FPS bug on Mac OS X in network games.

What do you want to see in Armagetron soon? Any new feature ideas? Let's ponder these ground breaking ideas...
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dlh
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FPS bug on Mac OS X in network games.

Post by dlh »

here are my specs: 800 MHz G4, 1 gig RAM, ATI Raedon 7500 w/ 32 MB VRAM.

I can play arma at the lowest resolution (320 x 200) and I will only get max 35 fps. Usually it stays around 25 fps. Well, my friend just bought a new powerbook (1.5 GHz G4, 2 gig RAM, ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 w/ 128 MB VRAM). Now, you would think his computer would get a lot better fps than mine.

You thought wrong. In games, he cant get above 35 fps either, even at 320 x 300!.

This only happens in network games. If a play a local game against the bots, I will get 100 fps at 800 x 600.

Someone please fix this annoying bug.
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Tank Program
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Post by Tank Program »

It might not actually be a bug... It might just be how it works on OS X. There's nothing in the code that really limits the FPS. It might just be an issue with SDL in OSX. I really don't see a reason to blaim this on the OS X port of Armagetron.
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dlh
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Post by dlh »

Well, it only happens in network games. If I play a local game, I get 100 fps.
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Tank Program
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Post by Tank Program »

Ok... maybe it's a limitation of the network code. But do you actually notice a difference, honestly?
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dlh
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Post by dlh »

Tank Program wrote:Ok... maybe it's a limitation of the network code. But do you actually notice a difference, honestly?
I have to play at 320 x 200 to get an ok fps.
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joda.bot
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Post by joda.bot »

hi

Well, the problem might not be visible in Armagetron's source code, but perhaps a simple method in the code just uses a different concept than on x86 architectures.

For example if armagetron wants to receive a new packet from the network, it will ask the OS' socket for a new packet, but what happens if there is no packet available ?

I noticed that armagetron expects the OS' to
"return immediatly if no packet data is available",
but perhaps on MacOS X the request for recving (or sending) a packet blocks until a packet was received/send and thus slowing down armagetron's rendering !

This link provides more information about setting up sockets for MacOS X.
http://www.osxfaq.com/man/2/getsockopt.ws

File to change would be src/network/net_udp.cpp.

Perhaps I can provide a fix at a later point...
If anyone else fixes this I'd be glad to know.

I might be wrong about the cause of the problem though. :D

joda
andrea
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Post by andrea »

joda.bot wrote: This link provides more information about setting up sockets for MacOS X.
http://www.osxfaq.com/man/2/getsockopt.ws

File to change would be src/network/net_udp.cpp.

Perhaps I can provide a fix at a later point...
If anyone else fixes this I'd be glad to know.

I might be wrong about the cause of the problem though. :D

joda
Do you have a Mac to test? If not, let me know and I'll compile and test for you.

I have noticed lower fps while on network play, but not as many to make me think of a bug, but I have to say that armagetron runs slow on my G4 even when playing alone. :(

- Andrea
gene
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os x

Post by gene »

I've played Armagetron on three different 1ghz/256ram iBooks and one 1.5ghz/512ram powerbook with no problems as the original poster. It even works great when the host server is a windows box. Are you still having this problem?
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