-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: MD5 Arriving late as usual...
Why do linked lists equal run-time allocation and de-allocation? Well, yeah, ok, at /some/ point during execution you're going to have a create some particles...but if you create a number of them at the start, and just use those, then you're not constantly assigning and freeing memory, there's no fragmentation, and you still get the fast inserts. A couple of comments I've seen suggest this how people are doing (as I do). You have two lists. Active particles, unused particles. At start up, you create MAX_PARTICLES particles and dump them all in the unused list. Whenever you need a particle, you simply move it from unused to active. To render, iterate through the active list. No memory nastiness required. When your program quits, clean up. Yes, you're limited to a fixed number of particles, but you would be with static allocation anyway, and with a bit of experimentation, you can find a number that's not too wasteful without noticeably depriving your effects of particles. As is often the case, "somewhere" in between is the best solution :P > I don't have the time to get into this argument, but there is a reason that > games like Half-life\QuakeX prefer static allocation; speed! There is no > reason you need infinite particles. > Basically this boils down to the good 'ol speed vs. memory argument. People > have argued this for decades. > I would, however, argue that linked lists would be the better choice though > if you were developing on a restrictive platform where memory is limited. > Of course you could just limit the max_particles to a very small size! See > what I mean! ;} > Scott Velasquez > Programmer > Gearbox Software (www.gearboxsoftware.com) > ------------------------------------------ > re�cur�sion n.: See Recursion. > ------------------------------------------ > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Miguel Aleman > Sent: Thursday, June 27, 2002 3:01 PM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: [hlcoders] Particle System > Linked lists are the best way I know of to do a particle engine. > You save processor time during allocation of new particles and even more > during deallocation. The ability to have virtually infinite particles is > also a plus. > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Tom" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Thursday, June 27, 2002 1:56 AM > Subject: Re: [hlcoders] Particle System >> linked lists may be to slow for a particle engine >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Yacketta, Ronald" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> Sent: Thursday, June 27, 2002 12:24 AM >> Subject: RE: [hlcoders] Particle System >> >> >> > I am writing my own :) >> > >> > Just looking to peek at others work to see how things were/are done and >> > for some ideas. >> > Mine is using STL vice a stock home grown linked list >> > >> > -Ron >> > >> > -----Original Message----- >> > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] On Behalf Of Miguel >> > Aleman >> > Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2002 7:20 PM >> > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> > Subject: Re: [hlcoders] Particle System >> > >> > >> > Check out NeHe on gamedev.net (www.gamedev.net/nehe) for a particle >> > system tutorial. Its in OpenGL, but its easy to change to TriAPI. Get >> > comfortable with it and then you can write your own. >> > >> > ----- Original Message ----- >> > From: "Yacketta, Ronald" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> > Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2002 6:03 PM >> > Subject: RE: [hlcoders] Particle System >> > >> > >> > > I was just looking for a working particle system that I could use for >> > > ideas and to answer some of my own questions from, I am in no way >> > > looking to use someone else's engine. I am in the mist of my own >> > > creation and just need something to peek at >> > > >> > > -Ron >> > > >> > > -----Original Message----- >> > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> > > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] On Behalf Of Persuter >> > > Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2002 5:35 PM >> > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> > > Subject: RE: [hlcoders] Particle System >> > > >> > > >> > > Ron: what exactly is your question? The particle system recently >> > > discussed, I believe, was mine, which is available for any mod that >> > > wants it. It is currently being used in Quest, Hostile Intent, and >> > > something by C4 Software. >> > > >> > > Persuter >> > > >> > > > -----Original Message----- >> > > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:hlcoders- >> > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED]] On Behalf Of Yacketta, Ronald >> > > > Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2002 9:25 PM >> > > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> > > > Subject: [hlcoders] Particle System >> > > > >> > > > Folks, >> > > > >> > > > I recall a recent conversation regarding the use / tutorial etc >> > > someone >> > > > had of a particle system for HL. I went searching my .pst's and >> > > > could not find a reference nor in the HL archives. >> > > > >> > > > Might someone know of a POC (Point Of Contact) for the particle >> > > > system >> > > >> > > > that was discussed? >> > > > >> > > > Regards, >> > > > Ron >> > > > _______________________________________________ >> > > > To unsubscribe, edit your list preferences, or view the list >> > > > archives, >> > > >> > > > please visit: >> > > > http://list.valvesoftware.com/mailman/listinfo/hlcoders >> > > >> > > _______________________________________________ >> > > To unsubscribe, edit your list preferences, or view the list archives, >> > >> > > please visit: http://list.valvesoftware.com/mailman/listinfo/hlcoders >> > > _______________________________________________ >> > > To unsubscribe, edit your list preferences, or view the list archives, >> > please visit: >> > > http://list.valvesoftware.com/mailman/listinfo/hlcoders >> > > >> > > >> > >> > _______________________________________________ >> > To unsubscribe, edit your list preferences, or view the list archives, >> > please visit: http://list.valvesoftware.com/mailman/listinfo/hlcoders >> > _______________________________________________ >> > To unsubscribe, edit your list preferences, or view the list archives, >> please visit: >> > http://list.valvesoftware.com/mailman/listinfo/hlcoders >> > >> > >> >> _______________________________________________ >> To unsubscribe, edit your list preferences, or view the list archives, > please visit: >> http://list.valvesoftware.com/mailman/listinfo/hlcoders >> >> > _______________________________________________ > To unsubscribe, edit your list preferences, or view the list archives, > please visit: > http://list.valvesoftware.com/mailman/listinfo/hlcoders > _______________________________________________ > To unsubscribe, edit your list preferences, or view the list archives, please visit: > http://list.valvesoftware.com/mailman/listinfo/hlcoders [ cruise / www.casual-tempest.net / www.transference.org ] -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.6 iQCVAwUAPRw2oPdi0Z5STRufAQG+SQP/egXiIQ7e/u93L0i1j1Wysu6SSC15wWOV 1FeTfJVf29b8P0XX3cKtCVH5dQeu6BdeMzJTA1saOGdZ6htaJKiklWi4b/mOCKVS 0J6t7xad7UDfdbyg6rDois3kHJIBFAIC/8P0IHcuH0PGnu+zy3GyLYKl1DgGmY8Z rCS5b0sOSPY= =PfN/ -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- _______________________________________________ To unsubscribe, edit your list preferences, or view the list archives, please visit: http://list.valvesoftware.com/mailman/listinfo/hlcoders
