gamer_extreme_101
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This isn't necessarily a bug, but more along the lines of informing people as I attempt to find a solution.

At the moment, Vista runs DROD:JtRH about as fast as my old 450mhz processor did. At the moment, I'm guessing that there is some kind of compatibility mode that will work, followed by a combination of bad code from Microsoft and a memory eating interface. WHile this sounds bad, I'm looking at finding ways to make it run at normal speed.

This isn't intended to get action from the developers, just to help visitors who come in and have downloaded the game for the OS and have experienced slowdowns like I had. I'll keep everyone posted.

Discoveries so far:

1. Disabling Windows Sidebar increases performance slightly.

2. Compatibility mode causes DROD to crash.

3. Visual effects are not the cause of it. Disabling them still cause the game to run uber-slow.

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[Last edited by gamer_extreme_101 at 06-22-2006 10:20 PM]

Beef Row
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gamer_extreme_101 wrote:
Discoveries so far:

2. Compatibility mode causes DROD to crash.

Thus eliminating any lag in performance, AND allowing a session of the program to be run in a mere 1/1000th of the normal time, as well as bringing the program in line with traditional Windows behavior! Clearly Vista is a great innovation, and flawlessly consistent!

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trick
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Try setting the environment variable* SDL_VIDEODRIVER to "windib" (without the quotes) before running DROD. Does that help ? (If this makes the numpad not work properly, turn on num lock. SDL's windib driver currently has a bug that requires you to do that).

* I have no idea where you set environment variables in Vista, but in some earlier Windowses it was in the System part of the control panel somewhere. I think. It's been a while since I had to fiddle with that.

- Gerry

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[Last edited by trick at 06-25-2006 11:42 AM]

gamer_extreme_101
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That causes DROD to crash under Windows Vista. Dangit.

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eytanz
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I'm guessing the problem isn't with DROD itself but with some of the 3rd-party library it uses (such as SDL). I doubt they are fully compatible with Vista at this point.

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ErikH2000
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Yeah, I think we ought to wait until after the official Vista release before messing with this. Microsoft is still fixing bugs, and we don't want to worry about their bugs. When Vista is released, SDL or some other lib we depend on may already have been tweaked to solve the problem. I wouldn't even bother an open source lib maintainer for problems with their software running on a beta O/S. There's limits to what you can ask somebody making software you aren't paying for to do.

And then there's a remote possibility that the problem resides in our code instead of the O/S or third-party libs. In that case, I guess we have to fix it. But with the tall stack of other tasks we have to do, it's probably best to wait for this particular problem to go away on its own.

-Erik

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The Godkiller - Chapter 1 available now on Steam. It's a DROD-like puzzle adventure game.
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gamer_extreme_101
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Oh, I fully agree. I'm just trying to see if there's any way possible that it can be made to run fast with what I have. Heck, I even wrote in my first post not to take action...I'm just curious to find out what's causing it and try to get it fixed for myself. I just figured I'd forewarn of potential problems now before they hit.

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trick
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Shot in the dark, but have you tried disabling sound ?

drod.exe nosound

- Gerry

gamer_extreme_101
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Well, as of Vista's Pre-RC1 build, DROD runs full-speed ihn both Windowed and Full-Screen mode. Then again, I did upgrade my videocard, so that may have played a part in it, but it's definitely good news for our camp.

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--That guy with a million different aliases since he doesn't like this name anymore.