Loading Times-- This is Getting Annoying

T

thedavinator12

Guest
Well, I don't know what the definition of "a brief pause," is to most game reviewers out there but I don't tink 20-60 sec constitutes. I'm kind of annoyed with Half Life 2's loading times, they seem too long. I have tried everything. I have upped my comps RAM, from 512 pc3200 to 1 gig, I have defragged my hard drives multiple times, ran tune up and anti-virus/spyware/adware programs, entered the force preload console comands and get the same times. I looked in the console after a load and noticed it said "error could not load," or something to that affect a few times, with a particular file. I was wondering if this has anything to do with it. I was wondering what you guys were getting, and if anyone saw this in there console after a level-level load. My config is as follows:

2.66 Ghz P4
Radeon 9800 Pro 128mb
1 Gig pc3200 RaM
7200 rpm 60 Gig HD
 
i usally take about 30sec to a min but what do u espect its a huge game
 
On my first run through the load times took a while, maybe a minute tops, but now that I'm playing it a second time it just locks up. :'(
 
It's a new game. Doesn't it take you a long time to load doom 3 or any other newer game? I just got another harddrive and have it set in RAID 0 but it still doesn't load that much faster.
 
The load times are longer than any other game I've ever played... but the only thing it does is take away from the immersion in the game. To be honest the loads aren't TOO often and usually about the time they start getting the longest, they're immediately following some tremendous battle that you'd enjoy having a little break from. I don't know, I'm not trying to be a fanboy or anything, but I don't think it's worth complaining about.
 
Loading is a pain, especially as the game seems to store mouse movements during these 'pauses' so you end up staring at the sky when it does finally start again - not good when you're hurtling along a cliff road in a buggy.
 
There was a guy who talked about decrypting the HL2 files and putting them in a folder that this made it load much faster but I can't remember which website it was. Doh.
 
Loading varies wildly for me, since the maps tend to differ a lot in size and detail. That said, it wasn't too annoying (even in maps that were laughably short)- could be because I've lived with unpatched AvP2 loading times (shudder), and Far Cry wasn't especially speedy either.
 
lol - a tale of mini hell I had with loading times... later in the game, in the buggy - during a tunnel session. I was turboing down the tunnel and autosaved it.. then not long after it loaded the next section (big wait). I died in this part so hit f9 to reload my last save. It loads ok, but as someone said - the keys/mouse goes to shit - everytime it loaded, no matter what I tried - the buggy would hit the walls at massive speed and spin - I ended up in a blank looking tunnel not knowing which way I was originally going (seriously) I could see bright light to one end and a bend on the other side.. it was a 50 / 50 chance so I went for the bend.. WRONG!! In kicks "LOADING" for a LOOONG wait again. Now I have a choice - go back and wait a 4th time for LOOONG loads or hit f9 and reload it again from that (either way caused the LOOONG load time). For a short while I was in some kind of game loading limbo and it was frustrating as hell. Very poor show on saving and loading and along with the original sound stutter the worst aspect of the game. It does remove you from the game completely - especially in the packed city areas as loading is more frequent with less actual fun in between (the canals were not so bad as you could spend ages doing stuff).

What a nightmare, and all adding to the "Stop-Start" feel of this great but flawed game.

Btw DOOM3 does take a fair while to load, but it only does it at clear waypoints, and at least gives you a little picture and something to read.. a BLANK screen with LOADING is about as Next Gen as "insert game and press play on tape".. I was just waiting for "R: Tape loading error" it took that long to load some sections... yawn
 
Compare HL2 loading times to newer games and you will find they are on par with each other.

Jesus people.
 
^Ben said:
Compare HL2 loading times to newer games and you will find they are on par with each other.

Jesus people.
Click to expand...

Maybe for some games, point is they probably don't load right in the middle of the action or mid-section of a level (they would normally use streaming for that kind of loading). The games with similar load times set out clearly "loading Level X" - Far Cry does it, Doom3 does it. Both have a level picture and a loading progress bar. Hl2 has no picture and only half the time it uses a progress bar which is a big no no... waiting on a message with no progress could lead some people to think the game has locked up (given the load times and their placement).
 
Sharpfish said:
a BLANK screen with LOADING is about as Next Gen as "insert game and press play on tape".. I was just waiting for "R: Tape loading error" it took that long to load some sections... yawn
Click to expand...

So a game becomes "Next Gen" if it has a loading screen? Wow.....they've been around for years.
 
Oh dang they don't have a loading bar!!!!!!!!

Call the technology po-lice.

A seperate and a loading bar actually detracts from the game(they used to actually have this with the steam version of hl1)
 
Pi Mu Rho said:
So a game becomes "Next Gen" if it has a loading screen? Wow.....they've been around for years.
Click to expand...

:rolling: You know what I mean. The game (HL2) is supposedly "the best of the best" and the most current gen in PC games. The loading system and lack of progress indicator and also loading eye candy being absent are pretty bad things on a game of this calibre.
Loading from the menu is not so bad, you do get some feedback - not in-game. And for the record, if you read up on Microsoft and PS2 development guidlines, if you should ever be in the position where you look out for things like this for a living, testing for usability, general feedback and feel of a games interface - you will know that no game should be left either blank screened or without a loading progress indicator under certain conditions. If it was on Xbox or PS2 it would fail submission. On PC you have more freedom, but Valve should have wanted to keep quality up anyway (inline with other TOP PC games - guidelines or not)

As you say - they have been around for years so why are they not in this game? (hint > Lack of polish on final product, esp given dev time)
 
^Ben said:
Oh dang they don't have a loading bar!!!!!!!!

Call the technology po-lice.

A seperate and a loading bar actually detracts from the game(they used to actually have this with the steam version of hl1)
Click to expand...


Did you pull that info from your ASS?

Detracts? HUH???

Let me be clear here so you can understand. IF the game is loading mid-level, with the environment still visible then yes it would be stupid to show a new screen with loading written on it. I never said HL2 *SHOULD* do that, I said the way OTHER games do it is like that. The reason other games don't always do it like HL2 is that they normally stream-load, Valve went for half and half (life).

The main point is there should be a progress indicator on the section loads not just "LOADING".

Actually the main point is they are ill-placed and take too long.

now run along before I have to confuse you with facts some more.


<Edit> Just realised you two are mods/super posters and have obviously been sat on these boards since HL2 was announced, as such I doubt you will even begin to enterain anyone elses opinion, or a genuine fault in "your" game. As such, don't bother replying to me, I've had enough of fanboys already, and you guys must be elite fan boys. Seriously if you can not see how it would improve it then I don't want to know, I'm not going to argue anymore about a silly little point I have made, we all know it would be BETTER if it was done. As it is I really don't care about anything apart from the time it takes to actually load. Now if after that load was a 100% fullfilling experience waiting for me it wouldn't be so bad.

I think this may possibly be my last post on this forum, can't say anything, no throwaway comments, suggestions, problem discussion without getting people basically telling you to STFU and lump it. Absolutley futile. So call me a troll and assume anything I post is to get at HL2 just because I have nothing better to do. I won't be here to read it.

cya
 
Yes your great facts which some would call "personal opinion"

It's pretty obvious when it's about to load, usually they stick you in a tunnel and you see the bright light. Or they get you in a corridor where nothing happens and when you turn the corner it loads.

One thing that would be nice would be a tiny progress bar just underneath the words loading.
 
Sharpfish said:
:rolling: You know what I mean. The game (HL2) is supposedly "the best of the best" and the most current gen in PC games. The loading system and lack of progress indicator and also loading eye candy being absent are pretty bad things on a game of this calibre.
Loading from the menu is not so bad, you do get some feedback - not in-game. And for the record, if you read up on Microsoft and PS2 development guidlines, if you should ever be in the position where you look out for things like this for a living, testing for usability, general feedback and feel of a games interface - you will know that no game should be left either blank screened or without a loading progress indicator under certain conditions. If it was on Xbox or PS2 it would fail submission. On PC you have more freedom, but Valve should have wanted to keep quality up anyway (inline with other TOP PC games - guidelines or not)

As you say - they have been around for years so why are they not in this game? (hint > Lack of polish on final product, esp given dev time)
Click to expand...


Lack of polish? You are joking, right? Given that it would have been trivial to add loading screens/progress meters, it was very obviously a deliberate choice. Especially when you consider the effort they put into the background maps on the menu screen.

HL had no loading screens or progress meters either. They're very obviously just continuing in the same vein.

As for your game testing snobbery - I'm a developer. If there was a console version of HL2, the load times would be significantly reduced because of memory constraints anyway. The main reason it takes so long on the PC is the sheer quantity of high-res textures it has to load.
 
Yeah, these load times are killing me. A little bit of me dies every time it loads. It is insane how often the game has to take you out of the action and load. Every couple of minutes on the hovercraft levels it would completely take me out of the action for over a minute. That kills immersion.

Most Doom 3 and Far Cry levels take over 1/2 hour at least, and they load up in 1 minute at the beginning and then never take you out of the action. Why does HL2 have to load every few f***ing minutes?
 
My "facts" personal opinion?

No, Do you know about TRCs and TCRs (look into it) console dev guidlines that state even the minutest detail about what should and shouldn't be allowed to enhance end user experience.

Do you know about IIS (initial interactive state?) and the time a blank screen is allowed to be shown before this. Anything that involves user friendliness and reduce frustration is a good thing, and valve very possibly could have handled it a whole lot better. By pointing that out why does that have to mean I am having a go at the game as a whole?

Yes I have worked in an area of the industry where these things were taken seriously, where we were paid to judge things like this harshly - so forgive me if it is just the way I see things now.. I would rather someone be out there thinking like me and striving for perfection than settling for less just because the "cool bits make up for it".

^Ben said:
One thing that would be nice would be a tiny progress bar just underneath the words loading.
Click to expand...

Really? Well gee thanks. I have only just been trying to get that point across to you for the last ten minutes. IF it is not a new level load (ie a continous environment like HL2) then (if it is NOT going to use streaming, which IMO it should) then it should at least have a progress indicator on the small "loading" graphic. As I stated, at least twice. So you actually agreed with me and didn't even know it. I said the other form of loading (the screen and story) is what DOOM3 does because it is a DIFFERENT kind of level loading and that makes up for the load times somewhat.

I wish I had saved that edit for this post -but as yet you have not replied to that post so just take it for granted it applies to this one.


edit > "As for your game testing snobbery - I'm a developer. If there was a console version of HL2, the load times would be significantly reduced because of memory constraints anyway. The main reason it takes so long on the PC is the sheer quantity of high-res textures it has to load."

It is NOT snobbery, why can no-one mention a fact to back up why they are stating what they are without it being seen as bragging or something? it is nothing to brag about - low wages, long hours - I loved it while I did it and I too am a developer now.

Obviously the load times take long due to the content , did I ever debate that??? I said there should be a progress indicator. And if you ARE a developer you will know about trcs and tcrs and will know I am speaking the truth here.

The load times I am not debating (merely stating they are ill placed for the time they take) and that there should be more feedback. If you can find any reason why these two points are not valid I would be very suprised.
 
Streaming on a PC? Not a chance in hell.
 
Im not that far into my course at the moment.

But I do have the basic knowledge of what you are speaking about, so don't go throwing acronyms about, thinking your better then someone else because you don't know who your speaking to.
 
^Ben said:
Im not that far into my course at the moment.

But I do have the basic knowledge of what you are speaking about, so don't go throwing acronyms about, thinking your better then someone else because you don't know who your speaking to.
Click to expand...

Well when you are "that far into your course", you will probably look back and think "maybe I should have listened to that guy - he was actually talking sense" instead of completely going the opposite way to any suggestion or flaw he posts merely because you won't see any wrong in your game, or assume I am a troll.

Tell me who I am speaking to? and tell me your age and experience?

Acronyms.. Why would I not use them, ffs get over it, that is what they are called and commonly known as in the industry.

Now, seriously, I really am going to go, lol.. as much as I could bicker and argue all night long I have other stuff to do - just chill out guys, take someone elses opinion, consider it, maybe agree maybe don't but don't rip it to pieces until you have "finished that course" and understand what the **** I am trying to say.

btw - your original post :)

===============================
"Im not that far into my course at the moment. (Actually we only very breifly touch on the jobs of testers because were not expected to go into the "testing monkeys" portion of the games industry.)

But I do have the basic knowledge ...."
===============================

haha that is an absolute classic. If your attitude to the QA department is so bad you stand NO CHANCE. That is so immature I am left wondering why I even bother to converse with you.

Firstly: I am no longer in QA and if I was the "TESTING MONKEY" thing would not offend me, it can sometimes feel like that - but many a monkey has turned into something more. And a hell of a lot of people started there.

Secondly:I have worked alongside professional teams of DEV guys, programmers, artists etc and not one of them had this attitude towards the QA dept. It is a VITAL part of the industry (as the HL2 Stuttering bug points out only too vividly), no matter what link in the chain you are, you all contribute to the final product in some way. I never used my QA experience to try and "belittle" those who have not actually worked in the industry (in one of the UKs largest software houses) I mentioned that to back up my points, you know, evidence? So to use your supposed future placement in the industry to try and belittle the guys who are looking out more than ANY other member of the team for us players is just bizzare.

Thirdly:I am actually a C++/Direct X coder also which is what I am now into so if that is the kind of thing you are aiming at then why do I care? Stop playing one-up-manship and talk sense about the issue at hand (if you have to talk), that is, the original topic of this thread.

:)
 
BlackMesaDude said:
doom3 loading times are nothing compared to this game... its really scary.
Click to expand...

I concur. This game is SCREAMING for a progress bar. I am capable of having ample amounts of patience, if they give me some form of feedback telling me that progress is being made towards loading.
 
Apart from the time it takes to load, the straight tunnels with the buggy are a problem, as someone mentioned, due to the buggy ending up in a different direction after the load to before the load.

Drive forward --> 1 min load of the next part --> Drive forward --> 1 min load of the previous part as it turns out you were somehow turned backwards during the load --> Turn around and drive forward again -- > 1 min load of the next part again --> hope to hell you are finally facing forward...

A way to distinguish which way you are pointing would help, or even an "about to load" warning so that you could back off.
 
doomed - uk said:
There was a guy who talked about decrypting the HL2 files and putting them in a folder that this made it load much faster but I can't remember which website it was. Doh.
Click to expand...






Yeah that would be done by going into the valve or steam folder as I have found HL2 anCS:S to be in both folders on seperate installations and moving all program files for HL2 anCS:S. You can do this by copying all with Ctrl+A And deslecting non program files with Ctrl+Right mouse click.Then you would paste the files in the bin folder with Ctrl+V.Hope this helps as it only helped me for awhile.
:cheers:
 
doomed - uk said:
Apart from the time it takes to load, the straight tunnels with the buggy are a problem, as someone mentioned, due to the buggy ending up in a different direction after the load to before the load.
Drive forward --> 1 min load of the next part --> Drive forward --> 1 min load of the previous part as it turns out you were somehow turned backwards during the load --> Turn around and drive forward again -- > 1 min load of the next part again --> hope to hell you are finally facing forward...
A way to distinguish which way you are pointing would help, or even an "about to load" warning so that you could back off.
Click to expand...

yeah, that was me. Tried it again and it doesn't seem to be tied in with the mouse movements after all, it just decides to flip you around for the hell of it. Must be some nervous twitch that Gordon suffers from or something.
 
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