System requirements and performance questions

[Ontogenesis]

Hello! A quick question directed towards the developers and the game testers - what sort of minimum system specifications are you expecting for the game in the future? I only ask as my laptop is low spec and I've had some problems integrated graphics in the past (mainly Intel's Open GL support). I realise this is an early question for a pre-alpha game, but I thought you might have an idea. Thanks in advance.

[Yarkista]

It's very hard to predict what the end system specs will be during a pre-alpha, my guess is not very high but there's no sure fire way to know until release.

[Kalesin]

From what I've read, the game will use the Unity 3D engine. Then I put the minimum requirements to run it.

http://spanish.unity3d.com/unity/system-requirements

I guess I do not think the graphics requirements increase much to what we have seen are 2D and few particle effects, so if you can to increase processor and / or RAM, because the calculations to be made for the implementation the game, I do not think they are few.

[Mansen]

As long as it stays on a single Z-Level it shouldn't demand a whole lot, but of course requirements are very dynamic considering how the number of objects will increase as you play.

I'd be more worried about possible multi and supersampling - This makes Prison Architect a lot smoother, but also drains FPS like nothing else.

[Tynan]

It could be quite demanding for a while. The game is quite un-optimized right now and optimizing it is a non-trivial task I probably won't take on for some time. My 3 year old non-gaming laptop chugs on it quite hard.

[Keyreper]

just wondering but does the game have a windowed option, because i have a hard time using full screen for anything

[Tynan]

just wondering but does the game have a windowed option, because i have a hard time using full screen for anything

Yes, you can window it and play down to any resolution at least 1024x768.

[Keyreper]

thanks!

[Mansen]

On the subject of windowed resolutions - Please, please for the love of space Ganesha, include windowed fullscreen. So much easier not having to wait for renders when you tab back and forth.

[British]

On the subject of windowed resolutions - Please, please for the love of space Ganesha, include windowed fullscreen. So much easier not having to wait for renders when you tab back and forth.

But... why would you want to tab away from the game ?!

More seriously: titlebarless windowed resolutions !

[Ontogenesis]

It could be quite demanding for a while. The game is quite un-optimized right now and optimizing it is a non-trivial task I probably won't take on for some time. My 3 year old non-gaming laptop chugs on it quite hard.

Ah thanks for the answer - alphas are rarely optimised so I have no expectations there. I will hopefully be a good low-spec tester when the alpha rolls round in 2014! Otherwise it'll be a wait for a new laptop before playing, which would be a shame.

[British]

Otherwise it'll be a wait for a new laptop before playing, which would be a shame.

I agree, laptops are a shame

[Dejix]

I also agree, not playing is a crying shame.
That should cover both sides. 

[NotUserFriendly]

How much variability and customization (of graphics) will be available? Will a user be able to turn particles down, or reduce the number of objects rendered while still keeping them in play?
On the flip side of that, will we be able to ramp graphics up, and make the game so beautiful we can just bask in its glow on a high-powered machine? With the wide variety of computers out there, I'd like to know who I can recommend this to when it is released.

I'm only asking for what's planned, it's never fun to select a graphics options button and see just a resolution dropbox and a "Fullscreen" checkbox.

[Hypolite]

Since the pre-alpha game is running now with less features than planned and placeholder graphics, a full-featured video options screen is not the top priority, although it makes sense to expect one from the final product. It's never fun to have an empty graphics option screen, unless it's an alpha, in that case you don't have to care