Huge drop in framerates in Linux

[elecorn]

It's created, just not fully tested. We need to make sure it's good before we upload it.

[jose1711]

if i may be helpful in testing please do not hesitate and send me pm/e-mail with the link/attachment. i am ready and willing to take chances.. :-)

[squall LH]

I will buy the game as soon as the update will be out!

[elecorn]

Okay, for those of you who want to try out the Linux binary fix (before it's been officially blessed), I've posted it as the new Demo link for Caster Linux.

Direct link here:

http://www.elecorn.com/caster3d/data...x_demo_1.1.bin

I would love to get feedback from you guys on how this goes: does the install work okay? Is the frame rate problem fixed? etc.

Note, installing this demo over top of a full version "should" just work. But keep a copy of the full install handy and back up your save directory just in case.

Let me know how it goes! Thanks!

[Marc31boss]

I've just tested a few minutes, it seems to be perfect, and with right better graphisms, good job

Edit : The Beaten Path level was always freezing on the 1.0, I just did it, no problem at all Also, the augmentation of the line of sight is a very good point

[elecorn]

Originally Posted by jose1711

so why can't you just upload the updated binary as we speak? or is it not created yet?

Hey jose1711,

Installing the one linked to above should do the trick for you.

I'll update the purchase copy soon since it seems like this demo is working as we want.

I'll also post the demo as a "patch" since installing it over your prior full install should work fine.

[jose1711]

hi guys, i installed the 1.1 demo over the full version. i am not sure if this is the proper way. anyway i finished 4 demo missions (full missions were visible but when i clicked it said "tap ok to download more missions" and then terminated) and experienced no performance issues at all on my dated ati rage mobility 9000. so to me it seems really good. keep up the good work and hurry up with the full binary ;-)

cheers,

joe

Marc31boss: i also used to have issues with beaten path. with 1.1 - no more

[FUMCA]

First! I love Caster, its a great game, bought it as soon as i had clearead all the demo-levels! But alas, still framedrops on my linux-laptop. Uninstalled the demo and reinstalled the new binary. If any efx are on (water reflex, glow, motionblur) its so choppy its unplayable. Otherwise it seems to run smoother but not shure. When I tried to install it over my retail copy of caster, I had framedrops and freezes in "the pits" in the pit where the flies are. Maybe beacause i was playing with an old save and had a lot of weapons, but it was still the same frame-drop/freezing issue.

I run ubuntu 9.04 on a laptop, core-duo 1.67, 2 gig ram. Radeon X1600 (with open source drivers)

I'll take a shot at my Ubuntu 8.04 install where i use the ATI drivers, and see if there is any difference.

Is there anything i can do to help? What information do you need from me to bug-track? I really want you to know how happy i am for your linux efforts!
/aron

[Marc31boss]

FUMCA, try to run glxgears, to see your fps with the open-source drivers, I'm only at ~220 with them (Radon HD 2600), and ~2700 with the fglrx drivers, maybe it comes from there

[FUMCA]

Marc31boss, i get >2400 fps in glxgears so thats not the problem, under ubuntu 9.04. I tried Caster-Demo1.1 under ubuntu studio 8.04 with the ati drivers yesterday, and the game is unplayable. Its so slow i cant even start to play it (it takes more than 1 minute to get to the start menu - it that slow, no idea why).
But I'll do some bug-tracking under ubuntu 9.04 and see if i can find any settings in Mesa DRI that changes frame-rate.

Hope to solve the frame-drop issues, so i can finish the game!

[pulkanat]

I played the new demo and it seems to work quite fast with all fx on (including toon shaders + glow from settings.ini) except antialiasing.

The only slowdown I encountered was on map "The Beaten Path", when you kill the boss at the end and it begins to rain. (By slowdown I mean framerate drops a little. It is nothing like the freezing or 10fps I encountered before.) It is due to the changing weather I guess.

Thanks for fixing the game. Looking forward to the 1.1 release...

Edit: I am using nvidia drivers btw. Hope it is fixed for all graphics cards.

[squall LH]

The 1.1 demo works for me, at least the graphical part, the frame rate problem is fixed. I use the toon shaders + glow from settings.ini, antialiasing and the fglrx drivers, with a X1950 Pro and Debian 5.0.
The only problem now is the sound, the game has some random noise interference.

[FUMCA]

Just re-installed the ATI fglrx drivers under Ubuntu 8.04 and now it works! Great! I guess the open source drivers under 9.04 just aint good enough. To bad, but at least it seem like i can enjoy caster whitout framedrops in 8.04!

[Marc31boss]

The open source driver for the ATI HD is only in development since november 2007, the 3D support is just starting, maybe in a few months

[elecorn]

You should be able to install the demo over top of your full install to get all the fixes.

This will replace the binary and update the game data.

Please let me know if this does not work.

NOTE: Do NOT erase your full install, just install the demo / patch on top of the install.

Please let me know if you have any issues when doing this.

If you still have troubles, I can reactivate the download of the full game.

I'm still going to wait a bit before announcing the fix, but it is currently what people will download when they buy the game or get the demo.

Thanks all! You Linux gamers ROCK hard core! Thanks for being true supporters of games.

Please move continued discussion to here:

http://forums.steampowered.com/forum...d.php?t=889053