Speed of AMD imbedded graphics

[steyrhahn]

Well, I finished LoG finally. This was my 1st run thru in easy mode using the default heros. My congratulations to AH for a fine game, the first one I've bought in several years.

I've commented previously on my compuer's slow performance in some of the puzzles so thought I would post a followup to my experiences and solutions.

I have a Compaq CQ62 laptop with AMD V120 single core 2.2ghz processor and an embedded AMD Radeon HD 4250 graphics processor. Windows V7.

I made it thru all of the timing puzzles (many tries for a couple of them) until I hit the L6 Pit Puzzle. After many tries I upgraded my memory from 3GB to 8GB. Maybe that was a little help, but not much.

I then decided to try the CheatEngine.exe documented here, and with that set to speed 0.45 was able to get past this puzzle and continue without the cheat engine.

At L7 Iron Door/Spectral Orbs timing puzzle, I was again unable to complete the puzzle and had to use CheatEngine again.

I then got to the first pass thru L12. The game video slowed down noticeably even before combat began. It was unplayable.

I went to the AMD website and found a support page that included a tool that would analyze my system and download the latest drivers. It appears to have both updated the driver and loaded a (not seen before) graphic performance driver. With this change I was able to complete the first pass thru L12, L13 and L11.

I highly recommend that people with low end AMD graphics should visit the AMD support page.

Then came the final combat on L12. I gave up after numerous tries and this required using CheatEngine again. Even then it was a difficult level the first time.

I have purchased a dual cpu upgrade for my laptop, an AMD P650 which is about 2.5 times faster than my origonal chip, per the benchmark sites. I'll update this thread after the cpu upgrade. If I get a 2.5 times faster laptop for the $30 the chip cost (used) on ebay, it will be money well spent even if LoG is still too demanding for the graphics processor, which is not upgradable.

Oh yes.I expect playing the game with any laptop actually in ones lap is not the fastest and most stable playing position.

[Komag]

Are you using low settings for the graphics? On my laptop I have everything set to low/off except textures which is medium.

[steyrhahn]

Yes.

[steyrhahn]

I just found the thread about using the grimrock.cfg parameter debugInfo = true to get a FPS display.

I loaded a save of L2 for the game I just completed. The fps varied from 30-50 fps, averaging about 40fps.

I then loaded a save for the beginning of L12. fps dropped to 10-20 fps with no changes. Same on L13.

turned on Vsync. no significant change in the fps.

[Dr.Disaster]

I just found the thread about using the grimrock.cfg parameter debugInfo = true to get a FPS display.

I loaded a save of L2 for the game I just completed. The fps varied from 30-50 fps, averaging about 40fps.

I then loaded a save for the beginning of L12. fps dropped to 10-20 fps with no changes. Same on L13.

turned on Vsync. no significant change in the fps.

Before thinking of an upgrade for that CPU get a utility that can tell you the load on your GPU, like GPU-Z.
If it states that your GPU is already at 100% load to reach your FPS rate a faster CPU will improve nothing.

Also turning Vsync on doesn't change anything when the GPU can't deliver.

[steyrhahn]

Before thinking of an upgrade for that CPU get a utility that can tell you the load on your GPU, like GPU-Z.
If it states that your GPU is already at 100% load to reach your FPS rate a faster CPU will improve nothing.

Also turning Vsync on doesn't change anything when the GPU can't deliver.

I'm going to upgrade the cpu anyway. Its already purchased. Probably I'll attempt it in the morning. I've saved a .pdf of the maintenance doc and spent the evening reviewing it. What a bugger. Never worked inside a laptop before. I guess if I really mess it up then I'll have to buy a new I7-3820 based desktop system...

Do the developers know that level 12/13 has twice the graphics overhead of the earlier levels? Or is it something else going on?

[steyrhahn]

2 tidbits here.

I downloaded GPU-Z as suggested and ran it. Thanks for the pointer.

GPU-Z shows the graphics processor running at close to 100% for both a test of L2 and then L13.

second bit of interest may be that as I ran L13, the fps slowly increased from 10-20 fps to 20-30 fps.
So, this may be a cache issue with the new 'panels/graphics' getting loaded into memory and then speeding up.Just a guess on my part.

[badhabit]

2 tidbits here.

I downloaded GPU-Z as suggested and ran it. Thanks for the pointer.

GPU-Z shows the graphics processor running at close to 100% for both a test of L2 and then L13.

second bit of interest may be that as I ran L13, the fps slowly increased from 10-20 fps to 20-30 fps.
So, this may be a cache issue with the new 'panels/graphics' getting loaded into memory and then speeding up.Just a guess on my part.

LoG is GPU performance bound (on evry system). Also, you can significantly increase the FPS only by using lower (unsupported) resolutions. You can set manually in the grimrock.cfg the resolution which is accepted for windowed modes (not fullscreen), see 640x480 example here viewtopic.php?f=12&t=2324&start=10#p26685.
With the last version 1.3.1 most of the font size problems in this low resolution modes were fixed.

PS:
640x480 windowed mode (LOG 1.1.4)

320x200 windowed mode (LOG 1.1.4)

[Komag]

I can't believe we used to play full screen games at 320x240 and similar crap resolutions. I remember back when boosting all the way up to 640x480 was "ultra-high-resolution!!!"

[badhabit]

I can't believe we used to play full screen games at 320x240 and similar crap resolutions. I remember back when boosting all the way up to 640x480 was "ultra-high-resolution!!!"

yeah...technological nostalgia
but also, such resolutions are back again, look on the domain of gaming on mobiles and other portables -> low resoluition (okay rapidly increasing already)