Path Quality and Speed

[rico21]

After several tests on the slowdown of the
Game on big scenarios (With already visibility <24hexes), I came to the conclusion that the best way to increase the speed of execution of the game is to play with the option;
PATH QUALITY LOW.
This leads me to ask Peter two questions:
1-How does Path quality affect the game?
2-Can there be an option in update 3 to set it by default on the
Level of choice?

[Peter Fisla]

Path Quality does affect how well the AI units use terrain, especially vehicles when they move. Pathfinding is very CPU demanding, I wrote the AI pathfinding the best I could. I would rather write a proper detailed code once and let the hardware catch up than going back to a large piece of code after a few months of not looking at that pathfinding code can cause challenges like fixing one thing and breaking something else in the process.

The challenge is the LOS processing is very detailed in this game (down to a pixel level) so this brings potentially performance impact on larger maps. Since the maps are dynamic, meaning the user can create its own maps; its not possible to optimize the pathfinding logic as in other games - were the maps are fixed.

[Hailstone]

Sir, can I suggest labeling scenarios as small, medium, or large so that TotHers with machines that are limited due to hardware/software can avoid the problem by not downloading the large size scenarios?

[Peter Fisla]

ORIGINAL: Hailstone

Sir, can I suggest labeling scenarios as small, medium, or large so that TotHers with machines that are limited due to hardware/software can avoid the problem by not downloading the large size scenarios?

There already is something like that, example (Scenario 10):

Unit strength for Human Players (AI player strength may vary)
German: 14 Squads, 1 Lt MTR, 2 MTRs, 2 AT Ordnance
Russian: 20 Squads, 4 AFVs

Maps: Two maps

Each official scenario has list which shows how many units and how many maps are present. I'm not sure about user made scenarios.

[rico21]

Thanks Peter for question 1 [:)]
but you don't answer question 2 [&:]

[rico21]

I would like [:D]

[Hailstone]

Peter, just to be clear, I have never had a problem with any of the scenarios that came with TotH, it's always the large user made scenarios. IDJester created an Omaha Beach scenario that I was about to play until I noticed the size of the battlefield and the large numbers of units on both sides so I knew better to play that scenario and promptly deleted it. Yet, hope remains thanks to rico21. Now that I have my very own Path Quality setting - IT's ON!

[Peter Fisla]

I really only recommend using Path Quality = High. At the beginning, when I released the game; I had some issues with my pathfinding algorithm which I was able to tweak and improve over the past few months. So, going forward; I don't really recommend using anything else other than HIGH.

What is important when designing a scenario, is to play test it first...to make sure the game and the AI will handle the scenario as expected by the designer before its released to the public. If an issue is discovered, related to the game itself I will try to fix it.

The game is not memory or graphics card processing demanding however the better the CPU the better the game performance.

[rico21]

1 problem scenarios are rare
2 if you can not use anything other than the high path why let the others
3 not everyone has a powerful computer
4 why does the publisher allow so many units if they can not be used
5 I plan in the future Kursk Battle with 12 maps and two hundred armored without counting the infantry
6 I would like, without offense, that you are less Peter Pan and a little more DR Frankenstein

CHEERS

[Rosseau]

Path quality High seems essential then. At least computer upgrades are cheaper these days. I got an i7 3.6 with 16 ram and 650 card for $850 plus shipping. These specs are also bare minimum on some of the AAA games being released on Steam anyway.

Thanks Rico for the great content.

Mike