Info: Screenshots of the updated Athene/Zephyrus area [WIP]

[tamlin]

I agree but lets summarise it.

Out of memory

You do not have enough RAM to continue running this application.

Well, if that hadn't been wrong I would have accepted it. But it is wrong, so I can not accept it.

You can have plenty of RAM free and it still happens. That Windows says "out of memory" doesn't always mean what it says.

The error is most likely overcommitting VRAM (which includes not only textures, but all kinds of buffers) and/or fragmenting the heap something horrible.

For the VRAM issue, the solution is rather simple (and unavoidable) - scale back to lower mipmap (and/or geometry clipmap) levels.

For the main memory problem, better memory management/manager is required.

But whatever the reason, to simply simply go on to crash like it was the most natural thing to do is certain to display to customers they are not welcome.

I can understand that every PP would want to improve what they can improve (read: are allowed by Mindark to do), but when MindArk doesn't provide a platform that can handle such improvements it's sure to be... less than satisfactory.

 

[Svarog]

I mean, I tried to visit the new island(s?) when they were released. I have never again set foot there, as I simply can't accept having to turn down everything to "Low" to prevent the client from crashing like crazy

I don't think it has to do anything with video/textures, as I play on quite ancient GTX285/1Gb with all settings on "High" and neither crash (not once since vu10, if I remember correctly) nor experience slow performance (common fps is 30+). At those islands too. So for any crashes I'd blame software conflicts (drivers, etc).

 

[Easy]

I don't think it has to do anything with video/textures, as I play on quite ancient GTX285/1Gb with all settings on "High" and neither crash (not once since vu10, if I remember correctly) nor experience slow performance (common fps is 30+). At those islands too. So for any crashes I'd blame software conflicts (drivers, etc).

Dude, that's not ancient
I'm playing with a GTX260 w/ 896Mb - now that's ancient
Nevertheless, I can run on Medium and High ( half / half ) everywhere except the new islands without crashes. It's only in those places that I need to set to LOW to avoid crashes. So not sure why there would be "software conflicts" only in 1 place.

------------------------------------------------------

Kim, while the screenshots you posted look good, my opinion is that there is a danger of it looking way too "Earth-like". I remember the old days running around on a very alien looking planet and this doesn't seem to fit.

Also, I'm a fan of the Athena architecture - I hope it's not going to be thrown away entirely - only PA and Athena really have that cool sci-fi "look" which doesn't seem to be too much to detract from the frontier feel - we are a starfaring culture and it's not unreasonable to have 1 or 2 places where we have let go with all our high-tech - and it makes sense for that high-tech to be the spaceport.

Would it be possible to redo Athena somewhere else high up ( easy space access ) with all the bells and whistles of a spaceport ie. multiple landing pads, televators to get from side to side ( since running from spot to spot is now the primary complaint with Athena it seems ). Spacecraft landing hangers built into cliffs etc.
It could all work

 

[jetsina]

I guess you have to give places a purpose for them to be active, but I like Athena and remember my original adventure climbing up to the top from the bottom, even though 'T' would also have done the job...

Can't you please put in some horizonal televators like at the forts (and relocate the whole place if you must...)? Personally I would love some kind of mission there in which you had to drive up the roads in a set time or so (waypoint +timer missions), or fly helis and sleips with skill in something similar... It would be far better to make minor changes and make Athena a visited place than to bin it altogether..... (in my opinion)

 

[Nikto]

Any news/ETA about that area?

 

[Mega]

Curious as to what happened regarding this, original post was from January.

Will it still occur?

 

[Sissi]

The same time as the Egg would be my rough guess.

 

[AtamiKiangola]

aaahhh the gfx update

 

[BenCoyote]

8 months and no word on this server.

What I find intriguing is that these pictures showing the Athena/Zehphyrus server were way back in February of this year, and in fact what has be more curious are a couple of factors..

First off, Athena Space port itself. Considering that the current space port sits about 7 seconds from space (and that someof the trees around there actually are in space according to the layous, the question is, will Athena Space port be lowered in altitude in order to make enough vertical airspace to allow pilots to leave and land there..

Which brings up my second question... Arrival from Space..Since the introduction of the "No Parking Vehicles in Port Atlantis (PB) zone" is now in effect, I feel it would be pointless for players coming in from other planets to be landing at Port Atlantis (Granted New arrivals into the game could start there, but for off worlders, there would need to be an area where they could land and go explore, and maybe there could be an interconnecting TP that connects directly to PA itself (Perhaps the New Arrival TP at the docs)..

What this would do is help keep the population of Port Atlantis low, thus allowing better frame rates in PA itself.. thus easing server load...

Third, and most important, why can't AAthena be a trading port of sorts, complete with Auction (Which is already there) and having people trading there? This would allow players to move away from Twin peoaks and also relieve some of the server load there as well...

Finally, why not move the hangars for the Privateers there and remove them from across the planets.. By doing this again, this would take some of the frame rates issues off of certain sservers.. Further more, if it is possible to have multiple entry points from the Calypso server into space, why not have multimpe exit points where you would be plces in space around a planetary safe zone. Complete with CP/FOMA and Calypso Space Station residing safely in the safe zone.. Behind that there would be no mob grounds and mobs would be able to roam freely but would be killed once they enter the safe zones...

This last function would serve a double purpose.. First it would not allow camping at Space stations and would force pirates to go actively searching for their prey.. and 2nd it would allow people who wanted to smuggle items off of planet a wider variety of choice exit points to chose from...

In short the Athena server needs to be looked at throughly as this could actually work for Calypso's benefit. Right now the planet has two trading centers and I don't see why a third couldn't be in place right there..

So in conclusion why not do this.

1. Lower Athena's height to say 700 meters instead of it's current 1100 meter height.
2. More landing pads arracnged circularly around a central point or trade hub...
3. Ability to land Privateers on planet and have their own landing bays..
4. One entry point, may exits, out of there..

Anything else I missed?

Benjamin Ben Coyote
a.k.a. "The Blind Sniper".

 

[antonioliveira]

What I find intriguing is that these pictures showing the Athena/Zehphyrus server were way back in February of this year, and in fact what has be more curious are a couple of factors..

First off, Athena Space port itself. Considering that the current space port sits about 7 seconds from space (and that someof the trees around there actually are in space according to the layous, the question is, will Athena Space port be lowered in altitude in order to make enough vertical airspace to allow pilots to leave and land there..

Which brings up my second question... Arrival from Space..Since the introduction of the "No Parking Vehicles in Port Atlantis (PB) zone" is now in effect, I feel it would be pointless for players coming in from other planets to be landing at Port Atlantis (Granted New arrivals into the game could start there, but for off worlders, there would need to be an area where they could land and go explore, and maybe there could be an interconnecting TP that connects directly to PA itself (Perhaps the New Arrival TP at the docs)..

What this would do is help keep the population of Port Atlantis low, thus allowing better frame rates in PA itself.. thus easing server load...

Third, and most important, why can't AAthena be a trading port of sorts, complete with Auction (Which is already there) and having people trading there? This would allow players to move away from Twin peoaks and also relieve some of the server load there as well...

Finally, why not move the hangars for the Privateers there and remove them from across the planets.. By doing this again, this would take some of the frame rates issues off of certain sservers.. Further more, if it is possible to have multiple entry points from the Calypso server into space, why not have multimpe exit points where you would be plces in space around a planetary safe zone. Complete with CP/FOMA and Calypso Space Station residing safely in the safe zone.. Behind that there would be no mob grounds and mobs would be able to roam freely but would be killed once they enter the safe zones...

This last function would serve a double purpose.. First it would not allow camping at Space stations and would force pirates to go actively searching for their prey.. and 2nd it would allow people who wanted to smuggle items off of planet a wider variety of choice exit points to chose from...

In short the Athena server needs to be looked at throughly as this could actually work for Calypso's benefit. Right now the planet has two trading centers and I don't see why a third couldn't be in place right there..

So in conclusion why not do this.

1. Lower Athena's height to say 700 meters instead of it's current 1100 meter height.
2. More landing pads arracnged circularly around a central point or trade hub...
3. Ability to land Privateers on planet and have their own landing bays..
4. One entry point, may exits, out of there..

Anything else I missed?

Benjamin Ben Coyote
a.k.a. "The Blind Sniper".

I'm guessing Kim is referring to this here:

Hi

1) The development of these instances have been pushed back for now in favor of another, more ambitious instance project scheduled for release sometime during the third quarter of this year.

2) The Feffoid cave and the associated quest will most likely be re-enabled as soon as the bug that allowed multiple avatars to enter the instance is fixed. I say most likely because we may take the opportunity to make some improvements to the cave before bringing it back.

Cheers

 

[Magyar_Republic]

Whats with all this bellyaching about safety zones?

Risk is part of the game. Perhaps Hello Kitty Online is more to some people's style?

 

[aia]

Whats with all this bellyaching about safety zones?

Risk is part of the game. Perhaps Hello Kitty Online is more to some people's style?

Some of us use IRL money that has been deposited into game. Money that could have been used IRL for other things, like eating out, going to movies and things like that. Maybe we (who deposit) want to have some sort of control over the money - that we don't want to "risk" anything unless we *want* to.

Also, "risk" comes in different flavors. Alt avatars camping space stations scouting for targets for "friends", pirates boosting their quad to travel faster than specs (regardles if it's by "strifing" or by using 3rd party cheat tool). Also consider, pvp3/pvp4 you can enter along the entire border. Space you typically enter either at (I presume) a predefined spawning spot (if leaving from Calypso) or the exit door in space station. (And with the "speed hacks" you can't anymore say that you're safe as long as you check your back when leaving safe area as pirates can wait outside your visual area until you're out of safe area and then go straigth for you.)

If pvp3/pvp4 was designed like space - how many people would visit pvp4 if only way in was running by foot on a single path from akmuul TP or Camp Echidna? And if you died, you'll revive in middle of let's say pvp1 which would be a trainingground for wannabe pk:ers (as everyone who died in pvp3/pvp4 would have to try to run by).

Also, though space can be fun and exciting and offer opportunities for skilling and hunting, sometimes you just want to get from planet A to planet B (you want to go to planet B to join a late announced event, or you want to return to planet A because someone in soc have suggested a sochunt). And if you're living by deposited money pay 2x-3x warp fees to get to/from a planet like NI doesn't feel that appealing.

 

[remontoire]

Yes. Kim also said the big instance is coming in december (so must be the dec 4 pp vu?), but with all the changes coming - bps and new clothes / armor looks, etc I wouldn't be surprised if it gets delayed more. Which would be a pity though.

So I guess in pseudocode, it looks like :

1) make urgent stuff work
2) make the big instance come out
3) make Merry Mayhem
4) then work on argo & formicacida instances
5) ready to release athena terraforming upon us

 

[Magyar_Republic]

Some of us use IRL money that has been deposited into game. Money that could have been used IRL for other things, like eating out, going to movies and things like that. Maybe we (who deposit) want to have some sort of control over the money - that we don't want to "risk" anything unless we *want* to.

You talk like you're doing something special here. What? You dont think other people, or even people who support lootable space spend real money here?

Honey, I've spent over 40k USD here in the 3 years I've been playing. I guess that's not real money to you.

<removed>

 

[True Juan]

Is this already in-game?

 

[aia]

Is this already in-game?

Well after the announcement we've got Thule/new "Calypso Gateway" (a pretty decently big area) (and the merry mayhem area).

 

[OZtwo]

You talk like you're doing something special here. What? You dont think other people, or even people who support lootable space spend real money here?

Not really it more sounded as if a lot of people here are talking about this game as if it were just like any other game where IRL has no value.

 

[Magyar_Republic]

Not really it more sounded as if a lot of people here are talking about this game as if it were just like any other game where IRL has no value.

Reread

Some of us use IRL money that has been deposited into game. Money that could have been used IRL for other things, like eating out, going to movies and things like that. Maybe we (who deposit) want to have some sort of control over the money - that we don't want to "risk" anything unless we *want* to.

That sounds an awful lot like "Well, I spend real money here, therefore it should be protected."

What I am saying is: Me too. Why is this persons money more valuable than mine?

Actually your post sounds like you're saying: Not all of us are as rich as you.

I'm not rich. I just spend my entertainment money doing things that entertain me. Which is what I suggest everyone do. If the possibility of being attacked in space does not entertain you, dont go there.

 

[Aio]

Reread



That sounds an awful lot like "Well, I spend real money here, therefore it should be protected."

What I am saying is: Me too. Why is this persons money more valuable than mine?

Actually your post sounds like you're saying: Not all of us are as rich as you.

I'm not rich. I just spend my entertainment money doing things that entertain me. Which is what I suggest everyone do. If the possibility of being attacked in space does not entertain you, dont go there.

$13000 a year on entertainment and you're not rich?

I sometimes wonder how such idiotic people can have so much money.

 

[Magyar_Republic]

$13000 a year on entertainment and you're not rich?

I sometimes wonder how such idiotic people can have so much money.

Whats idiotic about knowing how to manage your resources so you can get what you want. Dont you know how to do that?

And for the record, $13,000 a year on entertainment is actually very modest. When you think about it, your average vacation can be a few thousand dollars alone. It's called budgeting.

 

[Aio]

Whats idiotic about knowing how to manage your resources so you can get what you want. Dont you know how to do that?

And for the record, $13,000 a year on entertainment is actually very modest. When you think about it, your average vacation can be a few thousand dollars alone. It's called budgeting.

No, friend, an average vacation for a normal person is no vacation - or one costing far less than "a few thousand dollars". Because it's unaffordable.

I don't know if you're a silver spoon or what, but for most people, entertainment is last on the list of a long list of costs.

Perhaps in a few years, I will also be fortunate enough to be able to spend a large amount on leisure. However, what you seem to have forgotten or never learnt in the first place, is that to have a disposable income such as that is very fortunate indeed.

 

[Magyar_Republic]

No, friend, an average vacation for a normal person is no vacation - or one costing far less than "a few thousand dollars". Because it's unaffordable.

I don't know if you're a silver spoon or what, but for most people, entertainment is last on the list of a long list of costs.

Perhaps in a few years, I will also be fortunate enough to be able to spend a large amount on leisure. However, what you seem to have forgotten or never learnt in the first place, is that to have a disposable income such as that is very fortunate indeed.

A silver spoon? "Friend" I grew up sleeping on benches, when I wasnt being shipped between various homes due to problems with the folks. I slept on lice ridden floors with tweakers when I was 13, having nowhere else to go.

Your ignorance on this topic compels me to attempt to correct you, though you will not be corrected. What I have I earned from being an adult. I work in the nonprofit sector, so you can imagine I dont make very much.

Silver spoon. Laugh. I probably work harder than most for what I get. Many of my contemporaries make 4x my salary doing exactly what I do.

 

[True Juan]

Whats idiotic about knowing how to manage your resources so you can get what you want. Dont you know how to do that?

And for the record, $13,000 a year on entertainment is actually very modest. When you think about it, your average vacation can be a few thousand dollars alone. It's called budgeting.

VERY MODEST? Damn, what is my less than $1,000 then? (And that must be a good year).

My mom makes $7,000 a year

 

[Magyar_Republic]

VERY MODEST? Damn, what is my less than $1,000 then? (And that must be a good year).

My mom makes $7,000 a year

Depending on where you live, your $1000 can equal my $13,000. Living in california isnt cheap. Everything is overpriced. Our salaries reflect that. So do our bills. I could have bought a mansion anywhere else in the country for the price of my single family home out here in the Bay Area.

 

[Aio]

A silver spoon? "Friend" I grew up sleeping on benches, when I wasnt being shipped between various homes due to problems with the folks. I slept on lice ridden floors with tweakers when I was 13, having nowhere else to go.

Your ignorance on this topic compels me to attempt to correct you, though you will not be corrected. What I have I earned from being an adult. I work in the nonprofit sector, so you can imagine I dont make very much.

Silver spoon. Laugh. I probably work harder than most for what I get. Many of my contemporaries make 4x my salary doing exactly what I do.

And for the record, $13,000 a year on entertainment is actually very modest.

Come now. Doesn't quite add up does it.

 

[Magyar_Republic]

Come now. Doesn't quite add up does it.

What, so youre saying because I grew up in the shitter I must stay there all my life? Your arguments are weak, young Padewan. You must refine them.

Because I grew up in the shitter I know how to live on next to nothing. I know how to budget. Which gives me a nice surplus of money to use however I choose. I dont need a fancy car, or the latest toy. Thrift stores and patience work in my favor. At 35 I still go to $5 punk shows, and not $100 concerts. I buy my books used. I go out to movies sparingly, and out to eat seldom. I walk to work, instead of driving...

Does this really need to be a lesson in how to budget? FFS.

Really this latest exchange for me highlights why I have such disdain for people who cry about money in this game. Some folks really havent the foggiest idea how to actually manage it. Sure they may live on next to nothing, but mygod to they ever blow through that wad of nothing faster than a man who is allergic to cats sneezes at a pet store. You dont have to have alot of means to play big. You just need to know how to play small in other areas, so you can play big when the time comes for you to do it.

 

[Serica]

As interesting as you all seem to be finding this, it does seem to be going waaaay off the topic of the thread.

 

[Aio]

What, so youre saying because I grew up in the shitter I must stay there all my life? Your arguments are weak, young Padewan. You must refine them.

Because I grew up in the shitter I know how to live on next to nothing. I know how to budget. Which gives me a nice surplus of money to use however I choose. I dont need a fancy car, or the latest toy. Thrift stores and patience work in my favor. At 35 I still go to $5 punk shows, and not $100 concerts. I buy my books used. I go out to movies sparingly, and out to eat seldom. I walk to work, instead of driving...

Does this really need to be a lesson in how to budget? FFS.

Lovely. And such a wonderful unpresuming attitude with it aswell.

£250 on rent. £250 on student loan. £300 on fuel and car expenses. £200 on food and bills.

£1200 income.

Go ahead, find me a magical £7000 per year on entertainment. It's a modest figure, no?

And FYI - I believe in social mobility. I just assumed that someone wouldn't be so arrogant towards those less well off when they have come from such a background.

But hey-ho. You find there are pricks in life.

Oh yeah. Sorry - Ontopic: Those screenshots look nice.

 

[Nor Alien]

Wow.. anyway, can we get an update as to when we may see this new area!!

 

[Magyar_Republic]

Lovely. And such a wonderful unpresuming attitude with it aswell.

£250 on rent. £250 on student loan. £300 on fuel and car expenses. £200 on food and bills.

£1200 income.

Thats called being a student. I was a student too, once. For 8 years of my life, actually. Now that I'm grown up I do grown up things. You'll do them too. And when you do, think back on how jealous you sounded in this conversation. Then say to yourself "Damn, I was so childish back then, with such a lofty sense of entitlement. Now that I'm actually getting paid for my time instead of paying someone else for theirs my perspective has changed alot!"