How is a game poorly optimized for certain PC setups on games?

[Bogstench]

 So, how do games like Watch Dogs for example (a game iirc that is "poorly optimized") not support certain setups? Like is there some type of code inside of the games files that tell the computer to utilize certain things on the GPU or to use all the graphic power to bump the game up properly? Is it a difficult thing for the people making the game to code (or w/e) in how to utilize all graphics cards on the market that people will have and to use... say if someone had 4-way SLI on GTX 980's to use all of those or to use all of them properly? 

 

 I remember watching one of Linus' videos the other day about 4K with four GTX 980's and it was really wonky. What's up with that? 

 

 

Sorry if this is a dumb question but I've been wondering and couldn't quite find the answer to it through a simple search so I thought I'd ask here.

[Pugs501]

*My Opinion*

I believe it's because the Game Companies don't think people will be using 4-Way SLI and will require more time to program the support for it.

[LemonSpice]

drivers because why coninually update and beta test and work on drivers that only a few people less than .5% will ever use

[vorticalbox]

*My Opinion*

I believe it's because the Game Companies don't think people will be using 4-Way SLI and will require more time to program the support for it.

that and cost, right now its multi cpu core support that is getting the attention over multi gpu.

[DigitalHermit]

[opinion]

It's when you have perfectly capable hardware but the game still runs badly... Like GTA IV... It runs worse at 720p when you turn down the details...

[/opinion]

[Bogstench]

drivers because why coninually update and beta test and work on drivers that only a few people less than .5% will ever use

 

yeah i suppose you're right lol, come to think of it that was a pretty dumb question for me to ask

[ForFour]

i am a bit familiar with coding and there are multiple ways to get the code to do what you want it to do and some ways are more efficient than other so my guess would be that if you code inefficiently (bad memory usage for example) on a large scale like a video game the game will run bad.

[Pugs501]

drivers because why coninually update and beta test and work on drivers that only a few people less than .5% will ever use

is it greater or less than the 1%?

[LemonSpice]

is it greater or less than the 1%?

ha they are the only ones who buy 4way sli rigs

[Guest]

First you program a game, then you optimize it. When you rush it out though, some of the optimization is missing and you will get a bad experience. 

One example: Before the game is optimized, everything will be rendered (including stuff you don't actually see) which leads to bad performance. 

Let's say you're looking at a house, the stuff in it doesn't have to be rendered (or at least part of it if it has windows), so lighting and rendering all the things in there 

will get you practically no benefit and leads to less fps.

Not many people use 4-Way SLI so why bother with all the tuning of drivers/game. Time is Money. 

[Marvzl1357]

*from my limited understanding of software*

Probably something to do with how a string of code is designed to run.

Just a short *and inaccurate* example, maybe the code is meant to go: Render "Scene A" and instead of directly rendering "Scene A" it goes around to B, maybe gives C a little wave, sips its coffee, then eventually comes back to Scene A after it's gone through all this other trash.

Basically it doesn't take to most efficient path possible

 

Edit: don't quote me on that...

[Pugs501]

ha they are the only ones who buy 4way sli rigs

4-Way Sli with GeForce GTX TITAN Z.

[Bogstench]

First you program a game, then you optimize it. When you rush it out though, some of the optimization is missing and you will get a bad experience. 

One example: Before the game is optimized, everything will be rendered (including stuff you don't actually see) which leads to bad performance. 

Let's say you're looking at a house, the stuff in it doesn't have to be rendered (or at least part of it if it has windows), so lighting and rendering all the things in there 

will get you practically no benefit and leads to less fps.

Not many people use 4-Way SLI so why bother with all the tuning of drivers/game. Time is Money. 

 

Well I wasn't specifically meaning just 4-way SLI but it was one of the larger points I was trying to make since it seemed the most obvious. Yeah though seems it has something to do with either games being rushed or inefficient rendering and what not.

[LemonSpice]

4-Way Sli with GeForce GTX TITAN Z.

the jayz two cents rig a kid i know bought a titan z for minecraft and he wasnt shitting me he also got a 5960x thinking that it was more money so better but he used an orl 10:9 720p monitor

[Pugs501]

Well I wasn't specifically meaning just 4-way SLI but it was one of the larger points I was trying to make since it seemed the most obvious. Yeah though seems it has something to do with either games being rushed or inefficient rendering and what not.

*Skepticism*

I believe that software for 3D Modeling or any software that will require lots of rendering, will support 4-Way Sli more than games because professionals would take advantage of it.