Improving framerate + new graphic drivers

[a2daj]

GhR is definitely CPU limited.  I can run the game at 640x480 and 1600x1200 with my Radeon 9800 Pro and see virtually no difference in my benchmarking.  However, my dual proc 1.2 Ghz G4 performs slower on my benchmarks than my work laptop, a P3 1 GHz with a 16 MB Radeon Mobility (read, really lame card).  Here's what I did:

I turned all of the video options to the lowest settings to stress the CPU and not the video card.  I then loaded the Castle map.  The castle map is actually fairly complex, and since it's the map in the demo, you don't need to get the full version of either app to benchmark (the Mac demo and latest full game version give me the same performance).  I turned on teamsuperman so I didn't have to worry about dead teammates.  I then walk from the drop zone straight ahead into the whole in the castle wall without zooming in.  My G4 hovers around 30 fps in OS X.  My work laptop gets 37 fps.  That seems like a pretty big difference (20% difference in a rather complex scene).

oh, and all the talk about framerates.  Penstar Sys did a very good article about 30 fps vs 60 fps.  Since their website has some issues right now (only the frontpage loads up) here's a link to the article via someone else's site.  I actually think this is an archive of an earlier version of the report because it looks like some of the updated material is missing:

http://www.daniele.ch/school/30vs60/30vs60_1.html

Key observations:  72 fps is maximal.  24fps as max is bs because movies take advantage of dark rooms and motion blur to help with the "smooth motion"

[Jeb]

just wanted to tell you all that Wllietell from MP got his G5 1.8. He says that he can maintain a solid  60+ FPS at 1280x960 with everything at high, and at 1600x1200 framerates bounce between 30 and 60 at high resolution. He only has the stock 512megs of ram in there so the fps might climb dramatically with more. I believe he has the geforceFX card, but not certain because i was drunk lastnight when he told this to me.

If cossack figures out how to move files between his old mac and his new 1.6 G5 we can see some fps on that machine.

In the meantime i'll cry myself to sleep until apple decides they want to ship my G5.

[Typhy]

I would assume with more RAM, the framerates would greatly improve. I use 1600 x 1200 on my Dual 1.25GHZ G4, and I get 40-60 FPS.  

[Jeb]

ok i got my G5 a few days ago, and here is how it runs ghr
Its a 1.6, radion 9600, and 256megs of ram(for now).

Anyhow ghost recon has every setting on high with 32bit color in 1600x1200res runs on average between 40-60fps. It tends to only drop to the 40fps range on maps with rain, or lots of trees. I don't remember seeing embassy drop below 60fps. I wonder how much better it will run with 2gigs of ram.

oh btw, its capped at 60fps, however my g4 could go past 60fps in certain situations. Maybe its just the radion.

[*DAMN Mauti]

Sounds good! Could you please try Mission 5 from Island Thunder where most people didn't get more than 5fps due some high poly counts and CPU intensive AI.

Bye,

Mauti

[Jeb]

i pulled 15fps with drops to 10
the framerates didn't differ between 1024x768 and 1600x1200. I only have 256megs of ram right now. I don't think i have the latest textures fixes in there, so there were a few graphical glitches in the trees.

[[[EUR]] HoloGram]

i still think that GhR is a bad convertion - that is the point of having so bad FPS.

[::MovingUnit:]

I'm on the 12" powerbook w/ 256 megs of RAM, and have run several tests to see where my optimum framerate is, and pretty much no matter what I do, I max out at 30fps when testing on Embassy with the server set on Elite COOP (which is what i ussualy play BTW).  I ran another test with the server on veteran and noticed a few more fps but not that much of a difference really.  I ran another test with it set on Recruit, and WOW, there was a HUGE difference.  When running around like a chicken with my head cut off, which is quite easy in recruit mode, I was averaging 40-50fps, and when standing still and zoomed,  I hit the allmighty 60fps , but not a frame more.

The UEC trick didnt seem to do anything for me, but i havent really tested it to much with a big battle goin on around me so I'll still keep it on "false" cause it didnt slow my gameplay down at all and the concept seems to make sense. =)  

...  also I have tinkered with the Mipmapping feature in the options.xml, for the past couple months actually, and no matter what setting it is on it seems like the computer is tryin to render something that isnt even in the frame yet, which freezes up the framerate for a couple seconds , especially when around enema's.......  Allthough I do like how it renders all the textures to make them a little more realistic and less tingy looking, but the chopyness makes it useless IMO.  Maybe I need more RAM for this to be useful?! *shrug* I dunno.

I did another little test toggleing the effects audio on and off and noticed a dramatic difference in framerate.  You can get 20 or more frames/sec with effects volume muted.  But then again, who wants to play GhR without the sounds of war, or your deep raspy breathes when you get shot in the gut from an enemy slug.  Not me!!


I hope this adds to the chaos of this thread.

[[OZ] Martin]

OK

I got my dual G5 2Ghz with 1.5GB ram and the stock radeon 9600. In most maps with everything up, shadows, mipmaps, textures, modesl on full it stays up near 60 fps at 1680x1050.

When playing carnage missions with 100 bots and 10 tanks the framerate is still high >30.

However it has not gone over 60 to my knowledge yet. Even in MBC it will sit at 59-60 all the time.

Sweet experience though.

[.vooDoo.]

Hey Martin, thx for the post. Could you please post for me and maybe others what the fps you get in America's Army. I am thinking of buying the dual G5 but want to know that the G5 will keep up with the next generation of games.

[Acri]

If there is a 60 fps limit, there should also be a way of removing that limit. I will look into it, but my technie-ness is only average, so I suggest someone else does it too. If we could uncap the fps, that would greatly improve my love for GhR. I have the meanest, leanest G4 on the market but I still get drops to 15 fps in EXTREME situations (and on embassy elite coop when hosting for some reason).

[BTs_Ch A oS]

If you read the previous posts in this thread you will learn that I won a pint from Flies for being the first dude to break 60 fps and mail him a screenshot, lol.

I still have to cross the pond to collect it and enjoyt it with my bro Flies.  YAYAYYAYAYAYAY!!!

PS--The highest fps I got was 61 lol!!!

[th.Sentinel]

You will never believe me!!

But I had a boost of 61 Fps on my comp the other day! To bad I was to slow to take a screenshot!
And here is why its so unbelievable: currently I'm playing on a G3 350Mhz Blue & White, with 512 RAM and an ATI Radeon 7000 32 Mb PCI...

I couldn't believe it myself, but it was true!
Maybe it was the OS 9 that helped me get the boost, but I don't know...

I was so surprised I got shot a min later. LOL

My avarage FPS are between 20 - 50, sometimes under, sometimes above...

I hope someone can find the reason and the solution to get higher FPS then 60... Because I'm gonna buy my dual G5 in a few months. And I really want to get some better FPS then my 300Mhz comp.  

[th.Sentinel]

lol, I only like strong Belgian Beers: Like Affligem, Duvel...

So come to Belgium and have pint over here! Much better then Carlsberg!

Jk! Never drunk Carlsberg before so I don't know, only drink Maes, Jupiler... and the strong beers of course...

Sent

[crypt]

I have gotten to 63 on embassy before, I was in the alley.

[Civrock]

hey,

i just had a framerate of 66. it wasnt just there for a second, no, it was there several times.
Since i have Panther (my dad is a beta tester), my framerate improved from about usually 20-30 to about 30-66(!!) now.
i was on the castle map and it wasnt just in one place of that map and i wasnt looking into the heaven for more frames.
here?s one of the screenshots i took:



i?m using an eMac with 700mhz, the built in 32mb geforce2 mx and 768mb of ram. i?m playing with 800x600x16 and with all settings on low.
since 2 weeks i?m using the full version of panther 10.3 and my game-performance really improved!

[one] Civic.xo

[z][t-Magnetic]

I don?t think it was Panther that did the trick....almost sure it was my brilliant host

[Acri]

I am really looking forward to getting panther. If it did such wonders to your imac... I wonder what it will do to my PowerMac with 128 radeon :O Woot. I wonder who will be the first to break 70

[[OZ] Martin]

OK Update Time

Even on the G5 if you get enough bot's on the screen detailed shadows can kill your framerate. I normally run with everything up except shadows now which run as blob shadows. I don't know if those with nvidia cards get better shadow performance as a few with mid range machines say they run with shadows on high.

Mipmapping has negligible effect on this machine. No discernible frame rate difference in normal gameplay and is does make things look nicer.

For Voodoo. Haven't got any AA framerates yet. You can find some over at insidemacgames.com forums. However I think that AA actually runs faster that GR. Could be my imagination but it is very very playable. That's with everything set normal or high.

Cya


Oh BTW. G5 = more kills than iBook.:-)

[[OZ] Martin]

And there is definately a cap on the FPS. I think anything above 60fps may be just a calc error. In some maps the G5 hovers between 59 - 60 occasionally goin up to 61/62. but almost never more.