Kyben's Maps

[el'PiX]

I like it!
I don't remember a train in KF-Swamp?

I wrote you a message, commenting the map, on the Wiki.
(I'm gonna have you go there, and not write it here ;D)

I suggest going into spectator mode when taking the shot.
Some useful console commands are; SLOMO 0.1, TELEPORT,
and of course, if you want some 1st person shots GOD and PLAYERSONLY always comes in handy.

[uwasawaya]

No train in Swamp? Oh are you in for a surprise.

[kyben]

I've finished train. But it has one problem, it goes twice as slow as swamp. The reason is because there is only 2 ways the specimens can come, putting 50 on your screen and making it go slow. I can get it about as fast as swamp if I take almost everything out of the trains and have it not moving, either way it sucks.
So I don't really know what to do with it, stick it up and say you must have a shiney, expensive comp to play it, or not release it and continue with grudge.

[uwasawaya]

Two ways they can come huh... is that what's slowing it down? What about one from each end of each train? Or maybe from a hole in the ceiling of one of the trains?

You gotta release it man... too sexy... and Swamp doesn't run badly at all!

[Dastard]

Maybe make the trains either twice as wide or add a third one? or possibly have holes in the cieling where the zeds drop down from? I dunno.

[Grim]

I was testing with Kyben yesterday, and in my personal opinion, if you have a halfway decent computer, at least able to run things all on medium or up, you'd be able to run this map pretty smoothly, I felt now lag what'so'ever, but heh...Don't wannna brag, but I have a higher end computer so my test personally meant nothing performance wise, but as a computer geek () I estimate it'd run on most computers, I think the computer he was using just sucks, well, one of the two.

[uwasawaya]

Honestly, my machine will run it... so I'm happy... lol... don't scrap it though! It could just be used by those who can handle it until we figure out a trick to optimize it...

Have you tried asking other UT mappers?

[Dragontear]

Speaking of optimizing maps; I experimented with some anti-portal/ Zone acters using the sheet/solid and as upright, i placed just two, cutting the level in 4 pieces, the first time it worked slightly, but i then tried it in different ways, and suffice to say, it...well, was pretty ugly, my terrain dissappeared!

Until i deleted the zones/anti portals, now it lags to kingdom come.

Sorry that did not help, but the problem is similar anyhow...

[uwasawaya]

Somewhat related question... there's no way to make a map determine the number of specimens that are allowed in existence at a time is there? I know we fix the .ini, but I don't know if the same number is good for every map... was just thinking it's kind of a limitation at the moment.

[Grim]

He did ask, he asked me, lol.


The source of the problem, is the graphics added onto the slower computer when SPECIMENS come up, it runs fine when no specimens are running about, and even runs good on West London, but I believe that his computer just can't handle all the moving stuff of the train as well as specimens at the same time, but I beieve it's just his computer. Westlondon runs good, even with specimens due to the fact, that it has corners, and a lot of objects to block things, this is an open map with everything being processed at once. So it'll run fine on almost any computer, just not his. lol

[kyben]

The trains are really to big as it is, making you look like a midget. Had to do that so that the fleshpounds could fit through the doors. Making a 3rd train would not work since they would still be coming from only 2 directions still North and South. Them coming from the ceiling would probably not be so good since they have to drop down, which hurts them, its a pretty far drop from the ceiling to the floor.
It's not just my computer thats going slow, I tested it with Abyx and Zombiebutcher. While ZB said it was kick ass, Abyx could barely play it, cuz of lag and it going slow. If I release it I know its not going to be played as much because of this. Dedicated servers might not put it up because it's not gunna work for some people. I heard many people wouldn't play swamp for it going slow on their comps.
The only optimizing I have on it is fog which I have it so it only renders about 3 carts infront of you. If I put the fog any closer I get a hall of mirrors effect for some reason which isn't very pretty. I tried zoning but it kinda screwed up everything due to the map being all open. There's isn't much room for antiportals.
The best way I can think of is have specimens coming from every direction away from the train. So this is what the train is now. [] = specimen spawns, --- = train carts:
[]--- --- --- --- --- ---[]
. --- --- --- --- --- ---[]

I was thinking if the train wasn't moving, I could have them come from every direction, such as this:
. [] . . . . [] . . . . []
[]--- --- --- --- --- ---[]
. --- --- --- --- --- ---[]
. [] . . . . [] . . . . []

Then they would wouldn't all be on your screen at the same time, and possibly make it go faster. Though the map would probably be 10 times harder because of it and most people say they would rather have the train moving.
Idk, maybe I'll just buy everyone awesome computers.

[uwasawaya]

Could make it a train yard, and just have trains scream by randomly now and then... it wouldn't be as fun if it wasn't moving though... see, if we could tailor specimens to the map, we could omit fleshpounds altogether and make the map the proper size... the close quarters would make up for the numbers.

[Doyora]

I think I know how to sort this out.. it will really push me to my limits, and I'm not convinced it's even possible, but it wouldn't hurt to try. So if you send me the map Kyben I'll have a look.

[uwasawaya]

My hair will have to glow yellow, my muscles will grow till I can no longer physically move under the weight, and I'm going to scream. For six episodes straight. Like a girl. But I'll get it done!

[Doyora]

...... eh?