rec.autos.simulators

GRAND PRIX 2: Processor Occupancy

Richard Walk

GRAND PRIX 2: Processor Occupancy

by Richard Walk » Tue, 23 Jul 1996 04:00:00

On Mon, 22 Jul 1996 14:53:13 +0200, Lars Birkemose



>> What does it mean if my processor occupancy is over 100%?

>> Julian

>If your settings for frame-rate are ex. 20, and your occupancy is over
>100%, it means that the game cant reach the 20 frames.
>However, its does NOT slow the game down.

<snip>

Are you sure about this? If I have a spin & end up facing into lots of
tyre smoke, the lap time counter seems to update _really_ slowly.

The old Atari ST version of F1GP wasn't really up to giving a good
framerate on the bog standard ST and it took about 10% longer to run a
lap (as measured on a stop watch) than the time reported by the
program.

Given that so much of the game engine is based on the original, I am
inclined to believe that very high occupancies _do_ affect more than
just framerate.

Here's hoping to be proved wrong.... :-)

Richard

torg..

GRAND PRIX 2: Processor Occupancy

by torg.. » Tue, 23 Jul 1996 04:00:00



>> What does it mean if my processor occupancy is over 100%?

>> Julian

>If your settings for frame-rate are ex. 20, and your occupancy is over
>100%, it means that the game cant reach the 20 frames.
>However, its does NOT slow the game down.
>It is simply another way of telling the framerate.
>Im not sure if the occupancy is linear, if it is, it would mean that 20
>frames, occupancy 200%, gives you a framerate of 10.
>Normally you would want a occupancy around 100, because that means that
>your computer is 100% booked...

>LB

It does slow the game down to have the processor working at over 100%.
Just look at an outside view in SVGA, 25fps, everything on, Monacco, racestart.
My P120 works at over 300% in this condition and I would say it is very much slower.
They way I see it, when the processor works at over 100% occupancy, it will use
more than a second to display the defined number of frames.

Torgeir

Julian Lov

GRAND PRIX 2: Processor Occupancy

by Julian Lov » Tue, 23 Jul 1996 04:00:00

What does it mean if my processor occupancy is over 100%?

Julian
_____________________________________________________________________

                                University of Oxford

John Wallac

GRAND PRIX 2: Processor Occupancy

by John Wallac » Tue, 23 Jul 1996 04:00:00



Em....yes it does. The game WILL display 20 frames, and that's why the
illusion of speed is lost. If the car doesn't feel like it is moving
quickly, drop your specified from rate to below the estimated level
(which is an AVERAGE), and you will see a big imporvement.

Over 100% is not good for the feel of the game, or for smooth handling.

Cheers!
John

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Lars Birkemos

GRAND PRIX 2: Processor Occupancy

by Lars Birkemos » Tue, 23 Jul 1996 04:00:00


> What does it mean if my processor occupancy is over 100%?

> Julian

If your settings for frame-rate are ex. 20, and your occupancy is over
100%, it means that the game cant reach the 20 frames.
However, its does NOT slow the game down.
It is simply another way of telling the framerate.
Im not sure if the occupancy is linear, if it is, it would mean that 20
frames, occupancy 200%, gives you a framerate of 10.
Normally you would want a occupancy around 100, because that means that
your computer is 100% booked...

LB

Lennart Gr?nlu

GRAND PRIX 2: Processor Occupancy

by Lennart Gr?nlu » Wed, 24 Jul 1996 04:00:00

On Mon, 22 Jul 1996 14:53:13 +0200, Lars Birkemose



>> What does it mean if my processor occupancy is over 100%?

>> Julian

>If your settings for frame-rate are ex. 20, and your occupancy is over
>100%, it means that the game cant reach the 20 frames.
>However, its does NOT slow the game down.
>It is simply another way of telling the framerate.
>Im not sure if the occupancy is linear, if it is, it would mean that 20
>frames, occupancy 200%, gives you a framerate of 10.
>Normally you would want a occupancy around 100, because that means that
>your computer is 100% booked...

>LB

It is true that above 100% processor occupancy means the computer
can't show the requested numbers of frames within 1 second. But
instead of skipping some frames, GP2 makes in-game time slower than
real world time which means that the game in fact WILL slow down.

(a value below 100% sets the in-game time equal to real world time)

In other words, processor occupancy above 100% is a value based on the
ratio between in-game time and real world time. Below 100% indicates
that you can increase frame rate and/or graphics detail without
affecting the in-game time.

However, this is special to F1GP and GP2. Most other sims varies the
frame rates and/or graphics detail in an attempt to keep in-game time
equal to real world time.
--
Lennart Gr?nlund

http://www.pip.dknet.dk/~pip2351/

Julian Lov

GRAND PRIX 2: Processor Occupancy

by Julian Lov » Wed, 24 Jul 1996 04:00:00


> On Mon, 22 Jul 1996 14:53:13 +0200, Lars Birkemose


> >> What does it mean if my processor occupancy is over 100%?

> >> Julian

> >If your settings for frame-rate are ex. 20, and your occupancy is over
> >100%, it means that the game cant reach the 20 frames.
> >However, its does NOT slow the game down.
> >It is simply another way of telling the framerate.
> >Im not sure if the occupancy is linear, if it is, it would mean that 20
> >frames, occupancy 200%, gives you a framerate of 10.
> >Normally you would want a occupancy around 100, because that means that
> >your computer is 100% booked...

> >LB

> It is true that above 100% processor occupancy means the computer
> can't show the requested numbers of frames within 1 second. But
> instead of skipping some frames, GP2 makes in-game time slower than
> real world time which means that the game in fact WILL slow down.

> (a value below 100% sets the in-game time equal to real world time)

> In other words, processor occupancy above 100% is a value based on the
> ratio between in-game time and real world time. Below 100% indicates
> that you can increase frame rate and/or graphics detail without
> affecting the in-game time.

> However, this is special to F1GP and GP2. Most other sims varies the
> frame rates and/or graphics detail in an attempt to keep in-game time
> equal to real world time.

Thanks for the info. Unfortunately I think I prefer the other way around,
like in ICR2. Just switch off some details on the fly, or drop the frame
rate to bake sim-time and real-time match up. I can put most grafics on
is SVGA and get soooth frame rates (18+ fps) but the game becomes so slow
moving that all feel of driving an F1 car is lost.

Julian
_____________________________________________________________________

                                University of Oxford

B.Kn

GRAND PRIX 2: Processor Occupancy

by B.Kn » Fri, 26 Jul 1996 04:00:00




>>If your settings for frame-rate are ex. 20, and your occupancy is over
>>100%, it means that the game cant reach the 20 frames.
>>However, its does NOT slow the game down.
>Em....yes it does. The game WILL display 20 frames, and that's why the
>illusion of speed is lost. If the car doesn't feel like it is moving
>quickly, drop your specified from rate to below the estimated level
>(which is an AVERAGE), and you will see a big imporvement.
>Over 100% is not good for the feel of the game, or for smooth handling.
>Cheers!
>John

OK, I probably totally don't understand what you're arguing about but
my processor occupancy is sometimes 240%+! The game looks and feels
great. I'm getting nearly 20fps on my P90 in VGA. If it matters, I
don't have it set to automatic detail. I preffer manual control.

 Brett

Tim Wortm

GRAND PRIX 2: Processor Occupancy

by Tim Wortm » Sat, 27 Jul 1996 04:00:00




>>>If your settings for frame-rate are ex. 20, and your occupancy is over
>>>100%, it means that the game cant reach the 20 frames.
>>>However, its does NOT slow the game down.
>>Em....yes it does. The game WILL display 20 frames, and that's why the
>>illusion of speed is lost. If the car doesn't feel like it is moving
>>quickly, drop your specified from rate to below the estimated level
>>(which is an AVERAGE), and you will see a big imporvement.
>>Over 100% is not good for the feel of the game, or for smooth handling.

The real problems lies with the start of the race. After things sort
out, my processor runs at 85-100% on my P133. But through the first
turn, I'm exceeding 150-200%. The cars virtually stop in the first
turn. Not quite the e***ment of a starting start F1 race that I
expected. I've even tried alt-d to reduce detail level to none for the
start of the race, but it doesn't seem to help.

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      NASS '96 Series Director      

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Martin Knud Henrichse

GRAND PRIX 2: Processor Occupancy

by Martin Knud Henrichse » Mon, 29 Jul 1996 04:00:00

I think the point from where the game starts to slow is around 115%
Feels that way.

MKH

Lars Birkemos

GRAND PRIX 2: Processor Occupancy

by Lars Birkemos » Mon, 29 Jul 1996 04:00:00


> I think the point from where the game starts to slow is around 115%
> Feels that way.

> MKH

Easy for you to say.....
Big mashine, enormous amount of hardware...
AND the fastest time on IMOLA..  YOU PIG ;-)

LB

BTW, Haven't you got into the 1.20's yet.............

Richard Busc

GRAND PRIX 2: Processor Occupancy

by Richard Busc » Mon, 29 Jul 1996 04:00:00


> > OK, I probably totally don't understand what you're arguing about but
> > my processor occupancy is sometimes 240%+! The game looks and feels
> > great. I'm getting nearly 20fps on my P90 in VGA. If it matters, I
> > don't have it set to automatic detail. I preffer manual control.

> >  BrettJust to clear the matter.
> When occupancy rises above 100%, you DONT GET the 20 frames/sec. What
> you get, is 20 frames spread over more than 1 sec. That is why the
> pictures gets "series of stills", and the game starts running in
> slo-mo...:-(
> Still it's a VERY nice game....

> LBOK let's see if I understand this. Optimally we should be getting100%

occupancy. This way we will get the best frame rate possible. Yes or no?
I'm so confused  <G>
Richard Busc

GRAND PRIX 2: Processor Occupancy

by Richard Busc » Mon, 29 Jul 1996 04:00:00


> > OK, I probably totally don't understand what you're arguing about but
> > my processor occupancy is sometimes 240%+! The game looks and feels
> > great. I'm getting nearly 20fps on my P90 in VGA. If it matters, I
> > don't have it set to automatic detail. I preffer manual control.

> >  BrettJust to clear the matter.
> When occupancy rises above 100%, you DONT GET the 20 frames/sec. What
> you get, is 20 frames spread over more than 1 sec. That is why the
> pictures gets "series of stills", and the game starts running in
> slo-mo...:-(
> Still it's a VERY nice game....

> LBOK let's see if I understand this. Optimally we should have 100%

occupancy. Then we will have the best frame rate possible? Yes or no?
Please try to clear this up for me I'm so confused.  <G>
G. Warren Ab

GRAND PRIX 2: Processor Occupancy

by G. Warren Ab » Mon, 29 Jul 1996 04:00:00


said...

What that means is at the moment you're getting 240% occupancy, GP2 is drawing
20 frames in 2.4 seconds.

Unlike ICR2/NASCAR, where graphics get choppier but the game still runs in
real-time, GP2 keeps the graphics smooth but makes time pass slower.  So, if
you ran a whole lap in GP2 at 200% occupancy, a laptime of 1:30.000 will take
three minutes to run.

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Lars Birkemos

GRAND PRIX 2: Processor Occupancy

by Lars Birkemos » Mon, 29 Jul 1996 04:00:00

When occupancy rises above 100%, you DONT GET the 20 frames/sec. What
you get, is 20 frames spread over more than 1 sec. That is why the
pictures gets "series of stills", and the game starts running in
slo-mo...:-(
Still it's a VERY nice game....

LB


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