[Linux] L4D2 Multicore Rendering/Performance issues on Ironlake Mobile chipsets

[ghost]

Based on the suggestion by @Plagman here: #457 (comment) I'm filing a new bug, since I cannot get multicore rendering to work and I experience huge frame drops in the game, rendering it impossible to play.

This issue has been present for more than a year already and hopefully will get enough attention.

My system is a Toshiba Satellite L650 C13 laptop running Ubuntu 14.04 x64, fully updated with Open Source Intel Ironlake Mobile drivers.

[Plagman]

From the other issue it looks like multicore rendering is working as expected on your system, but you're experiencing performance issues. What sort of performance numbers are you getting? It would be interesting to see whether they're very different from other Ironlake-based systems.

[ghost]

I get 10 FPS on average.

Specs:

Processor Information:
Vendor: GenuineIntel
CPU Family: 0x6
CPU Model: 0x25
CPU Stepping: 0x2
CPU Type: 0x0
Speed: 2133 Mhz
4 logical processors
2 physical processors
HyperThreading: Supported
FCMOV: Supported
SSE2: Supported
SSE3: Supported
SSSE3: Supported
SSE4a: Unsupported
SSE41: Supported
SSE42: Supported

Operating System Version:
Ubuntu 14.04 LTS (64 bit)
Kernel Name: Linux
Kernel Version: 3.13.0-27-generic
X Server Vendor: The X.Org Foundation
X Server Release: 11501000
X Window Manager: GNOME Shell
Steam Runtime Version: steam-runtime-release_2014-04-15

Video Card:
Driver: Intel Open Source Technology Center Mesa DRI Intel(R) Ironlake Mobile x86/MMX/SSE2

Driver Version:  2.1 Mesa 10.1.0
OpenGL Version: 2.1
Desktop Color Depth: 24 bits per pixel
Monitor Refresh Rate: 59 Hz
VendorID:  0x8086
DeviceID:  0x46
Number of Monitors:  1
Number of Logical Video Cards:  1
Primary Display Resolution:  1366 x 768
Desktop Resolution: 1366 x 768
Primary Display Size: 13,54" x 7,64"  (15,51" diag)
                                        34,4cm x 19,4cm  (39,4cm diag)
Primary VRAM Not Detected

Sound card:
Audio device: Intel IbexPeak HDMI

Memory:
RAM: 3754 Mb

Miscellaneous:
UI Language: English
LANG: sk_SK.UTF-8
Microphone: Not set
Total Hard Disk Space Available: 246291 Mb
Largest Free Hard Disk Block: 80023 Mb

[ghost]

I also have to add, that when I run the game on Windows 7 Ultimate x64 with MR I get very low frames, when I disable it the game runs smooth, even though only on the lowest details, but still.

On Linux I can't get it to work at all.

[Plagman]

What leads you to believe it's not working on your system? You can compare the CPU load across threads when running with "+mat_queue_mode 0" on the command-line and should observe that OpenGL calls are not made from a worker anymore.

[Tele42]

It should be noted that while Steam runs on Intel Ironlake and GM45, performance is marginal before Sandy Bridge. Use whatever dirty tricks you can to get performance up.

[ghost]

@Plagman sorry for the delay, was busy. Tested the command in the game's launch options and terminal, didn't bring any fruit.

Before we get any further please bear in mind that I'm no expert when it comes to Linux. I consider myself intermediate (as in understand how to use the terminal and a fair amount of commands).

[Plagman]

So your problem if that L4D2 runs slow on your Ironlake system, multicore rendering isn't a factor. I would report your performance numbers to the Mesa tracker to see if they're in line with the current performance of the Mesa driver for that chipset.