Huge Map - Is it possible?

Thus spake Hagar:

However, a smaller size map file will make the size of the Vassal
MODULE
smaller. Isn’t that correct?

Thanks for the information regarding the display characteristics.

Yes, but I don’t recommend sacrificing image quality to make modules
smaller. Disk space is cheap and plentiful.


J.

Thus spake mroyer:

“Tim M” wrote:

the latest build is VASSAL-3.2.0-svn7805-windows.exe. Try with it

Thanks, Tim. I downloaded and tried that version with same results - it
appears to be working fine for my other modules, but the one with the
huge map sections (6 boards of 8845 x 6643 pixels) fails when Tiling.
See image below.

Your problem is likely that the max heap for the image tiler is too low.
I’ve changed it so that the max heap for the image tiler depends on the
size of the largest image to be tiled, but can’t upload a build right
now due to the limited bandwidth at this internet cafe. I’ll be able
to upload a new build for you on Monday.


J.

Thus spake mroyer:

I have another question regarding VASSAL v3.2. Given that it’s “Tiling”
images, do you think it will make any difference for a huge map whether
it’s broken into six boards, each tiled separately, or will it be just
as efficient to have one giant board that will be tiled?

In order to create tiles for an image, we have to be able to load the
whole image. While low-end machines are capable of displaying tiled
images of any size, they’re not generally going to be able to handle
slicing extremely large images. E.g., an image with 300MB of image data
(at 4 bytes per pixel) might not be sliceable on a machine with only
512MB RAM.


J.

Thus spake Joel Uckelman:

Thus spake mroyer:

“Tim M” wrote:

the latest build is VASSAL-3.2.0-svn7805-windows.exe. Try with it

Thanks, Tim. I downloaded and tried that version with same results - it
appears to be working fine for my other modules, but the one with the
huge map sections (6 boards of 8845 x 6643 pixels) fails when Tiling.
See image below.

Your problem is likely that the max heap for the image tiler is too low.
I’ve changed it so that the max heap for the image tiler depends on the
size of the largest image to be tiled, but can’t upload a build right
now due to the limited bandwidth at this internet cafe. I’ll be able
to upload a new build for you on Monday.

Turns out I was able to upload a new build. Try svn7809 or later.


J.

Thanks for the quick answer and especially for the new build so soon!!
I’ll give it a go as soon as I can (probably tomorrow), and report back.

BTW, I just want to say that you guys are doing the wargame community a great service by providing VASSAL - thanks for everyone’s effort in that regard!
-Mark R.

P.S. I think I may have just “reported” you, by accident…

I’m pumped!!
It was awesome(!) - after a rather lengthy tiling the in-game response of my massive, global map was VERY quick; well under a second to re-paint the entire monitor. Excellent job. And, to be sure, I checked that the tiling process only happens the first time you open a module; it must store the tiled pieces. The second time I opened the module, it snapped right back in with no tiling.

Thanks for the preview. … so… um… dare I ask… how long 'til v3.2 is released? :wink:

Thanks again,
-Mark R.

Thus spake mroyer:

Thanks for the preview. … so… um… dare I ask… how long
'til v3.2 is released? :wink:

The next thing to happen after all of the code for new features is
merged is for us to release the first 3.2 beta. When we do that depends
on how much is left to merge and how many problems we encounter after
that.

Maybe we’ll release 3.2.0-beta1 next week, but that’s not a promise.


J.

So it relatively near-term rather than far off; excellent.
Understood regarding “not a promise.” :slight_smile:

-Mark R.

For those interested, here is the map configuration in it’s six sections that covers the entire globe. It is 414 hexes around the equator and 238 hexes from pole to pole. As of the posting of this image, the entire globe has been outlined, but only Europe and Madagascar have been fully fleshed out. The Pacific and East Asia have been started.

The full sized outline of all six sections (26535 x 13286 pixels) loads and works great in the pre-release VASSAL v3.2. After a lengthy tiling process (only the first time the module is opened after a change), the screen re-paint is VERY snappy; well under a second.

Great job to the VASSAL development team!

Thanks,
-Mark R.