Would you buy a multi-core X4?

googlemeier · Post by **googlemeier** » Sun, 17. Jun 07, 19:15

The X-Games would certainly profit from dual or multi core systems.
For a multi-core X(4) probably a whole new program structure is required which will certainly be hard to make.
But - in order to find out about the player's expectations for future x4, (the future - that's what it's all about, isn't it?) I posted this poll.

tclord · Post by **tclord** » Sun, 17. Jun 07, 20:17

What you are really talking about here is multi-threaded vs. single-threaded. Should be about the same for a single core processor system, but improve what can be done in a multi-core system, so there's no reason not to want it from a user's perspective. From a programming perspective, it would make things a lot more difficult to program, so longer development time involved. This is the trade off to consider here in making your decisions.

Bunny · Post by **Bunny** » Sun, 17. Jun 07, 22:07

Is it possible to buy a new CPU that is not multi core

pjknibbs · Post by **pjknibbs** » Mon, 18. Jun 07, 00:18

Bunny wrote:Is it possible to buy a new CPU that is not multi core

Unquestionably. Intel are still (for the moment) selling single-core Celerons and P4s, and AMD are selling single-core Semprons and low-end Athlon 64s. Chances are this won't be the case for more than a few months longer, but right now, that's the situation.

[EDIT] Just to correct you, tclord, a multi-threaded application does NOT work as well on a single CPU core as it does on multiple ones. Switching between the threads takes time, so if you don't have the extra core to make up for that, you actually get a drop in performance. It's not going to be a huge drop, but in a game as intensive as X you need all the CPU horsepower you can lay your hands on!

Post by **Cycrow** » Mon, 18. Jun 07, 00:18

yes they are still about, but there not exactly easy to get hold of anymore

Looney · Post by **Looney** » Mon, 18. Jun 07, 00:57

Well, i have recently been forced to buy a new comp because my computer just blew up recently..... USE A POWER SURGE! me kicks himself! DOH!

Well i normally only upgrade when X requires it!
What ever X needs i will have!
So X needs to be played and i will get whatever to play it.

then again im a bit Looney

mrbadger · Post by **mrbadger** » Mon, 18. Jun 07, 01:07

Does multi core X4 exist yet? Nope

Do I yet own a multi core machine? Nope

Hmm, let me see....

tclord · Post by **tclord** » Mon, 18. Jun 07, 08:46

Unless there are a large number of threads, thread switching won't make any noticable difference in practice. All depends on how it's implemented.

As for finding single core CPUs, it's easy. Try eBay.

Should definitely use a surge suppressor, or better yet, an UPS. It's like insurance for your machine.

Wolf58 · Post by **Wolf58** » Mon, 18. Jun 07, 09:16

Is the "threads" refering to 64 bit or 32?
If not then a 64 bit capable dual core X game would be cool. But..if I'm not mistaken (very possible..lol)..aren't all dual core cpu's 64 bit?

stevecs · Post by **stevecs** » Mon, 18. Jun 07, 16:32

Multi-core / Multi-threaded would be a huge plus (I'm already at a quad core machine now and probably increase that as soon as 8core+ become available).

As for 64bit, that's rather moot, I run 64bit systems and 32bit systems, 64bit is good if there is something in your code (do you need the precision? The address space reference ability? what?) Today the only reasons i really see for people to go to 64bit (besides mass media bunk) is for memory addressability, and for true 64-bit systems (ie itanium, sparc, NOT core2/amd stuff) are the 8K memory pages.

Correct me if there's something I'm missing here w/ the X series, but I don't observe really anything that is pushing 64bit needs here (unless there's some sloppy coding somewhere using singed ints where unsigned would do, et al).

pjknibbs · Post by **pjknibbs** » Mon, 18. Jun 07, 18:15

Wolf58 wrote:Is the "threads" refering to 64 bit or 32?
If not then a 64 bit capable dual core X game would be cool. But..if I'm not mistaken (very possible..lol)..aren't all dual core cpu's 64 bit?

You're confusing two different things. You can most certainly get single-core 64-bit CPUs (the Athlon 64 existed long before it became the dual-core X2), and there's no technical reason why somebody couldn't have produced a dual-core 32-bit CPU--as it happens the two main processor manufacturers had already moved to 64-bit chips when they added the extra cores to their products.

A thread is just an independent path of execution through a program--e.g. in X you might be able to have one thread handling all the OOS stuff, and another one handling the current sector. Apart from some handshaking when a ship moves from OOS to in sector or vice versa, these two threads could run largely independently. On a dual-core system each thread runs on its own core, thus providing a boost in performance.

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