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    RTS games = harder on the GPU?

    Discussion in 'Gaming (Software and Graphics Cards)' started by miscolobo, Nov 15, 2008.

  1. miscolobo

    miscolobo Notebook Deity

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    Hey guys, i just started playing red alert 3 today and it is quite a fun game :)

    however, i needed to overclock my GPU further to 650/780 to be able to run at a stable 28fps~ (30fps being the maximum...dunno why) with native resolution and most settings on high, 2xAA, shaders shadows, med.

    I noticed that when i play RTS games , my GPU core temps are 75C...but when i play an FPS such as Counter Strike Source, my temps are well under the 70's~.

    Any explanation why? i thought RTS' were more CPU demanding.
     
    miscolobo, Nov 15, 2008
    #1
  2. HTWingNut

    HTWingNut Potato

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    That's odd. RTS games usually drive the CPU much harder since there's dozens if not hundreds of individual AI to control, and GPU is usually not taxed much, except in the case of games like World in Conflict.
     
    HTWingNut, Nov 15, 2008
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  3. afdude2018

    afdude2018 Notebook Consultant

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    wow a guy with an 8400 can play RA3 with higher settings than me and not have any issues except for fps. That's just sad........
     
    afdude2018, Nov 15, 2008
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  4. miscolobo

    miscolobo Notebook Deity

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    yes i am equally as puzzled..
     
    miscolobo, Nov 15, 2008
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  5. afdude2018

    afdude2018 Notebook Consultant

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    Yeh see my posts in the RA3 thread? I'm having some serious issues.

    I'd kill to be able to play at least at where you have your settings across the board.
     
    afdude2018, Nov 15, 2008
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  6. redda2

    redda2 Notebook Consultant

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    You can run it on max with a 8400m GT??

    I struggle on Medium with a 7950 GT (desktop).
     
    redda2, Nov 16, 2008
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  7. Budding

    Budding Notebook Virtuoso

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    Red Alert 3 is a much more graphically demanding game than CS:S, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that it stresses your GPU more. If the same was happening when you were comparing RA3 with Crysis or Far Cry 2 or Fallout 3 or something, then there is an issue.
     
    Budding, Nov 16, 2008
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  8. ARom

    ARom -

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    Get rid of 2xAA.... your frame rate will go sky high. Maybe you need it because your resolution is 1280*800, but typically, get rid of AA and get the highest resolution you can.
     
    ARom, Nov 16, 2008
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  9. WILLY S

    WILLY S I was saying boo-urns

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    Well i'd gues since your gpu and cpu probably share a heatsink, the fact the cpu is being run hotter will also bring up the gpu temps above average. All your componants will be pushed fairly hard with rts's; especially on bigger maps with more units.

    I was playing CIV4 this weekend and the cpu maxed at 70 core 0 and 72 core 1 while the gpu maxed at 75.

    Also when you play counter strike or any similarly old game, if you have Vsync enabled your temps will stay alot lower as your system wont over render frames. You'll probably stay in the low to mid 60's with vsync on.
     
    WILLY S, Nov 16, 2008
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  10. miscolobo

    miscolobo Notebook Deity

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    No lol i dont play Red Alert 3 on max.. i had to tweak up the settings to get optimal performance.

    Shadows and Shaders were set to medium

    i have 2xAA (thinking of removing that though)

    terrain= Ultra High

    Model detail= High

    Water detail= medium

    VFX (i think thats what its called) = high

    rest i think is set to medium
     
    miscolobo, Nov 16, 2008
    #10