Although I couldn't find a Zero Hour "maps and world builder" section this may be posted in the wrong forum area, if so then I apologize.


Zero Hour Map description:

I have for some time now being working on a large map which has the goal of granting the host, who must start as AirForceGeneral in the bottom position of the map, a massive AirForceGeneral base on the large islands at the bottom of the map.
This map is intended for use against AI only, the rest of the map at the top is connected to AirForceGenerals main island via one single bridge.

This base is very big spanning the width of the map (at best guess a size of 400x400) and taking up nearly half of the maps horizontal size. This base increased the object count on the map to 1,444 (at last count!).

Although there are a lot of AirForceGeneral structures it is more than likely the avengers (two and three lines thick) and patriots which coat the outside of each island that has pushed the count so high. Additionally there is a lot of other AirForceGeneral units such as: spy drones, hum-vees, comanches, sentry drones etc.

I am yet to add the AI areas terrain (cliffs etc), remaining 6 start positions, AI polygons/waypoint paths and other AI area objects (supply docs, etc).


The problem at hand:

The World Builder will fail to load this map. By fail I mean that after selecting the map and clicking Ok the program freezes as it attempts to load the map. Even whist writing this post, the map has been "loading for 20 minutes".

Although the map is very big with a lot of units I am still unsure as to why it now fails to load. Up until last night the map took the same time to load as any other map I have, including the epicly large and hard "4v1 scripted compstomp" AOD map, which has at least 100+ scripts to load.

The last time the map loaded successfully was before I added all of the scripts regarding the transfer of the base to the player. It also loaded before I added the final defenses at the bridge entrance and the additional 3rd line of avengers on the largest of the islands.

I should also let you know that this map also FAILS TO LOAD INGAME. The progress bar remains static, not even one bar changes colour to indicate something happening. In effect the game freezes. CTRL + ALT + DEL is the only way out.

I am more than confident that my scripts are not the issue. I am very competant when it comes to scripting. Besides the scripts are non-existent before the Skirmish progress bar has filled, right?


OUTSIDE GAME I TRIED:
Removing the map.ini file
Removing the map.srt file
Turning ALL view options off.
Loading the autosaves, which also freeze WB.

INSIDE GAME I TRIED:
Loading the map as:
the correct general in correct spot
wrong general in right spot
wrong general in wrong spot
right general in wrong spot
all of the above combinations with and without AI players


I have spent a long number of days and nights thinking and working on this map and have been looking forwards to getting in-game to test and finally use it against those irritating CPU armies.

Having to start from scratch is not an option!

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If you are confident it is not your scripts, then I am wondering if there is an issue with your computer loading the map on WB or in-game. But the fact that the loading didn't get progressively longer, and then all the sudden it wouldn't load, would suggest something wrong with the map itself. Either way, I'd imagine it would load in WB though.

If you could upload your map in a post, the we can ascertain whether or not it's your computer.

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I had a similar problem with my Dark Fortress map. I did scripting in parts on a plain map and loaded each part into the main map when it was done. This main map loaded progressively slower and I would wait for more then twenty minutes at times for it to load. SO yes, I would say it's the scripts that are slowing things down. As long as WB is still responding I'd just wait, even if it takes an hour. Monitor with the Task Manager. If you get it to load you might pull out some scripts so you can work on it in stages.

ZergSwarms,
as stupid as it sounds it does not load in the WB. And I am unwilling to just hand out my map given that I put such time into it. Besides, I copied and tried to load the map on three different computers running XP, win7 and Vista and in each case everything locks still within WB when you tell it to load the map. Then the program encases it's self in concrete and says "NO!"😠 .


Drummin,
There are at most 12 scripts in my map. All of them except the player validation script begin disabled. This map then starts a domino effect through either starting the first of the airgen transfer scripts (which in turn activates it's subordinate script, which then activates it's subordinate etc etc) or ending the game with a few nukes falling on the player. (thought I'd end it in style, not the "game over" window)😎 .

In short the scripting is very simple. All scripts deactivate when they have executed and all scripts start turned off, only being turned on when called at the bottom of it's parent script.
When the upgrade/granting is over and the stuff is given to the player all of my scripts will be turned off. Leaving the game to it's normal AI script executions👍 .


By the way. I left the map to "load" for at least 5 hours and guess what awaited me when I returned? The same screen I left. Bill Gates hourglass icon and a task manager that says the program is "Not Responding".

SUMMARY:

--> The idea was simple.
--> The implementation was simple.
--> The map is unusable. Within the WB and game program.
--> !!THE RESULT IS A WASTE OF TIME!! <--


Thanks for your time to write replies but it looks like this one is a lost cause...😞

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Send me the map at drummin (at) cnclabs (dot) com.

Thanks for your time. I can't get too upset about it and can't continue to waste other users time on this one, after all it's just a game.

Thread closed. 👍

**EDIT**
❓
How does the standard user close a thread they created? I can not find any form of "close thread" button on this web-page, and it isn't under the "options" in the top right.

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