Rome 2 Total War Multi-GPU

[GotNoRice]

So right now Rome 2 does not work with SLI, to the point where a single card is actually faster in most cases. We've received several explanations about how the game is supposedly not compatible with SLI on a basic level, and it's something the game devs would need to fix first.

Now we have reviews of the 290x with Crossfire working great in Rome 2.

Example: http://www.anandtech.com/show/7457/the-radeon-r9-290x-review/14

Is the Nvidia driver team that much worse than the AMD driver team these days?

 

[teletran8]

Irony. I love it as well.

 

[Frankie]

So right now Rome 2 does not work with SLI, to the point where a single card is actually faster in most cases. We've received several explanations about how the game is supposedly not compatible with SLI on a basic level, and it's something the game devs would need to fix first.

Now we have reviews of the 290x with Crossfire working great in Rome 2.

Example: http://www.anandtech.com/show/7457/the-radeon-r9-290x-review/14

Is the Nvidia driver team that much worse than the AMD driver team these days?

Uh, what?

3840x2160:
290X Uber: 43.6 FPS
290X Uber CF: 52.1 FPS
= 19% gain

2560x1440:
290X Uber: 45.5 FPS
290X Uber CF: 26.8 FPS
= 41% LOSS. It's actually slower than a single 7970.

Is that really your idea of "working great"? 19% multi card scaling is TERRIBLE, and that's ignoring the test (a test at a lot more popular gaming resolution, I would add) where it shoots your performance straight into the toilet.

I mean, maybe you just read the second chart wrong, or didn't even look at it, but if you think 1.19 scaling is great CF performance, I really don't know what to say. Maybe lay off the AMD kool aid a little.

 

[DraginDime]

First graph on that page.

one 290x getting 43.6 FPS
two 290x in CF get 52.1 FPS.

I'd say that's not working properly at all. CF should scale much much better then that.
It IS an increase over one 290x, but I would still call CF/SLI broken on that game.

 

[FRZ]

It's the game itself that has issues with multi card setups, not lack of graphics card driver support

 

[GotNoRice]

Is that really your idea of "working great"? 19% multi card scaling is TERRIBLE, and that's ignoring the test (a test at a lot more popular gaming resolution, I would add) where it shoots your performance straight into the toilet.

I mean, maybe you just read the second chart wrong, or didn't even look at it, but if you think 1.19 scaling is great CF performance, I really don't know what to say.

There is the 280X, which on it's own is about as fast as a GTX770, but in Crossfire is faster than both the Titan and the 290X; a 35% gain.

I concede that Crossfire support could be better, and there are probably still bugs. The Crossfire issues appear to be related to the "Extreme" quality setting. If all I had to do to get SLI working was drop down to "Very High Quality", I'd be pretty happy. I'd happily settle for partially working, as opposed to simply not working at all

Maybe lay off the AMD kool aid a little.

AMD koolaid must be the reason why the last AMD card I bought for personal use was in 2008, or why i'm running 680 SLI in my main rig. OR maybe i'm mad because I spent $1000 on videocards a year ago only to have one of my most anticipated games not even work in SLI; A problem 280X or 290X crossfire users don't have.

It's the game itself that has issues with multi card setups, not lack of graphics card driver support

So then the reason Crossfire works is because......?

 

[Frankie]

There is the 280X, which on it's own is about as fast as a GTX770, but in Crossfire is faster than both the Titan and the 290X; a 35% gain.

Huh? I thought the OP was about the 290x?

I concede that Crossfire support could be better, and there are probably still bugs.

Probably? A -41% performance result only gets a "probably still bugs" from you? Only a "COULD be better"? Lol.

The Crossfire issues appear to be related to the "Extreme" quality setting. If all I had to do to get SLI working was drop down to "Very High Quality", I'd be pretty happy.

Or it's related to resolution or multiple monitor setups, in which case dropping down to very high quality would do jack squat for you.

I'd happily settle for partially working, as opposed to simply not working at all

You'd rather have -41% than not working at all? Because for all you know that's what you'd end up with.

AMD koolaid must be the reason why the last AMD card I bought for personal use was in 2008, or why i'm running 680 SLI in my main rig. OR maybe i'm mad because I spent $1000 on videocards a year ago only to have one of my most anticipated games not even work in SLI; A problem 280X or 290X crossfire users don't have.

Are you OFF YOUR NUT? -41% is not a problem? +19% = "WORKING GREAT"?

Good lord. The truth is that Rome 2 is severely effed up with both Nvidia AND AMD multi GPU. To blame that entirely on Nvidia and pretend that +19% and -42% AMD performance is awesome is severely delusional.

You bought cards a year ago. They're obviously slower than 780s. A single 780 gets you 35 FPS. What would a single 680 get? 27 FPS? Would would 27 FPS + 19% get you? 32 FPS. That's what you created a totally crazy thread for, going from crappy FPS to crappy FPS. Meanwhile everyone else on the entire planet knows the Rome 2 engine is a steaming pile of monkey excrement, but you're here pitching a fit because AMD gets you +19% (or -42%) and that may have resulted in you getting 5 more FPS (or 11 less FPS). Again: good lord.

 

[GotNoRice]

Huh? I thought the OP was about the 290x?

The thread is no more about the 290x than it is about the 280x. Those were simply two of the cards in the benchmark that was posted as an example of crossfire functioning.

Probably? A -41% performance result only gets a "probably still bugs" from you? Only a "COULD be better"? Lol.

There are clearly resolutions and settings where it does work, unlike SLI where there are no settings or resolutions where it does anything at all whatsoever. I'm not a console gamer, I can deal with stuff not working perfectly. Stuff not working at all however, is pretty lame.

Or it's related to resolution or multiple monitor setups, in which case dropping down to very high quality would do jack squat for you.

But if there are any resolution/settings combos where it does work, then that pretty much throws the BS about the game being inherently incompatible with multi-GPU out the window.

You'd rather have -41% than not working at all? Because for all you know that's what you'd end up with.

Why are you so determined to pretend the 35% scaling figure shown by the 280x cards doesn't exist? Your right, we don't know what we would end up with. I do know what I have right now though in terms of scaling, which is jack shit.

Good lord. The truth is that Rome 2 is severely effed up with both Nvidia AND AMD multi GPU. To blame that entirely on Nvidia and pretend that +19% and -42% AMD performance is awesome is severely delusional.

There are games where multi-GPU simply doesn't work, and drivers are released that simply disable multi-GPU in that game. AMD could have done that. Instead, their drivers have included Crossfire profiles for Rome 2 that have been functional on at least some level since the 13.10 beta drivers. You should let their driver team know that it's hopeless so they stop trying and know to simply disable crossfire instead

You can quote numbers all day long, but the bottom line is that right now I'm getting NOTHING in term of SLI scaling. Even a chance at a tiny improvement would still be better than nothing.

You bought cards a year ago. They're obviously slower than 780s. A single 780 gets you 35 FPS. What would a single 680 get? 27 FPS? Would would 27 FPS + 19% get you? 32 FPS. That's what you created a totally crazy thread for, going from crappy FPS to crappy FPS.

At the resolutions I game at the FPS wouldn't be so low. I wouldn't mind 35% scaling like the 280x cards showed, but i'd be happy even with 5% compared to 0%.

 

[Skott]

Given the many numerous bugs R2TW had and still has I'd say the greater fault is with the game itself. I'd say go find out how many people are actually using cf/sli with R2TW and see how things are going and then compare it to the new AMD cards and benchmarks. I'd also take a salt shaker with you.

 

[DraginDime]

so this thread is like:
person 1-"my car won't start, therefore it can't be driven"
person 2-"my car starts, but the transmission is broke so it can't be driven"
person 2-"but my car works better because it can start"

conclusion - both are broken, even if one works a small bit better, it really doesn't fix the fact that you're not going anywhere.

So crossfire gives better performance than SLI in this game, which everyone knows that CF AND SLI support is broken. Good for you. You win a sugar free lollipop! Game over.

 

[GotNoRice]

So crossfire gives better performance than SLI in this game, which everyone knows that CF AND SLI support is broken. Good for you. You win a sugar free lollipop! Game over.

Why does AMD keep releasing drivers with updated crossfire profiles for Rome 2 if it's unworkable? Do you know something they don't?

 

[DraginDime]

Why does AMD keep releasing drivers with updated crossfire profiles for Rome 2 if it's unworkable? Do you know something they don't?

I'm not AMD so I can't speak personally for them. But in this game, the performance gains for crossfire are complete shit right now (it looks to be less then shit for SLI lol).
I would guess that they are hoping the devs will fix whatever is wrong with the game and when that happens the crossfire profiles will be ready and give a proper performance increase like it should.

edit: I never said it was "unworkable", I am simply stating that neither SLI or CF is working as they should in this game. "Somewhat working" is not the same as "working". This game has some issues that need ironed out. I feel those issues are on the game dev and not the GPU manufacturers. That is all.

 

[GotNoRice]

"Somewhat working" is not the same as "working".

Yet still better than "nothing", which is what I've got as an SLI user.

 

[DraginDime]

Yet still better than "nothing", which is what I've got as an SLI user.

I have to agree with you there
That's one of the draw backs to multi GPU configurations. I can say this is the first game I've seen in a long time that has such an issue with it. Usually Nvidia is quick to fix driver issues for SLI, and I have to tip my hat to AMD who has been on the ball lately with their drivers/support. This game so far has just been a travesty for SLI/CF systems.

 

[Burke888]

Any idea when SLI support will be released?