64-Bit Gaming When?

[Digital_Trans]

I would like to know when 64-Bit games are out there?

[rewt]

There are a few beginning to trickle out already. Far Cry and Half-Life 2: Source are two that I can think of right off hand. Other than that, there probably won't be any great abundance of 64-bit PC games for years to come.

[nrdstrm]

There are a few beginning to trickle out already. Far Cry and Half-Life 2: Source are two that I can think of right off hand. Other than that, there probably won't be any great abundance of 64-bit PC games for years to come.

I think we can expect many games sooner than you might think. Unreal Engine 3 is 64 bit, so I would assume anything based off of that engine will utilize 64 bit (thought I could be wrong...)

[retsam]

when i was at linux expo two years ago amd had a recompiled version of ut04 in 64 bit. the guy running the playable demo said it only took them something like a month to get it up and fully running in 64bit mode. so i adont know why other companies counldnt do the same.

[ew2x4]

The list I know of: HL2, UT 2004, Far Cry, Chronciles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay. Yeah, that's about it. In the end, 64 bit gaming won't deliver a huge FPS increase. It will help load textures and maps faster, but that's about it. With programs like Lightwave 3d, however...

[agentkay]

Will Vista support both 32bit and 64bit in a single version, or will there be 2 seperate versions?

[rewt]

Will Vista support both 32bit and 64bit in a single version, or will there be 2 seperate versions?

Not sure, but so far the beta versions have come as separate releases.

[Rakeesh]

The list I know of: HL2, UT 2004, Far Cry, Chronciles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay. Yeah, that's about it. In the end, 64 bit gaming won't deliver a huge FPS increase. It will help load textures and maps faster, but that's about it. With programs like Lightwave 3d, however...

Well, that is a good thing though. Framerates don't seem to be a huge issue that much anymore. The loading times are however, especially in single player games. Even with the fastest hard drives on the market, the loading times just take way too long on most games.

[jAkUp]

I believe Vista will have seperate versions, much like now.

[agentkay]

I believe Vista will have seperate versions, much like now.

Yes I guess that will most likely be the case. I´m not on the 64-bit bandwagon yet, but as soon as I´m willing to jump on the Vista train, it will certainly be with a 64-bit system and the 64-bit Vista train for sure. No way in hell I´m spending money on an "outdated 32-bit" OS. I wonder how many people think the same way because in the end, the more people are using a 64-bit OS, the higher the chance that more games will support 64-bit.

[jolle]

Will Vista support both 32bit and 64bit in a single version, or will there be 2 seperate versions?
I think the acctuall install DVD is planned to be one huge unified version of all Vista based OSes, what is installed will simply depend on the Key your installing with.
Or so the plan seem to be atm, I would guess it holds both 64 and 32bit versions..
hopefully 64bit support will become mainstream enough with Vista, the transition will have to be taken sooner or later when we hit that 4gb RAM wall for mainstream use.. gamers are looking at 2gb as "standard" within pretty soon it seems.

[rewt]

I think the acctuall install DVD is planned to be one huge unified version of all Vista based OSes, what is installed will simply depend on the Key your installing with.

Vista build 5270 includes both workstation and server in one package. And you're right, what you install depends on the key used. But somehow I do not think Microsoft will release this as final versions for home use especially because of piracy issues. (Everything on one disc probably will result in Microsoft making less money in the end). Of course I could be wrong though..

[jolle]

As I understood it, reading something quoted from some MS guy (prolly on winsupersite), they wanted to reduce the number of "master discs", or somesuch, to maintain.
Which is the reason why everything is kept on the same disc, but installs differently depending on key..
I dont think Piracy plays much in that decision, it hasnt really had much of a impact sofar that they use different CDs for different versions, people mainly download the Pro Corp version anyhow, since its without activation.

[rewt]

I suppose only time will tell :)

[Digital_Trans]

Okay, thanks for your information! (pirate)

[Rakeesh]

Vista build 5270 includes both workstation and server in one package. And you're right, what you install depends on the key used. But somehow I do not think Microsoft will release this as final versions for home use especially because of piracy issues. (Everything on one disc probably will result in Microsoft making less money in the end). Of course I could be wrong though..

I wouldn't really think so, because microsoft already knows that it is already easy enough for pirates to find whatever version they are looking for. I think what they would probably do is just relie solely on their already existing key tieing scheme to make sure that somebody doesn't install a version they don't have a license to.

It would dramatically save on costs if they were to do it this way, and the key tieing scheme would prevent people from just casually sharing keys.

There would probably be a separate DVD for volume licenses though. That is, assuming they will still do volume licenses.

[rewt]

microsoft already knows that it is already easy enough for pirates to find whatever version they are looking for

Yeah but by doing this they are only making it easier.. (pirate)

Thats like me saying, "Well someone might try and reset my administrator password with a floppy disk. So I just won't set a password for it then".

[Peoples-Agent]

This leaves me with a brain pickle as to what version to get tbh.
I'd have to go 64 bit and fingers crossed, no way i'm paying for two OS'.

[nekrosoft13]

i still need 32bit, i need my scanner

[SavagePaladin]

So keep your old OS.

UT2004 has had two 64 bit patches, actually. 3355 had one and 3369 has one.

(whoops, necromancy...)