shuurajou 10 Posted August 27, 2009 (edited) As many of you may know, I have been trying to get the publisher (our official support channel) to provide clear definitive guidance to assist us in making Arma 2 run correctly. The key questions I have asked are... Guidance on how to correctly use the in game 'Video Memory' setting, as there is no guidance in the game manual. This is a user facing setting and there are threads with 7,700 views and no conclusion/answers. Guidance on how to understand the localVRAM parameter, many people are trying to change it and fiddle with it without understanding it and a correct understanding may help people determine if Arma 2 is still incorrectly detecting their video card RAM. Guidance on how to understand the nonlocalVRAM parameter, many people are trying to change it and fiddle with it without understanding it - this is still very unclear as to what this means or if we can use it to help troubleshoot our issues. I have had some response from the publisher but for the most part it has been inconslusive. I have attempted to clarify multiple points but the publisher doesn't seem interested in bottoming out these questions. The email chain below for your viewing... I am exhausted and infuriated after spending hours to try and resolve this for the community, the publisher is disinterested in helping us - despite this being their job. There are threads with thousands of views on these issues and everyone has tried hard to figure it out but now it's time for the publisher to step up and help. Anybody else got any ideas how we can get facts from BI about these settings? It seems the publisher is not able to. The publisher seems to believe that lack of clarity around these issues is only frustrating to me personally - if you too are frustrated, show your frustration in this thread, perhaps the publisher will acknowledge a need to clarify these issues. ---------- From: Miloslav Cinko via RT <support@idea-games.com> Date: 2009/8/27 To: X Lets be honest Kirk, it is frustrating to you, that support line is trying to answer to your questions which have nothing to do with actual work, you are trying to do web guidance for players, yes it is quite interesting idea and i do not doubt it may help people, but we have work here, i agree about doing this, but please understand that you are not the only one person writing to us and there are people with real problems, besides with demo benchmark that does that was released, so there is no need to write it on forum when everyone can do it himself, regards, Lynx Quite frankly I find their last email entirely unprofessional and if my business was communicating with it's customer base like this I would be ashamed. I've reworded the same question so many times to get a conclusive answer but each response seems to offer little information and minimal acknowledgement of all the questions I've asked. Subject: [iDEA-GAMES-RT #10871] IDEA Games: Arma 2 - Settings help------------------------ From: Miloslav Cinko via RT <support@idea-games.com> Date: 2009/8/26 To: X On Tue Aug 25 22:56:07 2009, X wrote: > This is an enquiry e-mail via http://www.idea-games.com from: > Shuurajou X > > http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?t=84936 > > Please see this forum post. Please can you arrange for BIS to contact > us on the forum as the manual does not provide guidance on these > settings and people are having to guess. > ---------- From: Shuurajou X Date: 2009/8/26 To: support@idea-games.com Hi Miloslav, Looks like you accidently sent me a blank email? 2009/8/26 Miloslav Cinko via RT <support@idea-games.com> ---------- From: Miloslav Cinko via RT <support@idea-games.com> Date: 2009/8/26 To: X Yes,i saw you got answer on forum, any good to you? Regards, Miloslav "Lynx" Cinko ---------- From: Shuurajou X Date: 2009/8/26 To: support@idea-games.com Hi Miloslav, I appreciate your response, this is really important to the community to understand this so I hope you'll stick with me. I'm actually surprised you've responded :). The moderator on the forum (not Bohemia Interactive staff) has directed us to a community Wiki page, and whilst the page has some information, is specifically does not have the answers to the questions I've asked. I've summarised them below: The in game setting of 'Video Memory': This doesn't appear to be in the manual and there is no guidance from Bohemia Interactive to what we should set this setting to. It obviously will depend on our hardware, but we don't know what setting should be set for what graphics card memory value (e.g. if the GTX 285 has 1024MB memory - do we choose 'very high', 'low', 'default'?). The command line argument of '-winxp'. This is appended to the end of the arma 2 shortcut. It seems to help some issues, but we actually don't really know what it does and nobody from Bohemia has explained what it does. We only know it helps with some problems, we don't know why. If we understood what the command line argument actually did, the community could correctly recommend it at a solution to some problems. The Arma2.cfg parameters 'localVRAM=X' & 'nonlocalVRAM=X'. Some people guess (and we only guess as we don't understand the 'video memory' in game setting), that if the video memory setting is default, the game auto detects the localVRAM (we think this means your video card memory) and then put that detected value in the CFG, however often it seems the game incorrectly detects the video card memory, especially if you have 8GB PC RAM, this was meant to be fixed in version 1.02. Regardless, people don't understand what those 2 parameters mean, if we can change them, and how we can use them to help troubleshoot the issue. Nobody can really gives us the answers to these questions but the people that built those options into the game. Many thanks Miloslave, look forward to your response. Kirk. Yes,i saw you got answer on forum, ---------- From: Miloslav Cinko via RT <support@idea-games.com> Date: 2009/8/26 To: X So, after little research -winxp is used in vista/7 to enable multi gpu support (different approaches from OS are minimalized) localVRAM=X' & 'nonlocalVRAM=X - both values are auto detected and are used by engine for graphical optimalization, local is cards resources, non local is available resources from main memory via AGP, as I recall 1024 is medium, regards, Lynx ---------- From: Shuurajou X Date: 2009/8/26 To: support@idea-games.com Hi Lynx, Thanks for your response. Are these confirmed from BI or sourced from the wiki/forum? It's really important to know that. I've spend hours writing the below 2 threads to help the community, which isn't my job, but I want to help so I need your help too. http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?t=84974Any posts on the forum or wiki are just guesses from players and not validated as true from BI developers. This is why if you ask 7 different people on the forum they will have 7 different beliefs on each of these items (often conflicting) - we need a definite accurate statement to work with on these questions. So please confirm you know this to be fact for 100%. With '-winxp', the wiki says it's about enabling GPU, and forum users suggest it uses an older version of Direct3D 9 in Vista/Win 7, but nobody from BI has said this, people are hoping/guessing. It is for sure not just about enabling multi-gpu, as users with 1-GPU GTX 200 series cards (i.e. not mult-gpu) and 8GB ram are finding it helps an issue with missing/blank textures. With localVRAM, obviously users can look at our graphics card to know what this value should be (then we can determine if Arma 2 is accurately auto detecting). When you say 'nonlocal resources available via AGP' do you mean AGP aperture size? I believe PCIe graphics cards no longer have this function, so is it redundant for new graphics card users? Regarding the 'video memory' setting - do you have guidance on this? Like, what setting should be used based on what graphics card memory? There is a massive amount of debate around what it should be set to and a huge amount of what I suspect, is misinformation on the forums. This setting doesn't appear in any Arma 2 manuals I can find (I bought Arma 2 from steam myself), so we need guidance. Someone highlighted that back in Arma 1, these settings were made at a time when the biggest amount of memory you could get on a GFX card was 512mb. When the 8800 card series started to come around, obviously that GFX card memory ceiling increased, and apparently, I think in the Arma 1 1.05 patch, BI introduced the 'default' setting to be used with cards higher than 512mb. Is this the same in Arma 2 and when the default setting is selected, will Arma 2 try to utilise and work with what GFX memory Arma 2 THINKS you have as a result of it's autodetection? Is there a telephone number I can call and discuss? So, ---------- From: Miloslav Cinko via RT <support@idea-games.com> Date: 2009/8/26 To: X You are chatting with BI official support, information is from programmers, regards, Lynx ---------- From: Shuurajou X Date: 2009/8/26 To: support@idea-games.com Thanks Lynx, this is great to hear. I hope the answers I get will help a lot of people. Could you confirm the appropriate GFX card memory sizes that should be used with the corresponding 'video memory' settings in Arma 2 please? This would be useful. Below is an example which would be really useful (I have used made up examples). High - 400mb Very High - 512mb Default - Uses autodetect (you can see autodetect by looking at localVRAM) Should a PCIe graphics card user pay any attention or care about the values in nonlocalVRAM? If the user has 'video memory' on default and the localVRAM=X parameter has an incorrect value (I assume it is in bytes), should they contact support? Many Thanks, You are chatting with BI official support, information is from programmers, regards, Lynx ---------- From: Miloslav Cinko via RT <support@idea-games.com> Date: 2009/8/26 To: X I guess your example is fine, but I just guess, it would be better to test it, about attention to nonlocal VRAM... I think that to most players it is quite greek, i would not mess with that if game is working, if not, they should contact support, regards, Lynx ---------- From: Shuurajou X Date: 2009/8/26 To: support@idea-games.com Hi Lynx, The problem is that everybody on the forums is guessing what the different settings should be used for. BI who developed the game would know what they had in mind when they created each option and who should use it. This was my hope in contacting you, that you could confirm with BI, with all the 'Video Memory' options in game, which ones would be appropriate for different video card memory values. For example, I have a GTX 285 - there's no manual or information from BIS what 'Video Memory' setting to use when I have a 1024MB graphics card. I also used to have an 8800 GTX, which has less memory - the same question stands. Some people have cards with 1800MB memory, but the same question stands. I have contacted yourselves so BI can provide official answers to these questions, as only BI can provide the answers. I hope you can help. From your explanation, the nonlocalVRAM/localVRAM parameters aren't a user configurable parameter and is only outputted by the game indicating the autodetected values the game has identified. In your previous mail, you advised that the localVRAM parameter indicates the autodetected "GFX card resources", does this mean the amount of RAM on the video card? In your previous mail, you advised that the nonlocalVRAM parameter indicates the autodetected "local available resources from main memory via AGP", does this mean AGP aperture size & does it matter to Arma 2 if you have a PCIe card? I appreciate I am asking a lot of detailed specific questions, but I ask because the whole community is guessing about this information and fiddling with it to try and improve their games and fix bugs. Please, take time to read each individual question and respond to them fully, only if you have 100% verified facts that you are happy for me to represent as statements to the community. Thanks I guess your example is fine, but I just guess, it would be better to ---------- From: Miloslav Cinko via RT <support@idea-games.com> Date: 2009/8/27 To: X If I understand correctly, you want me to write that list, yes? Regards, Lynx ---------- From: Shuurajou X Date: 2009/8/27 To: support@idea-games.com Hi Lynx, The things I think we need confirmed are... 1. Guidance on the in game 'video memory' settings. So this means, a list of all available video memory settings and what graphics card memory you should have for each one. This needs to be 100% confirmed with the developers and not guesses as I'm sure you can appreciate everyone has been guessing. There are in threads with 7,774 views about this question in particular. So this is definitely a question to be answered. These are missing from the manual. The manual can be found here: http://store.steampowered.com/manual/33900/ - search 'video memory'. 2. 100% confirmation that nonlocalVRAM/localVRAM parameters aren't a user configurable parameter and is only outputted by the game indicating the autodetected values the game has identified. 3. 100% confirmation that the localVRAM parameter indicates the autodetected amount of RAM on the video card. 4. 100% that nonlocalVRAM parameter indicates the autodetected AGP aperture size & confirmation if this is relevant on a computer using a PCIe card. I appreciate this may be difficult questions - I hope you can help. Please, if you aren't 100% sure/confident to answer, let me know. Kind Regards, Kirk. 2009/8/27 Miloslav Cinko via RT <support@idea-games.com> ---------- From: Miloslav Cinko via RT <support@idea-games.com> Date: 2009/8/27 To: X Hi again, i thought i already wrote you about 2,3,4,(if someone feels competent enough to change it, he is free to do it, but even I would not mess with it) about 1 : this is something that could be source of disappointment because you can not guarantee that game will run on every computer in the world with this mb ram on this quality, besides it depends on resolution, view distance, etc., besides, each player can try it on his own and can find his optimal setting, regards, Lynx ---------- From: Shuurajou X Date: 2009/8/27 To: support@idea-games.com Hi Lynx, I feel as if my questions are not being read in detail and understood. This is frustrating support to get. It's important to recognise that when I say 'Video Memory', that this setting is not the same as any of the other texture quality settings. It is an independant setting on it's own that is missing from the game manual but present in the game. These are the options in the game for Video Memory. - low - normal - high - very high - default In Arma 1, we know that version 1.05 introduced the 'default' value to cater for cards with more than 512MB onboard RAM. What we need to know, is that in Arma 2, based on your graphics card onboard RAM, what settings should be used for what amount of graphics card RAM. As it seems easier to deal with one question at a time I'll go back to 2, 3 & 4 later. Hi again, ---------- From: Miloslav Cinko via RT <support@idea-games.com> Date: 2009/8/27 To: X Lets be honest Kirk, it is frustrating to you, that support line is trying to answer to your questions which have nothing to do with actual work, you are trying to do web guidance for players, yes it is quite interesting idea and i do not doubt it may help people, but we have work here, i agree about doing this, but please understand that you are not the only one person writing to us and there are people with real problems, besides with demo benchmark that does that was released, so there is no need to write it on forum when everyone can do it himself, regards, Lynx ---------- From: Shuurajou X Date: 2009/8/27 To: support@idea-games.com Miloslav, The game has a built in, user option. The manual doesn't acknowledge this option exists. Nobody knows how to use it. It is your duty as publisher to support the game. I merely ask you do so. I don't understand what you mean by 'having nothing to do with actual work'? I wouldn't need to do web guidance if the guidance was in the manual about this setting. The benchmark doesn't tell you how to use this setting. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Miloslav Cinko via RT <support@idea-games.com> Date: 2009/8/27 Subject: [iDEA-GAMES-RT #10871] IDEA Games: Arma 2 - Settings help To: X It tells you what setting is best for you, it simply tells your card how much memory to put into operations, it can not be written like you imagine it, performance of card is not totally equal to its ram, regards, Lynx ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: KW X Date: 2009/8/27 Subject: Re: [iDEA-GAMES-RT #10871] IDEA Games: Arma 2 - Settings help To: support@idea-games.com Lynx, I am disappointed with your unprofessional response claiming this frustration is my own. I have posted this disappointing support to the public forum. In fact I am infuriated. I am a professional and work in a professional business telecoms environment and if I knew my customer support team was talking to customers like this I would be outraged. I have had to ask the same questions repeatedly and I only get half-answers of some of my questions asked in the previous emails. I have clearly spent more time trying to understand this and it isn't even my job to do so. I am exhausted and feel that the support doesn't have the knowledge available to their teams to adequately support this game. Edited August 27, 2009 by Planck Small edits requested Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Planck 1 Posted August 27, 2009 Personally, from your many topics on the very same subject (which I am inclined to view as crossposting or multiposting of the same subject), I can see that you have been given answers by Lynx to the majority of your queries. It seems to me that you are either, not understanding his answers, deliberately ignoring his answers or possibly you want him to list results from every conceivable hardware configuration possible under the sun. In short, there is no ONE way of setting these values that will suit everyone, they need to be adjusted to suit each configuration and personal preference. I just do not understand the confusion of ideas that prevails here, adjust your settings to suit. Closing Planck Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
