Does CPU affect alot of performance?

My friend got 60fps on an MTR Kwun Tong Line + MTR C-train, his CPU is 21% faster than mine but his Graphic card is way worse than mine(my GPU is better than his for 3 times), but with the same configuration I only got around 23fps (We both are running on Windows 10), does that mean if I can get a better CPU, I can get way higher fps? I always thought that it's because the GPU can't handle it, is it though? Thanks

It's somewhere in the middle actually.

Both the CPU and the graphics card affect framerates heavily. As a rough rule of thumb:

• The more transparent objects, the more the graphics card has an effect.
  
• The more moving faces (animated objects, player train etc.) the more the CPU has an effect.
  
• With more static faces, the CPU determines the minimum FPS and smoothness (block / visibility calculations) but the graphics card determines the max FPS
  

Ah, thanks for clarifying. I thought as long as the program did not use all of my CPU usage, it's enough for the program.

When you say transparent, is it the colour around the texture itself ie black, red, green, blue. Or is is anything with the transparent command in?

On another note can you make a transparent object without the colour or code? I was looking at some of my objects yesterday, one being a fence without the backing colour, I think the code as well...

On another note can you make a transparent object without the colour or code?

Are you referring to "alpha" channels, Dan? I expect you know that it's possible to use "alpha transparency", which (for the benefit of the uninitiated) is a native feature easily added to .png files. However, there may be problems with using it, certainly with previous versions of the program - though I can't comment on the current renderer. A few items within my routes use it though I try and stick to a purposely defined transparent color (usually 0,0,0 - good ol' solid black!!). I'm pretty sure there's a "cost" to fps using alpha transparency, am I wrong?

Interesting this is what I was wondering. My transparent objects all use black which I assume is still classed as an alpha colour? But I noticed I have a few fences in the central line which aren't alpha transparent coloured....

I think some bitmap editing software may create alpha transparency by default. When I'm fabricating textures my usual approach is to ensure efficiency by seeing to it that the .pngs are pixels rule of ² compliant (2,4,8,16 etc), that they are knocked back to index colour (which should eliminate alpha transparency) and that where a transparency colour is defined, I like it to be black 0,0,0.
I don't claim it's the ONLY way to do it, but by this method I've had few problems and no complaints from users about poor frame rates with my stuff.
Routes /trains, like any digital stuff, can easily become "bloated" and inefficient simply by poor workmanship on the part of the maker.

Edit added: Stephen Cross passed me a note via FB  -  this is good advice, I've used the PNG Gauntlet program myself in the past and it is beneficial:

Stephen said: My default graphics program PaintDotNET automatically creates an alpha level. PNGGauntlet smashes them back down [url=https://pnggauntlet.com]https://pnggauntlet.com/[/url] or a better / proper graphics program you just choose to "flatten" the image by reducing the levels back to just one (1).

Our standard image has three channels (Red, Green and Blue).
Each pixel in the image is represented by three bytes, one for each channel.
Adding an alpha channel adds a fourth byte (Alpha).

Whilst this suggests that an alpha texture is 1/3 slower than a standard texture, it's by no means the whole story at all.
Allocating the texture, calling it etc. will still take exactly the same amount of time.

TLDR:
It'll have some sort of effect, but this is likely to be minimal

---

If you want a semi-transparent face without using Alpha, then you just need to add another parameter to the Color command for the face. Works exactly the same as all the others, so:

Code:

Color 0,0,0,128

This produces a 50% transparent black face etc.

graymac wrote:I think some bitmap editing software may create alpha transparency by default. When I'm fabricating textures my usual approach is to ensure efficiency by seeing to it that the .pngs are pixels rule of ² compliant (2,4,8,16 etc), that they are knocked back to index colour (which should eliminate alpha transparency) and that where a transparency colour is defined, I like it to be black 0,0,0.
I don't claim it's the ONLY way to do it, but by this method I've had few problems and no complaints from users about poor frame rates with my stuff.
Routes /trains, like any digital stuff, can easily become "bloated" and inefficient simply by poor workmanship on the part of the maker.

That is the way I do it too I only ever use black. There is definately some truth in the rule of 2 as well, I have noticed even when a texture is accidentally saved out of 2, it can cause a tremendous slowdown.

I want add on that yes CPU does affect performance because I'm testing out this theory on a gaming pc at my university, now the CPU, on the PC is i7-6700K. Now, I am using a computer at university so you'll have restrictions, I'm currently running 1.4.2.0 version openbve, windowed mode of a resolution 1768 x 992, level of anti-aliasing set to the max 16.

Currently testing this on the central line and maybe include the Jubilee line. Interior camera I'm getting a whooping 60 fps, while running one tab of internet explore, however, exterior I'm at the back of the train with a consistent 60fps. Where as my home pc CPU i5-2400 will do 43fps in exterior angle but 60fps in interior. Currently testing this at North Acton station. Is this the max fps? No (Well I think so), I'll provide some footage of where I'll get spike drops from my home pc and compare it to the one at uni, please bear with me.

Because I'm testing this on a university PC, I have restrictions, so plugins maybe not function and installation of anything will be denied, forgive me BVE Western Region on this one, their PC just removed the functionality of your plugins and it wouldn't allow me to use the latest version on OpenBVE

Now on the Jubilee my first run I had a solid 60fps, but test two, it was consistent, but a few minor lag spikes, FPS is available at the bottom left
Test 2

Computer stats:

CPU - Intel Core i7-6700K
GPU- Nvidia GTX 1080
Hard Drive- 2TB Hard Drive
SDD- 500GB
RAM - Hynix 16GB

I have been trying to work out if some of my objects cause the spikes and if it is possible to rectify that. But I think it may just be the Cpu loading, particularly the older cpu's. The spikes do seem to happen at specific places however...