Missing Multithreading

from Sins Forums

I'm German, so if i use strange phrases, please forgive me, i try to do my best ;)

As I read the Systemrequirements I thought that the game especialy makes use of Multicores because

"To get the most from your play experience, we recommend you have:
2.2 GHz Dual- or Quad-Core Processor"

let me think that. If something run better on a multicore system than on a single core you think it makes use of it, right?

But i was unable to kick the game in two cores. No chance. Small Maps with less players run fine, but the bigger the map and the more AI Player the more the single core using sucks on the performance.

Why don't the game simply use more threads for the AI? That would not solve the whole problem, but should be enough to makes the game run really much smoother.

I know the 'Poor Performance' Thread discuss in fact the same, but it seems very wide spreaded, so I create an own.

 

To give more information:

Yes, the game is allowed to use all cores ;)
Yes, I can use the taskmanager.
Graphics doesn't change much, between 1280x800 all lowest and 1440x900 all highest are around 1-2FPS difference at later stages of playing, 6-12FPS at all dependend on zoom and how much is going on. At the beginning there are around 60FPS because the game seems to use vertical sync or fps cap on screen refreshrate.
The performance doesn't change if i try a 'performance mode' by closing as much background programs as possible and deactivating the antivirusguard.


System
Dell Studio 17

Vista Home Premium 32bit
CPU Typ Mobile DualCore Intel Core 2 Duo P8400, 2266 MHz (8.5 x 267)
4GB Ram, 3GB usable, 800Mhz DDR2
Graphics card ATI MOBILITY RADEON HD 3650 (256 MB)

 

Please tell me that there will come a patch to fix that  8|

technical
6,256 views 7 replies
Reply #1 from Sins Forums Top

Sins will use extra cores to handle texture loading as needed, however other than that it is largely single-core. Given the large investment that would be needed to change the code that significantly this late in its lifecycle, I doubt that additional multithreading is a change we'll be likely to see (versus actual gameplay changes as are coming in Diplomacy).

Reply #2 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting kryo, reply 1
Sins will use extra cores to handle texture loading as needed, however other than that it is largely single-core. Given the large investment that would be needed to change the code that significantly this late in its lifecycle, I doubt that additional multithreading is a change we'll be likely to see (versus actual gameplay changes as are coming in Diplomacy).
End of kryo's quote

Yes, but the game even is advertised as Multicore in germany. Since it's still being sold, there's at least two years warranty on these copies. Furthermore, advertising features which do not exist is unlawful in germany.

Thus, every german could bring that game back to the store and demand a refund. Competitors could even sue your company because of chosing this way of action.

Both would not help us, the users, and there are many people with this problem. Even computers with Vista performance rating 5.9 have immense trouble to run this game properly, which also is against the way this game is being advertised. I also cannot recommend this game to my multi-core owning friends as they don't have machines which could handle sins well on a single core. I myself do not buy Entrenchment because this flaw is not fixed.

It really would be best if you would update the game engine. If you do, your developers already have something to build upon for further enhancements like Diplomacy or a Sins 2, your users would be happy, noone could demand a refund or sue you and you most probably would have increased sales for this great game!

Screet

Ashes of the Singularity II
Reply #3 from Sins Forums Top

Yes, but the game even is advertised as Multicore in germany. Since it's still being sold, there's at least two years warranty on these copies. Furthermore, advertising features which do not exist is unlawful in germany.
End of quote

That would be something you'd want to take up with Kalypso, the Euro publisher. We do not handle the European packaging or advertising.

Reply #4 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting kryo, reply 3

Yes, but the game even is advertised as Multicore in germany. Since it's still being sold, there's at least two years warranty on these copies. Furthermore, advertising features which do not exist is unlawful in germany.
That would be something you'd want to take up with Kalypso, the Euro publisher. We do not handle the European packaging or advertising.
End of kryo's quote

May be, but then it would really provide no solution, or do the Calypso guys write code for Sins and thus are able to fix it?

I really do wonder wether you should offer developers which are playing this game to sign a NDA and then let them have a look at the multithreading/speed issue and other problems.

Screet

Reply #5 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting kryo, reply 1
however other than that it is largely single-core.
End of kryo's quote

In fact, multicore is possible... i have two xeon quad core at 2.66 ghz and use hardware virtualization, linux and a server version of virtual software for emulate a single core processor at 10 ghz... not really perfect since around 20-30 percent of the processor power is used for distribute task between the different real core but it is better that nothing...

On the other side, there is compilator with some option for optimize single threat code on multi thread machine... simply detect the numerous loop and sub routine who exist in the code for create  new executable who support multicore... win in speed vary from 15-20 percent... the method will never work for the majority of game who use obfucated code... a method of coding who make decompilation almost impossible... but with source code, a lot of thing is possible...

BUT NOT FOR SINS ... because multi-core or 64 bits will lead to more sync problem with online game... sync problem was a plague in the begin, now it is better... huge change in the code can lead to these sync problem again... it is possible that a guy using a multicore version will never be able to play online with a single core version, that a 64 bits version will never be able to play online with a 32 bits version...

What is really needed is to work on Sins 2, using multicore and 64 bits... and try to find a other system for online game...

Reply #6 from Sins Forums Top

hm... thats sad

I'm not interested in giving my copy back and get my money back, I really like the game. But it seems to be another lesson in missing gamefeatures. Don't hope they come later, because they don't. Never. Excepting some few softwarestudios. But maybe on the next version..

So I have to wait for Sins 2 if i want to play epic 'starwars'

Thoumsin, can you tell me wich software and linuxdistribution you exactly use if it's free and there is a chance that it makes sense with a laptop and 2,2Ghz dualcore. That would be nice.

Reply #7 from Sins Forums Top

 

What you guys might consider doing is to open up the Windows Task Manager and go to Processes, and to then set Sins to only run on a single CPU core with High Priority.  Set other programs or at least other programs that consume CPU and whatnot to the other core.  I find that this makes a large difference in my Sins gaming and overall performance for other open programs (Firefox, etc.).

My computer is a mere Socket 939 Athlon 4400 overclocked to 2.42 Ghz on each core with just 2 GB RAM and an 8800 GT and Sins runs well for me when I do that and I only play the game in online multiplayer against other people.

Note that if you play massive maps with 8 stars and 300 planets with 9 opponents in a free-for-all that the game will start to lag later on once each opponent has 2000 fleet supply worth of ships running around.  In that case, you might want to reconsider the game settings that you are using.  It does run better on smaller maps with fewer ships.  (This isn't much of an issue in the online multiplayer game since no one wants to play a game that will last more than 2 hours, so your typical map is a single star with, say, 80 planets.  You'll want to play it in onlne multplayer once you're comfortable with the game and the AI no longer poses a challenge to you anyway.)