Large CPU usage typical?

[igjimh]

I have just started using Zelta Classic 1.92 184 Player, a few days ago, and I have to say I am really really impressed.

However, I have noticed that it seems to really chew up an enormous amount of CPU usage for a windowed DOS game. No matter what I do it seems to use up about 90% of my CPU on an 800 MHz, 256MB RAM, Win2K SP4 machine.

Does anyone have any suggestions for command line options, windows settings, etc?

I am using these command line options:
"C:\Program Files\zc192a184w\zelda-w.exe" -res 512 448 big -windowed -fast -s

Thanks

[linkofzelda1]

Get a better processor. I doubt there's anything you can do to drastically change the performance with an 800mhz processor.

[igjimh]

Well, thats what I would do except it is my work computer... I can't really upgrade it, maybe that was their attempt to keep me from playing games when I should be working... :laughing:

Seriously though, isn't there some setting in windows that I could tweak... <going to google it in a sec> Maybe I can tweak how windows runs any DOS program...

BTW ZC does the same thing on my home machine thats slightly faster, except that it uses 1MB of memory instead of ~500K:
- 1.4 GHz AMD, 768 MB RAM
- Win2k SP4

[goKi]

Well generally programs will use as much of the CPU as possible to increase the performance, as i'm not that familiar with Zelda Classic's usage, i'll move this to a forum with people who will know.

MOVING TO ZELDA CLASSIC GENERAL DISCUSSION

[Jarty]

This is the "lag problem" that many people (including myself) seem to have. It seems to happen on versions of Windows later than 98SE (I have XP). I have a 2.08 GHz processor and yet it still tries it's best to use 99% of it. I think it may have to do with a looping code sort of deal (when it's not supposed to loop or what have you... (and I'm not a programmer, so don't take my word as law)), but I think that the problem may already be fixed in the latest beta-tester-only versions. If not I'm sure it's being worked on.

[vegeta1215]

When testing the beta version of ZC on Linux, it took up 90%+ of my CPU too. I don't think it has to do with the OS.

[Dark Nation]

Are you using the DOS or Windows version of ZC?

[Exdeath]

Here is some input that may help.
I am using Zelda Classic 1.92 184 Windows Version
Processor = Athlon XP 2400
Ram = 512
O/S = WinXP
zelda-w takes up 99% according to task manager.

I don't really see any problems because of this, but I can understand how slower machines would suffer.

[igjimh]

I am using the windows version now, but if I could get the DOS version to run faster I would switch to it in a second...

My google search turned up little useful information besides the possibility of running the dos version of ZC in a windows program called DOSBox:
http://dosbox.sourceforge.net/

The only reason that this might be worth the trouble is that it might be less resource intensive and it would then run on just about any OS (Linux, OSX, Windows, BeOS)

hmm, no luck so far, the setup exe (zc190sr1.exe) can't be run in DOXBox and trying to run the setup in win2K then running zelda.exe in DOSBox doesn't seem to work (says, "Load Error: No DPMI - Get csdpmi*b.zip) any ideas...?

BTW thanks for moving the thread, I realized right after I posted that it was probably the wrong place but didn't want to double post.

[igjimh]

Hey this is Fred (not igjimh) to let you know about stuff that igjimh (who is not me) wants to say (remember this isn't igjimh, cause that would mean that he would be double posting)

ok never mind about the DOSBox thing... it works, barely... I had to go dig around the net for the file (cwsdpmi.exe) here: http://www.briansemu.com/essential/cwsdpmi.zip , in case you are interested, and when I got it to work it was really, really slow, no sound, no mouse, then it crashed.

On my system DOSBox uses 90% cpu and 26MB of ram which is obviously much worse than 90% and ~500kB I guess it was a good idea while it lasted... I guess I will do some work today... :(

(remember this isn't igjimh) ;)


oh and sorry for the double post, I thought that meant that you posted the same question in multiple categories of the same forum. <live and learn>

[VEL]

igjimh please do not double post, please use the "edit" button to edit your last post instead as it is against the rules (http://www.armageddongames.net/showthread.php?t=78500) to double post. ;)

[Jarty]

I have tried the windows versions of the later betas (183,184), and they both have this problem. The thing is, Exdeath, that 2.08GHz is by no means slow. As you go up in processor speed, the performance boost is less and less noticable, unless you have 20 or so programs running in addition to the normal background programs. While 2.08GHz isn't the fastest on the market, it is much faster than what you could get just a few years ago.

[firebug]

Try uninstalling ZC and then reinstalling it. run it WITHOUT any commandline options, just regular full-screen. on my machine, running ZC windowed is extremely slow, and uses insane amounts of CPU. maybe it's the same problem for you.

[MottZilla]

You are all wrong. This is how allegro works. There is a function call you can make that makes allegro play nice on multitasking OSes. You'd have to ask Dark Nation to see if that is used or not.

From Allegro.txt

void yield_timeslice();
On systems that support this, gives up the rest of the current scheduler
timeslice. Also known as the "play nice with multitasking" option.

[igjimh]

I imagine that there is no way for me to check since allegro looks like it is downloaded pre-compiled into allegro.dll and I don't see any way of accessing the source code.

I don't want to run the program full screen since I want to be able to pause the game and do other stuff while I am waiting for my frustraition level to go down cause Link was swINGING THE SWORD WHEN HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN BLOCKING THE ARROW!!!! <bashing head on desk>

anyway, oh well, I will google some more stuff, and wait for someone else to either figure out a way to fix this or for more information to show up... keep up the good work guys!!

[MottZilla]

If it has to be fixed it will require either a hack or a new version to be compiled.