Load more stuff at startup

[Ghump]

When You just log on to the game, it stutters a bit for the first few minutes. Every time a new person comes into view there's a small pause when the graphics are loaded. After a few minutes it runs pretty smooth because all the graphics has loaded. And some modem users even get disconnected if they happen to run past a mob during the first few seconds because of this loading pause.

SUGGESTION: Make an option to load it ALL at startup! Of course this is only for the people with LOTS of memory. But then again, memory is very cheap these days. And I think it could really save the game for those modem users. Being a former programmer myself, I even think it's a pretty easy thing to do. You just load all the stuff, using the code that is already there for it. That shouldn't take more than a few minutes to code for an experienced programmer

[Thyme]

*Bump for Ghump!*

~*~

[Ghump]

Phew! Thanks Thyme.

31 ppl reading my thread and not 1 comment. I was beginning to think I was way wrong.

I have no idea how much something like this will help the game, but I'm thinking it can never hurt. And every little drop helps

[________________Cado]

I agree.

It's not like the game runs well or anything as it is right now.

I have an old Ahtlon 660Mhz with 512 MB Ram and it still lags like madness. A lot of that could be solved if it just leaded the darn textures so it wouldn't have to access the harddrive constantly.

Especially textures and models related to weapons, player character models and such, since that is most often what is seen repeatedly.

And if 512 MB isn't enough, then I'll add another one.

[______________Taelyn]

This would be nice to have, instead of walking around as if your drunk for the first 5 minutes.

On a related note, why in hell does it take so long for Anarchy to close? What the hell is it doing for those few minutes after it shuts down? Is it computing Pi to 50 decimal points? Is it using CPU cycles to break secret government military codes? Is it processing data on UFO sitings? What the hell is it doing with my computer?

[________________Cado]

It is clearing up the Memory and the Swap file.

They wrote about it in some Patch message a long time ago when they introduced that pretty blue bar. The longer you played, the longer it takes it to clean up.

[Gridfan]

Nice idea Ghump.
But then there would be people complaining it takes "too long" at startup :P

And the loading time depends on where you log in.

inside your apartment it's almost instant.

In BS or OT or Athen etc it's heavy ****.

when you "log in" now it's the same way (almost) as when you zone. Because you DO zone into the pf when you log in.
The non zone stuff is loaded before you enter/zone onworld naturally.

[________________Cado]

But then there would be people complaining it takes "too long" at startup

You will also notice he wanted it to be an option that could be anabled, if you wanted to.

However, the main crux here, is that if you start in your apartment, you will sTILL lag for about 5 minutes the first time you zone into a highly populated zone since it will THEN load player models and textures.

Now, with a little forethought, you can see that a lot of it could be preloaded without any problems whatsoever, if the player wants it.

And that is what we are asking for.

[Gridfan]

Yep! But I see no point in such a option.


Now if the zoning code/servers was changed in the following way.:


Preload the zone you are zoning into "completely" before you are physically (your char that is) is put in the new zone.

This does mean you'll be in limbo during gridding or whompa.
But when you see the new zone it will be fully preloaded.

question is if you should still be present until last moment where you came from. This would be exploitable as well.

So when zoning (or logging in) your char should be in limbo or sort of a ghost. (you cant see anything tough to avoid unfair advantage in reverse)
Just a "Preloading Zone" on black screen.
Then when fully preloaded. blam you see the world around you instantly. (or a transition fx due to teleport/whompa naturally).
Which last 2 sec or so.

having it as a load option at login would be not much point,
the rroutine should be implemented in the actual general zoning system. (which would obviously benefit login as well)

The way the system works now is it draws the immidiate area then the rest. You see this when moving around RK that things pop up in the distance. Same method is used when you zone or login as well. Hence the sluggishness when the background stuff etc kick in and people further away gets added to the info...

Hopefully there will be improvements on this for Shadowlands which should bring a overhauled GFX engine.
(crossing fingers that "overhauld" may mean better preloading/cahing of gfx as well)

[________________Cado]

As it is now, the graphic is loaded as needed and characters positions and such is streamed down to your Client.

Some people like that.
Others prefer it all loaded already, alot like EverQuest and their zoning system.

Both have advantages and disadvantages.
The way it is now, the actual zoning part is extremely fast compaired to a game such as EverQuest, but also lags more.

However, since some want one over another, it must be an option and not something put upon all without no choice what so ever.

People don't like being without a choice.

[Ghump]

I see Cado is right on target!

Make it an option and You have the best of both worlds. It's gonna be a win/win situation

[Gridfan]

No it wont be a Win/win.

Because those using preloading will have a advantage.
when they zone they are fully loaded.

While those that dont use preloading
will zone before fully loaded and will "lag" due to the updating.
Hence easy targets.

Another thing. Unless preloading takes place in "limbo" between two zones. A person will be voulnerable before zoning.
(i.e preloading at zoneout thus leaving the char open for attack).


I'm not talking PvP here but places where you zone into a hostlie wildlife.


---
Only solution would be to force the default to preload.
THen those that dont like it can turn preload off but be at a disadvantage when zoning into a pf.
And the preloading must take place in transition. i.er while preloading the char cant be in either the zone he came from or goes to.

---


That is the only way. It's a major coding task.
And having 2 different loading systems means two code systems is needed for that.
Thats waste of cpu, memory, resources. and bloats AO a bit.
And also need majr rewrites of server code.

I suggest you mail this thread (that has pro's and cons' and nice oppinions) to feedback@anarchy-online.com If your lucky they like it and look at it for expansion. But I fear that there isnt enough
time for implementing anything like that fr this expansion. (shadowlands early next year). maybe the next booster or expansion after that tough...

I like the idea tough, I do.
But I also see the coding issues.
(being "bedroom programmer" as we are sometimes called lol)
And personally I'd avoid a dual system as much as possible.
The part bewteen the --- --- lines is the way I'd implement it.
Then again, we have no clue how the actual clientside, serverside and client-server sync side of the zoning system actually work.
And how much/or little hassle it would be to expand the current functions, or if a total rewrite would be needed of the entire zone system. If the latter is the case then not this year obvioulsy.
Nor anytime soon next year. with luck end of next year.

Remember such a preload wont affect just the client, but also the server and the sync between the client and the server AND other players as well in the zoning process/routines.

AO is a complex beast, a bit too complex for it's own good at certain times imo :P

[Ghump]

Gridfan, I never talked about preloading zones. I just asked for more textures to be loaded at startup.

[________________Cado]

Only solution would be to force the default to preload.
THen those that dont like it can turn preload off but be at a disadvantage when zoning into a pf.

Look at what you wrote here - It's an Option !
You are only forced to one or the other system the FIRST time you zone.

And what we are asking for is not a full load of a zone when we zone into it, but a full load of Common Textures and models at Start Up !

Y'know - Characters, Armor's weapons, base ground textures .. that sort of stuff.

[Sozhe]

I personally don't mind the dynamic load in outdoor zones and even rather prefer it most of the time because I tend to be impatient. It's also much more friendly to low RAM systems, which EQ is very much not. However, when I am blitzing a mission, the streaming of data causes me to slam into walls and mobs like a retarded hamster with a blindfold on. It rarely gets me into trouble, but it is a little frustrating.

I don't see many vulnerability issues with pre-loading missions - it's still a PITA for the programmers, yes, but nobody's going to r0xx0r you as you zone into a mission. Depending on how the code is written, it might not even be all that hard to trick the clint into "streaming" all of the data into RAM at the beginning of the mission - just a thought.

[________________Cado]

However, when I am blitzing a mission, the streaming of data causes me to slam into walls and mobs like a retarded hamster with a blindfold on.

Bwa ha ha ha ha - I want a Hamster form !!

[______________Cronos]

pssst...they call 'em leets here...

[________________Cado]

*Bump for Ghump!*

[________________Cado]

Oh c'mon guys - At least give us the option to load more models / textures at startup so we don't have to lag everytime a new character comes into view !

[___________JagdTyger]

I would think that if all the character models were loaded at startup by default then it would cure a good 80% of the problem.

Jagdtyger