Curse

Pocketmancer · Dec 14, 2008, 05:54 AM // 05:54

To get straight to the point, some mobs on some maps start way too close to a portal. I'd like to make a suggestion/proposal on pushing some of these mobs back a bit to give us some breathing space for slow loaders. These maps are few and not many, and we can easily deal with them by popping a Powerstone, but it'd be very considerate of ANet to fix some of these to provide fair play.

Short story from today:
A friend and I were caravan vanquishing until we entered a particular map where he suddenly had to download 1,500 files and left me to fend off a group of Margonites with no healers. The said Margonites took an easy victory over me and when my friend spawned, they had an easy victory over him, too.

A list of the maps so far with mobs too close to the portal:

Prophecies
- Dreadnought's Drift
- Mineral Springs

Nightfall
- The Shattered Ravines
- The Ruptured Heart

Now, I know those aren't all the maps with enemies too close to the portal. Their names just don't click off the top of my head. Those in support of this idea, please list other maps with this problem.

Thank you for your time reading this.

subarucar · Dec 14, 2008, 08:29 AM // 08:29

Mineral Springs has this issue, theres a group of avicara. although its not realy a problem to me, as i H&H everything, and my hero's can manage anything without me.

Ratson Itamar · Dec 14, 2008, 08:33 AM // 08:33

1.Go to your GW's shortcut icon
2.Right click and choose Properties
3.In the Target text window add the following text "-image" (without the " " part)
4.Press Apply and then OK
5.Double click you GW's shortcut
6.Wait until it finishes to load all the files on your computer (this may and probably will take a lot of time so be prepared)
7.After the GW's loading window has disappeared, meaning that every single file available at that moment has been loaded, delete the "-image" text from your Target text window
8.Double click GW's shortcut
9.No more loading times when entering zones (old and new!)
10.Have fun.

the Puppeteer · Dec 14, 2008, 09:31 AM // 09:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ratson Itamar

1.Go to your GW's shortcut icon
2.Right click and choose Properties
3.In the Target text window add the following text "-image" (without the " " part)
4.Press Apply and then OK
5.Double click you GW's shortcut
6.Wait until it finishes to load all the files on your computer (this may and probably will take a lot of time so be prepared)
7.After the GW's loading window has disappeared, meaning that every single file available at that moment has been loaded, delete the "-image" text from your Target text window
8.Double click GW's shortcut
9.No more loading times when entering zones (old and new!)
10.Have fun.

On my older comp I had loading problems even if I downloaded everything...
maybe it's not the problem with all things downloaded?

Maybe the problem is with RAM on those computers...?

Ratson Itamar · Dec 14, 2008, 10:20 AM // 10:20

It might be your Internet connection and speed or your computer couldn't handle the files quantity thrown at him all at once. The-image command downloads the files onto your computer, but your computer still needs to load those files when needed.

Edit: I will try to explain it in a simpler manner. Let's say you have an empty box, the -image command gives you all the Lego pieces available to fill that box, so now it's as full as possible. When you zone into an area your computer looks for those Lego pieces that he needs to build that area and extract them from the box and assembles them together. - Your computer had problem with this searching, extracting and maybe even assembling process.

In his/her friend's case he downloaded files so -image will solve his problem.

take_me · Dec 14, 2008, 11:02 AM // 11:02

Have to agree on this in Mineral Springs. Sometimes you get attacked when you haven't even fully loaded into the map.

Arduin · Dec 14, 2008, 11:23 AM // 11:23

I don't know, for me it was a kind of a challenge staying alive in those first few seconds before the whole party had loaded. Like getting bombarded by those Avicara in Mineral Springs, and those Stone Summit patrols in Dreadnought's. Though I never had to wait until my party members were done loading 1500+ files.

The Southern portal of Bjora Marches has some Mandragors spawning real close.

zelgadissan · Dec 14, 2008, 03:32 PM // 15:32

Like people have said, the Mineral Springs (also Icedome) are ridiculously close as well. That said, I love it. Keeps me on my toes whenever I come in, and even if I was to load separately from somebody else, 15% DP isn't the end of the world. In fact I kinda like it because it forces me to use all those stupid candy canes and such that I just lug around.

Also, -image doesn't solve all problems - like Puppeteer mentioned it can very easily be the computer itself. I know because I have a guildie I generally have to wait ~1 minute on every time we zone, and it's because his computer sucks, not his internet.

lilDeath · Dec 14, 2008, 04:28 PM // 16:28

/signed
Isn't the one map in the Vortex (in NF) also prone to a spawn being right on you as you load... Think it's Gate of Pain, or maybe Gate of Fear... Those menzies monsters or something?
I had quite a few times during VQ and CR'ing that I am barely out and my heroes are already fighting and then we wipe (sometimes).
And I load into the map within a few seconds, so it isn't slow load times.

Issac · Dec 14, 2008, 05:11 PM // 17:11

/signed

Sometimes your dead before you load lol.

headlesshobbs · Dec 15, 2008, 03:23 AM // 03:23

/signed

Sometimes your teammate dies (loading too late) after you ran away from aggro.

rick1027 · Dec 15, 2008, 02:01 PM // 14:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ratson Itamar

1.Go to your GW's shortcut icon
2.Right click and choose Properties
3.In the Target text window add the following text "-image" (without the " " part)
4.Press Apply and then OK
5.Double click you GW's shortcut
6.Wait until it finishes to load all the files on your computer (this may and probably will take a lot of time so be prepared)
7.After the GW's loading window has disappeared, meaning that every single file available at that moment has been loaded, delete the "-image" text from your Target text window
8.Double click GW's shortcut
9.No more loading times when entering zones (old and new!)
10.Have fun.

i do this but i cant make everyone else do this so some still take time to load. it not nices to be gimped before you start an area
/signed

MStarfire · Dec 15, 2008, 06:43 PM // 18:43

Domain of Secrets. The Margonite patrol sometimes spawns/wanders close to the portal and res shrine.

Stupid Shizno · Dec 15, 2008, 09:51 PM // 21:51

this is an annoyance to few rather then a hassle to the majority.

if you are loading files, do -image
if you already have -image done after EVERY update from gw. and your still spending 3 mins loading in an area. get off dial up.

i mean yea its an annoyance. but really....this is an online game. your the minority if your loading in 3 mins late.

Stupid Shizno · Dec 15, 2008, 09:56 PM // 21:56

this is an annoyance to few rather then a hassle to the majority.

if you are loading files, do -image
if you already have -image done after EVERY update from gw. and your still spending 3 mins loading in an area. get off dial up.

i mean yea its an annoyance. but really....this is an online game. your the minority if your loading in 3 mins late.

isildorbiafra · Dec 15, 2008, 10:04 PM // 22:04

/not signed millions of players before you have dealth with this problem so deal with it. I feel sorry that your caravan vanquishing got messed up and that you had to spend a powerstome or two; but thats what they are for. Its all in the game!

Pocketmancer · Dec 15, 2008, 10:54 PM // 22:54

On the maps that didn't require download from either of us, I generally load before he does, too.

Neither of us were on dial up. On the same connection actually. However, his computer is a tad bit older than mine and mine's quite new. The processor speed I have for mine pretty much makes the load times close to nothing. Before I got my new computer, the laptop I've used pretty much matched the speed he was running his at and we had little to no problems starting out together on a map.

Like I said, this is more of an issue of Anet being considerate if they push back the mobs a bit more. Nothing with them absolutely NEEDING to do it.

newbie_of_doom · Dec 16, 2008, 08:58 AM // 08:58

/signed for all the people with slow computers

MithranArkanere · Dec 16, 2008, 06:46 PM // 18:46

There could be a 'no hostility' effect anytime the party zones or is resurrected in a shrine, it could last 15 or 30 seconds. And during that time enemy IA and party skills does not work at all.

poasiods · Dec 17, 2008, 02:17 AM // 02:17

Doing "-image" doesn't necessarily solve the problem seeing it only affects you and there are plenty of people you could be pugging with who didn't bother with it or have shitty computers. Yes, my loading speed's almost instantaneous but other seven people in my party take around 10 seconds to load. Wanna see how far I can crawl after getting my hamstrings sliced off before that Margonite drops its hammer on my skull?

Anyways, this used to be my biggest fear when I toured my survivor around the continents. It shouldn't be a big deal for most people but it would really suck if someone died this way while going old-school survivor.

/signed