Initial Alpha access restricted to 64 bit OS

Less than 4GB RAM would not be enough to run PA and the Uber already stated that 32 bit version would have some limitation on game play than 64 bit game.

I don't even know why they're bothering with a 32-bit compatible version.

The only reason people still use 32 bit is because they continue to believe they shouldn't have to upgrade. Constant degrading of features and limitations on technology to kowtow to these people does little more except hold progress back.

8GB of RAM costs literally less than a tank of gas these days.

32 Bit is old and useless, but it shouldn't be avoided when it's relatively easy to run software on both.

And, let's face it - regardless of how old 32 Bit is, people still use it.

XP x64 (yes, you can get a 64-bit XP) was flaky as hell initially, until people started writing proper 64-bit drivers. At the time I ditched it for Vista it was working ok.

Vista x64 had the issue of moving to a new driver framework, so again it took manufacturers a while to start writing proper drivers, including proper 64-bit drivers. At the time I ditched it for Win7 it was ok though.

Win7 x64 is actually fine, and I'm in the middle of implementing the switch at work (XP x86 to Win7 x64) for the European sites. Since corporates are notoriously slow on the uptake of new OS choices, you can take this as a good sign

Win8 x64 is also fine, but expect some UI dissonance until you get the hang of where everything has moved to. Protip: shutting down the machine is done through Settings on the Charms Bar :shock:

Linux x64 (I run Mint at home, which is based on Ubuntu) also works fine, and now has Steam support. It will also cost less than Windows, but if you have several games that are Windows only then I'd recommend going Windows or dual-booting. Less than 10% of my Steam library works on Linux :cry:

But the number of games working on Linux is increasing. Many games which have been ported to Mac can be ported to Linux with ease and many new games are developed for Linux right away. Mostly Indy games (big publishers seem to be a bit slow...), but non the less you get a decent selection.

What I don't get though, is why the PA alpha only includes Mac and Windows, but no Linux support at all.

People will stop using it when developers stop developing for these tightwads. I imagine the people who are still using 32 bit and demanding that they continue to receive support are the kind of people who hoard free crackers at a restaurant, order just a soup, and then fill up on crackers and leave. Basically, total cheapass tightwads. **** these people.

People who would still use 32-bit OS:
1. Start up companies
2. schools
3. Actually, quite a few normal companies still use xp
4. People tight on money (just because you have plenty of money doesn't mean everyone else does)
5. People who aren't really computer savvy
6. Someone who really hates the fact that they can't play Mech Warrior 2 on a 64 bit OS (ok, now I'm just theorycrafting, but still, apply any game that can't and add in that not a whole lot of people probably use virtual OSs
7. Someone who isn't a gamer
8. etc

Don't underestimate how many people still have 32-bit. Not everyone even needs one. The only people that are in particular need of high end rigs and 64 bit machines are gamers and CADers.

Still, trying to run this game on a 32 bit machine will probably be next to impossible, so it's not a big surprise that they'd limit it to 64.

This.

WinXP needs to die, die a very very hot fire.

I thought this too. I have no reason to fear this, I hate 64bit but somehow I actually have it on my machine. However...

Wouldn't there be a way to emulate it some half-assed way with 32bit, including just grabbing a mac or linux download and emulating that instead?

XP Pro x64 wasn't all that useful for the consumer, it wasn't really intended for them either. It wasn't until Vista that the 64 bit version was really "consumer ready", apart from the obvious early issues with Vista in general.

By Windows 7 and the ubiquity of x86-64 unless you're on old or "exotic" hardware there are no reasons to use a 32bit OS in the consumer market, or even most professional markets. However at the time of Win 7's release there was enough of that 32 bit hardware still around that a lot of people and companies still defaulted to the 32 bit version even if it wasn't required, even for new store bought computers running a 64bit CPU. And going by Steam's hardware and software survey more than 20% of Windows users are still running a 32bit OS.


This is already causing some headaches as we move forward in gaming, and it's only going to get worse with the next console revision. Most big games today are aimed at the modern consoles, which have such low memory that their 64bit internals usually don't have issues translating on to 32bit PCs. The next generation of consoles with their massive amounts of RAM I can see a near future where nearly all AAA games cease to support 32 bit all together. Honestly, I can't wait.

And it shall, next April (2014). MS ends support for it, woo hoo! As an IT guy, it's not a minute too soon, and maybe 3 years too late.

It looks like pheagey misquoted me here. antillie said the "old horse" statement, not me.

Anyway, back on topic, I think some people are being a little aggressive towards 32 bit operators here. Speaking from experience, my OS is still being supported, and I have (until very recently) seen no negative impact of using 32 bit OS.

It is a bit of a chicken and egg scenario though. In order to retain customers, manufacturers still provide the 32 bit option, however, by doing this, they don't encourage the customer to update. But if you enforce the 64 bit option, you don't get as much coverage, possibly losing sales in the process. Not something that can be solved quickly.

It has been just over 6 years since the Vista OS release, with the option of providing a 64 bit OS (not including XP 64 bit that bgolus indicates wasn't really a consumer product), and 2 major OS systems later Windows 8 still comes in a 32 bit version. I would have thought by now 64 bit would be the only option, but alas it is not. Maybe more market drivers are needed to push along this process?

I work tech support, and I'll tell you that a lot of the new computers people are buying are coming standard with a 64bit OS whether they need it or not (need based on amount of RAM). So they're already applying the needed drive. It's most likely going to be like games coming on CD versus DVD. Games still had the CD option until DVD drives had been cemented as the standard optical drive. Once 4gig of RAM, and a 64bit OS is the defacto standard for a new prebuilt system, 32bit should be in fairly quick decline. Perhaps Windows 9 will be 64bit only. Or they may depreciate the 32bit Win8 before that.

Yeah, thankfully I haven't seen a single 32 bit Windows machine being sold at the likes of Best Buy, Costco, or even as an option from Dell or other PC builders. They don't even specify 64 bit anywhere anymore unless you look at the full specifications. So thankfully the 32 bit version of Win 8, while available, seems to have essentially been phased out. It's less popular than even the original x86-64 64 bit Win XP.

It's also perhaps important to note there are two 64 bit versions of XP, Windows XP 64 bit Edition and Windows XP Professional 64 bit Edition, and they're completely incompatible.
The XP 64 bit Edition is for Intel Itanium cpus only, a cpu architecture designed specifically for servers and "professional" computing hoping to replace the then dominant DEC Alpha, and eventually x86. It kind of succeeded at the prior, but not the later. Though, it might be argued the x86-64 (and the AMD Opterons specifically) were what killed off the Alpha, not the Itanium.
XP Professional 64 bit Edition works with x86-64 cpus like the original AMD64 cpus the Opteron and Athlon 64. It's release was about the same time as the first Intel x86-64 Xeon cpus.

There's a few versions of Windows Server that support Itanium cpus, as well as some distros of Linux. Those most definitely won't be able to run Planetary Annihilation.

Are there any 32-bit CPUs that can play PA? You'd think they'd all support 64-bit by now.

Well I would need x64 to use my 16 gigs of ram.

On the 32bit discussion, I think Uber made that choice based on how much of the market is actually still using 32bit OS's. I believe it wasnt that much. Basically if you want to run PA in a good way you will want more than 3 gigs of ram and thus need a 64 bit os. Or at least thats how I understand it.

Why 32 bit OS are not dead yet? Here is why:

Computer Positivo PREMIUM = Intel Celeron G530, 2GB Ram, HD= 500GB, DVD player, no dedicated graphic card, Price: $625

That PC is on sale in one of the biggest Eletroeletronic sellers here and it is not the cheapest, this one is in the middle range most people take this or at max one with 4GB Ram, plus I never saw they selling one with dedicated video card. Now I know thwt you should not buy a computer in one of this places (they have the same seller that sells beds to sell PCs) plus it is better to build your on PC but the average Joe dont know it and will buy anything if it is cheap. So do this PC needs 64 bit? No. Will the people who buy it ever try some game that needs more? Probably, if not they, their children, but they do not know what they need and the seller dont tells them. That way they keep selling 32bit OS, keep getting money for overpriced hardware and the average Joe can buy it and say "I have a PC", so everyone is "happy".

Plus this people will never upgrate the computer, it is like a TV or a radio, will just buy another when this one dies for good, I myself have a PC that runs on windows XP, it is from 2008 have only the 2GB Ram and is my main computer (I only have better becouse I have a new notebook), I will buy another desktop in the end of the year but my family keeps asking me, why are you looking for a new PC, that one is working well, so dont waste money.

So there you have it, ok, this is here in Brazil, but there are a lot of other 3rd world countries out there that I believe are in the same situation as us, can they have something better with their money, for some yes, but for a great part no, do this meas that they don`t want to play CoD, or PA? No, some will want. Now I agree that it should not stop the software delvelopers to go forward and that 32 bits must die, I am just showing our reality, here this up there is a PREMIUM computer.

The Intel Celeron G530 is a 64bit CPU ( http://ark.intel.com/products/53414 ) which means it would have no trouble running a 64bit OS. There is no reason for it not to have a 64bit OS, so that is not a reason 32bit OSs aren't dead.

There is only a single halfway recent 32bit only CPU, and that are the first Intel Atom CPUs since they were based upon the antiquated Intel Pentium 3 processor. But even the atom series got 64bit support nowadays...

So there is actually no use in using a 32bit OS, except for one little detail. On systems with very little RAM (<2GB), using 32bit can save you about 10-20% RAM due to the fact that all pointers are only half as big. However, this has little to no impact on systems with more RAM, since most of the RAM is used as cache anyway and contains only very few pointers (compared to the actual payload).

Didn`t say it can`t have a 64 bit OS, I said that with only 2GB Ram it didn`t need a 64 bit OS, and since it don`t need it the stores in Brazil don`t put it, they put a 32OS in this machine and put the 64 bit in another one (and call it ultra max or something) so they can sell it for more money.