RE: [Algorithms] Game loop timings

[Chuck W. <ch...@wi...>]

Fixed-increment timing code is problematic on the PC now matter how
clever you are about it.  Since the performance characteristics of the
system will vary widely from system-to-system, and even on the same
system from driver-to-driver or due to component upgrades, you are
inherently dealing with variable timing.  Fixed-increment timing code
also breaks when you are doing debug vs. release builds, profiling, or
have to cope with variability introduced by multi-threading or
background processes that the user wants/needs to have active while
playing your game.

Now, you can certainly set up your AI/physics to run a lower rate than
your rendering rate.  You can probably get close to constant increments
if your resolution is low-enough via multi-media timers, but you will
have to be stable enough to deal with the occasional glitch.

-Chuck Walbourn
SDE, Windows Gaming & Graphics