hardware limitations

Alec · January 5, 2009, 8:41pm

I hate that my ideas are limited by my hardware, but then again when my most recent project failed (I was getting 5 fps with only a simple terrain and 3 enemies on screen) I came up with a brand new original idea that is a cross between half life 2 and mirror’s edge (without all the fancy parkour)

I don’t won’t to go in to detail about it but soon they’ll be some stuff to see and maybe my first trailer.

Along the topic of hardware limitations I haven’t got much money but I hope to get a Imac or maybe a G5 tower. What do you guys think?

theinfomercial · January 5, 2009, 11:02pm

Just out of curiosity, what dinosaur hardware are you using anyway? :shock:

Also, don’t get a G5. That’s old. Get a Mac Pro (I am!).

anon_83941463 · January 5, 2009, 11:40pm

or macbook pro 2.8 processor with 4 gb of ram! (sweet graphics card(s) and fast for unity 100 fps on the fps tutorial enemies on screen forever lined up with rotating camera!) sorry but it isn’t the most cost effective thing but portable and same price as a mac pro (slightly higher for the processor)) Thats what I have along with a imac

Alec · January 6, 2009, 2:23am

well I have a small budget so I’m looking for the cheapest but most affective thats still cheap (under 2 grand)

Alec · January 6, 2009, 2:25am

I’m using an Imac G5 with 1.8ghz, 768 mgs of ram, with a GeForce FX 5200 with 64MB VRAM . It can do some things good but ummm not really lol.

Dreamora · January 6, 2009, 2:31am

In that case get a 9400M based system. Either a MacBook or wait till the mac mini update has happened if you have an external screen.

iMac if you have more cash naturally but don’t forget that you develop for users which to a high degree have 9400M or even Intel Onboard (3-10 times slower depending if it is the x3100 or gma)

anon_39299164 · January 6, 2009, 2:39am

I think it is worth pointing out that a good algorithm can be literally a thousand times faster than a bad one. Various terrain settings can dramatically affect FPS, often with little or no apparent visual difference.

Dreamora · January 6, 2009, 2:42am

Might be but just clicking a single time on grass / tree will ensure that the performance drops considerably on the first SM2 GPU that was created.

Also using more than 4 textures on the terrain is a bad idea on that GPU as this means two shader passes (one per 4 textures you have)

Alec · January 6, 2009, 3:30am

Someone should write a guide to getting the most out of the worst hardware