Help from beta-testers needed

[Lordus]

As you may know, DraStic uses multiple threads for 3D rendering.
Depending on the number of CPU cores on the device, the thread-count is set to 2 for dual-core and to 3 for quad-core devices.
3, because using more than 3 threads showed no performance benefits in any of our tests before, but this has changed with high-resolution rendering, where I can see improvements with 4 threads.

So, if you are a beta tester with access to high-resolution rendering and have a quad-core device, you could help us test if 4 threads are better, or if there are devices where that is not the case.
You can override the number of threads by simply creating a text file that has only the number 4 in it, and naming it 'threads.cfg'.
Then copy that file to /sdcard/DraStic/config, and if you re-start the app and go to options > advanced, you should see that it displays '4' now for the number of threads.

Then test some games and see if the performance is better, worse, or just the same and let us know here please.
Also please state which device you're using.
It's probably best if you disable frameskip while testing.

Also, to clarify: this has nothing to do with the setting 'Multi-Threaded 3D Rendering'. The setting should be disabled during the test!

[TkSilver]

Samsung galaxy tab s 8.4
Exynos 5420 arm a15 1.9 quad a7 1.3 quad

Pokemon white (recemtly bought since ppl kept saying it looked so good hi rez)
3 threads or 4 threads on the press start screen with hi rez no filter and multi-render on-- almost no difference
Mario kart
3 threaded performance is too good to be a valid test no need for the multi-threaded rendering

Unfortunately most of my other games are either not 3d (professor layton series, tactics games) or do not like the multi threaded option (infinate space, golden sun ds). I am planning on picking up some new(to me) used ds games and ripping them to roms so may change later.

[Lordus]

I added it to my initial post, multi-threaded 3D should be disabled for this test, the rendering is always using 2/3 threads (if you have a dual/quad-core device). This setting acts on top of that and will run the 3D rendering in yet another thread parallel to other parts of the emulation.

[Hawntah]

LG G3 - Snapdragon 801 (Krait 400) @2.5 GHz, multi-threaded 3D disabled. Tested a couple of games that don't run full speed, virtually no difference. If anything, I'd say it's a tiny bit slower with 4 threads, although it's hard to say because the FPS jumps around so much.

[Q8-V08]

Indianapolis 500 - Legends with it's 15 on screen cars
and GTA: Chinatown Wars should be a good benchmark for this.

[TkSilver]

Retested with multi-threaded off
Pokemon white- performance still simular and far below multi threaded need auto framskip or multi enabled

Mario kart- performance simular-- hi rez on this game makes it drop to 85 onece in a while and very briefly almost un noticable unles you have the fps counter up.

Infinate space- does seem to stabilize a bit better while 4 threads are working still not full speed durring a ship to ship fight but now the vocals are not broken up and are now understandable.

Golden sun dd- seems to stabalize a bit too while running 4 threads though still not what I would want to play the entire game under.

Odd thing noticed on the games that performed fine with the multi threaded setting enabled (ie no screen flipping, crashes, ect...) there was no noticeable gain frommthe 4th thread with multi threaded off. But the 2 games I have that hate the multi threaded setting both seemed to smooth out a bit. One even to the point where it got rid of an issue in broken audio (voice). Kinda odd but no issues so far with the 4th core messing up any games even non 3d ones.

[Fefo]

Nexus 4, 1.5 GHz Krait (Snapdragon 800?). No frameskip, no multitheaded 3D, forced 4 threads, Quilez filter, low latency audio.

On Phantasy Star 0, no difference. On GTA there was a lot of "stuttering" sound effects, with no noticeable slowdown, and on 4 threads that reduced minimally. Increasing the latency did nothing: they just cracked with a delay.

For now, not worth unless it's less power-hungry.

Those who know demanding games please try to provide a save/state on that situation.

[Sean]

On my Moto X 2014, Snapdragon 801@2.5GHz, there was virtually no difference. I tested with high-res on and multi-threaded off with 0 frameskip, and in the few places I could manage to get lag, such as the Pokemon Black 2 start screen, the FPS stayed within the same range with both 3 and 4 threads. I don't have a huge selection of titles to test with, however with what I've seen its probably not worth the extra thread.

[huckleberrypie]

There's not much of a difference on my end either, i.e. on a quad-core Allwinner A31s.

[reeve]

Game: Love Plus (J) with English translation patch applied
Scene: Main Menu with Makana's 3D model.
Device: Galaxy S5 (Snapdragon 801)
It seems to perform about the same... maybe a little better with 4 threads(placebo?), but the speed still drops below 90% sometimes (frameskip off).