Load GRFs only when they are needed
Posted: 23 Apr 2006 12:04
This would improve the game loading time a lot. When I left only few files in my newgrf.cfg (TTO set, ttd patch files)the game loaded in ~10 seconds, but with full config file it can easily go to ~2 minutes.
So, my suggestion is this:
If you have files A, B and C in your newgrf.cfg like this and none of the use the grfid FF FF FF FF.
A ! (a big file 5mb, this one is not loaded in any saved game)
B !
C
And this is what should happen:
1) Title screen doesn't use any of those files so they are not loaded yet.
2) You load a saved game with file B activated. TTDpatch loads that file.
3) You decide to start a new game, because you finished that saved game. Now TTDpatch will only load file C.
4) The file A was loaded zero times and the size of file A was 5mb, because we didn't load it, we saved some time.
So, my suggestion is this:
If you have files A, B and C in your newgrf.cfg like this and none of the use the grfid FF FF FF FF.
A ! (a big file 5mb, this one is not loaded in any saved game)
B !
C
And this is what should happen:
1) Title screen doesn't use any of those files so they are not loaded yet.
2) You load a saved game with file B activated. TTDpatch loads that file.
3) You decide to start a new game, because you finished that saved game. Now TTDpatch will only load file C.
4) The file A was loaded zero times and the size of file A was 5mb, because we didn't load it, we saved some time.