[Project Nirvana] Journal #3 Final Verification Depends on You

[h3]Greetings Warlords:[/h3]

[Project Nirvana] has been officially underway for a while, and as we mentioned earlier, our goal is to achieve the following performance optimization objectives by November 2nd:

1. For the recommended system requirements on the official website, we guarantee an average frame rate of 60 FPS or higherunder high-quality 1080P settings, with a minimum frame rate (1% Low) exceeding 45 FPS, while keeping memory usage below 5GB and VRAM usage below 4GB.
   
2. For the minimum system requirements on the official website, we guarantee an average frame rate of over 60 FPSon low-quality 1080P settings, with a minimum frame rate (1% Low) exceeding 45 FPS, while keeping memory usage below 4.5GB and VRAM usage below 3GB.

While these goals may seem like just a few lines of text on paper, the pressure they impose on the development team is immeasurable. We must acknowledge that there are numerous challenges to overcome in the optimization process.


[h2]Conqueror's Blade is an online game with numerous complex systems.[/h2]

In most online games today, development teams would prioritize the optimization of CPU and GPU resources through strategies such as reducing graphical detail for non-player characters (NPCs) or adopting simpler level map designs.


However, Conqueror's Blade stands out due to its extensive high-quality hero and unit attires, as well as intricate map designs. These demand substantial GPU performance. Additionally, unit battles and artillery attacks also require intensive CPU calculations.


As a result, the task of achieving optimal performance for both CPU and GPU in Conqueror's Blade presents a significant and challenging endeavor.


[h2]Maintaining top-notch experience while optimizing the 1% LOW frame rate during battles is exceptionally challenging.[/h2]

With the exception of specific maps, the lowest frame rates frequently occur during point captures in battles. These scenarios involve a multitude of fighting units, an abundance of hero skills in use, artillery, and other elements that enhance the overall battlefield experience but also exert significant pressure on performance.


Consequently, addressing the 1% LOW frame rate issue while preserving the quality of battle experience is doubly demanding.


[h2]Ensuring stability during the optimization process presents a significant challenge.[/h2]

As we strive for performance optimization, extensive adjustments have been made at various parts, including art, planning, and gameplay programming. The development team has also made modifications to the engine's underlying architecture, involving the reconstruction of certain aspects of the game's structure and design to achieve our optimization goals.


However, these changes can introduce unforeseen stability issues. While we are committed to rigorous testing and resolving stability concerns during the development process, we also encourage more warlords to participate in testing to aid in this endeavor.


While we've committed to completing the optimization before November 2nd, the daunting challenges we face have us feeling a hint of panic. Nevertheless, the entire development team remains fully dedicated to achieving our optimization goals.


[h2]So, how will we determine if we've successfully met these goals?[/h2]

Considering the diverse content within the game, we believe it's fair to use your favorite Map as an example to verify whether we've achieved the optimization standards. We understand that each Warlord has their preferred Map, and we're committed to ensuring that the performance of this Map meets the established standards.


We're entrusting you with the authority to select the Map!


In addition to in-game voting, we will also conduct polls on Discord featuring 15 Maps that are frequently used in the game. Please choose your 3 favorite Maps from among these options.


The performance experience of the 3 final Maps will serve as the benchmark for determining our success or failure.


[h2]Apart from Maps, how can we verify the optimization of configurations?[/h2]

Given the challenges of uncontrollable factors such as test environments, device systems, device brands, and installed software, it's difficult for us to define a universally accepted verification configuration. However, to openly and transparently demonstrate our optimization results, the development team is actively setting up multiple computers that meet both the minimum and recommended requirements. Once these machines are assembled, we will invite you to oversee their actual performance under a standardized environment.


We will provide further details in the future.