AMD Ryzen 9 4950X claimed to be a 4.8GHz boost 16C/32T CPU

[DanceswithUnix]

I wonder how much games make use of CPU dispatchers, to pick the most optimal binary for different CPUs? Even if it is just compiler flags, it could make a substantial difference in some games. I'm assuming they must already to it to some degree to allow for different extension compatibility.

That isn't hard to code, but I imagine the test matrix would explode. I think at best you get a "modern, optimal" version with AVX etc enabled and a compatible version that just uses basic SSE.

At least with modern games using 64 bit you don't have to go back to early SSE or (shudder) 8087 code, you know all 64 bit CPUs have a half decent feature set.

My daughter's favourite paint package went about a magnitude faster going from Phenom II to the X8350. I shudder to think what that was falling back to when it didn't find the AVX support it wanted.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

That isn't hard to code, but I imagine the test matrix would explode. I think at best you get a "modern, optimal" version with AVX etc enabled and a compatible version that just uses basic SSE.

At least with modern games using 64 bit you don't have to go back to early SSE or (shudder) 8087 code, you know all 64 bit CPUs have a half decent feature set.

My daughter's favourite paint package went about a magnitude faster going from Phenom II to the X8350. I shudder to think what that was falling back to when it didn't find the AVX support it wanted.

Skyrim used X87 instructions when it first came out!

[DanceswithUnix]

Skyrim used X87 instructions when it first came out!

I guess SSE had only been out for 12 years at that point, perhaps they really wanted to be compatible with those Pentium 166 owners.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

I guess SSE had only been out for 12 years at that point, perhaps they really wanted to be compatible with those Pentium 166 owners.

It makes you wonder whether some companies actually bother to test their games before launch?

[kompukare]

It makes you wonder whether some companies actually bother to test their games before launch?

Certainly not Bethesda!
As someone who played Dagggerfall with the infamous fall through the floor bug, I still remember when they tried to make a FSP with engine (think it was some Terminator thing) and the blurb called it a ground breaking engine... It certainly was but not in the way they meant!

Everything since then has been released in half-finished state but because of the editor, the fan base polished it afterwards. Lesson: don't buy Bethesda software until the unofficial bug fix patch has been done, the Script Enhancer has been done, etc. So about 1 year after release?

[DanceswithUnix]

It makes you wonder whether some companies actually bother to test their games before launch?

I bothered to look up the minimum requirements of the game, and it says dual core minimum and quad core recommended. That in theory allows for a Pentium-D, though I believe they were really meaning a Core-2 duo.

Those all had SSE available, so I can't square that with the horrors of using x87 code.

[kalniel]

Skynet was great! Fantastic multiplayer arenas, well ahead of its time!

As for the engine in TES games.. well it was/is the old NetImmerse which they kept upgrading and upgrading.

Bugs though - they MASSIVELY got better at it. Games that size/scope are going to have loads, but there was a noticeable jump in stability from Oblivion onwards where you could tell they had much better automated testing - even Morrowind was a good step in stability from previous games.