Should have posted this at the outset. I'll add to the list as I wake up...
1. Spotlights - They're really expensive in DX9, so copy this section out of GamePrefs.ini into LocalPrefs.ini and tweak the setting downwards until it works okay on your rig:
// Spotlights are the most expensive light, according to DX9 docs.
// So, an extra cull is put on them. If (range of spotlight +
// SpotlightRangePad) < (2D distance between object being lit and the
// spotlight), then a spotlight will be considered for lighting that
// object. If this value is too small, then corners of a boxy object
// may not be accurately lit. If this value is too big, then
// performance may suffer as DX9 is told to apply too many lights to
// an object. Pick your poison.
SpotlightRangePad = 8
I have mine set to 64, it reduces the blockiness of the ground lighting by a bunch, but not totally eliminated.
I take it this is just spotlights like on the Service Bay, not the Recycler's headlamps?
No... ALL spotlights.
Good, the lights on that recycler are beginning to annoy me.
Options/Graphics/No Headlights
Yes, but that turns them off. It's petty, but I like lights on.
2. Lighting Types.
A few changes had to be made during the move to DX9, and while GSH and the beta team did what they could to iron anything out, not everything could be fixed. Bio-Metal pools now blend in with terrain via an ODF flag, which should be set to 'lightingType = 1'.
Unfortunately, this doesn't fix ALL objects. You will notice for example, that any missions/maps based inside CORE must be played with lights set to 'None' in the graphics options menu. Changing the lightingType in the ODF does not fix it (i have already tried :P).
Issues may also apply to other objects that do not blend with their surrounding terrain fully. I am working through as many as i can to fix them with the lightingType flag, but some are un-fixable unless modellers/mappers want to change some things around!
Sometimes certain parts of buildings turn white when Lights are set to none.
EDIT: This is similar to TheJamsh post.
3. 'Computer' classlabel
This object class is now proven to be broken. Its not widely used, but essentially allows you to scroll a texture across the surface of a building or whatever you want. The texture scrolling no longer works. This has been noted and tested.
while yall are going on about lights has anyone noticed a change in the guntower plasma? Its not quite as green as it used to be for me.
(http://stu.cbu.edu/~myarbrou/Images/plas.PNG)
anyone know a way i can fix this?
my first guess is that its merging the light texture with the sky color. I'm on chill so its going to be a light purplish color
edit: yeah i think thats what its doing
heres what it looks like on canyons with a blue sky(http://stu.cbu.edu/~myarbrou/Images/plasB.PNG)
Yeah thats annoying :P
I think it looks quite cool.
Um... no.
Its annoying, but for some reason, lights are inheriting the ambient colour of maps.
This seems true only to white lights that i can see, but i might be wrong on that (cant remember what colour the plasma light is). you can see it on the recycler as well actually.
That was the reason that the beta team removed lights from plasma, but we forgot to check the different guntower plasmas. Ive put in a fix to the TA5 e-pack that has the lights removed. bloody annoying nonetheless.
Quotecant remember what colour the plasma light is
GREEN!!! The most unforgettable colour in the world!!
Quote from: TheJamsh on June 05, 2009, 04:20:16 AM
That was the reason that the beta team removed lights from plasma, but we forgot to check the different guntower plasmas. Ive put in a fix to the TA5 e-pack that has the lights removed. bloody annoying nonetheless.
It was removed because of the massive lag induced by so many DX9 lights.
not sure if it already has been posted but replacement recyclers dont have the green scrap bar and wont allow you to build extra units like smart trucks and utility constructors. im not sure if this was mad purposely or not but it sets up a stock unit recyclers.
Quote from: King Gladiator on June 26, 2009, 09:35:33 PM
not sure if it already has been posted but replacement recyclers dont have the green scrap bar and wont allow you to build extra units like smart trucks and utility constructors. im not sure if this was mad purposely or not but it sets up a stock unit recyclers.
They are replacements for a reason. The Scions lets you build 2 movable silo units and the ISDF lets you "add lung" two silos on to get your 40, but as it is, it is a replacement, you don't deserve full rec options if you are using it.
ah. i see. it just bugged me when i blew up my recycler to make a forward base with the replacement since you cant build buildings around the relay bunker then i realized i cut out my utility constructor.
What aggravates me most is that there's a unit-responsiveness delay between the time a unit comes out of the factory/recycler and the time that it reaches it's drop-off point.
For example: A unit has just finished. I select it and change it over to my other group of units. A second later it ungroups and goes back to being the single unit in its own group that it was in when it was first built.
The same principle applies when you give a unit an order. If an order is given during this delay time, the unit will respond audibly, but won't actually do anything. You have to go back and tell it your order again after the drop-off delay.
This is particularly frustrating at the very beginning of a match, when early scavenger placement is key. I've found myself telling a scavenger to go to a scrap pool the moment it's been completed, then I'll go back to my base later on to find out that it's still sitting there - having completely forgotten about the drop-off delay.
If you've got the timing right, you don't have to give the order a second time. There's a point where commands don't work, but after that (and before the unit reaches the drop off point) you can give commands and have them follow them.
I think that has something to do with being sure the order goes though multiworld.
Quote from: VSMIT on July 07, 2009, 12:49:11 PM
If you've got the timing right, you don't have to give the order a second time. There's a point where commands don't work, but after that (and before the unit reaches the drop off point) you can give commands and have them follow them.
I realize this, but I just thought I'd bring it to attention anyways, just in case it's been overlooked. Gameplay has priority over graphics, in my opinion.
Yes, but when graphics break and gameplay is compromised, which is more important, hmmm?
Youre ordering problems are due to multiworld... the same thing happens if you start up an instant action mission and use the console to start multiworld.
Im not overly sure what MW is, but i know its needed to make MP games smooth and its NOT going anywhere. Something you just have to deal with, and its not going to be fixable. Its just BZ2 telling everyone else theres a new unit in the game.
If you select units fast enough after they've been built, you will notice that the command menu turns off by itself. Its because not everyone's game knows theres a new unit there yet.
'Nuf said.
Quote from: (AK)Sabre on July 07, 2009, 12:37:27 PM
This is particularly frustrating at the very beginning of a match, when early scavenger placement is key. I've found myself telling a scavenger to go to a scrap pool the moment it's been completed, then I'll go back to my base later on to find out that it's still sitting there - having completely forgotten about the drop-off delay.
Set your recy-dropoff in the direction you want your early scavs to go. I always set the dropoff some distance from the producer as it:
-Prevents units getting stuck in/between each other right in front of the producer*
-Removes the need to give an order to new units right after leaving the producer
* Also makes it less likelly that for instance your scavs get stuck in/on the recycler itself, as you can easilly 'make happen' with scavengers. (You can actually make your maps have a "dropoff_recy_1"("dropoff_recy_2", etc) pathpoint so you dont have to be bothered to change it right after deploying a recy, at which point you might be out in the field 'nav-ing' pools.)
Actually, I think the recy/factory dropoff code might be at fault. I think that 1.0/1.1 weren't affected by this. But, 1.2 and up all have this issue.
-- GSH
Yeah. I think when you give something an order, while it's en route to the dropoff, like within 5 seconds of it being created, it clears its orders when it reaches it. I.E. wait like 5 seconds before giving something an order.
I know this from sending units to a player As SOON as they're created, and then 3 seconds later they'll re appear on my control, when they reach their dropoff.
Quote from: GSH on July 08, 2009, 11:02:35 AM
Actually, I think the recy/factory dropoff code might be at fault. I think that 1.0/1.1 weren't affected by this. But, 1.2 and up all have this issue.
-- GSH
It could possibly be. However i've noticed that when exchanging ships with an AI pilot -- if I jump out of my ship and immediately order it to pick me up (within 1 or 2 seconds), the AI pilot will not jump out of his ship and I have to reissue the order.
I don't know if that is related or not -- it does happen in 1.2 as well.
That's happened to me, ZA. They also seem to get back in their ships now and again.
Quote from: Red Devil on April 25, 2009, 09:21:49 AM
Should have posted this at the outset. I'll add to the list as I wake up...
1. Spotlights - They're really expensive in DX9, so copy this section out of GamePrefs.ini into LocalPrefs.ini and tweak the setting downwards until it works okay on your rig:
This is interesting.
What if one's running one of the modern DX10 cards that has stupid amounts of vertex shader power cuz of the ability to devote the entire shader core to just that? Is the performance impact mostly pertinent for older cards?
I'm surprised that we aren't at a point where hardware TCL performance isn't just insane and can easily handle whatever BZ2 could toss its way.
BZ2 doesn't use video cards as much as modern games. Instead, it draws directly from the CPU.
not as of TA5 it doesn't. GPU WILL matter now.
Yeah the headlights REALLY kill performance when the light sources start to build up in a scene. My Radeon 4670 plummets to single digits fps in battles with headlights on. Crazy.
Quote from: Red Devil on April 25, 2009, 09:21:49 AM
Should have posted this at the outset. I'll add to the list as I wake up...
1. Spotlights - They're really expensive in DX9, so copy this section out of GamePrefs.ini into LocalPrefs.ini and tweak the setting downwards until it works okay on your rig:
// Spotlights are the most expensive light, according to DX9 docs.
// So, an extra cull is put on them. If (range of spotlight +
// SpotlightRangePad) < (2D distance between object being lit and the
// spotlight), then a spotlight will be considered for lighting that
// object. If this value is too small, then corners of a boxy object
// may not be accurately lit. If this value is too big, then
// performance may suffer as DX9 is told to apply too many lights to
// an object. Pick your poison.
SpotlightRangePad = 8
Quote from: swaaye on July 12, 2009, 01:36:04 PM
Yeah the headlights REALLY kill performance when the light sources start to build up in a scene. My Radeon 4670 plummets to single digits fps in battles with headlights on. Crazy.
Try updating your videocard's drivers.
I used to get really bad light-lag before I updated mine.
AHadley's post helped a lot.