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The future of VO's 32bit Windows support.
Just as kind an early heads-up: We're going to eventually be dropping support for 32bit on Windows, and moving entirely to 64bit Windows as a requirement. This IS NOT happening immediately, and I'll make an announcement (probably via newsletter) when it's approaching, but FYI for now.
This means the game will require a machine roughly from circa-2007 or later, with Windows x64 installed (if you have 32bit windows installed on a 64bit-capable machine, Microsoft will allow you to upgrade for free).
You can check by running "system information" on your Windows machine, it should say "x64-based PC" under "System Type". Or, alternatively, if you go to Control Panel -> System, it should say "64-bit operating system, x64-based processor" under System Type.
World of Warcraft made the move back in mid-2018. At this point, I think we may be one of the last active-development games to still support 32bit binaries on Windows (that's normal, I think we were the very last "current" app to support PowerPC on the Mac, heh).
We will make an effort to continue releasing a 32bit Linux version for a long time to come, so people with truly ancient hardware can always use that. Linux has always been a bit of a "use at your own risk" platform for us, that while technically available, has a level of self-support that is expected. If you have an x86 "potato" that you're desperate to use to play VO, then that will become the platform for you.
But, PC gaming is primarily on Windows, and we've been running up against the architecture limits of 32bit binaries for a little while now. It's inherently better for us to have a 64bit binary, and can also yield a bit better performance. Supporting older hardware is holding us back from making the game better for 99.9+% of players. Maintaining both binaries on Windows would be a much greater hassle and time-consuming effort, and only for a vanishingly small (and ever-shrinking) number of 32bit-Windows players.
Plus, most PCs from the 32bit-era have ceased to get GPU / graphics driver updates, and are becoming more problematic to support in general.
There'll likely be a bit of a migration process, likely when we modernize the entire Windows install. We'll see how and when that shakes out, but this is just a heads-up to say that it's going to happen and on the horizon.
This means the game will require a machine roughly from circa-2007 or later, with Windows x64 installed (if you have 32bit windows installed on a 64bit-capable machine, Microsoft will allow you to upgrade for free).
You can check by running "system information" on your Windows machine, it should say "x64-based PC" under "System Type". Or, alternatively, if you go to Control Panel -> System, it should say "64-bit operating system, x64-based processor" under System Type.
World of Warcraft made the move back in mid-2018. At this point, I think we may be one of the last active-development games to still support 32bit binaries on Windows (that's normal, I think we were the very last "current" app to support PowerPC on the Mac, heh).
We will make an effort to continue releasing a 32bit Linux version for a long time to come, so people with truly ancient hardware can always use that. Linux has always been a bit of a "use at your own risk" platform for us, that while technically available, has a level of self-support that is expected. If you have an x86 "potato" that you're desperate to use to play VO, then that will become the platform for you.
But, PC gaming is primarily on Windows, and we've been running up against the architecture limits of 32bit binaries for a little while now. It's inherently better for us to have a 64bit binary, and can also yield a bit better performance. Supporting older hardware is holding us back from making the game better for 99.9+% of players. Maintaining both binaries on Windows would be a much greater hassle and time-consuming effort, and only for a vanishingly small (and ever-shrinking) number of 32bit-Windows players.
Plus, most PCs from the 32bit-era have ceased to get GPU / graphics driver updates, and are becoming more problematic to support in general.
There'll likely be a bit of a migration process, likely when we modernize the entire Windows install. We'll see how and when that shakes out, but this is just a heads-up to say that it's going to happen and on the horizon.
and it was with a swish of incs finger rpis no longer ran vo.
anyhow rpis use box86 to emulate 32bit programs on pi
anyhow rpis use box86 to emulate 32bit programs on pi
Well, like I said, there'll still be a 32bit Linux version. This is a Windows-specific thread.