FrontBench: using Frontier as a benchmark (Discussion thread)

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Badwolf
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FrontBench: using Frontier as a benchmark (Discussion thread)

Post by Badwolf »

This is technically software I'm distributing, but not the final product you want as I'm not sure of its legal status: you're going to have to do some work. Instructions as below.


FrontBench is the full shareware version of Frontier modified to count frames between two specific places in the intro sequence. A faster computer/memory combination should be smoother and thus able to draw more frames between these two points.

It's not a rigorous benchmark, but it's a decent representation of an AltRAM-supporting game that is heavy on memory access and CPU load. It provides a good visual feedback too. Frontier does not use an FPU.

Please note, Frontier uses the vertical blank to time the intro sequence. The sequence is therefore shorter on 60Hz machines. This will give a frame count ~17% lower than on an otherwise identical configuration running at 50Hz. This needs to be taken into account when comparing results.

Frontier (and FrontBench) requires a 1MB machine.


Some examples I've collected:

Stock 8MHz PAL STE: ~850 frames.

16MHz PAL STE: ~940 frames.
32MHz PAL STE: ~1100 frames [exxos].
16MHz PAL STE + 7MB/s AltRAM: ~1320 frames.

16MHz PAL Mega ST + Hypercache: ~1505 frames [czietz].

Stock Falcon @60Hz VGA mode: ~1650 frames.
Stock Falcon @50Hz RGB mode: ~2070 frames.

50MHz PAL Mega ST+TF536: ~2440 frames [coonsgm].
50MHz PAL H5[STF]+TF536: ~2700 frames [davec].

50MHz DFB1 Falcon + 33MB/s AltRAM @50Hz RGB mode: ~4160 frames.

1) Download the shareware version of Frontier from (for example) https://www.frontierastro.co.uk/Files/files.html

2) Extract frontier.bin from the ST disc image (use mtools or an emulator) and place it in the directory with this script. Rename it to lower case if necessary.

3) Run this script: "python3 frntbnch_patcher.py"

4) If you get no errors, you should have a working program called 'frntbnch.prg' in the same directory as this script.



This script may work, but as not been tested, with an originally owned copy Frontier.prg. Rename it to 'frontier.bin' (lower case) before trying. It won't work with compressed versions (eg. from menus). File size should be 587798 bytes.

There is no error checking here. Work in a temporary directory. Don't lose your original program because of my shitty script!

This script is provided as is for personal educational gratification.

BW


PS: If someone else wishes to go through this process and host the resultant binary, please note I didn't advise you to do this.

IMG_5103.jpeg
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Attachments
frntbnch_patcher.py.zip
(4.21 KiB) Downloaded 90 times
DFB1 Open source 50MHz 030 and TT-RAM accelerator for the Falcon
DSTB1 Open source 16Mhz 68k and AltRAM accelerator for the ST
Smalliermouse ST-optimised USB mouse adapter based on SmallyMouse2
FrontBench The Frontier: Elite 2 intro as a benchmark
DaveC
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Re: FrontBench: using Frontier as a benchmark

Post by DaveC »

Well this is what my H5+TF536 MAPROM TOS2.06 PAL manages.
Does show what a massive difference the Falcon bus running at 16MHz makes to overall results.

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Badwolf
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Re: FrontBench: using Frontier as a benchmark

Post by Badwolf »

DaveC wrote: Thu Feb 10, 2022 9:18 am Well this is what my H5+TF536 MAPROM TOS2.06 PAL manages.
Does show what a massive difference the Falcon bus running at 16MHz makes to overall results.
:thumbup:

Yep. Exxos' 32MHz system bus is the way of the future, alright.

BW
DFB1 Open source 50MHz 030 and TT-RAM accelerator for the Falcon
DSTB1 Open source 16Mhz 68k and AltRAM accelerator for the ST
Smalliermouse ST-optimised USB mouse adapter based on SmallyMouse2
FrontBench The Frontier: Elite 2 intro as a benchmark
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Badwolf
Posts: 2231
Joined: Tue Nov 19, 2019 12:09 pm

Re: FrontBench: using Frontier as a benchmark

Post by Badwolf »

Will record any figures I'm DM'd at the GitHub page:

https://github.com/dh219/FrontBench

Let's leave this thread clean, though, please.

Ta,

BW.
DFB1 Open source 50MHz 030 and TT-RAM accelerator for the Falcon
DSTB1 Open source 16Mhz 68k and AltRAM accelerator for the ST
Smalliermouse ST-optimised USB mouse adapter based on SmallyMouse2
FrontBench The Frontier: Elite 2 intro as a benchmark
DaveC
Posts: 125
Joined: Fri Sep 18, 2020 6:24 pm

Re: FrontBench: using Frontier as a benchmark

Post by DaveC »

I'd love to see a video of the latest DFB1 Falcon run of the test. The previous one include in one of your videos looks impressive enough as it is to be fair.
dalek
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Location: NSW Australia

Re: FrontBench: using Frontier as a benchmark

Post by dalek »

Nice! Fingers crossed for an Amiga port in the future - it's the de-facto visual benchmark over there and some numbers (and a red bar ;) ;) ) would be really neat.
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stephen_usher
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Re: FrontBench: using Frontier as a benchmark

Post by stephen_usher »

Atari TT030, program run from TT-RAM: 2876 frames.
Intro retro computers since before they were retro...
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
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mrbombermillzy
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Re: FrontBench: using Frontier as a benchmark

Post by mrbombermillzy »

stephen_usher wrote: Sun Feb 13, 2022 8:20 pm Atari TT030, program run from TT-RAM: 2876 frames.
Stephen, what speed CPU does your TT have?
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Re: FrontBench: using Frontier as a benchmark

Post by stephen_usher »

The standard 32MHz 68030.
Intro retro computers since before they were retro...
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
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exxos
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Re: FrontBench: using Frontier as a benchmark

Post by exxos »

@Badwolf

[H5] TF536 ST Edition EMUTOS : 3140

[H5] TF536 ST Edition TOS206 : 2827
https://www.exxosforum.co.uk/atari/ All my hardware guides - mods - games - STOS
https://www.exxosforum.co.uk/atari/store2/ - All my hardware mods for sale - Please help support by making a purchase.
viewtopic.php?f=17&t=1585 Have you done the Mandatory Fixes ?
Just because a lot of people agree on something, doesn't make it a fact. ~exxos ~
People should find solutions to problems, not find problems with solutions.
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