2010-12-09, 09:44 AM
I had no problem at all with this patched version playing and what have you. There are a few issues though if I can recount them all which are new to this computer for me / could use some work.
A) There are some sound issues which need investigation. I often hear a pop after some sound effects, though not always. And the volume seems unreliable. Might just be the USB soundcard (cheap FM transmitter) or my audio system.
B) My monitor actually went off while playing. Maybe because I was using a joypad
C) There is some z-fighting, especially where the square column tiles meet the outdoor wall tiles. I'm pretty sure the walls aren't flat against the columns, so that seems really weird. All I can think to do is try to get a better depth buffer. My performance was pretty good, but I kind of expected this newer computer to out perform my older portable machine, but it probably doesn't.
D) The vsync (off) setting I turned on in the patches config file was really intolerable. I don't recommend turning that on for your players in the Ex.ini file. I was kinda under the impression most everyone looking for peek performance turns that off these days, but that doesn't seem to be an option on this computer.
Anyway, I recommend game authors test Ex thoroughly while developing your games, otherwise you might mind yourself with a longer testing cycle.
I hope this build works for you guys, otherwise it's going to be a head ache to troubleshoot stuff.
So I can personally vouch for Windows7 and XP SP3.
UPDATE: The sound probs did go away when using the onboard sound card. Should maybe look into forcing software audio on (if what I was experiencing wasn't software)
The controls in the menu are also really shoddy. Should really try to figure out why that sometimes is. I hope it's correctable.
Also noticed on the big screen the New Game / Continue bitmaps overlap one another while making your choice.
EDITED: On two different keyboards I'm unable to hold down the dash key while moving say backward and turn say left at the same time. The left turn doesn't register. I seriously doubt that is the keyboard hardware. I hope it's not a bug in Som. I never noticed it before, but it might make using a controller to drive the keyboard input impossible / not be good in the keyboard dept period. Might end up in the odd situation of using a keyboard to drive a fake controller
UPDATE: I noticed one keyboard I can't turn right instead of left, but I'm pretty sure on the other I can. If it's a limitation in the keyboards, that seriously makes me wonder how PC gamers possibly manage to play games. My portables keyboard definitely should not be limited anyway. Will have to check the raw input sometime.
UPDATE: https://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_anti-ghosting
I looked at a ton of reviews for keyboards and the gaming keyboards had like at most 6 or 7 simultaneous keys allowed, where my keyboard bolted into my gaming portable only allows 2-3?? I wonder if it can be replaced. Still 6 or 7 is crap. We have 10 fingers... that should be the bare minimum?? And "gaming" boards should allow for at least 20 (I can hold down four keys with one finger)
EDITED: My computer/motherboard is as far as I know identical to this (https://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-MSI...841.0.html) one (without any of the ridiculous decals etc) but the review does not mention sometimes you can only press two keys (including the spacebar and arrow keys) ,,, if those "extreme gaming" editions have a special keyboard I might look for a spare
...
This (https://forum-en.msi.com/index.php?topic=118686.0) is ridiculous... it's like we're living in the stone age. When's the last time you heard 8bit???? Apparently this is mainly a problem with the up arrow key -- presumably not the numpad up. I may try to at least re-map some of my keys (I had to pull half the keys off and shuffle them around / monkey with the key in the registry that lets you rewire you keyboard to be able to program proficiently after buying this thing)
The crappy USB keyboard I bought as is out of a rummage bin when Circuit City was going out of business (for my PS3) is probably hopeless (funny how saying "I bought for my" makes you sound really possessive, but afaik there's no other way to put it)
I just don't understand why every key doesn't have its own wire / channel on the bus... it's certainly doable. Back on topic...
Back offtopic: while looking back in that MSI forum keyboard thread for the model, I just noticed in the last post the guy said he fixed the problem by choosing some preset in the bios??? Will have to try that I guess...
A) There are some sound issues which need investigation. I often hear a pop after some sound effects, though not always. And the volume seems unreliable. Might just be the USB soundcard (cheap FM transmitter) or my audio system.
B) My monitor actually went off while playing. Maybe because I was using a joypad
C) There is some z-fighting, especially where the square column tiles meet the outdoor wall tiles. I'm pretty sure the walls aren't flat against the columns, so that seems really weird. All I can think to do is try to get a better depth buffer. My performance was pretty good, but I kind of expected this newer computer to out perform my older portable machine, but it probably doesn't.
D) The vsync (off) setting I turned on in the patches config file was really intolerable. I don't recommend turning that on for your players in the Ex.ini file. I was kinda under the impression most everyone looking for peek performance turns that off these days, but that doesn't seem to be an option on this computer.
Anyway, I recommend game authors test Ex thoroughly while developing your games, otherwise you might mind yourself with a longer testing cycle.
I hope this build works for you guys, otherwise it's going to be a head ache to troubleshoot stuff.
So I can personally vouch for Windows7 and XP SP3.
UPDATE: The sound probs did go away when using the onboard sound card. Should maybe look into forcing software audio on (if what I was experiencing wasn't software)
The controls in the menu are also really shoddy. Should really try to figure out why that sometimes is. I hope it's correctable.
Also noticed on the big screen the New Game / Continue bitmaps overlap one another while making your choice.
EDITED: On two different keyboards I'm unable to hold down the dash key while moving say backward and turn say left at the same time. The left turn doesn't register. I seriously doubt that is the keyboard hardware. I hope it's not a bug in Som. I never noticed it before, but it might make using a controller to drive the keyboard input impossible / not be good in the keyboard dept period. Might end up in the odd situation of using a keyboard to drive a fake controller
UPDATE: I noticed one keyboard I can't turn right instead of left, but I'm pretty sure on the other I can. If it's a limitation in the keyboards, that seriously makes me wonder how PC gamers possibly manage to play games. My portables keyboard definitely should not be limited anyway. Will have to check the raw input sometime.
UPDATE: https://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_anti-ghosting
I looked at a ton of reviews for keyboards and the gaming keyboards had like at most 6 or 7 simultaneous keys allowed, where my keyboard bolted into my gaming portable only allows 2-3?? I wonder if it can be replaced. Still 6 or 7 is crap. We have 10 fingers... that should be the bare minimum?? And "gaming" boards should allow for at least 20 (I can hold down four keys with one finger)
EDITED: My computer/motherboard is as far as I know identical to this (https://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-MSI...841.0.html) one (without any of the ridiculous decals etc) but the review does not mention sometimes you can only press two keys (including the spacebar and arrow keys) ,,, if those "extreme gaming" editions have a special keyboard I might look for a spare
...
This (https://forum-en.msi.com/index.php?topic=118686.0) is ridiculous... it's like we're living in the stone age. When's the last time you heard 8bit???? Apparently this is mainly a problem with the up arrow key -- presumably not the numpad up. I may try to at least re-map some of my keys (I had to pull half the keys off and shuffle them around / monkey with the key in the registry that lets you rewire you keyboard to be able to program proficiently after buying this thing)
The crappy USB keyboard I bought as is out of a rummage bin when Circuit City was going out of business (for my PS3) is probably hopeless (funny how saying "I bought for my" makes you sound really possessive, but afaik there's no other way to put it)
I just don't understand why every key doesn't have its own wire / channel on the bus... it's certainly doable. Back on topic...
Back offtopic: while looking back in that MSI forum keyboard thread for the model, I just noticed in the last post the guy said he fixed the problem by choosing some preset in the bios??? Will have to try that I guess...