Using 3D accelerated applications such as the Urban Engine with remote desktop technologies such as Microsoft Remote Desktop Protocol can yield poor performance, even when accessing a remote computer across a fast local area network.
This is often due to the remote desktop technology utilising a software graphics driver instead of the Graphics Card installed in the workstation, resulting in poor frame rates.
Windows 8 and higher use newer versions of Remote Desktop with RemoteFX technology that directly support rendering via the Graphics Card.
To determine if the Urban Engine is utilising the graphics card:
- Access the computer running the Urban Engine via remote desktop, and start the Urban Engine
- Load a model, and take note of the frame rate
- Close the Urban Engine
- In the remote machine, click Start->Programs->Urban Circus 64->UC Data, this will open Windows Explorer
- Enter the logs folder
- Sort logs by the latest date, and open the most recent log in notepad.
- Search the log for the words “Rendering Device”, it should take you to a line that displays the following:
- D3D9 : RenderSystem Option: Rendering Device = Monitor-1-NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070
- If the Rendering Device displays your graphics card, it is being used correctly.
- If it displays something else, such as Monitor-1-RDPDD Chained DD, the Urban Engine is being forced to use another rendering device.
- You can check the real performance of the computer by logging in to it directly, launching the Urban Engine and comparing frame rates with remote desktop access.