Re: Assembler (was RE:beginner)

["Neato" <nocirckids@nocirc.org>]

I've actually had the opposite experience (speed-wise anyway).  I was under
the impression that not only do the instructions on a CISC-based processor
run faster, but because they are less complex, they can be run even more
simultaneously than on RISC based processors. It translates to something
like each instruction on a CISC takes about 1/3 the time than on a RISC.

I was also under the impression that it would be harder to program for CISC,
because there's less instructions to do what you want.  One instruction on a
RISC (say, a string operation), might take 3 ops on a CISC processor. With
games, in which the time is spent using very simple instructions (a bunch of
mov's to blit to the screen), they would seem to run faster on CISC
processors.

Anyway, aside from the theoretical aspect, I've noticed first-hand the
significant difference in speed between the to.  My friend was playing
tomb-raider on his 180MHz mac at 1024x768.  It was running noticeably faster
than quake (a less complex game as i understand it) running at 640x480 on my
233MHz pc.

Some of that might be inaccurate. (minus my personal experience :). please
correct me if i'm wrong.


----- Original Message -----
From: Marc Hernandez <marc@ias.jb.com>
To: <gameprogrammer@gameprogrammer.com>
Sent: Thursday, January 20, 2000 1:37 PM
Subject: Re: Assembler (was RE:beginner)


> On Thu, 20 Jan 2000, Neato wrote:
>
> > > Assembly is so difficult because the x86 standard uses a CISC, or
> > >Complex Instruction Set, approach.  Motorola uses a RISC, or Reduced
> > >Instruction Set, in the processors they make for Apple.  CISC is harder
to
> > >use, but more efficient and thus faster.  This is why an Apple, even if
it
> > >is running at the same clock speed as a PC, is slower than the PC but
also
> > >easier to program for in Assembly.
> >
> > I think you meant that the other way around.
>
> No, that is right.  Each clock cycle on the RISC processor does
> less than each clock cycle on the CISC machine.
> However the issue is much bigger than clock cycle.  Number of
> pipes (for integer and floating point), length of pipelines all play
> important roles.
> Although it tends to be easier to program assembly for CISCish
> machines.  VAX and java byte code assembly are examples of this.
>
> --
> Marc Hernandez
>
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