Poll: 32 Bit vs 64 Bit SOW, the next generation engines

[FLGibsonJr]

After reading this thread, and I have mentioned this before, I think it would be nice if they added a section or sub-section in the Forum dedicated to computer hardware and software and computer configuration as related to this game. I think we could all learn from each other if we shared the various technical information that we have, and it would all be in one section.

Regards,

Gibson

[Col. Manning]

When I saw this poll the other day, I was tempted to vote for x64 right then and there, but I realized I was just voting for my own personal needs, and not taking other players into consideration. One of the things I think Norb is a master of is the balancing act that has to be done with this game. It places great demands on many parts of a system. I know the term "average machine" is very subjective, but it's only sensible to target the maximum number of potential buyers, rather than the high-end gaming crowd. We all want the community to grow. Although I'm far from rich, I'm proud to say I've purchased the Pipe Creek, Antietam, and Chancellorsville expansions. Besides being great fun, it's the least I can do to support a game that has given me so much enjoyment for the past couple of years. I feel good when I post a screenie, or talk the game up on my Facebook page. I've done that for a while before I even joined up on this forum. I like doing my small part to possibly help the community grow.

Having said all that, I voted for x64, realizing it would force some people to upgrade before they could play the game. Before I got my current system, a couple of friends went to Wal Mart, gave them $300 and came home with a pretty nice x64 box. That was when I realized that 64 bit was not just for geeks. It was going mainstream. I purchased my system primarily for music production. I need the extra RAM. Software development for the X64 platform has been coming along much more slowly than I would have thought, but I'll bet before long anyone who requires a bit of "heavy lifting" out of their computer will be using x64.

If the next engine is developed for x64, I feel a bit sad for those who only have 32 bit systems. Possibly a few howls of protest will be heard. But their old computers won't last forever, and if you can walk into Wally World and get an x64 system for what in the computer world would be considered peanuts, I'd say the time to develop for x64 is now.

[Marching Thru Georgia]

If you have a 32 bit machine the thread below shows how to access the additional memory a 64 bit machine does natively. Directions are in the 1st post. Access More Memory On 32 Bit Machine

[Jolly]

I've had until recently an 'average' machine, running on WinXP with a Dual core P3 processor with 4gb (3.25gb)ram, and a MSI 560GTX 1gb graphics card.
SOW was very slow, I had to make some compromises to play the game, and then it only ran at between 1 - 7 fps.

Then I installed Win7 64 bit and, .... well it was pretty much the same unfortunatly, even with the extra ram.

Now I've upgraded the processor to a Intel i7-3770k.

I can now throw anything at SOW with no slowdown whatsoever. This really is flying now! Even the largest battles I've tried run smooth as silk with all settings maxed.

For now, I guess it all comes down to how much cpu power you have - I had to get a new cpu because of failure on the old one, so I went for a decent one, even though expensive.

I can't imagine a 64 bit os is going to make any difference to gaming, at least not for a while.
64bit is great for multitasking (as long as its written for it), but 32bit gaming is here to stay, at least for now.

[Col. Manning]

I agree 100% Jolly. I'm thinking about a CPU upgrade, too, but I can't really justify it when the other one (Athlon II x4 2.9 ghz) is still working. My framerate slows to a crawl (around 4 fps) during the movement phase in larger battles, but I like to keep my settings on "best" if I can. It doesn't bother me, and doesn't get in the way of gameplay.

[Davinci]

My framerate slows to a crawl (around 4 fps) during the movement phase in larger battles, but I like to keep my settings on "best" if I can. It doesn't bother me, and doesn't get in the way of gameplay.

That is something that a lot of the newer players will never understand, slow frame-rates doesn't affect the game to the point that the game is unplayable.

But, I'm strictly speaking about the Open-Play games, once the marching stops and I can get six-frames-per-second I can't notice any annoying lag.

davinci

[Davinci]

If you have a 32 bit machine the thread below shows how to access the additional memory a 64 bit machine does natively. Directions are in the 1st post. Access More Memory On 32 Bit Machine

Hmm, this technique didn't work for me, has anyone with Windows Vista got this to work?

davinci

[Col. Manning]

Here is some more info, D. I had it working with my old XP box, but the enabling procedure is different in Vista. I've heard it can break some drivers, but as I recall I didn't have any problems. Anyway, I don't need to do it since I'm on Win7 x64.

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic93761.html

[Davinci]

Here is some more info, D. I had it working with my old XP box, but the enabling procedure is different in Vista.

Thanks, but for some reason this just doesn't seem to work on my Computer, although it is a 32\64 motherboard.

I'll probably just get the Windows 7 upgrade.

Thanks, for the info.

davinci