Peter_Ushnok Posted July 8, 2007 Share Posted July 8, 2007 It takes about 10 seconds each time I alttab the game to switch to windows desktop. Do you guys have the same problem ? any solution to make it faster? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n0kn0k Posted July 8, 2007 Share Posted July 8, 2007 Same thing here. I use Esc though. That's instant but getting back into the game takes 10 or so seconds at 2560x1600 resolution. Perhaps Hubert can explain it when he's back in town. My guess is that it's redrawing all the graphics again, which takes some time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
targul Posted July 9, 2007 Share Posted July 9, 2007 Alt Tab is instant for me in both directions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n0kn0k Posted July 9, 2007 Share Posted July 9, 2007 Hmm interesting. I'm playing with 16xAF enabled here though, on a pretty high resolution. Let's try and track this down Win XP 2560x1600 16xAF GF 8800 GTX Latest drivers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter_Ushnok Posted July 9, 2007 Author Share Posted July 9, 2007 altTab is very slow for me. about 10 seconds. Win XP 1 G RAM resolution 1280*768 Laptop with sh#@ video card Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
targul Posted July 9, 2007 Share Posted July 9, 2007 Win XP never looked at resolution 4 Gig Ram 512 ATI Video Card Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter_Ushnok Posted July 9, 2007 Author Share Posted July 9, 2007 ok, that's because of the 4 GB Ram probably... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n0kn0k Posted July 9, 2007 Share Posted July 9, 2007 Neh it's not the ram. I've got 2GB and SC2 only uses a bit over 130 I believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubert Cater Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 Essentially any delay is caused by DirectX memory being dumped or re-enabled when you go to and from SC2 via Alt-Tab or with the Esc key. This is of course an automatic feature of DirectX when run in exclusive mode, as SC2 does, as this generally gives the game all the video/sound resources it needs to run efficiently and frees them up when not needed, i.e. when you switch out of the game to do something else etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n0kn0k Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 Now for the obvious question Would it be possible to change that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
targul Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 Which if I am reading what Hubert said correctly be why I have no problem as I use 4GB of RAM. Between the large video card and RAM it can maintain both sides without a need to dump. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n0kn0k Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 I've got 2 GB, should be more then enough. SC2 uses 173 MB atm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter_Ushnok Posted July 11, 2007 Author Share Posted July 11, 2007 Hubert: Would it be difficult in a coming patch to add an option to allow running the game in a window instead of full screen? would you have to change the whole software structure? I personally like to play games in a window, precisely to be able to alt/tab quickly and also monitor other processes (through the taskbar). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubert Cater Posted July 13, 2007 Share Posted July 13, 2007 Something like this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubert Cater Posted July 13, 2007 Share Posted July 13, 2007 Sorry for the size but it is needed to give you a better picture of the new map and features. Windowed mode is something I have quietly been working on this week and so far so good although if you ALT-TAB during the AI turn you will have to wait until the AI completes its move until you can ALT-TAB back. Similar to what we have now and will work the same in windowed mode, i.e. you'll have to wait until the taskbar icon is flashing to indicate you can return to the game. In general though, this is a screenshot from one of Blashy's test games with FoW toggled off to give you a better idea of the situation. AI is marching on Tobruk while Blashy is attempting a sneak around under the Quattara Depression... sneaky guy Notice the sandstorms in Jordan and the Commonwealth minors that have been upgraded by the AI. You'll also notice the sand tiles that reduce unit movement as well as the road and rail system that now affect regular movement as well as operational movement respectively. Under the new system you can now only Operate to cities that are connected by rail so this will add a whole new dynamic to game play and players may actually be inspired to use Strategic Reserves as not all cities are connected as they previously were. For example, US landings in Algeria will no longer be immediately counter attacked unless the player has Axis units in the immediate area as there is no rail past Alexandria in North Africa. Knock Paris down below 5 with the newly modelled Bombers (double strikes) and all subsequently connected cities via Rail drop to 5 as well. Cut a rail line in enemy territory and you can prevent all operational movement along that particular rail connection. German advances in the USSR will also be affected as cities will only increase in strength as logical rail connections come on line. For example, if the Axis capture Minsk and then Kiev the German player will have to wait for Minsk to reach strength = 5 before Kiev will increase in strength past 3. Essentially this models reconstruction and re-establishment of supply as city railheads are rebuilt after the scorched earth destruction from the retreating Soviets. More to come Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bromley Posted July 13, 2007 Share Posted July 13, 2007 Looks excellent . One possible logic problem with supply is well illustrated here. The Allies have isolated Siwah but there is no effect on the Axis assault through the desert. Of course Siwah should always have a base supply level, but perhaps it should be more like that scorched earth example that you gave (i.e. Tobruk supply level for the ongoing supply chain = 0 therefore Siwah reduces to 3). It'd be more noticable in the West, but even here the Axis supply level at the gates of Cairo drops from 2 to 0. That would encourage the Axis to leave screening forces to prevent the Allies marching on Tobruk, in this case preventing possible misuse of the southern route. The main effect though would be to make the supply system more visually logical. Either way though, great additions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n0kn0k Posted July 13, 2007 Share Posted July 13, 2007 Windowed mode is something I have quietly been working on this week and so far so good although if you ALT-TAB during the AI turn you will have to wait until the AI completes its move until you can ALT-TAB back. Similar to what we have now and will work the same in windowed mode, i.e. you'll have to wait until the taskbar icon is flashing to indicate you can return to the game.Awesome work! That would do the trick for me already as I have a pretty big screen to multitask on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubert Cater Posted July 13, 2007 Share Posted July 13, 2007 Bromley, The problem is Siwah and Tobruk are both essentially considered cutoff from their parent supply source since neither is connected to a friendly capital so with the current setup neither influences the other unless connected by rail. So in their cases they are at strength=5 as max supply as all other cutoff resources are unless otherwise specified via the Editor. One adjustment I have made for Weapons and Warfare is to allow max strength for a particular resource type and Villages like Siwah by default now max at strength = 5 regardless of connection situation. One thing that will slow down an Axis advance under Quattara though is that Desert terrain which acts like Mountains and limits the assault options... and so far plays out very well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars Posted July 13, 2007 Share Posted July 13, 2007 Hubert, have you considered giving engineers the ability to fix rail lines? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blashy Posted July 13, 2007 Share Posted July 13, 2007 Lars, rail lines can not be broken per say (the actual bitmaps). You break connections by reducing cities to 4 or lower, this removes operating abilities to other cities. Ex: If city B only has a rail going to city A and city A is bombed to 4 or under then you can no longer operate to city A AND city B. Works out fantastic. Simple and effective function. [ July 13, 2007, 08:18 AM: Message edited by: Blashy ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars Posted July 13, 2007 Share Posted July 13, 2007 Ok, was just wondering if there was someway to speed up the rebuild process. It might add something to the game if engineers could rebuild a city/rail/road. Lot of other games have it, would be an easy add-on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubert Cater Posted July 13, 2007 Share Posted July 13, 2007 Lars, this is something I am hoping to add but most likely not until after initial release due to time. One idea was brought up during testing to give the new Special Forces unit the ability to destroy rail lines and in turn you could use an Engineer to rebuild them. Would add a whole new dynanic to the game and should work out well if properly implemented... I'll keep you guys updated as we proceed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars Posted July 13, 2007 Share Posted July 13, 2007 Ok, nice to know you looked at it. On the other side of the coin, a guy could park an engineer in Cherbourg and keep the Allies from bombing it flat. You'd have to look at that too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flintlock Posted July 13, 2007 Share Posted July 13, 2007 I'm not so sure an engineer unit parked in a town should have the power to prevent its leveling from bombers. Perhaps allow it to expedite the rebuild cycle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars Posted July 13, 2007 Share Posted July 13, 2007 What if you limited it to an engineer at somewhat full strength? Then it would be bomber, bomber followed by fighter, fighter. Heh, here we are already play balancing something that's not in yet. As usual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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