A sincere query into 64 bit architecture.

[Gorbachev 1]

There's not really much I can say here so I'll keep it brief.

With the nearly universal adoption of 64 bit processors and operating systems amongst users, why do we not see any game developers exploiting this architecture? People build massive systems with 16 gigs of ram and no current titles are able to utilize this without a 64 bit binary.

Titles like this could benefit from 2 binaries. a 32 bit, for those with aging systems, and a 64 bit for anyone who has purchased a computer in the last 8 years.

Just curious.

[bobby budnick 0]

I am for 64-bit support as well. There are (were) also some performance increases particularly in actual AMD CPUs in 64 bit games, despite them often having increased visuals for the 64 bit version. Far Cry 64 bit not only looked better, but played faster as well. The same was true for Unreal Tournament 2004 64 bit.

This is just a conspiracy theory, but I think Intel pays Microsoft to make it more difficult for developers to port to 64-bit because of the advantage that AMD CPUs will have. After all, AMD created the 64-bit extensions and Intel ripped them off. Perhaps the cheap Intel "clone" of x86-64 does not work as well as on true AMD CPUs?

[dm 9]

With the nearly universal adoption of 64 bit processors and operating systems amongst users

According to the steam hardware survey, at least 25% of users are still rockin 32bit systems...

[k3lt 3]

According to the steam hardware survey, at least 25% of users are still rockin 32bit systems...

In some rural areas in US, the majority of people is still using dial-up connections.. does it prove anything? ;)

[Leon86 13]

It's just cost/benefit, if you're not using over 4GB ram you're not that much better off with a 64 bit exe, so why bother? especially since you're goin to have to rewrite a lot.

The ps4 has 8GB ram, new xbox will most likely have that too, expect multiplatform titles to be 64bit.

[Nathaniel Cole 10]

But how many have quad-cores that are still 32-bit? Quad core is a requirement for ARma 3 and thus one would assume there to be a very miniscule amount of 32-bit users.

[Flash Thunder 10]

In some rural areas in US, the majority of people is still using dial-up connections.. does it prove anything? ;)

Mainly because Broadband isn't offered and if it is its usually by satellite.

[MavericK96 0]

According to the steam hardware survey, at least 25% of users are still rockin 32bit systems...

It also says the majority of users are running Intel integrated graphics (HD 3000/4000). You have to realize where those numbers are coming from, though, and what kinds of Steam users are running that hardware. People who are going to be playing games like ArmA 3 or Crysis or anything intensive are most likely not going to be using 32-bit systems with Intel graphics and 2.3 GHz dual-core CPUs (as Steam survey claims are the most common). If you look at Steam player stats, you see that the vast majority of players are still playing stuff like Counter-Strike and DOTA 2. I would say that these stats don't represent the gamers who would play ArmA 3 very well.

[dm 9]

In some rural areas in US, the majority of people is still using dial-up connections.. does it prove anything? ;)

It proves that by going exclusively 64bit, you're ruling out at least 25% of potential customers.

Which, when your sales are small to start with, is going to hurt the bottom line...

---------- Post added at 17:10 ---------- Previous post was at 17:09 ----------

It also says the majority of users are running Intel integrated graphics (HD 3000/4000). You have to realize where those numbers are coming from, though, and what kinds of Steam users are running that hardware. People who are going to be playing games like ArmA 3 or Crysis or anything intensive are most likely not going to be using 32-bit systems with Intel graphics and 2.3 GHz dual-core CPUs (as Steam survey claims are the most common). If you look at Steam player stats, you see that the vast majority of players are still playing stuff like Counter-Strike and DOTA 2. I would say that these stats don't represent the gamers who would play ArmA 3 very well.

Oh, but ofcourse.

I was just countering the "universal adoption of 64bit" comment, which is not yet true.

[k3lt 3]

It proves that by going exclusively 64bit, you're ruling out at least 25% of potential customers.

Which, when your sales are small to start with, is going to hurt the bottom line...

There are countless games that supports both 32/64bit it's just a matter of running the game from different executable, so that point is invalid..

[dm 9]

It proves that by going exclusively 64bit, you're ruling out at least 25% of potential customers.

There are countless games that supports both 32/64bit it's just a matter of running the game from different executable, so that point is invalid..

Which bit of exclusive don't you understand?

[dmarkwick 261]

The devs reckon there is very little to gain from going 64-bit currently.

[[frl]myke 14]

There is already a thread about 64 bit executable, no need for another one.

-Closed-