Has this issue been covered: multi-core processing?

[unmerged(6561)]

Howdy,

I'm planning on purchasing my copy in the next few days and I haven't yet had a chance to completely scan thru the archives to see if this topic has been covered--as far as I can see it has not. From what I can tell EUIII is very processor intensive and I was wondering if the game took any advantage of multiple processors by offloading various game tasks onto other CPUs or cores. Personally, I'm particularly interested in this as I use both multi-core and multi-cpu systems.

If this isn't currently enabled, is there any future plans for this sort of functionality? I can understand why other games would be less inclined to use multi-cpu systems, but EUIII (and, for that matter, this whole family of games) seems perfect for multiple processing. I would also think, although I plead ignorance here, that it might be relatively easy to incorporate multiple processors to the game's advantage?

Anyway, looking forward to buying the game this week!

-AESHistory

 

[Strager]

It's not very CPU intensive - it works flawlessly on a 2 year old 3800+ AMD single core.

 

[SharpAlignment]

Programming multithreaded code is normally considered alot more complex then standard coding, so I highly doubt that this engine makes use of multiple core processors. This is not something they could easily patch in either.

 

[unmerged(6561)]

It's not very CPU intensive - it works flawlessly on a 2 year old 3800+ AMD single core.

Interesting, I had read just the opposite in some earlier threads. Then again, I hadn't considered how subjective this is... after all, one person's 'processor intensive' task in another person's doddle. I suppose I'll really have to wait to see for myself. Thanks!

 

[unmerged(6561)]

Programming multithreaded code is normally considered alot more complex then standard coding, so I highly doubt that this engine makes use of multiple core processors. This is not something they could easily patch in either.

I wish that I was better educated about this, but I really can't discuss it with any bearing or solid foundation. I've read some things that certainly support that what you're saying is true, which is why multithreaded games have been slow in coming, but I've also wandered across articles that indicate that the difficulty in multithreading really depends largely on the type of programming being done, with some programs actually being relatively easy (emphasis on relatively... for me programming in basic was still a Herculean task :wacko: ). Anyway, that's why I bring it up. However, you are likely quite right in that it would be either impossible or not worth the effort to implement any sort of multi-cpu support with a patch.

Developers? Anyone else care to comment?

 

[Wolf52]

I sure hope it supports dual core processors, because if it only can make use of one that means i have 2.2 ghz instead of twice that...

 

[Araanor]

Well, dual-core has some benefits anyway, the other core can take care of all the background stuff you have running asides from the game. I have a lot of stuff running.

As for multi-core support in EU3, won't happen. You need to parallelize the game engine from the ground up, any attempt at a completed game would mean ripping up and rearranging huge tracts of code, not the kind of thing you would do for a patch. Not for a casual expansion either, for that matter.

We could hope for support in future Paradox games, though. But I wouldn't expect it until "everyone" has at least dual-core.

 

[unmerged(6777)]

AFAIK, EU3 does not have the code to take full advantage of dual core processors (I have two such computers) but as Araanor says you will still gain some significant advantages by having almost all background processes handled by one core while the other chews away at the EU3 exe. I certainly have good performance on both of mine.