- Joined
- Feb 27, 2009
- Messages
- 115
I haven't seen this addressed anywhere mostly because we cannot easily play custom maps in multiplayer. But the issue of lag in maps is going to come front and center. Unlike previous Blizzard games, there is no LAN option. Starcraft 2 maps *must* be lag-less due to it only being online play.
So I have been trying to figure out what does and what doesn't cause lag in Starcraft maps. I would like any help if you guys find any things that cause lag.
Of course, by lag, we are meaning things that cause spikes in 'frame rates' resulting in slowness during play. If Starcraft 2 tells you that you need to lower your graphic settings, the map has a big, big problem.
While everyone's computers are different and can handle different range of the below, there are definitely things that are spiking frame rates which we need to identify now before we mess up our maps with them.
Unlike Warcraft 3, I have found that many units do not lag maps (unless you have 20,000 zerglings due to a broken trigger but that is another issue). Warcraft 3 was very sensitive about how many units were in play which is why default Warcraft 3 had the 'upkeep' to continually pressure players to use smaller armies.
Some units will lag maps. While I need to do more tests, the biggest 'lag' maker I found was the Protoss Colossus. Maybe it is due to the turret or to the size, but many of these will begin to slightly slow maps.
The absolute biggest creator of lag are BIG DOODADS. These include the massive Tarsonis rocks to the giant buildings, wrecked or otherwise, from metropolis. It is insane how much these doodads will demand of the computer and makes me wonder why Blizzard allowed them in the editor in the first place.
Unlike Warcraft 3 where doodads seemed to have little effect, Starcraft 2's doodads appear to soak up memory. One map someone put on the Internet, which was good, was very CPU extensive. The map had tons of triggers and all. All I did was delete the massive Tarsonis rocks and viola, the map no longer lagged or was 'CPU intensive'.
As for leaks slowing down the game like Warcraft 3 did, I have found no leaks so far. However, this doesn't mean there aren't any.
If anyone has found things that 'lag', please list them here. Maybe we can round up the common causes and create a tutorial out of them.
So I have been trying to figure out what does and what doesn't cause lag in Starcraft maps. I would like any help if you guys find any things that cause lag.
Of course, by lag, we are meaning things that cause spikes in 'frame rates' resulting in slowness during play. If Starcraft 2 tells you that you need to lower your graphic settings, the map has a big, big problem.
While everyone's computers are different and can handle different range of the below, there are definitely things that are spiking frame rates which we need to identify now before we mess up our maps with them.
Unlike Warcraft 3, I have found that many units do not lag maps (unless you have 20,000 zerglings due to a broken trigger but that is another issue). Warcraft 3 was very sensitive about how many units were in play which is why default Warcraft 3 had the 'upkeep' to continually pressure players to use smaller armies.
Some units will lag maps. While I need to do more tests, the biggest 'lag' maker I found was the Protoss Colossus. Maybe it is due to the turret or to the size, but many of these will begin to slightly slow maps.
The absolute biggest creator of lag are BIG DOODADS. These include the massive Tarsonis rocks to the giant buildings, wrecked or otherwise, from metropolis. It is insane how much these doodads will demand of the computer and makes me wonder why Blizzard allowed them in the editor in the first place.
Unlike Warcraft 3 where doodads seemed to have little effect, Starcraft 2's doodads appear to soak up memory. One map someone put on the Internet, which was good, was very CPU extensive. The map had tons of triggers and all. All I did was delete the massive Tarsonis rocks and viola, the map no longer lagged or was 'CPU intensive'.
As for leaks slowing down the game like Warcraft 3 did, I have found no leaks so far. However, this doesn't mean there aren't any.
If anyone has found things that 'lag', please list them here. Maybe we can round up the common causes and create a tutorial out of them.