Window mode

[Recoil]

I went into the EB Configuration and checked the 'Window mode on' so that I would be better able to casually play EB whilst keeping my attention on other stuff (msn, internet, etc) but whenever I use it if I alt/tab to try and use anything else EB crashes! Is it just not made for being used like this or am I missing something? Cheers

[Che Roriniho]

I'll try that on my uber-build, whichshould be being built tommorow.

[teh1337tim]

EB requires 0.5x more power from cpu and memory requirement than the vanilla RTW
not recommended unless u got a high OC CPU with the most powerful GFX and memory setups
(example, i could play EB , and do the above but also play another game)

recommend u get my kind of setup

intel quad core qx9650 ED @ 4.66 ghz
OCZ DDR3-1333 w 5-5-5-5 timing @ 4gb
geforce 9800gx2 @ quad sli with 1gb ddr3 ram each making combined 6000gb memory for graphic and CPU power

i can play EB all day virtually without CTD related to memory leak
its all to blame the RTW engine problems tbh
but u can try
just restart EB after couple of hours and youll be okay

[Hax]

Unfortunately, not all of us have the resources required to get a high-end pc.

This is very weird though, and I can't just think of what might be causing the problem. What exactly happens? Any error messages?

[Megas Methuselah]

@teh and Che:

*sigh* You guys make me jealous.

[Che Roriniho]

@teh and Che:

*sigh* You guys make me jealous.

It only cost me 670 quid, and that's with top-of the-range mouse and headset. And an aftermarket fan. minus all that, and it comes to about 550, which is very good indeed.

ebuyer.com. excellent site.

[Recoil]

Hax- basically, i configure it for window mode and start it up, and everything's fine to begin with. But then if I use alt/tab to access anything else when I try and go back to the game the window of whatever I was doing before stays there, effectively EB disappears and says it's not responding. Very weird I know

[Hax]

Is anti-aliasing on?

[teh1337tim]

turn of all non essential
such as anti alliasing
vertical sync (only craps ur fps)
shadows (same , effs ur fps)

tell ur comp specs

CPU
Memory
GFX
PSU
:)

[XSamatan]

hmmm... I think RTW is not compatible to dual/quad CPU's

IMHO a Quadcore with 2,4GHz is weaker than a single core with 3,xGHz (for Rome)

running EB stable is just a question of your RAM, >2GB should be enough

OffTopic: Does anyone know if ETW will be dualcore-compatibel?

XSamatan

[Tellos Athenaios]

Eh? If something is compatible with 'monocore' processors than so it is with 'dualcore', 'tri(ple)core', 'quadcore', or 'eikosicore' w./ever-core. There's no such thing as being incompatible unless we're talking about assembly instruction sets. Whole different can.

But since RTW only runs 2 processes you're not going to notice much (specifically because one process only runs when the other does not) in the way of speed boosts by 'upping your cores'. All things being equal EB should run about just as well on a 2.4Ghz moncore as it does on a 2.4Ghz quadcore because of the fact RTW wasn't designed to be multithreaded. Indeed if it were, then back in 2004 most of the (or even some top of the line) PC's would have been incompatible (not to mention the developer ones); Pentium IV's were still on the market. <_<

[bovi]

I run EB in windowed mode all the time, no problems. Perhaps you should check your Windows event log to see what happened the next time it crashes. Possibly you'll see something concerning the video drivers there.

Tellos: I think he means able to use more than one CPU.

[Tellos Athenaios]

Answered in paragraph 2.

[XSamatan]

@ TA

As bovi mentioned, I was talking about multiprocessing. RTW is not able to gain speed bonus from this. Surely you can run RTW on a dual core (as do I ) but you will experience no speed bonus.

That I wanted to say...


XSamatan

[Col.Kurtz]

sshit and i have to humble with my 1.2 GH whatever 450 whatever ram and 128 mb graphiccard - it's so - well I can play it thats above all the most important thing ;)

[teh1337tim]

good point about multi threading
but the problem is...
my quad core is extreme edition = overclocked >>

4.6ghz per core =...4.6x4 @ max power..+ sum awesum air cooling..not spoiled!!
You really need a dual core for window mode due to well EB/rtw exe takes up dramatic amount of space, more so when memory leaks start
but also the mentioned other programs that'll be running
making it use a lot of CPU power
(modern dual/quad cores basically just split the work between themselves OR disable certain cores which are not in use reactivating when theyre needed... power efficient)
BTW
if u can run EB and do all that + surf on the web without a ubber comp
you get this

[Tellos Athenaios]

Sure can.

AMD Dual Core 2.6Ghz (not OC'ed);
2GB RAM;
ATI Radeon X 1650 SE (512 Mb dedicated, plus up to 768Mb shared);
Vista 32 bit.

Once I had a combination of EB, The GIMP, Opera and Notepad++ running. That is, I think the worst I made it. But I've noticed that it really depends on the apps you're running. For instance Windows Explorer experiences random crashes without running EB also, but when running EB it's a bit like it's missing sprites or so when you try navigating to the RTW/EB directories. <_< That's to say: the first time it'll crash but the second time it'll work (flawlessly?).

Anyhow, I often post between waiting for the AI turns to complete, or for the program to get to the main menu.

My typical set up for running EB is Opera, Windows Explorer and EB.

[Puupertti Ruma]

I also use EB in windowed mode all the time with my suprisingly similar system to Tellos'. I however have only 1 gb of Ram, so I have to kill down all background programs I can/dare. I haven't noticed any problems whatsoever with performance, stability or anything other.

I play freecell while the game loads :).