Will the map files be lower in megabytes?

[Indy3]

In Jedi Outcast some levels were alot of megs so in Jedi Academy did they try to lower them?

 

like in Warcraft 3 you can put 10 or more levels onto a floppy

[Silent_Thunder]

From all that I've read; levels in JA will only be LARGER than JO levels. Still, its possible that they may be able to compress the levels or do little things here and there to lower the MB size. But I certianly wouldn't hope for smaller levels if I were you .

[Indy3]

dont want smaller maps want smaller file sizes

[Camus]

accually I think the smaller maps will be due to lack of polygons... you see in 3D graphics the better you want the 3D serfaces to look the more Polygons you need to use... Now if you want small file size there will be less polygons and it will look more blocky and less realistic... :S so wanting smaller file sizes is not a good thing...

[Emon]

Um, no. Warcraft levels just tell the game where to place trees and buildings and terrain and crap. A level for JA is so much more complex I can't even describe it.

[HertogJan]

Originally posted by Emon

Um, no. Warcraft levels just tell the game where to place trees and buildings and terrain and crap. A level for JA is so much more complex I can't even describe it.

 

Exactly, WC3 maps can be so small because it's all prefab structures, trees, landscapes etc. composed into a map. A JA or JO map consists of actual polygons; 3D figures (I don't know how to describe them). You can build virtually anything, although you are limited by today's hardware and the engine's capabilities.

 

And since JA uses more fluid leveldesign (so that rocks actually look like rocks ), those levels willl most likely consist of more polygons and thus bigger...

[StormHammer]

HertogJan is right. Levels in JA are supposed to be more expansive, and the terrain more contoured than in Outcast (they're importing terrain from proper 3D apps). The larger and more complex the map, the larger the file size will eventually be.

 

Welcome to the growing trend in computer games. As the maps become more complex, and the textures more hi-res, the more space (and memory) is needed to run them at acceptable frame rates. At least Jedi Outcast fit on one disk at the time...games like Unreal II came on 3 disks (and took up 3Gb installed), and as the graphics continue to improve, I see this trend continuing. I've just got Elite Force 2, another game built on Q3 tech, and it comes on 2 CDs for installation (and takes up 1.1Gb installed). I can honestly see JA needing 2 disks as well.

[Agen]

For Raven's default level, being bigger, is i suppose..... fine?

On mp, some level designers insist on making big high res textures that take up space, yet no-one would notice the difference graphics wise if it wasn't that.

On mp it's more or less down to the designers on how it will be (mp) but of course but basic JK3 having bigger file sizes is just expected with technology marching on

 

WC3 and JK's maps being compared is like comparing a cyborg to a spray painting machine, A spray painting machine will always do the same thing, a cyborg will have to do different things depending on the situations.

A WC3 map will always look the same, just what parts are showing.

A jk3 map has to show different things depending on which angles are used, speed, distance etc.