Switching to a new game engine and DX version
Switching to a new game engine and DX version
So I'm playing this game called Black desert online (BDO), and they have some pretty bad optimisation. There was some talking going around the forum, and people are asking for new engine and update from DX11 (feels more like DX9, since it doesn't seems to use multithreading, but w/e), to DX12 or Vulkan. Can game even do update like this? Or would they need to make completely new game? And if it's possible to change DX version of current game, would they be able to just push "normal" game update that would change that? What about game engine? They are using some Pearl Abyss engine, but would they be able to change that also? With "normal" updates? I belive changing from DX11 to DX12/Vulkan and chaning game engine would mean that developers would have to rewrite 90% of the game code, so it would take long time. But how long exactly would it usualy take to change that? Are we talking in few weeks/months/years? I apologise if I sound dumb, but I don't have any knowdelge of that so I rather ask here
When employing a game engine that receives an update for a more recent DX release, the modification process is generally straightforward (compared to overhauling the game). However, if changing the engine becomes necessary, the task becomes significantly more complex.
They don’t seem to be using an engine that makes updating the DX version simple, otherwise they’d probably have done it already. Players are frequently complaining about low FPS in busy areas. Even with the best PC, seeing only 20 FPS in-game is really disappointing. The CPU and GPU aren’t even running at 50% usage, and changing game settings doesn’t help at all. It looks like they’d need a different game engine if we want consistent 60 FPS.
Sadly, the API and engine don't fit together perfectly. Switching to DX12 would help with more logical processing, but it wouldn't work if the engine only runs on two cores.
I don't reach 20FPS under any circumstances; the game runs okay but feels slow. I still think multithreading works well, and it handles the loop better than most other titles, particularly on the GPU—recently I saw it at 67°C, which is quite hot for my loop, and only about 50% usage.
In the end, they'd need a new API and engine to achieve any performance boost. Unfortunately, it seems they won't invest enough, as it would be too expensive. I've reached about 15 frames per second in Calpheon—it really drops my FPS significantly. Even at around 50-60 fps while grinding mobs, the numbers keep falling. Overwatch handles this well; I maintained steady 75fps with VSync on a 75Hz display, regardless of player count or skill spam. FPS stayed consistent at 75. I'm really frustrated by these drops. I genuinely enjoy the game, but if they could just improve the engine to consistently hit 60fps, it would be amazing. Paying them more for better DLC with a stronger engine would be great!
A fresh engine is required. The API only handles what the engine can do. While DX12 offers better logic handling, the engine needs support and proper coding. If Minecraft adopted DX12, performance gains would be minimal because it remains single-threaded—calculations still occur one after another instead of in parallel.