Idea to improve lag and lower spec for massive MP

**tootee** · 12-31-2006, 07:32

Some idea for CA to improve the playability of 4v4 MP.

1. Since MP mostly uses the zoom out view, why not render the units using 2D sprite aka MTW1 when zoom-out, rather than wasting processing resource and memory bandwidth to render 3D polygon which hardly anyone will appreciate from that distance.. esp when these look so ugly at low setting. This will immediately lower the min spec for lagless 4v4 by 50% at least imo.

**sapi** · 12-31-2006, 07:36

Sprites are used when you're zoomed out, and if you haven't noticed, i'd (nicely) suggest that you get your eyes tested ;)

**Orda Khan** · 12-31-2006, 12:21

Originally Posted by sapi

Sprites are used when you're zoomed out, and if you haven't noticed, i'd (nicely) suggest that you get your eyes tested ;)

Is this kind of reply really necessary? And from a so called Assistant Moderator

......Orda

**pevergreen** · 12-31-2006, 14:26

Yes it is Orda, as they are 2d moving images. if you watch, some spearmen units change to having a large poleaxe of their shoulder while Sprinting. its 2d unit rendering for me on the highest graphics/video/everything settings. The same as RTW.

**x-dANGEr** · 12-31-2006, 15:20

Is this kind of reply really necessary? And from a so called Assistant Moderator

......Orda

It may not. But sure yours isn't as well.

**pevergreen** · 12-31-2006, 15:57

Dont let this turn into a spam thread. Do that to some important one instead

**CBR** · 12-31-2006, 16:32

I doubt using 2D sprites only will help much. Lower the details to absolute minimum, or move camera into the corner of the map and look down into the ground and lower end CPU's is still choking when having too many soldiers in a battle.

A 4v4 using normal size would have maybe 8K men total (assuming 50/50 cav/sword units). Now there might be weird netcode or memory leak problems or whatever that causes lag in MP, but if your PC cant handle 8-9K in a custom battle then dont expect it to handle it better in MP.

M2TW appears to be even more demanding than RTW and I dont know if its bugs, bad programming or just more CPU power needed for spinning moves and other fancy calculations.

CBR

**tootee** · 12-31-2006, 07:49

I am not too sure about that. If you look closely (under high setting), each man is till individually and distinctly clothed, the horses of the same cav unit looks different slightly, and the legs animation suggest to me that 3D rendering is still done.. it may look like 2D sprite at low setting, but I am not too sure if the rendering is like STW or MTW.

What i am suggesting is to switch to STW/MTW type of graphic processing at zoom-out view.

**|Heerbann|_Di3Hard** · 12-31-2006, 11:58

Originally Posted by tootee

Some idea for CA to improve the playability of 4v4 MP.

1. Since MP mostly uses the zoom out view, why not render the units using 2D sprite aka MTW1 when zoom-out, rather than wasting processing resource and memory bandwidth to render 3D polygon which hardly anyone will appreciate from that distance.. esp when these look so ugly at low setting. This will immediately lower the min spec for lagless 4v4 by 50% at least imo.

Rendering like MTW VI would be great! The graphics is clearly and a 4vs4 is no problem. And an option, that we cannot zoom in would be great too. It isn't necessary and would help to avoid lag.