Alloc file buffer

[eTux]

Some of my levels have crashed lately, and since I couldn't find any other reason for the crashings, I guess the allof file buffer could be the one.

The level which crashes has such AFB value: 7984000
while the limit for the level not to crash is ..... ?
Anyway, what affects the AFB? HOw can I keep it low enough for the level to work? Help

[isis]

Elvis try wallpapering some rooms!! You told me off for wallpapering a room when you tested my level but I found that that room which had previously had lots of different textures, some flipped, some halved etc - after I wallpapered it and just put in some small decoration texturing, it dropped the alloc buffer right down. I don't know why that happened, it may not have been the reason I suppose but you could try it. I think flipping textures etc does take up more memory. OK I know wallpapered rooms don't look nice but you could start with one texture (and see if the buffer figure goes down) and then add some other textures.

The only other thing I've found raises the alloc buffer figure is the amount of enemies in the level. Or you might need to split the level again (what is it now - 7? )

[dhama]

If you have to 'wallpaper', then use 128x128 or 256x256 textures, it looks less obvious.

[eTux]

Sue, I guess, I could try, doesn't look like I have a choice As for the enemies - it's a real mystery - the level which crashes at the moment has no enemies at all, while in some other crash matter they played a big role, get smart now

Dhama, what exacly do you mean? Must I use 4 texture tiles periodically, or must I squeeze a 128X128 texture within one tile?

[Piega]

The texture size of the wad has great influence on the alloc file buffer. Keep it as low as you can. Also the number of stacked rooms in a certain area.

This alloc file buffer does not give you warranty that your level will not crash when it is below a certain number. My sanctuary of water almost crashed while the alloc file buffer was 6.800.000 and my texture size of the wad 1.87 MB! I found out that the number of little stacked rooms in one space caused this.

When I added an item the wad was 2 MB of texture memory. The level crashed. There is no need to wallpaper your level...

[dhama]

Originally posted by eTux


Dhama, what exacly do you mean? Must I use 4 texture tiles periodically, or must I squeeze a 128X128 texture within one tile?

Instead of shrinking a texture down to 64x64 shrink it to 128x128 or 256x256 like the image below, but obviously you have to start with a decent size image or it will look blocky.

[isis]

Originally posted by Piega
My sanctuary of water almost crashed while the alloc file buffer was 6.800.000 and my texture size of the wad 1.87 MB! I found out that the number of little stacked rooms in one space caused this.

Re the stacked rooms, I didn't know that - something to watch out for in future. Didn't someone somewhere start a list of all possible causes of crashes? If not we really should have one, would save a lot of grief.

[eTux]

Doh! I thought it would be something simple as that!

@ Piega, what you say about the stacked rooms is interesting and could indeed be the source of my problem, most of the levels have such high (and also small) stacked areas. Will have a look, even if I'm not sure that this is the solution, the level worked perfectly before with the stacked rooms too '

[eTux]

Sue, there's always this thread. Anyone can feel free to add anything there that is usefull

[isis]

Yes Elvis, I thought there was a thread somewhere but I won't be adding anything to it, just looking for solutions. Perhaps Piega might like to add the stacked rooms problem though as I for one didn't know this.

As for the wallpapering thing, I wasn't suggesting you wallpaper your entire level, just take out some extra texturing that isn't needed, perhaps in a dark room where it won't be noticed. All I know is it worked for me with that one room and now I try to keep texturing in darker rooms and under water rooms fairly simple.

[Yasin]

Your Aloc file buffer will also increase extremely if you have for example a 20x20 room and then add alot of walls in the room ( green button )

If you add too much of these it eats alot of file buffer, I had to cut my 4 Statue level into 3 parts because the file buffer got close to the limit...

Limit for the buffer is 7.500.000 try to keep it under it
Texture info limit 3000

[GeckoKid]

6261985.... is my current alloc buffer.... that scares me, i didn't kno w about that!!
textinfo is 226...

[eTux]

BAH! Stacked 20 x 20 rooms with walls, can it get worse than this?

[Yasin]

Correction > Not textureinfo but

"Textures" limit = 3000


but eTux... what I did it with my last project was try to locate ?x? large rooms which had alot of walls in it, then I tried to rebound the room by making it smaller and sometimes even cut it into 2 halves but its a nasty job and takes alot of stress.

I had alot of stress when building 4 Statues part I since I reached 7.400.000 aloc buffer when the level was only 30% completed...



If you exceed the limit it will occur crashes and other weird stuff for example
-when triggering enemies your level can crash/freeze.
-You will also notice that suddenly some torches wont trigger.
-Things doesnt even trigger at all.

[eTux]

Yasin, are you suggesting that splitting the big rooms smaller and then combining them again with doors could solve the problem? Isn't the covered area that takes up the AFB not the rooms? Heck, I don't know, but am about to try anything to avoid another level split.

[Yasin]

Not exactly sure eTux since alot of elements can rapidly increase the File buffer

like metioned the amount of textures /tiles in your wad
the ammount of walls in a large room
and perhaps more...

whats even more weird is, i got this huge area on the project which i'm working on it now... which excists out of 4 rooms connected together and also stacked rooms under them and above them, excists out of 4 stacked rooms, 4x4 16 rooms in total. And I'm at 230 rooms now, and my File buffer is only 6.600.000,

And my 4 statues project got like 100 rooms and already 7.400.000, I'm very confused about it...

Hope you manage to work it out... but guess level split can solve the problem but then again, as you said, you dont really want it

[eTux]

Doesn't look like I have a choice, people will have to cope with an 8 level download, but the good news for them will be that all 8 levels wil be based on only 3 wad sets , which probably is the reason why the wads could be so big - gotta collect everything needed for 2+ levels

[isis]

Elvis, the large wads could be the cause of your crashing problem, I'm pretty sure that's happened to me before. Is there nothing in them you could delete?

[eTux]

Yes, Sue I know it's one of the causes, but can't be the most serious ones, because that would mean that the other 2 levels made with this wad should crash too. I'm still trying to get rid of less needed things, but they don't change the situation much, unfortunatly

[Yasin]

Originally posted by eTux
Doesn't look like I have a choice, people will have to cope with an 8 level download, but the good news for them will be that all 8 levels wil be based on only 3 wad sets , which probably is the reason why the wads could be so big - gotta collect everything needed for 2+ levels

Sounds pretty much the way I'm doing it right now, The level editor can be evil....
I have to release 7 TOM files, with only 3 Wads
Good luck though eTux,

[Piega]

It does not matter how many objects there are in the wad. What really counts is the texture info it has. You can try to retexture some objects with textures from another object. Save your wad so that the textures that are not used anymore will be deleted.

Try to reload another wad with less texture info and you will see how the AFB will lower itself. A wad of 2MB of texture memory will give you a more stable level. How lower the texture memory of your wad the bigger the level can be. How bigger the texture info of the wad the smaller the level can be and crashing is guaranteed!

The .exe file can deal with all the objects there are in the wad even if all slots are full. Texture memory, that's all folks

[isis]

I think I'll keep quiet

[eTux]

Thx, Piega, I think I'm on the right path now

And Sue, don't keep quiet, all of your suggestions are welcome - they are indeed very helpfull, but they just aren't the solution for me this time

[gonzaw]

Everybody I hear say have a file buffer more than 6 000 000 have more than 200 rooms apparently....

My level has 40 rooms and surpasses the 6 000 000 file buffer

It may be due to some HUGE rooms stacked to display a HUGE cave, but I don't have that many objects, nor textures, and I still have to do half of the level

Anyways, I can't just erase the huge rooms, they are the important part of the level, but I guess everything will be alright as long as it doesn't surpass the 7 000 000.....

[aktrekker]

I recommend starting a NEW thread and posting an actual question.