Fixed/opti'd Maps [New: Zs_Seige_V1]

[Irontaco]

Here i will upload fixed or optimized versions of maps known to have gameplay worsening/devastating aspects. This tends to take a while for each map so i will upload them in this thread, and not in multiple threads. The objective of these fixes is to fix known problems WITHOUT changing any gameplay aspect of the map that was intended to be, and i won't add/remove any structures either.

 

You are free to suggest me any maps that you would like to see fixed/tweaked.

 

Computer where these maps are tested on are a low end HP Pavilion g4 laptop. Search the specs and you'll find them to be really low compared to any pc.

 

You are encouraged to do tests of these maps to find any issues.

 

LIST:

 

Name: zs_neighborhood

Author: Yellow Killer

Map Problem: This map was known to have devastating optimization problems which made the map have unplayably bad fps, even in singleplayer. And a garage door that killed people. Hard.

Issues found: No Cubemaps. (Not fixed), A skybox cube that made the level render completely almost at ALL times, missing textures, no func_details, WAY too long compile time (8 hours), no optimization whatsoever.

 

FPS before optimization: 15 FPS, varied depending on the area. This is on a low end laptop.

FPS after optimization: 35-40 FPS in the main open area (unevitable to have fps loss in big areas), 60-70 FPS inside the houses. This is on a low end laptop.

 

Compile time before optimization: 8~ hours (as said by a fellow mapper)

Compile time after optimization: 1 minute, 40 seconds.

 

[spoiler=Exact Changes]- Moved almost all buildings to the 3d Skybox.

- Removed the bottom of the skybox and adjusted a lot of it.

- Removed fps consuming props that were barely seen and had complex refract shaders, they were on the skybox.

- Func_detailed everything that needed it.

- Added a filter_activator_name to the physbox trigger in the electric area, this means only the battery can be used to activate the function related to this trigger, intead of any small prop.

- Damage done by the garage doors is now 5 (per tick) instead of 10000. This is still pretty fast damage so its still dangerous, but not as abusable as before.

-Added Always Open areaportals in every doorway and window in the three houses.

- No hint brushes due to issues with the map.

- Fixed off-the-grid geometry with some of the walls on the house.

- Fixed lethal Power of 4 Displacement hill, this made compiling impossible. It is now a Power of 2 Displacement which saves on fps and allows compile.

 

 

LINK: http://puu.sh/8aHpd.rar

 

 

 

Name: zs_seige_v1

Author: Pufulet

Map Problem: This map was known to have really bad, devastating fps problems which ruined gameplay greatly

Issues found: No cubemaps, HUGE skybox cube, skybox geometry wasn't moved to a 3d skybox and was kept inside the map instead, FIVE func_precipitations stacked on top of each other, with a density of 500 each (max is 100), all displacements were in Power of 4 (max supported is power of 3 yet somehow the map compiled for Pufulet) and there were many displacements that were not being used and outside of the playable area.

 

FPS before Optimization: 10-23 fps on the open area, 20 on the middle of the map (where most running action takes place.) 20-25 fps on closed areas.

FPS after Optimization: 20-27 fps on the open area, 30-34 fps on the middle of the map, 30-42 fps on the closed area.

 

Compile time before optimization: Estimated 1 or 2 hours

Compile time after optimization: Minute on -final light compile.

 

[spoiler=Exact Changes:]- Moved all geometry outside of the playing area to the 3D skybox.

- Severely shrinked the skybox in the open area.

- Deleted all func_precipitations, map has no rain anymore (this is especially helpful in high pop servers)

- Deleted all power of 4 displacements and replaced them all by power of 2/3 displacements, there are going to be a few terrain differences but did the best i could to make it look nearly exactly the same as the original.

- Added Cubemaps, the lighting in this map is very basic so this might not be noticeable.

- Added Areaportals in every doorway and windows, this doesn't help too much due to how the map is built.

- Adjusted base brushwork to the grid.

 

 

LINK: http://puu.sh/8bW3H.rar

Edited April 17, 2014 by 4:00AM

[Zeus The Deuce]

You are an amazing person

[Irontaco]

Optimized and uploaded zs_seige_v1, changes in main post.

[Webflashing]

The only thing that neighborhood has as a bad aspect is that garage door, removing all the dmg it does would only affect a little, it needs a cooldown like 1 min before the button can be used again, or it would be the same problem.

 

Seige is a wave 1 gg for humans if there were no snipers, but it is so OP for humans once there are, adding a small amount of fog could balance it for good, otherwise, ragequits will happen with the OP snipers.

[Matt Marche]

Unsure why, but looking at certain buildings in the skybox/being above the map 100% consistently caused me and fuzzy to crash on seige.

[Fuzzy Dice]

yes, outside the map sense there IS no skybox in seige. we would clime as fasties to the top of the oil refinery and consistently crash. probably due to an overload sense SEIGE DOESN'T HAVE A SKYBOX AT ALL. I have mixed opinions about changing someones map without permission but its cool to see better versions of these maps.

[Slime]

I don't see any point of optimizing a >4 year old map, if the author didn't do if after putting it on workshop, I don't see any point of someone else doing it.

And I'm sure Pufulet has done a v4 of this map with the help of Zincoshine.

 

Good work fixing an old map, but shouldn't you be asking permission before doing so?

Edited April 17, 2014 by Slime

[Irontaco]

I'm not changing any of it's core mechanics, and i'm not uploading them as my own. I've clearly specified the authors when i upload a optimized version of a laggy map. I knew seige was old too. No point in it? Incorrect. In the high population of ZS servers it tends to be necessary to have some way to make the map run better for people, considering there can be as up as 90 players at the same time; it's a must to have to lighten up a bit people's CPU load in rendering the map and instead having that load be used in other purposes. There are people that constantly crash in maps, especially high load maps.

 

I can ask for permission, yes, but once again, i don't see why they would have a problem with me only optimizing their now very old maps, the only thing i'd ask them about if i could get their custom textures if they didn't PAK them in the map (Yellow Killer did this) or if i wanted to change any balance aspects of the map, like i wanted to do with abstraction by throwing a extra glass bridge in one section so zombies had a easier way to the humans.

 

It is up to opinion if i should keep doing this though, i have no problem in stopping if the authors do not like the idea. I am just offering something to the server and declining it is completely reasonable.

 

Now that you guys have mentioned it a few times, alright, i will add these people and ask them for permission.

 

 

Now, to Matt and Fuzzy:

 

Does the map crash for you too in the new version? There is a skybox now so you are not capable of getting to the area with trees and the refinery unless you noclip outside of the map area waaaay far away into the tiny 3d skybox.

Edited April 17, 2014 by 4:00AM