When does flux load the star system maps?

When does flux load the star system maps? Are they all loaded at once when the game starts? I assume this is the case.

I was thinking that if I could load just one system map at a time, I could have more happening in that system during the game and still conserve memory. Then when the player jumps to a new system (I've eliminated L-Points in favor of hyperspace like travel), I could unload the current system and load the new system. Is this reasonable, or even possible, to accomplish? I would actually prefer jumps between systems to take a minute or two, and a loading screen would fit the bill nicely.

I guess the real question is: Is it possible to load only one map from the clusters.ini file?

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I dunno, but as you, I too believe, maps are loaded at a very early stage, because all the system manipulation commands are from iGame. For example with "start_new_game you have to define the System the player starts in per the url to the map file. (the player base has to be placed somewheres before you can enter it)

I've never seen a command to unload a system.

iGame.SetStartSystem( string system_url );
Will change the starting system (and simultanously move the player base) but I dunno if it unloads the previous system (I doubt it does)

Iwar2 Multiplayer Fan Site

I know of no way to "load" a system from POG. The systems appear to load very early - you can see it when you have debug mode turned on.

Stations and planets do not exist as normal sims when the player is not in that system. They do not seem to tax system resources the same way as normal ships. I have created star maps with 200 systems, and they run at the same FPS as a cluster of 20 systems.

They seem to behave more like unplaced ships. You can create a few hundred unplaced ships - but they have no FPS impact until you place them into world. Placed ships, even those hidden or far from the player do cause a FPS change.

So from a station viewpoint, there does not seem much advantage to preventing an early system load.

On the other hand, you do get events when the player changes system. And tons of stuff is created at that point. LDSI fields, nebula, asteroid belts. Ship traffic. All of those kind of processor and memory hungry features can be controlled by you, and can be made dependent of player system. (actually must be dependent if you wish to keep a playable frame rate).

I guess it is also worth pointing out that stations do not survive the player transition into the station. They are all culled (flag setting or no). New ones are created when the player exits the station. On the other hand, unplaced sims are not culled.

-Gtrout

What's an "unplaced sim"?

I guess it is also worth pointing out that stations do not survive the player transition into the station. They are all culled (flag setting or no). New ones are created when the player exits the station.

Does this include stations that are map entities? Or are these different from stations that are Pogged-in? (Hey, I created a new term:D!)

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Sim.Create() builds the sim but does not place it. Sim.PlaceNear() places the sim, and causes textures to load, simulation of systems to start, and all other graphics kinds of functions. Creating is very fast. Placing is very slow.

Yes, the station sims attached to the map entities are culled. (tested by attaching object properties to them, and the entering and leaving the base, and testing for property existance. Gone.) Beware creating pog objects of station class. I don't think we were meant to do it. And they tend to crash flux when destroyed. But not always. Annoying.



-Gtrout

Sim.Create() builds the sim but does not place it. Sim.PlaceNear() places the sim

Lol. You know, I knew that (slaps self). It's definitely been too long since I messed with this stuff. Thanks GrandpaT .

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The Ultimate Guide To Modding: I-War 2 - Edge Of Chaos (on hold during SW MP mod)
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