OldUnreal (Engine)

I was wondering if there is an x86-64 (64-bit, AMD64 etc) version of Unreal 227 (227+) in the planning. If not, I would like to request one. 64 bit is not much very much used yet, but within 2-3 years it will be the standard for every OS. It also may be possible that in the long term (5+ years) 32-bit applications will be no longer supported. I know there is no real need for a 64-bit version yet, but now we (OldUnreal) have the opportunity to make a new patch, it should at least be considered.

A few questions:

• Is a 64-bit version of Unreal in the making?
• Has it been considered to make such an Unreal version?
• What about compatibility? Does a 64-bit compiled exe break anything?
• How much work is it to make a 64-bit version? Does it requite many code to be rewritten, or is it just an option with compiling?

indeed I had this idea a long time ago already, but:

# Is a 64-bit version of Unreal in the making?
Not currently, it'll consume much time, much more I can afford, at least at the moment

# Has it been considered to make such an Unreal version?
yes, many times...

# What about compatibility? Does a 64-bit compiled exe break anything?
It shouldn't but until having one, hard to to predict.

# How much work is it to make a 64-bit version? Does it requite many code to be rewritten, or is it just an option with compiling?
Its a hell of problems, the whole engine probably needs modifications, because of 64bit addressing, and 32bit assembler which has to be rewritten to 64 asm.

I wish I could, but not in the near future for sure...

Okay, thanks for your answer.

Quite a lot of time has passed from last answer.
So I'm interested, what about x86_64 Unreal now?

anyone seen my sponsor who pays me a few thousand bucks/month?

But to be serious, sorry, it's nothing which can be realized within a considerable amount of time , so nothing has changed so far.

while i'm hoping to see a 64 bit version "someday", i don't see why there should be any hurry with it? 32-bit is still dominant nowadays and it'll likely stay that way for the next 5-10 years, support for 32-bit apps will probably last another 20 years?

ex member

I'd be better to split the game in many threads to support multicores first.

One thread = rendering
another thread = sound
another thread = physics
...

like UE3.

Except that UT3 is an x86 app...

Nobody said it isn't.

Btw I don't think anyone would drop x86 support for a long time, it'd make no sense if anyone did.

I'd be better to split the game in many threads to support multicores first.

One thread = rendering
another thread = sound
another thread = physics
...

like UE3.

GalaxyAudioSubsystem actually IS multithreaded in the core processing.

The music playback handling is done on multiple threads, and galaxy will run a minimum of 2 at any given time. The extra threads are independent of unreal's interface to galaxy.

I don't know if FMOD or AlAudio are, because I don't have the code for their core inner workings, but I'm sure they are the same.

Quite a lot of time has passed from last answer.
So I'm interested, what about x86_64 Unreal now?

If it may help you at all, my server is currently being run off 64bit Arch using a schroot command to change to 32bit binary root

The current line of 32 bit wrappers in 64 bit windoze - and the existence of 32/64 bit hybrid systems (Linux...) will probably keep 32 bit applications running for a long time to come. But even if that path comes to an end, we have seen from projects like DOSBOX and other emulators that efforts to keep "classics" alive on current systems are still being created, updated and maintained, I would figure somebody would write his own 32/64 wrapper at some point in the future or some sort of 32 bit emulator. Thus, I would not worry too much....

The current line of 32 bit wrappers in 64 bit windoze - and the existence of 32/64 bit hybrid systems (Linux...) will probably keep 32 bit applications running for a long time to come. But even if that path comes to an end, we have seen from projects like DOSBOX and other emulators that efforts to keep "classics" alive on current systems are still being created, updated and maintained, I would figure somebody would write his own 32/64 wrapper at some point in the future or some sort of 32 bit emulator. Thus, I would not worry too much....

Well, right now the only way to run 16bit apps on Win7 x64 is by using VirtualPC with XP installation... DOSBox supports DOS apps, not 16bit, so if the app requires Windows shell, it doesn't run under it.

Well here's a question....what the heck is the benefit of making a 64bit version of Unreal anyway?  The game is so old anyway that performance really isn't an issue...and will it even increase it that much? :-/

what the heck is the benefit of making a 64bit version of Unreal anyway?

I have pure 64-bit Linux installed on my main PC and 64-bit Unreal would be very useful for me.

P.S. I can install 32-bit libs but I won't.

I'm just sticking to 32 bit until the time makes me change.

Well here's a question....what the heck is the benefit of making a 64bit version of Unreal anyway?  The game is so old anyway that performance really isn't an issue...and will it even increase it that much? :-/

At maximum a 50% performance increase as unreal does not typically use datatypes greater than a 32 bit form. The register size will double from 32 to 64 and you could theoretically process 2 32 bit integers in one call instead of doing 1 32bit integer twice, or somesuch like that.

Of course the performance boost will likely only benefit extremely specific things, and the only ones you'd really need to increase performance on is lighting and BSP

ex member

50% increase? any chance of a 64-bit unrealed2.1?

at maximum

It's theoretical. In reality it will never be even close to that.

Assuming the 32 bit code gets flawlessly ported to 64bit there will be a performance boost, but it won't be that great.

50% increase? any chance of a 64-bit unrealed2.1?

thatd be awesome, less rebuild time for 64bit OS!

at maximum

It's theoretical. In reality it will never be even close to that.

Assuming the 32 bit code gets flawlessly ported to 64bit there will be a performance boost, but it won't be that great.

To put it simple: Pay Smirftsch about 1500 € / month and he'll 'work' on it.

To put it simple: Pay Smirftsch about 1500 € / month and he'll 'work' on it.

Haha...well...once I become a millionaire...I will