NEWS: X³: Terran Conflict Rolling Demo available for download

Post by **BurnIt!** » Tue, 4. Nov 08, 19:57

It is finally here!
The long awaited demo for X³: Terran Conflict is now available for download.

Enjoy!

As with the rolling demos of previous X games, this demo also features a benchmark mode so you can test and compare your system to others. Feel free to share and discuss your results on the forums.

Havner · Post by **Havner** » Wed, 5. Nov 08, 12:27

Thanks.
Is it supposed to have 1.2.1 performance?

Post by **CBJ** » Wed, 5. Nov 08, 12:33

Although it is based on the 1.2.1 code, the fixes in 1.2.1 would not really have any impact on this rolling demo anyway.

Havner · Post by **Havner** » Wed, 5. Nov 08, 12:51

Code: Select all

--------------------------
   X3 - Terran Conflict
--------------------------
Game Version: 1.2.0.0

Operating System:	Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 3 (2600.xpsp_sp3_gdr.080814-1236)
DirectX Version:	DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
Graphics Card Info:	NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTS 512 [512 MB]    Driver: 6.14.0011.7824
CPU Info:		AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 5200+,  MMX,  3DNow (2 CPUs), ~2.6GHz
Usable System Memory:	3584 MB


Video Settings During Benchmark:
	Screen Resolution:	1400 x 1050 * [32], fullscreen
	Using Shader Profile:	3.0
	Antialias Mode:		4x
	Anisotropic Mode:	8x

Graphics & Shader Settings:
	Texture Quality:	high
	Shader Quality:		high
	High Quality Bumpmaps:	enabled
	Environment Mapping:	enabled
	Glow Filter:		enabled
	Ship Color Variations:	enabled
	More Dynamic Lights:	enabled
	Used Vertexsize:	40 bytes

Framerates
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Scene "Trade"	 26.4 average fps	 8.0 minimum fps	 53.0 maximum fps
  Scene "Fight"	 55.4 average fps	 19.0 minimum fps	 130.0 maximum fps
  Scene "Build"	 68.0 average fps	 39.0 minimum fps	 114.0 maximum fps
  Scene "Think"	 31.3 average fps	 17.0 minimum fps	 48.0 maximum fps

Overall average framerate: 45.2 fps


(c)2008 EGOSOFT
For more information visit http://www.egosoft.com

I don't know how you count that. 45 FPS should be quite a good result. Well, looking at that rolling while it was rolling it's not. Most of the time it was not smooth, sometimes unplayable (<15). There are moments that the camera is looking at emptiness or one asteroid/ship. Then FPS goes to the roof. Probably that's the reason the avarage is that high. But while playing in crowdy Terran sectors such situation is rare at most.

My opinion: it can be used to compare machines, it's avarage FPS result though hardly can be used to determine X3TC playability on ones machine (viewing it can though).

2nd test (not much of a difference)

Code: Select all

	Antialias Mode:		2x
	Anisotropic Mode:	NONE
(...)

Framerates
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Scene "Trade"	 26.7 average fps	 8.0 minimum fps	 55.0 maximum fps
  Scene "Fight"	 55.4 average fps	 19.0 minimum fps	 130.0 maximum fps
  Scene "Build"	 67.7 average fps	 40.0 minimum fps	 103.0 maximum fps
  Scene "Think"	 32.6 average fps	 18.0 minimum fps	 50.0 maximum fps

Overall average framerate: 45.6 fps

3rd test:
Following Tech Support sticky post advice I changed shaders to medium and that's what I've seen:
[ external image ]

EDIT: I've downloaded and wanted to run X3R rolling to compare, but it requires StarForce instalation on start, so no bonus.

Sandalpocalypse · Post by **Sandalpocalypse** » Wed, 5. Nov 08, 12:55

Hey BurnIt, will rolling demo functionality be patched into the game? My internet is pretty slow so I don't want to do an extraneous download.

Stormsong · Post by **Stormsong** » Wed, 5. Nov 08, 13:00

Sandalpocalypse wrote:Hey BurnIt, will rolling demo functionality be patched into the game? My internet is pretty slow so I don't want to do an extraneous download.

Erm, patching it into the game would require an equally large download(give or take a few MB).

Havner · Post by **Havner** » Wed, 5. Nov 08, 13:13

Stormsong wrote:Erm, patching it into the game would require an equally large download(give or take a few MB).

Well, seeing that most of the demo are textures/models/sounds (01.cat/01.dat) which are in X3TC anyway it's doubtful what you say.

Mark III · Post by **Mark III** » Wed, 5. Nov 08, 14:51

Here is mine:

Code: Select all

--------------------------
   X3 - Terran Conflict
--------------------------
Game Version: 1.2.0.0

Operating System:	Windows Vista™ Home Premium (6.0, Build 6001) Service Pack 1 (6001.vistasp1_gdr.080917-1612)
DirectX Version:	DirectX 10
Graphics Card Info:	ATI Radeon HD 4800 Series [1786 MB]    Driver: 7.15.0010.0149
CPU Info:		Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU     E8400  @ 3.00GHz (2 CPUs), ~3.0GHz
Usable System Memory:	3070 MB


Video Settings During Benchmark:
	Screen Resolution:	1680 x 1050 * [32], fullscreen
	Using Shader Profile:	3.0
	Antialias Mode:		8x
	Anisotropic Mode:	16x

Graphics & Shader Settings:
	Texture Quality:	high
	Shader Quality:		high
	High Quality Bumpmaps:	enabled
	Environment Mapping:	enabled
	Glow Filter:		enabled
	Ship Color Variations:	enabled
	More Dynamic Lights:	enabled
	Used Vertexsize:	28 bytes

Framerates
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Scene "Trade"	 42.0 average fps	 14.0 minimum fps	 96.0 maximum fps
  Scene "Fight"	 89.3 average fps	 34.0 minimum fps	 190.0 maximum fps
  Scene "Build"	 114.5 average fps	 71.0 minimum fps	 165.0 maximum fps
  Scene "Think"	 45.0 average fps	 29.0 minimum fps	 78.0 maximum fps

Overall average framerate: 72.7 fps

jannix · Post by **jannix** » Wed, 5. Nov 08, 15:55

Do you guys at Egosoft never sleep?

This is awesome, now I can show off X3:TC at work - the rolling demo is perfect for the job!

Elucca · Post by **Elucca** » Wed, 5. Nov 08, 16:01

I get infinitely better performance in this than the actual game. What gives?
If i'm in the game and look at a shipyard and a fleet of ships, it slows down to something like 6-15 fps, yet in the rolling demo i around 40-70.

Clint Eastwood · Post by **Clint Eastwood** » Wed, 5. Nov 08, 16:10

Code: Select all

--------------------------
   X3 - Terran Conflict
--------------------------
Game Version: 1.2.0.0

Operating System:	Windows Vista™ Home Premium (6.0, Build 6001) Service Pack 1 (6001.vistasp1_gdr.080917-1612)
DirectX Version:	DirectX 10
Graphics Card Info:	ATI Radeon HD 4800 Series  [2297 MB]    Driver: 7.15.0010.0149
CPU Info:		AMD Phenom(tm) 8650 Triple-Core Processor (3 CPUs), ~2.3GHz
Usable System Memory:	4094 MB


Video Settings During Benchmark:
	Screen Resolution:	1280 x 1024 * [32], fullscreen
	Using Shader Profile:	3.0
	Antialias Mode:		4x
	Anisotropic Mode:	NONE

Graphics & Shader Settings:
	Texture Quality:	high
	Shader Quality:		high
	High Quality Bumpmaps:	enabled
	Environment Mapping:	enabled
	Glow Filter:		enabled
	Ship Color Variations:	disabled
	More Dynamic Lights:	disabled
	Used Vertexsize:	28 bytes

Framerates
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Scene "Trade"	 29.2 average fps	 8.0 minimum fps	 60.0 maximum fps
  Scene "Fight"	 58.7 average fps	 21.0 minimum fps	 136.0 maximum fps
  Scene "Build"	 81.6 average fps	 47.0 minimum fps	 168.0 maximum fps
  Scene "Think"	 38.0 average fps	 20.0 minimum fps	 65.0 maximum fps

Overall average framerate: 51.9 fps


(c)2008 EGOSOFT
For more information visit http://www.egosoft.com

These were the 'straight out of the box' settings, and are currently higher than I'm trying to use in my actual X3:TC game, which is not performing very well at all. If I tried some of this stuff in my game, things would not go anywhere near so smoothly.

On a lighter note the demo looks (and sounds) fantastic and the only briefly stutters when the big destroyer appears in the first movie. The last scene with the space station in particular, is rather special.

frymaster · Post by **frymaster** » Wed, 5. Nov 08, 16:20

better performance than the full game is expected and normal - there's no economy, so the huge amounts of background processing the game does to simulate every object at once isn't there.

so yeah, comparsions between different people's performance can be done, but framerates in the full game _will_ be lower unless your gfx card is the bottleneck, which is unlikely

Delerious · Post by **Delerious** » Wed, 5. Nov 08, 16:38

Code: Select all

--------------------------
   X3 - Terran Conflict
--------------------------
Game Version: 1.2.0.0

Operating System:	Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 3 (2600.xpsp_sp3_gdr.080814-1236)
DirectX Version:	DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
Graphics Card Info:	NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTS 512 [512 MB]    Driver: 6.14.0011.8043
CPU Info:		Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU          6600  @ 2.40GHz (2 CPUs)
Usable System Memory:	3584 MB


Video Settings During Benchmark:
	Screen Resolution:	1920 x 1200 * [32], fullscreen
	Using Shader Profile:	3.0
	Antialias Mode:		2x
	Anisotropic Mode:	8x

Graphics & Shader Settings:
	Texture Quality:	high
	Shader Quality:		high
	High Quality Bumpmaps:	enabled
	Environment Mapping:	enabled
	Glow Filter:		enabled
	Ship Color Variations:	enabled
	More Dynamic Lights:	enabled
	Used Vertexsize:	40 bytes

Framerates
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Scene "Trade"	 40.2 average fps	 22.0 minimum fps	 86.0 maximum fps
  Scene "Fight"	 69.5 average fps	 29.0 minimum fps	 161.0 maximum fps
  Scene "Build"	 107.0 average fps	 63.0 minimum fps	 173.0 maximum fps
  Scene "Think"	 52.7 average fps	 29.0 minimum fps	 88.0 maximum fps

Overall average framerate: 67.3 fps


(c)2008 EGOSOFT
For more information visit http://www.egosoft.com

My game behaves somewhat like that, the minimum FPS drops down a mine shaft to 8 FPS went when i changed to the beta Nvidia 180.43 drivers.

exogenesis · Post by **exogenesis** » Wed, 5. Nov 08, 17:50

EDIT: 13th Nov 08
An Excel spreadsheet:
Contains all PCMark05 & 3DMark06 values for each entry in this thread (up to page 10 so far)

http://www.Exogenesis.co.uk/X3TCRolling ... hmarks.xls

And the same thing as seperate sheets as web pages if you haven't got Excel:
http://www.Exogenesis.co.uk/X3TCRolling ... hmarks.htm
http://www.Exogenesis.co.uk/GPU_3DMark06.htm
http://www.Exogenesis.co.uk/CPU_PCMark05.htm

Some sort of correlation (maybe)
[ external image ]

Very nice demo, especially the end bit.
Somewhat surprised that none of the quality settings had much effect on the frame-rate:

At 1280x1024:

Overall max. settings : 41.7 FPS
Overall min. settings : 49.5 FPS
i.e. only 20% difference between them.

I'm playing like this (but old CPU doesn't help, but at least I've now got >3Gigs mem. available):

Code: Select all

--------------------------
   X3 - Terran Conflict
--------------------------
Game Version: 1.2.0.0

Operating System:	Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 3 (2600.xpsp_sp3_gdr.080814-1236)
DirectX Version:	DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
Graphics Card Info:	NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260 [896 MB]    Driver: 6.14.0011.8043
CPU Info:		AMD Athlon(tm) 64 FX-60 Dual Core Processor,  MMX,  3DNow (2 CPUs), ~2.6GHz
Usable System Memory:	3328 MB


Video Settings During Benchmark:
	Screen Resolution:	1280 x 1024 * [32], fullscreen
	Using Shader Profile:	3.0
	Antialias Mode:		8x
	Anisotropic Mode:	16x

Graphics & Shader Settings:
	Texture Quality:	high
	Shader Quality:		high
	High Quality Bumpmaps:	enabled
	Environment Mapping:	enabled
	Glow Filter:		enabled
	Ship Color Variations:	enabled
	More Dynamic Lights:	enabled
	Used Vertexsize:	40 bytes

Framerates
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Scene "Trade"	 22.8 average fps	 6.0 minimum fps	 45.0 maximum fps
  Scene "Fight"	 46.7 average fps	 16.0 minimum fps	 108.0 maximum fps
  Scene "Build"	 65.7 average fps	 36.0 minimum fps	 135.0 maximum fps
  Scene "Think"	 31.8 average fps	 16.0 minimum fps	 57.0 maximum fps

Overall average framerate: 41.7 fps

(c)2008 EGOSOFT
For more information visit http://www.egosoft.com

I guess, like with the X3:R rolling demo, the comparison to the in-game FPS is somewhat false,
due to the game being more CPU limited than GPU limited, since the demo doesn't have to simulate the rest of the universe.

Edit, having said that, comparing the figure in posts above mine with older
GPUs, it looks like my CPU is limiting even the demo

.

And I also get those white Argon textures in medium setting,
but not in low or high - strange.

Scoob · Post by **Scoob** » Wed, 5. Nov 08, 18:22

Hi,

Here's mine for comparision - running using same setting I use in game:

Code: Select all

--------------------------
   X3 - Terran Conflict
--------------------------
Game Version: 1.2.0.0

Operating System:	Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 3 (2600.xpsp_sp3_gdr.080814-1236)
DirectX Version:	DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
Graphics Card Info:	NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT  [512 MB]    Driver: 6.14.0011.7824
CPU Info:		Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU    Q6600  @ 2.40GHz (4 CPUs)
Usable System Memory:	3328 MB


Video Settings During Benchmark:
	Screen Resolution:	1920 x 1200 * [32], fullscreen
	Using Shader Profile:	3.0
	Antialias Mode:		8x
	Anisotropic Mode:	16x

Graphics & Shader Settings:
	Texture Quality:	high
	Shader Quality:		high
	High Quality Bumpmaps:	enabled
	Environment Mapping:	enabled
	Glow Filter:		enabled
	Ship Color Variations:	enabled
	More Dynamic Lights:	enabled
	Used Vertexsize:	40 bytes

Framerates
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Scene "Trade"	 38.4 average fps	 13.0 minimum fps	 87.0 maximum fps
  Scene "Fight"	 55.3 average fps	 29.0 minimum fps	 90.0 maximum fps
  Scene "Build"	 46.8 average fps	 22.0 minimum fps	 62.0 maximum fps
  Scene "Think"	 22.5 average fps	 13.0 minimum fps	 40.0 maximum fps

Overall average framerate: 40.8 fps


(c)2008 EGOSOFT
For more information visit http://www.egosoft.com

Cheers,

Scoob.

Samuel Creshal · Post by **Samuel Creshal** » Wed, 5. Nov 08, 18:37

Code: Select all

--------------------------
   X3 - Terran Conflict
--------------------------
Game Version: 1.2.0.0

Operating System:	Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 3 (2600.xpsp.080413-2111)
DirectX Version:	DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
Graphics Card Info:	NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT  [512 MB]    Driver: 6.14.0011.7824
CPU Info:		Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU          6600  @ 2.40GHz (2 CPUs)
Usable System Memory:	3008 MB


Video Settings During Benchmark:
	Screen Resolution:	1280 x 1024 * [32], fullscreen
	Using Shader Profile:	3.0
	Antialias Mode:		8x
	Anisotropic Mode:	16x

Graphics & Shader Settings:
	Texture Quality:	high
	Shader Quality:		high
	High Quality Bumpmaps:	enabled
	Environment Mapping:	enabled
	Glow Filter:		enabled
	Ship Color Variations:	enabled
	More Dynamic Lights:	enabled
	Used Vertexsize:	40 bytes

Framerates
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Scene "Trade"	 30.7 average fps	 9.0 minimum fps	 65.0 maximum fps
  Scene "Fight"	 58.5 average fps	 22.0 minimum fps	 119.0 maximum fps
  Scene "Build"	 54.6 average fps	 29.0 minimum fps	 76.0 maximum fps
  Scene "Think"	 24.1 average fps	 14.0 minimum fps	 39.0 maximum fps

Overall average framerate: 42.0 fps


(c)2008 EGOSOFT
For more information visit http://www.egosoft.com

runibl · Post by **runibl** » Wed, 5. Nov 08, 18:54

Great job with the rolling demo, i liked it a lot.

Here's my benchmark:

Code: Select all

--------------------------
   X3 - Terran Conflict
--------------------------
Game Version: 1.2.0.0

Operating System:	Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.070227-2254)
DirectX Version:	DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
Graphics Card Info:	NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTS [640 MB]    Driver: 6.14.0011.7516
CPU Info:		Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU     E6850  @ 3.00GHz (2 CPUs)
Usable System Memory:	3070 MB


Video Settings During Benchmark:
	Screen Resolution:	1280 x 1024 * [32], fullscreen
	Using Shader Profile:	3.0
	Antialias Mode:		4x
	Anisotropic Mode:	8x

Graphics & Shader Settings:
	Texture Quality:	high
	Shader Quality:		high
	High Quality Bumpmaps:	enabled
	Environment Mapping:	enabled
	Glow Filter:		enabled
	Ship Color Variations:	enabled
	More Dynamic Lights:	enabled
	Used Vertexsize:	40 bytes

Framerates
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Scene "Trade"	 32.7 average fps	 10.0 minimum fps	 69.0 maximum fps
  Scene "Fight"	 65.8 average fps	 23.0 minimum fps	 166.0 maximum fps
  Scene "Build"	 70.3 average fps	 46.0 minimum fps	 98.0 maximum fps
  Scene "Think"	 27.8 average fps	 19.0 minimum fps	 55.0 maximum fps

Overall average framerate: 49.1 fps


(c)2008 EGOSOFT
For more information visit http://www.egosoft.com

Atkara · Post by **Atkara** » Wed, 5. Nov 08, 19:22

Nice work on the demo

Anyways, here are my results:

Code: Select all

--------------------------
   X3 - Terran Conflict
--------------------------
Game Version: 1.2.0.0

Operating System:	Windows XP Professional x64 Edition (5.2, Build 3790) Service Pack 2 (3790.srv03_sp2_gdr.080813-1204)
DirectX Version:	DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
Graphics Card Info:	NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTX [768 MB]    Driver: 6.14.0011.7824
CPU Info:		Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU          6600  @ 2.40GHz (2 CPUs), ~2.4GHz
Usable System Memory:	4094 MB


Video Settings During Benchmark:
	Screen Resolution:	1680 x 1050 * [32], fullscreen
	Using Shader Profile:	3.0
	Antialias Mode:		4x
	Anisotropic Mode:	8x

Graphics & Shader Settings:
	Texture Quality:	high
	Shader Quality:		high
	High Quality Bumpmaps:	enabled
	Environment Mapping:	enabled
	Glow Filter:		enabled
	Ship Color Variations:	enabled
	More Dynamic Lights:	enabled
	Used Vertexsize:	40 bytes

Framerates
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Scene "Trade"	 26.5 average fps	 8.0 minimum fps	 62.0 maximum fps
  Scene "Fight"	 58.8 average fps	 20.0 minimum fps	 145.0 maximum fps
  Scene "Build"	 78.4 average fps	 42.0 minimum fps	 170.0 maximum fps
  Scene "Think"	 36.2 average fps	 18.0 minimum fps	 69.0 maximum fps

Overall average framerate: 50.0 fps


(c)2008 EGOSOFT
For more information visit http://www.egosoft.com

UK_lawman · Post by **UK_lawman** » Wed, 5. Nov 08, 20:00

Just downloading the 400+ mb demo now..

While this demo will show only how well our pc's handle the graphic engine used in TC and not the actual game itself, it is still quite useful when comparing the final results against other similar pc's.

It occurred to me while waiting for the demo to download that if someone has some free time on their hands to start collecting these benchmark results and have them sorted in a spreadsheet according to operating system and screen resolution used.

I remember the X2 benchmark post that spanned many pages and was difficult to get a clear idea of the overal stats for each pc the demo was run on.

Mark III · Post by **Mark III** » Wed, 5. Nov 08, 20:11

What does the "Used Vertexsize:" mean?

I noticed that ATI cards use 28 bytes and Nvidia use 40 bytes