Start with one car
Choose a familiar map, car and short route. Record the settings and evaluate the smoothness without additional traffic. This result will become the basis for further comparison. If the problem is already noticeable in a simple scene, deal with it first: adding new objects will only make it harder to find the cause. To recheck, use similar weather conditions and the same location.
Add load gradually
Increase the number of cars gradually and repeat the route. The simultaneous changes in traffic, map and graphics make it difficult to understand what caused the deterioration. Keep an eye on motion stability, not just the average FPS: short lags can interfere with control even with an acceptable average number of frames. Save the option where the ride remains comfortable for your system.
Separate graphics and physics
Reducing the resolution only helps the image-related portion of the workload. If a major change occurred after adding cars, test a scene with less traffic before degrading all graphics settings. Compare component loading with available monitoring tools. Don't make a conclusion based on one indicator: restrictions may vary on different maps and in different scenarios.
Check modifications separately
Repeat the problem scenario with an official car and a standard card. A third-party model may vary markedly in complexity and quality. Before disabling a set of mods, save the list and user settings. Return the additions one at a time. The outcome of the test should be a clear scenario that causes the problem, rather than a general conclusion that any modification necessarily reduces performance.
Sources and checks
Guides are automatically translated from Russian; interface labels may differ. The Russian edition is the original.
