Merge pull request #17353 from zmanuel/timer_hysteresis_multiframe_pr1

Use hysteresis for smoother physics update frequency

core/bind/core_bind.cpp

@@ -2652,6 +2652,14 @@ int _Engine::get_iterations_per_second() const {
 	return Engine::get_singleton()->get_iterations_per_second();
 }
 
+void _Engine::set_physics_jitter_fix(float p_threshold) {
+	Engine::get_singleton()->set_physics_jitter_fix(p_threshold);
+}
+
+float _Engine::get_physics_jitter_fix() const {
+	return Engine::get_singleton()->get_physics_jitter_fix();
+}
+
 void _Engine::set_target_fps(int p_fps) {
 	Engine::get_singleton()->set_target_fps(p_fps);
 }
@@ -2718,6 +2726,8 @@ void _Engine::_bind_methods() {
 
 	ClassDB::bind_method(D_METHOD("set_iterations_per_second", "iterations_per_second"), &_Engine::set_iterations_per_second);
 	ClassDB::bind_method(D_METHOD("get_iterations_per_second"), &_Engine::get_iterations_per_second);
+	ClassDB::bind_method(D_METHOD("set_physics_jitter_fix", "physics_jitter_fix"), &_Engine::set_physics_jitter_fix);
+	ClassDB::bind_method(D_METHOD("get_physics_jitter_fix"), &_Engine::get_physics_jitter_fix);
 	ClassDB::bind_method(D_METHOD("set_target_fps", "target_fps"), &_Engine::set_target_fps);
 	ClassDB::bind_method(D_METHOD("get_target_fps"), &_Engine::get_target_fps);
 
@@ -2743,6 +2753,7 @@ void _Engine::_bind_methods() {
 	ADD_PROPERTY(PropertyInfo(Variant::INT, "iterations_per_second"), "set_iterations_per_second", "get_iterations_per_second");
 	ADD_PROPERTY(PropertyInfo(Variant::INT, "target_fps"), "set_target_fps", "get_target_fps");
 	ADD_PROPERTY(PropertyInfo(Variant::REAL, "time_scale"), "set_time_scale", "get_time_scale");
+	ADD_PROPERTY(PropertyInfo(Variant::REAL, "physics_jitter_fix"), "set_physics_jitter_fix", "get_physics_jitter_fix");
 }
 
 _Engine *_Engine::singleton = NULL;

core/bind/core_bind.h

@@ -670,6 +670,9 @@ public:
 	void set_iterations_per_second(int p_ips);
 	int get_iterations_per_second() const;
 
+	void set_physics_jitter_fix(float p_threshold);
+	float get_physics_jitter_fix() const;
+
 	void set_target_fps(int p_fps);
 	int get_target_fps() const;
 

core/engine.cpp

@@ -42,6 +42,16 @@ int Engine::get_iterations_per_second() const {
 	return ips;
 }
 
+void Engine::set_physics_jitter_fix(float p_threshold) {
+	if (p_threshold < 0)
+		p_threshold = 0;
+	physics_jitter_fix = p_threshold;
+}
+
+float Engine::get_physics_jitter_fix() const {
+	return physics_jitter_fix;
+}
+
 void Engine::set_target_fps(int p_fps) {
 	_target_fps = p_fps > 0 ? p_fps : 0;
 }
@@ -137,6 +147,7 @@ Engine::Engine() {
 	singleton = this;
 	frames_drawn = 0;
 	ips = 60;
+	physics_jitter_fix = 0.5;
 	_frame_delay = 0;
 	_fps = 1;
 	_target_fps = 0;

core/engine.h

@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ private:
 	float _frame_step;
 
 	int ips;
+	float physics_jitter_fix;
 	float _fps;
 	int _target_fps;
 	float _time_scale;
@@ -79,6 +80,9 @@ public:
 	virtual void set_iterations_per_second(int p_ips);
 	virtual int get_iterations_per_second() const;
 
+	void set_physics_jitter_fix(float p_threshold);
+	float get_physics_jitter_fix() const;
+
 	virtual void set_target_fps(int p_fps);
 	virtual float get_target_fps() const;
 

main/main.cpp

@@ -955,6 +955,7 @@ Error Main::setup(const char *execpath, int argc, char *argv[], bool p_second_ph
 	}
 
 	Engine::get_singleton()->set_iterations_per_second(GLOBAL_DEF("physics/common/physics_fps", 60));
+	Engine::get_singleton()->set_physics_jitter_fix(GLOBAL_DEF("physics/common/physics_jitter_fix", 0.5));
 	Engine::get_singleton()->set_target_fps(GLOBAL_DEF("debug/settings/fps/force_fps", 0));
 
 	GLOBAL_DEF("debug/settings/stdout/print_fps", false);
@@ -1228,6 +1229,229 @@ Error Main::setup2(Thread::ID p_main_tid_override) {
 	return OK;
 }
 
+// everything the main loop needs to know about frame timings
+struct _FrameTime {
+	float animation_step; // time to advance animations for (argument to process())
+	int physics_steps; // number of times to iterate the physics engine
+
+	void clamp_animation(float min_animation_step, float max_animation_step) {
+		if (animation_step < min_animation_step) {
+			animation_step = min_animation_step;
+		} else if (animation_step > max_animation_step) {
+			animation_step = max_animation_step;
+		}
+	}
+};
+
+class _TimerSync {
+	// wall clock time measured on the main thread
+	uint64_t last_cpu_ticks_usec;
+	uint64_t current_cpu_ticks_usec;
+
+	// logical game time since last physics timestep
+	float time_accum;
+
+	// current difference between wall clock time and reported sum of animation_steps
+	float time_deficit;
+
+	// number of frames back for keeping accumulated physics steps roughly constant.
+	// value of 12 chosen because that is what is required to make 144 Hz monitors
+	// behave well with 60 Hz physics updates. The only worse commonly available refresh
+	// would be 85, requiring CONTROL_STEPS = 17.
+	static const int CONTROL_STEPS = 12;
+
+	// sum of physics steps done over the last (i+1) frames
+	int accumulated_physics_steps[CONTROL_STEPS];
+
+	// typical value for accumulated_physics_steps[i] is either this or this plus one
+	int typical_physics_steps[CONTROL_STEPS];
+
+protected:
+	// returns the fraction of p_frame_slice required for the timer to overshoot
+	// before advance_core considers changing the physics_steps return from
+	// the typical values as defined by typical_physics_steps
+	float get_physics_jitter_fix() {
+		return Engine::get_singleton()->get_physics_jitter_fix();
+	}
+
+	// gets our best bet for the average number of physics steps per render frame
+	// return value: number of frames back this data is consistent
+	int get_average_physics_steps(float &p_min, float &p_max) {
+		p_min = typical_physics_steps[0];
+		p_max = p_min + 1;
+
+		for (int i = 1; i < CONTROL_STEPS; ++i) {
+			const float typical_lower = typical_physics_steps[i];
+			const float current_min = typical_lower / (i + 1);
+			if (current_min > p_max)
+				return i; // bail out of further restrictions would void the interval
+			else if (current_min > p_min)
+				p_min = current_min;
+			const float current_max = (typical_lower + 1) / (i + 1);
+			if (current_max < p_min)
+				return i;
+			else if (current_max < p_max)
+				p_max = current_max;
+		}
+
+		return CONTROL_STEPS;
+	}
+
+	// advance physics clock by p_animation_step, return appropriate number of steps to simulate
+	_FrameTime advance_core(float p_frame_slice, int p_iterations_per_second, float p_animation_step) {
+		_FrameTime ret;
+
+		ret.animation_step = p_animation_step;
+
+		// simple determination of number of physics iteration
+		time_accum += ret.animation_step;
+		ret.physics_steps = floor(time_accum * p_iterations_per_second);
+
+		int min_typical_steps = typical_physics_steps[0];
+		int max_typical_steps = min_typical_steps + 1;
+
+		// given the past recorded steps and typcial steps to match, calculate bounds for this
+		// step to be typical
+		bool update_typical = false;
+
+		for (int i = 0; i < CONTROL_STEPS - 1; ++i) {
+			int steps_left_to_match_typical = typical_physics_steps[i + 1] - accumulated_physics_steps[i];
+			if (steps_left_to_match_typical > max_typical_steps ||
+					steps_left_to_match_typical + 1 < min_typical_steps) {
+				update_typical = true;
+				break;
+			}
+
+			if (steps_left_to_match_typical > min_typical_steps)
+				min_typical_steps = steps_left_to_match_typical;
+			if (steps_left_to_match_typical + 1 < max_typical_steps)
+				max_typical_steps = steps_left_to_match_typical + 1;
+		}
+
+		// try to keep it consistent with previous iterations
+		if (ret.physics_steps < min_typical_steps) {
+			const int max_possible_steps = floor((time_accum)*p_iterations_per_second + get_physics_jitter_fix());
+			if (max_possible_steps < min_typical_steps) {
+				ret.physics_steps = max_possible_steps;
+				update_typical = true;
+			} else {
+				ret.physics_steps = min_typical_steps;
+			}
+		} else if (ret.physics_steps > max_typical_steps) {
+			const int min_possible_steps = floor((time_accum)*p_iterations_per_second - get_physics_jitter_fix());
+			if (min_possible_steps > max_typical_steps) {
+				ret.physics_steps = min_possible_steps;
+				update_typical = true;
+			} else {
+				ret.physics_steps = max_typical_steps;
+			}
+		}
+
+		time_accum -= ret.physics_steps * p_frame_slice;
+
+		// keep track of accumulated step counts
+		for (int i = CONTROL_STEPS - 2; i >= 0; --i) {
+			accumulated_physics_steps[i + 1] = accumulated_physics_steps[i] + ret.physics_steps;
+		}
+		accumulated_physics_steps[0] = ret.physics_steps;
+
+		if (update_typical) {
+			for (int i = CONTROL_STEPS - 1; i >= 0; --i) {
+				if (typical_physics_steps[i] > accumulated_physics_steps[i]) {
+					typical_physics_steps[i] = accumulated_physics_steps[i];
+				} else if (typical_physics_steps[i] < accumulated_physics_steps[i] - 1) {
+					typical_physics_steps[i] = accumulated_physics_steps[i] - 1;
+				}
+			}
+		}
+
+		return ret;
+	}
+
+	// calls advance_core, keeps track of deficit it adds to animaption_step, make sure the deficit sum stays close to zero
+	_FrameTime advance_checked(float p_frame_slice, int p_iterations_per_second, float p_animation_step) {
+		if (fixed_fps != -1)
+			p_animation_step = 1.0 / fixed_fps;
+
+		// compensate for last deficit
+		p_animation_step += time_deficit;
+
+		_FrameTime ret = advance_core(p_frame_slice, p_iterations_per_second, p_animation_step);
+
+		// we will do some clamping on ret.animation_step and need to sync those changes to time_accum,
+		// that's easiest if we just remember their fixed difference now
+		const double animation_minus_accum = ret.animation_step - time_accum;
+
+		// first, least important clamping: keep ret.animation_step consistent with typical_physics_steps.
+		// this smoothes out the animation steps and culls small but quick variations.
+		{
+			float min_average_physics_steps, max_average_physics_steps;
+			int consistent_steps = get_average_physics_steps(min_average_physics_steps, max_average_physics_steps);
+			if (consistent_steps > 3) {
+				ret.clamp_animation(min_average_physics_steps * p_frame_slice, max_average_physics_steps * p_frame_slice);
+			}
+		}
+
+		// second clamping: keep abs(time_deficit) < jitter_fix * frame_slise
+		float max_clock_deviation = get_physics_jitter_fix() * p_frame_slice;
+		ret.clamp_animation(p_animation_step - max_clock_deviation, p_animation_step + max_clock_deviation);
+
+		// last clamping: make sure time_accum is between 0 and p_frame_slice for consistency between physics and animation
+		ret.clamp_animation(animation_minus_accum, animation_minus_accum + p_frame_slice);
+
+		// restore time_accum
+		time_accum = ret.animation_step - animation_minus_accum;
+
+		// track deficit
+		time_deficit = p_animation_step - ret.animation_step;
+
+		return ret;
+	}
+
+	// determine wall clock step since last iteration
+	float get_cpu_animation_step() {
+		uint64_t cpu_ticks_elapsed = current_cpu_ticks_usec - last_cpu_ticks_usec;
+		last_cpu_ticks_usec = current_cpu_ticks_usec;
+
+		return cpu_ticks_elapsed / 1000000.0;
+	}
+
+public:
+	explicit _TimerSync() :
+			last_cpu_ticks_usec(0),
+			current_cpu_ticks_usec(0),
+			time_accum(0),
+			time_deficit(0) {
+		for (int i = CONTROL_STEPS - 1; i >= 0; --i) {
+			typical_physics_steps[i] = i;
+			accumulated_physics_steps[i] = i;
+		}
+	}
+
+	// start the clock
+	void init(uint64_t p_cpu_ticks_usec) {
+		current_cpu_ticks_usec = last_cpu_ticks_usec = p_cpu_ticks_usec;
+	}
+
+	// set measured wall clock time
+	void set_cpu_ticks_usec(uint64_t p_cpu_ticks_usec) {
+		current_cpu_ticks_usec = p_cpu_ticks_usec;
+	}
+
+	// advance one frame, return timesteps to take
+	_FrameTime advance(float p_frame_slice, int p_iterations_per_second) {
+		float cpu_animation_step = get_cpu_animation_step();
+
+		return advance_checked(p_frame_slice, p_iterations_per_second, cpu_animation_step);
+	}
+
+	void before_start_render() {
+		VisualServer::get_singleton()->sync();
+	}
+};
+
+static _TimerSync _timer_sync;
+
 bool Main::start() {
 
 	ERR_FAIL_COND_V(!_start_success, false);
@@ -1242,6 +1466,8 @@ bool Main::start() {
 	String _export_preset;
 	bool export_debug = false;
 
+	_timer_sync.init(OS::get_singleton()->get_ticks_usec());
+
 	List<String> args = OS::get_singleton()->get_cmdline_args();
 	for (int i = 0; i < args.size(); i++) {
 		//parameters that do not have an argument to the right
@@ -1707,7 +1933,6 @@ bool Main::start() {
 
 uint64_t Main::last_ticks = 0;
 uint64_t Main::target_ticks = 0;
-float Main::time_accum = 0;
 uint32_t Main::frames = 0;
 uint32_t Main::frame = 0;
 bool Main::force_redraw_requested = false;
@@ -1720,14 +1945,15 @@ bool Main::iteration() {
 
 	uint64_t ticks = OS::get_singleton()->get_ticks_usec();
 	Engine::get_singleton()->_frame_ticks = ticks;
+	_timer_sync.set_cpu_ticks_usec(ticks);
 
 	uint64_t ticks_elapsed = ticks - last_ticks;
 
-	double step = (double)ticks_elapsed / 1000000.0;
+	int physics_fps = Engine::get_singleton()->get_iterations_per_second();
-	if (fixed_fps != -1)
+	float frame_slice = 1.0 / physics_fps;
-		step = 1.0 / fixed_fps;
 
-	float frame_slice = 1.0 / Engine::get_singleton()->get_iterations_per_second();
+	_FrameTime advance = _timer_sync.advance(frame_slice, physics_fps);
+	double step = advance.animation_step;
 
 	Engine::get_singleton()->_frame_step = step;
 
@@ -1743,20 +1969,19 @@ bool Main::iteration() {
 
 	last_ticks = ticks;
 
-	if (fixed_fps == -1 && step > frame_slice * 8)
+	static const int max_physics_steps = 8;
-		step = frame_slice * 8;
+	if (fixed_fps == -1 && advance.physics_steps > max_physics_steps) {
-
+		step -= (advance.physics_steps - max_physics_steps) * frame_slice;
-	time_accum += step;
+		advance.physics_steps = max_physics_steps;
+	}
 
 	float time_scale = Engine::get_singleton()->get_time_scale();
 
 	bool exit = false;
 
-	int iters = 0;
-
 	Engine::get_singleton()->_in_physics = true;
 
-	while (time_accum > frame_slice) {
+	for (int iters = 0; iters < advance.physics_steps; ++iters) {
 
 		uint64_t physics_begin = OS::get_singleton()->get_ticks_usec();
 
@@ -1778,12 +2003,10 @@ bool Main::iteration() {
 		Physics2DServer::get_singleton()->end_sync();
 		Physics2DServer::get_singleton()->step(frame_slice * time_scale);
 
-		time_accum -= frame_slice;
 		message_queue->flush();
 
 		physics_process_ticks = MAX(physics_process_ticks, OS::get_singleton()->get_ticks_usec() - physics_begin); // keep the largest one for reference
 		physics_process_max = MAX(OS::get_singleton()->get_ticks_usec() - physics_begin, physics_process_max);
-		iters++;
 		Engine::get_singleton()->_physics_frames++;
 	}
 
@@ -1794,7 +2017,7 @@ bool Main::iteration() {
 	OS::get_singleton()->get_main_loop()->idle(step * time_scale);
 	message_queue->flush();
 
-	VisualServer::get_singleton()->sync(); //sync if still drawing from previous frames.
+	_timer_sync.before_start_render(); //sync if still drawing from previous frames.
 
 	if (OS::get_singleton()->can_draw() && !disable_render_loop) {
 

main/main.h

@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@ class Main {
 	static void print_help(const char *p_binary);
 	static uint64_t last_ticks;
 	static uint64_t target_ticks;
-	static float time_accum;
 	static uint32_t frames;
 	static uint32_t frame;
 	static bool force_redraw_requested;