126 replies to this topic

[EalaDubhSidhe]

XP, although if I had a choice and the OS was up to today's tech, I'd still be using 98.

[StevOz]

XP, although if I had a choice and the OS was up to today's tech, I'd still be using 98.

 

XP SP3 here, though I have a choice and run linux as a dual boot I'd use it exclusively if VP was not so deeply rooted by MS dependencies. 

[VampyreLegion]

I am using windows 7 x64 and VP is running smooth, only issue I had was finding a driver for a company no longer in business, I have the software and it only runs on XP. so I ended up programming my "Atom Arcade" usb controller on my XP box.

[Practicedummy]

Linux will need to be considered as a platform for VP. Not sure if that is going to be possible, depending on the code structure, but I know that if windows 9 is anything like windows 8, I will be forced to switch to Linux. Sad state of affairs in the computing world nowadays (Linux being the exception, bright future, not to mention a great present ).

[toxie]

Of course Linux would be awesome, but that's like restarting VP almost completely from scratch as there is windows specific stuff all over the place..

[Aurich]

I think you've got to support XP, it's just such a mainstay, especially in cabinets, but anything older than that has got to be safe to drop like a hot rock.

[Practicedummy]

Of course Linux would be awesome, but that's like restarting VP almost completely from scratch as there is windows specific stuff all over the place..

 

Yeah I know, THAT's the big hurdle.

[htamas]

I think you've got to support XP, it's just such a mainstay, especially in cabinets, but anything older than that has got to be safe to drop like a hot rock.

 

Agreed.

On top of that, software rendering should be dropped as well, making hardware rendering a requirement. There is no reason to cater to ancient hardware that cannot even do HW rendering, let alone the fact that a lot of tables don't even work correctly with SW rendering.

[TheMcD]

I think you've got to support XP, it's just such a mainstay, especially in cabinets, but anything older than that has got to be safe to drop like a hot rock.

 

Agreed.

On top of that, software rendering should be dropped as well, making hardware rendering a requirement. There is no reason to cater to ancient hardware that cannot even do HW rendering, let alone the fact that a lot of tables don't even work correctly with SW rendering.

 

The thing with software rendering is that usually it isn't used because one doesn't have an actual graphics card, but because of incompatibilities and other problems caused by VP's antiquated core and the advancing of technology. Until recently (when a new VP revision suddenly started working properly, don't ask me what exactly happened), an Optimus problem forced me to use software rendering even though I had a 1GB dedicated graphics card that was more than capable. You're not necessarily catering to ancient computers, you're more providing a fallback in case the mess of antiquated libraries that lurks within VP creates another problem that graphics cards manufacturers had no idea would happen because they don't work with those old files in mind.

[htamas]

I see what you mean, but personally I'm not aware of a single table that would force me to use software rendering as a fallback, unless VP falls back to it automatically, without any visible sign if needed. Does it? I have no idea...

I never used SW rendering, simple as that - and everything I tried worked fine using HW rendering. So for me (and I bet for the vast majority of the users) SW rendering has no role or benefit at all. I'd say that instead of the fallback scenario, it is more likely that anyone who is forced to use SW rendering has some hardware issue and rather than keeping this mostly unused feature, it'd be much better if it could be dropped. Then developers wouldn't have to deal with it in case if it would cause a hurdle to accomplish something. Having a properly working system capable of HW rendering for all tables should be a minimum requirement for a VP rig.

But if having SW rendering has no chance of causing trouble for developers when introducing a new feature or something like that, then by all means it should be kept...

Edited by htamas, 09 March 2013 - 04:58 AM.

[Arkay]

pinmame compiles under linux. Just wish there were enough foss coders around to write a new frontend. Likely not much of VP would translate. Doesn't mean a great new cross platform sim can't be done though.
So long as it isn't tied to proprietary commercial libraries (and there's no need for it to be), then it should have a long and productive life... IF it ever gets written that is....

Problem is we're an ageing population (pinball players), so getting new programmers interested is likely increasingly difficult.


Cheers,

Arkay.

Edited by Arkay, 17 March 2013 - 10:25 PM.

[fuzzel]

I started my cab with WinXp but had a lot of stutter. The whole system isn't that bad but not a "monster". I switched over to win7 64bit just

to see if there is some speed improvement...and man wow the graphic card drivers are mucht better optimized for that OS. No stutter at all even

on the "big" tables like Star Wars Trilogy, Big Bang Bar or Creatures form the Black Lagoon... so my advice is: use win7 64bit if you have a more

or less up to date system and forget WinXp.

 

btw my rig: AMD Athon II X4 3.0GHz , 4GB RAM and an ATI Radion HD 7770 for a two screen cab

[RipleYYY]

XP SP3

[gtbkid]

XP/98 dual boot box Amd 1.4 Athlon 1.5 gig ram 2 raid arrays with total 10 or 11 drives lost count some time ago ( this box is maxed out no more upgrades) 2nd power supply. Machine is about 15 years old and still kickcing works for pc playing but to go and do a full cab i"ll have to cave in and build a new machine. Hey still running dos ver 5 and 6,win95 ver b on other machines so i'll make somthing work. Long as they keep xp i think me and old timers will not make to much fuss.

 

 

Yes this machine does still have a working 5 1/4" floppy drive in it gotta keep the elders happy. (this is were i find the old machines to play in the flesh)

[shimoda]

Win 7. I keep A 'version' of XP around just in case but win7 runs great. Honestly can't see why other than $ MS made 8 so fast. THEY should be offering 7 and considering the short time it was around it would be lovely to find an et no call version. As it is I have a family (3) upgrade pack so I'll be good as long as Xp or 7 are supported. Linux would be nice though I don't expect FP would ever be ported there.

[uberpinball]

Linux...lol...comical. That is a welfare OS that truly has zero mainstream support. Once Windows XP goes to free, unsupported yes, but free...you really have zero reason to Linux. I mean honestly, Linux had its day but today's builds all moving to x64 and OSs under $100', why waste time on Linux which is a still way to complex to make work with any software that matters today...or drivers for video cards for that matter. Meh.

[pinball buzz]

Windows Xp on the cab for me, tried Vista in the past, and ended up having to format drive and clean install xp again Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

[bassgeige]

Linux...lol...comical. That is a welfare OS that truly has zero mainstream support. Once Windows XP goes to free, unsupported yes, but free...you really have zero reason to Linux. I mean honestly, Linux had its day but today's builds all moving to x64 and OSs under $100', why waste time on Linux which is a still way to complex to make work with any software that matters today...or drivers for video cards for that matter. Meh.

The forced incompatibility from one Microsoft Windows operating system version to another shows that not every software or driver has been supported for a longer time. An open source software as main pillar is doable as a look into steam shows. It is all a matter of time and the public spreading. http://store.steampo...inux/?l=english

Today also for example Valve builds a Linux based game console. Native Linux games are possible incase the public interest is given. Until this stage is finally reached, ports for Wine are as meant by John Carmack the easier way to go.

Edited by bassgeige, 23 March 2013 - 11:23 AM.

[TedB]

I started my cab with WinXp but had a lot of stutter. The whole system isn't that bad but not a "monster". I switched over to win7 64bit just

to see if there is some speed improvement...and man wow the graphic card drivers are mucht better optimized for that OS. No stutter at all even

on the "big" tables like Star Wars Trilogy, Big Bang Bar or Creatures form the Black Lagoon... so my advice is: use win7 64bit if you have a more

or less up to date system and forget WinXp.

 

btw my rig: AMD Athon II X4 3.0GHz , 4GB RAM and an ATI Radion HD 7770 for a two screen cab

 

Very interesting... Your specs seem to be pretty similar to mine. You think the ATI driver is the main problem, could the same apply to NVIDIA drivers in below setup?

 

AMD Athlon II X2 Dual Core 3.0GHz (overclocked to 3.4)
4GB RAM
GeForce GTX 550 Ti 1024MB (separate Geforce card for my backglass)
Gigabyte 870 A-UD3 Mainboard

 

I don't like the idea of spending a lot of time (and buying W7) if the result is very unsure. If it will solve all my stutter issues the upgrade might be worth it though.. 

[Pinball Ken]

Windows 7 64-bit works fine, even though I recognize VP is 32-bit!

 

PK