Question: Multiplayer vs Singleplayer CPU Usage in Games

[box o rocks]

I'm confused about something...

I've been told that multiplayer mode requires more processing from the CPU than singleplayer mode due to the processor having the extra workload of computing locations and actions of all the other players on a busy map.

But if a single player mode map as an equal number of NPCs (AI), wouldn't that amount to the same thing? Wouldn't the processor have a similar workload computing their locations and actions?

 

[gregbattis]

It depends what game it is. If it uses the gpu or the cpu. In general the more objects in the game the more cpu/gpu power is needed to work it. Most likely 99.99% of games its not going to make any difference because cpu/gpu resources are going to be based on the game quality. (graphics quality and so on)

 

[con635]

The cpu knows where and what the ai will do but not a player, mp is much more demanding on cpu.

 

[spdragoo]

The AI entities don't need as much dynamic information -- the same models will be used, the same equipment loadouts will be issued, & (based on the difficulty & AI settings) the AI units' behavior & actions will be the same.

OTOH....for multiplayer maps, your CPU & GPU need more information for each player: what uniform, what equipment, etc. Plus, instead of following scripted behavior patterns & movements, the players are moving dynamically based on how they move their gamepads/joysticks/keyboard + mice. I would daresay that, in some games and in some of the more massive maps, that could translate to an increase of at least an order of magnitude (10x), if not more, in the information your CPU & GPU need to display everything. Hence why many games will see FPS drops when in multiplayer mode.

 

[viewtyjoe]

What you're forgetting is that in multiplayer, you're dealing with handling network traffic and processing all of that into display the actions of the other players on top of handling the movement, animations, and actions being displayed on your computer, and that is one of the places that increased CPU usage comes into play.

Also, single player maps often keep NPCs inactive until you're within a certain distance or so as to reduce the load on the system processing multiple AI units at once, or spawn them in dynamically up to a given cap. Multiplayer doesn't allow for that, since the player's system needs to be aware of where everyone is at all times and what they're doing, regardless of whether or not they are visible from the player's location.

 

[box o rocks]

Thanks con635, spdragoo, and viewtyjoe. That was the a combination of the best answers I have been given yet. Now I see that there is indeed a reason that MP is more CPU-demanding than SP.

Lastly, would a Kaveri A10-7850 CPU/GPU with its HSA (Heterogeneous System Architecture) be better at multiplayer for that reason than, say its Athlon x4 860K counterpart with a comparable graphics card?

 

[box o rocks]

Thanks con635, spdragoo, and viewtyjoe. That was the a combination of the best answers I have been given yet. Now I see that there is indeed a reason that MP is more CPU-demanding than SP.

Lastly, would a Kaveri A10-7850 CPU/GPU with its HSA (Heterogeneous System Architecture) be better at multiplayer for that reason than, say its Athlon x4 860K counterpart with a comparable graphics card? In otherwords, would the HSA capabilities of the GPU working with the CPU be better at multiplayer player than the GPU-less Athlon?

 

[spdragoo]

Depends on how much performance the HSA architecture provides "as-is", versus how much depends on the software (games) having to code for it specifically. If it's the former, I would expect to see at least a small performance boost; if it's the latter, I doubt there are that many games that have coded for it.

 

[con635]

Thanks con635, spdragoo, and viewtyjoe. That was the a combination of the best answers I have been given yet. Now I see that there is indeed a reason that MP is more CPU-demanding than SP.

Lastly, would a Kaveri A10-7850 CPU/GPU with its HSA (Heterogeneous System Architecture) be better at multiplayer for that reason than, say its Athlon x4 860K counterpart with a comparable graphics card?

No but hsa was in mantle and now it seems in vulkan api so maybe some game in the future will benefit but who knows.

 

[box o rocks]

I wish it were possible to choose multiple best answers. Thanks all. I understand it better now.