[Singh]

Originally posted by kasperl
i have a Radeon 7k and can run the SCP at a  framereate of about 30-40 wiht everything except pcx32 enabled. spec mapping doesn't work on my card, so that  might be it.

try living with 3-4 FPS when all the eyecandy is on....and then having it go to 1 FPM (Frame per MINUTE) when something loads on. SCP should be playable as well as look good - right now its sacrificed too much of the former for the latter. I'm not asking for much - just let us play a bit!

Perhaps adding a mode called 'original' will allow us to have most of the Vanilla fs2 graphical stuff in, but retaining the ability to play FS_open missions and stuff?

[kasperl]

by turning of -spec -glow -jpgtga -pcx32 and all in the launcher?

just keep HT&L on, but about everything else of, and you'll be fine.

[Lightspeed]

Well, you can make it loads more efficient.

Last time I tried it with -stats, about 170 MB of memory were being wasted. poof, away, useless.

[RandomTiger]

Originally posted by Lightspeed
Last time I tried it with -stats, about 170 MB of memory were being wasted.

I intend to fix that

I also intend to try and get fs2_open to run as fast as it did in retail FS2 with default data and visual features turned off.

However if you are expecting to run fs2_open with visual features on or with new data that has bigger memory requirements but you are using an old system thats just not realistic.

[Lightspeed]

I know, I just wanted to show that indeed a lot memory optimisations can be made, even more so with dynamic data arrays.

[RandomTiger]

170 MB is a big wastage amount though, the most I've ever racked up was about 50. Could you give me details of the options and data you were using?

[Sticks]

Yeah, when I've used Lightspeed's VPs in the past my wastage has easily gotten that high, even if none of the new files are used in mission, and even if -glow and -spec aren't on.

[Flipside]

Ok, to summarise the minimum requirements I think we are looking at :-

Minimum P600 processor, recommend 1Ghz+ (Was 1Ghz min before edit)
Minimum : 128 ( Was 256 before edit) MBytes of Ram, Recommend at least 512MBytes
Minimum : HT&L Graphics card with 32 Meg, Recommend 64+Meg
Directsound compatible soundcard, recommend EAX.
56k Internet connection, recommend Broadband or better.

Does that sound about right?

[ChronoReverse]

A 667MHz processor is sufficient.  I was running a Celeron 667 for a while and FS2_open still runs fine (of course I had to turn off some eyecandy, but we're talking about minimum requirements here).  At least specular works.

[Flipside]

Yes, I thought I might have erred on the high side for the processor, as long as the graphics card can take it, I don't actually think the Non-graphical part of FS2 is any more demanding on the processor, and a lot of the graphical strain is taken up by the card, thus freeing up the processor even more. I suppose that if there is a motherboard that supports a P200 and an AGP 8x you could effectively play FS2 Open on it

I'll edit my post, but leave the old value as well so your reply makes sense.

[Trivial Psychic]

My current system:

Athlon 800 (200 bus)
A7V
256MB SDRAM-133
ASUS V7100 GF2MX 32MB AGP
Creative Labs SB-Live! Value
Samsung 17 inch 755DF

I currently use FSO in HTL with Glow, Spec, and jpgtga, although I've taken to only extracting some of the tga effects (not the nebulas) and I use Lighty's updated V2 planet pack though with the 3 larger planets relpaced by the DDS versions.  I used to fly with all the bells and whisles on, but it would often slow my framerate to a chug, chug, chug 4 fps.  The key seems to be in the shinemaps.  Without shinemaps I can fly at a reasonable framerate (for me... usualy between 30 & 50 unless there's too much action).  If anyone is gonna use the shinemaps and the environment map stuff (once it becomes an official feature), then the min. system requirements should be bumped up to the reccommended specs.

[rant]
I't be cool if we had a little piece of software for the eventual more large scale release of the SCP.  During initial setup of say FSO-4.0 (by that point perhaps) and all the media for it, there would be a popup that says "for those who aren't good at computers, we reccommend running this little porgram that will examine the critical specs of your computer and reccommend what features you should or shouldn't install for the best gameplay vs. eye-candy ratio."  OK, maybe by 3.8, but it would still go one step closer to user friendlyness than the Launcher currently is.  Don't get me wrong, the Launcher is a great improvement over what we had before, and it is still WIP, so this is not meant as any kind of put-down, but there are features (particularily in the command line flags) that say "use this for better eye-candy" or "this will speed things up", but the launcher doesn't know if someone has a system like mine, or a Killer Gaming Rig.  Something to fill this gap needs to be in place when the SCP makes its more public launch sometime in the future.
[/rant]

Later!

[magatsu1]

are we talking DDR or SDRAM memory BTW ?

(I'm running 1gz of SDRAM)

[Flipside]

Possibly something could be done using the CAPS data that the launcher captures, but I am certain the Launcher will grow with the SCP itself, just bear in mind that I'm sure RT doesn't want to be spending all his time on the launcher with all the fun they plan to have with the main game

[Lightspeed]

minimum RAM: 128 MB

If you turn off some extra stuff it *will* work properly.

[Flipside]

Edited, though I don't think I'd want to play FSO on the minimum system

[ChronoReverse]

Since we're talking about minimum requirements, it's FS2_open with HTL. (and no special effects).

In which case, it'll run faster than vanilla FS2 on the same system generally.

[Lightspeed]

Now it sounds about right, Flipside

[Flipside]

Ok, I'll look at putting that on the WIKI tomorrow if everyones happy with that (or at least everyone who reads this before tomorrow)

[Fractux]

I was just working on my model, and I was thinking about memory requirements.

Now, the texture for the ship is 1024x1024, which comes out to a 3,073KB tga.

Now, what is I were to make the glowmap and shine map both dds files, since they don't have to be as detailed as the texture map?

That could help alleviate memory.

[Flipside]

It will IF your card supports DDS textures without having to decompress them, otherwise it will not make a difference unless you use, for example, 512 x 512 maps for the shine and glow