CMBB current version vs demo

[David Chapuis]

I downloaded the CMBB demo, and the main thing I disliked about it was that it took sooooooo long to calculate between turns. And I dont have an ancient system (1.2 ghz processor with 770 MB RAM and 64 MB video card).

Is the current version much improved in this regard over the demo, or is it about the same?

Thanks

[ May 23, 2003, 03:28 PM: Message edited by: Cpl Dodge ]

[Sergei]

How long did it take?

[David Chapuis]

IIRC, maybe 1 - 3 minutes and these were the small demo battles. That is much longer than CMBO takes on my older 800mhz processor (which only takes about 10 seconds on similar size battles).

[ May 23, 2003, 03:29 PM: Message edited by: Cpl Dodge ]

[carlrender]

I'm using a similar spec system but with much less ram. I also have 4 times AA permanantly switched on and have no problem at all with calculation times. Must just be the demo - the game is fine.

[Chad Harrison]

In both the demo and the game I have never had that much time spent on calculating. Even a very large operation with 10000 points per side on the screen only took about 1-2 minutes.

I run a P4 1.8ghz with 512 ram. The demo was on a Celeron 733mhz 312 ram. As to settings on the computers, I dont know.

Chad

[David Chapuis]

Strange that mine was so slow.

[Visom]

The processing speed increased in one of the two patches, so execution time is slightly less now.

I think the demo battles takes longer time than the average QB battle for some reason.

[JasonC]

The biggest determinant of turn speed in CMBB, I find, is the resolution you set the screen at. If you step down one level in size from what the computer will pick automatically when the game first starts up, you can see a dramatic increase in speed of turn resolution. Apparently the default pushes the video card rather hard.

I've got a middling level, older CPU - 733, intel chip - and a sizeable graphics card (64 meg - and 384 meg ordinary memory) - and I saw the speed increase by more than a factor of two stepping down one level on screen size. You might try the same.

The way to actually do so is to re-trigger the start up routine that sets screen size for combat mission the first time you play it. Your setting preferences are stored in a little file called "Combat Mission BB Prefs" - should be about 1K. If you delete that file you will be prompted to pick a new screen resolution the next time you launch the game.

Turn down the largest size, and it will step down through the options one at a time. Select a size one lower. Try the speed then. If you like the change, keep it, else repeat. You can always restore the Prefs file from your trash if you somehow mess something up.

Of course, I could also see how fast a CPU I can cram into this motherboard. CMBO was very fast to resolve on my current machine, something I liked. Even with a smaller screen size, CMBB is still somewhat slower, though livable. I think a gig speed machine would handle it better still.

I hope this helps.

[Chad Harrison]

Originally posted by JasonC:

The biggest determinant of turn speed in CMBB, I find, is the resolution you set the screen at.

Interesting point Jason. I have always played on the same resolution, so that might be your problem.

Chad

[MikeyD]

Hey guys, I'm crying crocodile tears. I'm workin' with an old 300mhz G3 mac!

Processing speed's never been much of a hindrance to me, especially in demo-size battles (I don't even try some of the 'huge' battle with my processor). Are you doing anything odd, like playing over a server or something?