Arcania - Sys Reqs Update

Dhruin · September 4, 2010

We're getting some clarity on the situation with Arcania's system requirements and Desslock's information posted a couple of days ago.
First, a Dreamcatcher rep posted on our forums:

We have to thank Desslock for bringing the issue of that particular Core 2 Duo CPU model to our attention. Do note that the requirements are in flux until we are happy with our final product, and only then would reliable requirements be available from us.

The issue Desslock encountered was touched upon during our compatibility tests and was not so much an issue of CPU performance but more an issue with that line of CPU’s and a jittering caused in game regardless of other game settings. To clarify, the game does in fact run well on lower end systems than the requirements described to Desslock via e-mail, cpu included. However, to provide the best max settings experience with absolutely no issues we had provided those specs as a recommendation in hopes of improving his experience.

In the mean time we’ve been looking at the cause of the processor issue and any other fairly unreasonable hardware requirements while we near our final version of ArcaniA.

Thanks to Dreamcatcher for taking the time to post. Some further comments from Desslock at Qt3 cast additional light: seems like it's a handful of specific Core 2 Duo models that cause the problem.

Short story - it seems they currently believe the performance issues encountered were due to specific issues with just the Core 2 Duo 6400-6850 models and that the final system requirements are still in flux.

Emphasis mine. As noted earlier today, a demo will be released on Sept 24, so you'll be able to judge for yourself.
More information.

Elwro · September 4, 2010

Frankly, if this keeps up, I'd say it's even worse news for me as a potential buyer. If the game may or may not run depending on the particular brand of a fairly standard CPU -- and I bet the "unfortunate" models will not be listed on the box -- it means I can't ever be certain that it will run after I buy it, because hey, maybe I have the August 2010 model, which it doesn't like. Somehow I don't believe they'll be giving refunds.

TheMadGamer · September 4, 2010

Elwro said:
Frankly, if this keeps up, I'd say it's even worse news for me as a potential buyer. If the game may or may not run depending on the particular brand of a fairly standard CPU — and I bet the "unfortunate" models will not be listed on the box — it means I can't ever be certain that it will run after I buy it, because hey, maybe I have the August 2010 model, which it doesn't like. Somehow I don't believe they'll be giving refunds.

Actually, after what I read what the Dreamcatcher rep wrote, I feel better about the whole situation... that they are aware of issues with that specific processor BEFORE the game has released rings 'good' with me.

ToddMcF2002 · September 4, 2010

I agree. I hate lack of communication, so nothing negative to say. The demo will tell all anyway. Sept 24th apparently.

Zloth · September 4, 2010

If only certain CPUs have it, then maybe they can diddle around with the code to make it run better on those CPUs. Maybe forcing those models into single-core mode would actually speed things up, who knows.

Now here's a good chance for some armchair publishing… what do you do in this situation? Delay the game until you can get it right? They might not ever be able to 'get it right' and delays mean fewer sales and more expenses. Change the requirements and hope you can make a patch later on that will fix the problem? Will gamers even know the requirements went down later on? Maybe it would be better to just change the requirements and leave it alone? Or should they take bell, book, and candle down to the basement, sacrifice a goat (or at least a picture of a goat) to the mighty devs of old, then try to get a fix in before release date with minimal testing?

JDR13 · September 4, 2010

ToddMcF2002 said:
I agree. I hate lack of communication, so nothing negative to say. The demo will tell all anyway. Sept 24th apparently.

Keep in mind that they haven't announced an English demo yet.

Not that it really matters if just want to see how it runs on your system.

Davion · September 4, 2010

Elwro said:
Frankly, if this keeps up, I'd say it's even worse news for me as a potential buyer. If the game may or may not run depending on the particular brand of a fairly standard CPU — and I bet the "unfortunate" models will not be listed on the box — it means I can't ever be certain that it will run after I buy it, because hey, maybe I have the August 2010 model, which it doesn't like. Somehow I don't believe they'll be giving refunds.

And how is this any different from just about any other pc game?

elikal · September 4, 2010

Man it's the Jowood curse I tell you! It's spooky, even tho they are only a publisher, every single game of every single studio they hired was mired by technical difficulties, bugs, incompatibilites and months to come after release wait for patches making it playable.

WTH is wrong with them??

kalniel · September 4, 2010

Well on the plus side, it's not been released yet, so to catch this kind of thing ahead of release is a good thing. On the downside, it's a fairly common CPU line.

mute · September 4, 2010

I really like this phrasing: " performance issues encountered were due to specific issues with just the Core 2 Duo 6400-6850 models ".

Its like its almost not an issue.

There can't be THAT many Intel E6400-E6850 system out there...

JDR13 · September 4, 2010

elikal said:
Man it's the Jowood curse I tell you! It's spooky, even tho they are only a publisher, every single game of every single studio they hired was mired by technical difficulties, bugs, incompatibilites and months to come after release wait for patches making it playable.

Well… not *every* game. Gothic II was pretty solid, with only a few minor glitches that I can remember. Afaik, the Spellforce games were also fairly bug free.

Elwro · September 4, 2010

Davion said:
And how is this any different from just about any other pc game?

"Any other pc game" runs if you meet the requirements on the box. If your CPU has appropriate speed, you have enough RAM, and a proper GFX card, you can be confident the game will run after you purchase it. But Dreamcatcher's reply is worrying since it seems these times will end. Now before buying you will have to check the net whether for some reason the game does not like your particular brand of CPUs, and so on. I really hope this one is an exception and not a new trend.

Wulf · September 4, 2010

It's the gods, they have been forsaken and now they are unleashing their wrath.

..meanwhile back at the community patch headquaters, a dispatch rider arrives in haste with a note, then a lone bugler sound the call…

"come on boys, get ready, here's another job for us" …..(with lump in throat and tears in eyes, the commander cries)…. "thats-my-boys"

Elwro · September 4, 2010

Speaking of which, has the G3 expansion been patched to at least mediocrity? Haven't followed that.

Kostas · September 4, 2010

Elwro said:
Speaking of which, has the G3 expansion been patched to at least mediocrity? Haven't followed that.

I think a mega-patch was promised,but never delivered.

coaster · September 4, 2010

There was a good review of the current state of the game by JemyM here:

http://www.rpgwatch.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1061021701&postcount=911

aries100 · September 4, 2010

Kostaz said:
I think a mega-patch was promised,but never delivered.

That is not true. As far as I am aware, for Gothic 3, there is big community patch, latest version 1.7xx, I think that fixes many pronlems and bugs etc. in Gothic 3.

As for Arcania's system requirements, to me, it is nice that they're aware of the problems before launch. On the other hand, my rather old (no ancient) machine still plays Dragon Age and The Witcher very well, although the recommended and minimun specs. are well over my current system.

kalniel · September 4, 2010

aries100 said:
That is not true. As far as I am aware, for Gothic 3, there is big community patch, latest version 1.7xx, I think that fixes many pronlems and bugs etc. in Gothic 3.

Does that fix Forsaken Gods? Which is what I think is being referred to here.

TheMadGamer · September 4, 2010

I'm not a fan of jowood and a quick search of posts from me about them... I'm always suspicious of them... especially since Risen was such a stable game.

But Arcania isn't out yet. Jowood seems to understand, specifically, what CPUs have problems with the game.

Like how some games don't run well with certain video cards, then later run just fine once a video card driver update is released... perhaps something of this nature will be done at the game level to get the game to run on these common CPUs.

I'm happy to hear that Jowood has some clarity of the situation before release. But like another poster already wrote, we'll see for ourselves very soon should they stick to their current release schedules for the demo and the game.

azarhal · September 4, 2010

Elwro said:
"Any other pc game" runs if you meet the requirements on the box. If your CPU has appropriate speed, you have enough RAM, and a proper GFX card, you can be confident the game will run after you purchase it. But Dreamcatcher's reply is worrying since it seems these times will end. Now before buying you will have to check the net whether for some reason the game does not like your particular brand of CPUs, and so on. I really hope this one is an exception and not a new trend.

This type of problem have existed since the beginning of PC gaming. Usually it's the GPU, but the CPU is not unknown (clock speed, # of instructions). I also have seen sound card causing numerous problems in game, including slow downs. Why do you think dev prefer the consoles? Usually, the problem is found and patched before it is made public, but not always.

Looks like the entire Conreo line have problems. I suspect they were never good at multi-threading in the first place (being the first dual core released in July 2007). It's a good thing that according to Wiki: All remaining Conroe Core 2 processors have been phased out in March 2009.

Arcania - Sys Reqs Update

SasqWatch

Filthy Codex Spy

SasqWatch

SasqWatch

I smell a... wumpus!?

SasqWatch

Lawful Good

Sentinel

SasqWatch

Sentinel

SasqWatch

Filthy Codex Spy

Inquisitor

Filthy Codex Spy

Dormant Watcher

Utarg of Utarg

SasqWatch

SasqWatch

SasqWatch

SasqWatch