iPad Pro and Hi-res graphics

Hi experts,

BEFORE I ASK MY QUESTION:

I am trying to build a game as a Universal app. Naturally targeting iPad Pro (2732x2048), I need hi-res images. I understand it is a bad idea to use 2732x2048 images. So, I am tiling a max of 512x512 image (this is a necessity as the detail is more in the artwork).

I read the optimization / memory management blog post by scirra and gathered that keeping memory (RAM) usage around 60 - 70mb is recommended. Also guessing that each level being a different layout in my project, when I load each level, last level's images/objects will be cleared from memory. Correct me if I am wrong.

When I go to Project Statistics from Tools (right clicking project), every level shows 90 - 100mb memory usage.

QUESTION 1:

What's the ideally recommended mem usage that I should be limiting to, for each layout?

QUESTION 2:

Since I need only one app/package that will deliver my game to all devices (960x640 to 2732x2048), making my graphics the highest in resolution and downscaling in runtime (with medium downscaling quality) is the only way I see and know of. Am I on the right track? If anyone has a better idea, please guide.

Regards!

I wouldn't rely on the statistics from there, or the debugger.

Separate the import graphics into folders by layout, and see what the usage is there.

Okay, but how do I judge how much RAM is being used by my game? How do I figure what's the best recommended limit?

It will be a little more than what the folder says as its uncompressed in memory.

That's more of a device specific question, but the 60-70 mb(if not less) recommendation should work for most devices.

You can figure most modern devices have at least 256mb of ram.

That blog post is around 4 years old now, and mobile tech has advanced quickly. The iPad Pro has 2GB or 4GB of RAM depending on the model. You can probably safely use 1GB of memory on the 2GB model.

Modern mobile device specs are pretty close to mid-range laptops now. You don't need nearly as much mobile-specific optimisation as you used to.

So, is 200 - 300mb per Layout also fine? Since inactive layouts’ assets are cleared from memory...

Am I right?

And is the downscale logic good to go?

You should check out apps similar to what you want to make and go by how big they are.

If you don't find any, then that also is useful information.

Thanks newt, but I am not looking at the file/app size. I am worried about runtime-memory. Any guidance on this aspect would greatly help.

I am worried I'll build the entire game and run into issues that are undoable.

We use ipads in school and my most recent projects are memory-intensive. I have found that four-year old ipads are fine as long as I keep the memory used by a layout less than 130 MB.

Cool! Thanks a lot for all your help guys.