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Unprotected version of Final Fantasy XV loads faster
The unprotected version of Final Fantasy XV runs better than the Steam version. For this comparison dso gaming used an Intel i7 4930K (overclocked at 4.2Ghz) with 8GB RAM, NVIDIA’s GTX980Ti, Windows 10 64-bit and the latest version of the GeForce drivers. Both the Steam and a not so legal version were installed on an HDD.
Right from the start, the pirated version loads faster than the Steam version. The Steam version needed 30 seconds in order to launch (for the first time) whereas the pirated version was ready in just 3 seconds reports dsogaming. The second launch (by exiting and then re-launching the game immediately) needed 8 seconds for the Steam version, whereas the pirated version was – once again – ready in 3 seconds. The in-game maps also loads faster in the pirated version (58 seconds versus 1 minute and 40 seconds).
Below you can find a video with the loading times for both the pirated and the Steam versions. The Steam version also suffers from additional stuttering. While they did notice very minor stutters on the pirated version, things were a lot worse on the Steam version. By taking a closer look at the CPU/GPU/RAM and Disk usage, we can finally discover what is causing these additional stutters. From the looks of it, the Steam version is constantly using the hard disk drive, resulting in random stuttering.
BTW it certainly is good to see that everybody is appreciating our Afterburner software ;)
rl66
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Posts: 2244
Joined: 2007-05-31
#5527627 Posted on: 03/13/2018 08:36 AM
About Nier Automata the last update correct nearly everything, exept the keyboard control (but it's a console port... and i have a pad, so i don't care too much)... very good game.
and yes square enix don't like patching
About Nier Automata the last update correct nearly everything, exept the keyboard control (but it's a console port... and i have a pad, so i don't care too much)... very good game.
and yes square enix don't like patching
Neo Cyrus
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Senior Member
Posts: 9255
Joined: 2006-02-14
#5527633 Posted on: 03/13/2018 09:05 AM
There is no Nier update? I don't see a single patch listed. The only update listed in Steam for it is an AMD driver update...
There is no Nier update? I don't see a single patch listed. The only update listed in Steam for it is an AMD driver update...
Fox2232
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Posts: 9839
Joined: 2012-07-20
Senior Member
Posts: 9839
Joined: 2012-07-20
#5527637 Posted on: 03/13/2018 09:16 AM
Not surprising. Adding directory where I have all compilers and tools into exception for Windows Anti-virus makes it work like 10 times faster.
Not surprising. Adding directory where I have all compilers and tools into exception for Windows Anti-virus makes it work like 10 times faster.
scatman839
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Joined: 2004-11-19
Senior Member
Posts: 13994
Joined: 2004-11-19
#5527638 Posted on: 03/13/2018 09:28 AM
There is no Nier update? I don't see a single patch listed. The only update listed in Steam for it is an AMD driver update...
Yep, there is no update, DLC was released.
also durante did a piece on this that also showed denuvo screwed a bit with load times
https://www.pcgamer.com/denuvo-drm-performance-final-fantasy-15/
By Peter "Durante" Thoman 19 hours ago
There is no Nier update? I don't see a single patch listed. The only update listed in Steam for it is an AMD driver update...
Yep, there is no update, DLC was released.
also durante did a piece on this that also showed denuvo screwed a bit with load times
https://www.pcgamer.com/denuvo-drm-performance-final-fantasy-15/
Tested: Denuvo DRM has no performance impact on Final Fantasy 15
By Peter "Durante" Thoman 19 hours ago
Durante puts FF15 through its paces to see if the DRM really slows games down.
Netherwind
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Joined: 2009-11-13
Senior Member
Posts: 6982
Joined: 2009-11-13
#5527657 Posted on: 03/13/2018 10:40 AM
About Nier Automata the last update correct nearly everything, exept the keyboard control (but it's a console port... and i have a pad, so i don't care too much)... very good game.
and yes square enix don't like patching
Which patch?
About Nier Automata the last update correct nearly everything, exept the keyboard control (but it's a console port... and i have a pad, so i don't care too much)... very good game.
and yes square enix don't like patching
Which patch?
fOrTy_7
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Posts: 344
Joined: 2005-06-18
Senior Member
Posts: 344
Joined: 2005-06-18
#5527676 Posted on: 03/13/2018 12:04 PM
I'm glad that someone made this kind of comparison, but the test itself is not very reliable.
For starters tests system has only 8GB of RAM, which might be insufficient for a recent AAA game, therefore a lot of paging could happen.
PC should be rebooted before every game launch to avoid Windows File Caching.
They could have used graphs in Afterburner to better represent FPS and CPU load over time.
If they noticed unusual HDD activity they could use tools like Process Monitor to actually see what
this HDD activity is. Denuvo was accused some time ago for constantly writing to SSD resulting in lower life span.
Also running a prerecorded demo or in-game benchmark would give more consistent and comparable results.
I'm glad that someone made this kind of comparison, but the test itself is not very reliable.
For starters tests system has only 8GB of RAM, which might be insufficient for a recent AAA game, therefore a lot of paging could happen.
PC should be rebooted before every game launch to avoid Windows File Caching.
They could have used graphs in Afterburner to better represent FPS and CPU load over time.
If they noticed unusual HDD activity they could use tools like Process Monitor to actually see what
this HDD activity is. Denuvo was accused some time ago for constantly writing to SSD resulting in lower life span.
Also running a prerecorded demo or in-game benchmark would give more consistent and comparable results.
Webhiker
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Posts: 556
Joined: 2011-03-23
Senior Member
Posts: 556
Joined: 2011-03-23
#5527683 Posted on: 03/13/2018 12:18 PM
I'm glad that someone made this kind of comparison, but the test itself is not very reliable.
For starters tests system has only 8GB of RAM, which might be insufficient for a recent AAA game, therefore a lot of paging could happen.
PC should be rebooted before every game launch to avoid Windows File Caching.
They could have used graphs in Afterburner to better represent FPS and CPU load over time.
If they noticed unusual HDD activity they could use tools like Process Monitor to actually see what
this HDD activity is. Denuvo was accused some time ago for constantly writing to SSD resulting in lower life span.
Also running a prerecorded demo or in-game benchmark would give more consistent and comparable results.
The pirated version runs fine with 8 GB of ram. This is just a load test not a benchmark test.
I'm glad that someone made this kind of comparison, but the test itself is not very reliable.
For starters tests system has only 8GB of RAM, which might be insufficient for a recent AAA game, therefore a lot of paging could happen.
PC should be rebooted before every game launch to avoid Windows File Caching.
They could have used graphs in Afterburner to better represent FPS and CPU load over time.
If they noticed unusual HDD activity they could use tools like Process Monitor to actually see what
this HDD activity is. Denuvo was accused some time ago for constantly writing to SSD resulting in lower life span.
Also running a prerecorded demo or in-game benchmark would give more consistent and comparable results.
The pirated version runs fine with 8 GB of ram. This is just a load test not a benchmark test.
Angantyr
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Joined: 2013-11-23
Senior Member
Posts: 691
Joined: 2013-11-23
#5527689 Posted on: 03/13/2018 12:40 PM
Guess the Steam API implementation has been done badly, it certainly isn't doing it any favors.
Guess the Steam API implementation has been done badly, it certainly isn't doing it any favors.
vbetts
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Moderator
Posts: 14754
Joined: 2006-07-04
#5527701 Posted on: 03/13/2018 01:08 PM
I'm glad that someone made this kind of comparison, but the test itself is not very reliable.
For starters tests system has only 8GB of RAM, which might be insufficient for a recent AAA game, therefore a lot of paging could happen.
PC should be rebooted before every game launch to avoid Windows File Caching.
They could have used graphs in Afterburner to better represent FPS and CPU load over time.
If they noticed unusual HDD activity they could use tools like Process Monitor to actually see what
this HDD activity is. Denuvo was accused some time ago for constantly writing to SSD resulting in lower life span.
Also running a prerecorded demo or in-game benchmark would give more consistent and comparable results.
Not to get off topic but 8gb is still fine, even if you have to pagefile some memory...Not a big deal.
I'm glad that someone made this kind of comparison, but the test itself is not very reliable.
For starters tests system has only 8GB of RAM, which might be insufficient for a recent AAA game, therefore a lot of paging could happen.
PC should be rebooted before every game launch to avoid Windows File Caching.
They could have used graphs in Afterburner to better represent FPS and CPU load over time.
If they noticed unusual HDD activity they could use tools like Process Monitor to actually see what
this HDD activity is. Denuvo was accused some time ago for constantly writing to SSD resulting in lower life span.
Also running a prerecorded demo or in-game benchmark would give more consistent and comparable results.
Not to get off topic but 8gb is still fine, even if you have to pagefile some memory...Not a big deal.
Razoola
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Posts: 123
Joined: 2002-09-27
Senior Member
Posts: 123
Joined: 2002-09-27
#5527707 Posted on: 03/13/2018 01:24 PM
Nothing surprising here for me. I remember the same thing happen when comparing the Steam version against the unsteamed unprotected version of 'Half Life 2' many years ago. The same story.... The unprotected version loaded quicker and played with less stuttering than the paid version. It was so bad that even though I bought the game, I only played it using the unprotected version for a better gaming experiance.
Nothing surprising here for me. I remember the same thing happen when comparing the Steam version against the unsteamed unprotected version of 'Half Life 2' many years ago. The same story.... The unprotected version loaded quicker and played with less stuttering than the paid version. It was so bad that even though I bought the game, I only played it using the unprotected version for a better gaming experiance.
BlueRay
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Joined: 2015-11-18
Senior Member
Posts: 270
Joined: 2015-11-18
#5527708 Posted on: 03/13/2018 01:24 PM
Denuvo doesn't impact performance at all. It has already been debunked.
It's another thing to not like online DRMs because of their limitations and another thing to accuse something without any data just because you can't pirate it the moment you want.
Steam API is to blame for the overhead that it adds for the PC version and there is already a mod for that called Special K in the Steam community.
It indeed makes game load faster. Denuvo has nothing to do with it.
Denuvo doesn't impact performance at all. It has already been debunked.
It's another thing to not like online DRMs because of their limitations and another thing to accuse something without any data just because you can't pirate it the moment you want.
Steam API is to blame for the overhead that it adds for the PC version and there is already a mod for that called Special K in the Steam community.
It indeed makes game load faster. Denuvo has nothing to do with it.
vbetts
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Posts: 14754
Joined: 2006-07-04
#5527714 Posted on: 03/13/2018 01:44 PM
Denuvo doesn't impact performance at all. It has already been debunked.
It's another thing to not like online DRMs because of their limitations and another thing to accuse something without any data just because you can't pirate it the moment you want.
Steam API is to blame for the overhead that it adds for the PC version and there is already a mod for that called Special K in the Steam community.
It indeed makes game load faster. Denuvo has nothing to do with it.
But....The video proves it Denuvo does increase the load times?
Denuvo doesn't impact performance at all. It has already been debunked.
It's another thing to not like online DRMs because of their limitations and another thing to accuse something without any data just because you can't pirate it the moment you want.
Steam API is to blame for the overhead that it adds for the PC version and there is already a mod for that called Special K in the Steam community.
It indeed makes game load faster. Denuvo has nothing to do with it.
But....The video proves it Denuvo does increase the load times?
Denial
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Joined: 2004-05-16
Senior Member
Posts: 12489
Joined: 2004-05-16
#5527719 Posted on: 03/13/2018 02:00 PM
I'm at work so I can't watch the video but reading the article makes it sound like the guy does an A:B test between the game running on steam with dunevo enabled vs pirated (not on steam) with denuvo removed. The takeaway makes it sound like denuvo is 100% behind the increased loadtimes whereas BlueRay is saying that it's not dunevo but because steam isn't running in the pirated version.
But....The video proves it Denuvo does increase the load times?
I'm at work so I can't watch the video but reading the article makes it sound like the guy does an A:B test between the game running on steam with dunevo enabled vs pirated (not on steam) with denuvo removed. The takeaway makes it sound like denuvo is 100% behind the increased loadtimes whereas BlueRay is saying that it's not dunevo but because steam isn't running in the pirated version.
BlueRay
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Senior Member
Posts: 270
Joined: 2015-11-18
#5527744 Posted on: 03/13/2018 03:09 PM
Durante already proved Denuvo doesn't impact performance.
The loading times are because the Steam API causes many drawcalls and thus hampering performance.
There is already a mod in the Steam Community that fixes this (Special K).
There is nothing here and we should stop beating a dead horse.
Denuvo DRM has nothing to do with loading times.
We can discuss about how online DRMs are a bad policy but we should't discuss and spread urban legends.
Check steam for Special K if you own the game in Steam and want better loading times.
But....The video proves it Denuvo does increase the load times?
Durante already proved Denuvo doesn't impact performance.
The loading times are because the Steam API causes many drawcalls and thus hampering performance.
There is already a mod in the Steam Community that fixes this (Special K).
There is nothing here and we should stop beating a dead horse.
Denuvo DRM has nothing to do with loading times.
We can discuss about how online DRMs are a bad policy but we should't discuss and spread urban legends.
Check steam for Special K if you own the game in Steam and want better loading times.
Click here to post a comment for this news story on the message forum.
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I have a feeling even if it's confirmed and verified Square Enix will never remove Denuvo. They've never done it in the past and they don't even patch severely broken games like Nier Automata. They just expect people to use community mods to fix it. I'm shocked that SE released any patch at all for FF15, even if it was for a game break bug that was easy for them to repair.