the area. Performance has dropped back to PS4 levels, when the PS4 Pro came out and I upgraded and these problems went away.. I cannot justify purchasing a PS5 Pro now because we have two PS5s and no one for a hand-me-down anymore.

Yikes, if silhouettes are coming back to haunt us again on PS5, I don't think it's worth sticking around trying to enjoy with this, I can barely deal with the poor performance as it is. I have seen the stuttering in the new delves too, especially the Argonian one. If I have to resort to buying a PS5 pro just for decent performance, I'll buy it for different games and probably retire officially from ESO.

The Elder Scrolls Online

(EDIT: Is there a current bug? Overheating.) ESO's intense graphics

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