Just Curious about Frame rate in SRB2CB...

[Sparkz]

I've fallen in love with the Community Builder but my exe seems to only be able to handle so much. If I hang out in a map during a test run for too long the frame rate drops like a rock and eventually crashes the game. I know it's not the builder cause I've tested my wads through the console as well. Does anybody know if this is typical? Am I putting too much on my maps? (I wouldn't think I am. The zones in Vanilla SRB2 and most submissions are far larger than mine.) Is there anything I can do to boost my frame rate or make things easier on the engine? Or is this just a bug we just have to patiently wait to see fixed?

Could thok barriers actually function in a manner that could help with this?

 

[MascaraSnake]

Are you using lots of slopes? If so, that's causing it.

 

[Sparkz]

Yeah, I'm using tons of slopes. One of my maps, if I keep building the way I am on it is probably going to have thousands:/ I'm constantly looking for other methods to make some of this stuff.

If only the spike item could move up and down with sector floors :(

 

[MascaraSnake]

If only the spike item could move up and down with sector floors :(

AFAIK, it can in 2.1. But lots of spike things in one place produce their own lag so that won't help much.

 

[I'll Begin]

I would use spike blocks (GFZ) rather than spike things. They look a lot nicer, and are a lot more reliable too

 

[MascaraSnake]

He's already using sector-based spikes. And how, may I ask you, does an inaccurate approximation of a spike look nicer than an actual spike?

 

[Sparkz]

They don't. Besides their only more reliable because of everything you need to do to them to make them work. What's wrong with the collisions in the spike things anyway? Can't those be made to work properly?

 

[MascaraSnake]

The problem with spike things is that the collision is handled separately for each spike and the space between the spikes doesn't damage. If you put them close enough together, it should work, but collision is much cleaner if you make the spikes intangible and create an invisible FOF with spike damage around them.

 

[I'll Begin]

And how, may I ask you, does an inaccurate approximation of a spike look nicer than an actual spike?

It's a totally-accurate representation, and it's the difference between a 3D object and a billboard sprite. I guess it's a matter of opinion, but I'm not the only one who feels this way.

Plus, y'know, collision on a FOF block or fake floor is more accurate than having a bunch of solid Things when you have a bunch of spikes together. But I guess it's situational.

Sparkz: Have you merged identical sectors by any chance? Try also removing vertices from curves. I had to do that to stop slowdown in a recent map I made.

 

[MascaraSnake]

It's a totally-accurate representation, and it's the difference between a 3D object and a billboard sprite. I guess it's a matter of opinion, but I'm not the only one who feels this way.

It's not accurate at all. An actual spike would be cone-shaped, which is obviously impossible in SRB2 proper. Sector-based spikes are made of three "billboard sprites" pasted together in a triangular shape, and if you look very closely, you can see how fake they are. Thing spikes are obviously entirely flat, but since the sprite is properly shaped and turns with the camera, that fact is mostly obscured.

Plus, y'know, collision on a FOF block or fake floor is more accurate than having a bunch of solid Things when you have a bunch of spikes together. But I guess it's situational.

Didn't I already say that? Also, spike Things are intangible by default. Even with Thing spikes you're supposed to use invisible FOFs or fake floors for collision.

 

[Sparkz]

Fake Floors are the way I'm going to have to go. My spike FOFs only seem to damage a player when they fall from a particular height, useless for just landing on top of them. The billboard spikes however aren't very intuitive. I know how to make them just fine, they just don't make a lot of sense to me.

Sparkz: Have you merged identical sectors by any chance? Try also removing vertices from curves. I had to do that to stop slowdown in a recent map I made.

I remove useless vertices wherever I find them and merging sectors is actually a new habit of mine. When dealing with slope sectors however, this can be a fussy business. I'm probably not the only one still learning the ins and outs of slopes:D

 

[Senku Niola]

Fake floor spikes also have issues with colormaps, such as Snow Flower Zone 2 I had issues getting the entire level to have a whitish blue tint cause the spikes would display a weird endless floor over them.

 

[Sparkz]

That's unfortunate but good to know. thanks for the heads-up. Would the solution be a separate FOF to come down on top of the spikes, cutting through this "endless floor"?