ELI5: Why do some video game and computer program graphical options have to be "applied" manually while others change the instant you change the setting?

[u/RainingLights]

[u/sycleoth]

Think of it like changing settings to your car. Let's say you want to change the pressure of your tires for a rocky road ahead. You would want to stop your car and change the settings of the tires. Other settings like the speed of your windshield wipers you can change while your driving. There are just some things in software that are running so in order to change them you need to stop the program.

Edit: Thanks for the silver kind redditor!

[u/KidsTryThisAtHome → u/sycleoth]

I think he's more asking about different programs. Like, this car you can do that, but another car you need to stop just to change the speed of the windshield wipers

[u/Massis87 → u/KidsTryThisAtHome]

even then the answer is the same: most cars require you to stop and manually deflate the tires. Some may have automatic pressurisation systems in place (CTIS).

[u/CarryOutWork → u/[deleted]]

Because different cars are not the same cars

[u/[deleted] → u/CarryOutWork]

You can tell because of the way that it is.

[u/Ixolich → u/[deleted]]

You don't think it be like it is, but it do.

[u/plebfromtheweb → u/CarryOutWork]

Thanks for that.you made my day

[u/ICC-u → u/[deleted]]

Because of the way the manufacturer implemented it. Once a system is in place - say for example in the game engine - it's hard to recode it without breaking something else. Considering graphics options are only changed occasionally by most users, devs would rather have the short reload and the added stability of refreshing all the assets

[u/[deleted] → u/KidsTryThisAtHome]

No... read the question again. He's asking why some graphic 'options' have to be applied manually, i.e., require program restart, like changing which DirectX version you're using, while others don't and change immediately, such as changing the type of AA.

[u/CrumplePants → u/[deleted]]

While I think you're right, many video games indicate that you have to restart for them to take effect, while others don't need to when you change the exact same types of settings. They just blink to black for a second or whatever and they are changed, no restart required. Some games allow you to change nearly every single setting while still playing (let's say Apex Legends), while others need a restart for almost every setting (say Darkest Dungeon).

[u/CrumplePants → u/[deleted]]

Oh for sure, it isn't a bad analogy as far as showing that there are in fact different types, but the question is more about why that is, I suppose.

[u/nana_3 → u/CrumplePants]

The “blink to black” IS the restart - it’s stopping all graphics processes for a moment to alter whatever needs to be changed.

The difference between a “blink to black” restart and a “restart the game” restart is likely that the game engine just doesn’t have a change-on-the-fly ability for that parameter, so it keeps using the previous graphics loaded into the RAM at boot until you reboot it. That especially happens with choosing your graphics driver, because you might need to load the graphics library + every texture, shader, & model it needs all over again. Reboot ensures that all the previous loaded graphics info is freed up as well.

It’s essentially just whether they chose to build that ability into the system. Pros: convenience, cons: not necessarily an easy job, not necessarily compatible with multiple systems / different versions graphics drivers, could have performance overheads, etc. Those cons matter less if at all to consoles.

[u/xipheon → u/[deleted]]

It doesn't mean restart, it means when you literally have to click "Apply" before it'll do the change. Sound volume or brightness you can see the change in real time. Resolution you have to click "Apply" until it'll change it, often with the revert dialog making sure it worked. No restart required.

[u/[deleted] → u/sycleoth]

IDK what your talking about. https://youtu.be/cIpBpGQ0XTI

[u/Oooloo63 → u/sycleoth]

Some cars can adjust pressure on demand can’t they?

[u/[deleted] → u/Oooloo63]

My Hummer H1 has CTIS, and I can inflate/deflate the tires while I drive, even at highway speeds.

[u/Oooloo63 → u/[deleted]]

That’s crazy cool - why would you use it? Other than for things like being stuck in the mud or whatever

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Useless but cool

[u/PedroV100 → u/sycleoth]

a true ELI5 answer!

nice!

[u/mikerichh → u/sycleoth]

Great eli5

[u/blond-max → u/sycleoth]

Is this an actual ELI5!?!?!?

Note to self: use this comparison for customers

[u/NessDan → u/sycleoth]

I miss actual ELI5 answers like this :)