Mission File Size --> Problem?

[Raoul]

Hi everyone!

 

So I keep hearing everywhere tricks to keep mission size low and stuff like that.

Why does the mission size matter? I thought the mission size only takes a few seconds extra at spawning?

 

Like, if I got a picture from 2 MB, and I compres it to 400 kb, will it make the server faster?

I don't think so...?

 

To be short, why is keeping the mission file low so important? :D

 

Raoul

[ElDubya]

No-one wants to join a server and then sit there downloading 6 meg of mission file. 

[Raoul]

Seriously?

Even if it takes just a few seconds to load? :O

[CordIAsis]

I think the biggest issue with having a large mission file is client performance. A bigger mission file contains more code, in general, than a smaller one which inherently causes a greater stress on client machines. If your players are suffering bad FPS because of the ton of code in the mission file they WILL leave, no matter how cool your scripts are. The same attitude should be applied to every file related to your server, both server and client side. The less code there is to run in any file, the more efficient it is, in general, which makes for a much better experience for the players. 

Compressing the size of images and such wouldn't really make much of a difference, it would only make a miniscule difference at the moment the client loads it into memory. Because the clients do load it into memory it is very good practice to keep it as small as possible so not to waste their resources on something not important.

[Line2.lv]

I do not agree with CordlAsis. Server PBO size effects the clients FPS.

But if the mission side does not have any errors and the code is clean, it not effect players FPS only by it`s size. It`s because player cannot use all the mission scripts at the same time.

The size simply makes client uncomfortable to wait while mission is loaded.

Don`t worry about the size so much... If the mission is less then 5000 kb, then chill. (No serious player will leave your server only because of the mission file size, be sure of that)

 

Of course if your internet upload speed is not so good and players from abroad will want to connect ur 10.000 kb big mission, then perhaps it will start to make some problems.

I think that it`s some kind of competition between best projects to make the mission as little as possible, nothing more because 500 kb mission or 2500 kb mission does not change the running of the server.

[CordIAsis]

But if the mission side does not have any errors and the code is clean, it not effect players FPS only by it`s size. It`s because player cannot use all the mission scripts at the same time.

You're right, it does not affect clients directly because of it's size. Things like deploy bike and such have barely any impact on the client as it's run on demand and not in a loop. But with more code comes more loops, almost guarenteed, especially in a mission file that is 5000kb as you stated.

 

I think that it`s some kind of competition between best projects to make the mission as little as possible, nothing more because 500 kb mission or 2500 kb mission does not change and running of the server.

From a code writer's perspective, I think the 'competition' for smaller file sizes relates directly to the knowledge that the less you ask of a computer, the more it can do.

 

Regardless of people's views on this subject, it is a good practice to demand as little as possible from your server and connected clients and the sure fire way to start is by reducing file sizes. Even if every extra script you run is only run on demand like the deploy bike script it will atleast help speed up the compiling stage. There is nothing to be lost by doing this and everything to be gained. 

[Namindu]

The smaller the file the faster load times... Just think if you had shitty internet and have to download 10Mb........

[carl101]

mines 3.5mb, just saying

[jahangir13]

If something is about size, it's about performance.

To make it short ,)