Problem with Composed: Flip presentation mode in windowed mode MTA SA

[Vektor010]

Describe the bug

MTA SA exhibits two major issues related to presentation models:

In fullscreen mode, the game correctly uses Hardware (Composed): Independent Flip, which is the optimal modern presentation mode, providing minimal input latency and smooth performance. However, after approximately 30 minutes of gameplay, the game crashes unexpectedly. This suggests a possible instability in how MTA SA handles modern presentation models.

In windowed or borderless windowed mode, the game falls back to Composed: Flip, which introduces significant input lag (around 10 ms) due to additional processing by the Desktop Window Manager (DWM). While this mode is more stable, the increased latency severely impacts gameplay experience.

For a detailed analysis of input lag and presentation model issues in older DirectX games, please review the discussion here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/touhou/comments/1fdd3z6/psa_how_to_actually_fix_input_lag_especially_in/

This thread explores the root causes of input lag in D3D8-based games, discusses the limitations of Composed: Flip, and offers practical solutions like dgVoodoo and Special K, which may provide insights into resolving similar issues in MTA SA.

Steps to reproduce

Download Intel PresentMon from the official repository and launch the application.​

Start MTA SA in fullscreen mode (select "Fullscreen" in the game settings).

In Intel PresentMon, locate the MTA SA process (usually named "mta_sa.exe") and enable the on-screen overlay for this process.

Observe the presentation mode shown in the overlay. The game should use Hardware (Composed): Independent Flip, which is the correct and optimal mode for fullscreen.

Close MTA SA and restart it in windowed or borderless windowed mode (select "Windowed" or "Borderless Windowed" in the game settings).

Again, enable the overlay in Intel PresentMon for the MTA SA process.

Check the presentation mode in the overlay. The game will now use Composed: Flip, which adds input latency and reduces performance compared to fullscreen mode.

Version

1.6.0
1.7.0

Additional context

No response

Relevant log output

Security Policy

• I have read and understood the Security Policy and this issue is not security related.