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DarkBASIC Discussion / Colors = Lag?

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Hell IVIonkey
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Posted: 15th Apr 2003 09:45
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I was testing something in DBC. Within my game engine, I used some loops to create a 2d array of cubes stretching off into the distance. If I color them (COLOR OBJECT) just 1 color, the FPS is fine, but if I give each it's own color or even a group of 10 each their own color, the FPS drop signifigantly. It's really bizarre, as FPS should be dependent on polys, not different colors used. Any idea why many different colored objects create lag? If it makes any difference, I'm using a model (block.x) instead of DB cubes.
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Danmatsuma
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Posted: 15th Apr 2003 10:27
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are you coloring them within your main loop, or coloring them first, then looping?

ZX Spectrum 48k Issue 3, Radio shack Tape drive, Rank arena 12" T.V. set.
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Hell IVIonkey
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Posted: 15th Apr 2003 10:41
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coloring first, then looping
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Hell IVIonkey
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Posted: 15th Apr 2003 11:03
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I'd like to demonstrate this. Please download this small sample project and test each of the possible conditions. Just run the program, it will prompt you for the conditions.

http://thehobbit.mine.nu/ColorTest.zip

[U],[D],[L],[R] = directions
[Q] = quit (use to clear up memory)
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Hell IVIonkey
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Posted: 15th Apr 2003 11:47
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I'm not sure if this is even relevant, but...

From the DBPro Patch 4 information:
"COLOR OBJECT does a complete wipe of the base texture now rather than fill only the diffuse element of the object"

Does this imply that in DBC, COLOR OBJECT only fills the diffuse element of the object? And what does this even mean? The cubes in this demo are untextured to begin with, unless a solid color is counted as a texture somehow (??).
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Hell IVIonkey
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Posted: 16th Apr 2003 01:21
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Yo ...?
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Danmatsuma
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Posted: 16th Apr 2003 07:18
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O.K hellMonkey, I dl'd and tested your proggy, please post your sys specs.

Mine are: athlon1800XP geforce2mx400 256DDR

And I get a solid 62 fps no matter which combo of settings I use.

It could be an issue with the way your system uses video memory

ZX Spectrum 48k Issue 3, Radio shack Tape drive, Rank arena 12" T.V. set.
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Hell IVIonkey
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Posted: 16th Apr 2003 07:23 Edited at: 16th Apr 2003 07:25
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P4 1.7GHz
GeForce4mx440
128DDR

Colored mode for both block types gives me between 10 and 30 FPS.

Think it could have anything to do with me recently getting a virus or something, then running an emergency repair of Windows2000? For some odd reason, after the emergency repair, DB reports that my CD is invalid or something. Maybe I should reinstall DB?
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Danmatsuma
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Posted: 16th Apr 2003 07:33 Edited at: 16th Apr 2003 07:34
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Well duh!

Yeah, I know it's a hassle but using virus recovery should only be considered a temp measure, so you can backup everything before the big reformat/reinstall

Just what you have to do if you want a smooth system and don't know about registry editing.

Also, before you do I'd suggest plowing the net for the latest drivers for all your peripherals/hardware, and make sure they're on floppies if your cd drive isn't bootable.

That way you can do a clean install with all the latest drivers, and after it's all over you'll be better off, not worse

Sorry to hear about that, happened to me not long ago, got me a firewall/virus scanner quicksmart.
[edit] spelling

ZX Spectrum 48k Issue 3, Radio shack Tape drive, Rank arena 12" T.V. set.
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Hell IVIonkey
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Posted: 16th Apr 2003 07:34
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Running Quake3 on the same computer gives me the full 60fps. I set the game detail all the way at highest plus at 1024x768.
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Danmatsuma
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Posted: 16th Apr 2003 07:35
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Quake3 uses opengl so it's no test, what was the virus?

ZX Spectrum 48k Issue 3, Radio shack Tape drive, Rank arena 12" T.V. set.
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Hell IVIonkey
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Posted: 16th Apr 2003 07:36
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The computer runs fine now. I know some things about regediting and managed to fix the virus this way. I have the latest version of Direct X (yep, v.9a)... (yeah, I had this same problem with my program while I still have v8). Think it's just DB? Or something else?
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Hell IVIonkey
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Posted: 16th Apr 2003 07:38
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It was... don't remember the name, but it disguised itself as WinAmpA.exe and regisrv.exe. I had to apply the following registry fix:
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Danmatsuma
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Posted: 16th Apr 2003 07:41
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Doesn't really matter I guess, to be sure backup all your projects and uninstall darkbasic, then reinstall directX, then reinstall darkbasic, should take care of whatever, and certainly beats the big reinstall

ZX Spectrum 48k Issue 3, Radio shack Tape drive, Rank arena 12" T.V. set.
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bitJericho
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Posted: 16th Apr 2003 07:42
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WinAmpA.exe, odd...where was this file located?

The 3D Modeler's Group : http://groups.yahoo.com/group/3dModeler/
The Unofficial DB Newsgroup : http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DBMag/
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Hell IVIonkey
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Posted: 16th Apr 2003 08:16
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In the Windows and System32 directories, respectively (WinampA and regisrv). It's fine now, problem fixed.


Ok, Danmatsuma, I uninstalled and reinstalled DB, got the latest patch, have DX v9.0a, and I still get a terrible frame rate. Even more strangely, I still get a warning message upon loading DB saying "Enhancements: Not a Valid CD Key" or something of the sort. I assure you that I purchased DB: the electronic version. I previously had the enhancement pack (unregistered) installed, but after uninstalling and reinstalling DB, I didn't reinstall this addon. Why is it still showing up?

The answer may seem simple: manifested itself in the registry. However, I originally had DB and the pack installed on my old HD. I got a new HD and installed Windows on that, switched the old HD to drive D, and then copied the entire DarkBasic directory over to Drive C. Worked fine. But why would it be in the C drive registry if it was installed ONLY under drive D and thus only could have gotten into the D drive registry (which now doesn't even exist)?
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Hell IVIonkey
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Posted: 16th Apr 2003 08:21
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And to further complicate things, Half-Life running in Direct3d mode (DX) ran at a high FPS as well. DX is fine. Problem is DB, but why?
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Danmatsuma
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Posted: 16th Apr 2003 08:40
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Hmmmmm, time to contact Rich I think. I got the db/dm bundle so I'd have no problems like this later on
I'm sure there has to be a way around it, and Rich has probably dealt with this before, so ask him

ZX Spectrum 48k Issue 3, Radio shack Tape drive, Rank arena 12" T.V. set.
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Hell IVIonkey
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Posted: 16th Apr 2003 08:52 Edited at: 16th Apr 2003 08:53
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Yep, and so I've just done. Now for the waiting game.
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Danmatsuma
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Posted: 16th Apr 2003 09:05
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'luck

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Hell IVIonkey
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Posted: 16th Apr 2003 09:17 Edited at: 16th Apr 2003 09:18
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thx' m8
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