Resoultions & FPS

So I'm trying to make a legit PC game (2d-platformer) at 1920 x 1080. On most decent desktops, it runs ~60fps. When I put it on my alienware laptop, I only get 40fps, but it's a constant 40fps and is incapable of going over this.    

I do have quite a few objects on the screen at once - probably over 30-40, but part of me thinks that the game is resizing all of the sprites, and that's why the lower resolution laptop can only achieve 40 fps (I'm using Scale - Integer Scale fullscreen). I also had some friends test the game, and most desktop users were fine, whereas other laptop users that can run Diablo 3 and DOTA just fine, can barely play my game due to bad fps.

Can anyone add some insight before I spend a ton of money on art and marketing on this - is construct 2 not the way to go for a proper 2d game?

Which browsers have you tried? Are they different?

Rendering is done by the GPU, so it should have no problem reaching 60 FPS on a high end system. Perhaps check your graphics drivers are all up to date, and make sure WebGL is available and enabled.

I'm only using Node-Webkit since my game will need to be an executable. WebGL is enabled in the game. I'll double check the drivers, but what about the low-end computer? Why would it be able to run a game like Diablo 3 but not a simple 2d platformer?

ome6a1717

What's the memory use your getting on the Construct 2 editor?

As in, when you open C2 there's a little heading called "memory use". What value does it say for your memory use?

retrodude - I'm using 123.8 mbs

ome6a1717

I think that should run fine, however if the memory use was around 70 it would probably run even better on low-end machines.

I made a platformer before and was using around 50mb of memory use with a ton of sprite objects as well but my sprite objects were more low-res. If you want you can try this to save ram:

Re-edit the size of the sprite objects on the C2 editor "the edit image option on sprite objects". Try making it smaller on the editor and then resize the image on the canvas to the original size you had it.

For example: lets say you had an image that was 600x600 (600 pixel width by length) on the image edit and 256x256 on the canvas on construct 2. What you would do is change the 600x600 to 300x300. This would make the image on the canvas smaller, so you have to resize the image on the canvas back to 256x256.

I'm not sure if I clearly explained that or not, if you don't understand what I wrote then comment here again. In general I'd imagine for a platformer you could probably save more space without removing any sprite objects just by resizing your images on the "edit image" option for sprite objects.

retrodude

I think I'm slightly confused - I understand the idea of shrinking the images and increasing the image size via canvas, but I only have 1 level at the moment, and plan on having at least 8 or 9 more. Does this mean for every sprite I add to the game, my memory used will go up? What is exactly increasing this number?

Also, increases the size of images via the canvas in my opinion never looks very good. I'm trying to keep a sharp look to my game.

retrodude

I think I'm slightly confused - I understand the idea of shrinking the images and increasing the image size via canvas, but I only have 1 level at the moment, and plan on having at least 8 or 9 more. Does this mean for every sprite I add to the game, my memory used will go up? What is exactly increasing this number?

Also, increases the size of images via the canvas in my opinion never looks very good. I'm trying to keep a sharp look to my game.

ome6a1717

"Does this mean for every sprite I add to the game, my memory used will go up?"

I think your total estimated memory usage will probably go up.

Honestly I'm not entirely sure how its calculated. I think its based on the total estimate for the amount of ram you'll be using up.

I believe the memory usage only depends on the objects you currently have on a layout that is running. So your first layout could be wasting 120mb of memory while your second one is wasting 90mb. In either layout that value (120mb) indicates an estimated value of the amount of memory your using up based on what you have on the canvas. So if you want to add more sprite objects, but you don't want to use them on this layout then no you won't waste anymore memory on this object, other then the memory you have already used with your current sprite.

I think the memory use is only dependent on whatever you have placed on the canvas. So even if you add 10000 different types of sprites, but you don't use them in any levels, that just means you won't waste any memory to render these objects.

In general the estimates on construct 2 are higher then the actual amount of memory your using up. But once again I'm not entirely sure.

Ashley

I'm curious as well as to how the memory use is estimated. Think you could explain it for us?

ome6a1717

This will probably help:

scirra.com/blog/112/remember-not-to-waste-your-memory

retrodude - this is helpful, thanks.

I feel like I'm already doing this, though. I have 2 tiled backgrounds of 1 solid color each (64x64), with 3-4 sprites that have 5-6 unanimated frames for decoration (max size is 306 x 202). The rest are enemies & small ui.

My level size is pretty huge - that I won't argue with (20,000 x 20,0000) but originally I was told that it only processes what is currently on screen. Does this then mean it doesn't necessarily matter whats on-screen, because it will affect the game regardless?

Here's a question - what's considered high memory use for a desktop game?

Also, how do you see how much memory is being used in each layout as opposed to the whole project?

UPDATE: I figured out why my memory was so high. I had player animations that was not cropped - so for every frame there was tons of transparent space. So far I've went from 123mbs to 70.8mbs. That at least answers that question! However, I'm still curious about what is considered high memory for a desktop game, as well as how to tell how much memory is used per layout.