TRACTOR WORKS MP map released....

Slyk · Post by **Slyk** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 6:34 pm

Thanks for the comments:

1. Lightiing... play tested by some folks with ambient at 13..they thought it was too bright, made it 8 and I thought it was too dark, so set it at 11.

2. Missing textures.... it is a Spearhead map, could be textures from there? There is a bunch of custom stuff, but I thought that I had all of them in the pk3. I'll look again at the map later.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 9:19 pm

Slyk
Hey Slyk THAT map looks FRIGGIN awesome im going to try it out right now. And how long did it take for you to actually make the map. And comile time. Once i made a small map and waited 30 minuites before it was done compiling it sheez

Slyk · Post by **Slyk** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 10:54 pm

Took about 300 hours probably. Started on it in early October. Compile time ate up a LOT of time, two or so days at a shot and I'd always dump it...that was with VERBOSE VIS and FINAL LIGHT. Got some better tips and tried those without V-VIS. We'll see. Without two machines, it's impossible to play test myself, so hoping this version gets some time and feedback before releaseing an OBJ/TOW version, that way I can fix problems and streamline it as needed then re-release the TDM version in a map pack.

The release version is compiled with FAST VIS and FINAL Light, about 3 1/2 hours total for that. The more I do the more I think everything matters and varies depending on map design etc. I originally wanted a design that would allow tanks to roll around it and eventhough I didn't/can't use tanks at this time, I didn't alter the design, which could cost me some FPS.

Gargoyle · Post by **Gargoyle** » Tue Jan 14, 2003 5:18 am

HOLY SHIT BRO! This map is almost profesional! The minute i started i knew it was worth it. The textures all work, the FPS is great and all the doors are the right size! OH so much detail. I wish i could map like that.

Oh well. Kepp up the good work bro. And if anybodys wondering weather to download or not don;t bother. Download it NOW!

FeuerFrei · Post by **FeuerFrei** » Tue Jan 14, 2003 8:13 am

Great map, but the fps are really LOW

I hope you can tweak it a bit so it will run on my system.
Don't wanna turn the graphics to low detail

Keep up the great work!

Slyk · Post by **Slyk** » Tue Jan 14, 2003 11:53 am

Fear not 'oh-so-slow-processor-challenged friend'. I have begun using some new ideas to raise the FPS...but with an outdoor map designed the way I did this one, it's tough. The most wrecked building, if you stand at the farthest end near the allied spawns, there is a crater and a roof piece leaning to the left. A few 'tweaks' ago you could climb that piece and look toward the far end of the room and I'd have an FPS of about 70...now it's bottomed around 54 for me. No idea exactly why, mostly I think due to detail and structural brush mix. SO much work maxing that view. That's the worst area, in my opionin because it is inside. Outdoors, only can fix that with shorter farplane. That is probably the next big step, although it makes the long site lines look like crap.

THANKS a TON for the comments though...good, bad, otherwise! This map does like a faster machine. IF you have slow FPS, send me your system specs!

FeuerFrei · Post by **FeuerFrei** » Tue Jan 14, 2003 12:24 pm

Thanks for trying to help us cpu-impared humans

My PC specs:

1.2Ghz Celeron
TI4200 (128Mb)
512Mb RAM
WinXP

Normally I have an fps between 30fps and 90fps, this depends on the map and location in the map.
The Bridge (on the bridge itself) gives me the lowest fps, around 25.

I have Anistrophic filtering and FSAA set to 2X and Texture Sharpening off.
Ingame resolution is 1024x768 and most detail set to high or maximum...

I hope this helps

P.S. when I spawn in your map I have an fps of........... 12

Slyk · Post by **Slyk** » Tue Jan 14, 2003 12:59 pm

Thanks for the specs.... mine are:
P4 1.8
Ti4600
1024 Ram

Main difference on the P4 and Ram.
When you spawn, is it from the ~maplist, or loaded through the MP/start game???

mohaa_rox · Post by **mohaa_rox** » Tue Jan 14, 2003 1:27 pm

Wow! That's a lot of RAM! Mine, 256MB.

FeuerFrei · Post by **FeuerFrei** » Tue Jan 14, 2003 2:38 pm

Slyk wrote: When you spawn, is it from the ~maplist, or loaded through the MP/start game???

MP --> Start Game

Then the default view gives me 15.9 fps

When I'm on the edge of a map and look to the outside the fps is 70, when I look @ the inside it drops to 20 fps, but there are only a couple of crates and 2 walls visable. That's because you didn't vis it completely I think
Doing a full vis would help alot I think

And using a closer farplane would help also...

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Jan 14, 2003 11:35 pm

updated the .scr file, reloaded it to my web page, you can download the update and re-install.

sorry. hope it's better. working tonight on increasing overall FPS as well as placing OBJ's

FeuerFrei · Post by **FeuerFrei** » Wed Jan 15, 2003 8:23 am

Don't apologize, it's great that you wanna tweak it so it will run on lowerend systems!

Here's a link that maybe help you: Maximizing FPS with Area Portals
I don't understand it completely, but maybe you do.

// edit
Ok!
The farplane helped alot, now I have 32 fps when the level starts (specmode)!
Maybe you could change the farplanecolor to something darker? It will look better I think.

A full vis is out of the question I think? Would be nice though, it'll give an fps boost, then you could put less fog in your map

Slyk · Post by **Slyk** » Wed Jan 15, 2003 4:48 pm

I went in and detailed every little freakin thing that wasn't a complete/unmoded wall, floor, ceiling etc. and lowered the farplane to 6144. Gained upto 18 FPS in some lower areas. Lighting it better is the next hurddle. Always seems that you get more ideas AFTER releasing something!!! Ugh!

Anyway, I'll release a newer version WITH the OBJ/TOW map in the coming days/weeks. As soon as I can figure out the multiple objective set up...no way to playtest it on my own, so that's another issue. Thinking about 5 objectives for a TOW--needing maybe 4 to win....OR if I'm an idiot and can't get that to work, maybe just 3 straight forward capture/hold objectives. We'll see.

FeuerFrei · Post by **FeuerFrei** » Wed Jan 15, 2003 9:47 pm

So it's spearhead only then? or do you mean 4 objectives for AA?
Anyway, good to see that you gained alot of fps, then I will be able to play it!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Jan 19, 2003 3:00 am

Did you get the latest update? Version 1.1?

http://www.paonline.com/marconia/mp_Tra ... _dm1.1.zip

try that out and see how much better it is!