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[GoombaGeek]

DF is already hopeless. We're all just along for the ride.

I have yet to experience FPS death, though...

[MadocComadrin]

@OP: Minecraft changed in the way that it now uses an MP server internally for SP. This is really crappy for SP players, and might be the cause of the problems you experienced.

@Noodz: Java is somewhat limiting, but it's much better than it was, and IIRC, Java has a slight advantage in handling things with large space complexity, which Minecraft has.

@pixl97: I don't think this is the case. I'm willing to bet the (relatively little) optimization done on DF is more logic-based than language-centric hacking (I also think that logic and algorithmic optimization is what we're going to see once Toady does commit to doing some optimization as well). Likewise, most differences in code that MUST occur between 32 and 64 bit versions can be handled with preprocessor directives that will change what is compiled for whichever mode he chooses (perhaps both).

Your comment on pointer size is correct though, and it's something I think that people don't know about or if they do, tend to forget; however, this would also encourage Toady to be more careful with memory management overall. However, at this point in time, I don't think we'll see much of a difference between 32 and 64 bit versions of DF. Ideally, once Toady begins optimization is when we'll start to see major differences. (Even right now with LAA enabled, FPS death is only delayed somewhat and only worldgen sees any benefits.)

[MasterShizzle]

Minecraft's fine, your computer just sucks.

Sigged.

[reality.auditor]

Worry about getting bloated?... Too late. This game already was, is and will be bloated - by design.

There is a good chance this would make DF much slower, for two reasons. (...) The second it increased memory usage due to the doubling of pointer size.

BS. This will not slow your program. Larger memory footprint, sure. But this will not make it slower by itself.

[pixl97]

There is a good chance this would make DF much slower, for two reasons. (...) The second it increased memory usage due to the doubling of pointer size.

BS. This will not slow your program. Larger memory footprint, sure. But this will not make it slower by itself.
[/quote]

From what I understand about the x64 abi is, yes by itself 64 bit pointers would be slower with increased cache and register usage. Memory has finite bandwidth, if you only have to read half as much from memory then the transfer will happen much more quickly. That said x64 is not just larger pointers, there are a lot more 'core' resources available to a program such as cpu registers, as well as other things. It all very much depends on the code you're compiling, the compiler you're using, and the precompiled libraries(dll) that are called by your program.

http://www.viva64.com/en/a/0030/
http://www.viva64.com/en/b/0069/

One last thing to take in consideration is that some 64-bit systems are memory limited. Dell likes to do dumb things like ship 64-bit windows 7 with 2gb of ram on some computers. While the 64-bit binary would be faster initially, it would run in to memory exhaustion much quicker on the same machine.