Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Here's an interesting question...

1.8.4 is really coming together well now, but one thing that occurs to me is that before I release there is scope to make some further changes.

Currently the main render is done using a combination of HLSL and fixed functionality. Liquids and the sky are HLSL, under water warp (if present) and screen flashes (if present) are also HLSL, but everything else is fixed.

Fixed functionality is also used for absolutely everything if HLSL is not available on your 3D hardware.

Now, if I was to switch absolutely everything over to HLSL I could probably get a few percent extra performance. I'm not entirely certain how much, but I'm guessing that - as I dropped about 5% when I moved back to fixed for 1.7 - the gain would be something similar. I'd intend keeping an alternate fixed path as well, but going full HLSL where HLSL is available does provide a reasonable performance increase.

It's definite that this is going to happen sometime, but the question is when? Should I do it for 1.8.4 (and delay releasing) or should I just bring the current codebase together and fit for release, then make the move for the next one after that?

I'm leaning towards the second option right now, as I think it's important to get the 1.8.4 changes out and in use by people, but I'm definitely interested in other folks opinions.

3 comments:

=peg= said...

"I'm leaning towards the second option right now, as I think it's important to get the 1.8.4 changes out and in use by people, but I'm definitely interested in other folks opinions."

That makes sense to me..

Pottenham said...

Yes.

Let us test the 1.8.4 changes before moving onwards.
Can´t wait to see those mdl.textures and my trusted Crosshair in my new Engine of choice.

xaGe said...

..2nd option please. ;-D