Testing a new rendering backend (New tests needed)

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Rachael
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Testing a new rendering backend (New tests needed)

Post by Rachael »

Hello. Those of you who have your ear to the ground will already know what this is - for those of you who don't, the author of D-Touch recently created a new rendering backend for GZDoom that is designed to work better with mobile and older systems.

We on the GZDoom development team have very limited knowledge about how well this works with older hardware. However, the results of the tests here may determine if this project is worth picking up and continuing in an official capacity.

As such, I've spent a couple hours creating a testing environment that should give us the information we need. Included in this package is the following:
  • A slightly modified version of the GZDoom in question, with this new backend
    • Modifications include updating the GZDoom core to a more recent version,
    • and also removing some annoying debug messages.
  • A slightly modified version of LZDoom 3.87c. (Compiled with MSVC for Vista and later only)
    • This version of LZDoom is designed so that it can run side-by-side with GZDoom within the same folder. It simply renames game_support.pk3 to lzdoom_game_support.pk3
  • .dll files to support both the GZDoom and LZDoom installations included in the package
  • Source code for the modifications to both the GZDoom and LZDoom included
  • Freedoom 1 & 2 (mostly because it's legal to distribute and it will run all of the included mods just fine, for purposes of this test)
  • Frozen Time
  • Phobos: Anomaly Reborn
  • The Darkest Hour
  • Vrack 3
  • Knee-Deep in ZDoom
  • Hurt
  • A batch script meant to be used for this testing
  • Savegames meant to be loaded by the batch files with the mods, trying to get as close as possible to the same points
So how do I help?

We're mostly looking for people who have older hardware. OpenGL 2.x and OpenGL 3.x preferred. This mostly includes graphics chips that were new between 2004 and 2010.

Inside the folder there's a Testing - Open Me!.cmd file. This file will ask you what mod to load, and whether you want to load GZDoom or LZDoom for that mod. Naturally, we would like you to try each mod once with both.

Please load each mod with LZDoom first. After each mod is loaded, open the console, then type "bench". Please give it a few seconds. (The FPS counter will disappear when it is done). Then exit LZDoom. Do the next mod using LZDoom.

When you are done, please rename "benchmarks.txt" to "benchmarks-lzdoom.txt"

Now, do the same thing with GZDoom. Load each mod in GZDoom, one after the other. After each mod loads, open the console and type "bench". As before, give it a few seconds, wait for the FPS counter to disappear, and when it does exit GZDoom and move on to the next mod.

When you are done with the GZDoom batch, rename "benchmarks.txt" to "benchmarks-gzdoom.txt".

Once you have both benchmarks files, please stick them in a zip file and post a reply in this thread with those files attached. That will be really helpful, thank you! Please also let us know your CPU, how much RAM you have, and what GPU you are using, and whether you are using a 64-bit system or a 32-bit system.

Before you download this testing kit, please remember one thing: The scripts included in this folder are designed specifically for testing, and they are *not* meant to be installed in your actual LZDoom/GZDoom installation. In fact, DO NOT PUT THEM IN YOUR NORMAL LZDOOM OR GZDOOM FOLDER! The scripts will wipe your configs if they are in the same folder, and you do not want that. Don't say we didn't warn you! The scripts are designed to wipe the configs clean for every test, and you do not want them doing that to your real GZDoom files, so please don't do that! Keep them in their own separate folder, please.

Without further ado, here is the download link for the testing kit:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BgpjR4 ... sp=sharing (Both 64-bit and 32-bit system included in this package, it will be auto-selected)

Thank you in advance for any help you can provide!
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Csonicgo
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Re: Testing a new rendering backend

Post by Csonicgo »

Definitely going to help with this.
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Rachael
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Re: Testing a new rendering backend

Post by Rachael »

Also - I forgot to mention:
Please also let us know your CPU, how much RAM you have, and what GPU you are using.
Please put this in your reply! Thank you!
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4page
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Re: Testing a new rendering backend

Post by 4page »

Hey, this system is a little later than the range you're looking for, but thought I'd do this anyways.
CPU: AMD A10-5750M 2.5 GHz
RAM: 8 GB
GPU: AMD Radeon HD 8650G
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Rachael
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Re: Testing a new rendering backend

Post by Rachael »

Still appreciate you doing this, thank you. :)
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Graf Zahl
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Re: Testing a new rendering backend

Post by Graf Zahl »

It was still useful - it clearly shows that even on weaker cards with 'modern' support it is slower than using regular GZDoom (LZDoom won't make much of a difference on such hardware) with one shader for everything. I had the same result on my Geforce 1060, albeit far more pronounced.
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cubebert
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Re: Testing a new rendering backend

Post by cubebert »

Here's the benchmark tests from my slightly crappy PC. I would estimate that my computer is at the early-2010's range of gaming performance, so I think it should be useful in testing the backend.

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K @ 3.50 GHz
GPU: GeForce GTX 960
Ram: 16.0 GB
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Redneckerz
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Re: Testing a new rendering backend

Post by Redneckerz »

I am really glad you followed this up Rach. I knew this was something that would peek your interest.

Ill definitely join in on this, in the weekend. Have a mini holiday from work. Finally something i can make my garbage rug useful for.

Specs in advance:
CPU: AMD Athlon X2 215 @ stock
GPU: GeForce 6150 IGP
RAM: 3 GB DDR2
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Rachael
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Re: Testing a new rendering backend

Post by Rachael »

Redneckerz wrote: Specs in advance:
CPU: AMD Athlon X2 215 @ stock
GPU: GeForce 6150 IGP
RAM: 3 GB DDR2
Yes - these specs I really want to know about how this will perform. :)
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Graf Zahl
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Re: Testing a new rendering backend

Post by Graf Zahl »

cubebert wrote:Here's the benchmark tests from my slightly crappy PC. I would estimate that my computer is at the early-2010's range of gaming performance, so I think it should be useful in testing the backend.

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K @ 3.50 GHz
GPU: GeForce GTX 960
Ram: 16.0 GB

Considering this, there really is no need to post here if your graphics hardware reports OpenGL 4.4 or higher. We already have enough data points for these to confirm that regular GZDoom works best for such systems.
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Redneckerz
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Re: Testing a new rendering backend

Post by Redneckerz »

Rachael wrote:
Redneckerz wrote: Specs in advance:
CPU: AMD Athlon X2 215 @ stock
GPU: GeForce 6150 IGP
RAM: 3 GB DDR2
Yes - these specs I really want to know about how this will perform. :)
:) Ill get the results in ASAP. I may also have soms thin cliënten lying around to test but ill have to configure those first.
_mental_
 
 
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Re: Testing a new rendering backend

Post by _mental_ »

Rachael, may I ask you to push new backend changes, for example to QZDoom repo? I need to track some changes in order to test it on platforms other than Windows.
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Rachael
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Re: Testing a new rendering backend

Post by Rachael »

_mental_ wrote:Rachael, may I ask you to push new backend changes, for example to QZDoom repo? I need to track some changes in order to test it on platforms other than Windows.
https://github.com/madame-rachelle/gzdo ... ree/gzdoom
https://github.com/madame-rachelle/gzdo ... ree/lzdoom
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Rachael
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Re: Testing a new rendering backend

Post by Rachael »

Added a 32-bit test kit. I don't even know if it works. If you are successful in using it and can post data on it, it would still be helpful - but please let us know that your system is 32-bit. If you can use the 64-bit test kit though, please use that and don't bother with the 32-bit one.
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Nash
 
 
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Re: Testing a new rendering backend

Post by Nash »

Tested this on a potato laptop recently given to me. OS is freshly formatted Windows 8.1 with all the latest software updates (even optional ones) installed.

Code: Select all

CPU speed: 2000 MHz
CPU Vendor ID: GenuineIntel
  Name: Intel(R) Pentium(R) CPU N3510 @ 1.99GHz
  Family 6, Model 55, Stepping 3
  Features: SSE2 SSE3 SSSE3 SSE4.1 SSE4.2 HyperThreading

GL_VENDOR: Intel
GL_RENDERER: Intel(R) HD Graphics
GL_VERSION: 4.0.0 - Build 10.18.10.4276
GL_SHADING_LANGUAGE_VERSION: 4.00 - Build 10.18.10.4276
GL_EXTENSIONS:Resolution: 1008 x 561
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