December 8, 200619 yr There might be a definition problem here.FSX is not "64-bit native", true.FSX will run on 64-bit machines ( in the WoW layer ) so to me that means "64-bit capable".If someone has better terminology to differentiate between "native" and "compatible" I am all ears. ex-Aces Lead PM, FSX SP1 and SP2 ex-Intel LRB native title enablement, ex Intel Gaming and Graphics Samples PM now Graphics and Multicore PM in Visual Computing Software Enabling.
December 8, 200619 yr Let's just stick with the industry standard:Compliant = working, and optimisedCompatible = Functional, but not necessarily taking full advantage of.On that basis,FSX is 64-bit compatible. Be warned though, that doesn't mean that the rest of your FS hardware or software will be.64-bit is a lousy choice for an OS if you have a choice, and play games.Allcott
December 9, 200619 yr Moderator >Let's just stick with the industry standard:>Compliant = working, and optimised>Compatible = Functional, but not necessarily taking full>advantage of.>>On that basis,>>FSX is 64-bit compatible. Be warned though, that doesn't mean>that the rest of your FS hardware or software will be.>>64-bit is a lousy choice for an OS if you have a choice, and>play games.Let's face it, 64-bit is a lousy choice for programming a game... It simply means that all the program variables take up twice as much memory... ;) Fr. Bill AOPA Member: 07141481 AARP Member: 3209010556 Avsim Board of Directors | Avsim Forums Moderator
December 10, 200619 yr >Let's face it, 64-bit is a lousy choice for programming a>game... It simply means that all the program variables take up>twice as much memory... ;)Actually only the integers. Which also makes for bloated memory management in any case, since pointers are integers too.Regards,http://www.bremmekamp.com/img/misc/avsim.jpg
December 11, 200619 yr >>Let's face it, 64-bit is a lousy choice for programming a>>game... It simply means that all the program variables take>up>>twice as much memory... ;)>>Actually only the integers. Which also makes for bloated>memory management in any case, since pointers are integers>too.>>Regards,>>http://www.bremmekamp.com/img/misc/avsim.jpgTrue. but when the CPU is in 64 bit mode, you get 2x the number of registers to work with, you don't HAVE to declare Ints to use the full 64 bits (short int, etc.). You also have access to address >4GB memory space, which is going to become more and more important over the next 2-3 years... With Vista sucking up nearly 1GB of RAM just for itself, and FSX needing at LEAST 1GB (if not 2GB) for itself in stock form, 4GB+ is going to be essential as we start getting a bunch of add-ons and more complex terrain models.Even with FSX being a 32 bit app, while running on a 64 bit version of the OS, it means that the app will have access to a full 4GB addressing space (unlike on 32 bit XP/Vista where it has to share that 4GB address space with the OS). It still only gets access to the 32 bit bank of registers, but that leaves the 2nd back (added by the 64 bit instruction set) to the OS to play in.The biggest problem with 64 bit gaming is the CRUMMY driver support. I believe this will get better in Vista though. I recall reading that MS was requiring all drivers to be signed, and to get the signature from MS, the companies had to provide same level support for both 32 and 64 bit driver versions. --2002cbr600f4i
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