Founder's Pre-Beta: August 20

Does the media have the okay to release benchmark results to the public and have they received the update? I'm interested in seeing just how big of an impact DX12 has on performance, especially when comparing four fast cores to six slightly slower cores (i7-4790K vs i7-5820K).

The games media does have it yes. The embargo on their results is early next week.

The answer to DX12 vs. DX11: It depends.  

DX12 won't make your video card faster.  What it does is ensure that your video card is fully utilized.  In most strategy games and in fact in many other games, your game is CPU bound (getting a faster video card won't help you).  In DX12, a faster video card always helps you.

Just in time for my Birthday .

I use a Titan X so I'm not real concerned about a GPU bottleneck at this point. I do have a 5820K though and am wondering if my move to extra cores, albeit slower ones, will pay off or if I should have just grabbed a 6700K instead.

If I remember correctly, it is the nitrous engine from oxide that uses more cores for better performance and efficiency as opposed to faster single threaded performance. I believe it was also stated that 6 cpu cores had the best overall utilization of their engine.

That's what I'm hoping the benchmark will prove. I hear lots of speculation but I'd like to see it for myself.

Hi, I read somewhere that those who purchase the Founders Lifetime Edition get a second steam key. Do they get a full steam key or just a multiplayer key.and if so how and when would they get it. It would be a nice perk if it was a full key. Especially as any of the download content in the lifetime edition could be a long way off. Also having some special founders units would be a great idea something like the special preorder commanders in Planetary Annihilation. Maybe even special skins. Are they amy plans for these ?

This is great news. Can't wait to try out everything new.

Will this "pre-beta" still have a hard minimum resolution barrier of 1920 x 1080?

Sadly that's a deal breaker for me at the moment.

1920 x 1080

+1 for that

i would like to buy but this minimum resolution requirement stops me . please more  resolution options

Hello Frogboy,

Could you clarify this point for me please?

"8. Additional perks (additional keys to share with friends in the future)"

There were a few statements back that were confusing. Founders will get keys for friends, then only lifetime founders will get one additional key, now we are back to founders will get keys?

Can you clarify if I will get more than one key as a regular founder? 

Thank you.

swimming around the  threads, i read that  you will receive a key to give to friends..but once the beta stage is over..that key expires.

The benchmark results are a bit disheartening for me. 

@er32086, yes I know, but they made different announcements regarding the extra key(s), is it one, or more, or only when you are a lifetime founder?

@ForNein, benchmark results? Did someone release those?

Yes, they have been coming out today and with no shortage of controversy. I have no intention of pointing fingers or taking sides and that's not really what I care about at this point.

From what I've seen so far, it appears that my system will likely perform worse using DX12 which should not at all be the case. I was hoping for something a bit more positive than that.

I am limited in my understanding of the technical aspect but it almost seems like the increased output of draw calls by the CPU actually causes the GPU to become saturated with calls to the point where it can't handle or process them as fast as it could if the systems were CPU bound.

An analogy: Lets say you're taking groceries into the house from the car. Taking one bag at a time severely limits how fast you can move groceries. Taking two or three or four even would likely increase your efficiency since you're moving more in the time it would take to move one. If you had to try and take even more though, you'd soon experience difficulty carrying them and eventually not be able to carry them at all. In this scenario, the draw calls are bags of groceries and the person carrying them is the GPU.

Let me know if that did or didn't make any sense.

I am about to read those articles about the benchmark, but yes I do know what you mean, but then I would not think that DX12 would flood the GPU and stall it. Overall what I understand is that the GPU usage is optimized. Again, I do have to read the articles first.

can´t wait to try the new version

So does this mean we get the DX12 version tomorrow the 20th?

Yes!

There is very little reason for a minimum resolution other than to force better stress testing. Using it as a method to develop the UI is quite frankly poor design.

There is a reason: you want the game to look unbelievable, and you cannot execute that vision on a low resolution. I'm not saying that's the case here, and I bet they will do it, so I wouldn't worry.

Also, 1920x1080 perhaps represents a bar that you must pass in order to be an alpha tester. It implies you have a system beefy enough to give the game a fighting chance. It would not be helpful in this stage to have a bunch of people saying the game sucks because they can't run it on their GeForce Go 6800.

Soo.... how early on the 20th? Could I say pull an all nighter staring at steam waiting on a update?

There is still no reason for 1080p being the minimum resolution. Quite often, 720p with maximum settings looks better than 1080p with medium settings.

Either way, it would be foolish not to support support resolutions lower than 1080p when it launches.

Why not a 320x200 mode? . Our minimum resolution will ultimately be as low as we can do it without comprising the UI.  For now, 1920x1080 is the minimum. 1600x900 might be doable.

Any time for DX12 update today? UK time that is.