Performance question

linfosomalinfosoma Join Date: 2009-05-28 Member: 67523Members
<div class="IPBDescription">regarding the Spark editor vs the actual game.</div>Hello fellow space marines and sentient bacteria!
Im not a mapper, but I downloaded some of the maps created by some of the other users simply because I wanted to look at the pretty graphics.
They are pretty indeed, but they also seem to run rather slow. So there goes my question: is the performance of the spark editor comparable to the one in the actual game?

While this may seems like a silly question, I remember reading that the benefit of the engine is that you dont need to compile the maps and "what you see is what you get", so it's somewhat logical than this would also translate to the gameplay as well.

I also understand than the tools are in a very rough state and that they are constantly being improved. But considering that my system can run HL2 (the game set as a refference point for the system requirements) incredibly well, I can't help but wonder how will the final game will perform.

Unrelated: I want a Gorge plush toy! Make it happen.

Cheers, Alex.

Comments

  • MaxMax Technical Director, Unknown Worlds Entertainment Join Date: 2002-03-15 Member: 318Super Administrators, Retired Developer, NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, NS2 Developer, Constellation, Subnautica Developer, Pistachionauts, Future Perfect Developer
    <!--quoteo(post=1747888:date=Jan 18 2010, 01:47 PM:name=linfosoma)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (linfosoma @ Jan 18 2010, 01:47 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1747888"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->They are pretty indeed, but they also seem to run rather slow. So there goes my question: is the performance of the spark editor comparable to the one in the actual game?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    No. While the engine is the same, the way the data is submit to the engine is not. For instance the editor stores the level in memory in a way that allows it to be modified. The editor also doesn't do any occlusion culling at the moment, so everything is always rendered. We're hoping to speed up the performance in the editor soon, but right now we have most of our resources dedicated to finishing up the game.
  • WatchMakerWatchMaker Join Date: 2003-09-26 Member: 21233Members, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=1747891:date=Jan 18 2010, 04:53 PM:name=Max)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Max @ Jan 18 2010, 04:53 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1747891"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->...but right now we have most of our resources dedicated to finishing up the game.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Hopefully, you just indirectly quelled the beast.
  • Corporal_FortierCorporal_Fortier Join Date: 2005-03-22 Member: 46079Members, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=1747892:date=Jan 18 2010, 04:55 PM:name=WatchMaker)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (WatchMaker @ Jan 18 2010, 04:55 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1747892"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Hopefully, you just indirectly quelled the beast.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Don't get your hopes up...

    But it's nice to hear!
  • linfosomalinfosoma Join Date: 2009-05-28 Member: 67523Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1747891:date=Jan 18 2010, 06:53 PM:name=Max)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Max @ Jan 18 2010, 06:53 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1747891"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->No. While the engine is the same, the way the data is submit to the engine is not. For instance the editor stores the level in memory in a way that allows it to be modified. The editor also doesn't do any occlusion culling at the moment, so everything is always rendered. We're hoping to speed up the performance in the editor soon, but right now we have most of our resources dedicated to finishing up the game.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Thank you very much for the quick reply. It makes sense too. I assumed it had something to do with occlusion culling but I wasn't completely sure how that was being handled. I feel relieved to hear that :)
  • Raven_XIRaven_XI Join Date: 2003-01-08 Member: 12032Members, Constellation
    edited January 2010
    <!--quoteo(post=1747892:date=Jan 18 2010, 04:55 PM:name=WatchMaker)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (WatchMaker @ Jan 18 2010, 04:55 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1747892"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Hopefully, you just indirectly quelled the beast.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Its all well and good them saying stuff like that in the forums, but why not put it on the main page? Add a screenshot or two to prove its happening and to shut people up. THEN if people complain, they can actually be justified to tell people to foad, and most of the community will back them up. What do they expect people to think, if theres no updates about anything else but spark, of course they are going to wrongly assume they arnt working as hard on the game.

    Im not being selfish about this either, the stereotypical "I WANT MY GAME NOW" person, its just that I'd like to see this game do well, and by not updating the home page of your website, the average gamer who cant be bothered searching through the forums for information wont give it a second of their time if theres nothing that they find interesting on the front page.
  • Corporal_FortierCorporal_Fortier Join Date: 2005-03-22 Member: 46079Members, Constellation
    Keep in mind they also have investors with whom it was decided not to release too much information at this stage (like the concept art in the Overgrowth/NS2 team group picture).
  • Mr. EpicMr. Epic Join Date: 2003-08-01 Member: 18660Members, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=1747891:date=Jan 18 2010, 04:53 PM:name=Max)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Max @ Jan 18 2010, 04:53 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1747891"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->No. While the engine is the same, the way the data is submit to the engine is not. For instance the editor stores the level in memory in a way that allows it to be modified. The editor also doesn't do any occlusion culling at the moment, so everything is always rendered. We're hoping to speed up the performance in the editor soon, but right now we have most of our resources dedicated to finishing up the game.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    what does finish mean?
  • Draco_2kDraco_2k Evil Genius Join Date: 2009-12-09 Member: 69546Members
    edited January 2010
    <!--quoteo(post=1747888:date=Jan 19 2010, 12:47 AM:name=linfosoma)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (linfosoma @ Jan 19 2010, 12:47 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1747888"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Unrelated: I want a Gorge plush toy! Make it happen.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    YES please.

    <!--quoteo(post=1747891:date=Jan 19 2010, 12:53 AM:name=Max)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Max @ Jan 19 2010, 12:53 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1747891"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->No. While the engine is the same, the way the data is submit to the engine is not. For instance the editor stores the level in memory in a way that allows it to be modified. The editor also doesn't do any occlusion culling at the moment, so everything is always rendered. We're hoping to speed up the performance in the editor soon, but right now we have most of our resources dedicated to finishing up the game.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    I really like how you handle your PR, guys. Great to hear both points.

    <!--quoteo(post=1747913:date=Jan 19 2010, 04:07 AM:name=CyberMantis)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CyberMantis @ Jan 19 2010, 04:07 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1747913"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->what does finish mean?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    An unidentified stretch of time in project development lasting from the first playable build to the first build that would satisfy developers in the sense of not being ashamed of releasing it to the public.

    Well, at least that's how I handled my projects.
  • monopolowamonopolowa Join Date: 2004-05-23 Member: 28839Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1747897:date=Jan 18 2010, 07:12 PM:name=Raven_XI)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Raven_XI @ Jan 18 2010, 07:12 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1747897"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Its all well and good them saying stuff like that in the forums, but why not put it on the main page? Add a screenshot or two to prove its happening and to shut people up. THEN if people complain, they can actually be justified to tell people to foad, and most of the community will back them up. What do they expect people to think, if theres no updates about anything else but spark, of course they are going to wrongly assume they arnt working as hard on the game.

    Im not being selfish about this either, the stereotypical "I WANT MY GAME NOW" person, its just that I'd like to see this game do well, and by not updating the home page of your website, the average gamer who cant be bothered searching through the forums for information wont give it a second of their time if theres nothing that they find interesting on the front page.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    sigh...some people are just never satisfied.
  • TephraTephra Join Date: 2010-01-17 Member: 70193Members
    Glad to hear your focus is on gearing up for alpha. Just knowing you guys are making mod tools is more than you can say for all the mainstreams.
  • KesterKester Join Date: 2004-02-21 Member: 26770Members, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=1747897:date=Jan 18 2010, 10:12 PM:name=Raven_XI)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Raven_XI @ Jan 18 2010, 10:12 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1747897"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Its all well and good them saying stuff like that in the forums, but why not put it on the main page? Add a screenshot or two to prove its happening and to shut people up. THEN if people complain, they can actually be justified to tell people to foad, and most of the community will back them up. What do they expect people to think, if theres no updates about anything else but spark, of course they are going to wrongly assume they arnt working as hard on the game.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    You've clearly never worked on a mod/game. Posting pictures up online is never just as simple as taking a few in game shots and uploading.

    Dev teams want to make sure that what they show is perfect which usually means long discussions about any and every image that is released to the public. When I worked on the Black Mesa mod, media releases were our most hated times. Weeks of development time can be lost, just trying to perfect camera angles, layouts, prop placements, etc. And yet fans are always screaming "Give us more", but then getting annoyed when it delays the development process.

    Just have faith that they are working on it, and cut them a little slack.
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