Map Lag, Ad Nauseum

[Amethyst]

So here we go again.

Let's talk about lag, and why we have it. In Reborn there are two things that cause it:

• Maps with a lot of events
• Map connections

I'll clarify what some of these terms mean specifically:

• Events- Events in this context basically refers to... anything that does anything in this game. NPCs, doors, items, light effects, tiles that move or disappear such as the trees in Chrysolia, tiles that jump you over them such as in Route 2, so on and so on. A very small map is likely to have 4-5 of them. A very large or busy map may have around 200.
• Maps- The map is the area you walk around on as a player. However, when we're talking about individual maps from the development end, it's not always set up in the way the player might expect. For instance, each different floor of a place like Ametrine Mountain is a separate map. However, the interior of all of the houses in Calcenon are on one single map (but big enough and spread out far enough apart that you should never see the insides of other houses from any one of them). The Wasteland is a single out-door map, but the Opal Ward is actually two separate maps linked together by...
• Map Connections- Rather than using a teleport event as if you were walking through a door, map connections exist in Pokemon Essentials to seamlessly blend map files together. This helps with the classic flowing overworld-style maps that are common to Pokemon games. Incidentally, the main series games have begun doing this much less as of ORAS, which may impact how we proceed in the future.

That said, Map Connections appear to be by -far- the bigger offender in terms of causing lag. This is particularly unfortunate, because the documentation for Pokemon Essentials said the opposite- that it was more efficient to cut large maps up and use connections to reduce lag. This has proven to be the opposite of true.

However, back in Episode 9.5, and a little more since then too, I took that advice unknowingly and split up/connected a lot of maps in an effort to reduce lag. It didn't work. In fact it probably made it worse. Now, since then, I also split up the city using the classic checkpoint method, which -has- helped a bit, but now the divisions made in 9.5 are causing most of the remaining lag. We will be undoing those splits for 14.5, but this may have the side-effect (seen in 9.5/10) of reactivating old trainers in that area.

Nonetheless, here are the areas that will be afflicted:

• Opal Ward
• Lower Peridot
• Central Obsidia
• North Obsidia
• Spinel Town
• Although not a 9.5-born issue, I'll also be adding 'check-point' divisions between Jasper and Malchous (similar to what Chrysolia Forest now has)

That said, all of this information does not appear to be infallible, and I have some questions regarding the current state of affairs with lag around certain places, which may impact other areas that get adjusted. However, I've set up a poll to address that in this topic, so I encourage all players to let me know how the areas in question are doing.

[Qaaz]

Reactivating old trainers is good.

Well as for the lag, I'm not expert but I will support anything the Reborn Team will do for a better gaming experience. You all guys know better

[Jan]

Something I've noticed while playing through shofu's file is that some maps have trigger Points. Meaning around the map itself is fine, but once you get to a specific corner, the game just goes nuts. One example of this is on route 2, by the entrance. After I pass that segment, the area shows minimal to no lag.

[Commander]

Can we at least keep the gate between Agate and Route 2? That one actually works pretty well compared to the original freeze for 30 seconds to transfer to the next route. Don't really care about the other gates though as I thought Reborn City looked better without them.

[Amethyst]

Something I've noticed while playing through shofu's file is that some maps have trigger Points. Meaning around the map itself is fine, but once you get to a specific corner, the game just goes nuts. One example of this is on route 2, by the entrance. After I pass that segment, the area shows minimal to no lag.

I know what you're talking about. This is actually because of how Essentials loads the content. It has something like 14 tiles in all directions from the player pre-loaded so that when you move in that direction they can appear seamlessly. So, if a connection happens to be within that range, it'll perform much more slowly even though you haven't reached the connection yet.

In some maps like Peridot and Obsidia currently, the maps aren't wide enough that you are ever more than 14 tiles away from a connection in some direction or another.

Can we at least keep the gate between Agate and Route 2? That one actually works pretty well compared to the original freeze for 30 seconds to transfer to the next route. Don't really care about the other gates though as I thought Reborn City looked better without them.

The city did look better without, but they help a lot. Anyway, none of those check points are going anywhere. Route 2 needs additional help though.

[NickCrash]

Although I seem to have no problem with lag anywhere I go, the only issue is when I'm trying to go from Opal to Obsidia and back. It only occurs in the specific line that acts as the border. This might be where the connection is, or just that many events are presented simultaneously (I don't know), but I don't have the problem anywhere else. Even in the old maps where no checkpoint was between Obsidia and Coral or Tanzan area and Chrysolia.

I know it reduces lag, but I enjoy roaming around the region more without many checkpoints.

[Red_Chaos]

any updates is a good update

[Gaunt]

I experience lag only passing from Opal to Obsidia, near the entrance to the railnet (from Peridot) and at the beginning of Route 2

[Etesian]

The only really bad lag for me is in Chrysolia Forrest and the top two rows of grass right next to the Grand Hall.