A Guide to Minimize Screenlag

Discussion in 'Halo and Forge Discussion' started by ThrowinDemBows, Apr 8, 2011.

  1. ThrowinDemBows

    ThrowinDemBows Takoyaki?
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    I was given this link on another site which is a guide to minimizing screenlag. I did not write this, im only posting this in hopes that the quality of maps will increase.

    A Guide to Minimize Screen Lag


    Basically minimize the use of these objects and using too many pieces in general.

    Items with Lights

    Block, 5x1
    Bridge, Large
    Bridge, XLarge
    Bridge, Diagonal
    Bridge, Diag, Small
    Corner, 45 Degrees
    Corner, 2x2
    Corner 4x4
    Column
    Cover
    Door
    Glass Sail
    Glass, Cover
    Large Walkway Cover
    Platform, Ramped
    Platform, Large
    Railing, Small
    Railing, Medium
    Railing, Long
    Snipers Nest
    Wall
    Wall, Double
    Wall, Curved
    Window, Double
    Ramp, 2x2 Steep
    Ramp, Circular, Large
    Brace, Large

    Pretty much if u minimize the usage of these pieces, and simply dont have too many pieces in general, you'll be okay. This has already helped me substantially in a map that i had originally deemed "too laggy to fix". I just started today reducing objects and easily got back $1000 and the "map flashing" has decreased dramatically.
     
    #1 ThrowinDemBows, Apr 8, 2011
    Last edited: Apr 9, 2011
  2. Spawn of Saltine

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    I feel like this has been posted before noticing some of the contributors to the guide, but it'd probably be easier for everyone if you just quoted it instead of gave the link off to the website.
     
  3. Waylander

    Waylander Ancient
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    AKA: How to make your map a solid gray box that is dull and boring.

    I find this a bit silly.


    Considering that earlier they said that having a bunch of objects in a single area causes the lag they then recommend using a bunch of items to do a job that could be done by one....
     
    #3 Waylander, Apr 8, 2011
    Last edited: Apr 8, 2011
  4. ThrowinDemBows

    ThrowinDemBows Takoyaki?
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    Yeah i found that part odd, id like to find out which would actually be more beneficial. The main thing i found most helpful with the guide was this:

    Items with Lights


    Block, 5x1
    Bridge, Large
    Bridge, XLarge
    Bridge, Diagonal
    Bridge, Diag, Small
    Corner, 45 Degrees
    Corner, 2x2
    Corner 4x4
    Column
    Cover
    Door
    Glass Sail
    Glass, Cover
    Large Walkway Cover
    Platform, Ramped
    Platform, Large
    Railing, Small
    Railing, Medium
    Railing, Long
    Snipers Nest
    Wall
    Wall, Double
    Wall, Curved
    Window, Double
    Ramp, 2x2 Steep
    Ramp, Circular, Large
    Brace, Large

    Pretty much if u minimize the usage of these pieces, and simply dont have too many pieces in general, you'll be okay. This has already helped me substantially in a map that i had originally deemed "too laggy to fix". I just started today reducing objects and easily got back $1000 and the "map flashing" has decreased dramatically.

    EDIT: ill add this to the OP
     
    #4 ThrowinDemBows, Apr 9, 2011
    Last edited: Apr 9, 2011
  5. Waylander

    Waylander Ancient
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    Problem is ditching all those bits means getting rid of just about everything that makes the map interesting. As I said in my first post, creating a dull gray box indistinguishable visually from the hundreds of other dull gray boxes.

    And if you think that it doesn't matter what the map looks like for gameplay, picture this scenario.

    You're playing on a map for the first time. Don't know what the callouts are and then you get snipped from a guy up in the tower on your left. The tower has nothing to differentiate it from the other tower on the map since it's symmetrical. How do you tell your buddies which tower the guy is in?

    Same situation same map, but this time the tower has a brace or something that can have it's color changed and is visible from just about anywhere. When you get sniped you can tell your mates that the dude is at green tower.

    I know this happens because it happened to me on a map I built. Until I put some decorative pieces on it to show that one tower belonged to red or blue team, even I didn't know which one I was in.


    This and other experiences have firmly put in me a belief that if only one piece will work for the desired affect you want in that area, then you should use it. Aesthetics and gameplay are not mutually exclusive and you should not sacrifice one to focus solely on the other.
     
  6. pyro

    pyro The Joker
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  7. Overdoziz

    Overdoziz Untitled
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    It's not about removing all these items that may cause more frame-rate issues, but rather using them to a bare minimum. Also, the guide is more for people with maps that have frame-rate issues so they know where to look for fixes. Replacing an interesting piece with a more dull one may suck aesthetically, but if it fixes major frame-rate problems I'd do it right away.

    I'd rather have a (somewhat) dull looking map that plays perfectly than a nice looking map that has frame-drops everywhere.
     
  8. Waylander

    Waylander Ancient
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    Problem is, no one remembers the dull maps. And imprinting it into peoples memories is the key to getting it liked and enjoyed by the community at large.
     
  9. Overdoziz

    Overdoziz Untitled
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    Like I said, there has to be a fair balance between looks and gameplay.
     
  10. Ladnil

    Ladnil Ancient
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    @Waylander
    You're making it seem like the objects on that list are the only visually interesting ones in the game. There are plenty remaining objects to make great looking maps with, but those ones in particular are major contributors to framerate problems due to their lighting effects. Plus, I think it was made clear in the OP of this thread as well as the guide linked that you don't have to remove those objects entirely, just be careful about using them. It's for situations where for example you used a ramp 2x2 steep for the convenient shape, but maybe a regular 2x2 ramp or a block at an angle could get the job done as well. That's the situation where you'd swap objects.

    As for using multiple bridge, mediums rather than the longer bridges, in my experience and the experience of several other people who contributed to that guide the Bridge, Large and especially Bridge, XL are the worst objects in the game in terms of frame rate. I don't think there's any way to prove that multiple medium bridges is less stressful on the engine than one bridge XL, but I think at worst you break even. You gain an extra object, yes, but you take out the glass railings and the four lights attached to the bridge XL. Perhaps it's telling that on the version of Android I gave to the MLG playlist I used a bridge large rather than two mediums, but as I previously stated, I think at worst you break even on that exchange.
     

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