Hi Guys,
Thanks for your feedback on the related thread which called for an exhaustive list of requests for the FPSC X9 software. With the help of several forum users, we have now compiled the definitive list, and can reveal that number one on this list with a total of 49% of all votes calls for a 'Performance Increase' of the main engine. Whilst we understand that performance is a very specific problem based on what kind of PC you are running and the design of your levels, we do feel that there may be room to move in this area and we need your help to find it.
I am going to tackle the issues requested one by one, starting with performance, so if you have a stock media level that you feel should run faster on your PC, then zip up the FPM file and email to lee@thegamecreators.com. Also, if you feel the performance of FPSC is fine and I should move on to number two, then you are welcome to send me an email about that too. Bear in mind we cannot rewrite the engine and can only target specific areas of slowdown with code optimizations. You will not be getting a 200% speed increase overnight, but with your help we can identify and target areas within the engine we all agree should be faster.
Try to avoid asking for 100 characters running around a room, a zillion crates falling from the sky or 300 fps because your other games run that fast. Bear in mind FPSC is a generic game engine that has to handle whatever you throw at it, compile that level in a few minutes and let you play the result. High end games have a huge asset pipeline, including many pre-processing steps to achieve those attributes.
Ideally what I am after is a level you built with stock media, that when you enter a section of the level starts to slow down unreasonably based on the levels content on a decent PC. I need the level, a step by step guide on how to progress through the level and exactly what I should be looking for when the slowdown hits. The easier I can reproduce the issue, the quicker a fix can be found. Don't email any other feature requests at this time, or different bugs, just performance related issues for now. Also, only send an email with an issue if you can stick around to help me test the various beta versions of V108 as I will need to know if I have solved the speed issue for your particular case.
I will reveal the other requests shortly, but for now I thought it prudent to start collecting reproducable material for what amounts to a request from half the entire FPSC community - PERFORMANCE
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