Animation Environment

[MagicManICT]

To be fair the lag is due to poor optimization. There's no instance where a modern computer shouldn't be able to display hundreds of 2D tiles at full speed.

one word: JOGL. It's a 3D API. I've not done much digging into 3D Java implementations, but none of them are known for their blazing performance. Add in most of your desktop cards are optimized for running DirectX over any other 3D library, and you get all kinds of problems. Professional level cards are just the opposite. None of them (that I'm aware) even support DirectX, even on a Windows computer.

[boshaw]

To be fair the lag is due to poor optimization. There's no instance where a modern computer shouldn't be able to display hundreds of 2D tiles at full speed.

one word: JOGL. It's a 3D API. I've not done much digging into 3D Java implementations, but none of them are known for their blazing performance. Add in most of your desktop cards are optimized for running DirectX over any other 3D library, and you get all kinds of problems. Professional level cards are just the opposite. None of them (that I'm aware) even support DirectX, even on a Windows computer.

Try: Non-batched render calls and OpenGL 1.1

[MagicManICT]

Try: Non-batched render calls and OpenGL 1.1

I haven't dug into to the code enough (even though I keep staring at it). I didn't realize it was only OGL v1.1 (not sure that would cause a big performance hit, though). I know a lot of the problems are with client code implementation, but there will just never be a "fast" Java 3D UI.

[Flame]

but also we have like 50 tree in a single screen, that could have 3 animation each. I can't be surprosed if java collapse when you give it to show 150 images continuely refreshered..

For what i know, java is good but not so good about graphics. But i don't know so much, and with the right optimization, i think it can survive the animation problem.

Well,the first problem is made those..afterall. XD

[boshaw]

Try: Non-batched render calls and OpenGL 1.1

I haven't dug into to the code enough (even though I keep staring at it). I didn't realize it was only OGL v1.1 (not sure that would cause a big performance hit, though). I know a lot of the problems are with client code implementation, but there will just never be a "fast" Java 3D UI.

If you try to use any rendering system and make it render thousands of textures per frame without any type of batch rendering method you will get big slowdown due to it. Go make a program that renders 50k triangles without batch and then another with some form of batch rendering using opengl and you will notice the difference. Some people always blame java for the problems, but even if the hnh client written in C it would still run slowly because you're trying to render tons and tons of textures without some for. Of batch rendering.

[borka]

Not to forget those with a crappy slow internet connection (i.e. G3) - sometimes i wish i could switch animations on/off - like idol flames or running ants...for sure i don't need crops waving at me

[Nummy]

You guys are mixing up low FPS and connection lag. You might seem to lag if you have low FPS, but it's not the same. In lag, computer waits for network to get data or to receive comfirmation from sserver, while low FPS is a state when graphic card is unable to draw all frames to have smooth gameplay.
Putting in animated crops and trees would put more load onto graphic card and would do nothing with connection lag.

Animated stuff can be done, but client should be optimized. I doubt anyone will do it if devs don't want to. Heh they even don't care about lesser stuff about game, why should they about having animated stuff? We can only hope for some individual hero to break the code and implement it and of course draw it as well.

[MagicManICT]

You guys are mixing up low FPS and connection lag. You might seem to lag if you have low FPS, but it's not the same.

Great, but what about when all the graphics are sent from the server (a la HnH)? What then?

[cobaltjones]

They graphics are only sent from the server once though.

The lag you experience when you're boating and a new section of minimap is being loaded is decidedly different than the lag experienced when walking through a 800 tile wheat field.

[Nummy]

You guys are mixing up low FPS and connection lag. You might seem to lag if you have low FPS, but it's not the same.

Great, but what about when all the graphics are sent from the server (a la HnH)? What then?

A lot of stuff get preloaded from server and it is cached. Go debug client some time and you will see that when you select character for playing, client gets a lot of info from server what to load. If resource is not in local, it gets it from server.
Example 1: when you click and your character walks but not move, you have connection lag.
Example 2: when you walk past big field of some plants you get FPS drop as your graphic card or CPU cannot proccess so much sprites at same time. (yes calculating their position is made by CPU, while drawing is made by GPU).

Quick optimization solution can be made, but might get little complicated to write it. For example plants can be drawn together as one sprite where there is no characters or objects on specified tile. This might work wonders on big fields. Also somebody mentioned batching, that is another option.