[Solved] Pre-place structures or create via triggers?

[Ugabunda]

Hi guys,

I see some maps where structures for the map are not pre-placed, but instead added to the map via triggers once the game starts. I always assumed this is due to performance reasons. But if you place the structures after the game starts via triggers, the game has to load these assets anyhow, no?

So my question is: Is there any real benefit of preplacing structures vs adding structures via triggers?

 

[hexhound]

If you have different game modes or alternative things that can happen in your map, it saves performance to only create / load assets if they're gonna be used. other than that i don't know.

 

[pr114]

It may have several advantages:
-The map loading/saving in editor will take less time
-You can immediately assign variabes to the created units
-You can create the units at other times than map init
-You may have longer load time for your map if you have a large amount of preplaced units (I'm not too sure if so much can be gained this way though, and you have to consider lag spikes if you decide to create units at a later stage)

Disadvantage of the method is that you don't see the unit layout if you decide you want to change things later.

 

[Ugabunda]

Thanks you two.

So if I look purely from a loading time perspective, it is the same between preplacing them and placing them via triggers (assuming I don't have different modes which change the layout etc)?

 

[pr114]

Yes, unlike destructibles, for units the World Editor generates Create Unit statements that are run at Map Init. And it is similar to adding it to script yourself, in terms of map loading time.

 

[Ugabunda]

Thank you! Will close this.