[PA_Willy]

Hi guys,

I,m interested in knowing if in IL2 1946 a CF/SLI rig is a good idea. Just now, thinking in purchasing a 4870X2. But I must be sure I will get a important boost in this game. Any CF/SLI rig owner here?

My rig:

C2D E8400 @4.0Ghz.
2*2Gb Gskill 1100 5-5-5-15
Gigabyte X48 DS4
8800GTX @ 630-1476-2000 --> To change.
WD VelociRaptor 320Gb
WD 1Tb 7200
PSU Corsair TX750W

Thanks in advance.

[chickenchoker]

You don't give monitor & resolution info, but I think you will only see better frame rates if using high resolutions. Of course, it also means better IQ with no frame drop.

Your 8800 GTX should do pretty good?
I have 8800 GT SLI with E8400 @ 3 gh and I have no problem with frame rate running 1920 x 1200.
Average FR in BD track is around 52, low 22. [vsync enabled] In perfect mode. Problem is, I get micro pauses or stutters or whatever , running perfect :evil: I really haven't bothered with trying to fix it yet .

[JudgeMingus]

chickenchoker - I think the micropause/stuttering was elsewhere ascribed to SLI combined with a lack of triple-buffering due to high resolutions.

I am not sure if you are able to force triple-buffering at that resolution (it is somewhere in the nVidia controls, but I don't know where, or what resolutions it can be set for), but if you can it may reduce or remove the stuttering.

Wilhelm - IL-2 is much more CPU bound than graphics limited. More CPU is the most important ingredient, followed by RAM and much later the Graphics card.

Frankly, your machine should be phenomenal!

For comparison, I am using:
Athlon XP 2600+
1GB DDR400
128MB Radeon 9800 Pro
Some godawful slow 60GB PATA drive giving me 5 minute game load times...

Apart from the HDD and needing more RAM, I get a reasonable game experience (settings 'Excellent' at 1024x768).

Cheerio

[stansdds]

Unless you are using really high resolutions, SLI or Cross Fire brings little to the table except extra expense, extra energy consumption, extra heat, and extra problems with drivers. Flight sims in general are far more CPU intensive.

My rig is an Intel E6850, 2GB RAM and a 8800GT OC under Windows XP Home and it smokes Il2 and MS Flight Sim 2004 at 1024x768 resolution.

[PA_Willy]

Well, I get a wonderful performance at 1920*1200 in perfect settings with AA x4.

The question is I want to play at this resolution but with Supersampling AA (through nHancer) x16SS (nor multisampling MSAA nor CSAA).

I get better fps than chickenchocker (8800GT SLI) in BlackDeath (my maximum is 122 and minimiun is 37) but with MSAA x4. I need SSAA x16.

The main question is:

There are games which aren't improved with SLI/CF because they aren't fully compatible with this technology (for example, FSX).

Is IL-2 1946 (and maybe BoB SoW) ready to be boosted in a SLI/CF rig or the performance is equal running two cards in CF than one only?

I know IL-2 is more dependent from CPU, but my CPU is a C2D 8400 at 4.0Ghz!! What else can you get for a game which only runs in one core?

Thanks in advance.

[stansdds]

Il 2 under Open GL prefers multi-sampling AA. I've tried Super Sampling AA and ended up with odd reflections on the water surfaces.

[PA_Willy]

Il 2 under Open GL prefers multi-sampling AA. I've tried Super Sampling AA and ended up with odd reflections on the water surfaces.

Nah.

That can be an issue related to drivers or hardware (Ati?)

I have been playing with SSAA for years (1280*960 and below) and you can't get better image quality in any other mode. No issues for me in two different rigs. Now, at 1920*1200 is impossible to play with x16SSAA because the framerate impact.

BUT, I have been checking other forums and webs, and is clear for me than IL-2 is not getting additional performance with SLI/CF rigs...

http://www.simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.p ... ost2568383

4870X2 is a bad idea thinking in IL-2 1946, FSX or the Silent Hunters series.

Regards.

[chickenchoker]

"chickenchoker - I think the micropause/stuttering was elsewhere ascribed to SLI combined with a lack of triple-buffering due to high resolutions."

Cheers, I'll sure look into it. I use AA 8xS, super transparency, and AF x16. Watching BD track in perfect mode is smooth. External views are fine, it's in the cockpit I get a "strobe" affect. It's a steady timed pause-pause-pause.

Also, I get an artifact on the water that looks kind of like a smoke trail, and I saw the "white flashes" on the aircraft.

Thanks

Windows XP SP2 / Zone Alarm
E8400/680I SLI/ 2GB DDR2
Seagate 250GB 16MB x2 Raid 0
8800GT 512 SLI / 169.21
Sound Blaster X-FI
Samsung 245BW @ 1920 x 1200
ATX 1KW PSU

[VonWaffen]

To be sli unable you need 2 sli video carte of the same kind working together (both video carte cpu working in same time) on the same motherbord with sli compatibe ram memory....But this doesn t matter cause il2 was not a sli capatible game...

[VonWaffen]

Maybe you better look to buy the new ATI generation video carte they all ready got 2 cpu on the same video carte...So if you get 2 video carte together you allready have 4 cpu working for you,,,,
For the same price , it s a nice deal....

[VonWaffen]

Win XP , E6850 intel core duo
evga nForce 680i sli , 8 GB DDR2 sli ready
WD raptor 150 16 mg x 2 raid 0
asus en8800gt sli x 2
antek 850 true power quatro
Lg 42 inch lcd