The MUG, niggles and stuff.

Manta · Post by **Manta** » Sat Oct 22, 2005 10:21 pm

Although I hate to be critical of such a well renowned mod (especially on a first post), there is a rather annoying issue that I've seen with the MUG since its firing properties were changed from a direct firing flamethrower to the curved motion of its new projectile. Simply put, it's a complete processor hog. I run a half decent computer, but generally have all the details set to low to ensure that there is never any rundown at all. That is until the MUG starts being sprayed in my direction, and all of a sudden I'm in a world of jerkiness dispite the news quote:

"Tweaked the Mug and vengeance explosion effects to be more kinder to fps with a slight IQ degrade"

That and I wish it would respond quicker to ammo switching.

Sorry for sounding so negative and also if this has already been mentioned

Bruce9950 · Post by **Bruce9950** » Sat Oct 22, 2005 11:37 pm

Is the same thing happening off line + on?Also what kind of Video card are you useing and do you have the latest driver's? I've got to admit the Mug is a little processer heavy.It's being worked on.

TKATK · Post by **TKATK** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 8:04 am

Im pritty dang sure the MUG is being changed,becouse i blared about the FPS for months on end

Manta · Post by **Manta** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 10:51 am

My comp is:

GeForce FX5200 (128Mb)
AMD Sempron 3300+ (2GHz)
512Mb DDRram
Windows XP SP2 (With certain features removed for memory conservation)

All my display settings in game read "Low", all tickboxes unchecked and max fog distance with 1024x768x16 screen res. This setting runs totally smoothly and I could probably get away with turning it up slightly, but the MUG still persists in slowing things down.

Online play gives slightly more rundown than botmatch, but that's the same for everything else as well, it doesn't feel like that's the problem.

Bruce9950 · Post by **Bruce9950** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 1:11 pm

Like TKATK said some people have been trying to get rid of it for a long time.We will have to just wait and see.If it causes you that much lag don't use it.I know i go from 90 or so fps to 45 or so.I have been useing Zer0Point drivers which are juiced up and safe to use these help.
www.driverheaven.net if you try these download Driver cleaner by spike same site.Read directions and try them out you will be pleasently surprised.

you have to join the forum to use them.I've been beta testing there drivers for about 2 yrs.

MassChAoS · Post by **MassChAoS** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 3:14 pm

The effects have been changed since the release to address this issue... how much difference the changes make is debateable.

Post by **Shadowstar** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 10:01 pm

Unfortunately, it doesn't seem that it will change too much. At this point, there aren't any agreeable changes that could be made to improve the performance of the MUG.

TKATK · Post by **TKATK** » Sat Oct 29, 2005 3:15 pm

Shadowstar wrote:Unfortunately, it doesn't seem that it will change too much. At this point, there aren't any agreeable changes that could be made to improve the performance of the MUG.

a option to remove it like the CPP

not subtle,but it would work

Manta · Post by **Manta** » Sat Oct 29, 2005 6:55 pm

I don't see what was wrong with the old graphic in 3.0, admittedly it didn't arc, but it ooked just fine.

Post by **Shadowstar** » Sun Oct 30, 2005 10:51 am

We decided that it was just wrong overall. It acted like a machinegun, but shooting fireballs, which just dissapeared at some point. There were too many things about it that we just didn't like. At least with the current version, it seems to obey some kind of laws of physics, as well as being different enough in function to seperate it from other weapons. It has framerate issues, but we came to the conclusion that these simply could not be solved without drastically altering the way the weapon works.

Manta · Post by **Manta** » Sun Oct 30, 2005 11:49 am

So is it the arcing physics of it that gives bad framerate or the 'tounge' effect of it?

If it's the latter, I can't see why, at lower detail settings, that you remove the 'tounge' and just leave arcing cloud sprites that accompany it.

If it's the former, then bugger.

Bruce9950 · Post by **Bruce9950** » Sun Oct 30, 2005 5:21 pm

Like one of the above post's i agree.The MUG + the CPP really need to go.i feel the mug is more a weapon to yourelf(like suicide)The ice is a little better + the CPP really does not kill like a machine pistol really would.Even when you have one in each hand it is still not very deadly.

Manta · Post by **Manta** » Sun Oct 30, 2005 8:16 pm

I agree, The CPP lacks the "Oomph" that it ought to have, but this is the wrong thread for such issues.

Post by **Shadowstar** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 7:31 am

The power on the CPP was scaled back because it is capable of getting headshots, which double the damage. It was decided that on a headshot, the CPP does as much damage as a starting weapon should when compared to the balance scheme of the other weapons.

As for the MUG, we're actually not sure where the framerate issue is. We once thought it was the smoke effect, and so removed it, but it was still slowing things down. I've removed each and every part of it, including changing the physics so that it floats (even had a nice gas-based version going), but was never able to track down the problem. Part of what made it so difficult was the fact that it never slowed my own system down, and since that was what I was using to develop it, I could never really tell if my changes were having a positive or negative effect on the framerate. If someone would like to donate a mid-range laptop for devving, I'd give it another shot

It'd have to be a laptop, cuz I don't have room for a desktop system anymore.

And BTW, if you're hitting yourself with it, you either need to aim higher or don't run forward while firing it, as you'll just step into the fire when it hits the ground. It's a strafing weapon. It's also not a good idea to fire it at point blank range. I rarely catch fire when using it, for what it's worth.

Manta · Post by **Manta** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 1:15 pm

Then is it due tot he fact that the system is having to draw lots of super-imposed and expanded images right in the camera's face? The MUG causes no problems when a bot is firing it at something else from a distance.

This does create a similar rundown problem when you shoot someone up close with the relic of defense, that single shield image close up is enough to slow my system down, whereas pitched onslaught games do no such thing.