So Many Fighters, So Little Processor...

[GrandAdmiralPrawn]

I've noticed a huge problem, at least for those of us not running blazing, state-of-the-art machines (hey, it was enviable three years ago!). About an hour into the game, it slows to a crawl, even with all the graphics set to low. I've checked with people w/ more processor, and it's not limited to older rigs, though it is worse on one.

 

I've been troubleshooting this, and I've found the culprit: fighters (and bombers). One of my fleets had several dozen Trafed carriers, for over a hundred squadrons, each with 24 fighters or bombers. A lot of computers just can't handle all those separate ships - note the computer is tracking the orders for each squadron, and also a separate position for each fighter.

 

My work-around is to slash the number of fighters/bombers by 3. Note that almost every squad has a number of fighters/bombers that is divisible by 6, so this works (and could even be doubled). To avoid any significant impact to gameplay, I tripled the fighter HP, fighter damage, build time, scuttle time (probably shouldn't have done that since a whole squad scuttles at once), and the anti-fighter damage ability. Based on my experience, gameplay is either unaffected or nearly so.

 

I know some people may complain that this is contrary to the goal of rendering everything in-line with Star Wars, but let's face it: it's no fun if it crawls, and you've only zoomed in to see the fighters once or twice in the many hours you've played the game - you won't notice the difference. Feel free to call me a heretic, but it's a good solution for now. I'll post the files on the debugging website once I've finished tweaking them.

[Evaders99]

Sounds like a good idea to me

[GrandAdmiralPrawn]

Posted. Check out: http://warlords.swrebellion.com/mantis/view.php?id=349

 

This is a 3X reduction in fighters. I may go further, with a 6X reduction. If I do, I'll post it as a separate file. Just put this in your GameInfo directory over top of the other files.

[sloosecannon]

i wonder, is there any way to make the models/textures less stressfull?

i know in EAW you literally have to mess with the texture file to make it lighter on the game, the settings only change the vanilla stuff, maybe Sins is the same way?

[Evaders99]

Good question. Besides reducing polys, not sure what else could be done.

[GrandAdmiralPrawn]

I doubt there's any other way besides reducing polys or the sheer number of fighters. I tend to think the number is more problematic than the number of polys though, because each fighter has its own, 3D position (yes, the game really does have 3 dimensions), despite the appearance that they move as a squad (that's only the icon for the squad's average position - you can tell if you scroll in, and also by the way that the squad icon "jumps" when you lose a fighter).

 

I've noticed a pretty big difference cutting down the number of fighters. I'm planning to take it a step further by reducing it by a factor of 6 (currently, it's 3).

[GrandAdmiralPrawn]

The 6X reduction is posted at http://warlords.swrebellion.com/mantis/view.php?id=349

 

Note there are a few tiny ways this isn't a one-for-one reduction: I haven't upped the experience points for the fighters. This seemed prudent, since in a large battle, your cap ships get a huge amount of experience just watching fighters shoot fighters - it's ridiculous. Also, since you take longer to build fighters, you can find yourself in a big pickle if the other guy blows all of yours up first, but that's not too different from the 0.9 release.

[sloosecannon]

Yep. That's one of the most painful tactical situations I've been in... Lots of cruisers/caps and no fighters, with lotsa bogeys.

[X-File]

Fighters are indeed a big problem, even on non-modded Sins games. I'm running a game now on Diplomacy with my empire controlling starbases in every sector, with a complement of 14 bomber wings each. Let's just say I ordered my bases located on the interior of my empire to withdraw all craft. It sped up the game considerably.