Would pre-loading on start reduce level load times?
Rokiyo
A.K.A. .::FeX::. Revenge Join Date: 2002-10-10 Member: 1471Members, Constellation
A.K.A. .::FeX::. Revenge Join Date: 2002-10-10 Member: 1471Members, Constellation
<div class="IPBDescription">eg Non-level-specific textures for players & buildings</div>Some games do some loading when you first start it up, and then some more loading when you go into a level. I imagine that by splitting the loading of NS2 into two separate phases, we'll at the very least be reducing the perception of level load times.
For example, the textures and models for marine and alien players, structures and UI overlays could be candidates for early loading. This stuff accounts for a good 30% of the hard drive space consumed by NS2, so I would expect loading into into memory would require a proportional amount of time.
This would have little or no net impact on the total amount of time it takes for you to enter your first game, but I would expect it to have some impact on the load times of subsequent map changes. Additionally, by splitting the loading into two distinct phases and requiring user input inbetween each phase, users would be likely to perceive shorter overall loading times as they'd be likely to count each load phase seperately.
For example, the textures and models for marine and alien players, structures and UI overlays could be candidates for early loading. This stuff accounts for a good 30% of the hard drive space consumed by NS2, so I would expect loading into into memory would require a proportional amount of time.
This would have little or no net impact on the total amount of time it takes for you to enter your first game, but I would expect it to have some impact on the load times of subsequent map changes. Additionally, by splitting the loading into two distinct phases and requiring user input inbetween each phase, users would be likely to perceive shorter overall loading times as they'd be likely to count each load phase seperately.
Comments
I would actually rather it take 60 seconds to load a map then 30 seconds to load the menu.
During b185 I was loaded into maps 2seconds after clicking on the server (On an SSD). For those of us that experienced that and now have to wait 30+ seconds it is awful. I have no idea what they did to totally ruin the loading process, but it must have been a heroic effort from someone really *talented*.
Depends on what other loading times you are used to. Source Engine games always have terrible loading times. Those in TF2 have actually been "optimized" already and are still long.
Unreal Engine games load maps incredibly fast compared to that. A level of the complexity of NS2 maps would only take approximately 10 seconds to load there. Large scaled UT2k4 Onslaught maps load in about 3-5 seconds on my HDD.
Then again, it may be an issue with my system, because by the time I normally finish loading after a map change, the round is already well under way and I'm treated as a late-joiner (waiting to spawn at IP/egg, missing out on initial res ticks, etc).
Then again, it may be an issue with my system, because by the time I normally finish loading after a map change, the round is already well under way and I'm treated as a late-joiner (waiting to spawn at IP/egg, missing out on initial res ticks, etc).<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I have a SATA2 HDD and I am always one of the first players loaded into the map.
then i defragmented my HDD and got a new hd7950.
now, my loading time is 2-3 minutes. usually when i spawn into the game i get instakilled by marines because they're already attacking the hive.
Can't help but wonder if there's some aggressive paging occuring during NS2 loads?
This...
Or are you guys starting the game so often without intending to play on a map?
Yeah I hope it wouldn't be too much of either of those. The game opens so quickly, if the time I spent looking for a server could also be used for loading that would just be great.