Running on a laptop

[dschur]

I think there was a performance thread which always seemed to get into the "my computer is bigger than yours" meme. For the record, I do own a nice big one with a fast i7, a top end graphics card, and 6GB running 64-Bit Windows 7. I can play any size map, with graphics on max. Huge Map/Epic turns take a stupid amount of time late in the game (it feels like 2 min, but maybe its just 1 min).

The point of this thread is going downspec. For anyone else like me who has to play on a laptop for a portion of the week.

My laptop is a basic Dell E5410 business laptop. Dual Core i5-620M, 2.40 GHz. 4GB. Windows 7 64-bit. Intel Integrated Graphics. So far I have played only a small map, with all graphics cranked down low to the default suggested when I installed (Steam + free hotel internet ftw). Doesn't look too bad, and there are no issues with interface lag. Still only Renaissance, and the turns run pretty quick.

Anyone play on something worse than this effectively? At what map size will it start to choke?

[Zoetstofzoetje]

At maximum map size the game chokes on me at the end of the renaissance. I suspect it has something to do with a graphics/memory glitch, as at this point the textures go berserk. At that stage I can only play 3/4 turns before the game freezes.

On smaller maps no issues.

[egavactip]

Given how incredibly stupid the AI is--seemingly more stupid than in Civ4--I am at a loss to understand why computer turns take so long. My laptop can run Civ4 very fast, but is very slow with Civ5. I guess it's a good thing that I like Civ4 and don't like Civ5, then.

[Wiglaf]

Runs fine on a 17 inch Macbook Pro on DirectX9 at 1920x1080. Because Apple does not design the Macbook Pro with any capability to cool itself and instead loads the computers with circumcised graphics chips, running in DirectX11 results in choppiness.

[vulture]

Actually the main causes of the very slow turn processing speeds have possible been pinned down:

1) Workers cause a huge amount of slowdown. I suspect this can be greatly improved

http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=94139

2) AI treats all tiles within line of sight of its own units as being within its cultural borders.

http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=93309

Bug 2 probably exaggerates the effect of bug 1, if workers are having to analyse a whole bunch of unnecessary tiles every turn. It also explains quite a few of the annoying AI behaviours (particularly its complaints about settling close to its borders, and willingness to plant cities miles from its own borders).