Preliminary dual core Falcon 4 Allied Force perf

SUBMAN1 · 05-30-06, 04:24 PM

My initial impressions using dual core CPU in F4AF are that it is way better than with single CPU. Moves fast and is generally smooth. 1600x1200 strill has some weird pausing making it not so smooth however. I mean it looks good, and plays good but it just doesn't perform as well as 1280x or 1024x.

I think the problem with 1600x is that some of the graphics routines are still linked to some CPU legacy code. Running at 1600x probably just overloads whatever code this is. Just my thoughts on the subject. Another thought here is it could be something to do with Windows XP. When I ran F4 (modded) yadda yadda yadda... on WIndows 98SE, it just ran perfectly smooth. Only when I went to XP did I start to see the almost unnoticeable pauses. I mean no one would notice them flying around or demo'ing the program, but I sit and analyze stuff like this and can see a difference between the two OS's.

Thoughts on graphics cards - it doesn't pay to really go out and buy a better graphics card than my older 9800 AIW (Its a Pro model with extra TV tuner, etc - so just relate this to a 9800 Pro). The x1900 XTX really doesn't move it any faster. This game is purely a CPU game with some 3D thrown in is how I see it.

Anyway, dual core or dual CPU's and more RAM seem to be the only real performance boosts you can do to the Falcon series. From the initial looks, I now have a smoother system than my old SP4.2 could do on a single core CPU, but I still need to do some extensive campaigning around the FLOT for a final answer on this. SO far, I don't have the 18 FPS that I used to get over the FLOT and it seems to be running very smoothly.

I'll report back in a couple weeks and still see if I say the same thing.

-S

PS. 1280x1024 mode is working correctly now on 1.06. Looks good finally! No number textures hanging out over the instruments when you pan around in 3D mode! THis is why I still ran Falcon at 1024x because of the ugly virtual cockpit.

Skybird · 05-30-06, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SUBMAN1

This game is purely a CPU game (...) dual core or dual CPU's and more RAM seem to be the only real performance boosts you can do to the Falcon series.

To my best knowledge, that is perfectly correct. at least it is the word since the beginning of the RP-series, or even earlier.

05-30-06, 04:24 PM	#1
SUBMAN1 Rear Admiral Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 11,866 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Preliminary dual core Falcon 4 Allied Force perf My initial impressions using dual core CPU in F4AF are that it is way better than with single CPU. Moves fast and is generally smooth. 1600x1200 strill has some weird pausing making it not so smooth however. I mean it looks good, and plays good but it just doesn't perform as well as 1280x or 1024x. I think the problem with 1600x is that some of the graphics routines are still linked to some CPU legacy code. Running at 1600x probably just overloads whatever code this is. Just my thoughts on the subject. Another thought here is it could be something to do with Windows XP. When I ran F4 (modded) yadda yadda yadda... on WIndows 98SE, it just ran perfectly smooth. Only when I went to XP did I start to see the almost unnoticeable pauses. I mean no one would notice them flying around or demo'ing the program, but I sit and analyze stuff like this and can see a difference between the two OS's. Thoughts on graphics cards - it doesn't pay to really go out and buy a better graphics card than my older 9800 AIW (Its a Pro model with extra TV tuner, etc - so just relate this to a 9800 Pro). The x1900 XTX really doesn't move it any faster. This game is purely a CPU game with some 3D thrown in is how I see it. Anyway, dual core or dual CPU's and more RAM seem to be the only real performance boosts you can do to the Falcon series. From the initial looks, I now have a smoother system than my old SP4.2 could do on a single core CPU, but I still need to do some extensive campaigning around the FLOT for a final answer on this. SO far, I don't have the 18 FPS that I used to get over the FLOT and it seems to be running very smoothly. I'll report back in a couple weeks and still see if I say the same thing. -S PS. 1280x1024 mode is working correctly now on 1.06. Looks good finally! No number textures hanging out over the instruments when you pan around in 3D mode! THis is why I still ran Falcon at 1024x because of the ugly virtual cockpit. __________________