Working with BF2 timedemo output (CSV file)

[Spacecomber]

I was wondering if anyone could provide some advice for me in terms of trying to do some things with the results from a Battlefield 2 timedemo. Using Open Office's Calc, I've been able to do some basic things, like find the average, minimum, and maximum values, but I'm still looking for a way to capture a better feel for this data. In particular, the values typically range from 2fps up to 110fps (or more), and I'd like something that gives people a better sense of how much of the timedemo consisted of what most people would consider "laggy" frame rates (e.g., frame rates less than 10 or 15 fps).

I can create a graph showing these frame rates over time, which does a pretty good job of representing what I'm interested in showing, but I was thinking that somesort of distribution would be helpful, too. I don't know if this is very feasible, but how might I break the data into groupings, such as 0-9.9fps, 10-19.9fps, 20-29.9fps, etc., and then count the number of instances of framerates falling into each of these groupings? Or, maybe, round each frame rate value to a whole number and create a distribution count for each of these whole number values.

I'm open to tips, pointers on where I can go to read up more on using spreadsheets, or other approaches to better draw out the information in this timedemo record.

Perhaps I should add that the record consists of frame numbers, times in ms that it took to draw each frame, and an equivalent fps for every frame rendered during the timedemo.

Thanks

Space

 

[xtknight]

What's the command to do the timedemo in BF2? I have lots of experience with Excel data and macros so I could make something to make a pretty graph of it. Then again you may want someone who majored in Analysis. I'm not to the point of majoring yet.

I think the zones are a good idea. Zone:

0.0-29.99 FPS unplayable (-30 pts.)
30-39.99 FPS dreadful (-20)
40-49.99 FPS painful (-10)
50-59.99 FPS fair (0)
60-69.99 FPS good (+10)
70-79.99 FPS excellent (+20)
80+ FPS optimal (+30)

Then tally up the number of zones. Give it a score based on the cumulative point system above. Divide that score by the number of zones you found. Add 100 to it so it doesn't look so low. I think.

 

[Spacecomber]

As I think about it, I believe that I would like to begin with doing a graph of the distribution of the fps score for each frame after rounding these to whole numbers. I know that the results won't exactly fit a bell curve, but I think that they'll be close enough that looking at them from this perspective might be worthwhile.

I've already looked at the standard deviation for the data, which typically is a bit more than 12, and this suggests that, if the average is 50fps, for 95% of the frames rendered, they were done so at a rate between 25-75 fps. 99% of the frames should have been rendered at rates between 13-87 fps. (If this sort of distribution is typical for games, you can see why a suggestion that an average of 60fps is necessary to keep the range of frame rates in the playable zone, i.e., 23-97fps.) Anyway, to look at a graph would be interesting to see how well the data fits this kind of profile.

Doing a timedemo is a bit of a PIA with BF2. You'll need to record a demo, then create a camera file to go with it. Once you have this, you can use it in a timedemo. This overclockers.com.au article is the best description of how this all works. If you are interested in more general information about working with BF2 ability to record and create demos, I suggest browsing through this thread on EA.UK's BF2 Forums.

I look forward to hearing about whatever you might come up with.

By the way, here's a link to a graph that shows the frame rates as the timedemo is run. While you could say that all the information is in this graph, it just seems a bit too "messy" to easily take it in and translate into something relevant to your actual game experience. On the other hand, it does depict how much your frame rate is "all over the place" when you are playing BF2.

Frame rates while playing a timedemo for a few minutes.

Thanks

Space

 

[xtknight]

Thanks for the links. Do you have the raw .csv output?

I want to make a better benchmarking graph system. Right now most sites just take the average. It really doesn't represent anything. We need a special "playability index".

 

[xtknight]

Bump?

 

[xtknight]

buuuuuuuuummmmmmpppp?

 

[Spacecomber]

Sorry, I hadn't noticed that you had been responding back to this thread. Threads don't last too long on the first page.

HardOCP is making an effort to move away from presenting their results in bar graphs of average FPS and instead are looking at the the range of the frame rate as they actually play the game. They present their results in terms of what resolution and graphics settings are best for a given hardware set up.

I think that they are on the right track, but I don't find their solution completely satisfactory either.

I do have a CSV file from my one of my timedemo trials. I'd be happy to email it to you if you like. Maybe PM me with an email address, if it isn't in your profile.

I'd make them available to anyone who wants to look at them, as well as the demo and camera I recorded to go with it. There's nothing special about them, just that they are already done.

Space