Music, the HUD, and overall performance...

[Frances_Penfold]

I discovered only very recently that, in Wipeout Pure, one can get better overall game performance by turning off the music.

For example, in both the PAL and NTSC versions of Wipeout Pure, if you turn the music to 0% and check all of the sound tracks "off," you get the following (at least on a new PSP slim... not sure about the fat PSP):

1. Much more minimal use of the UMD drive-- basically the UMD drive will only spin when loading tracks.

2. Greatly minimized load times-- especially when going back and forth between the same tracks, load times are very, very fast.

3. Improved battery life-- probably due to points 1 and 2 above plus the fact that the music isn't blaring out.

4. Full removal of the sleep mode glitch-- you can use the sleep mode AT ANY TIME without any game freezes!

5. *maybe* slightly improved framerate-- not night/day difference but seems slightly smoother?

6. *maybe* slightly improved sensitivity to the barrel roll moveset (L-R-L or R-L-R)-- again, not a night/day difference but seems slightly more responsive?

The bottom line is that, for raw performance and ease of use, it is definitely better to shut the music off in Wipeout Pure. It sucks not to have music but you can always buy the soundtrack from iTunes and play that through some external speakers!

Anybody experiment with music settings and HUD settings in Wipeout Pulse to evaluate performance?

I've monkeyed just a bit with the music and HUD option and do think that use of the UMD drive is decreased by shutting down the music. The sleep mode already functions well so there's nothing to conclude about that. Not sure yet about load times nor framerate nor barrel rolls.

Just curious what people have found in either Pulse or in Pure about this issue I often travel with my PSP so performance is important to me.

[Task]

Oh, absolutely. All my "competetive" WOure is played with music volume set to 0%. Load times are improved, battery lasts longer, all sorts of good stuff.

[Frances_Penfold]

Thanks, Task-- glad to know it's not my imagination

So have you imported Wipeout Pulse yet and futzed with the music and HUD settings at all?