Holy sheeeet! This is a nice investigation that is quite intriguing! I understand your frustration, because a couple of years back when my map making was at its peak I too made a map that worked JUST perfectly! Then I added, like you, the second part without TOUCHING the first part, and then the map when bad. It didn't get as bad as yours is now; as I was able to fix it by making adjustments here and there.

But, based on your investigation I too am now wondering if there does indeed exist such a limit.

Make a campaign from the map.
Area 1 mission 1, area 2 mission 2 etc
For the second mission delete all the scripts from the first mission and so on...
Use 2000 objects as maximum next time, the more you add to the map the more has to be stored in memory, the map becomes laggy if you have too much objects, trees also cause lag because of the sway they have.
You really don't need that much objects to make a nice map, jujst make a campaign and divide you idea into parts for the separate missions...

Greetz

Edited by user Wednesday, June 14, 2017 12:00:20 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

If I were you, I'd have 1 timer per cutscene. That way you can also clear up some variables.

Also, you don't need a million counters either. You'd need a few at best-- only make counters when it's really needed.

You can also re-use counters if you can.

Edited by user Wednesday, June 14, 2017 9:41:53 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

These points are true, but they would pose a huge amount of work, considering that you have to remake the scripts to basically to the same thing; but in a more efficient way.

I would suggest making a Master Timer and a Master Counter, that other scripts would have to follow. You could also rely on some "Sequential Scrips" as they can be repeated to your hearts desire.

Nice Idea but just having a Big mission Can be Intresting too .
Just Requires abit of nice Scripting and Bordering .
About Generals 30 mins is nothing , I usually Don't play Less than 1 Hour and Also , Making the Map finish in 30 mins can make it a way too easy to win and We are not playing just to win . Just needs to make it less Possible to Lose Every minutes , For Example if you Lose at the Biggining , You'll Try Again but If Lose Because of a Little thing after 1:20 minutes of Playing , Might not Play it or Get the Bored of it . Once it happened to me and I deleted the map .
Difficulty must be Medium or Hard (not EXPert) , Must also Include Intersting Scripts , New Attack ways and Special Effects .
Also If can't Work With a couple of Scripts , try to minimize them to a Major Script folder .
Lots and Lots and ...
So , That was a way more Difficult than I Thought
Good Luck

I understand for sure. The work you've done already is MASSIVELY impressive and it's awesome! I can't wait to play it soon. Perhaps I can playtest it one more time before it's released?

I also created a map.ini full of special effects edits. The main changes are adding dynamic flashing lighting to several weapon effects, and adding blood to infantry while also adding a little sound effect to make them grunt when shot. The changes are very small, but I think they'd be awesome in your map!

One more thing... I really want to get back into mapmaking for Zero Hour soon. I think there was a map I sent you before that I unfortunately never did anything with. I'm thinking of picking that map back up but with a vastly different design and structure. I tend to do pretty well with landscaping and adding the buildings and all-- but I absolutely STINK at map scripting and am a novice at map.ini's. Perhaps we could collaborate on the map again?

---

If you want some cool names for the difficulties, here's some suggestions. XD The text after the intro could tell what difficulty you have for the map. Just a simple "Difficulty: Medium" or whatever. I also would suggest possibly leaving the amount of cash the player gets, and their tech tree, the same throughout every difficulty, but to increase the amount of cash and reinforcements, etc, that the enemy gets, and for harder difficulties maybe even start increasing the armor of enemy units (but not their damage).

Anyway, the names could be....


I'm Too Young To Die (Easy)
Give Me a Fun Challenge (Medium)
Hit My Army Hard (Hard)
Hurt Me Plenty (Expert)
Enemy Is a Cheating Bast4rd (Torment I)
Enemy Cheats Even More (Torment II)
Impossible (Torment III)


XD

"Difficulty: I'm Too Young To Die (Easy)
You wimp."

"Difficulty: Give Me a Fun Challenge (Medium)
Good luck, general!"

"Difficulty: Hit My Army Hard (Hard)
Now we're talkin'!"

"Difficulty: Hurt Me Plenty (Expert)
You're in for a rough ride, general...
The enemy has unlimited funds, periodic reinforcements from plane,
and all enemy units have 25% stronger armor."

"Difficulty: Enemy Is a Cheating Bast4rd (Torment I)
Enemy gets stronger periodic reinforcements from plane that get harder as you progress. Enemy has
unlimited funds and enemy units all have 25% stronger armor."

"Difficulty: Enemy Cheats Even More (Torment II)
Enemy gets larger periodic reinforcements from plane that get harder as you progress. Enemy has
unlimited funds. Enemy units all have 25% stronger armor, enemy structures self-repair.

"Difficulty: Impossible (Torment III)
Enemy gets stronger and larger periodic reinforcements from plane that get harder as you progress.
Enemy has unlimited funds. Enemy units all have 25% stronger armor, all enemy missiles have EMP,
enemy structures self-repair, all enemy units have Horde Bonus, and enemy receives Stealth Quad Snipers."


You could also add certain special things for the player on harder difficulties. For example they may be able to train more special units, or have access to more general's points. On the Torment difficulties they could even have access to every general's point, but the mission would still be freaking hard. XD


I think I may actually incorporate these ideas into my future maps. Having several difficulty levels like this might be fun.

Edited by user Thursday, June 15, 2017 10:54:22 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

One multiplayer mission map I created years ago features roundabout 2,000 scripts. Another guy who I assisted creating the Hide and Seek maps has like 10 or 15 randomizer script constructions in his map, causing an equal or even higher amount of scripts.

But I've never stumbled upon any limits nor did I hear of such limits.

Maybe this only happens if all your scripts are active from the beginning? Don't you work with activating and deactivating script folders?

That's a good point. All my folders are active from the beginning, that may be what's causing the issues.

Check This stuff...:P
Also working on a java app that automatically removes this file after closing worldbuilder, here is a pic.

You can make shortcuts with this app, make templates so you can combine shortcuts into a package specific for 1 map for testing purposes and such, remove/add commandline args really quickly and lots more fun stuff.
App is 90% finished, havent worked on it for weeks because im not in the mood for java coding for a while now...Coming in a few months maybe...

Cheers

The scriptdebugger does what is says, you have to add a dynamic link lib(.dll) to the root to get it all to work, you also need to add a commandline switch to the sourcepath.
If you set it up right you will see a minimized gamewindow with a second window next to it in which you can see all parameters and scripts that are running in your map, i used it a freakin lot and it is a awesome tool if you ask me...
Here is a pic:


More detailed:
I attached a rar with the dll file needed, put that file in your gameroot, where all the big files are.
Create shortcut to generals.exe in that same gameroot and put it on your desktop, right click shortcut and pick 'Properties', pick tab 'Shortcut' if it isnt already selected and add following commandline switch to the source:
-scriptDebug -win -quickstart
-quickstart is optional btw, the path should look something like this now:
"C:\Program Files (x86)\EA Games\Command & Conquer The First Decade\Command & Conquer(tm) Generals Zero Hour\generals.exe" -scriptDebug -win -quickstart

Be sure that there is a space between the end of the path and the first argument!
Close properties window and run the game with your edited shortcut and voila, scriptdebugger is installed...
Oh if you try to play a skirmish map with scriptdebugger it might not work, in my opinion you can use it the best for testmaps, not too many scripts, try it out for yourself, maybe im full of sjit, happens more...

Cheers

Edited by user Tuesday, August 28, 2018 11:11:13 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Classified