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[Reudh]

Layman.

[GenJeFT]

What is GFPS?

According to the Init files: (normal FPS)
"Use this to set the maximum frame rate during play. A frame in this case is not graphical but related to the movement speed of a creature.  A healthy, unencumbered dwarven peasant takes one step every 10 frames."
 (GFPS)
"Use this to set the maximum graphical frame refresh rate during play."

So by setting GFPS lower, the game speeds up (I think). Say you have 100FPS, and 50GFPS (default), A dwarf takes "10 steps per second", but the game redraws every other frame only, so you effectively get 20 steps per second. (I could be wrong, but its like voodoo anyways)


Your 8 core processor probably reads about 12.5%. This means you are using one core at 100%. its the same as my 25%. (100%/number of cores = max % DF can utilize) Basically, DF runs better on a higher GHz machine than one of lower power with more cores, since it doesn't know how to utilize the other cores. The day THAT happens, I'll probably cry for joy as a 16x16 embark wont lag at all. (effectively will be able to have 90+fps instead of 30+)

Ah. So thats what GFPS is. If thats the number in the () next to the FPS then mine runs equal to FPS for some reason.

Also, I get a breakdown of processor usage by processor, and Dwarf Fortress only takes 15% at most of a single processor (core 0, core 4 to core 7 are usualy "parked"). Now to get to work.

[slothen]

i have a hard time believing you can have 600+ fortress members on a 12x12 embark, get 40 fps, and only use 15% of a core on an 8 core machine.

[kenpoaj]

I have to agree with Slothen. My processor is 3.2GHz, and the core thats running DF runs at 100%. Even if that were the max DF ever used, that would mean you are using an 8 core 21.3GHz processor. Which is inconceivable at this year in history.

But yes, the number in () is your GFPS number. Try playing around with it to find a number you like 

[khearn]

Perhaps he's got the game paused when he's seeing 15% on a single CPU? It still uses some CPU because it's doing things like flashing stacked objects, but not calculating paths or temperatures at that point.

[GenJeFT]

Perhaps he's got the game paused when he's seeing 15% on a single CPU? It still uses some CPU because it's doing things like flashing stacked objects, but not calculating paths or temperatures at that point.

I run the analyzing on top of DF while the game is running and not paused, I can watch the activity and see the current readings for CPU usage and memory usage. And yes, it tops at 15% for 1 CPU and wont go any bloody higher.

I wish it would, I could do better then 33FPS.

[kenpoaj]

Pix or it didn't happen

[GenJeFT]

Working on it.

[GenJeFT]

Paused.

http://s1165.photobucket.com/albums/q587/GenJeFT/?action=view&current=DFPaused.png

Unpaused

http://s1165.photobucket.com/albums/q587/GenJeFT/?action=view&current=DFPaused.png#!oZZ3QQcurrentZZhttp%3A%2F%2Fs1165.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fq587%2FGenJeFT%2F%3Faction%3Dview%26current%3DDFUnPaused.png

Zoomed in unpaused

http://s1165.photobucket.com/albums/q587/GenJeFT/?action=view&current=DFPaused.png#!oZZ2QQcurrentZZhttp%3A%2F%2Fs1165.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fq587%2FGenJeFT%2F%3Faction%3Dview%26current%3DDFZoomedInUnpaused.png

Todays Population Count (living population lower then yesterday, some stupid elk bird went birdbrained crazy and slit the throats of a few dwarfs before being put down).

http://s1165.photobucket.com/albums/q587/GenJeFT/?action=view&current=DFPaused.png#!oZZ1QQcurrentZZhttp%3A%2F%2Fs1165.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fq587%2FGenJeFT%2F%3Faction%3Dview%26current%3DPopulationCount.png

The required proof has been provided.

*edit*

Freqency is different then capacity used.

I can run it at 3.34ghz and only use 1.2 ghz of a processor. The other 2.14 ghz just goes unused.

[friendguy13]

i have a hard time believing you can have 600+ fortress members on a 12x12 embark, get 40 fps, and only use 15% of a core on an 8 core machine.

He is saying he is using one core fully which is 12.5% of the potential for his 8 core computer, because he still has 7 cores doing nothing.

[kenpoaj]

The reading in this picture is that you are using 14% of your whole Processor, and Dwarf Fortress is using 13% of that 14%.

Try not to confuse the terms CPU, Processor, and core. CPU is your processor. These are synonyms for the chip which is on your motherboard. That chip has 8 cores that all execute instructions at 3.34 billion cycles per second (GHz), but you can only run Dwarf Fortress on one of them at an instant time. (The core DF runs on may switch during use, as individual cores heat up then switch the process while they cool off)

So to recap:
-You are only using one core for DF, which is around 13% or 1/8th of your whole processor (not 13% of just 1 core).
-13% is the most you can get out of DF because it is single-threaded and can only run on 1 core at a time.
-You are getting ~30 fps and (~30) GFPS unpaused with a ridiculous amount of dwarves which is actually pretty good.
-You might get higher FPS by lowering your GFPS limit in the init raws to 20. you can also unlock your FPS by setting the limit to 0.

Computer/electronic hardware is my life, so I know what I'm talking about.
But still, very nice processor. And very decent frame rate for the number of units your video card needs to render.
(Even mine started crying when I embarked on a kobold den with over 700 kobolds!)

-Aj

[Deathworks]

Hello!

You may call me lazy, but a quick glance at the first pages of my search results gave me this as the closest to what I am looking for... and since there has been some RAM discussion here, I hope folks here can answer this one:

I usually play on 3x3 to get good FPS, but now I want to do a run where FPS do not matter a bit. I usually have relatively tall maps (10-15 levels between layers) and I was considering going 5x5 for this one as speed is not important. I am worrying about crashing after a little while. So, is there any information about likelihood of hitting the memory limit with 5x5 in 0.34.07 in Fortress Mode, or any other advice that can be given in this? At least in the beginning (if not the entire run), I won't have invaders and I also plan to curb immigration, so these contributors would be away. However, I will breed cats and export them from time to time. How safe am I from the FPS menace?

Yours,
Deathworks

[Eric Blank]

I've been playing since late 2009 with 5x5 embarks, and have never experienced RAM-related crashes except in world gen or attempting 9x9+ embarks. Plenty of other things in older versions, including bugs and my shoddy modding attempts, would crash the game or corrupt saves, but a heavily-developed, decades-old 5x5 embark should be perfectly stable as it doesn't take the 2gb of RAM necessary to trigger the Windows RAM cap (and also assuming you have more than 1-2gb of RAM available after whatever else you routinely do is loaded onto your system.) It'll be significantly slower, but definitely won't crash from RAM shortage.

[Deathworks]

Hello Eric Blank!

Thank you for the heads up. I am planning on trying a constantly paused game in single step mode. Provided that I get some gaming time done before Toady One updates, I hope to see a few years this way, but then again, I don't know if my patience will hold.

Anyhow, thanks for the quick response.

Yours,
Deathworks