The 96kb FPS game.

[Dim]

haha I got:

3.2 ghz
180gb HD
512mb
256 Radeon GFX Card

and it was still jumpy as hell

Nice idea tho.

[Mr. Peanuts]

Yup, You cant compare a project liek that to a full developed game. It's like comparing HTML to freewebs templates. HTML will win, whatever the look.

[Jason]

I remember seeing the 64kb 3D demo these produkkt guys put out. I was fucking shocked. This is even sweeter. That's some bitchin' compression technology.

[WiseCherub]

I have no idea why they make games/programs so big nowdays, but it sucks big time.

I have thought about this alot Jeansi as I tried to learn more about programming over the years and seen recently how computer programming philosophy approach has changed.

Sorry guy/gals, if I sound like an a-hole in my last reply. I just feel strong about this issue; yeah I'm abit eccentric about it. This can often lead to big debates and arguements, I don't want to get into this; nobody can change my mind on this issue.. since I probably spent 10 years thinking about it.

Well this is why?

Some programmers believe that you must make as efficient routines as possible for your given computer system. Since 1987, many crackers/demo crews would make intros for cracked software, and some would have big competitions to see how far they could push the limits of their favorite computer. I grew up with the Commodore 64 and Amiga.. these machines are joke now compared to the hardware that is out there, but were clearly ahead of their time... many programmers (most of them from europe) produce some of the most efficient real-time graphic routines that pushed what you could do on these machines. Back in 1990 seeing real-time vector graphics with texture mapping was quite a thing, today its a joke.

Back in the 1980s, when I began learning programming as a kid(around 12), I look into BASIC (Didn't like it cause in the end it would suck for making games..way too inefficient), I decided to learn assembly language, then in 1990 I learned C (my 1st attempt to learn about System programming, cause I know for certain applications assembly language would be too messy and take way longer to write programs).

Then after 1990.. C++ and object oriented approach took off, and at the same time computer hardware became way more powerful.

The main reason why most programmers use very high level languages, is because the computer hardware is cheaper and way more powerful, its usually faster to write code for an application using a higher level language, and its usually easier to people who don't wana know every facet within the computer hardware.

Writing programs faster, means pushing product out fast, and most companies want to sell product fast before the competition does.

The other thing is OBJECT Oriented programming, it usually creates big compiled programs. Yet it makes life easier for the human programmer, but not for the finished product and the computer that has to run on.

So I would say, most programmers nowadays or the ones being pumped out of universities want the computer hardware to compensate for their laziness.
When I went to university, the professors would argue with me, and would say I'm out of my mind. Though I have talked to other Computer Scientist (like Jeff Fox developing a FORTH chip processor..and he just laughed when I told him what these local professors said.. I respect him way more, cause he proved the point).

I shall never agree to this philosophy, since for real-time application code just seems completely illogical.... I wana baby the computer, not baby myself.. I wana treat the computer hardware with respect, and see it pushed to its limit especially for any real-time application.

However, the only language I love is C, just C.. however there is another almost forgotten computer language (FORTH), but that RPN notation is sort of too weird for me, but this language has to be 2nd to assembly, infact there is FORTH processors.... and NASA.. uses this for high-end critical system applications.

Sorry to write another long thread reply, but yes obviously the development team to achieve this goal of writing incredible efficient FPS game is quite an accomplishment; I respect this type of programmers.

Yeah, all these terms we use in TW.. like LAME, Elites..etc.. all started back in the early to mid 80s with Pirate/Cracking groups; this was back in the non-internet days..when everyone just used bbses. I wouldn't doubt that many of the veterns of SS are old school computer junkies too.

[stark]

I believe postal 2 had better compression.

[Fallen Angel]

It doesn't use compression, it uses an advanced set of algorithms to calculate the textures in realtime, which is why you need a monster of a machine to be able to run it. The rest is standard DirectX (pixelshaders etc.).

[Sleepy Weasel]

Impressive that they could do it.

It may be intellectually satisfying to write extremely efficient code or use assembly language, but it's a riduculous amount of more work for negligable gains. It's about producing a quality product.

[Fallen Angel]

Impressive that they could do it.

It may be intellectually satisfying to write extremely efficient code or use assembly language, but it's a riduculous amount of more work for negligable gains. It's about producing a quality product, no one ever says "man this game is good, but I would have gladly waited a couple more years for it if they could have reduced it's size by 1/2"

In the 80's size was oftentimes the limiting factor when developing programs, it no longer is, so why let it handicap you?

Agreed. Time pressure is one of the biggest issues in game developpement. It's about achieving maximum results in a short amount of time. This results in re-use of old code (engines) which is not always as efficiently programmed as it could be. However, another issue is performance. You really don't want to market a game that can only run (barely) on top of the line systems, as would be the case if you would use only highly demanding algorithms in and effort to keep the source code as compact as possible.

[Vitron]

It is very, very cool that they could do that. "I can finaly download a game on my top-of-the-line alienware pc with my 2k internet connection! WOOT!"

Edit: Oh and I can also download continuum because it uses special graphical algorithms known as bm2's which makes continuum only 5mb! - Though I may lag a bit on this connection.

[Mr. Peanuts]

It doesn't use compression, it uses an advanced set of algorithms to calculate the textures in realtime, which is why you need a monster of a machine to be able to run it. The rest is standard DirectX (pixelshaders etc.).

yeah, you must need a hell of a load of RAM