64 or 32 bit for Games?

> "Paul Smith" wrote:
>
>> "Verger" <nomail.TakeThisOut@maildump.nl> wrote in message
>> news:vvs8a31sndlve4k677u6ii6is41vq85rfk@4ax.com...
>> > What is the general concensus on this? I am building a new machine and
>> > games are the thing on it. 64 bit is rstrictive when it comes to
>> > drivers. 32 bit is supported more easily. 64 bit for the future or
>> > better support now?
>>
>> Good question, if your hardware is all supported, and you don't mind
>> tackling compatibility issues when they come up go 64-bit. Some games
>> are
>> already using more than 2GB of RAM, which on 32-bit Windows has issues
>> unless you configure Windows to set more memory aside for applications,
>> and
>> alter the game's executable to be large_address_aware.
>>
>> In my opinion we'll start seeing games using more than say 3 or 4GB of
>> RAM
>> within a couple of years, and as such they'll end up being compiled for
>> 64-bit.

"IceHockeyJason" <IceHockeyJason.TakeThisOut@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:F458DF38-BF4E-4568-ADF5-A2E87446807F@microsoft.com...
> You can run a 32 Bit O/S on a 64 Bit processor. I know Dell is installing
> Vista on their 64 bit chip systems that way since a majority of consumers
> still use 32 bit applications. But in the future if you want 64 bit, you
> can
> do so.
>

There are actually a couple notebooks at Best Buy (HPs or Gateways I think)
that come with Vista Premium x64, thought that was kind of cool, but at the
same time a little risky, BUT I'd be curious if you didn't tell a consumer
they were getting the 64-bit OS version, if they'd even notice?

I mean the drivers are obivously supported, wouldn't make much sense to sell
a computer without some of the drivers, so I mean it's not like there are
any programs that come up and say, sorry this won't run in Windows x64, as
far as I know.

I'm still ok with my 32-bit system. Only have 2 gigs of ram anyways. If a
game requires a minimum of 3gigs ram I'm gonna have to question the
programers ability to optimize game and art assets to a more manageable
level.

-a.

> I mean the drivers are obivously supported, wouldn't make much sense to
> sell a computer without some of the drivers, so I mean it's not like there
> are any programs that come up and say, sorry this won't run in Windows
> x64, as far as I know.
>
> I'm still ok with my 32-bit system. Only have 2 gigs of ram anyways. If a
> game requires a minimum of 3gigs ram I'm gonna have to question the
> programers ability to optimize game and art assets to a more manageable
> level.


Well, Command and Conquer 3 had problems with Vista 64 until they released a
patch to fix it. Here is the deceptive error I got when I first try to run
it under Vista 64
http://images.filecloud.com/407563/CnC3_error.jpg
They fixed in a patch about a week or so after launce, but it would be
pretty frustrating for a new user to get hit with that right away.

PCanywhere and my VPN software still doesn't offer a 64bit version for
Vista. PCanywhere should have support very soon (though it's been 7 months)

Outside of that, V64 has been able to do most everything Vista32 does.
Personally, if one is not overly techncial, I'd stick with V32 for another
couple of years. If you like to tinker, then go for it

Just before Vista came out, I built a new machine with Vista 64 in mind all
the way. My own experience has shown that it's older peripherals which
suffer, driver-wise, with 64bit OS but I would have thought in unlikely
anyone building a new machine is going to source older bits and pieces
unless you prefer Bargain Bin components! I checked each
manufacturer/vendors website for 64bit drivers, current or pending, before I
bought vid cards/sound cards etc.
I have had no real problem at all since installing V64, and still have no
major problems at all.

On the subject of games, this is really no different and my current rosta
includes:
Flight SimX
Halo2
SimCity4
Fable
Caesar VI
City Life
Black and White2

But there again, every computer set up is different as we all know. The only
thing that currently annoys me is Dreamweaver quits without warning at least
3 times an hour: but I'll get to the bottom of that one day!
Best of luck with the new PC.
Paul

"Verger" <nomail.TakeThisOut@maildump.nl> wrote in message
news:vvs8a31sndlve4k677u6ii6is41vq85rfk@4ax.com...
> What is the general concensus on this? I am building a new machine and
> games are the thing on it. 64 bit is rstrictive when it comes to
> drivers. 32 bit is supported more easily. 64 bit for the future or
> better support now?
>
> Thinking of an OEM version here.
>
>
> --
>
> Verger
>
> "What are we in time going by"-- Mountain ( For Yasgur's Farm)
>

This message is not archived

"But it would be almost a disater when I
> cannot play Crysis and Bioshock, Spore and more of these gems that are
> released in the next year or so."

But why shouldn't they play on V64 though? Especially if you have a brand
new set-up.
Like some of the other posters have commented: 32bit apps will usually run
on a 64bit OS (an oversimplification admittedly...) but in my experience the
over-riding requirement is for the video and audio drivers to be compatible
with the OS. And at least with a 64bit system your future memory expansion
will be alot easier!

Paul - a 64 bit fan



"Verger" <nomail DeleteThis @maildump.nl> wrote in message
news:o30ea3p8keoe7tshqghg6dgb1dkp6goprs@4ax.com...
> On Tue, 24 Jul 2007 10:49:15 +0100, "Paul Graham"
> <paulgraham DeleteThis @pobox.com> sang the following hymns:
>
>>Just before Vista came out, I built a new machine with Vista 64 in mind
>>all
>>the way. My own experience has shown that it's older peripherals which
>>suffer, driver-wise, with 64bit OS but I would have thought in unlikely
>>anyone building a new machine is going to source older bits and pieces
>>unless you prefer Bargain Bin components! I checked each
>>manufacturer/vendors website for 64bit drivers, current or pending, before
>>I
>>bought vid cards/sound cards etc.
>>I have had no real problem at all since installing V64, and still have no
>>major problems at all.
>>
>>On the subject of games, this is really no different and my current rosta
>>includes:
>>Flight SimX
>>Halo2
>>SimCity4
>>Fable
>>Caesar VI
>>City Life
>>Black and White2
>>
>>But there again, every computer set up is different as we all know. The
>>only
>>thing that currently annoys me is Dreamweaver quits without warning at
>>least
>>3 times an hour: but I'll get to the bottom of that one day!
>>Best of luck with the new PC.
>>Paul
>
> Thanks to all for the help. since I am a gamer and I am designing my
> new PC for games, perhaps 32 bit is the way to go even though it seems
> that on 32 bit people experience a lot of problems anyway. I am
> planning on buying Crysis and more of these very demanding games.
>
> My system will look like this:
>
> Gigabyte P353-DS3R (can use DDR2 and DDR3 RAM.)
> 2048 MB RAM, Kit, Crucial, DDR2 800Mhz (can upgrade to DDR3 later when
> it becomes affordable and actually faster.)
> Intel E6750
> Point of View 8800 GTS 640MB
> Creative X-Fi Music
> Antec P180b case.
>
> But games...apart from RAM hogging will there be other ways
> developpers will effectively build for 64bit? And in what way? More
> use of the dual cores?
>
> Now, I have old peripherals. Scanner and printer. But I can use those
> on my older XP SP2 system just fine. I suppose I could netwrok the two
> and print over a network...and/or just use a USB stick of some size to
> put docs back and forth. Should not e a big deal.
>
> I suppose the cionfig above would not have trouble with Vista 64
> bit... It is all new hardware. But it would be almost a disater when I
> cannot play Crysis and Bioshock, Spore and more of these gems that are
> released in the next year or so.
>
> --
>
> Verger
>
> "What are we in time going by"-- Mountain ( For Yasgur's Farm)
>

This message is not archived

"Andy" <android8675.TakeThisOut@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:ADD92A9C-8B27-4009-8202-570C6A76C973@microsoft.com...
> I'm still ok with my 32-bit system. Only have 2 gigs of ram anyways. If a
> game requires a minimum of 3gigs ram I'm gonna have to question the
> programers ability to optimize game and art assets to a more manageable
> level.
>
> -a.
>

Yea, if Xbox 360 can run graphics intensive games with far less ram then
there is definitely something wrong with PC game designers or there is
something fundamentally wrong with the PC architecture as it currently is.
Maybe they need to dump the PC architecture and start from square one and
design it in a smarter way this time so it is more efficient.

"Verger" <nomail RemoveThis @maildump.nl> wrote in message
news:o30ea3p8keoe7tshqghg6dgb1dkp6goprs@4ax.com...
> On Tue, 24 Jul 2007 10:49:15 +0100, "Paul Graham"
> Thanks to all for the help. since I am a gamer and I am designing my
> new PC for games, perhaps 32 bit is the way to go even though it seems
> that on 32 bit people experience a lot of problems anyway.

No, if you are designing a game today you should make it both 32bit and have
a 64bit exe too. 64bit is here to stay so start giving us the software that
can take advantage of it instead of taking the easy way out and making it
32bit only.

"Verger" <nomail.DeleteThis@maildump.nl> wrote in message
news:71fea3dm8kk0jcl6pg1rao0l4sttbnm2m7@4ax.com...
> So I see Well, I am about to click 'order' for 64 bit. I should
> just accept that this is it! The transition from old to new, from 32
> bit to 64bit. From old hardware to new hardware that from now on will
> certainly feature 64 bit drivers. I worry about Total Commander. I am
> not sure I can even use a computer without it. It does not support 64
> bit. It woks though. DirOpus also works but doesn't support it. I
> suppose in time they will.
>
> Click, order placed. It is done. No way back now.

What do you do with your old hardware? I keep mine and have three PC's. Am
about to build a 4th. Because of that I can run pretty much any OS and game.
I have WinME, Win2KPro/XP/Vista all installed right now. Next machine will
make use of my caddy drive and will have Ubuntu Linux and probably Win98SE.
The only problem is finding room and enough power sockets to use them all.

This message is not archived

This message is not archived

"Verger" <nomail RemoveThis @maildump.nl> wrote in message
news:oip3b35e5n728udq45svedtcblk3io9ijc@4ax.com...
> On Sun, 29 Jul 2007 15:50:54 GMT, "Revolt" <not_for RemoveThis @email.invalid>
> sang the following hymns:
>
>>"Verger" <nomail RemoveThis @maildump.nl> wrote in message
>>news:o30ea3p8keoe7tshqghg6dgb1dkp6goprs@4ax.com...
>>> On Tue, 24 Jul 2007 10:49:15 +0100, "Paul Graham"
>>> Thanks to all for the help. since I am a gamer and I am designing my
>>> new PC for games, perhaps 32 bit is the way to go even though it seems
>>> that on 32 bit people experience a lot of problems anyway.
>>
>>No, if you are designing a game today you should make it both 32bit and
>>have
>>a 64bit exe too. 64bit is here to stay so start giving us the software
>>that
>>can take advantage of it instead of taking the easy way out and making it
>>32bit only.
>
> Yes I figured if I build a new PC for the future I mght as well go 64
> bit and just let go of the greed to be able to run just about any game
> of the last years I should have bought 2 years ago anyway.
>
> The only annoying thing is that my XP machine is too old in GFX power
> to run games of now. And I do not feel like investing in a new AGP
> vidcard just to be able to play the games that were pusblished after
> my old geforce FX5600.
>
> I could get real cheap some GeForce 6600 or something in the 7 series.
> But why waste money when already i spend 370 euro's on a vidcard for
> my new Vista PC.
>
>
> --
>
> Verger
>
> "What are we in time going by"-- Mountain ( For Yasgur's Farm)
>
Completed a new comp this week, with Vista 64, I do not regret it. It
actually runs UT99 very well, straight install. AA & Far cry too, but need a
little tweaking to get them going. Just Google it, a lot of information out
there.

Martin