Blog: Gaming tip for KDE users

[menotu]

Please note I haven't tested the tip - there are 3 replies/comments re the tip below
=================================================

Posted by Jayson Rowe  - Monday, March 18, 2013

Now that Steam is available for Linux, I have finally eliminated my only need for a bare metal install of Windows at home.

I am really enjoying playing some of my long-time favorite games under Linux now, and I hope every day when I open Steam that I will see that Valve has ported Counter Strike: Global Offensive. I'm still waiting though :-)

I did want to share this quick tip for fellow KDE users, however. If haven't already, go to Configure Desktop -> Desktop Effects -> "Advanced" Tab. Find the setting 'Suspend desktop effects for fullscreen windows'. Tick that box.

It really seemed to make a noticeable difference for me. I'm maxing out at 300fps at times under CS:Source now, just as I was under Windows. It made a larger improvement for Serious Sam 3.

http://jaysonrowe.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/gaming-tip-for-kde-users.html

Three Comments from the above site

Sven March 18, 2013

For me the difference was also very notable. For Oilrush I only had 5fps more when enabled (40->45) but somehow the output felt much more fluid. (No: I am not saying I see the difference between 40 and 45 fps. I think I got some serious framedrops when compositing was enabled)

josepfebrer March 18, 2013

For me using Intel graphic drivers with KDE 4.10 stoped working with that option turned on, and I had to disable it, fortunatelly one of the KWin developers made that Kwin script that worked even better for me:

agateau March 18, 2013

One thing to note about this setting is that if the checkboxes is ticked, you will get screen flashes in Gwenview (and probably other applications) in fullscreen mode. This is because whenever you move the mouse over a button, a tooltip is shown: this tooltip is its own (non fullscreen) window, causing KWin to reenable desktop effects when the tooltip is shown, and disabling them again when the tooltip disappears.

[menotu]

In reference to the tip mentioned in the first post one reply mentioned using a KWin Script

"fortunatelly one of the KWin developers made that Kwin script that worked even better for me"

The Kwin script link is here

===========
Info from the site

GameMode  0.1  KWin Scripts  (by    thomas12777)
   
Depends on  KDE 4.x
Downloads:  27
Submitted:  Jan 29 2013
   
Description:

Simple scriplet which makes a definable list of windows block the compositor when they move into fullscreen mode (predefined are videoplayer, but it can be extended with games, sw. like celestia or stellarium ;-)

The script does not have a config GUI - i\'m not even sure that\'s supported atm. but after installation you can edit the list in ~/.kde/share/apps/kwin/scripts/gamemode/contents/code/main.js

(afaik atm. you\'ll have to restart \"kwin --replace &\" to effectively update the script)

====================
Edit

The GameMode KWin Script is accessible by going to

Configure Your Desktop > Workspace Appearance & Behaviour  > Window Behavior > KWin Scripts  - Get New Scripts

but it doesn't install using that method but it can be installed by downloading the script, extract it and again go to

Configure Your Desktop > Workspace Appearance & Behaviour  > Window Behavior > KWin Scripts

but this time use the Import KWin Script  go to the directory that was created from the extract  action and you should see the gamemode.kwinscript and that's it.