single scene game RAM

ApplaudApps

Hi, I'm just about to finish testing and then publish my new puzzle game Skware.

The whole game is one scene (project size 3.4MB) and when testing in GS Viewer it averages around 37MB of RAM. I've optimised code and images.

Is that ok for most iPhone models? I think I remember reading to keep it under 50MB.

Can anyone advise please ?.....

ApplaudApps

Thank you both. It's 37MB on an iPhone 3GS

I've unticked movable on all actors (only 6 are movable) and to be honest it didn't improve RAM that much.

I really didn't want to split the game into scenes as gameplay is all one scene but I could separate the menu system.

EDIT: and yes RI is checked.

ApplaudApps

If I test it with a fresh restart of GS viewer app and software then it starts at 32MB and creeps up to 36.6 during gameplay but hasn't ever gone over 37 MB

If older devices crash around 40MB do you think I can get away with this ? I don't want to get a load of bad reviews if it does crash - but I could always have a 2 scene version on standby to upload.

Worth the risk? I just want to avoid the GS loading spinner ;-)

ApplaudApps

8mb for images, less than 1mb for sounds. It's worrying me now so I'm going to split the menu and game and see how that looks.

Thx for advice

ApplaudApps

back again. I seperated the menu and game into two scene. Not much difference. The menu scene was 16.5 MB but the game was scene was still 32-35MB !

I don't understand it, there is quite a bit of maths going on I guess.

I'm now working on swapping timers out for rules using the game.timer in order to free up a little RAM hopefully.

What's weird is that if I'm playing in preview on my 3GS and I keep clicking restart in GS creator it adds to the game engine and other ram every time and I got up to 80 MB and my game was still playing - or is that mis-information due to GS bug?

ApplaudApps

I'm going back to the one scene game as there wasn't much difference when I made 2 scenes and I don't want the scene loading times. The menu part is light weight.

I made/played an ad-hoc yesterday- have done some more work to finish the game so yeah will make another ad hoc and keep testing....

gamedivision

game salad are releasing an update very soon addressing the ram and loading times,it might be worth waiting

ApplaudApps

OK I might wait if testing doesnt go well. Any ideas how long that will be? (i know, how longs a piece of string) ;-)

gamedivision

here you go,i think its this month
http://gamesalad.com/forums/topic.php?id=30832

gamedivision

yeah i think with so much competition out there, you must give your game the best possible chance you can and if you have to wait an extra 2 or 3 weeks its worth the wait,at least then you can say I've done my level best.

chicop

tshirtbooth said:

on an iphone 4 37mb is awesome because it can go to 80mb
also if its 37mb on an iPhone 4 then its only going to be around 21mb on a lower device so that is good also

however if its 37mb on a lower device then that is no good as 40mb is the max

awesome! i never knew that.. ive been building at 32 mb trying not to hit 40 on a iphone 4 with RI checked

chaley

Yea man... I feel your pain. I can't get my game below 50 for the scenes... And there isn't really much happening. When I test it on my iPhone 3G... The main weapon launch lags and doesn't work properly. I've put my game on hold until the update & am creating storyboards and graphics for my next game.

ApplaudApps

gamedivisionuk said:
here you go,i think its this month
http://gamesalad.com/forums/topic.php?id=30832

Thanks, I'd read that already - I hope it's soon. But I've been playing my game on an adhoc build loads and it has never crashed. I detect very slight lag occasionally on the main 4 actors which rotate around a static point but I don't get any other anomolies.

I spent hours converting all the timers to rules using the clock and it didn't change ram usage whatsoever so went back to timers version!

I might still release it now - it's never hit 40mb on my 3gs and hasn't crashed for me. I'll keep playing and testing - and upload again once the next version of GS creator is released.

@chaley - yeah I think if mine was over 50mb I wouldn't think about releasing it yet.

Plus it's only been a month in the making but is a unique puzzle game, the likes of which I've never seen before lol - I'll post more info on release ;-)