Core Confusion!!! Any help please?

[RCAF_FB_Orville]

~S~ All,

Hi there people, I got a new rig in November with the new "Corei7 940" processor, and although it runs IL-2 great, I hate the niggling feeling that maybe I am not getting the best out of it. Now, as I understand it, IL-2 runs on one core only. However, I have seen many posts claiming that on Core duo/Quad processors it is possible to get better performance by tweaking task manager settings for the processor, namely core affinity. I also see that there is a "priority" setting, the uppermost being "real-time". Does this make any difference at all to performance, and is there any verifiable data for this? Though I am a tech Neanderthal (only used single core beforehand so new to this) I suspect it may be a "placebo effect" for some, but please correct me if I am wrong. I have messed around with the confi "Processaffinitymask=" trying numerous different combinations and values, and in very limited testing can see no real difference. Ditto with priority (which is not "saved" for IL-2 for some reason after I restart the computer) Can anybody confirm this for me please, any suggestions for the best settings for IL-2 would be most welcome, and save me a lot of testing and time. Thanks kindly

PS did anyone read that PC Pilot interview with Oleg? He has confirmed that SOW will DEFINITELY utilise both duo and quad technology as well as 6DOF too which was less of a surprise (Hallelujah! My tenuous nehelem gamble has hopefully payed off ) Some of you will probably know this already, but for those who don't, there you go.

Best regards

[mondo]

When I first got an AM2 chip IL2 would run very badly, it was quite choppy but giving it an affinity to one processor seemed to sort the problem out.

I'd advise against playing with the priority settings though.

[Feuerfalke]

Technically speaking, you won't benefit from a multicore-CPU or a multiprocessor-board, as long as you use XP. This OS was build for a different generation of computers, does not natively support these features and draws little to none benefit from it. Users posted about stutters and other problems when setting it to two cores, others, as yourself, that the effect is minimal, or rather placebo as you put it.

Switching to Vista gave me a performance boost when playing IL2 with both cores assigned, especially over urban areas, but since IL2 is an old engine, you also have some side-effects. The only really important I personally ran into was with my new ATI4780 graphics card. It didn't render the light from the muzzle-flashes in yellow, but in purple, which was quite psychedelic.
With my nVidia everything runs fine, though.


In other words: Never change a running system unless you are willing to pay the price. A brandnew system doesn't mean an 11 year old sim will run like silk on it and the benefit for IL2 is not really worth the price (especially not for an i7, looking at the actual price!)

Wait for BoB or for another new program you want to play, then decide on that.

[RCAF_FB_Orville]

Originally Posted by Feuerfalke

Technically speaking, you won't benefit from a multicore-CPU or a multiprocessor-board, as long as you use XP. This OS was build for a different generation of computers, does not natively support these features and draws little to none benefit from it. Users posted about stutters and other problems when setting it to two cores, others, as yourself, that the effect is minimal, or rather placebo as you put it.

Switching to Vista gave me a performance boost when playing IL2 with both cores assigned, especially over urban areas, but since IL2 is an old engine, you also have some side-effects. The only really important I personally ran into was with my new ATI4780 graphics card. It didn't render the light from the muzzle-flashes in yellow, but in purple, which was quite psychedelic.
With my nVidia everything runs fine, though.


In other words: Never change a running system unless you are willing to pay the price. A brandnew system doesn't mean an 11 year old sim will run like silk on it and the benefit for IL2 is not really worth the price (especially not for an i7, looking at the actual price!)

Wait for BoB or for another new program you want to play, then decide on that.

Hi Feuerfalke and thanks very much for the reply . I should have elaborated further RE: My specs, my mistake. I have Vista 64 bit, so no problems there....6gb Corsair 1600mhz Ram and a ATI 4870x2 card. I agree with you completely RE: Nvidia playing IL-2 much better, I have been a lifelong Nvidia customer and this is my first ATI card. Not that its bad, far from it....It runs other demanding titles fantastic I feel its drivers letting it down regarding IL-2, and probably as you say the old engine, though I am certainly no expert. I had the exact same problem as you with the "PURPLE HAZE" Jimmy Hendrix muzzle flashes lol, I assume you know the vertex arrays fix for this in setup? If not just untick the two vertex arrays boxes and it is fixed ( it tooks me a whole month to find this out! Not the greatest googler).

I did not buy this system for only one application, I use for work related stuff too but IL-2 is definitely my main sim. It runs DCS Black Shark brilliantly as well as flight sim X, and I am pleased to see that the forthcoming RTS title "Empire:Total War" has "plays best on Corei7" approval, though whether it does or not and if its just a marketing ploy remains to be seen. Apart from flight sims this is the only other kind of game I play....FPS, you've played one you've played them all *Yawn, lol*

I could not afford to wait for SOW to upgrade, (very) Old computer was dying on me and I cannot base my life around one sim.....as much as I am looking forward to it.

Thanks for the help anyway Feurfalke, and I will try your suggestion with 2 cores being enabled, and I assume I then have to set =2 in confi file too?. I guess priority makes no difference then.

Cheers mate

[JG27CaptStubing]

Originally Posted by Feuerfalke

Technically speaking, you won't benefit from a multicore-CPU or a multiprocessor-board, as long as you use XP. This OS was build for a different generation of computers, does not natively support these features and draws little to none benefit from it. Users posted about stutters and other problems when setting it to two cores, others, as yourself, that the effect is minimal, or rather placebo as you put it.

Switching to Vista gave me a performance boost when playing IL2 with both cores assigned, especially over urban areas, but since IL2 is an old engine, you also have some side-effects. The only really important I personally ran into was with my new ATI4780 graphics card. It didn't render the light from the muzzle-flashes in yellow, but in purple, which was quite psychedelic.
With my nVidia everything runs fine, though.


In other words: Never change a running system unless you are willing to pay the price. A brandnew system doesn't mean an 11 year old sim will run like silk on it and the benefit for IL2 is not really worth the price (especially not for an i7, looking at the actual price!)

Wait for BoB or for another new program you want to play, then decide on that.

Just for clarification. XP is very capable of running multi threaded applications and it recognizes and uses multple CPUs and Cores for that matter.

The problem with IL2 is it was never meant to take use of multiple CPUs or cores. Even though it's a multi threaded application it can cause stuttering if you use it across more than one core.

Applications have to be written to take real advantage of multiple cores or cpus and there are always compromises because ALL of it has to be managed which adds overhead. This leads to scaling issues with more cores and you will eventually get diminishing returns.

Vista isn't any better at processing than XP. It used to be XP would beat the pants off of vista in almost every regard in terms of performance. That gap has lessoned since SP1.

Here is an example. Black Shark was released about a month ago. Guys had learned to have it use more than one core in Vista. What they found out was they did get a performance boost. Guys that are running in XP wouldn't get any performance boost the guys in Vista did because the XP guys were ALREADY getting the same performance out of the gate on one core.

There is an excellent artical over on Simhq that talks about the i7 and it's effects on flight sims.

[WTE_Galway]

Many people claim assigning the trackIr to a different core from the game makes a big difference.

[Buster_Dee]

Orville, I'm dying to know: can your rig run FSX maxed out? I got my system just before the i7s and could max all sliders, but with a bit of choppiness when panning with TrakIR. Basically, it's an E8500 (about 3.7G) dually with two GTX 280s in SLI and 8G DDR3 (slower stuff) running Vista 64. I actually considered upgrading when I heard the i7 throughput was exceptional, even when running slower.

I bought it to do 3D work, but it somehow got ahold of my games....

[JG27CaptStubing]

Originally Posted by Buster_Dee

Orville, I'm dying to know: can your rig run FSX maxed out? I got my system just before the i7s and could max all sliders, but with a bit of choppiness when panning with TrakIR. Basically, it's an E8500 (about 3.7G) dually with two GTX 280s in SLI and 8G DDR3 (slower stuff) running Vista 64. I actually considered upgrading when I heard the i7 throughput was exceptional, even when running slower.

I bought it to do 3D work, but it somehow got ahold of my games....

Make sure you get the Service Paks as it really makes a difference.

[Codex]

Orville ... have a read of this article, I think it will help.

http://www.atomicmpc.com.au/Feature/...al-core.aspx/1

[RCAF_FB_Orville]

Thanks for the replys people. Captstubing is right BusterDee, definitely get SP2 as it (and SP1) enables quad core. Apparently the other 4 "virtual" cores on nehelem are also utilised under heavy workload (though not much) what effect this has I have no idea, and as I am no techie I would be loathe to recommend something to you which you may be able to get similar or better results much cheaper financially. As always, there are conflicting opinions. Some saying much better, some saying marginally, some not at all ( GENESIS- "Land of Confusion" LMAO) There are many "tweaks" out for i7 involving the cnfg. file "[JOBSCHEDULE]" command added with various values for each core. I cannot attest to the efficacy of these though, and I really do not have the time at present to test them all. Get some research in obviously.....all I can say is I can play it maxed out ultra high in most situations min 30FPS (most important for me), but in "doomsday" scenarios like JFK and Heathrow I think ANYTHING at present will be brought to its knees. I dont run FSX very often these days and lots of things will effect performance, especially if you have 3rd party add ons like Aerosofts Uk photo scenery and AI programs for traffic for example.

I advise you to consult the oracles of FSX, as I have a policy of not waxing lyrical about things I have limited knowledge of (If only everyone did the same lol ) and I would hate to have giving you bum or incorrect advise on my conscience, I know money doesn't grow on trees!

Thanks for that article link Codex, very useful and maybe priority will make a difference after all. I see many a headache ahead, lol.

Good luck BusterDee and let me know what you dig up.