Load Times, A Now Or Later Situation: You Choose

jsedlak · 05-15-2008, 03:32 AM

The loading times on the Zune are pretty bad which is understandable given what is driving the software. When loading assets for the first level in GW3 (sounds mostly) the Zune takes a couple of seconds where-as my PC (Quad core) is instant.

So the question is, when do you want the load times?

1. Longer loads when the game starts, but getting into gameplay and changing levels is fast.
2. Longer loads for when the gameplay starts and levels change, but the game starts up fast.
3. Spread it out, the UI may be a little sluggish while loading, but the game will startup fast and so will the gameplay.
4. Forget sounds, compress everything to the max and make everything as fast as possible. Forget quality, we want speed!

Edit: Wow. Failed at posting the poll. Can only post the poll one minute after the post? Lame.

Greenskull · 05-15-2008, 05:38 AM

I'm sure it will be faster with the next release.

lpxxfaintxx · 05-15-2008, 06:30 AM

Added a poll for you.

SimReality · 05-15-2008, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greenskull

I'm sure it will be faster with the next release.

A new version of XNA is not going to make the internal drive or CPU faster so this issue isn't just going to go away.

As for my vote, I'd say load up front. I'm betting that disk IO on the Zune isn't the greatest so I'd rather just wait a few more moments to start than to have to wait a lot during the game. Not to mention once you start playing music from the disk you are going to wind up killing IO speeds even more.

Spike! · 05-15-2008, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SimReality

A new version of XNA is not going to make the internal drive or CPU faster so this issue isn't just going to go away.

As for my vote, I'd say load up front. I'm betting that disk IO on the Zune isn't the greatest so I'd rather just wait a few more moments to start than to have to wait a lot during the game. Not to mention once you start playing music from the disk you are going to wind up killing IO speeds even more.

Your assuming the loading time is a result how how fast/slow the Zune hardware is.

jsedlak · 05-15-2008, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spike!

Your assuming the loading time is a result how how fast/slow the Zune hardware is.

It is.

Spike! · 05-15-2008, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsedlak

It is.

Oh

Gregory · 05-15-2008, 01:40 PM

It isn't that slow, 3 seconds is not that long to wait IMO.

Nathaniel · 05-15-2008, 01:43 PM

I think its ok not slow at all

mikenike · 05-15-2008, 03:36 PM

dont really understand... my zune is pretty darn fast, and ive never ever seen it slow down before, after, or during a game. voted for opt 1 anyways...

Marshillboy · 05-15-2008, 03:53 PM

Who cares about loading times, they're only a few seconds each, even on a Zune 30.

Dynamo · 05-15-2008, 04:43 PM

Yeah, I would rather have a higher quality game and wait for a few while it loads.

Khao · 05-17-2008, 07:42 PM

Actually from a developper's point of view the Option 1 is by far the best.

Let me explain :
Since the Zune is a portable device and the battery life when playing a game is very important (you don't want the game to drain out your battery after 40 minutes), we need to develop games that only uses RAM, no hard disk reading/writing except for really important things because that is what kills the HD (also with the fact that the screen is always on but we can't do anything for that).
Since we need to put all of the game into the RAM when loading up the game, it will take more time when you start up the game, but it will never need to access the HD again when loading new levels, areas, etc. so it will be very fast in-game.

If you were to let the game load textures/sounds/whatever in-game at everytime you need to access them, and unload them after, you would end up with a battery killer.

So if you see a game that takes a lot of time to load but then there is no waiting for as long as you play, tell yourself that the developper actually wanted you to have a long lasting battery

(Oh yeah, for those of you who are code-savvy and looked at my Pong game's code, it does kill the battery a little

This issue will be fixed in my next version

)

Zazuneafoon · 05-18-2008, 03:16 AM

The loading times for games don't bother me, it's the restarting that gets me.

Link9228 · 05-18-2008, 06:50 AM

Grr.. i did this pole when it was late last night. I like option 1 way more, but i accidentally clicked option two, thinking it was the same as option 1 kinda, not completely different...

but option 1 is the best, just put an interesting little splash screen to keep people happy.

View Poll Results: Loading time?
Option 1	15	83.33%
Option 2	2	11.11%
Option 3	1	5.56%
Option 4	0	0%
Voters: 18. You may not vote on this poll

05-15-2008, 03:32 AM	#1 (permalink)
jsedlak Experienced Zuner Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 110 Reputation: 22 $zB: 93 Donate	Load Times, A Now Or Later Situation: You Choose The loading times on the Zune are pretty bad which is understandable given what is driving the software. When loading assets for the first level in GW3 (sounds mostly) the Zune takes a couple of seconds where-as my PC (Quad core) is instant. So the question is, when do you want the load times? 1. Longer loads when the game starts, but getting into gameplay and changing levels is fast. 2. Longer loads for when the gameplay starts and levels change, but the game starts up fast. 3. Spread it out, the UI may be a little sluggish while loading, but the game will startup fast and so will the gameplay. 4. Forget sounds, compress everything to the max and make everything as fast as possible. Forget quality, we want speed! Edit: Wow. Failed at posting the poll. Can only post the poll one minute after the post? Lame. __________________ John Sedlak Microsoft Xna / DirectX MVP To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Last edited by jsedlak : 05-15-2008 at 03:35 AM.

05-15-2008, 05:38 AM	#2 (permalink)
Greenskull Zuner Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 71 Reputation: 15 $zB: 9 Donate	I'm sure it will be faster with the next release. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

05-15-2008, 06:30 AM	#3 (permalink)
lpxxfaintxx Administrator Ultimate Zuner Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Irvine, CA Posts: 5,737 Reputation: 177 $zB: 1792 Donate	Added a poll for you. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

05-15-2008, 01:40 PM	#8 (permalink)
Gregory Support Team Moderator Ultimate Zuner Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: What a stalker! Posts: 6,231 Reputation: 232 $zB: 3550 Donate Awards Showcase Total Awards: 1	It isn't that slow, 3 seconds is not that long to wait IMO. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. ^^ Interwebz in my car! Do you live outside of the US, have Paypal, and want the Zune Pass? If so PM me.

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05-15-2008, 01:43 PM	#9 (permalink)
Nathaniel Experienced Zuner Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 172 Reputation: 4 $zB: 6 Donate	I think its ok not slow at all

05-15-2008, 03:36 PM	#10 (permalink)
mikenike Experienced Zuner Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 159 Reputation: 11 $zB: 114 Donate	dont really understand... my zune is pretty darn fast, and ive never ever seen it slow down before, after, or during a game. voted for opt 1 anyways...

05-15-2008, 04:43 PM	#12 (permalink)
Dynamo Squirt Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 28 Reputation: 10 $zB: 27 Donate	Yeah, I would rather have a higher quality game and wait for a few while it loads. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

05-17-2008, 07:42 PM	#13 (permalink)
Khao Developper zB Programmer Experienced Zuner Join Date: May 2008 Location: Québec, Canada! Posts: 104 Reputation: 25 $zB: 89 Donate	Actually from a developper's point of view the Option 1 is by far the best. Let me explain : Since the Zune is a portable device and the battery life when playing a game is very important (you don't want the game to drain out your battery after 40 minutes), we need to develop games that only uses RAM, no hard disk reading/writing except for really important things because that is what kills the HD (also with the fact that the screen is always on but we can't do anything for that). Since we need to put all of the game into the RAM when loading up the game, it will take more time when you start up the game, but it will never need to access the HD again when loading new levels, areas, etc. so it will be very fast in-game. If you were to let the game load textures/sounds/whatever in-game at everytime you need to access them, and unload them after, you would end up with a battery killer. So if you see a game that takes a lot of time to load but then there is no waiting for as long as you play, tell yourself that the developper actually wanted you to have a long lasting battery (Oh yeah, for those of you who are code-savvy and looked at my Pong game's code, it does kill the battery a little This issue will be fixed in my next version ) __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. My website is down! Temporary download link : To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Feel free to contact me to get my msn/gtalk address if you develop games, I love to help and I know a lot about programming! To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

05-18-2008, 03:16 AM	#14 (permalink)
Zazuneafoon Experienced Zuner Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Canada Posts: 179 Reputation: 14 $zB: 121 Donate	The loading times for games don't bother me, it's the restarting that gets me.

05-18-2008, 06:50 AM	#15 (permalink)
Link9228 Experienced Zuner Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 234 Reputation: 13 $zB: 133 Donate	Grr.. i did this pole when it was late last night. I like option 1 way more, but i accidentally clicked option two, thinking it was the same as option 1 kinda, not completely different... but option 1 is the best, just put an interesting little splash screen to keep people happy. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

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