Alpha is now open

[Chalenge]

I'm pretty sure that Skuzzy has said that the speed of the HDD does not matter.  An SSD will load the game faster than a standard HDD, but that's about it.

I'm pretty sure textures are preloaded into memory, so aside from loading the game (and maps) faster SSDs don't make a lot of difference once the game is running (like you said). I just compared the game on a Z87 LGA 1150 and an X99 LGA 2011-3 system with the same HDD and SSD as well as GPUs (being 2x GTX 980s in SLI). The GPUs are supposed to be more important to the Alpha, but I still gained about 12 fps to hold 60 fps at a true 4k resolution on the X99 system. There are times when my fps drops down to about 48-50 fps; tank gun fire, for instance, will cause a drop like that. But, I think Hitech is making really good progress and that before the game is out of alpha that these issues will be corrected. Still, it is amazing that the game can even do that! It won't be long and it will be possible for 16k resolutions. I have already done it, but the fps was 10 and below. I think you need 32 fps minimum to be playable, but smooth, consistent video is more important than the actual number you get.

[HL117]

Old Clunky Below runs fine with everything turned off, and graphics look good with everything turned off IMHO , have not started turning stuff on item by item yet , maybe next time in will do so.

Getting 59 / 40s frame rates, have not encountered any furballs yet to see its effects on frame rates.

NOTE: as a side note, system is being used on  46 inch TV.



------------------
System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 8/3/2015, 09:28:38
       Machine name: HAL2015
   Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit (6.1, Build 7601) Service Pack 1 (7601.win7sp1_gdr.150202-1526)
           Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
       System Model: G41M-ES2H
               BIOS: Award Modular BIOS v6.00PG
          Processor: Pentium(R) Dual-Core  CPU      E6300  @ 2.80GHz (2 CPUs), ~2.8GHz
             Memory: 4096MB RAM
Available OS Memory: 4094MB RAM
          Page File: 1738MB used, 6448MB available
        Windows Dir: C:\Windows
    DirectX Version: DirectX 11
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
   User DPI Setting: 120 DPI (125 percent)
 System DPI Setting: 96 DPI (100 percent)
    DWM DPI Scaling: Disabled
     DxDiag Version: 6.01.7601.17514 64bit Unicode

[CAP1]

 thanks for all of your help guys!
System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 8/3/2015, 21:32:46
       Machine name: JOHNS-PC
   Operating System: Windows Vista™ Home Premium (6.0, Build 6001) Service Pack 1 (6001.vistasp1_gdr.101014-0432)
           Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
       System Model: EP45-DS3L
               BIOS: Award Modular BIOS v6.00PG
          Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU     E8400  @ 3.00GHz (2 CPUs), ~3.0GHz
             Memory: 3326MB RAM
          Page File: 1180MB used, 5703MB available
        Windows Dir: C:\Windows
    DirectX Version: DirectX 10
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
     DxDiag Version: 6.00.6001.18000 32bit Unicode

------------
DxDiag Notes
------------
      Display Tab 1: No problems found.
        Sound Tab 1: No problems found.
        Sound Tab 2: No problems found.
          Input Tab: No problems found.

--------------------
DirectX Debug Levels
--------------------
Direct3D:    0/4 (retail)
DirectDraw:  0/4 (retail)
DirectInput: 0/5 (retail)
DirectMusic: 0/5 (retail)
DirectPlay:  0/9 (retail)
DirectSound: 0/5 (retail)
DirectShow:  0/6 (retail)

---------------
Display Devices
---------------
        Card name: NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GTX/9800 GTX+
     Manufacturer: NVIDIA
        Chip type: GeForce 9800 GTX/9800 GTX+
         DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
       Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0612&SUBSYS_82861043&REV_A2
   Display Memory: 1904 MB
 Dedicated Memory: 497 MB
    Shared Memory: 1407 MB
     Current Mode: 1280 x 1024 (32 bit) (75Hz)
          Monitor: Generic PnP Monitor
      Driver Name: nvd3dum.dll,nvwgf2um.dll,nvwgf2um.dll
   Driver Version: 9.18.0013.1106 (English)
      DDI Version: 10
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
 Driver Date/Size: 2/26/2013 00:22:30, 15129960 bytes
      WHQL Logo'd: Yes
  WHQL Date Stamp:
Device Identifier: {D7B71E3E-4552-11CF-A177-8BA21FC2C435}
        Vendor ID: 0x10DE
        Device ID: 0x0612
        SubSys ID: 0x82861043
      Revision ID: 0x00A2
      Revision ID: 0x00A2
     

[CAP1]

there's more than that......but i don't wanna clutter everything. when i click the attachments below, it doesn't give me the option to attach a file.......

[CAP1]

If I'm not terribly mistaken, hitech is using a machine very similar to your current one for all his testing.

IMO, that's terrible as all the base capture guys will turn off all the eye candy so they can find the towns easily. All the GV guys will do the same so they can have an advantage finding the enemy. Never mind whether they need to because of weak hardware!

My hope is that htc will announce the advancement of the minimum and maximum ground clutter ranges on a fixed schedule of every 6 months to a year to keep the upgrade path predictable and keep everyone on an equal footing with state of the art graphics.

I hate that anyone can turn off clutter to gain an advantage but I understand the current necessity.

These beautiful graphics, or something similar could have happened 4 or 5 years ago but too many people would have been caught in the hardware upgrade bind. IMO The numbers in the Main Arenas are the result of not keeping up with the competition. I will maintain that the MA numbers exhibit the result in not making the changes earlier and I sincerely hope it's not too late!

IMHO, Hitech's work is beautiful and the game should be experienced with all the graphics set to the absolute maximum! You might be able to see what it CAN look like in off-line mode with your machine, but you'll never be able to appreciate all Hitech's work until you have better hardware!

Check the hardware forum if you're serious about obtaining or building a new machine.

Edit:
Unless you have an SSD hard drive (best), install the game on your fastest SATA hard drive if you have one.  The point is, install it on your fastest drive because in the past, it only loads the textures when it needs them and the faster the drive the less stutter and or possibility of a crash.

If any of my advice is wrong, I'm sure someone from htc will weigh in.

when i asked where it should be, i meant where in the file system i should have it. as example, when td built this for me, if i recall, he'd told me to always keep the game in the games folder. accordingly, current version's in c/games/aces high. the alpha is where the system downloaded it to. c/hitech creations/aces high beta.

 i have no clue why td told me i should keep the game in games. i didn't really think it mattered where on the hd they were. but i know generally just enough about computers to make myself look stupid.

[CAP1]

and thanks guys!!

[The Fugitive]

there's more than that......but i don't wanna clutter everything. when i click the attachments below, it doesn't give me the option to attach a file.......

Thats enough, let me put it to you like this, Thats like a 66 Mustang with the strait 6 in it and a bad paint job. 

Turning everything down on that and you might be able to run ok, but your not going to see the pretty stuff they are adding. Vista was bad out of the box, 4 megs of ram is looking like what is going to be the low end, 8 recommended, and that video card is low too. Its a 512 meg ram card and it is borrowing system ram that you don't have. A 1 GIG card is what most are looking at now.

Time to start saving your pennies!

I let the installer put the game where it recommends, C:/hitechcreations/aceshigh

[CAP1]

Thats enough, let me put it to you like this, Thats like a 66 Mustang with the strait 6 in it and a bad paint job. 

Turning everything down on that and you might be able to run ok, but your not going to see the pretty stuff they are adding. Vista was bad out of the box, 4 megs of ram is looking like what is going to be the low end, 8 recommended, and that video card is low too. Its a 512 meg ram card and it is borrowing system ram that you don't have. A 1 GIG card is what most are looking at now.

Time to start saving your pennies!

I let the installer put the game where it recommends, C:/hitechcreations/aceshigh

 thank ya sir. guess i gotta pass on that next 1911, and upgrade my machine. to be honest though, i got a fantastic run outta this one. i've been running this machine since 2008......so really it doesn't owe me a dime.

[Traveler]

always receive Switched to TCP message in Alpha arenas, anyone else get that?

[earl1937]

The forum and download.  In order to access it, you do need a valid bulletin board account.

http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/board,649.0.html

Not sure where to post comments, but here goes anyway!

#1- cockpit view of any aircraft, which I have flown in the alpha test, will not "back" up enough in order to see all of the instrument panel.

#2- No airspeed indicator in 51D

#3- Sun is just way to bright

#4- I hope you never replace the present AH with this new thing, its no where near as good looking as our present game!
      (maybe you just need to up grade our present game with a few improvements, placing a few aircraft sitting around present airfields and a few vehicles around would do great wonders for looks of the present game. Add Mitsu sound pack for the present default game sounds, it changes the perception of the game a great deal. Move the towns around airfields away further and spread the buildings out so that a set of lanc's can't come in and white flag the town in a few passes. Do away with the HQ crap shutting down radars everywhere, that is so not realistic! Put a service ceiling on all aircraft, per their published service ceilings! Neuter the pilot wound program, as it is not realistic either! Put some cloud covers in area's much like some I have seen in special events, if it can be done in special arena's, it can be done in MLW arena also! Include some wind down to 1,000 feet AGL for more realistic ACM's and bombing! I could go on, but think I might be wasting my time>)

[SteelyDan68]

Silly question... Where the link to Download? 

[FLS]

Silly question... Where the link to Download? 

The open alpha test forum.

http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/board,649.0.html

[SteelyDan68]

The open alpha test forum.

http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/board,649.0.html

Yea, I'm there... But, the link is where? 

[JimmyD3]

Not sure where to post comments, but here goes anyway!

#1- cockpit view of any aircraft, which I have flown in the alpha test, will not "back" up enough in order to see all of the instrument panel.

#2- No airspeed indicator in 51D

#3- Sun is just way to bright

#4- I hope you never replace the present AH with this new thing, its no where near as good looking as our present game!
     

Earl

1. Change your field of view (FOV) in the video settings in the login screen that will allow  you to see more of the panel. AH3 is defaulted to an FOV of 80 now.

2. The P-51D has a speed indicator, right where the AH2 had it.

3. Change the Gamma setting in the Graphics settings to turn down the sun. Lowering the gamma will make it darker.

4. With all due respect, there is no comparison between AH2 and AH3, AH3 has much better graphics all the way around. While I can't speak for Hitech and the crew I'm sure we are to far along into the upgrade to just dump it and start over. Wait till the final comes out, I believe it will greatly enhance the game all the way around from, Fighters to Bombers and GV's. This upgrade will change the game play for every one.

  Sir.

[FLS]

Yea, I'm there... But, the link is where? 

It's in the sticky that says  Alpha Patch 69 download. At the bottom you'll see the patch and the full download.

http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,373961.0.html