Battlefield 1 - Live Gameplay Benchmark using GTX-660 + FX-8350
Can the GTX-660 and the FX-8350 provide enough power to drive Battlefield 1 at Full HD (1920x1080) resolution with Ultra settings? The answer is a resounding yes!
This video captures Battlefield 1 Live Gameplay with MSI Afterburner and RivaTuner Statistics Server providing a nice, clean benchmark session running at 1080p against the GTX660 3GB GPU from 2012. This four year old graphics card is being hosted by an 8 core FX8350 of nearly the same vintage running at 4GHz with 16GB of RAM.
Quick Results:
~60 fps during prerendered cut-scenes
~30-40 fps during most gameplay
~20-30 fps during intense onscreen action gameplay
This card is also more than capable of handling Full HD (1920x1080) gaming at high settings for nearly every game out there. This is the resolution at which I do most PC gaming at this time. In this video, Battlefield 1 is running at 1080p with ULTRA settings. Yes! Ultra settings!
Also, if you are desiring to work on a 4K desktop then the GTX-660 is still very relevant! It will definitely do the job. I have been using this graphics card to support my desktop applications for quite some time.
NOTE: NVIDIA Shadowplay was used to capture the test and this tool had an inevitable impact on the test results. FPS counts were roughly 10% higher without Shadowplay running but the difference was not significant enough to alter the expected gameplay experience. ...well, maybe...more on that at another time.
The video linked on this page was created primarily to support research into GPUs and to capture a baseline by which to compare anticipated computer upgrades.
The live statistics seen in the upper left of the screen during the benchmark tests were made possible using MSI Afterburner and the RivaTuner Statistics Server. NOTE: RivaTuner installs with MSI Afterburner.
Skookum Valley Gaming will be receiving a brand new MSI GTX-1080 Gaming X GPU very soon and we are eager to see exactly how much performance was gained by this acquisition.
There is also some curiosity arising as to whether or not the FX-8350 will bottleneck the MSI GTX-1080. The procedures used to generate the GTX-660 baseline will be used to determine if bottlenecks are present in the newly upgraded system.
Thanks for visiting. Feel free to share the video and this blog. If you liked the video, be sure to smash that like button, subscribe to the channel, and comment in the comment box!
The videos linked below capture a series of benchmark sessions running at FHD (1080p) resolution with high detail settings using the GTX660 3GB GPU from 2012. This four year old graphics card is being hosted by an 8 core FX8350 of nearly the same vintage running at 4GHz with 16GB of RAM. Can the 660 and the 8350 do the job?
This card is more than capable of handling Full HD (1920x1080) gaming at high settings for nearly every game out there. This is the resolution at which I do most PC gaming at this time.
However, if gaming at 4K is what you are after then, unless you are satisfied with a frame rates averaging around 12-15 FPS, this will not be the greatest 4K solution for you. This older GPU can get the job done but the experience may be found lacking.
NOTE: NVIDIA Shadowplay was used to capture the tests and this tool had an inevitable impact on the test results. FPS counts were roughly 10% higher without Shadowplay running but the difference was not significant enough to alter the expected gameplay experience.
Below are links to the benchmark videos and the resulting statistics. Click on the video images to watch the live benchmark stats.
The videos linked on this page were created primarily to support research into GPUs and to capture a baseline by which to compare anticipated computer upgrades.
The live statistics seen in the upper left of the screen during the benchmark tests were made possible using MSI Afterburner and the RivaTuner Statistics Server. NOTE: RivaTuner installs with MSI Afterburner.
Skookum Valley Gaming will be receiving a brand new MSI GTX-1080 very soon and we are eager to see exactly how much performance was gained by this acquisition.
There is also some curiosity arising as to whether or not the FX-8350 will bottleneck the MSI GTX-1080. The procedures used to generate the GTX-660 baseline will be used to determine if bottlenecks are present in the newly upgraded system.
Thanks for visiting. Feel free to share this video and if you liked it, be sure to smash that like button, subscribe to the channel, and comment in the comment box!
The videos linked below capture a series of benchmark sessions running at WQHD (2560x1440) resolution with high detail settings using the GTX660 3GB GPU from 2012. This four year old graphics card is being hosted by an 8 core FX8350 of nearly the same vintage running at 4GHz with 16GB of RAM. Can the 660 and the 8350 do the job?
This card is certainly capable of handling WQHD (2560x1440) gaming at high settings for nearly every game out there.
However, if gaming at 4K is what you are after then, unless you are satisfied with a frame rates averaging around 12-15 FPS, this wil not be the greatest 4K solution for you. This older GPU can get the job done but the experience may be found lacking.
NOTE: NVIDIA Shadowplay was used to capture the tests and this tool had an inevitable impact on the test results. FPS counts were roughly 10% higher without Shadowplay running but the difference was not significant enough to alter the expected gameplay experience.
It should also be mentioned that although the test was running at WQHD (2560x1440) and displayed on a WQHD (2560x1440) display, NVIDIA Shadowplay recorded a downscaled version at 1080p. It is hoped that the coming GTX-1080 will be able to record at WQHD (2560x1440). However, there is no reason at the moment to expect that it will be able to both display and record at WQHD (2560x1440).
Below are links to the benchmark videos and the resulting statistics. Click on the video images to watch the live benchmark stats.
The videos linked on this page were created primarily to support research into GPUs and to capture a baseline by which to compare anticipated computer upgrades.
The live statistics seen in the upper left of the screen during the benchmark tests were made possible using MSI Afterburner and the RivaTuner Statistics Server. NOTE: RivaTuner installs with MSI Afterburner.
Skookum Valley Gaming will be receiving a brand new MSI GTX-1080 very soon and we are eager to see exactly how much performance was gained by this acquisition.
There is also some curiosity arising as to whether or not the FX-8350 will bottleneck the MSI GTX-1080. The procedures used to generate the GTX-660 baseline will be used to determine if bottlenecks are present in the newly upgraded system.
Thanks for visiting. Feel free to share this video and if you liked it, be sure to smash that like button, subscribe to the channel, and comment in the comment box!
Can the EVGA GeForce GTX 660 3GB Superclocked GPU and the AMD 8 Core 4GHz FX-8350 CPU provide enough power to drive PC gaming at 4K (3840x2160) resolution? The answer is yes! However, the question might be whether or not you would really want to do such a thing.
The videos linked below capture a series of benchmark sessions running at 4K with high detail settings using the GTX660 3GB GPU from 2012. This four year old graphics card is being hosted by an 8 core FX8350 of nearly the same vintage running at 4GHz with 16GB of RAM. Can the 660 and the 8350 do the job?
If you are desiring to work on a 4K desktop then the GTX-660 is still very relevant. It will definitely do the job. I have been using this graphics card to support my desktop applications for quite some time.
This card is also more than capable of handling Full HD (1920x1080) gaming at high settings for nearly every game out there. This is the resolution at which I do most PC gaming at this time.
However, if gaming at 4K with a frame rate averaging around 12-15 FPS is going to prevent the gamer from truly enjoying smooth gameplay then, perhaps, this isn't the greatest 4K solution. This older GPU can get the job done but the experience may be found lacking.
NOTE: NVIDIA Shadowplay was used to capture the tests and this tool had an inevitable impact on the test results. FPS counts were roughly 10% higher without Shadowplay running but the difference was not significant enough to alter the expected gameplay experience.
It should also be mentioned that although the test was running at 4K and displayed on a 4K display, NVIDIA Shadowplay recorded a downscaled version at 1080p. It is hoped that the coming GTX-1080 will be able to record at 4K. However, there is no reason at the moment to expect that it will be able to both display and record at 4K.
Below are links to the benchmark videos and the resulting statistics. Click on the video images to watch the live benchmark stats.
The videos linked on this page were created primarily to support research into GPUs and to capture a baseline by which to compare anticipated computer upgrades.
The live statistics seen in the upper left of the screen during the benchmark tests were made possible using MSI Afterburner and the RivaTuner Statistics Server. NOTE: RivaTuner installs with MSI Afterburner.
Skookum Valley Gaming will be receiving a brand new MSI GTX-1080 very soon and we are eager to see exactly how much performance was gained by this acquisition.
There is also some curiosity arising as to whether or not the FX-8350 will bottleneck the MSI GTX-1080. The procedures used to generate the GTX-660 baseline will be used to determine if bottlenecks are present in the newly upgraded system.
Thanks for visiting. Feel free to share this video and if you liked it, be sure to smash that like button, subscribe to the channel, and comment in the comment box!
The bigger they are, the harder they fall. And, oh! How the mighty have fallen! Watch as this majestic airship, once used as an instrument of war, falls gracefully from the sky onto the battlefield below.
These airships once gave an enormous tactical advantage to both attackers and defenders. Their main weakness lies in their inability to move quickly enough to evade anti-aircraft fire. They also provided a rather large target area and were known for their incredible flammability.
Tragically, many civilians were lost during times of peace as these early aircraft, often referred to as zeppelins, went up in flames and took many innocent lives with them. We at Skookum Valley Gaming have the deepest respect and sympathy for those whose lives have been affected by such tragic loss. This footage is from a video game based in World War I (WWI).
Thanks for visiting. Feel free to share this video and if you liked it, be sure to smash that like button, subscribe to the channel, and comment in the comment box!
All you have to do is choose your platform, provide your email address, and enter the product code from the Monster Energy packaging. The promotional codes for your chosen platform will be provided to you instantly via a pop-up window. There is no need to worry if you accidentally close that pop-up window, however, because the platform codes will also be sent to your email account shortly after you have entered the product codes into the website.
If you enjoy Monster Energy drinks and you like to play Battlefield then you are going to LOVE this deal. So, go grab a case of Monster Energy today and start opening up those free Battlepacks. Below is a short video demonstrating just how easy it is to redeem those codes!
Connect your favorite console game controller to your PC the easy way! Watch the video in the link below and learn how to connect your PlayStation 4 DualShock controller to your PC and start playing great games like Battlefield1 on your PC today!
If you are like me and have been playing console games almost exclusively for many years, you may have found that making the transition from using a gaming controller to using a keyboard and mouse can be troublesome. There is definitely a learning curve.
Solve all of your problems with this one simple trick!
Get ahead of the curve and back into the action by simply connecting one of your existing console controllers to your PC. You can connect virtually any modern game controller to Windows by using a simple software application called DS4Windows.
If you are transitioning from Xbox to PC then the transition will be even smoother since Windows 10 natively supports the Xbox controller. Earlier versions of Windows will need a driver, however.
If you wish to connect a PlayStation 4 controller to PC, you will need to take the extra step of downloading and installing DS4Windows. This marvelous application will make your PS4 controller look like the Xbox One controller to Windows. It's that easy!
Just download the package from DS4Windows.com, unzip the archive and run the setup. The first time it runs it will ask a couple of questions such as where you would like to install your controller profiles. After that, it is good to go!
Eventually, becoming accustomed to the keyboard and mouse controls will have its advantages. But, if you just want to get gaming right away then grab your controller and let's get started!
REQUIRED HARDWARE: ►PlayStation 4 (PS4) Dualshock ►USB cable to connect controller to PC *Bluetooth can be used if your PC supports it
Although the DS4Windows software supports both Bluetooth and USB connectivity, it is recommended that you begin the process by first connecting via USB. After you have established that the software and controller are working correctly together, go ahead and try out Bluetooth!
REQUIRED SOFTWARE: ►DS4Windows if using PS4 DualShock controller on Windows 10
*Xbox 360 drivers are required if your PC is running an older version of Windows
BACKGROUND
Windows 10 already has built-in support for the Xbox 360 controller. This shouldn't be too surprising since the Xbox is basically a special purpose PC which runs Direct X. By the way, that also happens to be where the Xbox gets the the "X" in its name.
Because Windows 10 already supports the Xbox controller, you should be able to plug that controller directly into your PC using the appropriate USB cable and it should work without extra effort. If you are using an earlier version of Windows then you will need to download and install the appropriate driver. DS4Windows will take care of this for you when first launched.
If you wish to connect your PS4 Dualshock controller to your PC, this will require an extra piece of software. The required application is called DS4Windows and its job is to make Windows think your PS4 Dualshock controller is actually the Xbox 360 controller. I found this software and all of the instructions at the DS4Windows website (http://www.ds4windows.com).
At first, I was hesitant to install software from what I considered to be an unknown source. However, after some careful research, I arrived at the conclusion that this software is safe when downloaded straight from the source. It is strongly encouraged that this software be downloaded ONLY from ds4windows.com to ensure the authenticity of the package you are downloading.
Check out the video in the link below to have a look at the website and get a feel for what is needed to connect your PlayStation controller to your PC!
HOW TO DO IT
I was going to create a step-by-step tutorial to cover this but the DS4Windows website has a very simple and complete step-by-step guide. There is even a link to a related video on that website if you wish to see what the software looks like when first launched. My recommendation is to go directly to the DS4Windows website and check it out. Everything you need to know is right there.
NOTE: I strongly recommend using DS4Windows instead of other input mapping software because DS4Windows is proven safe and does not have any built-in advertising or associated bloat-ware.
This video contains Battlefield 1 gameplay that was made possible by using a PS4 controller on PC. Prior to connecting the console controller to the PC, gaming on PC was painful for me. Using the PS4 game controller on PC has brought me back into the competition and made gaming on the PC fun again!
I hope this video has helped someone else and perhaps even inspired another console player to try out gaming on PC.
Connecting a console controller to PC will definitely make things easier!
After clearing that evil squad from their hiding place behind the rocky outcropping, I failed to notice that another player had mysteriously spawned behind the guy I had just terminated.
The squad was not truly wiped!
Adding insult to injury this newly spawned player decided to lay upon the ground and snipe me from behind. After taking a few shots and with only 14% of my health remaining, I decided to go for broke and run this menace into the ground.
It almost didn't work...almost. ...I got him. :0)
This brief video was captured shortly after connecting a PS4 DualShock 4 controller to my PC. Most of my gameplay in the past years has been almost exclusively on the PlayStation (both PS3 and PS4). Recently, I decided to try out Battlefield 1 on PC. That was mostly because I could try it out for 10 hours before release thanks to the Origin Access Early Trial offering.
Suffice it to say, the WASD control paradigm was giving me some grief. I was doing nothing but losing. Knowing that skill with WASD comes from hours of practice and only having 10 hours to try out the game, it was time to get practical. So, I did some Googling and found an easy way to connect my PS4 DS4 Controller to my PC and BAM! I'm back in the game and have become a force to be reckoned with!
The making of this video was a brutal trial-by-fire. Although the overwhelming majority of my recent gaming action has been on consoles (Atari2600, NES, PS2, PS3, and PS4), I have many years of PC based gaming under my ever-widening belt.
Much of my historical gameplay experience has included the use of the seemingly ubiquitous WASD based keyboard control paradigm. Alas, none of that experience helped me today when I tried to play the early release "Free Trial" of Battlefield1 that has been made available through Origin Access.
To say the least, it was a slaughter and I was the sacrificial animal. All my gaming experience was rendered useless and I was reduced to less-than-noob status on the Battlefield. I simply could not move fast enough with the keyboard and mouse controls. This interface is not sufficiently intuitive to me at this point and movement required too much thought. Too be an effective player, movement has to be second nature. A moment's thought needs to translate into immediate muscle movement.
Many people say, and I do believe, that over time and with much practice, the WASD/Mouse movement system will not only become intuitive, it will be a faster and more precise interface. It will certainly be worth the effort to pursue perfection on this route but there is clearly a long road ahead of me.
The epic beat-down which was laid upon me today was captured in all of its sticky glory and is linked below for all the world to see. If you are like me and have been playing console games almost exclusively for many years, you might know the pain that put this gamer's ego back on the ground today.
Worry not! For I will overcome this infusion of humility and return to fight another battle. The BF1 war is not over! We will fight them on the beaches. We will fight them on the streets. We will fight them with growing confidence and growing strength in the air! We will never surrender!
To some it may be a mystery. To others it may be stunningly obvious. This video is for people like me who sometimes forget the more simple things in life...
UPDATE: It looks like many laptop gamers are having issues with BF1 and/or DirectX 12. I'm currently looking for a more satisfying solution to the problem but so far the answer appears to be to choose "Borderless". This setting will give you what is maybe a pseudo-fullscreen. It basically maximizes the windowed view and removes the border. You will be stuck with whatever resolution and refresh rate is default in your Windows desktop, however.
The original post below will help you find where to to switch the game view between "Windowed, Borderless, and Fullscreen."
ORIGINAL POST:
So you've just downloaded Battlefield 1 or any other PC game and you can't figure out how to make it go full screen. You've clicked everywhere in the game's window frame looking for something that will allow you to switch to full screen. But, you find nothing.
You've then search the Origin, Steam, or U-Play interfaces to see if there is some hidden configuration variable that you need to switch...some inconspicuous checkbox that went unchecked. You've even searched the Internet looking for answers. Yet, despite all of your efforts, you have found nothing.
Well, search no more!
Here's a little something that should help you solve this perplexing conundrum...
The solution is right there in the game itself. On the top row of the Battlefield 1 main menu, you should see a tab called "More". Click this tab and you will see a number of cards; one of these will be labeled "Options" and has an icon that looks like a gear. Click on this card and you will be presented with links to the "Audio" and "Video" settings.
Select "Video" and you will be taken to the screen on the left. The topmost setting on this screen is called "FULLSCREEN MODE". What you need to do from here is just click the side arrows and scroll until you find the option you want. This attribute will cycles through three options labeled WINDOWED, BORDERLESS, and FULLSCREEN. My most preferred setting is FULLSCREEN.
Even thought this setting appears to be located exactly where most people would expect it to be, it seems that I forget this almost every time I get a new PC game. That's why I made this blog post and the associated video. Hopefully, the next time I need to be reminded to check the game's internal video settings so that I can go full screen, maybe I'll stumble upon my own posts and get the answer (and the healthy dose of humility) that I need.
Below is a video which will walk the viewer through the steps necessary to switch the game from "windowed" to "full screen" mode.
I've run into this many times when downloading games from Origin, Steam, U-Play, or wherever else. The fact that I've struggled with this so many times and forgot what to do in between probably points out that I do not play enough games on PC. Yes, I am mainly a console player. Still can't quite get the whole "WASD" thing. :-p
According to sources at EA DICE, the maps for the new DLC will be set on the tropical planet "Scarif". The main bad guy you see in the trailer will be the primary antagonist for this new expansion pack. Speculation is that there will be two added heroes, Jane Erso and the main bad guy we've already mentioned. There has also been talk regarding the confirmation of the rumor that there will be more single-player action coming to the DLC packs. However, talking about the confirmation of rumors is really still just the rumor mill doing what it does best. We'll have to wait and see.
The short video in the link was taken from a longer gameplay video that I am currently putting together. This clip captures the moment that I noticed that the final DLC slot had been given a name. The commentary heard in the video was my initial reaction. The full length gameplay video and my overall review of the recently released Death Star Expansion Pack will be released soon. Stay Tuned!
Stay Skookum!
Pilchuck
of Skookum Valley Gaming
"That's no moon. It's a space station."
--Obi-Wan Kenobi
Hello, Everyone! Welcome to Skookum Valley Gaming. I just wanted to get out a quick blog and video showing my first impressions of the new Star Wars Battlefront Death Star DLC that was released today to Season Pass members. A full highlights video and blog review will be posted later this week.
I have been loving this game since the first release! The first two DLC packages kept me fully engaged by thoroughly impressing me with the developer's attention to detail. Ever since the announcement of the Death Star DLC, I have been eagerly awaiting it's arrival.
While playing the game, some interesting visual anomalies were experienced. In one form of optical oddity, the respawn splash screen was unrecognizable. This can be seen in the video after the first death (at the 11 second mark). It goes by quickly but you can hear me say, "Yeah, that graphic's messed up."
Other visual side-effects seemed to occur mostly when making the transition between the space-based and ground-based battles while playing the new Battle Station game mode.
This intriguing new game mode is a clever variation on familiar themes which builds upon a mixture of space-based Fighter Squadron and ground based infantry battles. It looks like there may still be some wrinkles to iron out in the code which supports this new feature.
At first, I thought the cut-scene was glitching and was failing to render at the same high-resolution that we have come to enjoy in this rather ground-breaking game. You can see the first example at the 21 second mark where I say, "Man! What has happened here?" The visual anomaly prompted me to reset my PS4 because I thought memory was getting corrupted or something.
After the reset, I quickly returned to the same transition cut-scene and it looked just as bad each time. There is a similar cut-scene during the transition between the second and third phase of Battle Station where the gameplay returns to space based battles above the surface of the Death Star. This cut-scene (staring at 0:56) also has the same, strange, low-resolution (and kind of odd looking) graphical quality as the one between the first and second phases of the game mode.
Other anomalies were encountered during these transitions as I continued to play several rounds. Each time the transitions occurred, slightly different oddities would arise. Some of these included loss of sound (at 1:11) and other screen effects which you can see in the video in the link. Check out the incident where the top 1/3 of the screen goes white while the bottom 2/3 remains black for no apparent reason (at time 1:51).
...and why is the spinning load circle in the center of the screen and not down at the lower right?
My suspicion is that there is a really heavy context switch required between those phases of Battle Station. I'm thinking that swapping out one map for another while running the same game mode is something that was not built into the underlying software design. It probably requires a lot of resources and, being something new, is causing some unexpected and undesirable behavior. EA DICE will likely address this issue in a future patch and it's not a game changer or show stopper by any means.
I chatted with someone online who was also playing the game tonight. This user mentioned seeing the some problems and when I spoke about the anomalies that I was seeing, he said that he'd seen them too and was glad that I mentioned it because he thought maybe it was just him.
In any case, I really do appreciate the work that EA DICE has put into this truly remarkable and beautifully rendered game. However, I do think that something unfortunate has happened and perhaps this DLC was release just slightly prematurely. I'm hoping that there will be a patch coming soon and we can put all of this strangeness behind us.
Bonus Video Link! Another PS4 SWBF player posted a rather entertaining glitch. What happens when you respawn in space but the game forgets to give you a space ship? Click on the video frame to find out!
I'm taking some time this evening to give a shout-out to a gamer who is starting a shout-out series of videos that will spotlight three small YouTube gaming channels each and every Sunday.
And it all starts this week!
Get ready for Nez Gaming's Sunday Shoutout Series!
This enterprising YouTube Gamer runs a channel called Nez Gaming and down below in this blog you will find links to his YouTube channel, the announcement video, and several other ways to gain access to the world of Nez Gaming.
Creating a shout-out series and inviting the community to participate in the project is an outstanding idea and I completely support Nez in his effort to "give back" to a community which he feels has treated him well. That, my friend, is putting gratitude into action!
It's truly wonderful when small YouTube gaming channels work together to get the word out and share the fun. I'm hoping that other gamers will appreciate, enjoy, and take an active role in what Nez Gaming is making happen.
Nez is really doing a great thing here and I encourage him to keep up the good work! The video series he is creating has the potential to empower each and every one of us! Thanks Nez!
The series is open to all YouTube gaming channels and you, too, might one day find yourself being featured in one of the Nez Gaming channel's shout-out videos.
Watch the video in the link below (and above right) where Nez describes his idea for this video series and provides a small set of rules which will assist with organizing and helping to promote the effort.
From spawn to post muerte, this video captures one of the more epic moments of battle that I have encountered while playing the Battlefield 1 beta. This may be a taste of things to come with the upcoming release of Battlefield 1 from game-makers EA DICE.
I spawn into the game near the train station at D-Flag. The battle is already hot and heavy! Because there are tanks and other enemy vehicles in the vicinity, I immediately lay down some anti-tank (AT) mines. This turns out to have been a good move even though the effort did not save my own life.
After dropping the mines, I run around the railroad cars and find myself facing a heavily armored tank. There is little I can do but throw some anti-tank grenades at it and run for my life.
You will, however, see me try to shoot the tank in a futile attempt to finish off the damage and disable the vehicle. Eventually, I run for cover in the direction of the mines I had placed earlier (hoping to lure the tank to its demise).
I take heavy damage but manage to survive the battle with this particular tank. But the glory is short lived as I am quickly run over by another armored enemy vehicle. The battle was not quite lost, however.
The tank which ran me over continued to drive around the railroad cars and eventually drove over my AT mines. All on-board the vehicle were lost along with someone standing nearby. I'm not sure that more than four people could have been in that particular tank at one time.
Either way, my single death resulted in 5 enemy deaths. And that, my friends, is how to play the game!
