Tips for running TGEA on lower end machines?
by Quentin Headen · in Torque Game Engine Advanced · 02/27/2009 (7:16 pm) · 10 replies
Hello everyone! I am making a racing game with TGEA. I was making it with TGE, but I upgraded. Of course TGEA requires much more that TGE, but are there ways to let TGEA run on lower end machines. I'm not talking about really low end, but maybe computers without dual core processors or that are only 1 GHz. My development computer runs my game super, but my laptop is a little lower end, and you can kinda see the framerate dipping every once in a while. Also, I have a 3rd computer (a desktop) that has 2.4 GHz single core processor and a 256 MB graphics card. It really jerks on that computer. So, how can I make it run a little better? I want my game to have as wide of an audience as it can.
BTW, my game really starts to jerk on lower end computers when you see lots of terrain (legacy) or water.
Thanks :)
BTW, my game really starts to jerk on lower end computers when you see lots of terrain (legacy) or water.
Thanks :)
About the author
Just your average programmer who tries to finish the projects he starts. :) I am currently focused on creating games with Torque engines. My website is http://phaseshiftsoftware.com
#2
02/27/2009 (8:46 pm)
I even set the viewing distance on my 3rd (2.4 GHz) computer to 500, then to 300, then to 50 and 10. On all of the viewing distances, the framerate was still dipping. I looked at the Windows Task Manager and saw the TGEA was using 100% cpu usage. TGE also used 100% on that same computer, but it ran a little better than that. 
#3
What video card are you running in that machine?
03/09/2009 (2:11 pm)
If the graphics are jerking on the desktop computer in that configuration, it's probably an underpowered video card (GeForceFX perhaps?)What video card are you running in that machine?
#4
NOTE: I said the default examples to just let you know that I didn't make any code changes that lowered the efficency.
03/09/2009 (3:20 pm)
I do belive that I have a GeForceFX running in that machine. Here is the funny part though, instant action games run fine on it, and they are also made with TGEA. I run the default TGEA examples and they jerk like crazy. Whats up with that?NOTE: I said the default examples to just let you know that I didn't make any code changes that lowered the efficency.
#5
$pref::Video::forcePixVersion = true;
$pref::Video::forcedPixVersion = 1.4;
The FX cards report pix 2.0 to TGEA, so that is what they use - however, the performance is horrible with that line of card in that mode, in TGEA.
See if the above will help any. Also, the games on InstantAction have a lot of optimizations built into them and are not stock TGEA.
03/09/2009 (3:32 pm)
try adding this to your client/prefs.cs$pref::Video::forcePixVersion = true;
$pref::Video::forcedPixVersion = 1.4;
The FX cards report pix 2.0 to TGEA, so that is what they use - however, the performance is horrible with that line of card in that mode, in TGEA.
See if the above will help any. Also, the games on InstantAction have a lot of optimizations built into them and are not stock TGEA.
#6
Thanks for the help anyways.
03/09/2009 (7:44 pm)
Thanks for trying to help me Kenneth, but I tried what you said and the game is still jerks. :(Thanks for the help anyways.
#7
1. Are you using DIFs? DIFs can really suck using tons of draw calls to render what seem like simple objects. Use DTS w/ the polysoup collision for everything you can get away with.
2. Avoid WaterBlock reflections... they immediately cost you 2x the cost to render the scene. And don't even think about having more than one WaterBlock with reflections. If you want the best performance turn off realtime reflections on all WaterBlocks.
3. Avoid MegaTerrain... its faster in 1.8 than it previous releases, but its still a huge CPU and VRAM hog. Use a single TerrainBlock and keep your ClipMap texelsPerMeter to as low as you can.
03/10/2009 (2:16 am)
The three quick things...1. Are you using DIFs? DIFs can really suck using tons of draw calls to render what seem like simple objects. Use DTS w/ the polysoup collision for everything you can get away with.
2. Avoid WaterBlock reflections... they immediately cost you 2x the cost to render the scene. And don't even think about having more than one WaterBlock with reflections. If you want the best performance turn off realtime reflections on all WaterBlocks.
3. Avoid MegaTerrain... its faster in 1.8 than it previous releases, but its still a huge CPU and VRAM hog. Use a single TerrainBlock and keep your ClipMap texelsPerMeter to as low as you can.
#8
03/10/2009 (2:24 am)
I just recently noticed TGEA hates to run in a window on low end systems, exhibiting stutter performance and very low FPS, once put it in full screen all was smooth as ice cream... (AMDBarton 2ghz 1gRam 6600 Nvidia128meg)
#9
03/10/2009 (10:26 am)
Thanks for the great tips as well Caylo and Tom.
#10
Well ain't that somethin'. :P I put the game into full screen mode and it ran much better. I did remove some of the graphical features. I even removed the whole terrain and water so that the car was just free falling. The game was still jerking. But when I put it in fullscreen mode, it worked just fine. What kinda crazyness is that? :P
@ Everyone
Thanks again guys for all of your help
03/10/2009 (10:40 am)
@ Caylo GypsybloodWell ain't that somethin'. :P I put the game into full screen mode and it ran much better. I did remove some of the graphical features. I even removed the whole terrain and water so that the car was just free falling. The game was still jerking. But when I put it in fullscreen mode, it worked just fine. What kinda crazyness is that? :P
@ Everyone
Thanks again guys for all of your help
Torque 3D Owner Ted Southard