iPhone 3G-S + Cocos2d « cocos2d for iPhone

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iPhone 3G-S + Cocos2d

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Started 2 years ago by funkyman
Latest reply from Steve Oldmeadow

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funkyman
Member

Hi all,

I just picked up a iPhone 3G-S today, and It's quite impressive. Although, I'm running into a major issue that seems directly related to Cocos2d.

I've been developing with a 3G, 2G, and an iPod Touch. I added the 3G-S to my list of devices and there seems to be a performance bottleneck.

I compile the performanceTestSprite project in either 2.2.1, or 3.0, and let it run for awhile. If I continue to add/remove nodes constantly then let it sit, the frame rate will drop to around 30-40 fps. While it's down that low, if I remove all the nodes the framerate doesn't improve. As soon as I hit the reset button in the middle between the arrows, the framerate is back at 60.

I'm not sure if something to do with the garbage collection has changed, but this behavior happens consistently on every Cocos2d project that I've tried.

I know this is not my specific iPhone because I was able to test this on multiple 3G-S's, and the same thing happened. When I run this on my iTouch, this behavior doesn't happen at all. I can spam the add/remove nodes button and when I stop, the Framerate settles to the norm. No need to hit the "reset" button.

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks,

Rick Marino
<www.game-grinder.com>

Posted 2 years ago #
funkyman
Member

Anyone else having these problems with Cocos2d and their 3G-S?? Did anyone else but me pick one up? LOL

-Rick

Posted 2 years ago #
Steve Oldmeadow
Administrator

From memory the majority of people here aren't in the States so we don't even have the opportunity to get a 3G-S yet.

What you are describing could be an issue with the OpenGL ES 1.1 driver, don't forget it is a totally different GPU now. I'd say that is more likely than a memory management issue.

Why not use Instruments and/or Shark to see what the problem is?

Posted 2 years ago #
Acceleroto
Member

I'm still waiting on my 3G S, but this is certainly something that needs to be worked out. Are you compiling your 3G S version for arm7 or arm6? I wonder if adjusting the project settings to compile for both will fix this.

Posted 2 years ago #
Codemattic
Moderator

What version of cocos? Are you using FastDirector?

Posted 2 years ago #
funkyman
Member

Hmm, haven't changed any project settings at all. I download the .8 beta of cocos2d, and compile for 3.0 or 2.2.1, and just run it and I have all sorts of problems. I can try switching to both arm7 and arm6 if possible.

This happens with FastDirector off or on.

Posted 2 years ago #
funkyman
Member

Here's the weird part. If I launch the ClickandMove test project from XCode (release) it'll run at 60 fps. If I stop it, then launch from the springboard, it's running at 37 fps. I also removed the alertview from the start of that project just to keep it simple. It's very odd.

Posted 2 years ago #
LongJohnnyE
Member

I loaded my game StickWars (still compiled for 2.2 though) on iPhone 3G S today and didn't notice any issues after 10 minutes or so of playing (I had debugging enabled and was watching FPS).

Posted 2 years ago #
Acceleroto
Member

I sent a copy of my upcoming game to a beta tester with a 3GS & he said it ran great on it. I compiled for 2.2.1. Hmmm.

Posted 2 years ago #
ob1
Member

> From memory the majority of people here aren't in the States so we don't even have
> the opportunity to get a 3G-S yet.

Huhu ? My friend got his Swiss one yesterday and I get mine on Monday hopefully. I will check it out and tell you as soon as possible.

Posted 2 years ago #
funkyman
Member

I tried ClickAndMoveTest on two different 3G-S's. All I do is open the .8 beta project, open the ClickAndMoveTest.m, goto the applicationDidFinishLaunching function, remove the alert view (just helps out when noticing the fps drop, but def. not the cause). Then launch it from xCode and deploy on the Device for 3.0 or 2.2.1. Notice the fps is locked at 60. Stop the debugger, and on the device, click the icon that was just created for the ClickAndMoveTest app. Notice the fps is now at 37.

Note: On one of the 2 3G-S's that I've tested, I had to go in and out of the app a few times to get it to happen, but it def. happened still.

Can someone else with a 3G-S test this out for me?

Thanks,

-Rick

Posted 2 years ago #
Mark Andrade
Member

I see a significant slow down across the board; 1G iPhone, 2G, iPod, 3G iPhone and 3GS iPhone all using .8 downloaded from SVN sometime last week. If I use the .8 beta it's even slower with one game even dropping to 4 FPS with the only change being the anchor point code.

I've optimized my latest game to get a great solid 60 FPS on the 1G iPhone using .73 Only after updating to .8 did the slowdowns happen. Now the strange thing is that it's not consistent. It looks like 1 out of three launches the framerate will hit 60 FPS while the other 2 times it'll drop to around 40.

Also something else I noticed is that if I switch scenes right after I throw up an alert the rate will drop. If I switch scenes without throwing the alert the framerate stays constant.

--
Mark

Posted 2 years ago #
funkyman
Member

Hmm, well your issue could be related, but my issue is def. the 3G-S. This issue happens on any version of Cocos2d. I tried .8 .73 .72 .71 it happens throughout, which leads me to believe that it's something related to the OpenGL ES 1.1 implementation, or the draw code.

I just verified again several times. I keep going back to the ClickAndMoveTest demo because it's the easiest to reproduce. I follow my above steps using a normal 3G that I've been using for a year now, and it's locked at 60 fps no matter how many times I launch the app. I repeat those steps with a 3G-S and the second or third launch it's at 40 fps.

I do agree with you about the inconsistency. It just doesn't make any sense, I looked at it in the instruments, and used Shark. There isn't really anything that is standing out that's different.

-Rick

Posted 2 years ago #
psionic
Member

Remember that on the 3GS, the OpenGLES 1.1 mode is actually being
emulated by shader functions.

My real question would be.. if you put enough stuff in to make it go
down past 30fps on the older generation iPods, will the 3GS also go
below 30fps?

Ie. Is the performance scaling linear when you get below the critical
motion-artifact FPS. Have you done any testing on this aspect yet?

Chris.

On Sat, Jun 20, 2009 at 12:11 PM,
<cocos2d-iphone-discuss@gamesforfood.cl> wrote:
> funkyman says:
>
> Hmm, well your issue could be related, but my issue is def. the 3G-S. This
> issue happens on any version of Cocos2d. I tried .8 .73 .72 .71 it happens
> throughout, which leads me to believe that it's something related to the
> OpenGL ES 1.1 implementation, or the draw code.
>
> I just verified again several times. I keep going back to the
> ClickAndMoveTest demo because it's the easiest to reproduce. I follow my
> above steps using a normal 3G that I've been using for a year now, and it's
> locked at 60 fps no matter how many times I launch the app. I repeat those
> steps with a 3G-S and the second or third launch it's at 40 fps.
>
> I do agree with you about the inconsistency. It just doesn't make any sense,
> I looked at it in the instruments, and used Shark. There isn't really
> anything that is standing out that's different.
>
> -Rick
>
> Read the whole thread.

Posted 2 years ago #
funkyman
Member

It's hard to say if the performance is scaling linear or not because it's too inconsistent. I can't tell if the fps is dropping because of extra scene nodes, or because of this artifact.

I know that the OpenGL ES 1.1 is being emulated through shaders, however, I've tried out several other (non-Cocos2d) games and they don't have any problems. I'm curious to see if I'm vertex or fragment shader limited.

On the 3G-S (PowerVB SGX), for ES 1.1 apps, they have to generate a shader internally for each state change. They do cache them, but it's possible that for a large number of possible states, we're overflowing that cache. Although, I'm not really sure how I could tell if I am shader limited and blowing the cache. Anyone know?

Another thing I want to do is try and run Cocos2d in OpenGL ES 2.0 mode, it's going to take some doing to port it but I'm hoping that will solve my problem.

Posted 2 years ago #
psionic
Member

Yep there's a lot of factors. Sounds like you've got the right idea..
blowing a shader cache might have the effects you're mentioning
between programs.

If you have any luck in managing an OpenGLES 2.0 mode in cocos2d, I'm
sure the group would love it if you put it in for possible inclusion
into 0.9.

Chris.

On Sat, Jun 20, 2009 at 2:59 PM, <cocos2d-iphone-discuss@gamesforfood.cl> wrote:
> funkyman says:
>
> It's hard to say if the performance is scaling linear or not because it's
> too inconsistent. I can't tell if the fps is dropping because of extra scene
> nodes, or because of this artifact.
>
> I know that the OpenGL ES 1.1 is being emulated through shaders, however,
> I've tried out several other (non-Cocos2d) games and they don't have any
> problems. I'm curious to see if I'm vertex or fragment shader limited.
>
> On the 3G-S (PowerVB SGX), for ES 1.1 apps, they have to generate a shader
> internally for each state change. They do cache them, but it's possible that
> for a large number of possible states, we're overflowing that cache.
> Although, I'm not really sure how I could tell if I am shader limited and
> blowing the cache. Anyone know?
>
> Another thing I want to do is try and run Cocos2d in OpenGL ES 2.0 mode,
> it's going to take some doing to port it but I'm hoping that will solve my
> problem.
>
> Read the whole thread.

Posted 2 years ago #
funkyman
Member

Well, I made some more progress, I guess. Turns out if I just create and attach the OpenGL view to the window and turn on fps I get the framerate drop. Don't have to draw anything to the window to get it to happen. I'm still researching into why, but it feels like I'm getting closer to finding out the problem.

My guess now is that it's just not initialized correctly.

-Rick

Posted 2 years ago #
SonnyBurnette
Member

I spoke with a friend of mine who picked up a 3GS yesterday and who is addicted to StickWars. He said he has been playing StickWars without any issues. Not sure if that helps or not.

Posted 2 years ago #
funkyman
Member

Ok, I'm all out of ideas. Check this out, I figured this much out and now I'm curious if apple has a bad batch of GPU's, or this is an SDK problem.

XCode-> File New -> OpenGL Template Project -> Release (or debug) -> Deploy on Device.

You should get 60 fps with the spinning cube. Press the Home button, and launch the OpenGL app from the springboard. Now it's at 30 fps. I verified this with the OpenGL ES instruments.

I suppose it could be a timer issue, like we have to handle timers differently on the 3G-S, but I dunno.

Anyone else have any ideas?

Posted 2 years ago #
Codemattic
Moderator

So its not a cocos-only problem you are seeing! Strange. It seems hard to believe it would be a glitch in just your device.

Posted 2 years ago #
funkyman
Member

Nope, definitely not a Cocos only problem, I've posted on the apple dev forums to see if anyone else has seen this problem. I would just assume it was my device causing issues, but I tried it on my friends 3G-S that was bought from a different location and it still happens.

I just so inconsistent, but it's enough of a problem to halt my dev on my current app. I have to go back to the normal 3G for now.

BTW - How do most people handle timers in there apps? Maybe there is some inconsistencies with that.

Posted 2 years ago #
coolman
Member

funkyman, send a bug report to Apple

Posted 2 years ago #
funkyman
Member

Just another update, I got this problem to happen when playing Flight Control. (Not a Cocos2d app, I don't think, but a very popular one).

After a few times of playing a game, quitting to the Spring board, then going back in a playing. The same issue occured, fps dropped a lot. Very noticeable, felt around 30 FPS.

-Rick

Posted 2 years ago #
psionic
Member

Q: If you restart the device does it always start at 60fps (the cube
demo you mentioned)?

On Sat, Jun 20, 2009 at 8:01 PM, <cocos2d-iphone-discuss@gamesforfood.cl> wrote:
> funkyman says:
>
> Just another update, I got this problem to happen when playing Flight
> Control. (Not a Cocos2d app, I don't think, but a very popular one).
>
> After a few times of playing a game, quitting to the Spring board, then
> going back in a playing. The same issue occured, fps dropped a lot. Very
> noticeable, felt around 30 FPS.
>
> -Rick
>
> Read the whole thread.

Posted 2 years ago #
funkyman
Member

I can restart the device (power cycle it) and run the cube demo directly from the springboard and it'll run at 60. I close the app down and reopen it and it runs at 30 again.

Sometimes it takes exiting it two times before the fps drops to 30, but it always does with out fail.

Posted 2 years ago #
psionic
Member

Definitely sounds like an OS glitch then, not a hardware problem. I
was thinking heat but it's not going to substantially cool down
between cycling. File a bug report and they'll most likely have it
solved for OS3.1

Otherwise, test in a freezer :P

Chris.

On Sat, Jun 20, 2009 at 8:25 PM, <cocos2d-iphone-discuss@gamesforfood.cl> wrote:
> funkyman says:
>
> I can restart the device (power cycle it) and run the cube demo directly
> from the springboard and it'll run at 60. I close the app down and reopen it
> and it runs at 30 again.
>
> Sometimes it takes exiting it two times before the fps drops to 30, but it
> always does with out fail.
>
> Read the whole thread.

Posted 2 years ago #
bedaronco
Member

I noticed something like this with a game I'm working on when I first tried it on my 3g S last night. But I tried it tonight and three times straight it ran at 60fps (58 at the lowest). Yesterday I was seeing a lot of choppiness in the game play that I wasn't seeing before.

Then I exited my game again and saw that I had an app update. It was an update to Facebook so I installed it. While it was installing I launched my game again. Suddenly the fps display was bouncing between 60 and the 30's. Then right in the middle it went back to holding steady at 60, I'm assuming right around the time the app finished installing. I can't say for sure that this is the problem but maybe there is something going wrong when other things are happening on the device? Very strange and very annoying since it's inconsistent.

Posted 2 years ago #
funkyman
Member

bedaronco: Can you create a new project in xCode and use the default OpenGL ES template? Just setup the project so you can deploy to your 3G-S, and build and run in release. Check your FPS, you should be running smooth. Then stop the debugger in xCode, then relaunch the newly built app from the springboard on the device. Does it look choppy? If not re-run and quit a few times and check then. You should see around 30 fps.

I'd appreciate someone else trying this because I'm not sure if it's just my device, or what.

Thanks,

-Rick

Posted 2 years ago #
crmagicxxx
Member

Did anyone of you try your stats in Airplane Mode? Maybe it's network or push services that slows the 3Gs?

Posted 2 years ago #
funkyman
Member

Just did, same result. Choppy cube spinning around 30 fps. Airplane mode was a good guess, but no luck. It's crazy that I can't use my new phone for development. When you cut your frames in half it's just unplayable. ugh...

Posted 2 years ago #

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