Request: Option to disable new terrain renderer

[XboxJosh]

Allow me to start off by saying the following:
1) Hi! I'm new here, but I absolutely love Warzone 2100!

and now the issue:

2) I compiled the trunk version of Warzone, and I love the new terrain renderer, so no offense to those who worked on it, but I would like to see an option to disable it. Please let me explain.

I have an older computer (~3 yrs. old ), and in-game, where I used to get about 100 FPS easy, using the new terrain i get about 7. It's a shame, since I adore the new terrain, but it would make me have to stop playing Warzone, since the game would be unplayable.

If there were an option to disable it, I, and people like me, could still play Warzone, while people who own better graphics cards can enjoy better graphics.

[Buginator]

Allow me to start off by saying the following:
1) Hi! I'm new here, but I absolutely love Warzone 2100!

and now the issue:

2) I compiled the trunk version of Warzone, and I love the new terrain renderer, so no offense to those who worked on it, but I would like to see an option to disable it. Please let me explain.

I have an older computer (~3 yrs. old ), and in-game, where I used to get about 100 FPS easy, using the new terrain i get about 7. It's a shame, since I adore the new terrain, but it would make me have to stop playing Warzone, since the game would be unplayable.

If there were an option to disable it, I, and people like me, could still play Warzone, while people who own better graphics cards can enjoy better graphics.

Not going to happen.
It is just too much work to maintain two different rendering engines, for such a small team to handle...

2.2.x will be the version that uses the older terrain engine, 2.3+ will be the new terrain engine.

[Per]

I would like to add that 2.2 will be a long term maintenance release, which means that we will backport good changes from trunk to 2.2 as time permits, even after 2.3 is released. So you can safely stick to 2.2 if that is all your computer can handle.

If there is anything in particular you would like us to backport from trunk to 2.2, let us know.

[cybersphinx]

I have an older computer (~3 yrs. old )

3 years isn't that old - I have a ~6 year old Radeon 9600XT that runs trunk. I guess it's more a configuration/driver problem than the system itself (unless it was bad even 3 years ago).

[jaakan]

So XboxJosh what hardware, OS, and drivers are you running?

[XboxJosh]

It's a heavily modified Compaq Presario SR1703, upgraded to 1.125 GB RAM, original 1.79 GHz processor, ATI Radeon XPress 200M (integrated), drivers are 46 months old(anything newer conflicts with my OS), Windows XP Media Center Edition, 92 GB Free hard drive space.

[cybersphinx]

ATI Radeon XPress 200M (integrated)

That might qualify as "bad". I think the hardware should run trunk, but drivers for integrated chips tend to be crap, especially the earlier versions.

You can try to reduce the texture size in Warzone's video options, perhaps that helps.

[XboxJosh]

I tried lowering the texture size, no effect on framerate.
Are you saying I should buy a new graphics card? Because I found a nice NVidia PCI card for $39.99, the Zotac GeForce 5200.

[jaakan]

yea, "ATI Radeon XPress 200M (integrated)" ouch

Spend a little more and get an NV 8400 GS
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications ... CatId=1603

but the 5200 would still be a big step up from that integrated.

[cybersphinx]

PCI card

PCI? Don't you have AGP or PCIE on your mainboard? I'm not sure how much bus bandwidth Warzone needs, but you might just move the bottleneck to another place with that...

I don't know the specific card, but if you don't mind getting a used one you will get better value for your money (at the expense of time).

[XboxJosh]

@cybersphinx: No, the only interface I have is PCI, this computer was bought at a Wal-mart.
@jaakan: This card looks nice, and it's the same price. I'll look into it.

[Buginator]

It's a heavily modified Compaq Presario SR1703, upgraded to 1.125 GB RAM, original 1.79 GHz processor, ATI Radeon XPress 200M (integrated), drivers are 46 months old(anything newer conflicts with my OS), Windows XP Media Center Edition, 92 GB Free hard drive space.

@cybersphinx: No, the only interface I have is PCI, this computer was bought at a Wal-mart.
@jaakan: This card looks nice, and it's the same price. I'll look into it.

From what I can tell, you *do* have a PCIe slot. ( http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/docu ... 42&lang=en )

It is *much* better to get a PCIe card, and you can get a pretty decent one for under $75, heck, I have seen them as low as $50 now with rebates.

[XboxJosh]

Are you sure? Because I got the 3 PCI, then a long, thin black strip above them. Is that the PCIe?

[Vermithrax]

I compiled the trunk version of Warzone, and I love the new terrain renderer, so no offense to those who worked on it, but I would like to see an option to disable it.

I too would like this feature. I like the new terrain textures and renderer, but sometimes it would be nice to return to the original look of the game. The improved look can be a little incongrouous compared with the vehicles and constructs.

[Zarel]

I too would like this feature. I like the new terrain textures and renderer, but sometimes it would be nice to return to the original look of the game. The improved look can be a little incongrouous compared with the vehicles and constructs.

Sorry, not gonna happen. We don't have the resources to implement such a feature. The best we can do is long-term maintain 2.2-branch.